هِيَshe الْحُرَّةُthe noblewoman الزَّهْرَاءُthe radiant جَاءَتُshe came عَلَىas وَعْدِpromised
هِيَ الْحُرَّةُ الزَّهْرَاءُ جَاءَتُ عَلَى وَعْدِ
جَلَتْهَاunveiled her لَكَto you الْعَلْيَاءُhigh glory مِنْfrom مَطْلَعِthe rising of السَّعْدِgood fortune
جَلَتْهَا لَكَ الْعَلْيَاءُ مِنْ مَطْلَعِ السَّعْدِ
She is the radiant noblewoman, come as promised;
Glory unveiled her to you from the dawn of good fortune.
عَرُوسa bride يَرَاهَاsee her المُعْجَبُونَthe admirers كَأُمِّهاlike her mother
عَرُوس يَرَاهَا المُعْجَبُونَ كَأُمِّها
مِثَالَa model of كَمَالٍperfection فَوْقَbeyond طَائِلَةِthe reach of النَّقدِcriticism
مِثَالَ كَمَالٍ فَوْقَ طَائِلَةِ النَّقدِ
A bride whom admirers see, like her mother,
As a model of perfection beyond criticism's reach.
نَمَاهَاreared her فُؤَادٌFuad وَهُوَand he is أَرْوَعُthe most splendid فَاضِلٍvirtuous man
نَمَاهَا فُؤَادٌ وَهُوَ أَرْوَعُ فَاضِلٍ
صَفِيُّa true friend وَفِيٌّfaithful غَيْرُnot مُؤْتَشَبِmingled الْوُدِّaffection
صَفِيُّ وَفِيٌّ غَيْرُ مُؤْتَشَبِ الْوُدِّ
Fuad reared her; he is the most splendid of virtuous men,
A true and faithful friend, his affection unalloyed.
يَدِينُsubmits لَهُto him عَاصِيthe defiant among المَآرِبِaims مِنْfrom عُلىًheights
يَدِينُ لَهُ عَاصِي المَآرِبِ مِنْ عُلىً
وَيَدْنُوand draws near لَهto him قَاصِيthe farthest of الرَّغَائِبِdesires مِنْfrom بُعْدِafar
وَيَدْنُو لَه قَاصِي الرَّغَائِبِ مِنْ بُعْدِ
Defiant aims bow down to him from their heights,
And far-off desires draw near to him from afar.
يَسوسgoverns بِحَزْمٍwith resolve أَمْرَهhis affairs كُلَّall of أَمْرِهِhis affairs
يَسوس بِحَزْمٍ أَمْرَه كُلَّ أَمْرِهِ
وَلاَand does not يَنْثَنِيswerve جَوْراًunjustly عَنِfrom الْخُطَّةِthe course الْقَصْدِupright
وَلاَ يَنْثَنِي جَوْراً عَنِ الْخُطَّةِ الْقَصْدِ
He governs his affairs—all his affairs—with resolve,
And never swerves unjustly from the upright course.
فَيَاso O ابْنَson of أَبِيAbu (father of) الإِحْسَانِal-Ihsan (benevolence) أَشْرَفَnoblest منْتَمىًin descent
فَيَا ابْنَ أَبِي الإِحْسَانِ أَشْرَفَ منْتَمىً
وَيَاand O أَسْبَقَforemost of الْفِتْيَانِthe young men فِيin حَلْبَةِthe arena of الْكَدِّtoil
وَيَا أَسْبَقَ الْفِتْيَانِ فِي حَلْبَةِ الْكَدِّ
O son of Abu al-Ihsan, of noblest descent,
And O foremost of young men in the arena of toil,
وَيَاand O كَوْكباًstar أَمْسَىhas become بِآيَةِthrough the sign of وَجْدِهِhis love
وَيَا كَوْكباً أَمْسَى بِآيَةِ وَجْدِهِ
قَرِينَconsort of الثُّرَيَّاthe Pleiades بورِكَتْblessed be آيَةُthe sign of الْوَجْدِlove
قَرِينَ الثُّرَيَّا بورِكَتْ آيَةُ الْوَجْدِ
And O star who, through the sign of his love, has become
The Pleiades' consort—blessed be the sign of love!
