أَثَنَى غلامَك عَن مَديحك ثاني

أَثَنَى غلامَك عَن مَديحك ثاني

وَلأَنتَ ما لكَ في البَرية ثاني

وَلأَنتَ ما لكَ في البَرية ثاني

Has anyone deterred your servant from praising you,

Your servant has ceased in praising you a second time,

when you indeed have no equal in creation?

For you have no equal in nobility.

أَنتَ الَّذي يا خَير صَدر لِلعُلا

أَنتَ الَّذي يا خَير صَدر لِلعُلا

أَطلقت بِالشُكر الجَميل لِساني

أَطلقت بِالشُكر الجَميل لِساني

You are the one, O noblest chief in glory,

O best of nobles who have given freedom

who loosened my tongue in gracious thanks.

To my tongue to speak beautiful words of thanks.

فَهُوَ المُترجم عَن فُؤاد قد بُني

فَهُوَ المُترجم عَن فُؤاد قد بُني

مِنهُ الضَمير عَلى صفا إِيمان

مِنهُ الضَمير عَلى صفا إِيمان

For it speaks for a heart; there has been built

It translates the sentiments of a heart rebuilt

from it a conscience upon the purity of faith.

With a conscience of pure faith.

وَلأنت أَعلم يا عَزيز بِما اِنطَوت

وَلأنت أَعلم يا عَزيز بِما اِنطَوت

مِني عَلَيهِ سَريرَتي وَجَناني

مِني عَلَيهِ سَريرَتي وَجَناني

And you know best, O honored one, what lies folded

And you know best, O precious one, what

within my innermost self and heart.

My innermost thoughts and soul contain.

وَهَل اِنطَوَت يَوماً عَلى غَير الثَنا

وَهَل اِنطَوَت يَوماً عَلى غَير الثَنا

لِجَنابك العالي بِحُسن مَعاني

لِجَنابك العالي بِحُسن مَعاني

And has it ever harbored anything but praise

Have they ever contained aught but praise

for your exalted person, in beautiful sentiments?

For your sublime character and fine qualities?

وَعَلى التَشبُّب بِالغَواني فكرتي

وَعَلى التَشبُّب بِالغَواني فكرتي

شُغلت بِنَشر شذاك في الأَكوان

شُغلت بِنَشر شذاك في الأَكوان

And rather than love-verses to beautiful women, my thoughts

Or musing on romantic passions - when my thoughts

were occupied with spreading your fragrance through the worlds.

Are busy spreading your fame through the universe.

وَجَعلتُ مَدحك في الأَنام فَريضةً

وَجَعلتُ مَدحك في الأَنام فَريضةً

أَبَداً عَليّ وَهمتُ بِالأَوزان

أَبَداً عَليّ وَهمتُ بِالأَوزان

And I made praising you among mankind a duty

I have made praising you an eternal duty,

forever binding on me, and fell in love with poetic meters.

And have aspired in rhythms and odes.

وَبنسبة المَوضوع نَظمي لَم يَزَل

وَبنسبة المَوضوع نَظمي لَم يَزَل

متشرفاً يُتلى بِكُل مَكان

متشرفاً يُتلى بِكُل مَكان

And by association with its subject, my verse has remained

And by the chosen subject my poetry

honored, recited everywhere.

Has always had the privilege of being recited everywhere.

وَلَقَد عَكفتُ عَلى القَوافي مُعرباً

وَلَقَد عَكفتُ عَلى القَوافي مُعرباً

عَن شُكر ما أَوليت مِن إِحسان

عَن شُكر ما أَوليت مِن إِحسان

And indeed I devoted myself to rhymes, expressing

I have applied myself to rhymes expressing

gratitude for the kindness you bestowed.

Gratitude for the favors you have bestowed.

وَبرزتُ في مضمار حَمدك فارِساً

وَبرزتُ في مضمار حَمدك فارِساً

مُتقلِّداً بمهندٍ وَسنانِ

مُتقلِّداً بمهندٍ وَسنانِ

And I entered the arena of your praise as a horseman,

And in the arena of praising you I have come forth a knight

armed with an Indian-steel sword and a spear.

