أَمَرْتَنِيyou bade me وَبِهَذَاand by this الأَمْرِcommand تُسْعِدُنِيyou make me happy
أَمَرْتَنِي وَبِهَذَا الأَمْرِ تُسْعِدُنِي
عِبْيءِa burden (irregular spelling) ثَقِيلٌheavy وَلَكِنْbut لَيْسَnot يُقْعِدُنِيholds me back
عِبْيءِ ثَقِيلٌ وَلَكِنْ لَيْسَ يُقْعِدُنِي
You bade me, and this bidding makes me happy.
You have commanded me, and with this command, you bring me joy,
A heavy burden, yet it does not hold me back.
A heavy burden, but it does not make me sedentary,
الصَّوْتُthe voice صَوْتُthe voice of الحِمَىthe homeland يُوحِيconveys إِرَادَتَهُits will
الصَّوْتُ صَوْتُ الحِمَى يُوحِي إِرَادَتَهُ
إِنْif لَمْnot يَجِبْهُanswers it إِلَيْهَاto it شَاعِرٌa poet فَمَنِthen who?
إِنْ لَمْ يَجِبْهُ إِلَيْهَا شَاعِرٌ فَمَنِ
The voice is the homeland's voice, conveying its will;
The voice is the voice of zeal, intimating its will,
If a poet does not answer its summons, then who will?
If no poet answers its call, then who?
هَلْis ...? شَاعِرُthe poet of القَوْمِthe people إِلاَّanything but صَادِحٌa songster غَرِدٌtuneful
هَلْ شَاعِرُ القَوْمِ إِلاَّ صَادِحٌ غَرِدٌ
إِنْif شَاقَهُenchants him فَنَنٌa branch غَنَّىhe sings عَلَىon الفَنَنِthe branch
إِنْ شَاقَهُ فَنَنٌ غَنَّى عَلَى الفَنَنِ
Is a people's poet anything but a tuneful songster?
Is not the tribe’s poet a chanter, a warbler?
If a branch enchants him, he sings upon that branch.
If artifice opposes him, he sings of artifice,
تَشْدُوsing البَلابِلُthe nightingales فِيin شَجْراءِa grove نَاضِرَةٍverdant
تَشْدُو البَلابِلُ فِي شَجْراءِ نَاضِرَةٍ
وَلاand no بَلابِلَnightingales فِيin خَدَّاعَةِdeceptive greenery of الدِّمَنِthe dung heaps
وَلا بَلابِلَ فِي خَدَّاعَةِ الدِّمَنِ
Nightingales sing in a verdant grove,
The nightingales trill in verdant woods,
But none sing in the deceptive greenery of dung heaps.
With no nightingales in the deceit of civilization,
جِئْنِيbring me بِمَجْدٍwith glory وَخُذْand take مِنِّيfrom me تَحِيَّتَهُits salute
جِئْنِي بِمَجْدٍ وَخُذْ مِنِّي تَحِيَّتَهُ
فِيin كُلِّevery آنٍmoment وَهْيَfrailty (wording unclear) وَلاand no وَهَنِweariness
فِي كُلِّ آنٍ وَهْيَ وَلا وَهَنِ
Bring me glory, and receive from me its salute,
Bring me glory and take from me its greeting,
At every moment, with neither frailty nor weariness [wording uncertain].
At every moment, lively and no languor,
أُوْلىmost deserving الفُتُوحِthe victories بِإِجْلالٍof reverence وَتَكْرٌمَةٍand honor
أُوْلى الفُتُوحِ بِإِجْلالٍ وَتَكْرٌمَةٍ
فَتْحthe triumph of المُكَافِحِthe fighter لِلآفَاتِagainst afflictions وَالمِحَنِand trials
فَتْح المُكَافِحِ لِلآفَاتِ وَالمِحَنِ
Of all victories, the one most worthy of reverence and honor
The first conquests deserve veneration and honor,
Is the fighter's triumph over afflictions and trials.
