سُقِيَتْ ديارُكِ يا ابنةَ الأَقوامِ

سُقِيَتْ ديارُكِ يا ابنةَ الأَقوامِ

وَصَبَا اليها صَوبُ كلِّ غَمَامِ

وَصَبَا اليها صَوبُ كلِّ غَمَامِ

May your dwellings be watered, daughter of the clans,

Your abodes have been watered, O daughter of the nations,

and may every cloud's downpour yearn toward them.

And the direction of every cloud poured towards it.

وَتَزيَنتْ عَرصاتُها ورسومُها

وَتَزيَنتْ عَرصاتُها ورسومُها

بالنَّور مُطَّلعاً من الاكَامِ

بالنَّور مُطَّلعاً من الاكَامِ

May their courtyards and traces be adorned

Its yards and drawings were adorned

with blossoms springing from the hillocks.

With light dawning from the peaks.

يا منزلاً عبثَ النسيمُ بتربهِ

يا منزلاً عبثَ النسيمُ بتربهِ

لا غيرتْكَ حَوادثُ الأَيَّامِ

لا غيرتْكَ حَوادثُ الأَيَّامِ

O dwelling, whose dust the breeze has played with,

O dwellings which the breeze toyed with their soil

may the vicissitudes of days never change you.

Hardships of time did not change you.

وَخَلابِكَ القُمريُّ يَندُبُ شَجوهَ

وَخَلابِكَ القُمريُّ يَندُبُ شَجوهَ

أَسَفاً على قومٍ نأوكَ كِرَامِ

أَسَفاً على قومٍ نأوكَ كِرَامِ

And may the turtledove be alone with you, bewailing its grief,

And your crescent-like beauty laments its passion,

in sorrow for noble people who departed from you.

Regretting a people who avoided your generosity.

لا زلتَ تنعم بالنُّعامى والصَّبا

لا زلتَ تنعم بالنُّعامى والصَّبا

وحنينِ كلِّ مُزَمْزَمٍ بَسَّامِ

وحنينِ كلِّ مُزَمْزَمٍ بَسَّامِ

May you ever delight in the south wind and the east wind,

You still enjoy youth and the morning breeze,

and the moaning of every rumbling, smiling cloud,

And the yearning of every murmuring nightingale.

حتى يزيدَكَ بَهْجَةً ونَضَارَةً

حتى يزيدَكَ بَهْجَةً ونَضَارَةً

مَرُّ الشُّهُورِ عليكَ والأَعوَامِ

مَرُّ الشُّهُورِ عليكَ والأَعوَامِ

until your beauty and freshness are increased

Until the passing months and years increase you

by the passage of months and years over you.

In joy and vitality.

انَّ الذينَ بعَقْوَتَيكَ عَهِدْتَهُمْ

انَّ الذينَ بعَقْوَتَيكَ عَهِدْتَهُمْ

تُعدِى أَكفُّهم على الاعدَامِ

تُعدِى أَكفُّهم على الاعدَامِ

Indeed, those you once knew in your two courtyards—

Those whom you entrusted with your two valleys,

their hands give succor against poverty.

Their palms transgress against the helpless.

ما شئتَ من شيمٍ تُشَامُ وأَنفسٍ

ما شئتَ من شيمٍ تُشَامُ وأَنفسٍ

تَأبى فتكرَه صُحْبَةَ الأَجْسَامِ

تَأبى فتكرَه صُحْبَةَ الأَجْسَامِ

All you could wish of virtues to behold, and souls

Whatever traits you detect and souls you dislike

that are proud and therefore abhor the company of bodies;

That dislike the company of bodies.

وكواعبٍ نظرتْ بأَحداقِ المَها

وكواعبٍ نظرتْ بأَحداقِ المَها

وَتَلفَّتَتْ بسَوالفِ الأَرآمِ

وَتَلفَّتَتْ بسَوالفِ الأَرآمِ

and full-breasted maidens who gazed with oryx eyes

And charming glances that glance with doe eyes

and turned with the necks of white gazelles.

And twinkle with the tales of meadows.

لو كنتُ حراً أَغنُمُ فَقدَهم

لو كنتُ حراً أَغنُمُ فَقدَهم

ما كنتُ الاَّ هامةً في الهَامِ

ما كنتُ الاَّ هامةً في الهَامِ

Were I noble, counting their loss a gain,

If I were free I would enjoy losing them,

I would be but a skull among skulls.

I would only be a madly-in-love dove.