Girded with sword and spear.

وَسَلَكتُ مَسلك مَن سَما بِحَماسة

وَسَلَكتُ مَسلك مَن سَما بِحَماسة

وَعَلا بسبقٍ في مَقام رهان

وَعَلا بسبقٍ في مَقام رهان

And I followed the path of one who rose through valor

And I have followed the path of those who rode high

and gained eminence by taking the lead in a wagered race.

With zeal and excelled in the field of endeavor.

حَتّى إِذا ما قيلَ لي مِن بَحر من

حَتّى إِذا ما قيلَ لي مِن بَحر من

قَد جئتنا بِالدرّ وَالمُرجان

قَد جئتنا بِالدرّ وَالمُرجان

Until, when I was asked, "From whose sea

Until when asked, "From which sea have you brought us

have you brought us pearls and coral?"

These pearls and corals?"

جاوبتُهم بَحرُ السَعيد محمدٍ

جاوبتُهم بَحرُ السَعيد محمدٍ

أَخرجتُ مِنهُ قَلائد العقيان

أَخرجتُ مِنهُ قَلائد العقيان

I answered them: "The sea of fortunate Muhammad;

I replied, "From the blessed ocean of Muhammed

from it I brought forth necklaces of pure gold.

I have retrieved the necklaces of chieftains.

أَخرجتُ كُلَّ ثَمينة مَكنونة

أَخرجتُ كُلَّ ثَمينة مَكنونة

مِن لؤلؤ يزري بِعَقد جمان

مِن لؤلؤ يزري بِعَقد جمان

I brought forth every precious hidden gem

I have brought out every precious hidden

of pearl that puts a pearl necklace to shame."

Pearl and brilliant gems."

فَيقال لي أَحسنت أَنعشنا بِما

فَيقال لي أَحسنت أَنعشنا بِما

أوتيت مِن حِكَمٍ وَسحر بَيان

أوتيت مِن حِكَمٍ وَسحر بَيان

Then I am told: "Well done! You have revived us with what

And I am told, "You have revived us beautifully with what

you were granted of wise sayings and the magic of eloquence."

You were granted of wisdom and magic eloquence."

فلنعمَ هَذا المالك البَطل الَّذي

فلنعمَ هَذا المالك البَطل الَّذي

سادَت عَساكرُه عَلى الأَقران

سادَت عَساكرُه عَلى الأَقران

How excellent, then, is this heroic ruler, whose

Blessed indeed is this master, hero whose armies

armies have prevailed over their rivals!

Have surpassed all others.

فَهمُ الأُسود وَمَن أَراد نِزالَهم

فَهمُ الأُسود وَمَن أَراد نِزالَهم

حامَت عَلَيهِ كَواسرُ العُقبان

حامَت عَلَيهِ كَواسرُ العُقبان

For they are lions, and whoever seeks to fight them

They are the lions, and whoever desires battle with them

has predatory eagles circling above him.

The eagles of destruction swoop down upon him.

وَهم الذين عدوُّهم يَوم الوَغى

وَهم الذين عدوُّهم يَوم الوَغى

يُمسي وَيصبح في قيود هَوان

يُمسي وَيصبح في قيود هَوان

And they are those whose enemy, on the day of battle,

It is they whose enemy wakes and sleeps

passes evening and morning in fetters of humiliation.

In the shackles of humiliation.

هَل فازَ إِلّا مَن أَطاعَهُمُ وَقَد

هَل فازَ إِلّا مَن أَطاعَهُمُ وَقَد

وَافاهمُ متطلِّباً لِأَمان

وَافاهمُ متطلِّباً لِأَمان

Has anyone succeeded but one who obeyed them and had

Who succeeds except he who obeys them and comes to them

come to them seeking safety?

Seeking refuge and security?