The conquest of one who struggles against afflictions and trials,
وَهَلْand does ...? يُشْبِهُresemble نَصْرٌa victory فِيin مَثَارِthe uproar of وَغًىbattle
وَهَلْ يُشْبِهُ نَصْرٌ فِي مَثَارِ وَغًى
بِالنَّصْرِwith victory فِيin حَلْبَةِthe arena of الآرَاءِideas وَالفِطَنِand insights
بِالنَّصْرِ فِي حَلْبَةِ الآرَاءِ وَالفِطَنِ
Can a victory amid the uproar of battle compare
Can a victory amid luxury and turmoil,
With victory in the arena of ideas and insight?
Match the victory in the arena of ideas and ingenuity?
جَنَّاتِgardens of مِصْرَEgypt سَقَاكَwatered you النِّيْلُthe Nile حَيْثُwherever جَرَىit flowed
جَنَّاتِ مِصْرَ سَقَاكَ النِّيْلُ حَيْثُ جَرَى
خَصْباًwith fertility وَأَغْنَاكِand made you independent عَنْof هَتَّانَةِthe pouring rain of المُزَنِthe clouds
خَصْباً وَأَغْنَاكِ عَنْ هَتَّانَةِ المُزَنِ
Gardens of Egypt, the Nile has watered you wherever it flowed,
The gardens of Egypt, the Nile has watered them as it flowed,
With fertile bounty, freeing you from need of the clouds' pouring rain.
Fertile, enriching you, beyond the fertility of rain,
فِيin مَغْرِسِthe planting-ground of فَضْلِthe excellence of العِلْمِlearning كَمْhow many غُصُbranch (first fragment)
فِي مَغْرِسِ فَضْلِ العِلْمِ كَمْ غُصُ
نٍbranch (final fragment) أَنْبَتَهُit made it grow خَيْرَthe finest إِنْبَاتٍgrowth وَكَمْand how many غُصُنِa branch
نٍ أَنْبَتَهُ خَيْرَ إِنْبَاتٍ وَكَمْ غُصُنِ
In the planting-ground of learning's excellence, how many a branch—
In the orchard of knowledge’s virtue, how many a branch
—has it brought to finest growth, and how many a branch
Grew in the best growth and how many a branch,
يَسْتَنْشِدُasks for songs الطَّيْرُthe birds أَلْحَاناًmelodies فَيُنْشِدُهُso they sing to it
يَسْتَنْشِدُ الطَّيْرُ أَلْحَاناً فَيُنْشِدُهُ
حَتَّىeven الحَمَامُthe doves بِلاwithout شَجْوٍsorrow وَلاand no شَجَنِgrief
حَتَّى الحَمَامُ بِلا شَجْوٍ وَلا شَجَنِ
Coaxes songs from the birds, and they sing to it,
The birds seek out melodies and sing to him,
Even the doves, without sorrow or grief.
Even the doves without melancholy or yearning,
فِيin مُهْجَتِيmy heart حُزْنٌsorrow أَطْوِيI fold away صَحِيفَتَهُits page
فِي مُهْجَتِي حُزْنٌ أَطْوِي صَحِيفَتَهُ
وَand الَيَوْمَtoday لِلصَّفْوِfor serenity لَيْسَnot اليَوْمَtoday لِلْحُزْنِfor sorrow
وَ الَيَوْمَ لِلصَّفْوِ لَيْسَ اليَوْمَ لِلْحُزْنِ
There is sorrow in my heart; I fold away its page,
In my core is sorrow, I fold up its page,
And today is for serenity, not for sorrow.
And today is for joy, today is not for sorrow,
اليَوْمَtoday عِيدٌa feast تُحَيِّيyou honor فِيهِin it نَابِغَةًa genius
اليَوْمَ عِيدٌ تُحَيِّي فِيهِ نَابِغَةً
فِيin الطُّبِّmedicine ذَاpossessing شَرْعَةٍa code طَابَتْwas noble وَذَاand possessing سَنَنِestablished ways
فِي الطُّبِّ ذَا شَرْعَةٍ طَابَتْ وَذَا سَنَنِ
Today is a feast on which you honor a genius
Today is a feast in which you greet an eminent one,
In medicine, with a noble code and established ways.
