سَنىradiance آنَسَdiscerned الْغَرْبthe West فِيهِin it هُدَىguidance
سَنى آنَسَ الْغَرْب فِيهِ هُدَى
فَحَيَّاهُso greeted it بِالبشْرِwith joy لَمَّاwhen بَداappeared
فَحَيَّاهُ بِالبشْرِ لَمَّا بَدا
A radiance in which the West discerned guidance,
Sunnah delighted the West; guidance was in it,
and welcomed it with joy when it appeared.
So he greeted it with good tidings when it appeared.
تَبَيَّنbecame apparent مِنْهُthrough it لأُمِّfor the mother of اللُّغَاتِlanguages
تَبَيَّن مِنْهُ لأُمِّ اللُّغَاتِ
حُلىًornaments غُرَرٌsplendid رُعْنَهthey awed it مَشْهَدَاas a sight
حُلىً غُرَرٌ رُعْنَه مَشْهَدَا
Through it there appeared, for the mother of languages,
For the mother of languages its jewels were evident,
splendid ornaments whose sight awed the West.
Precious pearls, a garden blooming in splendor.
فَأُمُّso the mother of الْبَنِينَthe sons الأُولىwho قَصَّرُواfell short
فَأُمُّ الْبَنِينَ الأُولى قَصَّرُوا
تُكَرِّمُhonors وَاصِفَهاher portrayer المُسْعِداthe bringer of joy
تُكَرِّمُ وَاصِفَها المُسْعِدا
So the mother of sons who have fallen short
The eminent sons were remiss, but she honors
honors her portrayer, who brings her joy.
Her eloquent praiser, auspicious.
تُكَرِّمُhonors نَابِغَةًa genius فَاضِلاًvirtuous
تُكَرِّمُ نَابِغَةً فَاضِلاً
أَمِينَfaithful البَلاَغِthe conveyance صَدُوقَtruthful الصَّدَىthe echo
أَمِينَ البَلاَغِ صَدُوقَ الصَّدَى
She honors a virtuous genius,
She honors an eminent, virtuous poet,
faithful in conveying, truthful in echo.
The trusted conveyor, the echo of integrity.
أَبَانَrevealed لِجُهَّالِهَاto those ignorant of her فَضْلَهَاher excellence
أَبَانَ لِجُهَّالِهَا فَضْلَهَا
وَأَبْدَىand unveiled فَرَائِدَهَاher peerless gems الخُرَّدَاthe bashful maidens
وَأَبْدَى فَرَائِدَهَا الخُرَّدَا
He revealed her excellence to those ignorant of her,
He made clear to her ignorant ones her excellence
and unveiled her peerless gems, those bashful maidens.
And displayed her hidden treasures.
بِلَفْظٍin wording عَلَىdespite كَوْنِهِits being مُعْجَماًforeign
بِلَفْظٍ عَلَى كَوْنِهِ مُعْجَماً
حَكَىmatched حُسْنُهُits beauty المُعْرَبَArabic speech الجَيِّداfine
حَكَى حُسْنُهُ المُعْرَبَ الجَيِّدا
In wording that, though foreign,
With wording that, though alphabetical, described
matched fine Arabic speech in beauty.
The beauty of the eloquent Arabic tongue.
لِمُشْرِقِهِfor its glow مِنْfrom سَنَاهَاher radiance سَنىًradiance
لِمُشْرِقِهِ مِنْ سَنَاهَا سَنىً
وَمُورِقِهِand its leafy growth مِنْfrom نَدَاهَاher dew نَدَىdew
وَمُورِقِهِ مِنْ نَدَاهَا نَدَى
Its brightness has radiance from her radiance,
From its lifetime, to its sunnah a sunnah,
and its leafy growth, dew from her dew.
And from its call, to its rising a call.
يَكَادُalmost الطَّرُوبُthe music-lover لإِيقَاعِهِat its rhythm
يَكَادُ الطَّرُوبُ لإِيقَاعِهِ
يردِّدُهrepeats it نَغَماًas a melody مُنْشِدَاsinging
يردِّدُه نَغَماً مُنْشِدَا
The music-lover, moved by its rhythm, almost
Rapture almost repeats for its rhythm
repeats it as a melody, singing aloud.
A melody, singing it repeatedly.
أَرَاهُمْhe showed them بَدِيعاًa marvel بِذاكthrough that الْبَدِيعِwondrous art
أَرَاهُمْ بَدِيعاً بِذاك الْبَدِيعِ
صَفاwas pure جَوْهَراًin substance وَحَلاَand was sweet مَوْرِدَاat its source
صَفا جَوْهَراً وَحَلاَ مَوْرِدَا
He showed them a marvel through that wondrous art,
I saw them excel through that Excellent One,
pure in substance and sweet at its source.
Purity, essence, and a place of descent.
