حَسَمَ الصُلحُ ما اِشتَهَتهُ الأَعادي

حَسَمَ الصُلحُ ما اِشتَهَتهُ الأَعادي

وَأَذاعَتهُ أَلسُنُ الحُسّادِ

وَأَذاعَتهُ أَلسُنُ الحُسّادِ

Peace thwarted what the enemies desired,

Reconciliation has settled what the enemies desired,

Reconciliation has severed what the enemies desired,

and the tongues of the envious spread abroad,

And the tongues of envious spoke of it,

And silenced what the tongues of the envious broadcast.

وَأَرادَتهُ أَنفُسٌ حالَ تَدبيـ

وَأَرادَتهُ أَنفُسٌ حالَ تَدبيـ

ـرُكَ ما بَينَها وَبَينَ المُرادِ

ـرُكَ ما بَينَها وَبَينَ المُرادِ

and souls sought; your planning stood

And souls intended while you set right

The souls of foes sought a goal, until your foresight

between them and their desire.

What was between them and what they sought.

Intervened between them and what they hoped to gain.

صارَ ما أَوضَعَ المُخِبّونَ فيهِ

صارَ ما أَوضَعَ المُخِبّونَ فيهِ

مِن عِتابٍ زِيادَةً في الوِدادِ

مِن عِتابٍ زِيادَةً في الوِدادِ

The reproaches the tale-bearers rushed to spread

What plotters whispered became

The discord which the deceivers rushed to sow with blame

became an increase in affection.

More affection among dear friends.

Has transformed into an increase of affection.

وَكَلامُ الوُشاةِ لَيسَ عَلى الأَحـ

وَكَلامُ الوُشاةِ لَيسَ عَلى الأَحـ

ـبابِ سُلطانُهُ عَلى الأَضدادِ

ـبابِ سُلطانُهُ عَلى الأَضدادِ

The slanderers' words do not wield over friends

And the talk of slanderers has no authority

For the words of slanderers hold no authority

the power they wield over foes.

Over loved ones or opponents.

Over loved ones, but only over adversaries.

إِنَّما تُنجِحُ المَقالَةُ في المَر

إِنَّما تُنجِحُ المَقالَةُ في المَر

ءِ إِذا صادَفَت هَوىً في الفُؤادِ

ءِ إِذا صادَفَت هَوىً في الفُؤادِ

A saying succeeds with a person only

A saying succeeds with a person when

A spoken word only triumphs within a man

when it meets a desire in the heart.

It encounters a passion in the heart.

If it encounters a matching desire within his heart.

وَلَعَمري لَقَد هُزِزتَ بِما قيـ

وَلَعَمري لَقَد هُزِزتَ بِما قيـ

ـلَ فَأُلفيتَ أَوثَقَ الأَطوادِ

ـلَ فَأُلفيتَ أَوثَقَ الأَطوادِ

And by my life, you were indeed shaken by what was said,

By my life, you were shaken by what was said

By my life, you were shaken by what was rumored,

yet were found to be the firmest of mountains.

Yet you held fast to the strongest bond.

Yet you were found more steadfast than the towering mountains.

وَأَشارَت بِما أَبَيتَ رِجالٌ

وَأَشارَت بِما أَبَيتَ رِجالٌ

كُنتَ أَهدى مِنها إِلى الإِرشادِ

كُنتَ أَهدى مِنها إِلى الإِرشادِ

Men advised what you refused;

Men counselled you though you were more guided

Men advised a course that you refused to take,

you were better than they at giving sound guidance.

Towards rectitude than they to proper guidance.

For you were a better guide to the truth than they.

قَد يُصيبُ الفَتى المُشيرُ وَلَم يَجـ

قَد يُصيبُ الفَتى المُشيرُ وَلَم يَجـ

ـهَد وَيُشوي الصَوابَ بَعدَ اِجتِهادِ

ـهَد وَيُشوي الصَوابَ بَعدَ اِجتِهادِ

A young adviser may hit the mark without effort,

One giving advice may hit the mark though he did not strive

An advisor may hit the mark without great effort,

and miss the right answer after strenuous effort.