In medicine, of good law and tradition,
مِنَamong العَبَاقِرَةِthe geniuses الغُرِّillustrious الَّذِينَwho غَدَواhave become
مِنَ العَبَاقِرَةِ الغُرِّ الَّذِينَ غَدَوا
فِيin الشَّرْقِthe East وَالغَرْبِand the West ملءَfilling العَيْنِthe eye وَالأَذُنِand the ear
فِي الشَّرْقِ وَالغَرْبِ ملءَ العَيْنِ وَالأَذُنِ
One of those illustrious geniuses who have become
Among the brilliant minds who in East and West
In East and West, a presence filling eye and ear.
Fill the eye and ear,
أَكْرِمْhow noble! بعwith him (apparent typo) فِيamong رِفَاقٍcompanions صَارُواthey became وَاسِطَةًa centerpiece
أَكْرِمْ بع فِي رِفَاقٍ صَارُوا وَاسِطَةً
لِعَقْدِهِمْfor their necklace رَفِيقٍa companion بِالعُلَىof high honor قَمِنِworthy
لِعَقْدِهِمْ رَفِيقٍ بِالعُلَى قَمِنِ
How noble he is among companions who became the centerpiece
Honor one of a group who have become an intermediary,
Of their necklace—a companion worthy of high honor.
For their bond with the sublime, protected,
مُمَكَّنٌfirmly grounded فِيin أُصُولِthe principles of الفَنِّthe art مُبْتَكِرُinnovative
مُمَكَّنٌ فِي أُصُولِ الفَنِّ مُبْتَكِرُ
مُعَالِجٌa healer لَبِقٌskillful مًسْتَنبِطٌresourceful ذُهُنِkeen-witted
مُعَالِجٌ لَبِقٌ مًسْتَنبِطٌ ذُهُنِ
Firmly grounded in the principles of his art, inventive,
Enabled in the principles of art, an innovator,
A skillful healer, resourceful and keen-witted.
A skillful practitioner, an extractor of wisdom,
مُنَزَّهُuntarnished in اللَّفْظِspeech وَالإِيمَانِand faith عَنْfrom رِيَبٍsuspicions
مُنَزَّهُ اللَّفْظِ وَالإِيمَانِ عَنْ رِيَبٍ
حُرُّfree in الضَّمِيرِconscience نَقِيُّpure in الطَّبْعِnature منْfrom دَرَنِstain
حُرُّ الضَّمِيرِ نَقِيُّ الطَّبْعِ منْ دَرَنِ
His speech and faith are above suspicion,
Of speech and faith far from doubt,
His conscience free, his nature unstained.
Free in conscience, pure in nature, from blemish,
تَبْدُوappear حِسَانُthe beauties of الطَّوَايَاinner qualities مِنْهُfrom him فِيin خُلُقٍa character
تَبْدُو حِسَانُ الطَّوَايَا مِنْهُ فِي خُلُقٍ
عَلَىdespite الإِسَاءةِthe ill-treatment مِنْfrom أَيَّامِهِhis days حُسُنِgood
عَلَى الإِسَاءةِ مِنْ أَيَّامِهِ حُسُنِ
The beauty of his inner self appears in a character
The goodness of his intentions appears in a character,
Still good despite the ill his days inflict.
That responds to harm from his days with kindness,
هَذَاthis إِلَىin addition to أَدَبٍculture and courtesy فِيin المَعْنِيينَthe two senses إِلَىin addition to
هَذَا إِلَى أَدَبٍ فِي المَعْنِيينَ إِلَى
بَدَاهَةٍready wit فِيin إِدَاءٍdelivery (irregular spelling) جِدًّvery مُتَّزِنِbalanced
بَدَاهَةٍ فِي إِدَاءٍ جِدًّ مُتَّزِنِ
Add to this refinement, literary and moral, and
This one has literary refinement, judiciousness in delivery,
Ready wit delivered with perfect composure,
Modesty, generosity in his craft,
إِلَىin addition to حَيَاءٍmodesty إِلَىin addition to جُودٍgenerosity بِصَنْعَتِهِwith his craft
إِلَى حَيَاءٍ إِلَى جُودٍ بِصَنْعَتِهِ
وَبِالمُبَرَّاتِand with charitable deeds لاnot يَفْسِدْنَare spoiled بِالمَنَنِby reminders of favors
وَبِالمُبَرَّاتِ لا يَفْسِدْنَ بِالمَنَنِ
Modesty, and generosity with his craft,
Not corrupting with favors,
And charitable deeds unspoiled by reminders of favors.
