قُلْتI said إِذاwhen القَوْلspeech أَسْتَتَبtook shape أَجْمَلُهْits finest
قُلْت إِذا القَوْل أَسْتَتَب أَجْمَلُهْ
وَمَنْand whoever تَلاfollowed الصِدْقtruth أَصَابَhit the mark مِقْوَلُهْhis tongue
وَمَنْ تَلا الصِدْق أَصَابَ مِقْوَلُهْ
I spoke when the finest speech had taken shape.
When speech is complete, its beauty shines,
And whoever follows truth, his tongue hits the mark.
And he who speaks truthfully hits his mark.
إِنَّindeed سُلَيْمانَSulayman إِذَاwhen تَسْتَنْفِلْهُyou ask him for a gift
إِنَّ سُلَيْمانَ إِذَا تَسْتَنْفِلْهُ
أَهْنَأُmost pleasing مُعْطِيgiver of نائِلٍbounty وَأَنْوَلُهْand the most bountiful of them
أَهْنَأُ مُعْطِي نائِلٍ وَأَنْوَلُهْ
Indeed, Sulayman, when you ask him for a gift,
Solomon, when petitioned,
is the most pleasing giver of bounty, and the most bountiful.
Is the most generous giver, fulfilling hopes.
يُعْطِيكَhe gives you عَفْواًfreely وَيَلِينُand grows gentle أَسْهَلُهْhis gentlest side
يُعْطِيكَ عَفْواً وَيَلِينُ أَسْهَلُهْ
يَأْمُرُhe commands بِالمَعْرُوفِgoodness ثُمَّthen يَفْعَلُهْhe performs it
يَأْمُرُ بِالمَعْرُوفِ ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُهْ
He gives you freely, and his gentlest side is yielding.
He forgives you and makes easy his gentleness,
He commands goodness, then performs it.
Commands right then does it himself.
كَأَنَّماas though يُعْطَىhe is given الَّذِيthat which يُسْتَخْبلُهْis asked of him on loan
كَأَنَّما يُعْطَى الَّذِي يُسْتَخْبلُهْ
وَلاand not يَظُنُّhe thinks الدَهْرَever فَضْلاًa bounty يَفْضُلُهْsurpasses him
وَلا يَظُنُّ الدَهْرَ فَضْلاً يَفْضُلُهْ
As though he received the very thing asked of him on loan.
As if what he gives is asked back from him,
And never thinks any bounty beyond him.
And he doesn’t consider time's favor upon him a favor.
كَمْhow many مِنْof دَمٍa blood-debt فَوْقَabove دَمٍa blood-debt تَحَمَّلُهْyou bear it
كَمْ مِنْ دَمٍ فَوْقَ دَمٍ تَحَمَّلُهْ
قُمْتَyou took charge بِهِof it لَمْnot يَتَّضِعْكbrought you low أَجْلَلُهْits greatest burden
قُمْتَ بِهِ لَمْ يَتَّضِعْك أَجْلَلُهْ
How many blood-debts, one above another, you have borne!
How much blood did he take on
You undertook it; its greatest burden did not bring you low.
That you undertook and its weight did not humble you.
أَعانَكhelped you اللَّهُGod فَخَفso grew light أَثْقَلُهْits heaviest burden
أَعانَك اللَّهُ فَخَف أَثْقَلُهْ
عَلَيْكَupon you مَأْجُوراًrewarded وَأَنْتَand you جَمَلُهْits camel
عَلَيْكَ مَأْجُوراً وَأَنْتَ جَمَلُهْ
God helped you, so its heaviest burden grew light
God helped you so its heaviest burden was lightened,
upon you, rewarded, while you were its burden-bearing camel.
Upon you with reward, and you are its sum.