أَبوكَyour father بَنَىbuilt صَرحاًa palace عَلاَrose high فَاقْتَفَيْتَهُso you followed him
أَبوكَ بَنَى صَرحاً عَلاَ فَاقْتَفَيْتَهُ
وَأَعْلَيْتَand you raised مَاwhat تَبْنِيyou build عَلَىabove الْعَلَمِthe mountain الْفَرْدِpeerless
وَأَعْلَيْتَ مَا تَبْنِي عَلَى الْعَلَمِ الْفَرْدِ
Your father built a palace that rose high; you followed him,
And raised what you build above the peerless peak.
لِسَمْعَانَfor Sam'an فِيin كُلِّall الْقُلُوبِhearts مَكَانَةٌa place of esteem
لِسَمْعَانَ فِي كُلِّ الْقُلُوبِ مَكَانَةٌ
بِهَاthrough it حَلَّhe settled فِيin أَوْجِthe zenith of الْكَرَامَةِhonor وَالمَجْدِand glory
بِهَا حَلَّ فِي أَوْجِ الْكَرَامَةِ وَالمَجْدِ
Sam'an holds a place in every heart,
Through which he has attained the zenith of honor and glory.
وَنَاهِيكَand sufficient for you بِالشَّهْمِin the noble man الَّذِيwho يَبْلُغُreaches السُّهَىSuha (a star)
وَنَاهِيكَ بِالشَّهْمِ الَّذِي يَبْلُغُ السُّهَى
وَلَيْسَand he is not بِذِيpossessed of نِدٍّa peer وَلَيْسَand he is not بِذِيpossessed of ضِدِّan opponent
وَلَيْسَ بِذِي نِدٍّ وَلَيْسَ بِذِي ضِدِّ
And what a noble man he is, who reaches Suha,
And has no peer, and has no foe.
خَبِيرٌskilled بِتَصْرِيفِin managing الْحَيَاةِlife وَأَهلِهَاand its people
خَبِيرٌ بِتَصْرِيفِ الْحَيَاةِ وَأَهلِهَا
بَصِيرٌdiscerning بِتَحْقِيقِin realizing للْبَعِيدِfor the far-off مِنَof الْقَصْدِthe goal
بَصِيرٌ بِتَحْقِيقِ للْبَعِيدِ مِنَ الْقَصْدِ
Skilled in managing life and its people,
Keen at bringing far-off goals to fulfillment.
كَبِيرٌgreat بِمَسْعَاهin his striving كَبِيرٌgreat بِحَظِّهِin his fortune
كَبِيرٌ بِمَسْعَاه كَبِيرٌ بِحَظِّهِ
وَلاَand no فَوْزَsuccess إِلاَّexcept نَصْرُكَyour aiding الْجَدَّgood fortune بِالْجِدِّwith diligence
وَلاَ فَوْزَ إِلاَّ نَصْرُكَ الْجَدَّ بِالْجِدِّ
Great in his striving, great in his fortune,
And success comes only when you aid fortune with diligence.
مُعَمِّرُone who peoples أَحْيَاءِthe quarters of الْفَضَائِلِvirtues وَالنُّهىand wisdom
مُعَمِّرُ أَحْيَاءِ الْفَضَائِلِ وَالنُّهى
بِنَسْلٍwith progeny مِنَof الآْلاءِblessings لِيْسَis not بِذِيpossessed of عَدِّa count
بِنَسْلٍ مِنَ الآْلاءِ لِيْسَ بِذِي عَدِّ
He peoples the quarters of virtue and wisdom
With a progeny of blessings beyond all count.
بَنُوهُhis sons فُروعٌbranches زَاكِيَاتٌflourishing كَأَصلِهَاlike their root
بَنُوهُ فُروعٌ زَاكِيَاتٌ كَأَصلِهَا
وَهَلْand are عَذَبَاتُthe tender shoots of الرَّنْدِlaurel إِلاَّanything but مِنَfrom الرَّنْدِlaurel
وَهَلْ عَذَبَاتُ الرَّنْدِ إِلاَّ مِنَ الرَّنْدِ
His sons are flourishing branches, like their root;
And do laurel shoots spring from anything but laurel?