يا أَيُّها الصَدر المؤيد كَيفَ لا

يا أَيُّها الصَدر المؤيد كَيفَ لا

تَسمو بِكَ العليا عَلى كِيوان

تَسمو بِكَ العليا عَلى كِيوان

O favored chief, why should not

O mighty victorious one, how can you but rise

high glory rise through you above Saturn?

Above all others sublimely?

وَالحلم غَض الطَرفَ عَن كُل امرئٍ

وَالحلم غَض الطَرفَ عَن كُل امرئٍ

مُستوجب لعقاب عبدٍ جاني

مُستوجب لعقاب عبدٍ جاني

And forbearance has averted its gaze from every man

Clemency turns a blind eye to any slave

deserving the punishment of a guilty servant.

Deserving of punishment for his crime.

وَالعَدل أَصبَح ناشراً أَعلامه

وَالعَدل أَصبَح ناشراً أَعلامه

بِكَ فَوقَ هام قصيِّها وَالداني

بِكَ فَوقَ هام قصيِّها وَالداني

And justice now unfurls its banners

And justice raises its flags with you

through you, above the heads of her people, far and near.

Above the high hills and plains.

وَالنيل أَنتَ بمصر جابر دائِماً

وَالنيل أَنتَ بمصر جابر دائِماً

لِحياتها بِإِرادة الرَحمَن

لِحياتها بِإِرادة الرَحمَن

And you are the Nile in Egypt, forever restoring

You are like the Nile, ever making fertile

her life by the will of the All-Merciful.

Egypt's life by the will of the Compassionate.

وَلَكَ السَناء عَلى البدور كَما لَها

وَلَكَ السَناء عَلى البدور كَما لَها

في كُل مَملكةٍ عَلى البُلدان

في كُل مَملكةٍ عَلى البُلدان

And yours is radiance above the full moons, as hers is

Glory to you over all lands as to it

above other lands in every kingdom.

In every kingdom over regions.

فَاللَه يَجعلُها بيمنك جَنةً

فَاللَه يَجعلُها بيمنك جَنةً

لِلناس في الدُنيا مَدى الأَزمان

لِلناس في الدُنيا مَدى الأَزمان

So may God, through your auspicious influence, make her a paradise

May God under your auspices make it a paradise

for people in this world, for all time,

For people in this world for all time.

وَيمدّها بالخصب في عصر الهَنا

وَيمدّها بالخصب في عصر الهَنا

ما آب ذو سفر إِلى الأَوطان

ما آب ذو سفر إِلى الأَوطان

and supply her with abundance in this age of bliss,

And may He grant it prosperity in an age of bliss

as long as travelers return to their homelands;

As long as a traveler journeys to homelands,

أَو ما اقتَدى طوسن سَليلُك ذو النُهى

أَو ما اقتَدى طوسن سَليلُك ذو النُهى

بِكَ في العُلا وَالبَذل وَالعرفان

بِكَ في العُلا وَالبَذل وَالعرفان

or as long as Tusun, your wise offspring, models himself

Or your descendant Tusun follows your example

on you in eminence, generosity, and knowledge;

In nobility, generosity, and grace,

أَو ما إِلى جَبر الخَليج مَواكبٌ

أَو ما إِلى جَبر الخَليج مَواكبٌ

سارَت لَدَيك بِزينة وَتَهاني

سارَت لَدَيك بِزينة وَتَهاني

or as long as processions for filling the canal

Or caravans travel to you with finery

march before you with finery and congratulations;

And congratulations from the Gulf region,

أَو ما غلامُك قالَ فيهِ مؤرخاً

أَو ما غلامُك قالَ فيهِ مؤرخاً

الصَدر أَجرى أَوحَد الخلجان

الصَدر أَجرى أَوحَد الخلجان

or as long as your servant says of it, recording its date:

Or your servant says of it, recording history,

"The chief has set the foremost of canals flowing."

"The noble one made the streams run sweetest."