ماno فَوقَabove شَأوِكَyour utmost reach فيin العُلاloftiness مُزدادُfurther ascent
ما فَوقَ شَأوِكَ في العُلا مُزدادُ
فَعَلامَthen why? يُقلِقُunsettles عَزمَكَyour resolve الإِجهادُexertion
فَعَلامَ يُقلِقُ عَزمَكَ الإِجهادُ
Beyond your reach in loftiness there is no further ascent.
Your glory in the heights still grows
Then why should exertion unsettle your resolve?
Why should toil trouble your strength's repose?
هِمَمٌaspirations ضَربنَpitched عَلىover السَّماءِthe sky سَرادِقاًa pavilion
هِمَمٌ ضَربنَ عَلى السَّماءِ سَرادِقاً
فَالشُّهبُso the bright stars أَطنابٌtent ropes لَهاfor them وَعِمادُand pillars
فَالشُّهبُ أَطنابٌ لَها وَعِمادُ
Ambitions have pitched a pavilion over the sky,
Ambitions pitched a tent upon the sky
With the bright stars as their tent ropes and pillars.
So meteors are their ropes, pillars on high
أَنتَyou الَّذيthe one who خَطَبَتspoke in praise لَهُfor him حُسّادُهُhis enviers
أَنتَ الَّذي خَطَبَت لَهُ حُسّادُهُ
وَالفَضلُand merit ماwhat اِعتَرَفَتacknowledged بِهِconcerning it الحُسّادُthe enviers
وَالفَضلُ ما اِعتَرَفَت بِهِ الحُسّادُ
You are he whose enviers have spoken in his praise,
You are the one whose enviers have proclaimed
And true merit is what even enviers acknowledge.
Excellence is what even enviers have named
قامَstood established الدَّليلُthe proof وَسَلَّمَand conceded الخَصمُthe adversary اليَلَنْthe obstinate (continued)
قامَ الدَّليلُ وَسَلَّمَ الخَصمُ اليَلَنْ
دَدُcompletion of 'obstinate' وَاِنجلىand became clear لِلآثرto the narrator الإِسنادُthe chain of transmission
دَدُ وَاِنجلى لِلآثر الإِسنادُ
The proof stood established, and the obstinate adversary conceded,
Evidence stood up and the opponent surrendered gentle
And the chain of transmission became clear to the narrator.
Chains gave way and dew became the guide
زَهَرتblossomed لِدَولَتِكَunder your rule البِلادُthe lands فَرَوحُهاso their breeze
زَهَرت لِدَولَتِكَ البِلادُ فَرَوحُها
أَرِجُfragrant المَهَبِّthe blowing وَدَوْحُهاand their great trees مَيّادُswaying
أَرِجُ المَهَبِّ وَدَوْحُها مَيّادُ
The lands have blossomed under your rule; their breeze
Your state has brought the countries into bloom and their spirit
Is fragrant as it blows, and their great trees sway.
Is the perfume of love, their bosom friends.
أَحياrevived رَبيعُthe springtime العَدلِof justice مَيتَthe dead رُبوعِهاof their dwellings
أَحيا رَبيعُ العَدلِ مَيتَ رُبوعِها
فَالبُرنضُso al-burnud (unclear term) نَجمٌsprouting growth وَالهَشيمُand dry brush مُرادُdesired
فَالبُرنضُ نَجمٌ وَالهَشيمُ مُرادُ
The springtime of justice revived their lifeless dwellings,
The spring of justice brought to life its dead plains
So al-burnud is sprouting growth, and dry brush is desired.
So the moth is a star and the firebrand a yearned-for goal.
فَالعَيشُso life إِلّاexcept فيin جَنابِكَyour domain مِيتَةٌdeath
فَالعَيشُ إِلّا في جَنابِكَ مِيتَةٌ
وَالنَّومُand sleep إِلّاexcept فيin حِماكَyour protection سُهادُsleeplessness
وَالنَّومُ إِلّا في حِماكَ سُهادُ
Life outside your domain is death,
Life, except in your shadow, is but death
And sleep outside your protection is sleeplessness.
And sleep, except in your protection, is weariness.
