تَجَلَّت مَعاني الطَّعنِ مِن قَدِّكَ اللَّدنِ

تَجَلَّت مَعاني الطَّعنِ مِن قَدِّكَ اللَّدنِ

فَجَاءوكَ لا يَرجونَ شَيئاً سِوى الأَمنِ

فَجَاءوكَ لا يَرجونَ شَيئاً سِوى الأَمنِ

The meanings of the spear-thrust shone forth from your supple stature.

The meanings of reproach were revealed by your constant kindness,

So they came to you, hoping for nothing but safety.

So they came to you seeking nothing but safety,

ونَادى لِسانٌ مِن فمِ القَوسِ جَهرَةً

ونَادى لِسانٌ مِن فمِ القَوسِ جَهرَةً

أنا بابُ قَوسِ النَّصرِ فادخُل بلا إِذنِ

أنا بابُ قَوسِ النَّصرِ فادخُل بلا إِذنِ

And a tongue called aloud from the mouth of the arch:

And the tongue of a bow loudly proclaimed,

I am the gate of the Arch of Victory; enter without permission.

"I am the gate of the bow of victory, so enter without permission."

وحَقِّ الذي فوقَ السَّمواتِ عَرشُهُ

وحَقِّ الذي فوقَ السَّمواتِ عَرشُهُ

ويَعلَمُ من قَلبِ المُكَتِّمِ ما يَعني

ويَعلَمُ من قَلبِ المُكَتِّمِ ما يَعني

And by Him whose throne is above the heavens,

And by the right of Him whose throne is above the heavens,

And who knows what the secretive one intends within his heart:

And who knows what the silent heart means.

إذا اختارَكَ التاريخُ إِبناً مُخَلَّداً

إذا اختارَكَ التاريخُ إِبناً مُخَلَّداً

فقد عَرَفَ التَّاريخُ ما اختارَ مِن إِبنِ

فقد عَرَفَ التَّاريخُ ما اختارَ مِن إِبنِ

If history has chosen you as an immortal son,

If history chose you as an immortal son,

Then history knew what a son it had chosen.

Then history knew what it chose of a son.

وَشَتَّى بَنو التَّاريخِ أما كَمِثلِهِ

وَشَتَّى بَنو التَّاريخِ أما كَمِثلِهِ

فما أًَبصَرت عَيني ولا سَمِعَت أُذُني

فما أًَبصَرت عَيني ولا سَمِعَت أُذُني

And diverse are history's sons; but one like him—

And the children of history are different, but none like him,

My eye has never seen, nor has my ear heard.

My eyes have not seen, nor my ears heard the like of him.

له طَلعَةٌ يُحيى النفوسَ بَهاؤُها

له طَلعَةٌ يُحيى النفوسَ بَهاؤُها

وتَجلو عَنِ المَحزونِ ما بِهِ من حُزنِ

وتَجلو عَنِ المَحزونِ ما بِهِ من حُزنِ

He has a countenance whose splendor revives souls,

He has a radiance that revives souls in their brilliance,

And dispels whatever grief the sorrowful bear.

And clears the sadness from the saddened.

إذا المُزنُ تَهمي مَرَّةً بَعدَ مَرَّةٍ

إذا المُزنُ تَهمي مَرَّةً بَعدَ مَرَّةٍ

فَراحَتُهُ أهمى دَواماً منَ المُزنِ

فَراحَتُهُ أهمى دَواماً منَ المُزنِ

When rain clouds pour down time after time,

Whenever grief threatens again and again,

His palm rains more abundantly than the clouds, unceasingly.

His comfort is more important than grief.

مَزاياهُ فينا كالنُّجومِ تَلألأت

مَزاياهُ فينا كالنُّجومِ تَلألأت

إذا عُقِدَت أَغنَت عنِ التَّاجِ في الحُسنِ

إذا عُقِدَت أَغنَت عنِ التَّاجِ في الحُسنِ

His virtues among us glitter like stars;

His virtues shine in us like twinkling stars,

If strung together, their beauty would make a crown unnecessary.

That adorn better than a crown with beauty.

ولو كنتُ أَدري أن شِعري يَعُدُّها

ولو كنتُ أَدري أن شِعري يَعُدُّها

لأَفنَيتُ شِعري في مَديحِه لَكِنِّي

لأَفنَيتُ شِعري في مَديحِه لَكِنِّي

And if I knew that my poetry could count them,

Had I known that my poetry would count them,

I would exhaust my verse in praising him—but I...

I would have devoted my poetry to praising him, but

أَليفُ العُلا يَهتَزُّ لِلمَدحِ عِطفُهُ

أَليفُ العُلا يَهتَزُّ لِلمَدحِ عِطفُهُ

كما حَرَّكَت أَيدي الصَّبَا قامة الغُصنِ

كما حَرَّكَت أَيدي الصَّبَا قامة الغُصنِ

A companion of lofty honor, his frame sways at praise,

I, accustomed to greatness, shyly praise him,

As the east wind's hands stir the form of a branch.