بِهِمْin them كُلُّeverything مَأْمولٍhoped for بِهِمْin them كُلُّeverything متَّقىًfeared
بِهِمْ كُلُّ مَأْمولٍ بِهِمْ كُلُّ متَّقىً
فَلِلصَّحبِso for friends مَاwhat يُرْضِيpleases وَلِلْخَصْمِand for the foe مَاwhat يُرْديdestroys
فَلِلصَّحبِ مَا يُرْضِي وَلِلْخَصْمِ مَا يُرْدي
In them is all that is hoped for; in them, all that is feared:
For friends, what delights; for the foe, what destroys.
رَعَىmay protect اللهGod أُمّاًa mother أَنْجَبْتْهمْbore them وَثَقَّفتْand refined
رَعَى الله أُمّاً أَنْجَبْتْهمْ وَثَقَّفتْ
خَلاَئِقَهمْtheir characters لَمْdid not تَأْلُslacken يَوْماًfor a day عَنِfrom الْجُهْدِeffort
خَلاَئِقَهمْ لَمْ تَأْلُ يَوْماً عَنِ الْجُهْدِ
May God guard the mother who bore them and refined
Their characters, never slackening in her effort for a day.
هِيَshe الزَّوْجُthe wife أُوْفَىmost faithful مَاas تَكُونُshe can be لِزَوْجِهَاto her husband
هِيَ الزَّوْجُ أُوْفَى مَا تَكُونُ لِزَوْجِهَا
هِيَshe الأُمُّthe mother أَحْنَىmost tender مَاas تَكُونُshe can be عَلَىtoward الْوُلْدِthe children
هِيَ الأُمُّ أَحْنَى مَا تَكُونُ عَلَى الْوُلْدِ
She is a wife as faithful as can be to her husband;
She is a mother as tender as can be toward her children.
هِيَshe الْقُدْوَةُthe example الْمثْلَىideal لِكُلِّfor every عَفِيفَةٍchaste woman
هِيَ الْقُدْوَةُ الْمثْلَى لِكُلِّ عَفِيفَةٍ
بِأُنْسٍwith sociability لَهُit has حَدُّa limit وَتَقْوَىand piety بِلاَwithout حَدِّlimit
بِأُنْسٍ لَهُ حَدُّ وَتَقْوَى بِلاَ حَدِّ
She is the ideal example for every chaste woman,
With sociability kept within bounds, and piety without bounds.
بِقَلْبِيَwith my heart أَدْعْوI pray أَنْthat يَتِمَّbe complete شِفَاؤُهَاher recovery
بِقَلْبِيَ أَدْعْو أَنْ يَتِمَّ شِفَاؤُهَا
وَذلِكَand that فَضْلٌa blessing لِسْتٌI do not أَدْعوpray بِهِfor it وَحْدِيalone
وَذلِكَ فَضْلٌ لِسْتٌ أَدْعو بِهِ وَحْدِي
With my heart I pray that her recovery be complete;
And this is a blessing for which I do not pray alone.
فَتَكْمُلَso may be complete أَفْرَاحُthe joys of الْبَنِينَthe sons بِعَهْدِهَاin her lifetime
فَتَكْمُلَ أَفْرَاحُ الْبَنِينَ بِعَهْدِهَا
وَتَبْقَىand may remain بِهَاthrough her الأَفْرَاحthe joys مَوْصولَةَunbroken in الْعَهْدduration
وَتَبْقَى بِهَا الأَفْرَاح مَوْصولَةَ الْعَهْد
So that her sons' joys may be complete in her lifetime,
And through her may their joys endure unbroken.
أَلاَO أَيُّهاyou الصَّرْحُpalace الَّذِيwhose ضَاقَgrew narrow رَحْبُهُits spaciousness
أَلاَ أَيُّها الصَّرْحُ الَّذِي ضَاقَ رَحْبُهُ
بِحَشْدٍwith a throng وَأَكْرِمْand how noble بِالأَعِزَّاءِthe honored guests مِنْas حَشْدِa gathering
بِحَشْدٍ وَأَكْرِمْ بِالأَعِزَّاءِ مِنْ حَشْدِ
O palace, whose spacious halls grew narrow
With a throng—how noble a gathering of honored guests!