وَإِذاand when العِداthe enemies زَرَعواsowed النِّفاقَhypocrisy وَأَحصَدواand brought to harvest
وَإِذا العِدا زَرَعوا النِّفاقَ وَأَحصَدوا
كَيداًguile فَعَزمُكَthen your resolve ناقِضٌan undoer حَصَّادُa reaper
كَيداً فَعَزمُكَ ناقِضٌ حَصَّادُ
And when foes sow hypocrisy and bring to harvest
And if enemies sow hypocrisy and reap
Their guile, your resolve undoes and reaps it.
Ruses, your resolve is a reaper of harvesters.
بِالمَقرباتِwith prized steeds كَأَنَّas though فَوقَupon مُتونِهاtheir backs
بِالمَقرباتِ كَأَنَّ فَوقَ مُتونِها
جنّjinn المَلاof the wilderness وَكَأنَّهاand as though they أَطوادُmountains
جنّ المَلا وَكَأنَّها أَطوادُ
With prized steeds, as though upon their backs
With favors you are like above their backs
Were the wilderness's jinn, and the steeds themselves seemed mountains.
Jinn of power, as if they arecamels in a file.
تَدأىgallop (uncertain reading) وَمِنand from وَحيِthe signals الكماةِof armored warriors صفورُهاtheir whistling
تَدأى وَمِن وَحيِ الكماةِ صفورُها
فَالزَّحرُso the driving shout قَيدٌa fetter وَالنَّدىand the call قَيّادُa guide
فَالزَّحرُ قَيدٌ وَالنَّدى قَيّادُ
They gallop, their whistling prompted by the warriors' signals;
You surpass, inspired by the pinnacle of perfections
So a driving shout is a fetter, and a call a guide.
So jewelry is a fetter and dew a leader.
سُحبٌclouds إِذاwhen سَحَبتtrailed بِأَرضٍacross a land ذَيلَهاtheir skirt
سُحبٌ إِذا سَحَبت بِأَرضٍ ذَيلَها
فَالحَزْنُthen rugged ground سَهلٌa plain وَالهِضابُand the hills وِهادُlowlands
فَالحَزْنُ سَهلٌ وَالهِضابُ وِهادُ
Clouds that, when they trail their skirts across a land,
Clouds, when they trail their hems over a land
Make rugged ground a plain and hills lowlands.
Sorrow is smooth and the hills are gently rounded.
يَهديguides النَّواظِرَthe gazes فيthrough دُجُنَّةِthe darkness نَقعِهاof their dust
يَهدي النَّواظِرَ في دُجُنَّةِ نَقعِها
بَدرٌa full moon بِسَرجِكَupon your saddle نيِّرٌluminous وَقّادُblazing
بَدرٌ بِسَرجِكَ نيِّرٌ وَقّادُ
Guiding gazes through the darkness of their dust
It guides viewers in the darkness of its heavy shower
Is a full moon upon your saddle, luminous and blazing.
A full moon by your saddle, shining and driving away shadows.
أَلبَستَyou clothed دينَthe faith مُحمَّدٍof Muhammad ياO نورَهُits light
أَلبَستَ دينَ مُحمَّدٍ يا نورَهُ
عِزَّاًin glory لَهُfor it فَوقَabove السّهادِsleeplessness أُسادُlions
عِزَّاً لَهُ فَوقَ السّهادِ أُسادُ
You have clothed Muhammad's faith, O its light,
You have clothed the faith of Muhammed, its light,
In glory whose lions stand above sleeplessness.
With glory, lions above the sleepy lions.
مازِلتَyou have continued تَسمِكُهُraising it بِميَّادِwith the swaying القَناspears
مازِلتَ تَسمِكُهُ بِميَّادِ القَنا
حَتّىuntil تَثَقّفَwas straightened عودُهُits stem المَيّادُthe swaying
حَتّى تَثَقّفَ عودُهُ المَيّادُ
You have kept raising it with swaying spears,
You have continued to water it with springs of resolve
Until its swaying stem was straightened.
Until its wet branches soaked up the watering places.
لَمnot يَبقَremained مُذْsince أَرهفتَyou sharpened عَزمكَyour resolve دونَهُin its defense
لَم يَبقَ مُذْ أَرهفتَ عَزمكَ دونَهُ
عَددٌa host يُراعُis feared بِهِbecause of it ولاnor اِستِعدادُpreparation
عَددٌ يُراعُ بِهِ ولا اِستِعدادُ
Since you sharpened your resolve in its defense, no longer remains
No number remains since you determined to aid it
A host to inspire fear, nor any preparation.