As the hands of morning breeze stirred the branch.

يُنيرُ دَياجِيرَ المَشاكِلِ فِكرُهُ

يُنيرُ دَياجِيرَ المَشاكِلِ فِكرُهُ

ويَأتي بِفَضلِ القَولِ جَزماً بلا ظَنِّ

ويَأتي بِفَضلِ القَولِ جَزماً بلا ظَنِّ

His thought illuminates the deep darkness of problems,

His mind illuminates the lanterns of problems,

And brings the finest speech with certainty, without conjecture.

And comes with eloquence surely without doubt.

فَصاحةُ نُطقٍ في بلاغَةِ حُجَّةٍ

فَصاحةُ نُطقٍ في بلاغَةِ حُجَّةٍ

إذا ما جَرى ذِكرٌ عَنِ الشِّعرِ والفَنِّ

إذا ما جَرى ذِكرٌ عَنِ الشِّعرِ والفَنِّ

Eloquent speech in persuasive argument,

Eloquent speech in the eloquence of argument,

When talk turns to poetry and art.

When mention is made of poetry and art.

اَصوغُ بَديعَ القَولِ عندَ نُعوتِهِ

اَصوغُ بَديعَ القَولِ عندَ نُعوتِهِ

لِكى يَاتِيا كالوَردِ والخَدِّ في اللَّونِ

لِكى يَاتِيا كالوَردِ والخَدِّ في اللَّونِ

I fashion exquisite speech when describing him,

I compose wonderful words about his attributes,

So the two may match in hue, like the rose and the cheek.

In order for them to come like roses and cheeks in color.

وأَعدو لِكَى أُلقِي بَديعَ رَوائِعي

وأَعدو لِكَى أُلقِي بَديعَ رَوائِعي

فأرجِعُ لَمَّا تَلتَقي العَينُ بِالعَينِ

فأرجِعُ لَمَّا تَلتَقي العَينُ بِالعَينِ

And I run to recite my exquisite masterpieces,

And I prepare to recite the wonderful of my talents,

But I turn back when eye meets eye.

So I return when eyes meet eyes.

فما الضَّيغَمُ الجاثي توَقَّدَ نَظرَةً

فما الضَّيغَمُ الجاثي توَقَّدَ نَظرَةً

بِأروَعِ مِنهُ حِينَ يَبسِمُ عَن سِنِّ

بِأروَعِ مِنهُ حِينَ يَبسِمُ عَن سِنِّ

For the crouching lion, with its blazing gaze,

The humble gazelle never ignited a look,

Is no more fearsome than he when he smiles, baring a tooth.

More beautiful than him when he smiles with his teeth.

إذا الأَطلسُ العاتي تَشامَخَ قَرنُهُ

إذا الأَطلسُ العاتي تَشامَخَ قَرنُهُ

دُهوراً فقد أحنى له شامخَ القَرنِ

دُهوراً فقد أحنى له شامخَ القَرنِ

If the defiant Atlas has held its horn proudly aloft

When the mighty rebel raises his horn for ages,

For ages, it has indeed bowed its lofty horn before him.

The one with the highest horn has bowed to him.

لَكَم مِن دِمَاءٍ رامَها السَّفكُ والرَّدَى

لَكَم مِن دِمَاءٍ رامَها السَّفكُ والرَّدَى

ولَكِنَّهَا مَرَّت بِفَضلِكَ في أَمنِ

ولَكِنَّهَا مَرَّت بِفَضلِكَ في أَمنِ

How much blood slaughter and death have sought,

How much blood did violence and devastation seek,

Yet it passed safely through your favor.

But it passed in safety by your favor.

ولولاكَ ما أَبقى الفَريقانِ بَعضَهُم

ولولاكَ ما أَبقى الفَريقانِ بَعضَهُم

كَثيرُهُمُ لا عَن قَلِيلِهُمُ يُغني

كَثيرُهُمُ لا عَن قَلِيلِهُمُ يُغني

And without you, the two sides would have left none of them alive;

And were it not for you, the two parties would not have kept

Their many could be of no help to their few.

Many unable to fend for the few.

فكَم مِن جِبالٍ دُونَهُ عَزَّ نَيلُها

فكَم مِن جِبالٍ دُونَهُ عَزَّ نَيلُها

وفاضَت دِماءٌ في السُّهولِ وفي الحَزنِ

وفاضَت دِماءٌ في السُّهولِ وفي الحَزنِ

For how many mountains lesser than it were hard to reach,

So many mountains, unattainable is their glory,

And blood flooded the plains and rugged ground.

And blood flowed in the plains and in sorrow.

وذلك لَمَّا أَن خَلَت مِن نَظيرِهِ

وذلك لَمَّا أَن خَلَت مِن نَظيرِهِ

وهذي هُداةُ الرَّأيِ تَفهَمُ ما أَغني

وهذي هُداةُ الرَّأيِ تَفهَمُ ما أَغني

And that was because they lacked anyone like him;

That is because he is unmatched,

And these guides of judgment understand what I sing.

And these are the guides of opinion who understand what I sing.

