هَلْcan لِشعْريfor my poetry وَأَنْتَand you منْهُof it مُرَاديmy intended subject
هَلْ لِشعْري وَأَنْتَ منْهُ مُرَادي
Is my poetry worthy when you are what I desire to describe
Can my verse, with you as its intended subject,
In solitary words of your state that rise high
وَصْفُdescription حَالَيْكَyour two states منْof عَلَىeminence وَانْفرَادand distinction
وَصْفُ حَالَيْكَ منْ عَلَى وَانْفرَاد
كُلُّevery مَدْحٍpraise أَرَاهُI find it فيكَof you قَليلاًlittle
كُلُّ مَدْحٍ أَرَاهُ فيكَ قَليلاً
Describe your two qualities—eminence and distinction?
Every praise I see in you seems too little
Every praise of you I find too little,
And much my heart needs to express to satisfy
وَكَثيرٌand much مَاwhat يَقْتَضينيdemands of me فُؤاديmy heart
وَكَثيرٌ مَا يَقْتَضيني فُؤادي
خطَّةُan undertaking غَيْرnot بَالغٍattaining كلall جَهْديmy effort
خطَّةُ غَيْر بَالغٍ كل جَهْدي
Yet great is what my heart demands of me.
A novice's flawed attempt are all my efforts
A task beyond the reach of all my striving;
Relying on parts of its range is my dependence
بَعْضُsome شَيءٍthing منْof شَوْطهَاits course اعْتمَاديmy reliance
بَعْضُ شَيءٍ منْ شَوْطهَا اعْتمَادي
فَلْيَكُنْso let it be منْof تَمَامthe fullness جَوْدكَyour generosity عُذْريmy excuse
فَلْيَكُنْ منْ تَمَام جَوْدكَ عُذْري
My reliance is on but a small part of its course.
So let your perfect generosity be my excuse
Then let accepting my excuse complete your generosity,
For accepting excuses is the way of the generous
فَقَبُولُfor accepting الأَعْذَارexcuses شَأْنُthe way الجَّوَّادthe generous man
فَقَبُولُ الأَعْذَار شَأْنُ الجَّوَّاد
أَيُّهَاO الحاَفظُthe guardian الأَمينُthe faithful بحَقٍّtruly
أَيُّهَا الحاَفظُ الأَمينُ بحَقٍّ
For accepting excuses is the generous man's way.
O faithful keeper, by the right
O truly faithful guardian
Of the most high from Taariq that shone bright
للمَعَاليof lofty honors منْof طَارقَnewly come وَتَلاَدand inherited
للمَعَالي منْ طَارقَ وَتَلاَد
قَدْindeed وَفَدْنَاwe have come حُجيجُpilgrims أَكْرَمَthe noblest بَيْتٍhouse
قَدْ وَفَدْنَا حُجيجُ أَكْرَمَ بَيْتٍ
Of lofty honors, newly come and inherited,
We've come, pilgrims of the most generous house
We have come as pilgrims to the noblest house,
And prayed, followers of the most noble place
وَاعْتَمَرْنَاand we made a pilgrimage نُؤُمُwe head toward أَشْرَفthe most honored نَادassembly
وَاعْتَمَرْنَا نُؤُمُ أَشْرَف نَاد
لاَnot يَقْصدُseeks البِنَّاءِthe building فَخْماًgrand وَلاَnor
لاَ يَقْصدُ البِنَّاءِ فَخْماً وَلاَ
And made our pilgrimage, seeking the most honored assembly.
It seeks no glory or finest decor
The aim is not the building in its grandeur, nor
That the hands have generously endowed
الزِّينَةَthe adornment أَبْهَىmost splendid مَاwhat جَوَّدَتْهَاperfected it الأَيَاديthe hands
الزِّينَةَ أَبْهَى مَا جَوَّدَتْهَا الأَيَادي
لاَno وَلاَnor الْمَجْدُglory بَاقياًremaining عَنْfrom كبَارgreat men
لاَ وَلاَ الْمَجْدُ بَاقياً عَنْ كبَار
The adornment, however splendidly hands have fashioned it.
