بَنَيتَ أَخا الوِزارةِ حَوضَ ماءٍ

بَنَيتَ أَخا الوِزارةِ حَوضَ ماءٍ

جَزاكَ اللَّهُ خَيراً ثمّ أَلفا

جَزاكَ اللَّهُ خَيراً ثمّ أَلفا

You built, O brother of the vizierate, a basin of water—

You built, O brother of the ministry, a water basin.

may God reward you with goodness, then a thousandfold.

May God reward you well, then a thousandfold.

أَجدتَ بِناءَه في حُسنِ وَضعٍ

أَجدتَ بِناءَه في حُسنِ وَضعٍ

وَقَد أَتقنتهُ رَصّاً وَرَصفا

وَقَد أَتقنتهُ رَصّاً وَرَصفا

You made its construction excellent, with beauty of design,

You excelled in building it, with a beautiful layout,

and perfected its close-set masonry and orderly laying.

And indeed perfected its close-set masonry and paving.

فَأَمّا الحَوضُ كَأسٌ مِن لُجَينٍ

فَأَمّا الحَوضُ كَأسٌ مِن لُجَينٍ

بِهِ سالَ الزُّلالُ وَطابَ رَشفا

بِهِ سالَ الزُّلالُ وَطابَ رَشفا

As for the basin, it is a goblet of silver;

As for the basin, it is a cup of silver;

within it flowed limpid water, delightful to sip.

In it flowed pure water, sweet to sip.

وَأَمّا الماءُ أَرِّخ بانَ يَجري

وَأَمّا الماءُ أَرِّخ بانَ يَجري

فَمِن شَهدٍ وَمِن عَسلٍ مُصفّى

فَمِن شَهدٍ وَمِن عَسلٍ مُصفّى

And as for the water—more delicate as it appeared flowing—

And as for the water—record the date—it emerged flowing

it is of nectar and clarified honey.

From comb honey and from clarified honey.