خَيرُbest حامِdefender مجدٍglory مجيرِprotector العبيدِthe bondsmen
خَيرُ حامِ مجدٍ مجيرِ العبيدِ
حاطَhe safeguarded خيراًgoodness مجرىa course لعبدِfor Abd ('servant') المجيدِal-Majid ('the Glorious')
حاطَ خيراً مجرى لعبدِ المجيدِ
The finest defender of glory, protector of the bondsmen.
The best supporter of glorious glory, the servant of the Glorious
He safeguarded a good course for Abd al-Majid.
He supported the good course of the servant of the Praiseworthy
حاطهُhe guarded him عَنfrom عثارِstumbling جعدٍa miser برجفٍwith trembling
حاطهُ عَن عثارِ جعدٍ برجفٍ
مُنتجٍproducing جحدَdenial عرفِkindness ربقِbonds العهودِthe covenants
مُنتجٍ جحدَ عرفِ ربقِ العهودِ
He guarded him from a miser’s stumbling amid tremors,
He supported him from the disgrace of curly, quivering cowardice
Producing denial of the kindness of covenant-bonds.
Yielding, denying the custom of binding covenants
آلُthe house of عثمانَOsman كفلُa share رهجٍbattle-dust برجمٍwith stone-hurling
آلُ عثمانَ كفلُ رهجٍ برجمٍ
جَبَرواthey repaired الأطمَthe strongholds ثلمَa breach رجفٍa tremor عنودِobstinate
جَبَروا الأطمَ ثلمَ رجفٍ عنودِ
The house of Osman: a share of battle-dust amid stone-hurling.
The family of Uthman took on the burden of a lofty, solid lineage
They repaired the strongholds breached by a stubborn tremor.
They healed the severest injuries of defiant trembling
فَرعُa branch إرثٍinheritance سَماrose high وجلّand grew great بنجلٍthrough offspring
فَرعُ إرثٍ سَما وجلّ بنجلٍ
فَرعَovertopped النسرَthe Eagle جُثّa mass بأسvalor وجودِand generosity
فَرعَ النسرَ جُثّ بأس وجودِ
A branch of inheritance rose high and grew great through offspring.
A branch of inherited glory, high and majestic in men
It overtopped the Eagle, a mass of valor and generosity.
A branch of eagles fallen with might and existence
سابَflowed freely رجواًhope فقصّرتand fell short عَنof جداهُhis bounty
سابَ رجواً فقصّرت عَن جداهُ
رُجفُtrembling سحبٍclouds قدalready روِّعتwere terrified مِنby جمودِstillness
رُجفُ سحبٍ قد روِّعت مِن جمودِ
He streamed forth hope; short of his bounty fell
They hoped for calm but the clouds fell short of their limit
Trembling clouds, already terrified by stillness.
The trembling of clouds that were frightened of stillness
فُجِعتwere stricken باِنسِجامِby the outpouring ركمِheaps قراهُhis hospitality
فُجِعت باِنسِجامِ ركمِ قراهُ
وَاِنسِجامand outpouring رجفٍtrembling بثكلwith bereavement رعودِthunderclaps
وَاِنسِجام رجفٍ بثكل رعودِ
They were stricken by the outpouring of his heaped hospitality,
I grieved over the harmony of tying villages together
And the outpouring of tremors, with thunderclaps bereaved.
And the harmony of trembling in parental bereavement
ياO ثِمالَrefuge رجعٍreturning rain بِنجوىwith whispered counsel نصيرa helper
يا ثِمالَ رجعٍ بِنجوى نصير
لِصريعٍfor one struck down برثدِamid a heap مجنىa harvest نجيدِa valiant man
لِصريعٍ برثدِ مجنى نجيدِ
O refuge of returning rain, with a helper’s whispered counsel,
O light of returning with the whispering of an ally
For one struck down amid a valiant man’s heaped harvest.