And miss what's right despite his diligence.

Or miss the target completely after striving hard.

نِلتَ ما لا يُنالُ بِالبيضِ وَالسُمـ

نِلتَ ما لا يُنالُ بِالبيضِ وَالسُمـ

ـرِ وَصُنتَ الأَرواحَ في الأَجسادِ

ـرِ وَصُنتَ الأَرواحَ في الأَجسادِ

You gained what white swords and brown spears cannot gain,

You attained what is not won by force of arms

You achieved what swords and brown lances could not attain,

and preserved the souls within their bodies,

And you protected lives within bodies.

And preserved the souls safely within their bodies,

وَقَنا الخَطِّ في مَراكِزِها حَو

وَقَنا الخَطِّ في مَراكِزِها حَو

لَكَ وَالمُرهَفاتُ في الأَغمادِ

لَكَ وَالمُرهَفاتُ في الأَغمادِ

with the spears of al-Khatt in their rests around

Spears in their standings turned about you

While the Khatti spears rested in their racks around you,

you, and the honed blades in their sheaths.

And the unsheathed remained in their scabbards.

And the sharpened blades remained within their sheaths.

ما دَرَوا إِذ رَأَوا فُؤادَكَ فيهِم

ما دَرَوا إِذ رَأَوا فُؤادَكَ فيهِم

ساكِناً أَنَّ رَأيَهُ في الطِرادِ

ساكِناً أَنَّ رَأيَهُ في الطِرادِ

They did not know, when they saw your heart among them

They did not know, when they saw your heart dwelling

They did not know, seeing your heart calm among them,

at rest, that its judgment was engaged in the joust.

Among them, that its view tended to run away.

That its intent was fixed keenly upon the chase.

فَفَدى رَأيَكَ الَّذي لَم تُفَدهُ

فَفَدى رَأيَكَ الَّذي لَم تُفَدهُ

كُلُّ رَأيٍ مُعَلَّمٍ مُستَفادِ

كُلُّ رَأيٍ مُعَلَّمٍ مُستَفادِ

So may your judgment, which you were not taught, be ransomed

So your view, which no view

May every opinion learned from others be a ransom

by every taught and acquired judgment.

Learnt or derived, redeemed.

For your own opinion, innate and unborrowed.

وَإِذا الحِلمُ لَم يَكُن في طِباعِ

وَإِذا الحِلمُ لَم يَكُن في طِباعِ

لَم يُحَلِّم تَقادُمُ الميلادِ

لَم يُحَلِّم تَقادُمُ الميلادِ

And if forbearance is not in one's nature,

If wisdom is not innate temperament

If forbearance is not inherent in one's nature,

the passing years since birth do not make one forbearing.

The passage of time does not make one forbearing.

The passing of years will not grant it to the soul.

فَبِهَذا وَمِثلِهِ سُدتَ يا كا

فَبِهَذا وَمِثلِهِ سُدتَ يا كا

فورُ وَاِقتَدتَ كُلَّ صَعبِ القِيادِ

فورُ وَاِقتَدتَ كُلَّ صَعبِ القِيادِ

By this and its like you became master, O

With this and its like, Kafoor, you shut

By this, and virtues like it, you have prevailed, O Kafur,

Kafur, and led all who were hard to lead.

And set an example for all unruly leaders.

And tamed every beast that is difficult to lead.

وَأَطاعَ الَّذي أَطاعَكَ وَالطا

وَأَطاعَ الَّذي أَطاعَكَ وَالطا

عَةُ لَيسَت خَلائِقُ الآسادِ

عَةُ لَيسَت خَلائِقُ الآسادِ

And he who obeyed you obeyed, though

And he who obeyed you is not

And he obeyed who obeyed you, though truly,

obedience is no trait of lions.