By him and the company of his peers is honor,
بِهِthrough him وَبِالرَّهْطِand through the company مِنْof أَنْدَادِهِhis peers شَرَفٌhonor
بِهِ وَبِالرَّهْطِ مِنْ أَنْدَادِهِ شَرَفٌ
لِمِصْرَfor Egypt تَزْهَىshe takes pride بِهِin it فِيin السِّرِّprivate وَالعَلَنِand public
لِمِصْرَ تَزْهَى بِهِ فِي السِّرِّ وَالعَلَنِ
In him and in the company of his peers lies honor
For Egypt, pridefully through him, in private and public,
For Egypt, which takes pride in it, privately and openly.
Was not Egypt the cradle of medicine from early days,
أَلَمْwas ... not? تَكُنْbe مِصْرُEgypt مَهْدَthe cradle of الطُّبِّmedicine مِنْsince قِدَمٍancient times
أَلَمْ تَكُنْ مِصْرُ مَهْدَ الطُّبِّ مِنْ قِدَمٍ
إِذْwhen كُلُّevery عِلَّةٍailment حَانٍbowing عَلَىover وَثَنِan idol
إِذْ كُلُّ عِلَّةٍ حَانٍ عَلَى وَثَنِ
Was not Egypt the cradle of medicine from ancient times,
When every malady had its turn upon an idol?
When every ailment bowed over an idol?
So by what ingenuity created in them,
فَهُمْso they بِمَاthrough what أَبْدَعَتْcreated فِيهِin it قَرَائِحُهُمْtheir talents
فَهُمْ بِمَا أَبْدَعَتْ فِيهِ قَرَائِحُهُمْ
رَدُّوهُthey returned it مِنْfrom بَعْدِafter تَغْرِيبٍexile إِلَىto وَطَنِa homeland
رَدُّوهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ تَغْرِيبٍ إِلَى وَطَنِ
Through what their talents have created in it,
They returned it, after estrangement, to its homeland,
They brought it home again after its exile.
O unique one of time in treating women, and if
يَاO أَوْحَدَthe peerless one of الدَّهْرِthe age فِيin طُبِّmedicine of النِّسَاءِwomen وَإِنْand if
يَا أَوْحَدَ الدَّهْرِ فِي طُبِّ النِّسَاءِ وَإِنْ
نُفْرِدْهُwe single it out لَمْnot يُنْتَقَضْbe diminished فَضْلٌmerit وَلَمْand not يَهُنِbe debased
نُفْرِدْهُ لَمْ يُنْتَقَضْ فَضْلٌ وَلَمْ يَهُنِ
O peerless man of the age in women's medicine—and if
We single him out, no merit diminished and none faded,
We single it out, no merit is diminished or debased.
Yet you specialized in it for the delicate gender, no
أَمَّاas for اخْتَصَصْتَyou singled out بِهِwith it الجِنْسَthe sex الرَّقِيقَgentle فَلاthen no
أَمَّا اخْتَصَصْتَ بِهِ الجِنْسَ الرَّقِيقَ فَلا
بِدْعَwonder وَمَاand not أَنْتَyou بِالجَافِيuncouth وَلاand not الخَشِنِharsh
بِدْعَ وَمَا أَنْتَ بِالجَافِي وَلا الخَشِنِ
As for your special care for the gentle sex, it is no
Innovation, and you are neither brusque nor rough,
Wonder: you are neither uncouth nor harsh.
God knows how many orphans
اللهُGod يَعْلَمُknows كَمْhow many أَنْقَذْتَyou saved مِنْfrom يَتَمٍorphanhood
اللهُ يَعْلَمُ كَمْ أَنْقَذْتَ مِنْ يَتَمٍ
عِيَالِchildren of بَيْتٍa household وكمand how many مَزَّقْتَyou tore apart مِنْof كَفَنِa shroud
عِيَالِ بَيْتٍ وكم مَزَّقْتَ مِنْ كَفَنِ
God knows how often you saved from orphanhood
Of a home you saved, how many shrouds you tore,
A household's children, and how many shrouds you tore apart.