That would be feared or even considered.
إِنَّindeed المَنابِرَthe pulpits لَوif تُطيقُare capable of تَكَلُّماًspeech
إِنَّ المَنابِرَ لَو تُطيقُ تَكَلُّماً
حَمَدَتكَwould praise you عَنon behalf of خُطَبائِهاtheir preachers الأَعوادُthe timbers
حَمَدَتكَ عَن خُطَبائِها الأَعوادُ
Indeed, if the pulpits could speak,
Truly if pulpits could speak
Their timbers would praise you on their preachers' behalf.
The staffs would praise you beyond preachers.
وَلَئِنand even if حَمَتْshielded مِنكَfrom you الأَعاديthe enemies مهلهa respite (uncertain spelling)
وَلَئِن حَمَتْ مِنكَ الأَعادي مهله
فَلَهُمthen for them إِلىto المَرعىthe pasture الوَبيِّthe pestilent مَعادُa return
فَلَهُم إِلى المَرعى الوَبيِّ مَعادُ
Though a respite has shielded your enemies from you,
If enemies have spared you for a respite
Theirs is a return to the pestilent pasture.
For them is the returning to the pasture of loss.
وَلكَمْand how many لَكُمْfor you فيin أَرضهِمtheir land مِنof مَشهَدٍa battle scene
وَلكَمْ لَكُمْ في أَرضهِم مِن مَشهَدٍ
قامَتarose بِهِat it لِظُباكُمُfor your blades الأَشهادُthe witnesses
قامَت بِهِ لِظُباكُمُ الأَشهادُ
How many a battle scene in their land is yours,
And how often you have had in their lands
Where witnesses have testified for your blades!
Scenes where their routed remnants lie as corpses.
مُلْقٍlaying بِأَطرافِupon the borderlands الفِرِنجَةِof the Franks كَلكَلاًa breast
مُلْقٍ بِأَطرافِ الفِرِنجَةِ كَلكَلاً
طرفاهُits two flanks ضَربٌblows صَادِقٌtelling وَجِلادٌand sword-fighting
طرفاهُ ضَربٌ صَادِقٌ وَجِلادٌ
Laying its breast upon the Frankish borderlands,
Thrown down on the fringes of battle their skulls
Its two flanks are telling blows and sword-fighting.
Severed by a true sword and punishing blades.
حامواdefended فَلَمّاbut when عايَنواbeheld حَوضَthe pool الرّدَىof death
حاموا فَلَمّا عايَنوا حَوضَ الرّدَى
حامواwheeled in flight بِرائِشِwith the featherer كَيدِهمof their plotting أَوor كادواalmost did
حاموا بِرائِشِ كَيدِهم أَو كادوا
They stood in defense; but when they beheld death's pool,
Arms that struck with them and with resolve
They wheeled with the featherer of their plots—or nearly did.
From the community of Ahmed blows that crush tyrants.
وَرجاand hoped البِرنسthe prince وَقَدand already تَبَرنَسَdonned a hooded cloak ذِلَّةًin abasement
وَرجا البِرنس وَقَد تَبَرنَسَ ذِلَّةً
حَرماًfor sanctuary بِحارِمat Harim وَالمصادand the quarry مصادُcaught
حَرماً بِحارِم وَالمصاد مصادُ
And the prince, cloaked in abasement, hoped
They took root in Aleppo and from its branches
For sanctuary at Harim—yet the quarry was caught.
Baghdad reaps the fruits of its security.
ضَجَّتclamored ثَعالِبُهُhis foxes فَأَخرَسَthen silenced جَرسَهاtheir din
ضَجَّت ثَعالِبُهُ فَأَخرَسَ جَرسَها
بيضٌwhite blades تَناسَبmatched one another فيin الحديدِiron حدادُsharp
بيضٌ تَناسَب في الحديدِ حدادُ
His foxes clamored; their din was silenced by
O you when the upheavals of your might storm
White, keen-edged blades, matched in their iron,
The fires of polytheism subside, now embers.
وَسَواعِدٌand forearms ضَرَبتset up بِهِنَّwith them وَبِالقَناand with spears
وَسَواعِدٌ ضَرَبت بِهِنَّ وَبِالقَنا
مِنfrom دونbefore مِلَّةِthe faith أَحمَدof Ahmad الأَسدادُthe barriers
مِن دون مِلَّةِ أَحمَد الأَسدادُ
And forearms by which, and by spears, were erected
Strange are the people who opposed you and opposed
The barriers defending Ahmad's faith.