إذا حَسُنَت مِن باطِنِ المَرءِ نِيَّةٌ

إذا حَسُنَت مِن باطِنِ المَرءِ نِيَّةٌ

أَعَانَهُ رَبُّ العَونِ في كُلِّ ماشَانِ

أَعَانَهُ رَبُّ العَونِ في كُلِّ ماشَانِ

If a person's intention is good at heart,

When good intention comes from within a person,

The Lord of aid helps him in every [unclear word in the source].

The Lord of help assists him in everything he wants.

وأوفَرُ مَن في الأرضِ جَهلاً مُحاوِلٌ

وأوفَرُ مَن في الأرضِ جَهلاً مُحاوِلٌ

لِيُظهِرَ ما لَم يُظهِرِ اللهُ في الكَونِ

لِيُظهِرَ ما لَم يُظهِرِ اللهُ في الكَونِ

And earth's most ignorant person is one who tries

And the most ignorant in the land is one who tries

To bring forth what God has not brought forth in the universe.

To show what God did not show in the universe.

لَكَم غَايةٍ لِلنَّصرِ يُسكِرُ خَمرُها

لَكَم غَايةٍ لِلنَّصرِ يُسكِرُ خَمرُها

ولا مِثلُ هذا النَّصرِ يَخطُرُ في ذِهنِ

ولا مِثلُ هذا النَّصرِ يَخطُرُ في ذِهنِ

How many goals of victory have intoxicating wine,

How many heights of victory intoxicate with their wine,

Yet nothing like this victory comes to mind.

And no victory is like this crosses the mind.

ركِبتَ على الأَيَّامِ فَالو عِنانَها

ركِبتَ على الأَيَّامِ فَالو عِنانَها

كما شِئتَ واطلُب تُرضَ في غَمضَةِ الجَفنِ

كما شِئتَ واطلُب تُرضَ في غَمضَةِ الجَفنِ

You have mounted the days; turn their reins

You rode the days, so nudge their reins,

As you wish; ask, and you shall be gratified in an eyelid's blink.

However you like, and seek what pleases in the blink of an eye.

فدُم لِلعِدى تُرديهِمُ منكَ نَظرَةٌ

فدُم لِلعِدى تُرديهِمُ منكَ نَظرَةٌ

كما أردَتِ المَقتولَ بادِرةُ الطَّعنِ

كما أردَتِ المَقتولَ بادِرةُ الطَّعنِ

So endure against your foes; one glance from you fells them,

For the enemies a look from you makes them quiver,

As the sudden spear-thrust felled the slain.

As the stabbed made the murderer’s stab quiver.

ودُم سَنَداً لي إنَّ قُربَك مُنيَتي

ودُم سَنَداً لي إنَّ قُربَك مُنيَتي

وإنِّي إذا ما كُنتَ لي سَنَداً إشنِّي

وإنِّي إذا ما كُنتَ لي سَنَداً إشنِّي

And remain my support; your nearness is my wish.

And be a support for me, your closeness is my demise,

And I, when you are my support, [unclear word in the source].

And if you are a support for me, enrich me!

ظَنَنتُ بكَ الظَّنَّ الجميلَ ولم تَزَل

ظَنَنتُ بكَ الظَّنَّ الجميلَ ولم تَزَل

أَياديكَ لي من فَوقِ ظَنِّي بِلا مَنِّ

أَياديكَ لي من فَوقِ ظَنِّي بِلا مَنِّ

I thought well of you, and always

I thought well of you, and you have always

Your favors to me have surpassed my expectations, with no reproachful reminders.

Kept me safe by more than my assumption.

وقد كُنتَ لي لما فَقَدتُ شَجاعَتِي

وقد كُنتَ لي لما فَقَدتُ شَجاعَتِي

وأَظلمتِ الدُّنيا المُضيئَةُ في عَيني

وأَظلمتِ الدُّنيا المُضيئَةُ في عَيني

And you were there for me when I lost my courage,

And you were there for me when I lost my courage,

And the luminous world grew dark in my eyes.

And the bright world darkened before my eyes.

فلن أنسَها قَيدَ الحياةِ وإِنَّنا

فلن أنسَها قَيدَ الحياةِ وإِنَّنا

لَنَذكُرها إن شاء رَبِّىَ في عَدنِ

لَنَذكُرها إن شاء رَبِّىَ في عَدنِ

So I shall not forget it while I live, and we

I will never forget it as long as I live, and we

Shall surely remember it, if my Lord wills, in Eden.

Will remember it, God willing, in Eden.

كَفانِىَ فَخراً في البَرِيَّةِ أَنني

كَفانِىَ فَخراً في البَرِيَّةِ أَنني

أنا شاعرُ الباشا التُّهَامي فَهَنِّئني

أنا شاعرُ الباشا التُّهَامي فَهَنِّئني

It is pride enough for me among mankind that

It suffices me pride among humanity that I

I am the poet of Pasha al-Tuhami—so congratulate me.

Am the poet of the great Tahami, so congratulate me!