أَثَابَكَmay He reward you اللَّهُGod بِمَاfor what تَأَوَّلُهْyou put it into practice
أَثَابَكَ اللَّهُ بِمَا تَأَوَّلُهْ
رَوْحاًrelief يُجَلِّيclears away كُلَّevery غَمٍّgrief فَيْصَلُهْits decisive power
رَوْحاً يُجَلِّي كُلَّ غَمٍّ فَيْصَلُهْ
May God reward you for what you put into practice
May God reward you for what you interpreted,
with relief whose decisive power clears away every grief.
With a spirit that clears away every worry that afflicts it
وَحامِلٍand a burden-bearer لَمْnot يَدْرِknew أَيْنَwhere مَسْأَلُهْhis place to plead
وَحامِلٍ لَمْ يَدْرِ أَيْنَ مَسْأَلُهْ
طَحْطَحَهُcrushed him مَعْلُthe ravages of سِنِينَyears تَمْعَلُهْwear him down
طَحْطَحَهُ مَعْلُ سِنِينَ تَمْعَلُهْ
And many a burden-bearer, not knowing where to plead,
And a carrier who didn't know where his question was,
was crushed by the ravages of years that wore him down,
Befuddled by the evils of years that confused him,
حَتَّىuntil اسْتَغَاثَhe sought succor بِغِياثٍin a source of aid مَنْهَلُهْits fountain
حَتَّى اسْتَغَاثَ بِغِياثٍ مَنْهَلُهْ
مِنْكَfrom you وَمِنْand from لَوْحٍscorching thirst تَلَظَّىblazed مَلْمَلُهْits burning torment
مِنْكَ وَمِنْ لَوْحٍ تَلَظَّى مَلْمَلُهْ
until he sought relief whose fountain sprang
Until he cried out for help to the source of his hope,
from you, and relief from a scorching thirst whose torment blazed.
From you and from a banner whose holder was shaken.
وَأَنْتَand you ياO ابْنَson of الطَيِّبِينَthe good مأْمَلُهْhis hope
وَأَنْتَ يا ابْنَ الطَيِّبِينَ مأْمَلُهْ
كَفَيتناyou spared us دَهْراًan age مُلِحّاًpressing relentlessly كَلْكَلُهْits breast
كَفَيتنا دَهْراً مُلِحّاً كَلْكَلُهْ
And you, son of the good, were his hope.
You, O son of the righteous, are his hope.
You spared us an age whose breast pressed relentlessly,
You have spared us an intense time that shook us,
فيamid فِتْنَةٍstrife يُوقِدُهاit kindles it وَتُشْعِلُهْand sets it ablaze
في فِتْنَةٍ يُوقِدُها وَتُشْعِلُهْ
وَشَجَرُand the trees of الفِتْنَةِstrife مرٌّbitter حَنْظَلُهْits colocynth
وَشَجَرُ الفِتْنَةِ مرٌّ حَنْظَلُهْ
amid strife it kindled, which kindled it in turn.
In a strife which it kindles and inflames
And strife's trees bore bitter colocynth,
And the tree of strife is bitter, its fruit intense.
قَدْalready شِيبَwas mingled فِيهin it شَثُّهُits shath shrub فَحَرْمَلُهْand then its wild rue
قَدْ شِيبَ فِيه شَثُّهُ فَحَرْمَلُهْ
وَكانَand was فيat بابِthe gate of العِراقِIraq أَعْصَلُهْits most tangled growth
وَكانَ في بابِ العِراقِ أَعْصَلُهْ
with its shath shrub mixed in, and then its wild rue.
Its twisted branches are dried out and withered
And at Iraq's gate lay its most tangled growth.
And it was at the gates of Iraq, most stubborn,
يَقْتُلُhe kills ذاthis one هَنَّاhere وَهذَاand this one يَقْتُلُهْkills him
يَقْتُلُ ذا هَنَّا وَهذَا يَقْتُلُهْ
كَراحِلٍlike a traveler لَمْnot يَدْرknew أَيْنَwhere مَرْحَلُهْhis journey's stage
كَراحِلٍ لَمْ يَدْر أَيْنَ مَرْحَلُهْ
He kills this man here, and this man kills him,
Killing this one here and that one killing him
like a traveler who knew not where his next stage lay.