وَبَاحَand disclosed لَهُمْto them مِنْfrom كُنُوزِthe treasures of النُّهىintellect
وَبَاحَ لَهُمْ مِنْ كُنُوزِ النُّهى
بِمَاof what يَسْتَفِزُّrouses لَهَاtoward them الحُسَّداthe envious
بِمَا يَسْتَفِزُّ لَهَا الحُسَّدا
And disclosed to them, from the treasures of intellect,
And for them from the treasures of guidance
what rouses the envious to covet them.
He unlocked what would provoke envy.
كُنُوزٌtreasures سَيَغْزُونَthey will raid أَعْلاَقَهَاtheir precious contents
كُنُوزٌ سَيَغْزُونَ أَعْلاَقَهَا
وَيَسْبُونَand they will capture قَيِّمهاtheir guardian المُرْصَداthe appointed one
وَيَسْبُونَ قَيِّمها المُرْصَدا
Treasures whose precious contents they will raid,
Treasures they will raid
and take captive their appointed guardian.
And seize their guarded valuables.
فَإِنْso if فَعَلُواوَهَمُthey do—and they فَاعِلُونَwill do so
فَإِنْ فَعَلُواوَهَمُ فَاعِلُونَ
وَلِلْمَرْءِand for a man فِيin الدَّهْرِlife مَاwhat عُوِّدَاhe has been accustomed to
وَلِلْمَرْءِ فِي الدَّهْرِ مَا عُوِّدَا
So if they do—and they will—
If they do—though resolute be the doers—
and a man in life follows his accustomed ways,
To man in fate belongs what he is used to.
كَمَاjust as اسْتَنْزَفُواthey drained الشَّرْقَthe East بَرّاًon land وبَحْراًand at sea
كَمَا اسْتَنْزَفُوا الشَّرْقَ بَرّاً وبَحْراً
فَلاَso no دُرَّpearls أَبْقَوْاthey left وَلاَnor عَسْجَدَاgold
فَلاَ دُرَّ أَبْقَوْا وَلاَ عَسْجَدَا
as they drained the East, on land and sea,
As they drained East and West, land and sea,
so they left neither pearls nor gold.
Leaving no pearl or ruby behind.
فَهَذِيso these الْغَوَالِيprecious things بَقَايَاremnants of الْمَعَالِيglories
فَهَذِي الْغَوَالِي بَقَايَا الْمَعَالِي
تُقِرُّaffirm لَنَاfor us الْمَاضِيthe past الأَمْجَدَاthe most glorious
تُقِرُّ لَنَا الْمَاضِي الأَمْجَدَا
These precious things, then, are the remnants of glory,
So these remnants of glories are
bearing witness to our most glorious past.
What affirm for us the most glorious past,
وَمَاand not ضَائِرٌharmful to فَخْرَنَاour pride أَنْthat تُبَاحَthey are freely shared
وَمَا ضَائِرٌ فَخْرَنَا أَنْ تُبَاحَ
وَلاَnor ضَائِرُharmful to الْجَّاهِprestige أَنْthat تُجْتَدَىthey are sought as gifts
وَلاَ ضَائِرُ الْجَّاهِ أَنْ تُجْتَدَى
Our pride is not harmed when they are freely shared,
And no loss that our pride be divulged,
nor our standing, when they are sought as gifts.
Or loss of repute that it be assailed.
أَلاَoh لِيْتَهُمْwould that they تَرَكُواhad left غَيْرَهَاthings other than them
أَلاَ لِيْتَهُمْ تَرَكُوا غَيْرَهَا
قَدِيماًlong ago وَمَدُّواand stretched إِلَيْهَاtoward them يَدَاa hand
قَدِيماً وَمَدُّوا إِلَيْهَا يَدَا
Oh, would that they had left everything else alone
Oh, would that they had left it alone
long ago, and stretched a hand toward these!
And extended their hands to it long ago.
عَلَىyet أَنَّهمْthat they عَلِمُواlearned بَعْدَafter لأْيٍdifficulty
عَلَى أَنَّهمْ عَلِمُوا بَعْدَ لأْيٍ
كَرَامَةَthe nobility of أُمَّتنَاour nation مَحْتِداin origin
كَرَامَةَ أُمَّتنَا مَحْتِدا
Yet, after much difficulty, they learned
Since they knew, after failure,
our nation's nobility of origin.
The sanctity of our nation resolutely.
لأْنَّbecause بَيَاناًeloquence كَهَذَاlike this الْبَيَانِeloquence
لأْنَّ بَيَاناً كَهَذَا الْبَيَانِ
جَدِيرٌworthy كَمَاas شَاءَhe wished أَنْto يَخْلُدَاendure forever
جَدِيرٌ كَمَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَخْلُدَا
For eloquence such as this
For eloquence like this eloquence
deserves, as he wished, to endure forever,
Is worthy, as he willed, to be immortalized.
وَأَنَّand that نُفُوساًsouls كَتِلْكَlike those النَُفوسِsouls
وَأَنَّ نُفُوساً كَتِلْكَ النَُفوسِ
لَهَاthey have رَجْعَةٌa return فِيin بَنِيهَاtheir sons غَدَاtomorrow
لَهَا رَجْعَةٌ فِي بَنِيهَا غَدَا
and souls like those souls
And souls like those souls
shall return tomorrow in their sons.