Nor the lasting glory of great ancestors
No, nor glory left by great men
And forefathers of high morals who lived proud
منamong كرامnoble الآبَاءِfathers وَالأَجْدَادand forefathers
من كرام الآبَاءِ وَالأَجْدَاد
إِنَّمَاonly شَاقَنَاstirred our longing لقَاءُmeeting المَعَاليlofty virtues
إِنَّمَا شَاقَنَا لقَاءُ المَعَالي
Among noble fathers and forefathers.
Rather we endured the hardships for the sake of
Only the meeting with lofty virtues drew us,
Virtues, chivalry, dignity and good deeds of aid
وَالمُرُوءَاتُand noble character وَالنَّدَىand generosity وَالأَيَاديand favors
وَالمُرُوءَاتُ وَالنَّدَى وَالأَيَادي
فيin فَتىًa young man حَازمٍresolute جَريءٍbold هُمَامٍvaliant
في فَتىً حَازمٍ جَريءٍ هُمَامٍ
And noble character, generosity, and favors,
In a resolute, bold, valorous young man
In a resolute, bold, valiant young man,
Loyal and honest fulfilling his word as he said
ثَابتِsteadfast العَهْدthe pledge صَادقtrue الْميعَادِthe promise
ثَابتِ العَهْد صَادق الْميعَادِ
تقفُyou stand لَوْif هَزَّهُshook him الخَطْبُcalamity يَوْماًone day
تقفُ لَوْ هَزَّهُ الخَطْبُ يَوْماً
Steadfast in his pledge, true to his promise.
Were he shaken one day by adversity
You stand [wording unclear]—if calamity should shake him one day,
He would shake adversity with his iron will
هَزَshook لدْناًsupple منَof القَناthe spears المَيادswaying
هَزَ لدْناً منَ القَنا المَياد
رَاسخِfirm العَزْمresolve فيin كفاحthe struggle الليَاليthe nights
رَاسخِ العَزْم في كفاح الليَالي
It would shake a supple shaft among swaying spears.
Steadfast in nights of struggle with strong spirit
Firm of resolve in battling the nights,
Fair of face against the darkest perils
بَاسمِsmiling الوَجْهthe face فيamid قُطُوبthe scowls الْعَوَاديadversities
بَاسمِ الوَجْه في قُطُوب الْعَوَادي
مُؤملhope المُسْتَجيرthe refuge-seeker كهْفsheltering cave اليَتامَىthe orphans
مُؤمل المُسْتَجير كهْف اليَتامَى
His face smiling amid adversity's scowls.
A shelter for the helpless orphan seeking refuge
The refuge-seeker's hope, a sheltering cave for orphans
And shining beacon for people seeking the right road
وَالأْيَاميand those without spouses مَنارَةa beacon الرُّوَّادseekers
وَالأْيَامي مَنارَة الرُّوَّاد
حَيْثُمَاwherever تَدْعُهُcall him الدِّيَارُthe lands بحسْنهاwith their beauty
حَيْثُمَا تَدْعُهُ الدِّيَارُ بحسْنها
And the widowed, a beacon for seekers.
Wherever the lands call him for his goodness
Wherever the lands call him with their beauty,
Truth rings in his voice and his sword strikes with might
صَوْتُa voice حَقِّof truth منْهُfrom him وَسَيْفُand a sword جَلاَّدof an executioner
صَوْتُ حَقِّ منْهُ وَسَيْفُ جَلاَّد
وَيَجْبهاand answers them رَأْيٌcounsel يُزلُbrings down عَدَاهَاtheir enemies
وَيَجْبها رَأْيٌ يُزلُ عَدَاهَا
From him comes a voice of truth and an executioner's sword.
And he counters with an opinion defeating the enemies
And counsel answers them, bringing their enemies down;
Many sound views prevailed over armies
رُبَّmany a رَأْيٍjudgment أَغْزَىmore conquering منَthan الأجْنادarmies
رُبَّ رَأْيٍ أَغْزَى منَ الأجْناد
أَيُّwhich كَفيلٍguarantor أَعْمَىblind إِذَاwhen قيلَit is said مَنْwho
أَيُّ كَفيلٍ أَعْمَى إِذَا قيلَ مَنْ
Many a judgment conquers more than armies.