Like stages with no known destination.
وَطَبَّقَand engulfed الجَيْشَthe army جُحَافٌa ravaging onslaught جَحْفَلُهْits vast host
وَطَبَّقَ الجَيْشَ جُحَافٌ جَحْفَلُهْ
لَوْif لَمْnot تَكُنْyou were عامِلَan agent of عَدْلٍjustice تَعْمَلُهْyou practice it
لَوْ لَمْ تَكُنْ عامِلَ عَدْلٍ تَعْمَلُهْ
And a ravaging onslaught would have engulfed the army's vast host,
And the army was confined by a barrier enveloping it.
had you not been an agent of justice, putting it into practice,
Were you not an agent of justice, acting with justice,
وَعامِلُand an agent of اللَّهِGod الَّذِيwhom لاnot يَخْذُلُهْHe forsakes him
وَعامِلُ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لا يَخْذُلُهْ
لَوْلاbut for دِفاعُthe warding off by اللَّهِGod ماwhat لاnot نَجْهَلُهْwe are ignorant of it
لَوْلا دِفاعُ اللَّهِ ما لا نَجْهَلُهْ
and God's agent, whom He never forsakes.
An agent of God whom He does not disappoint.
But for God's warding off what we know well,
Were it not for God's defense, we know it not,
وَابْنُand the son of عَلِيٍّAli ماnot تَجَلَّىlifted غَيْطَلُهْits dense darkness
وَابْنُ عَلِيٍّ ما تَجَلَّى غَيْطَلُهْ
عَنَّاfrom us وَقَدْand already دارَتْwheeled عَلَيْناover us ظُلَلُهْits shadows
عَنَّا وَقَدْ دارَتْ عَلَيْنا ظُلَلُهْ
and the son of Ali, its dense darkness would not have lifted
And the son of Ali, his majesty did not appear
from us, with its shadows wheeling over us,
To defend us when its shadows turned upon us
وَرَهَجُand the dust of الشَرِّevil يَطُولُextends قَسْطَلُهْits dust-cloud
وَرَهَجُ الشَرِّ يَطُولُ قَسْطَلُهْ
وَقَدand already أَصابafflicted الخَطِلِينَthe foolish خَطَلُهْits folly
وَقَد أَصاب الخَطِلِينَ خَطَلُهْ
and evil's dust, its thick cloud, stretching far.
And the tumult of evil lengthened its twilight
And its folly had struck the foolish,
And hit the misguided with their misguidance.
مُخْتَلِفاًat odds مَرْعِيُّهُits tended herd وَهَمَلُهْand its strays
مُخْتَلِفاً مَرْعِيُّهُ وَهَمَلُهْ
لَولاwere it not that تَرَىyou discern القَصْدَthe straight course المُبِينَclear سُبُلُهْits paths
لَولا تَرَى القَصْدَ المُبِينَ سُبُلُهْ
with its tended herd and its strays at odds.
Wandering, its shepherd and protector neglected,
Had you not discerned the straight course whose paths are clear,
Were you not to see the clear, upright path.
وَالعَدْلُand justice يَكْفِيكspares you الضَلالerror أَعْدَلُهْits fairest form
وَالعَدْلُ يَكْفِيك الضَلال أَعْدَلُهْ
حَتَّىuntil اسْتَوَتbecame level أَعْدَالُهُits paired loads وَمَحْمَلُهْand its litter
حَتَّى اسْتَوَت أَعْدَالُهُ وَمَحْمَلُهْ
and the fairest justice sparing you from error,
And justice suffices you; the most just of straying
until its paired loads and its litter stood level—
Until its justice and burdens were balanced.