Of rebellious nature.

Obedience is not the natural instinct of lions.

إِنَّما أَنتَ والِدٌ وَالأَبُ القا

إِنَّما أَنتَ والِدٌ وَالأَبُ القا

طِعُ أَحنى مِن واصِلِ الأَولادِ

طِعُ أَحنى مِن واصِلِ الأَولادِ

You are indeed a father, and a father who severs ties

You're a loving father, a devoted son,

You are but a father to them; and the strict father

is more tender than children who maintain them.

More compassionate than one who yearns for his children.

Is more compassionate than the child who stays close.

لا عَدا الشَرُّ مَن بَغى لَكُما الشَر

لا عَدا الشَرُّ مَن بَغى لَكُما الشَر

رَ وَخَصَّ الفَسادُ أَهلَ الفَسادِ

رَ وَخَصَّ الفَسادُ أَهلَ الفَسادِ

May evil not spare whoever seeks evil for you both,

May no harm come your way from those who wish you harm

May evil never miss the one who sought evil for you both,

and may corruption single out the corrupt.

And may ruin be restricted to the ruined.

And may ruin strike only the people of ruin.

أَنتُما ما اِتَّفَقتُما الجِسمُ وَالرو

أَنتُما ما اِتَّفَقتُما الجِسمُ وَالرو

حُ فَلا اِحتَجتُما إِلى العُوّادِ

حُ فَلا اِحتَجتُما إِلى العُوّادِ

You two, so long as you agree, are body and

You two are of one body and spirit,

As long as you agree, you are the Body and the Soul,

soul; so may you never need sickbed visitors.

No need for soothsayers.

So you have no need for those who tend the sick.

وَإِذا كانَ في الأَنابيبِ خُلفٌ

وَإِذا كانَ في الأَنابيبِ خُلفٌ

وَقَعَ الطَيشُ في صُدورِ الصِعادِ

وَقَعَ الطَيشُ في صُدورِ الصِعادِ

And when the spear-shaft's sections fail to align,

When there is delinquency in the system,

But if there is a split within the spear’s shaft,

the spearheads veer astray.

Disorder falls on the hearts of the unruly.

Then trembling strikes the very heart of the spearhead.

أَشمَتَ الخُلفُ بِالشَراةِ عِداها

أَشمَتَ الخُلفُ بِالشَراةِ عِداها

وَشَفى رَبَّ فارِسٍ مِن إِيادِ

وَشَفى رَبَّ فارِسٍ مِن إِيادِ

Discord made the Shurat's enemies gloat over them,

Delinquency gloats with the deviants, its enemies,

Discord made the enemies rejoice over the Shurat,

and gratified many a horseman of Iyad.

And the Lord of the Persians was cured of madness.

And healed the Lord of Persia of his fear of Iyad.

وَتَوَلّى بَني اليَزيدِيِّ بِالبَصـ

وَتَوَلّى بَني اليَزيدِيِّ بِالبَصـ

ـرَةِ حَتّى تَمَزَّقوا في البِلادِ

ـرَةِ حَتّى تَمَزَّقوا في البِلادِ

And it overtook Banu al-Yazidi in Basra,

He appointed the Yazidi in Basra until they scattered

It swept away the sons of Al-Yazidi in Basra,

until they scattered throughout the lands,

Across the country.

Until they were scattered torn across the lands;

وَمُلوكاً كَأَمسِ في القُربِ مِنّا

وَمُلوكاً كَأَمسِ في القُربِ مِنّا

وَكَطَسمٍ وَأُختِها في البِعادِ

وَكَطَسمٍ وَأُختِها في البِعادِ

and overtook kings as close to us as yesterday,

And kings were like yesterday, so near,

And kings who were as close to us as yesterday

yet as remote as Tasm and her sister.

And others like a cross and its sister pole, so far.