And God knows how many a child you delivered,
وَاللهُand God يَعْلَمُknows كَمْhow many أَنْجَبْتَyou brought into the world مِنْof وَلَدٍa child
وَاللهُ يَعْلَمُ كَمْ أَنْجَبْتَ مِنْ وَلَدٍ
قَدْmay يَغْتَدِيbecome غُرَّةًa bright forehead-mark فِيon جَبْهَةِthe brow of الزَّمنِtime
قَدْ يَغْتَدِي غُرَّةً فِي جَبْهَةِ الزَّمنِ
And God knows how many children you brought into the world,
Who may prosper as youth in the brow of time,
Who may become a bright blaze on the brow of time.
Knowledge you surmounted its steep paths,
عِلْمٌa science طَلَعْتَyou climbed الثَّنَايَاthe mountain passes مِنْof مَصَاعِبِهِits difficulties
عِلْمٌ طَلَعْتَ الثَّنَايَا مِنْ مَصَاعِبِهِ
حَتَّىuntil بَلَغْتَyou reached إِلَىto العَلْيَاthe loftiest مِنَof القِنَنِthe summits
حَتَّى بَلَغْتَ إِلَى العَلْيَا مِنَ القِنَنِ
A science whose difficult mountain passes you ascended,
Until you reached the summit of profession,
Until you reached the loftiest of summits.
And it preoccupied you apart from its trade,
وَقَدْand indeed أَهَمَّكَconcerned you مِنْهُin it غَيْرُother than مِهْنَتِهِits professional practice
وَقَدْ أَهَمَّكَ مِنْهُ غَيْرُ مِهْنَتِهِ
وَإِنْand although تَكُنْit is دُونَwithout شَكِّdoubt أَشْرَفَthe noblest of المِهَنِprofessions
وَإِنْ تَكُنْ دُونَ شَكِّ أَشْرَفَ المِهَنِ
And what concerned you in it was more than its practice,
Though it is doubtless the noblest of trades,
Though it is, without doubt, the noblest of professions.
A secret you hastened your recovery through it,
سِرٌّa secret تَعَجَّلَhastened مَرْضَاكَyour patients الشِّفَاءَrecovery بِهِthrough it
سِرٌّ تَعَجَّلَ مَرْضَاكَ الشِّفَاءَ بِهِ
وَالبُرْءُand healing لِلْرُّوحِfor the spirit قَبْلَbefore البُرْءِhealing لِلْبَدَنِfor the body
وَالبُرْءُ لِلْرُّوحِ قَبْلَ البُرْءِ لِلْبَدَنِ
A secret through which your patients hastened their recovery,
And wellness of the soul before wellness of the body,
And healing for the spirit before healing for the body.
And your wounds they reckon from trust,
وَبَاتَand came to be جَرْحَاكَyour wounded يَعْتَدُّونَthey count مِنَout of ثِقَةٍtrust
وَبَاتَ جَرْحَاكَ يَعْتَدُّونَ مِنَ ثِقَةٍ
مَوَاقِعَthe incisions of النَّصْلِthe blade فِيهِمْin them أَسْمَحَthe most generous of المِنَنِfavors
مَوَاقِعَ النَّصْلِ فِيهِمْ أَسْمَحَ المِنَنِ
And your wounded came, through trust, to count
The places of the blade in them most forgiving of gifts,
The blade's incisions in them as the most generous favors.
So congratulations truly on what you gained in reward,
فَاهْنَأْso rejoice بِمَاin what نِلْتَyou gained حَقّاًrightfully مِنْof مَكَافَأَةٍa recompense
فَاهْنَأْ بِمَا نِلْتَ حَقّاً مِنْ مَكَافَأَةٍ
هَيْهَاتَnever! يَعْدِلُهَاcould equal it غَالٍa costly sum مِنَof الثَّمَنِpayment
هَيْهَاتَ يَعْدِلُهَا غَالٍ مِنَ الثَّمَنِ
Rejoice, then, in the recompense you have rightfully gained:
Alas, nothing equals it of treasures' price,
No price, however high, could equal it.
Partial English translation: 61 of 62 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1