تَاللَّهِby God لَوْلاbut for أَنْتَyou طالَlasted long مَيَلُهْits leaning
تَاللَّهِ لَوْلا أَنْتَ طالَ مَيَلُهْ
أَوْor شُقَّwas torn open عَنْfrom around بَيْضِthe fair women الحِجالِof the bridal chambers حَجَلُهْits curtained enclosures
أَوْ شُقَّ عَنْ بَيْضِ الحِجالِ حَجَلُهْ
by God, but for you, its leaning would have lasted long,
By God, if not for you, its incline would have lengthened
or its enclosures around the fair women of the chambers would have been torn open,
Or the white line of argument was rent.
وَأَرَكَand lingered الأَشْقَيْنِthe two long flanks فِيهَاin them أَزَلُهْits lean wolf
وَأَرَكَ الأَشْقَيْنِ فِيهَا أَزَلُهْ
وَنَزَلَتْand descended بِالقارِعاتِwith striking calamities نُزَّلُهْits visitants
وَنَزَلَتْ بِالقارِعاتِ نُزَّلُهْ
and its lean wolf would have lingered there, long in both flanks.
And the most wretched of two there made their home
And its visitants would have descended with striking calamities,
And the striking angels descended fully upon them
تَحْرُقُgrind أَنْيابَthe fangs البَلاءِof affliction بُزَّلُهْits mature camels
تَحْرُقُ أَنْيابَ البَلاءِ بُزَّلُهْ
يَاO ابْنَson of عَلِيٍّAli فِيin عَلِيٍّAli مَجْعَلُهْits foundation
يَا ابْنَ عَلِيٍّ فِي عَلِيٍّ مَجْعَلُهْ
its mature camels grinding affliction's fangs.
Burning the claws of affliction, striking them down.
O son of Ali, in Ali lies its foundation,
O son of Ali, placed in exalted Ali,
فِيupon مُشرِفٍa lofty height يَعْلُوrises above الطِوالَthe tall ones أَطْوَلُهْits tallest peak
فِي مُشرِفٍ يَعْلُو الطِوالَ أَطْوَلُهْ
إِلَىto إِيَادٍIyad لَمْnot يُنَغَّضْwas shaken جَبَلُهْits mountain
إِلَى إِيَادٍ لَمْ يُنَغَّضْ جَبَلُهْ
upon a height whose tallest peak overtops the tall,
In a noble one, whose height exceeds the tallest,
reaching to Iyad, its mountain never shaken.
To an assistance whose might was not diminished
وَاشْتَدَّand grew firm فِيin أَسْفَلِthe lowest of سَبْعٍseven أَسْفَلُهْits base
وَاشْتَدَّ فِي أَسْفَلِ سَبْعٍ أَسْفَلُهْ
وَلاand not يُرَامُis attempted أَبَداًever تَحَلْحُلُهْits shifting
وَلا يُرَامُ أَبَداً تَحَلْحُلُهْ
And its base grew firm in the lowest of the seven,
And prevailed in the lower parts of the lion,
and no one could ever hope to shift it.
His firmness never to be shaken,
فِيamong الهاشِمِيِّينَthe Hashimites الكِرامِthe noble مَجْبَلُهْits native stock
فِي الهاشِمِيِّينَ الكِرامِ مَجْبَلُهْ
فَآخِرُso the last of المَجْدِglory لَكُمْbelongs to you وَأَوَّلُهْand its first
فَآخِرُ المَجْدِ لَكُمْ وَأَوَّلُهْ
Its roots are among the noble Hashimites.
In the generous Hashimites, his resolve molded.
So glory's last and first are yours,
So the last glory is yours and the first
وَأَوْسَعُand the widest of الفَضْلِbounty لَكُمْbelongs to you وَأَجْزَلُهْand its richest
وَأَوْسَعُ الفَضْلِ لَكُمْ وَأَجْزَلُهْ
فَدَاكَmay he be your ransom وَخْمٌa vile wretch لاnot يَبِضُّseeps بَلَلُهْhis moisture
فَدَاكَ وَخْمٌ لا يَبِضُّ بَلَلُهْ
and the widest and richest bounty is yours.