Are now as distant as ancient Tasm and its kin.

بِكُما بِتُّ عائِذاً فيكُما مِنـ

بِكُما بِتُّ عائِذاً فيكُما مِنـ

ـهُ وَمِن كَيدِ كُلِّ باغٍ وَعادِ

ـهُ وَمِن كَيدِ كُلِّ باغٍ وَعادِ

I spent the night seeking refuge in you both, on your behalf,

We take refuge in you from them,

Through you, I sought refuge for you both from such fate,

from it, and from the schemes of every oppressor and aggressor,

From the guile of every rebel and enemy.

And from the plots of every tyrant and aggressor.

وَبِلُبَّيكُما الأَصيلَينِ أَن تَفـ

وَبِلُبَّيكُما الأَصيلَينِ أَن تَفـ

ـرُقَ صُمُّ الرِماحِ بَينَ الجِيادِ

ـرُقَ صُمُّ الرِماحِ بَينَ الجِيادِ

and in your two sound minds, lest

And we obey your noble order to separate

And by your two noble minds, I prayed against the day

solid spears divide the noble steeds,

The resolve of spears between steeds.

When deaf spears might part the ranks of horses,

أَو يَكونَ الوَلِيُّ أَشقى عَدُوٍّ

أَو يَكونَ الوَلِيُّ أَشقى عَدُوٍّ

بِالَّذي تَذخُرانِهِ مِن عَتادِ

بِالَّذي تَذخُرانِهِ مِن عَتادِ

or an ally become the most wretched of foes

Or else, would the guardian be more wretched than the foe

Or that the loyal friend should become the most wretched foe,

through the war gear you both store away.

With the ordnance you possess?

Because of the very arsenal you have prepared.

هَل يَسُرَّنَّ باقِياً بَعدَ ماضٍ

هَل يَسُرَّنَّ باقِياً بَعدَ ماضٍ

ما تَقولُ العُداةُ في كُلِّ نادِ

ما تَقولُ العُداةُ في كُلِّ نادِ

Can one who remains after another has gone be gladdened

Will what the enemies say in every club delight him,

Can the survivor, left after the one who has passed, be pleased

by what the enemies say in every gathering?

Now that the past is gone?

By what the enemies whisper in every gathering?

مَنَعَ الوُدُّ وَالرِعايَةُ وَالسُؤ

مَنَعَ الوُدُّ وَالرِعايَةُ وَالسُؤ

دُدُ أَن تَبلُغا إِلى الأَحقادِ

دُدُ أَن تَبلُغا إِلى الأَحقادِ

Affection, care, and nobility prevented

Love, care and intimacy prevented

Love, guardianship, and noble sovereignty have forbidden

you both from falling into rancor,

Your hearts from harbouring any grudges.

That you should ever descend into mutual hate.

وَحُقوقٌ تُرَقِّقُ القَلبَ لِلقَلـ

وَحُقوقٌ تُرَقِّقُ القَلبَ لِلقَلـ

ـبِ وَلَو ضُمِّنَت قُلوبَ الجَمادِ

ـبِ وَلَو ضُمِّنَت قُلوبَ الجَمادِ

as did obligations that soften heart toward heart,

And there are rights that soften the heart for the heart

There are rights that soften one heart towards another,

even if lodged in the hearts of lifeless things.

Even if embedded in stones.

Even if they were encased within hearts of stone.

فَغَدا المُلكُ باهِراً مَن رَآهُ

فَغَدا المُلكُ باهِراً مَن رَآهُ

شاكِراً ما أَتَيتُما مِن سَدادِ

شاكِراً ما أَتَيتُما مِن سَدادِ

So the realm came to dazzle whoever saw it,

Thus the kingdom shone gloriously to beholders,

Thus the kingdom has become dazzling to all who behold it,

grateful for the sound judgment you both showed.

Thankful for your sound judgement.

Grateful for the right course you both have taken.

