ياO رَبَّةَmistress of الفَضلِexcellence ياO فَخرَpride of النِساءِwomen وَهَلand would...?
يا رَبَّةَ الفَضلِ يا فَخرَ النِساءِ وَهَل
تَرضينَyou are pleased إِنif قُلتُI said بَلrather ياO طَلعَةَface of القَمَرِthe moon
تَرضينَ إِن قُلتُ بَل يا طَلعَةَ القَمَرِ
O mistress of excellence, O pride of women—and would
You be pleased if I said, rather, O face of the moon?
ياO أُمَّmother of اِسكَندَرٍIskandar بَلrather ياO سَمِيَّتَهُhis namesake
يا أُمَّ اِسكَندَرٍ بَل يا سَمِيَّتَهُ
تيهيexult علىover دولَةِrealm الأَقلامِthe pens وَاِفتَخِريand take pride
تيهي على دولَةِ الأَقلامِ وَاِفتَخِري
O mother of Iskandar—nay, O his namesake—
Exult over the realm of pens, and take pride!
هذيthese الطُروسُthe pages وَفيand within أَضلاعِناour ribs مُهجٌhearts
هذي الطُروسُ وَفي أَضلاعِنا مُهجٌ
أَبلىshow بَلاءَكِyour prowess أَنّيwherever شِئتِyou choose تَنتَصِريyou will triumph
أَبلى بَلاءَكِ أَنّي شِئتِ تَنتَصِري
Here are the pages, and within our ribs are hearts;
Show your prowess: wherever you choose, you will triumph.
هلّاwhy not نَظَمتِyou compose لناfor us شَيئاًsomething نَقَرُّwe delight بهِin it
هلّا نَظَمتِ لنا شَيئاً نَقَرُّ بهِ
منof ذلكَthat الشِعرِpoetry بلrather منof تِلكمُthose الدُرَرِpearls
من ذلكَ الشِعرِ بل من تِلكمُ الدُرَرِ
Will you not compose for us something we may delight in,
Of that poetry—nay, of those pearls?
هَلّاwhy not كَتَبتِyou write لأَربابِfor possessors of النُهىreason جُمَلاًphrases
هَلّا كَتَبتِ لأَربابِ النُهى جُمَلاً
تَسيرُthey travel كَالمِثلِlike a proverb الساريwidely circulating مدىthroughout الدَهَرِtime
تَسيرُ كَالمِثلِ الساري مدى الدَهَرِ
Will you not write for the wise some phrases
That travel like a far-spreading proverb through the ages?
عَوَّدتِناyou have accustomed us بعضَsome عاداتٍhabits عُرِفتyou are known بهاfor them
عَوَّدتِنا بعضَ عاداتٍ عُرِفت بها
كَالنَجمِlike a star بِالضَوءِby its light أَوor كَالعَينِlike an eye بِالأَثَرِby its effect
كَالنَجمِ بِالضَوءِ أَو كَالعَينِ بِالأَثَرِ
You have accustomed us to certain ways for which you are known,
Like a star by its light, or an eye by its effect,
أَوor كَالزُهورِlike flowers بِرَيّاهاby their fragrance إِذاwhen عَبِقَتthey give off fragrance
أَو كَالزُهورِ بِرَيّاها إِذا عَبِقَت
فيin الرَوضِthe garden أَوor كَأَخيكِlike your brother الظَبيthe gazelle بِالحَورِby its eyes' black-and-white contrast
في الرَوضِ أَو كَأَخيكِ الظَبي بِالحَورِ
Or like flowers by their fragrance, when their scent spreads
In the garden; or like your brother the gazelle, by its eyes' black-and-white beauty.
فَاِجرىso proceed علىaccording to ذلكَthat الطَبعinborn gift الذيwhich هَبَطَتdescended
فَاِجرى على ذلكَ الطَبع الذي هَبَطَت
علىupon الوَرىhumankind منهfrom it آيُverses السِحرِmagic وَاِبتَكِبريand be proud
على الوَرى منه آيُ السِحرِ وَاِبتَكِبري
So stay true to that inborn gift, from which have descended
Upon humankind verses of magic—and be proud!
فَالقَومُfor the people إِنwhether مِستِyou sway أَوor أَرسَلتِyou send forth قافِيَةًa rhyme
فَالقَومُ إِن مِستِ أَو أَرسَلتِ قافِيَةً
كلٌّeach لهُfor him وَطرٌa desire ناهيكِenough for you منof وَطرِa desire
كلٌّ لهُ وَطرٌ ناهيكِ من وَطرِ
For the people, whether you sway or send forth a rhyme,
Each has his desire—and what a desire!
لِلَّهِto God أَنمُلكِyour fingertips اللاتيwhich هَزَزنَthey shook لناfor us
لِلَّهِ أَنمُلكِ اللاتي هَزَزنَ لنا
مِنَof البَلاغَةِeloquence غُصناًa bough ناضِجَripe الثَمَرِfruit
مِنَ البَلاغَةِ غُصناً ناضِجَ الثَمَرِ
God be praised for your fingertips, which have shaken for us
A bough of eloquence whose fruit is ripe!
هلare...? البَدائِعُmarvels إِلّاexcept ماwhat جَلَوتِyou unveiled لناto us
هل البَدائِعُ إِلّا ما جَلَوتِ لنا
مِنfrom نَفثَةِa breath of السِحرِmagic أَوor مِنfrom نَفحَةِa breeze of السَحَرِthe predawn hour
مِن نَفثَةِ السِحرِ أَو مِن نَفحَةِ السَحَرِ
Are marvels anything but what you have unveiled to us
From a breath of magic, or a breeze before dawn?
Sol 6.1