ياO قدوةexemplar الكبراءthe great ياO ذاyou (this one) السيّدُthe master
يا قدوة الكبراء يا ذا السيّدُ
كمhow often ياO عليّlofty الشانthe station شانكyour stature يُحمدُis praised
كم يا عليّ الشان شانك يُحمدُ
O exemplar of the great, O master!
O role model of the great ones, O possessor of glory
How often, O lofty in station, your stature is praised!
How much, O Ali, your glory is praiseworthy
أحكمتyou perfected ياO مولايmy lord خيرthe finest محامدٍpraiseworthy qualities
أحكمت يا مولاي خير محامدٍ
فيin كلevery يومday حسنهاtheir beauty يتجدّدُis renewed
في كل يوم حسنها يتجدّدُ
You have perfected, my lord, the finest virtues,
You have ruled in the best manner, my master
whose beauty is renewed each day.
So your virtues are renewed every day
ياO منهلاًa watering place عذبsweet الورودcoming to drink وخيرand the best مَنْthose who
يا منهلاً عذب الورود وخير مَنْ
يُلجىrefuge is sought إليهto him ونعمand excellent is مولىa patron يقصدُis sought
يُلجى إليه ونعم مولى يقصدُ
O watering place, sweet to draw from, and best of those
O a spring of fresh roses and the best companion
in whom refuge is sought—a splendid patron to approach!
To seek refuge in, and what a blessed master to aim for
أنتyou المعدّthe one destined إلىto المعاليlofty honors والذيand the one who
أنت المعدّ إلى المعالي والذي
فيin مرتقىascent أرقىthe highest المراتبthe ranks يوعدُis promised
في مرتقى أرقى المراتب يوعدُ
You are destined for lofty honors, the one
You are prepared for the heights, and you
promised ascent to the highest ranks.
Are promised the highest of high ranks
هطلتpoured down غيوثshowers نداكyour generosity فاستحيىso came to life بهاthrough them
هطلت غيوث نداك فاستحيى بها
عبدa servant علىto ذاthis الفضلfavor منكfrom you معوّدُaccustomed
عبد على ذا الفضل منك معوّدُ
The showers of your bounty poured down, bringing new life to
The rain of your help poured down, humbling
a servant accustomed to this favor from you.
A slave to your great bounty that I'm accustomed to
وقدand indeed انثنىhe turned يبديoffers الدعاprayers لكمُfor you كعاas is (word fragment)
وقد انثنى يبدي الدعا لكمُ كعا
دتهhis custom (word completion) ويطنبand dwells at length فيin المديحpraise ويحمدُand gives thanks
دته ويطنب في المديح ويحمدُ
And he has turned to offer prayers for you, as is his
And so I bent to pray for you all, like a rolling cloud
custom, dwelling at length on your praise and giving thanks.
Humbling itself, praising you profusely and glorifying you
مولايmy lord دامmay remain مدىthroughout الزمانtime مشعشعاًradiant
مولاي دام مدى الزمان مشعشعاً
مصباحكyour lamp النجلthe son السعيدthe fortunate محمدُMuhammad
مصباحك النجل السعيد محمدُ
My lord, may he remain radiant throughout all time—
My master may your shining lamp, your happy son Muhammad
your lamp, your fortunate son Muhammad.
Remain illuminating the ages
شبلٌa lion cub أبوهhis father الجهبذthe discerning master الأسدthe lion الذيwho
شبلٌ أبوه الجهبذ الأسد الذي
بعلوto the loftiness of همتهhis resolve الصوافنthe poised steeds تشهدُbear witness
بعلو همته الصوافن تشهدُ
A lion cub whose father is the discerning lion, whose
A lion cub whose father is the mighty lion
lofty resolve the poised steeds attest,
Whose lofty aspirations even mounts bear witness to
والهولand terror والخطبand the ordeal المروّعterrifying والوغاand battle's din
والهول والخطب المروّع والوغا
ومثقفٌand a straightened spear ينكيwounds العداthe foes ومهندُand an Indian sword
ومثقفٌ ينكي العدا ومهندُ
and terror, the frightful ordeal, and the din of battle,
With his awe-inspiring trials and terrifying calamities
and a straightened spear that wounds foes, and an Indian blade.
A refined and accomplished gentleman, subduer of enemies
وصحاريand the deserts البيداءthe wilderness تشهرproclaim فضلكمyour excellence
وصحاري البيداء تشهر فضلكم
وضراغمand the lions الهيجاءof battle عنكabout you تعددُrecount
وضراغم الهيجاء عنك تعددُ
And the desert wastes proclaim your excellence,
The deserts of the wilderness proclaim your virtues
and the lions of battle recount your merits.
And the bushes of the valley enumerate them for you
والتركand al-Turk فيكin your praise ينضدstrings الدُرّthe pearls التيthat
والترك فيك ينضد الدُرّ التي
بسواكfor anyone but you ياO مولايmy lord لاnot تتنضّدُare strung
بسواك يا مولاي لا تتنضّدُ
And al-Turk strings pearls in your praise that
The Turks pride themselves on the pearls that
are not strung for anyone else, my lord.
Besides you, my master, do not cluster together
ياO نخبةchoicest الأيامthe ages بلnay ياO فخرهاtheir pride
يا نخبة الأيام بل يا فخرها
وعزيزهاand their cherished one الفردthe singular الفريدthe peerless الأوحدُthe one without equal
وعزيزها الفرد الفريد الأوحدُ
O choicest of the ages—nay, O their pride,
O quintessence of days, indeed their pride
and their cherished one, singular, peerless, without equal!
Their precious unique pearl, their unmatched one
لاnever زلتyou cease ياO مولايmy lord ماas long as طالlasts المدىtime
لا زلت يا مولاي ما طال المدى
تعتزّyou enjoy honor فيin كلall الأمورaffairs وتسعدُand are happy
تعتزّ في كل الأمور وتسعدُ
May you never cease, my lord, as long as time endures,
You remain, my master, however long the days
to enjoy honor in all affairs and happiness,
Honored in all matters, made happy
وتنالand you receive ماwhat يرضيكpleases you منfrom ربthe Lord of العلاthe heights
وتنال ما يرضيك من رب العلا
وتفوزand you succeed فيماin what تبتغيهyou seek it وتقصدُand you pursue
وتفوز فيما تبتغيه وتقصدُ
and receive what pleases you from the Lord on high,
Achieving what satisfies you from the Lord of Highness
and succeed in what you seek and pursue,
And attaining that which you seek and aim for
ماas long as اهتزّswayed عصنٌa bough (apparently غصن) فيin الرياضthe gardens وباكرتand came at dawn
ما اهتزّ عصنٌ في الرياض وباكرت
تشدوsing البلابلthe nightingales فوقهabove it وتغردُand warble
تشدو البلابل فوقه وتغردُ
as long as a bough sways in the gardens, and at dawn
No branch in the gardens has shaken, and the bulbuls
nightingales sing above it and warble.
Sing atop it and chirp
Sol 6.1