فَلشَدَّ ما شرَدتْ صَيودُكَ بعدما

فَلشَدَّ ما شرَدتْ صَيودُكَ بعدما

تنقادُ مُصْحَبَةً بغيرِ زِمَامِ

تنقادُ مُصْحَبَةً بغيرِ زِمَامِ

How wildly your quarry has fled, after

My longing to you was so severe after

once yielding tamely, without a rein.

My determination was unleashed without a bridle.

عللْ جُفونَكَ بالمَنَامِ فانَّه

عللْ جُفونَكَ بالمَنَامِ فانَّه

ما كانَ ذاكَ العيشُ غَيْرَ مَنَامِ

ما كانَ ذاكَ العيشُ غَيْرَ مَنَامِ

Soothe your eyelids with sleep, for

Relieve your eyelids with sleep, for it

that life was nothing but a dream.

Was not real life but a dream.

وأخالُهُ حُلُماً لكثرةِ ما أَرى

وأخالُهُ حُلُماً لكثرةِ ما أَرى

أَيامه فى طارقِ الأَحْلامِ

أَيامه فى طارقِ الأَحْلامِ

And I deem it a dream, so often do I see

And I imagine it a dream due to the frequency

its days in the nightly visitations of dreams.

Of seeing its days in the darkness of dreams.

وَمُصَمِّمٍ في اللهوِ يَركَبُ رأسَه

وَمُصَمِّمٍ في اللهوِ يَركَبُ رأسَه

لا تَجتديهِ ملامةُ اللُوَّامِ

لا تَجتديهِ ملامةُ اللُوَّامِ

And a man bent on revelry, following his own head,

And a persistent one who rides his illusion,

whom the faultfinders' reproaches could not sway—

Whom no blame of blamers deters.

نَبهتُه سَحَراً فقلتُ أَما تَرى

نَبهتُه سَحَراً فقلتُ أَما تَرى

نُور الصَّباحِ يَدُّب في الاظْلامِ

نُور الصَّباحِ يَدُّب في الاظْلامِ

I roused him before dawn and said, "Do you not see

I woke him up at dawn and said, “Do you not see

the morning light creeping through the darkness?"

The light of dawn creeping into the darkness?”

فاهتزَّ كالغصنِ الملاعبِ نفسَهُ

فاهتزَّ كالغصنِ الملاعبِ نفسَهُ

أَو كاهتزازِ الصَّارم الصَّمْصَامِ

أَو كاهتزازِ الصَّارم الصَّمْصَامِ

He swayed like a bough playing with itself,

So his soul quivered like a twig being played with

or like the quivering of a keen, unbending sword.

Or like the shuddering of a resolute sword.

ومُسَافةِ يرجو برجعِ جَوابِهُ

ومُسَافةِ يرجو برجعِ جَوابِهُ

يومَ الحَفيظةِ أَنْ يقومَ مقامِي

يومَ الحَفيظةِ أَنْ يقومَ مقامِي

And a disputant hoping, with his answering retort,

And an interval in which he hopes for the return of his answer

to stand in my place on the day of indignation:

On the day of questioning, that he will stand in my position.

لو كنتُ مثلكَ قلتُ ما قد قلتَهُ

لو كنتُ مثلكَ قلتُ ما قد قلتَهُ

لكنما راميتَ غيرَ مُرَامِ

لكنما راميتَ غيرَ مُرَامِ

Were I like you, I would say what you have said;

If I were like you I would have said what you said,

but you have traded shots with an unreachable target.

But you have aimed at other than my goal.

لا تلحَ في شُحِّي بِعِرضي اِنَّهُ

لا تلحَ في شُحِّي بِعِرضي اِنَّهُ

حَظٌّ رضيتُ به من الأَقسَامِ

حَظٌّ رضيتُ به من الأَقسَامِ

Do not censure my jealous care for my honor: it

Do not persist in disparaging my honor, it

is a portion I have accepted among the allotted shares.

Is a share I accepted from the divisions.

ولقد زهِدتُ فكنتُ أولَ زاهدٍ

ولقد زهِدتُ فكنتُ أولَ زاهدٍ

ولقد رغبتُ فَرُمْتُ خيرَ مَرَامِ

ولقد رغبتُ فَرُمْتُ خيرَ مَرَامِ

I renounced desire, and was foremost among renouncers;

And I was ascetic so I was the first ascetic,

and when I aspired, I sought the noblest goal.

And I was desirous so I threw the best of goals.