For one slain with tingling, brought down with good
نَصرُvictory جفّa throng جمّabundant وإِعتاقُand freeing ربلٍlush growth
نَصرُ جفّ جمّ وإِعتاقُ ربلٍ
بَلrather ثمالُrefuge نسرٍan eagle لرجفfor trembling الوجودِexistence
بَل ثمالُ نسرٍ لرجف الوجودِ
Victory for an abundant throng, and the freeing of lush growth,
Victory of a barren rock and freeing of a firmly rooted tree
Rather, an eagle’s refuge for existence’s trembling.
But rather the light of an eagle in the trembling existence
عَضمُa wooden implement جارٍa neighbor يثنيturns back الجريّthe bold one بهby it ناfirst fragment of 'communed with'
عَضمُ جارٍ يثني الجريّ به نا
جىlast fragment of 'communed with' الثريّاthe Pleiades نصراًvictory بديعَwondrous الجنودِthe troops
جى الثريّا نصراً بديعَ الجنودِ
A neighbor’s wooden implement turns back the bold; by it he com—
The bone of a neighbor bending the torrent towards him
—muned with the Pleiades in victory, with wondrous troops.
Diverting the flood into a new victory of armies
حيثُwhere نارَshone البرجيسُJupiter للأوجِfor the zenith عيناًan eye
حيثُ نارَ البرجيسُ للأوجِ عيناً
حيثُwhere سعداًgood fortune جَرىcoursed بنصرwith victory نجيدِvaliant
حيثُ سعداً جَرى بنصر نجيدِ
Where Jupiter shone as an eye at the zenith,
Where the fire of meteors is an eye for the zenith
Where it coursed in good fortune, with a valiant victory.
Where good fortune flowed with a good victory
فُقتَyou surpassed نجراًlineage أمor أصلroot المجدglory برّvirtue
فُقتَ نجراً أم أصل المجد برّ
رُمتَyou sought لِلبجلِfor honor نجرa lineage صدقtruth فرودِpeerless
رُمتَ لِلبجلِ نجر صدق فرودِ
You surpassed lineage—or the root of glory is virtue.
Was the root of glory struck or did you hurl a rock
For honor you sought a lineage of peerless truth.
At the horseman? A truth of sincerity in treaties
فَنجومٌand stars راقَتwere pleasing صعودكyour ascent رجباًRajab
فَنجومٌ راقَت صعودك رجباً
فَرَقتand rose منكَfrom you أوجَthe zenith برجِthe constellation السعودِgood fortunes
فَرَقت منكَ أوجَ برجِ السعودِ
And stars graced your ascent in Rajab,
So stars rose with your ascent in the month of Rajab
And they rose from you to the zenith of the constellation of good fortunes.
They shone from you the most brilliant light of good fortune
آثلواthey established المجدَglory مِنfrom فروعٍbranches بحجرٍwith stone
آثلوا المجدَ مِن فروعٍ بحجرٍ
مُنجحاًmaking flourish بُرهَhis wheat جدلweaving عرفkindness ثعودِsoft dates (uncertain reading)
مُنجحاً بُرهَ جدل عرف ثعودِ
They established glory from branches, with stone,
They wore down glory from branches with unbreakable stone
Making his wheat flourish, weaving the kindness of soft dates [uncertain reading].
Successful, its sharp edge an example of high resolve
ماثَلواthey matched نَجرهُمtheir lineage بِأرفعِwith the loftiest مجدٍglory
ماثَلوا نَجرهُم بِأرفعِ مجدٍ
أَثمَلواthey intoxicated نجرَthe stock عرفهمtheir kindness بالجدودِwith good fortunes
أَثمَلوا نجرَ عرفهم بالجدودِ
They matched their lineage with the loftiest glory.
They equaled their example with the loftiest glory
They intoxicated the stock of their kindness with good fortunes.