فيهِ أَيديكُما عَلى الظَفَرِ الحُلـ

فيهِ أَيديكُما عَلى الظَفَرِ الحُلـ

ـوِ وَأَيدي قَومٍ عَلى الأَكبادِ

ـوِ وَأَيدي قَومٍ عَلى الأَكبادِ

In it your hands rest on sweet victory,

In it are your hands victorious

Within it, your hands clasp the sweetness of victory,

and others' hands upon their livers.

And people's hands over their hearts.

While the hands of others clutch their livers in grief.

هَذِهِ دَولَةُ المَكارِمِ وَالرَأ

هَذِهِ دَولَةُ المَكارِمِ وَالرَأ

فَةِ وَالمَجدِ وَالنَدى وَالأَيادي

فَةِ وَالمَجدِ وَالنَدى وَالأَيادي

This is the reign of noble deeds and

This is the state of nobility, compassion, glory,

This is the dynasty of noble deeds and compassion,

compassion, glory, generosity, and favors.

Radiance, generosity and helping hands.

Of glory, of generosity, and of bestowed favors.

كَسَفَت ساعَةً كَما تَكسِفُ الشَمـ

كَسَفَت ساعَةً كَما تَكسِفُ الشَمـ

ـسُ وَعادَت وَنورُها في اِزدِيادِ

ـسُ وَعادَت وَنورُها في اِزدِيادِ

It was eclipsed awhile, as the sun is eclipsed,

It darkened a moment as the sun darkens

It was eclipsed for an hour, just as the sun is eclipsed,

and returned, its light increasing.

Then its light increased.

Then it returned, its light increasing in brilliance.

يَزحَمُ الدَهرُ رُكنُها عَن أَذاها

يَزحَمُ الدَهرُ رُكنُها عَن أَذاها

بِفَتىً مارِدٍ عَلى المُرّادِ

بِفَتىً مارِدٍ عَلى المُرّادِ

Its pillar pushes Time away from harming it,

Time jostles its pillar away from harm

Fate defends its foundations from all harm,

through a youth who defies the defiant:

With an unruly hero set on his purpose.

Through a youth who rebels against the rebellious—

مُتلِفٍ مُخلِفٍ وَفِيٍّ أَبِيٍّ

مُتلِفٍ مُخلِفٍ وَفِيٍّ أَبِيٍّ

عالِمٍ حازِمٍ شُجاعٍ جَوادِ

عالِمٍ حازِمٍ شُجاعٍ جَوادِ

a lavish spender and replenisher, faithful, unbowed,

A unifier, a follower through, faithful and adamant,

One who spends yet replaces, loyal and proud,

learned, resolute, brave, generous.

Learned, wise, valiant and generous.

Learned, decisive, courageous, and open-handed.

أَجفَلَ الناسُ عَن طَريقِ أَبي المِسـ

أَجفَلَ الناسُ عَن طَريقِ أَبي المِسـ

ـكِ وَذَلَّت لَهُ رِقابُ العِبادِ

ـكِ وَذَلَّت لَهُ رِقابُ العِبادِ

The people fled in alarm from Abu al-Misk's path,

People cleared the path of Abu Misk

People have fled from the path of Abu al-Misk,

and the necks of humankind bowed to him.

And necks of servants bowed to him.

And the necks of men have bowed low before him.

كَيفَ لا يُترَكُ الطَريقُ لِسَيلٍ

كَيفَ لا يُترَكُ الطَريقُ لِسَيلٍ

ضَيِّقٍ عَن أَتِيِّهِ كُلُّ وادِ

ضَيِّقٍ عَن أَتِيِّهِ كُلُّ وادِ

How could the path not be left clear for a torrent

How can the path not be cleared for a torrent,

How could the path not be cleared for a rushing torrent,

when every valley is too narrow for its onrush?

Too narrow for its gushing waters?

Whose mighty flow is too vast for any valley?