ومدَحْتُ من وَلدِ الملوكِ متوَّجاً

ومدَحْتُ من وَلدِ الملوكِ متوَّجاً

متقابلَ الأَخوالِ والأعمَامِ

متقابلَ الأَخوالِ والأعمَامِ

I praised a crowned man of royal descent,

And I praised a king wearing the crown

whose maternal and paternal uncles are peers.

With uncles and paternal uncles reciprocating.

تَسري قواضبُه الى أَعدائِهِ

تَسري قواضبُه الى أَعدائِهِ

حتى تُعَرِّسَ في مَقيلِ الهَامِ

حتى تُعَرِّسَ في مَقيلِ الهَامِ

His cutting swords journey by night toward his enemies,

His feet advance towards his enemies

until they camp where heads repose.

Until they stagger into the resting place of passions.

واذا دعا النِطْلِيسُ خُرْسَ نِصاله

واذا دعا النِطْلِيسُ خُرْسَ نِصاله

رَدَّتْ جوابَ الأَلثَغِ التَّمتَامِ

رَدَّتْ جوابَ الأَلثَغِ التَّمتَامِ

And when the shrewd man summons his mute blades,

And if the tongue-tied calls for the silence of his swords

they give the reply of a lisping stammerer.

The eloquent returns the response decisively.

أَعني قوامَ الدينِ حقاً أَنَّهُ

أَعني قوامَ الدينِ حقاً أَنَّهُ

قامتْ عليهِ دعائمُ الاسْلامِ

قامتْ عليهِ دعائمُ الاسْلامِ

I mean Qiwam al-Din: in truth,

I mean the pillar of religion indeed he

the pillars of Islam have been raised upon him.

On whom the pillars of Islam stood.

ذاكَ الذي لو لمتَه أَو عبتَهُ

ذاكَ الذي لو لمتَه أَو عبتَهُ

شبهتَهُ بالغَيثِ والضِّرغامِ

شبهتَهُ بالغَيثِ والضِّرغامِ

He is the one whom, even if you blamed or faulted him,

He whom if you blame or denounce

you would liken to the rain and the lion.

You liken him to pouring rain and drizzle.

أَو رُمْتَ بالتَّعدَادِ أَدنى وَصفِهِ

أَو رُمْتَ بالتَّعدَادِ أَدنى وَصفِهِ

أفنيتَ أَقصى الصُّحفِ والأقْلامِ

أفنيتَ أَقصى الصُّحفِ والأقْلامِ

Or if, by listing, you sought his least quality,

Or if you attempt the least of his description

you would exhaust every last page and pen.

You exhaust the ultimate of pages and pens.

أَحسنْ به ظنَّاً اذا ما خفتَهُ

أَحسنْ به ظنَّاً اذا ما خفتَهُ

يا صاحبَ العَثَراتِ والاجْرَامِ

يا صاحبَ العَثَراتِ والاجْرَامِ

Think well of him whenever you fear him,

Think good of him if you fear him,

O man of failings and crimes.

O owner of sins and crimes.

فَمَنْ الذي يَعفو ويحلُمُ حِلمَهُ

فَمَنْ الذي يَعفو ويحلُمُ حِلمَهُ

فيما يُحَلُّ له جنى الأقوَامِ

فيما يُحَلُّ له جنى الأقوَامِ

For who pardons and shows forbearance like his,

For who forgives and is forbearing like his forbearance

when people's offenses give him leave to punish?

In what is permissible for him to collect from the tribes?

ومن الذي يُغضي ويصبِرُ صَبْرَهُ

ومن الذي يُغضي ويصبِرُ صَبْرَهُ

ويَضُمُّ جَنبيه على الالآمِ

ويَضُمُّ جَنبيه على الالآمِ

And who overlooks faults and is patient as he is,

And who is patient and enduring like his endurance

and holds his pain enclosed within his sides?

And who gathers his sides upon sorrows?

وتَخَالُهُ من حزمهِ مُتلوِّماً

وتَخَالُهُ من حزمهِ مُتلوِّماً

في الروعِ وهو السَّيلُ في الاقْدَامِ

في الروعِ وهو السَّيلُ في الاقْدَامِ

You would think him, in his prudence, hesitant

You imagine him from his rationality, troubled,

amid terror, yet he is a torrent when he charges.

In fear while he is the torrent in legs.

واذا طلبتَ بِضَحْلِهِ تَيَّارَهُ

واذا طلبتَ بِضَحْلِهِ تَيَّارَهُ

أَوقعتَ رجلَكَ في العميقِ الطَّامي

أَوقعتَ رجلَكَ في العميقِ الطَّامي

And if you sought his current in his shallows,

And if you seek his currents and tides

you would plunge your foot into the deep, swelling flood.

