بِجودِكَ يَدنو النائِلُ المُتَباعِدُ

بِجودِكَ يَدنو النائِلُ المُتَباعِدُ

وَيَصلُحُ فِعلُ الدَهرِ وَالدَهرُ فاسِدُ

وَيَصلُحُ فِعلُ الدَهرِ وَالدَهرُ فاسِدُ

Through your generosity, far-off bounty draws near.

Through your generosity, the distant one comes near

And time's work is set right, though time is corrupt.

And the deeds of fate are set right, though fate is corrupt

وَما ذُكِرَت أَخلاقُكَ الغُرُّ فَانثَنى

وَما ذُكِرَت أَخلاقُكَ الغُرُّ فَانثَنى

صَديقُكَ إِلّا وَهوَ غَضبانُ حاسِدُ

صَديقُكَ إِلّا وَهوَ غَضبانُ حاسِدُ

And whenever your radiant virtues are mentioned, away turns

When your virtues were mentioned, the jealous one recoiled

your friend, angry and envious.

Your friend, unless angry and jealous, does not exist

أَراكَ المُعَلّى مَنهَجَ المَجدِ وَالعُلا

أَراكَ المُعَلّى مَنهَجَ المَجدِ وَالعُلا

وَأَكثَرُ ما في المَجدِ أَنَّكَ ماجِدُ

وَأَكثَرُ ما في المَجدِ أَنَّكَ ماجِدُ

I see you, al-Muʿallā, as the path to glory and eminence.

I see you on the path of glory and exaltation

And the greatest thing in glory is that you are noble.

And glory is mostly that you are glorious

أَتَيتُكَ فَلّاً لا الرِكابُ ضَليعَةٌ

أَتَيتُكَ فَلّاً لا الرِكابُ ضَليعَةٌ

وَلا العَزمُ مَجموعٌ وَلا السَيرُ قاصِدُ

وَلا العَزمُ مَجموعٌ وَلا السَيرُ قاصِدُ

I came to you battered: my riding camels were not sturdy,

I came to you, my feet unaccustomed to stirrups

nor was my resolve firm, nor my journey easy.

My will unfocused, my journey without destination

شَدائِدُ دَهرٍ بَرَّحَت بي صُروفُها

شَدائِدُ دَهرٍ بَرَّحَت بي صُروفُها

وَأَكثَرُ ما أَرجوكَ حَيثُ الشَدائِدُ

وَأَكثَرُ ما أَرجوكَ حَيثُ الشَدائِدُ

Hardships of time—their vicissitudes have tormented me;

The calamities of fate tossed me about by their turns

and it is amid hardships that I look to you most.

And I hope in you most in times of calamity

وَلَو لَم يَكُن لَي في زَماعِيَ سائِقٌ

وَلَو لَم يَكُن لَي في زَماعِيَ سائِقٌ

لَقَد كانَ لَي مِن مَكرُماتِكَ قائِدُ

لَقَد كانَ لَي مِن مَكرُماتِكَ قائِدُ

And even if I had no driver in my resolve,

If I had no guide for my endeavors

your generous deeds would surely have been my guide.

Your noble deeds would still lead me

لِأَن طالَ حِرمانُ الزَمانِ فَإِنَّهُ

لِأَن طالَ حِرمانُ الزَمانِ فَإِنَّهُ

سَيُسليهِ يَومٌ مِن عَطائِكَ واحِدُ

سَيُسليهِ يَومٌ مِن عَطائِكَ واحِدُ

For time's deprivation has lasted long; surely it

For time estranged me long, but a day

will be forgotten through a single day of your bounty.

Of your single gift will console it

وَإِنّي وَإِن أَمَّلتُ في جودِكَ الغِنى

وَإِنّي وَإِن أَمَّلتُ في جودِكَ الغِنى

لَبالِغُ ما أَمَّلتُ مِنكَ وَزائِدُ

لَبالِغُ ما أَمَّلتُ مِنكَ وَزائِدُ

And I, though I have hoped for wealth through your generosity,

If I hoped for riches in your generosity

shall surely attain what I hoped for from you, and more.

I would attain what I hoped from you, and more