And the greatest grace is yours and the fullest.
May a vile wretch be your ransom, whose moisture never seeps.
For you a wound whose wetness does not dry
يَعْتاقُهُhinder him عَنْfrom كُلِّevery خَيْرٍgood عِلَلُهْhis excuses
يَعْتاقُهُ عَنْ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ عِلَلُهْ
يَغْلِبُdefeats مِفْتاحَthe key الشَبَاةِthe sharp point مُقْفَلُهْhis lock
يَغْلِبُ مِفْتاحَ الشَبَاةِ مُقْفَلُهْ
His excuses hinder him from every good.
Freeing you from all defects that restrict you
His lock defeats the sharp-pointed key.
Overcoming the key of youths in their prime
الصَعْبُhard to approach باباًas to the door وَالخَبِيثُand foul مأْكَلُهْhis food
الصَعْبُ باباً وَالخَبِيثُ مأْكَلُهْ
أَخْبَثُthe foulest أَرْضِland of اللّهِGod أَرْضٌa land تَقْبَلُهُreceives him
أَخْبَثُ أَرْضِ اللّهِ أَرْضٌ تَقْبَلُهُ
Hard is his door, and foul his food.
Difficulty is a gateway and the wicked are its fare
The foulest of God's lands is a land that receives him.
The most wicked of God's land is a land that accepts it
يَسْبِقُoutstrips تَحْلِيمَthe instilling of forbearance by الحَلِيمِthe forbearing man عَجَلُهhis rashness
يَسْبِقُ تَحْلِيمَ الحَلِيمِ عَجَلُه
فُحْشاًin foulness وَإِدْغالُand the treachery of الشَقِيِّthe wretch دَغَلُهْhis deceit
فُحْشاً وَإِدْغالُ الشَقِيِّ دَغَلُهْ
His rashness outruns the forbearing man's effort to instill forbearance,
Its vile impulsiveness precedes the forebearance of the forbearing
in foulness; the wretch's treachery is his deceit—
Indecency and the wrongdoer's trespass is his trespass
رُوَاغُهُhis evasiveness وَلُؤْمُهُand his baseness وَبَخَلُهْand his stinginess
رُوَاغُهُ وَلُؤْمُهُ وَبَخَلُهْ
إِذاwhen اعْتَرَاهconfronts him الحَقُّa rightful claim قَلَّdwindles أَقْلَلُهْhis scantest amount
إِذا اعْتَرَاه الحَقُّ قَلَّ أَقْلَلُهْ
his evasiveness, his baseness, and his stinginess.
His vileness, greed, and stinginess
When a rightful claim confronts him, his little becomes still less.
When truth opposes him, his wrangling is little
يَشْتَدُّgrows intense مِنْat رَزْءِthe loss of الدَقِيقِflour وَجَلُهْhis fear
يَشْتَدُّ مِنْ رَزْءِ الدَقِيقِ وَجَلُهْ
وَلاand not يُرَىis seen إِلَّاexcept خَفِيّاًconcealed مَدْخَلُهْhis entrance
وَلا يُرَى إِلَّا خَفِيّاً مَدْخَلُهْ
His fear grows intense at the loss of a little flour.
He is enraged by the criticism of the weak
His entrance is never seen except concealed.
And he is not seen except secretly is his entrance
يُوجَدُis found خَلْفَbeyond الخافِقَيْنِthe two horizons مَزْحَلُهْhis retreat
يُوجَدُ خَلْفَ الخافِقَيْنِ مَزْحَلُهْ
لَيْسَis not إِلَىtoward مَجْدِthe glory of العُلَاthe heights مُعَوَّلُهْhis recourse
لَيْسَ إِلَى مَجْدِ العُلَا مُعَوَّلُهْ
His retreat lies beyond the two horizons.
His place is found behind the two shoulder blades
His recourse is not toward lofty glory.