A staff that evaded them as they desired it.
يَركُزنَstand rooted فيin حَلَبٍAleppo وَمِنand from أَفنانِهاtheir branches
يَركُزنَ في حَلَبٍ وَمِن أَفنانِها
تَجنيgathers فَواكِهَthe fruits أَمنِهاof its security بَغدادُBaghdad
تَجني فَواكِهَ أَمنِها بَغدادُ
They stand rooted in Aleppo; from their boughs
And they saw the banner of victory flying above you
Baghdad gathers the fruits of its security.
So their hearts in their breasts were stilled.
ياO مَنone who إِذاwhen عَصَفَتraged زَعازِعُthe tempests بَأسِهِof his might
يا مَن إِذا عَصَفَت زَعازِعُ بَأسِهِ
خَمَدتdied down جَحيمُthe inferno الشّركِof polytheism فَهيَso it is رَمادُashes
خَمَدت جَحيمُ الشّركِ فَهيَ رَمادُ
O you, when the tempests of your might rage,
How could one who denies that the torrent destroy the ruins
The inferno of polytheism dies down and becomes ashes.
And its time the repeating assailant.
عَجَباًhow astonishing لِقَومٍat a people حاوَلوكَchallenged you وَحاوَلواand sought
عَجَباً لِقَومٍ حاوَلوكَ وَحاوَلوا
عوداًa return فَواتاهَمand came to them إِلَيهِtoward it مُرادُa desired end
عوداً فَواتاهَم إِلَيهِ مُرادُ
How astonishing, a people who challenged you and sought
Or that the eclipse return the sun whose orb
A return, and their wish for it was granted.
Is fired by that flaming meteor.
وَرَأَواand saw لِواءَthe banner النصرِof victory فَوقَكَabove you خافِقاًfluttering
وَرَأَوا لِواءَ النصرِ فَوقَكَ خافِقاً
فَأَقامَyet remained مِنهُمof them فيwithin الضّلوعِthe ribs فُؤادُa heart
فَأَقامَ مِنهُم في الضّلوعِ فُؤادُ
And saw victory's banner fluttering above you,
It avails not fathers what they established of
Yet a heart of theirs still remained within their ribs!
Glory unless the sons raise it high.
مِنany (interrogative) مُنكِرٍa denier أَنthat يَنسِفَsweeps away السَّيْلُthe torrent الرُّبَىthe hills
مِن مُنكِرٍ أَن يَنسِفَ السَّيْلُ الرُّبَى
وَأَبوهُand its father ذاكَthat العارِضُrain cloud المَدّادُcopiously pouring
وَأَبوهُ ذاكَ العارِضُ المَدّادُ
Can anyone deny that the torrent sweeps away the hills,
A king bound by both his hopes and his fears
When its father is that copiously pouring rain cloud?
And rarely do opposites come together.
أَوor أَنthat يُعيدَrenders الشّمسَthe sun كاسِفَةdim السّناin radiance
أَو أَن يُعيدَ الشّمسَ كاسِفَة السّنا
نارٌa fire لهاfor it ذاكthat الشّهابshooting star زنادُflint
نارٌ لها ذاك الشّهاب زنادُ
Or that the sun should be made dim in radiance
By a fire whose flint is that shooting star?
لاnot يَنفَعُbenefits الآباءَthe fathers ماwhat سَمَكواthey raised مِنَof الthe (continued next line)
لا يَنفَعُ الآباءَ ما سَمَكوا مِنَ ال
عَلْياءِlofty glory حَتّىuntil ترْفَعَraise it الأولادُthe sons
عَلْياءِ حَتّى ترْفَعَ الأولادُ
Fathers gain nothing from what they have raised of
Lofty glory, until their sons raise it.
مَلكٌa king يُقيِّدُbinds خَوفُهُfear of him وَرَجاؤُهُand hope in him
مَلكٌ يُقيِّدُ خَوفُهُ وَرَجاؤُهُ
ولَقَلَّماand seldom indeed تَتَظافَرُjoin forces الأَضدادُopposites
ولَقَلَّما تَتَظافَرُ الأَضدادُ
A king: fear of him and hope in him both bind,
And seldom do opposites join forces.
Partial English translation: 56 of 62 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1