سَرى يَنشر البُشرى هُناك نَسيمُ

سَرى يَنشر البُشرى هُناك نَسيمُ

فَسُرَّ صَديقٌ بِالرضا وَحَميمُ

فَسُرَّ صَديقٌ بِالرضا وَحَميمُ

A breeze drifted by night, spreading good tidings there.

The breeze of good tidings blows there

So a friend and a close companion were gladdened by approval.

A friend rejoiced with contentment and intimacy

وَطابَت بِهِ الأَوقات وَالدَهر قَد صَفا

وَطابَت بِهِ الأَوقات وَالدَهر قَد صَفا

وَتابَ مِن الآثام وَهوَ مَظلوم

وَتابَ مِن الآثام وَهوَ مَظلوم

And through it the hours grew pleasant, and time turned serene.

And the times and life became pleasant through it

And it repented of its sins, though itself wronged.

He repented from wrongdoings though he was wronged

وَأَصبَح مَكلومُ الفؤاد بصحةٍ

وَأَصبَح مَكلومُ الفؤاد بصحةٍ

وَغرّد مِن فَرط السُرور كَظيم

وَغرّد مِن فَرط السُرور كَظيم

And the wounded-hearted one regained his health.

And his heart became troubled with wellness in the morning

And one who had stifled his grief sang for sheer joy.

And he chirped from immense joy vigorously

وَنادى مُنادي النَصر يا فَوز منصب

وَنادى مُنادي النَصر يا فَوز منصب

لعبدك أَضحى للخطوب يَلوم

لعبدك أَضحى للخطوب يَلوم

And victory's herald cried: What a triumph—an appointment

And a caller of victory called, oh joyous rank

for your servant, who now reproaches adversity!

For your servant has become blaming calamities

وَما اِنفك عَن حفظ العُهود وَلا صبا

وَما اِنفك عَن حفظ العُهود وَلا صبا

لِغَيرك يَوماً وَهوَ فيكَ يَهيم

لِغَيرك يَوماً وَهوَ فيكَ يَهيم

And he never ceased to keep his pledges, nor inclined

He did not cease to keep the covenants and did not incline

toward anyone but you for a day, while enraptured with you.

To other than You one day though he was infatuated with You

وَكَيفَ يصافي غَير دين محمد

وَكَيفَ يصافي غَير دين محمد

وَما هوَ إِلا بِالأَمير يَدوم

وَما هوَ إِلا بِالأَمير يَدوم

And how could he be devoted to anything but Muhammad's faith,

And how can he be loyal to other than Muhammad’s religion

when it endures only through the prince?

It only lasts through the Prince

أَبى اللَه يا كنز السِياسة أَن يرى

أَبى اللَه يا كنز السِياسة أَن يرى

سِواك بِما شاءَ المَليك يَقوم

سِواك بِما شاءَ المَليك يَقوم

God refused, O treasure of statesmanship, to see

God did not want anyone but you, O treasure of politics

anyone but you carry out what the Sovereign willed.

With what the King desired to stand

فَأَنتَ حَليف لِلمُروءة وَالوَفا

فَأَنتَ حَليف لِلمُروءة وَالوَفا

وَأَنتَ بإجماع الأَنام كَريم

وَأَنتَ بإجماع الأَنام كَريم

For you are an ally to chivalry and fidelity.

You are the ally of chivalry and loyalty

And you are generous, as all mankind agree.

And you are the generous one according to all people's consensus

وَأَنتَ لأَحزاب المَعارف ناصرٌ

وَأَنتَ لأَحزاب المَعارف ناصرٌ

وَأَنتَ لِأَرباب الفُنون زَعيم

وَأَنتَ لِأَرباب الفُنون زَعيم

And you champion the communities of learning.

You are the supporter of circles of knowledge

And you lead the masters of the arts.

And you are the leader of masters of arts

وَأَنتَ بلا منّ إِلى الخَير سابق

وَأَنتَ بلا منّ إِلى الخَير سابق

وَعَزمك في جبر الكَسير عَظيم

وَعَزمك في جبر الكَسير عَظيم

And you are foremost in doing good, without vaunting your favors.

You are the preceder to good without favor

And great is your resolve to mend the broken.

