بِالجِدّ وَالجِدّ حاول ذَروَة الشرف

بِالجِدّ وَالجِدّ حاول ذَروَة الشرف

فَما لا عداك نَجم غَير منكسف

فَما لا عداك نَجم غَير منكسف

By earnest effort and good fortune, seek the summit of honor.

With diligence and earnestness, strive for the summit of honor.

For no star but yours remains uneclipsed.

For no star—may it not pass you by—is free of eclipse.

وَاِنهَض لِفض ختام الفَضل مغترِفا

وَاِنهَض لِفض ختام الفَضل مغترِفا

من بَحر فَضل مُحيط قَد صَفا وَصف

من بَحر فَضل مُحيط قَد صَفا وَصف

Rise to break the seal of excellence, drawing deeply

And rise to break the seal of excellence, drawing handfuls

from an all-encompassing sea of virtue, now grown clear—and describe it.

from an encompassing sea of excellence, grown clear—and describe it.

وَار وَالمَعالي وَروّ الوارِدين فَما

وَار وَالمَعالي وَروّ الوارِدين فَما

صبح أَضاء كَنَجم في الظَلام خَفى

صبح أَضاء كَنَجم في الظَلام خَفى

Veil your lofty virtues, yet slake those who come to drink; for whatever

And water lofty virtues, and quench those who come to drink; for no

proves true shines like a star hidden in darkness.

dawn that shines is like a star hidden in darkness.

وَعدّ عما تَشاء الاِغبِياء بِهِ

وَعدّ عما تَشاء الاِغبِياء بِهِ

فَطالَ ما لاحَ بَرق لامِع وَطفى

فَطالَ ما لاحَ بَرق لامِع وَطفى

And with it turn fools away from whatever you wish;

And by it divert fools from whatever you wish;

for how often a gleaming lightning-flash appears, then dies away.

for often has gleaming lightning flashed and gone out.

اِذا رَوى الغَير فَضلا عَن مشايِخِه

اِذا رَوى الغَير فَضلا عَن مشايِخِه

فَأَنتَ تروى عَن الآباء وَالسَلف

فَأَنتَ تروى عَن الآباء وَالسَلف

When another man relates a virtue through his shaykhs,

When another recounts excellence from his teachers,

you relate it through fathers and forebears.

you recount it from your fathers and forebears.

يا سائِلي عَنهُ خذ ما تَستَطيع لَهُ

يا سائِلي عَنهُ خذ ما تَستَطيع لَهُ

سَمعا وَاِن رُمتَ تَحصى قَدرَها فقف

سَمعا وَاِن رُمتَ تَحصى قَدرَها فقف

O you who ask me of him, listen to all you can about him;

O you who ask me about him, take what you can concerning him

but if you seek to compass the full measure of his praise, stop.

by hearing; and if you seek to reckon its worth, stop.

أَغصان فَضل بِطيب الغرس دانِيَة

أَغصان فَضل بِطيب الغرس دانِيَة

فُروعِها فاجنها ان شِئت وَاِقتَطف

فُروعِها فاجنها ان شِئت وَاِقتَطف

Branches of excellence, by virtue of good planting, hang low;

Branches of excellence, from fine planting, have low-hanging

their boughs—gather them, if you wish, and pluck.

boughs; gather them if you wish, and pluck.

وَكَنز مجد اِذا ما ضَلّ ناشِدَه

وَكَنز مجد اِذا ما ضَلّ ناشِدَه

تَقول همته أَقبِل وَلا تَخف

تَقول همته أَقبِل وَلا تَخف

And a treasure of glory: whenever its seeker persists,

And a treasure of glory: if its seeker loses his way,

his high resolve says, “Advance, and do not fear.”

his resolve says, “Come forward, and do not fear.”

وَسلك عَقد اِذا لاحَت فَرائِده

وَسلك عَقد اِذا لاحَت فَرائِده

أَغناكَ رَونَقَها عَن جَوهَر الصَدف

أَغناكَ رَونَقَها عَن جَوهَر الصَدف

And a necklace’s strand: when its peerless gems gleam,

And a necklace's thread: when its rare jewels gleam,

their splendor frees you from need of the pearls within the shells.

their luster leaves you no need for the pearls of oyster shells.

وَعُنصر حمدت آثار أَحمده

وَعُنصر حمدت آثار أَحمده

فَاِنتُج الشَكل شَكلا في الكَمال وَفى

فَاِنتُج الشَكل شَكلا في الكَمال وَفى

And a lineage whose finest scion’s deeds I have praised:

And a lineage, praised for the deeds of its Ahmad;

the mold brought forth a likeness, perfect and true.

so like begot like, attaining perfection in full.