They likened their example with endurance
مِثلهمtheir equal مَنone who أبارَdestroyed ملجورunclear in this text رجفاًtrembling
مِثلهم مَن أبارَ ملجور رجفاً
لاثَwrapped عجراًknots فَجوسand probing نكبٍmisfortune مرودِrebellion
لاثَ عجراً فَجوس نكبٍ مرودِ
Their equal is one who destroyed [unclear object] amid trembling,
Who did great deeds like them were protected from trembling cowardice
He wrapped knots—then a probing of rebellion’s misfortune.
Not allowing unrest in groups of twisted evil
فَأجارَthen sheltered العثارَthe stumbling one مسبلَdraping نجدٍa highland
فَأجارَ العثارَ مسبلَ نجدٍ
فارِعاًtowering بصلادِwith hard stones ثجرthe midst النجودِthe highlands
فارِعاً بصلادِ ثجر النجودِ
Then he sheltered the stumbling one, draping a highland,
They gave refuge from disgrace, a drawn sword of determination
Towering amid hard stones in the midst of the highlands.
Baring naked steel in assemblies of solid darkness
جَلّلواthey clothed النفرَthe company لبسَgarments رجوٍhope وثالواand poured forth
جَلّلوا النفرَ لبسَ رجوٍ وثالوا
سَبرprobing جودٍgenerosity مِنfrom حفلِabundance ثجمٍdownpour مرودِrebellion
سَبر جودٍ مِن حفلِ ثجمٍ مرودِ
They clothed the company in garments of hope, and poured forth
They preferred righteousness over empty boasting and rejection
A probing of generosity from rebellion’s abundant downpour.
With the dishonesty of spies spreading whisperings
فَثَراناso our soil مسجولُdrenched برٍّgoodness بجملٍin heaps
فَثَرانا مسجولُ برٍّ بجملٍ
ثرّcopious سجمٍpouring لنفحfor a gift سجلa full bucket برودِcooling
ثرّ سجمٍ لنفح سجل برودِ
So our soil was drenched in goodness in heaps,
Dawn brought wailing to the wicked
Copious pouring, for the gift of a cooling bucket.
Breaking through darkness roaring with lamentations
ناصرواthey championed الحقّtruth كبتُsuppression عجوٍunclear in this text ورجفٍand trembling
ناصروا الحقّ كبتُ عجوٍ ورجفٍ
باكِتُواrebuke (plural command) الفجرَthe dawn صدقُfaithfulness رهنِpledge المجودِthe well-endowed one
باكِتُوا الفجرَ صدقُ رهنِ المجودِ
They championed truth, suppressing [unclear] and trembling.
What great corruption from the wicked with hatred
Rebuke the dawn—the faithfulness of the well-endowed one’s pledge.
Seeking darkness roaring with sturdy determination
أَمّنواthey made safe الجمعَthe gathering حربَwar رجفٍtrembling قتامٍbattle-dust
أَمّنوا الجمعَ حربَ رجفٍ قتامٍ
أرجَفواthey shook أمنَsecurity جمعِa gathering لبثlingering الحرودِanger
أرجَفوا أمنَ جمعِ لبث الحرودِ
They secured the gathering against war, trembling, and battle-dust.
He attained by reckless ignorance the sin of stony wickedness
They shook the safety of a gathering lingering in anger.
But rewards like the benefit of despised Thamud's sin
آثَرواthey preferred البرّkindness عَنover جفالٍflight وصدٍّand rejection
آثَروا البرّ عَن جفالٍ وصدٍّ
مِنfrom جفاءharshness جسوسa spy ثربreproach سرودِrecitations
مِن جفاء جسوس ثرب سرودِ
They preferred kindness over flight and rejection,
Terror made him taste bitterness and urging
From the harshness of a spy’s recited reproaches.