What blind guarantor when asked who
What blind guarantor [text unclear], when it is asked, 'Who
Among the people on the day of cries for aid
فِيamong الْقَوْمthe people يَومَthe day الَّذيthe one who وَيَومَand the day التَّنَادof calling out
فِي الْقَوْم يَومَ الَّذي وَيَومَ التَّنَاد
بَعْضُsome تلْكَthose الخلاَلvirtues فيin نَفَرٍa group of men مَهْhowever (first part)
بَعْضُ تلْكَ الخلاَل في نَفَرٍ مَهْ
Among the people, on the day of [unclear] and the day of calling?'
Some of those traits in but a few people
Some of those virtues in a band of men, however
Would suffice for the whole country's needs
مَاhowever (second part) يُقلواthey may be few كفَايَةًenough للْبلاَدfor the country
مَا يُقلوا كفَايَةً للْبلاَد
وَبهَاand through them يَدْركُattains المَقَامَthe station الْمُعَلَّىthe exalted
وَبهَا يَدْركُ المَقَامَ الْمُعَلَّى
Few they may be, suffice for the country.
And through you the supreme rank is attained
And through them, the exalted station is attained
By one who perfectly followed guidance and reason
مَنْwhoever بكَthrough you أَتَمَّcompleted عَنْwith هُدَىguidance وَرَشَادand sound judgment
مَنْ بكَ أَتَمَّ عَنْ هُدَى وَرَشَاد
تلْكَthose حَسْبsufficient for الفَتَىthe young man مَقَاماًrank وَبَيْتاًand lineage
تلْكَ حَسْب الفَتَى مَقَاماً وَبَيْتاً
By one who, through you, finds fulfillment with guidance and sound judgment.
That is enough for the young man, position and home
Those suffice a young man for rank and lineage,
And tale lasting for eternity unfaded
وَحَديثاًand a tale يَبْقَىendures عَلَىthrough الابَادthe ages
وَحَديثاً يَبْقَى عَلَى الابَاد
عشْlive طَويلاًlong فيin غبْطةhappiness وَصَفاءٍand serenity
عشْ طَويلاً في غبْطة وَصَفاءٍ
And a tale that endures through the ages.
Live long in joy and serenity
Live long in happiness and serenity,
Safe, content, high of pillar and foundation
سَالماًsafe نَاعماًat ease رَفيعlofty العمادthe pillar
سَالماً نَاعماً رَفيع العماد
وَلْيَزنْand may adorn صَدْركَyour chest الرَّحيبthe broad وَسَامٌa medal
وَلْيَزنْ صَدْركَ الرَّحيب وَسَامٌ
Safe and at ease, with your pillar held high.
Let your vast chest swell with pride
And may a medal adorn your broad chest,
For his worth ever increases through your provision
بَاتَhas settled فيهon it وَقَدْرُهُand its worth فيin ازْديادincrease
بَاتَ فيه وَقَدْرُهُ في ازْدياد
فَاقَsurpassed أَنْدَادَهُits peers وَتَاهَand vaunted itself عَلَيْهُمْover them
فَاقَ أَنْدَادَهُ وَتَاهَ عَلَيْهُمْ
Settled there, its worth ever increasing.
He surpassed his peers and they lost sight of him
It has surpassed its peers and vaunts itself over them,
As he came forth peerless, without contenders
إِذْbecause تَلَقَّاهُreceived it فاقدُone lacking الأَنْدَادequals
إِذْ تَلَقَّاهُ فاقدُ الأَنْدَاد
نعْمَfavors (contextual reading) المَالكينَthe rulers لاَno فَرْقَdifference فيهَاin them
نعْمَ المَالكينَ لاَ فَرْقَ فيهَا
For it was received by one without equal.
What excellent possessors, no difference among them
The rulers' favors do not differ in themselves;
Except the differences lie in individuals
غَيْرَexcept أَنَّthat الفُروقَthe distinctions فيin الأَفْرَادthe individuals
غَيْرَ أَنَّ الفُروقَ في الأَفْرَاد
Except that distinctions lie in the individuals.
Partial English translation: 45 of 46 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1