His hope is not to the glory of high station
فَكُلُّso everyone نَاءٍfar away وَقَرِيبٍand nearby يَبْهَلُهْcurses him
فَكُلُّ نَاءٍ وَقَرِيبٍ يَبْهَلُهْ
أَذَمُّهُthe most blameworthy of them صِناعَةًin craft وَأَرْذَلُهْand the vilest of them
أَذَمُّهُ صِناعَةً وَأَرْذَلُهْ
So everyone far and near curses him.
So every groaner and near one makes him anxious
Most blameworthy in his craft, and the vilest of them,
His own craft debases him and degrades him
أَوْقَصُshort-necked يُخْزِيdisgraces الأَقْرَبِينَthe nearest kin عَطَلُهْhis figure
أَوْقَصُ يُخْزِي الأَقْرَبِينَ عَطَلُهْ
هُوَhe الخَبِيثُthe vile one نَفْسُهُhe himself وَخَوَلُهْand his servants
هُوَ الخَبِيثُ نَفْسُهُ وَخَوَلُهْ
short-necked, his figure disgraces his nearest kin.
The furthest relative shames his kinsmen
He is vile, both he himself and his servants.
He himself is the wicked one and his friend
وَخَصْمِand an adversary of ظُلْمٍinjustice لاnot تَزَالُyou cease عُقَّلُهْhis shrewd men
وَخَصْمِ ظُلْمٍ لا تَزَالُ عُقَّلُهْ
تَفْتِلُyou turn aside عَنْهُfrom him جُدُلاًin fierce dispute أَوْor تَقْتُلُهْyou kill him
تَفْتِلُ عَنْهُ جُدُلاً أَوْ تَقْتُلُهْ
And many an unjust foe whose shrewd men you keep
And opponent of injustice, his shackles do not cease
turning from him in fierce debate—or else you kill him.
You wrested away from him with argument or killed him
تَرَكْتَهُyou left him لَمْnot يُغْنِavailed عَنْهُfor him حَدَلُهْhis crookedness
تَرَكْتَهُ لَمْ يُغْنِ عَنْهُ حَدَلُهْ
شَيْئاًanything إِذاwhen الحَقُّtruth اسْتَبانَbecame clear مَنْقَلُهْits path
شَيْئاً إِذا الحَقُّ اسْتَبانَ مَنْقَلُهْ
You left him; his crookedness could not avail him
If you left him, his cunning did not avail him
at all, when the path of truth became clear.
Anything when truth became clear in its transfer
وَقُمْتَand you stood بِالحَقِّfor the truth فَتَاهَتْso went astray غُوَّلُهْhis ghouls
وَقُمْتَ بِالحَقِّ فَتَاهَتْ غُوَّلُهْ
فِيon مَذْهَبٍa course يُتْوِيdestroys الضَلُولthe errant one أَضْلَلُهْits most misleading route
فِي مَذْهَبٍ يُتْوِي الضَلُول أَضْلَلُهْ
You upheld the truth, and his ghouls went astray
And you stood by truth, so his tyranny was lost
on a course whose most misleading route destroys the wanderer.
In a doctrine that makes straying stray even more
هُنَاكَthere نَهَّىreached its limit كَيْدُهُhis scheming وَمَحَلُهْand his slander
هُنَاكَ نَهَّى كَيْدُهُ وَمَحَلُهْ
فَطالَso lingered مِنْfrom داءِdisease الطِحالِof the spleen طَحَلُهْhis splenic swelling
فَطالَ مِنْ داءِ الطِحالِ طَحَلُهْ
There his scheming and slander reached their limit.
There his scheming and position ended
So his spleen stayed swollen long with splenic disease,
So the disease of his spleen grew long
وَاشْتَدَّand worsened فِيin مَوْطِئِa foothold of وَحْلٍmud وَحَلُهْhis being mired
وَاشْتَدَّ فِي مَوْطِئِ وَحْلٍ وَحَلُهْ
and, in a muddy foothold, he became more deeply mired.
And prevailed in the place of descent and its descent
Sol 6.1