And your determination to mend the broken is great

فَكَم مَرة قابلت بِالعَفو جانِياً

فَكَم مَرة قابلت بِالعَفو جانِياً

وَسالمته وَالقَلب مِنكَ رَحيم

وَسالمته وَالقَلب مِنكَ رَحيم

For how often you have met an offender with pardon,

So how many times did you meet a sinner with pardon

and made peace with him, your heart full of mercy!

And bid him safety while your heart is kind

وَكَم مِن قيود الظلم أَطلقت معشراً

وَكَم مِن قيود الظلم أَطلقت معشراً

بِرَأي لَهُ عدل السَعيد نَديم

بِرَأي لَهُ عدل السَعيد نَديم

And from how many fetters of oppression you have freed a group of people,

And how many shackles of injustice you undid a group

by a judgment whose boon companion is Sa'id's justice!

With an opinion, its justice is the joy of the fortunate friend

وَكَم كربة فرّجت عَن خَير أَمّة

وَكَم كربة فرّجت عَن خَير أَمّة

عَلى رَغم أَنف الجَهل وَهوَ خَصيم

عَلى رَغم أَنف الجَهل وَهوَ خَصيم

And how many hardships you have lifted from the best of nations,

And how many distresses you relieved from the best nation

in defiance of ignorance, though it is a foe!

In spite of the resentment of ignorance as it is an adversary

وَكَم مِن أياد حار في حصر بَعضها

وَكَم مِن أياد حار في حصر بَعضها

لِذاتك حبرٌ بِالثَناء عَليم

لِذاتك حبرٌ بِالثَناء عَليم

And how many favors! Counting even some has baffled

And how many hands were confused in delineating some of it

a scholar well versed in praise of your person.

For your essence is an expert in praise

وَما أَنا مِن أَهل القَريض فَأَهتدى

وَما أَنا مِن أَهل القَريض فَأَهتدى

إِلى بَث سحرٍ ضلّ عَنهُ فَهيم

إِلى بَث سحرٍ ضلّ عَنهُ فَهيم

And I am not among the poets, that I might find my way

And I am not of the people of poetry to be guided

to uttering magic that has eluded the discerning.

To spreading magic that aimless strayed

وَلَكن دَعتني لِلقَريض مسرّةٌ

وَلَكن دَعتني لِلقَريض مسرّةٌ

حَباني بِها يَوم القبول نَسيم

حَباني بِها يَوم القبول نَسيم

But a joy summoned me to poetry,

But joy invited me to poetry

which a breeze bestowed on me on the day of acceptance.

The breeze of delight blew me with triumph and success

نَسيم سَرى بِالبشر وَالفَوز وَالهَنا

نَسيم سَرى بِالبشر وَالفَوز وَالهَنا

فَأَحوجني أَني بِذاك أَهيم

فَأَحوجني أَني بِذاك أَهيم

A breeze that drifted by night with cheer, triumph, and bliss,

So it made me obsessed with that

so it compelled me to be enraptured by it.

And I present what my understanding contains though

وَأهدي بِما يَحويه فهمي وَإِنَّهُ

وَأهدي بِما يَحويه فهمي وَإِنَّهُ

لَعَمريَ في هَذا المَقام سَقيم

لَعَمريَ في هَذا المَقام سَقيم

And I offer what my understanding contains, though it

Indeed in this stance it is frail

is, by my life, ailing in this setting.

But my excuse to my Master is evident

عَلى أَن عذري عِندَ مَولاي واضحٌ

عَلى أَن عذري عِندَ مَولاي واضحٌ

لما أَن ديني في هَواه قَويم

لما أَن ديني في هَواه قَويم

Yet my excuse is clear to my lord,

For my religion in His love is upright

for my faith is steadfast in devotion to him.

His contentment suffices me if He approves me

وَمِنهُ الرضا يَكفي إِذا ما أَجازَني

وَمِنهُ الرضا يَكفي إِذا ما أَجازَني

بِهِ فَهوَ حسبي لا سِواه أَروم

بِهِ فَهوَ حسبي لا سِواه أَروم

And approval from him suffices, if he rewards me

It is enough for me, nothing else I desire

with it; it is enough for me—I seek nothing else.

And here I am, I have reached what I hoped

وَها أَنا قَد بلغت ما كُنت راجِياً

وَها أَنا قَد بلغت ما كُنت راجِياً

بصبر لَهُ جَيش الخطوب عَديم

بصبر لَهُ جَيش الخطوب عَديم

And here I am: I have attained what I had hoped for,

With patience that has no army of calamities

through patience before which the army of adversity is nothing.