You would place your foot in the dark abyss.

يدنو ويبعُدُ فهو لا بِدُنُوِّهِ

يدنو ويبعُدُ فهو لا بِدُنُوِّهِ

يَنهَى تواضعَهُ عن الاعظَامِ

يَنهَى تواضعَهُ عن الاعظَامِ

He draws near yet stays remote; even near, he does not

He comes near and moves away yet not by his nearing

let his humility preclude reverence.

Does his humility cease from greatness.

كالشَّمسِ تقبسُها الضياءَ ووجهُهَا

كالشَّمسِ تقبسُها الضياءَ ووجهُهَا

يَغشى تَأَملَ كل طَرفٍ سَامِ

يَغشى تَأَملَ كل طَرفٍ سَامِ

Like the sun, from which you draw light, while its face

Like the sun whose light is lit from and its face

overwhelms the scrutiny of every upraised eye.

Covers investigating every noble eye.

عَجَزَتْ عيونُ النَّاسِ عن ادراكِها

عَجَزَتْ عيونُ النَّاسِ عن ادراكِها

وَتَعَذَّرَتْ اِلاَّ على الأَوهَامِ

وَتَعَذَّرَتْ اِلاَّ على الأَوهَامِ

People's eyes cannot attain it,

The eyes of the people were incapable of perceiving it

and it remains beyond all but imagination.

And it was infeasible except to illusions.

خَطَرَتْ على كَرْمانَ خَيلُكَ خَطْرَةً

خَطَرَتْ على كَرْمانَ خَيلُكَ خَطْرَةً

قَذَفَتْ أَسافلَها على الأَعْلامِ

قَذَفَتْ أَسافلَها على الأَعْلامِ

Your cavalry swept once across Kirman,

Your excellent horses leaped a leap

hurling its lowlands onto the mountain peaks.

That threw their bottoms upon the high flags.

لبسوا الحديدَ لها ولم يَلْبَسْ لهم

لبسوا الحديدَ لها ولم يَلْبَسْ لهم

الا الدياجرَ والعَجَاجَ الدَّامِي

الا الدياجرَ والعَجَاجَ الدَّامِي

They donned iron against it, but it donned against them

They wore iron armor while only

only darkness and blood-red dust.

Breastplates and impenetrable shields were worn for them.

وَتَنَاوَلَ الكُوخيّ من وَسَنَاتِها

وَتَنَاوَلَ الكُوخيّ من وَسَنَاتِها

يومٌ ينبِّه أَعينَ النُّوَّامِ

يومٌ ينبِّه أَعينَ النُّوَّامِ

And from its slumbers al-Kukhi was snatched by

And the plebeian took from their sharp blades

a day that rouses the eyes of sleepers.

A day that awakens the sleeping eyes.

ما زالَ في جُلّ الأُمورِ مسامياً

ما زالَ في جُلّ الأُمورِ مسامياً

حتى سما في الجدعِ غيرُ مُسَامِ

حتى سما في الجدعِ غيرُ مُسَامِ

He never ceased vying for eminence in most affairs,

He kept excelling in most matters

until, in mutilation, he rose without a rival.

Until he excelled in pragmatism without equal.

ولها الى الأَجيالِ يوماً عَودُهُ

ولها الى الأَجيالِ يوماً عَودُهُ

يَذَرُ السَّلامَ وهُنَّ غيرُ سِلامِ

يَذَرُ السَّلامَ وهُنَّ غيرُ سِلامِ

And one day it shall return against the peoples,

And for it there is a day to which its return

leaving the stones no longer whole,

Spreads greetings while they are not safe greetings.

حتى تَلُفَّ سُهولَها وحُزونَها

حتى تَلُفَّ سُهولَها وحُزونَها

لهبٌ من الاسْراجِ والالجَامِ

لهبٌ من الاسْراجِ والالجَامِ

until its plains and rugged heights are enveloped

Until its plains and depressions wrap

by a blaze of saddles and bridles.

A flame from the torches and unquenched fires.

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ المُصَرِّفُ رأْيَهُ

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ المُصَرِّفُ رأْيَهُ

في الناسِ بالبأساءِ والانعَامِ

في الناسِ بالبأساءِ والانعَامِ

O king, who exercises his judgment

O leader wise in his opinion

among the people through severity and bounty,

Amongst the people in affliction and blessing.