أَقَرَّتْgladdened عُيُونَthe eyes of الْجَاهِhigh rank فِيكَwithin you لُيَيْلَةa little night
أَقَرَّتْ عُيُونَ الْجَاهِ فِيكَ لُيَيْلَة
مُطَرَّدَةُbanished الأَشْجَانِsorrows مَوْمُوقَةُcherished السُّهدِwakefulness
مُطَرَّدَةُ الأَشْجَانِ مَوْمُوقَةُ السُّهدِ
One little night within you gladdened the eyes of the eminent,
Its sorrows banished, its wakefulness cherished.
رَأَىsaw الْعِلْيَةُthe elite الرَّاقُونَthe exalted فَضْلَthe excellence of نِظَامِهَاits arrangement
رَأَى الْعِلْيَةُ الرَّاقُونَ فَضْلَ نِظَامِهَا
فَرَاعَتْهُمُso it awed them رَوْعَthe awe of الْفَرِيدَةَthe matchless jewel فِيin العِقْدِthe necklace
فَرَاعَتْهُمُ رَوْعَ الْفَرِيدَةَ فِي العِقْدِ
The exalted elite saw the excellence of its arrangement,
And it awed them like the matchless jewel in a necklace.
إِذَاif فَاتَتِescaped العَافِينَthe seekers of bounty آيَةُthe wonder of حُسْنِهَاits beauty
إِذَا فَاتَتِ العَافِينَ آيَةُ حُسْنِهَا
فَمَاyet not فَاتَهُمْescaped them أَنْto يَقْرَأُواrecite سُورَةَthe Chapter of الْحَمْدِPraise
فَمَا فَاتَهُمْ أَنْ يَقْرَأُوا سُورَةَ الْحَمْدِ
If those seeking bounty missed the wonder of its beauty,
They did not miss reciting the Chapter of Praise.
تَدَفَّقتِpoured forth الأَنْوَارُthe lights مِنْهَاfrom it عَلَىover الدُّجَىthe darkness
تَدَفَّقتِ الأَنْوَارُ مِنْهَا عَلَى الدُّجَى
زَوَاهِرَradiant فِيهَاin them الْبُرْءُhealing لِلأَعْيُنِfor the eyes الرُّمْدِinflamed
زَوَاهِرَ فِيهَا الْبُرْءُ لِلأَعْيُنِ الرُّمْدِ
Lights poured from it over the darkness,
Radiant, with healing for inflamed eyes.
وَفِيand in دَاخِلٍthe interior رَوْضٌa garden يُغَازِلُflirts بِالحِلَىwith adornments
وَفِي دَاخِلٍ رَوْضٌ يُغَازِلُ بِالحِلَى
وَفِيand in خَارِجٍthe exterior رَوْضٌa garden يُرَاسِلُsends messages بِالنَّدِّwith aromatic perfume
وَفِي خَارِجٍ رَوْضٌ يُرَاسِلُ بِالنَّدِّ
And within is a garden that flirts with adornments,
And without is a garden that sends messages in perfume.
وَقَدْand indeed أَنْشَدَsang to الْوَرْدُthe roses الْعَرُوسَيْنِthe bridal pair دَاعِياًpraying
وَقَدْ أَنْشَدَ الْوَرْدُ الْعَرُوسَيْنِ دَاعِياً
دُعَاءَa prayer مُجَابِanswered الصَّمْتِsilence فِيin مَسْمَعِthe ear of الخُلْدِeternity
دُعَاءَ مُجَابِ الصَّمْتِ فِي مَسْمَعِ الخُلْدِ
And the roses have sung to the bridal pair, praying
The prayer of one whose silence is answered in eternity's ear:
بِأَنْthat يَعْمُرَاthey both may live عُمْراًa life مَدِيداًlong وَيَنْعَمَاand both enjoy bliss
بِأَنْ يَعْمُرَا عُمْراً مَدِيداً وَيَنْعَمَا
نَعِيماًbliss جَدِيداًfresh دَائمconstant in الْعَوْدِrecurrence كَالْوَرْدِlike the roses
نَعِيماً جَدِيداً دَائم الْعَوْدِ كَالْوَرْدِ
That they may live a long life and enjoy
Fresh bliss, ever returning like the roses.
Sol 6.1