Deterring the violence of denying obligation
بَعثَhe sent الفجرَthe dawn للأراجسِto the impure نوحاًlamentation
بَعثَ الفجرَ للأراجسِ نوحاً
جاسرَhe braved الثلبَslander مرجفاًspreading alarm للنهودِfor the rising
جاسرَ الثلبَ مرجفاً للنهودِ
He sent the dawn as a lament to the impure,
The event of trembling with the patience of slow passion
He braved slander, spreading alarm at the rising.
A lesson crossing wastelands so he stirred the stillness
كَمhow much فجورٍwickedness مِنَfrom الرجاسِthe impure بمقتٍwith hatred
كَم فجورٍ مِنَ الرجاسِ بمقتٍ
رامَsought ثلباًslander نجهاrebuke لرجفfor trembling صلودِhard rocks
رامَ ثلباً نجها لرجف صلودِ
How much hateful wickedness came from the impure,
The depravity of injustice for a people who were blinded
It sought slander—a rebuke to make hard rocks tremble.
So they parted from the lineage of a holy settlement
نالَincurred بالسفهِthrough folly إثمَsin أرجاسِthe impure ones حجرٍHijr (reading uncertain)
نالَ بالسفهِ إثمَ أرجاسِ حجرٍ
بَلrather أجوراًrewards كنفعِlike the gain رجسِdefilement ثمودِThamud
بَل أجوراً كنفعِ رجسِ ثمودِ
Through folly, it incurred the sin of Hijr’s impure ones [place-name uncertain],
An eye of scum that ran to a deep burrow
Rather, rewards like the gain from Thamud’s defilement.
An old man tired of traveling and a new guide
جرّعَmade swallow الرعبُterror منهfrom him جحفٌdevastation وحثٌّand urging
جرّعَ الرعبُ منه جحفٌ وحثٌّ
رادعٌrestraining عنفَviolence جحدِdenial ربثhindrance المجودِthe well-endowed one
رادعٌ عنفَ جحدِ ربث المجودِ
Terror forced a draught; from him, devastation and urging,
They have treated disgrace as a pasture so a group
Restraining the violence of denial that hindered the well-endowed.
Stirs to defend the sanctity of twisted evil
حدثُan occurrence رجفٍa tremor بحلمِwith forbearance إعناجreining in روعٍfear
حدثُ رجفٍ بحلمِ إعناج روعٍ
عبرُlessons مسراهits course فحثthen urging حجنbending الهجودِthe sleepers
عبرُ مسراه فحث حجن الهجودِ
A tremor’s onset, with forbearance reining in fear,
Whoever bent his neck supported birds of stone throwing
Lessons from its course; then urging the sleepers to bend.
Casting rocks from the bending of the Praiseworthy servant
فُسقُwickedness جورٍtyranny لعدسfor the advance جبتٍan idol أرنّواthey cried out
فُسقُ جورٍ لعدس جبتٍ أرنّوا
فارَقواthey left نسلَoffspring كعبةٍthe Kaaba مرجa meadow جودِgenerosity
فارَقوا نسلَ كعبةٍ مرج جودِ
In the wickedness of tyranny, they cried out for an idol’s advance.
They committed immorality with the wicked at nightfall
They left the Kaaba’s offspring, a meadow of generosity.
Defiling the cowardice of clapping evil in the dark
عينُa spring نبثٍdigging جرىflowed لجحرٍto a burrow عسيّdry and hard
عينُ نبثٍ جرى لجحرٍ عسيّ
ريثَdelay سجرٍfilling قدموسِancient سبيٍcaptives جديدِnew
ريثَ سجرٍ قدموسِ سبيٍ جديدِ
A dug-out spring flowed to a dry, hardened burrow,
The fruit of dishonesty after its affliction turned bitter
A delay in filling the ancient with new captives.
From corruption living in the settlements of virtue
قَدalready جَرواthey ran وعراًrough ground فمنبتّand scattered جمعٍa gathering
قَد جَروا وعراً فمنبتّ جمعٍ
همthey بنجفٍon high ground لحرجِfor distress رعثdangling ornaments المرودِrebellion
هم بنجفٍ لحرجِ رعث المرودِ
They have run over rough ground, and the gathering was scattered,
Stumbling whomsoever turned to the course of a Guide
They are on high ground, distressed by rebellion’s dangling ornaments.
