قِيلَ لي أنت في مديحك تَغْلُو

قِيلَ لي أنت في مديحك تَغْلُو

قلتُ كلا مع أُولى الفضل يَغْلُو

قلتُ كلا مع أُولى الفضل يَغْلُو

I was told, “You go too far in your praise.”

They said you go too far in your praise

I said, “No; with men of merit, praise grows in worth.”

I said no, praise rises for the virtuous

وَغُسلوىّ في مدح مَنْ يتَعالى

وَغُسلوىّ في مدح مَنْ يتَعالى

قدرهُ فوق ما أقولُ ويعْلُو

قدرهُ فوق ما أقولُ ويعْلُو

And [my exaggeration] lies in praising one who rises,

They washed me with praise for the Sublime One

his rank beyond what I say, ever higher.

Whose worth transcends what I say and excels

هو غيثٌ ونحنُ نشكرُه كا

هو غيثٌ ونحنُ نشكرُه كا

لرَّوْضِ يُنْمِى الأزهار لا نحن نَعْلُو

لرَّوْضِ يُنْمِى الأزهار لا نحن نَعْلُو

He is rain, and we thank him as does

He is a bounty, we thank Him as

the garden: he makes flowers grow; it is not we who rise.

Does a garden that flowers do not rise

لم تَزَلْ في ظِل ظليلٍ من العَدْ

لم تَزَلْ في ظِل ظليلٍ من العَدْ

لِ وفي ذِرْوةِ من العزّ يَعْلُو

لِ وفي ذِرْوةِ من العزّ يَعْلُو

You have ever remained in justice’s sheltering shade,

You have not ceased to be in the shade of an excellent

and on a summit of glory that rises high.

Protector, at the peak of lofty glory

زانَ شعرى بمدحي لابن سلطا

زانَ شعرى بمدحي لابن سلطا

ن كما زانَ بالمهنّدِ نَصْلُ

ن كما زانَ بالمهنّدِ نَصْلُ

My poetry was adorned by my praise of the son of Sultan,

My poetry adorned with praising Ibn Sultān

as a blade adds beauty to an Indian-steel sword.

As the sword adorns the polished blade

ومحالٌ بأنْ يساميه خَلْقٌ

ومحالٌ بأنْ يساميه خَلْقٌ

وأديمُ الشِّعْرى لرجليه نَعْلُ

وأديمُ الشِّعْرى لرجليه نَعْلُ

No creature can possibly rival him,

And it is absurd for any creation to aspire to his level

and Sirius’s hide is a sandal for his feet.

My poetry is but shoes upon his feet

قلْ لمن رامَ أن يباريه خُلُقا

قلْ لمن رامَ أن يباريه خُلُقا

أيُبارِى سوابقَ الخيل بغلُ

أيُبارِى سوابقَ الخيل بغلُ

Tell whoever seeks to rival him in character:

Say to one who wished to match his manners

Can a mule rival the swiftest horses?

Does one race horses against mules?

أَوَ هَلْ يستوى الخضمُّ ومَن لا

أَوَ هَلْ يستوى الخضمُّ ومَن لا

يُمْتَرى مِن يمينه قطُّ نَهْلُ

يُمْتَرى مِن يمينه قطُّ نَهْلُ

And can the vast sea equal one who never

Or can common iron equal the fine?

yields a draught from his right hand?

None can match his right hand’s slash

هوَ ملكٌ على الحقيقةِ صِدْقاً

هوَ ملكٌ على الحقيقةِ صِدْقاً

وسِوَاه من الخلائق ظل

وسِوَاه من الخلائق ظل

He is a king in reality, truly,

He is truly king in truth

and all other creatures are a shadow.

Others are but shadows of creation

يا إمامَ الهدى سلالة سلطا

يا إمامَ الهدى سلالة سلطا

نِ الرضى أنتَ للخلائقِ بَعْلُ

نِ الرضى أنتَ للخلائقِ بَعْلُ

O imam of guidance, descendant of Sultan,

O Imam of guidance, scion of pleased Sultāns

the well-pleasing, you are lord over all creatures.

You are for all creation a husband

فوربِّ السماء حِلقةِ بَرٍّ

فوربِّ السماء حِلقةِ بَرٍّ

لا يضامُ امرؤ له أنت بَعْلُ

لا يضامُ امرؤ له أنت بَعْلُ

So, by the Lord of heaven—a righteous man’s [oath]—

By He who created the ring of righteousness

no man is wronged whose lord you are.

None compares to you, you are unmatched

هاكَ منّي عذراءَ بنت قؤولٍ

هاكَ منّي عذراءَ بنت قؤولٍ

ما لهَا في الأنام إلاّكَ بَعْلُ

ما لهَا في الأنام إلاّكَ بَعْلُ

Take from me a virgin maiden, daughter of an eloquent speaker;

She has no match but you

she has no husband among mankind but you.

No mouth has comprehended one like her

لم يَفُهْ مثلَها فمٌ بقوافٍ

لم يَفُهْ مثلَها فمٌ بقوافٍ

زانَها من لدبك قولٌ وفعْلٌ

زانَها من لدبك قولٌ وفعْلٌ

No mouth has uttered her equal in rhymed verse;

Adorned by your words and deeds

speech and deed from [you] have adorned her.

Do not worry about those who crawl on earth

لا تبالِي بمنْ يَدبُّ على الأرْ

لا تبالِي بمنْ يَدبُّ على الأرْ

ض فأنتَ المُحق بالمجْدِ فَاعْلُ

ض فأنتَ المُحق بالمجْدِ فَاعْلُ

Pay no heed to whoever creeps upon the earth,

You deserve glory, so act!

for you rightfully merit glory—so rise.