ما نالَ قبلَكَ رابضٌ بأَناتِهِ

ما نالَ قبلَكَ رابضٌ بأَناتِهِ

عُنُفي ولا مَلَكَ العِنانُ لِجَامِي

عُنُفي ولا مَلَكَ العِنانُ لِجَامِي

before you, no crouching man, for all his patience, mastered

None settled before you in its rein

my fierceness, nor did reins ever rule my bridle.

My strength nor controlled the bridle my peer.

فاحفظْ ذِمامَ مطامعٍ لكَ صْنُتْهَا

فاحفظْ ذِمامَ مطامعٍ لكَ صْنُتْهَا

عن هذهِ الحَشَراتِ والأَنعَامِ

عن هذهِ الحَشَراتِ والأَنعَامِ

So safeguard the claim of hopes I have reserved for you

So guard the reins of ambitions that you have protected

away from these vermin and cattle.

From these insects and cattle.

ما كانَ مثلُكَ في الملوكِ ولم يكنْ

ما كانَ مثلُكَ في الملوكِ ولم يكنْ

كأَبيكَ عندَ الحلِّ والابرَامِ

كأَبيكَ عندَ الحلِّ والابرَامِ

There has been no king like you, nor was there

None was like you among kings nor was

one like your father in unbinding and binding.

Anyone like your father in peace and decisiveness.

لهفي عليه اذا الحُلومُ تناقلتْ

لهفي عليه اذا الحُلومُ تناقلتْ

واذا الرؤوسُ سَجَدنَ للأَقْدَامِ

واذا الرؤوسُ سَجَدنَ للأَقْدَامِ

How I grieve for him when minds are shaken,

I yearn for him when forelocks exchange

and when heads prostrate themselves before feet.

And when heads bow down to feet.

ما زلتَ بالنِعَمِ الجِسامِ تَعُمُّني

ما زلتَ بالنِعَمِ الجِسامِ تَعُمُّني

وتَخُصُّني بالبِشرِ والاكرَامِ

وتَخُصُّني بالبِشرِ والاكرَامِ

You have ever showered me with mighty blessings,

You have not ceased to overwhelm me with great bounties

and singled me out for glad welcome and honor,

And distinguish me with good news and honors.

حتى جرى جِريالُ حُبّكَ في دَمي

حتى جرى جِريالُ حُبّكَ في دَمي

وَمَشى ودَادُكَ في مَشاشِ عِظامِي

وَمَشى ودَادُكَ في مَشاشِ عِظامِي

until the crimson wine of your love coursed through my blood,

Until the course of your love ran in my blood

and your affection crept through my bones' soft ends.

And your affection walked in the joints of my bones.

أَهدى لكَ النيروز الفاً مِثْلَهُ

أَهدى لكَ النيروز الفاً مِثْلَهُ

نَسَقاً كسِمْطِ الدُرِّ في اِنظَامِ

نَسَقاً كسِمْطِ الدُرِّ في اِنظَامِ

May Nowruz offer you a thousand more like itself,

The Nayrouz gifted you a thousand like it

in succession, like a strand of pearls strung in order.

Arranged like a pearl necklace in composition.

وبقيتَ تِربَ الدَّهرِ تَرضَعُ ثَديَهُ

وبقيتَ تِربَ الدَّهرِ تَرضَعُ ثَديَهُ

وتنالُ لذَّتَهُ بغيرِ فِطَامِ

وتنالُ لذَّتَهُ بغيرِ فِطَامِ

And may you remain Time's peer, suckling at its breast,

And you remained suckling the breast of fate

and taste its pleasure without weaning.

And attaining its pleasure without weaning.

كلُّ الجديدِ وانْ تطاولَ لبثُهُ

كلُّ الجديدِ وانْ تطاولَ لبثُهُ

يَبلي وأَنتَ على الحوادثِ نَامِ

يَبلي وأَنتَ على الحوادثِ نَامِ

All that is new, however long it lasts,

Everything new, no matter the prolonging of its stay

wears out, while you flourish despite vicissitudes,

Wears out, while you triumphed over events.

في ظلِّ مُلكٍ لا تَحُوْكُ ودولةٍ

في ظلِّ مُلكٍ لا تَحُوْكُ ودولةٍ

كَمُلتْ فما تَزدادُ غَيرَ دَوَامِ

كَمُلتْ فما تَزدادُ غَيرَ دَوَامِ

beneath a kingship events cannot impair, and a dynasty

In the shade of a kingdom that has no worries

made perfect, increasing only in duration.

And a state fulfilled without increase but continuity.