A time of stumbling the course of the Distant Guide
مَنwhoever ثَنىbent الجيدَthe neck عمدintent طيرٍbirds برجمِwith stone-hurling
مَن ثَنى الجيدَ عمد طيرٍ برجمِ
يُرمwill be pelted حجراًwith a stone مِنfrom ثنيa fold عبدAbd ('servant') المجيدِal-Majid ('the Glorious')
يُرم حجراً مِن ثني عبد المجيدِ
Whoever bent the neck—birds intent on stone-hurling—
Where does he flow with treachery, the uncle of disgraceful?
Will be pelted with a stone from Abd al-Majid’s fold.
A wonder of treachery flowing in one who keeps covenants
قَدalready جنَواthey reaped بالرجوسِthrough defilements مرسلunleashed شفقٍtwilight
قَد جنَوا بالرجوسِ مرسل شفقٍ
مُوجساًsensing fear جبنَcowardice صفقa blow شرّevil الرقودِthe sleepers
مُوجساً جبنَ صفق شرّ الرقودِ
They have reaped through defilements an unleashed twilight,
Lord, rouse whomsoever kept glory erected
Sensing cowardice in the blow of the sleepers’ evil.
And aid glory and dampen the stagnation of stillness
ثمرُfruit الجفوِestrangement بعدَafter مَجناهits harvesting مرّاًbitter
ثمرُ الجفوِ بعدَ مَجناه مرّاً
مِنfrom فجورٍwickedness عاثravaged مرابعmeadows جودِgenerosity
مِن فجورٍ عاث مرابع جودِ
The fruit of estrangement, after its harvesting, is bitter,
Lord, and raise he who exalted inherited glory
From wickedness that ravaged the meadows of generosity.
Raising a banner what gathered from the settlements of virtue
عثرٌstumbling منof one who عنىwas concerned بِمجرىwith the course مميحٍa water-giver
عثرٌ من عنى بِمجرى مميحٍ
هاجَarose حينٌdoom مِنfrom عثرa stumble مجرىa course بعيدِdistant
هاجَ حينٌ مِن عثر مجرى بعيدِ
The stumbling of one concerned with a water-giver’s course;
Ruin arose from a stumble along a distant course.
أَينَwhere يَجريruns بالنكثِwith oath-breaking عمهblind wandering جعارٍa hyena
أَينَ يَجري بالنكثِ عمه جعارٍ
يعجبُdelights الرينَthe heart’s rust نكثbreaking جاريstanding العهودِthe covenants
يعجبُ الرينَ نكث جاري العهودِ
Where does a hyena’s blind wandering run with oath-breaking?
The breaking of standing covenants delights the heart’s rust.
ربّLord وعّثmake the way rugged for مَنwhoever راعَalarmed مجداglory جفاهُhe spurned it
ربّ وعّث مَن راعَ مجدا جفاهُ
وَاِنصرِand champion المجدَglory واِطفand extinguish ربثhindrance جمودِstagnation
وَاِنصرِ المجدَ واِطف ربث جمودِ
Lord, make the way rugged for whoever alarmed glory and spurned it.
And champion glory, and quench the hindrance of stagnation.
ربّLord واِرفَعand raise مَنجىa refuge مؤثّلone who establishes مجدٍglory
ربّ واِرفَع مَنجى مؤثّل مجدٍ
رَفعa raising ربوٍgrowth ماas long as جمّabounds منثالpouring forth جودِgenerosity
رَفع ربوٍ ما جمّ منثال جودِ
Lord, raise the refuge of one who establishes glory,
An ever-growing elevation, so long as cascading generosity abounds.
Partial English translation: 64 of 72 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1