Have a return in their children tomorrow.
سَمَاrose high فِيamong الْمَفَاخِرِglories هَذَاthis الْفَخَارُpride
سَمَا فِي الْمَفَاخِرِ هَذَا الْفَخَارُ
لَنَاfor us وَأَبَىand refused الْحَقُّtruth أَنْto يُجْحَدَاbe denied
لَنَا وَأَبَى الْحَقُّ أَنْ يُجْحَدَا
This pride has risen high among glories
It soared in glories—this, our pride,
for us, and truth refuses to be denied.
And the truth refused to be denied.
فَلاso do not تَبْتَئِسْbe dismayed وَهْوَand it is ذَاكَthat النُّضارُpure gold
فَلا تَبْتَئِسْ وَهْوَ ذَاكَ النُّضارُ
إِذَاif ماever رَأَيْنَاwe see لَهُof it نُقَّدَاcritics
إِذَا ما رَأَيْنَا لَهُ نُقَّدَا
So do not be dismayed—for it is that pure gold—
So do not grieve, fresh as it is,
if ever we see critics of it.
When we see it criticized.
يُرِيدُونَthey want مِنَّاfrom us بِنَاءَthe building of الْقَرِيضِpoetry
يُرِيدُونَ مِنَّا بِنَاءَ الْقَرِيضِ
كَثِيرَmany الْمَنَاحِيaspects قَصِيَّfar-reaching المَدَىscope
كَثِيرَ الْمَنَاحِي قَصِيَّ المَدَى
They want us to build poetry
They want from us far-reaching verse,
many-sided, far-reaching in scope.
Great in dimensions, little in scope.
وَقَدْand indeed جَهِلُواthey failed to understand الْبَيْتَthe verse نَبْنِيهwe build it فَذّاًstanding alone
وَقَدْ جَهِلُوا الْبَيْتَ نَبْنِيه فَذّاً
فَيَسْتَغْرِبُand so ranges far الأَمَدُthe reach الأَبْعَدَاthe farthest
فَيَسْتَغْرِبُ الأَمَدُ الأَبْعَدَا
Yet they have not understood the single verse we build,
But they ignored the house—we will build it soon—
which ranges to the farthest reach.
So remote time will stare astonished.
حُلاَهits adornments تُنَافِسُrival زَهْرَthe flowers of الرِّيَاضِgardens
حُلاَه تُنَافِسُ زَهْرَ الرِّيَاضِ
وَمَعَنْاهُand its meaning يَسْتَنْزِلُdraws down الفَرْقَدَاthe Farqad star
وَمَعَنْاهُ يَسْتَنْزِلُ الفَرْقَدَا
Its adornments rival the flowers of gardens,
Its adornment vies with garden blossoms
and its meaning draws down the Farqad star.
And its meaning lodges stars.
أَواصِفُO Wasif حُييْتَhail to you مِنْas سَابِقٍa forerunner
أَواصِفُ حُييْتَ مِنْ سَابِقٍ
وَمِنْand as أَرْيَحِيِّa generous soul بِهِafter him يُقْتَدَىone follows
وَمِنْ أَرْيَحِيِّ بِهِ يُقْتَدَى
O Wasif, hail to you as a forerunner,
I have described, excelling predecessors
and as a generous soul whose example is followed!
And succeeding by it as example.
تَوَخَّيتَهَاyou sought it غايَةًa goal وَعْرَةًrugged
تَوَخَّيتَهَا غايَةً وَعْرَةً
فَأَدْرَكْتَهَاso you reached it فَائِزاًvictorious أَيِّداstrong
فَأَدْرَكْتَهَا فَائِزاً أَيِّدا
You sought it, a rugged goal,
You aimed for the loftiest, knowing peak,
and reached it, victorious and strong,
A victor, aided, attaining it.
بِرَأْيٍwith judgment جَمِيلٍfine وَسَعْيٍand endeavor جَلِيلٍnoble
بِرَأْيٍ جَمِيلٍ وَسَعْيٍ جَلِيلٍ
خَلِيقٍworthy عَلَىthroughout الدهْرِtime أَنْto يُحْمَدَاbe praised
خَلِيقٍ عَلَى الدهْرِ أَنْ يُحْمَدَا
with fine judgment and noble endeavor,
With beautiful judgment and splendid effort
worthy of praise for all time.
Worthy for time to be praised.
كَذَاthus يُصْرَفُis directed الْحَزْمُresolve فِيin وَجْهِهِits proper direction
كَذَا يُصْرَفُ الْحَزْمُ فِي وَجْهِهِ
وَلاَand do not تَتَوَلَّىpass away الْمَسَاعِيendeavors سُدَىin vain
وَلاَ تَتَوَلَّى الْمَسَاعِي سُدَى
Thus is resolve directed along its proper course,
Thus is discretion directed in its course,
and endeavors do not go to waste.
And endeavors never go astray.
Sol 6.1