شَرطُ العظيم وصفُه بالمُهتَدِي

شَرطُ العظيم وصفُه بالمُهتَدِي

لدينه بعَمَلٍ مُؤيَّدِ

لدينه بعَمَلٍ مُؤيَّدِ

For a great man to be called diligent, the condition is

A great man must be described as rightly guided,

that, in his case, the claim be confirmed by his deeds.

in his faith, through well-supported deeds,

مُدِّثرا مزَمِّلا بالسُّؤددِ

مُدِّثرا مزَمِّلا بالسُّؤددِ

بالبذلِ والنَّوالِ فيَّاضِ اليَدِ

بالبذلِ والنَّوالِ فيَّاضِ اليَدِ

Cloaked and enfolded in glory,

cloaked and wrapped in nobility,

his hand overflowing with gifts and largesse—

his hand overflowing with generosity and gifts.

شادَ مقَامَه همامُ الفرقَدِ

شادَ مقَامَه همامُ الفرقَدِ

مِثل التَّهامِّي الهُمام الأوحدِ

مِثل التَّهامِّي الهُمام الأوحدِ

a valiant Pole Star has raised his station high,

A noble man, lofty as Farqad, raised his station,

the peerless, noble Tihamite his model.

like the man of Tihamah, magnanimous and peerless.

كم بَات ليلتَه في تهجُّدٍ

كم بَات ليلتَه في تهجُّدٍ

يَضرَعُ للفردِ العَليِّ الصَّمَدِ

يَضرَعُ للفردِ العَليِّ الصَّمَدِ

How often he has spent his night in prayerful vigil,

How often he spent his night in prayerful vigil,

imploring the One, the Most High, the Eternal Refuge,

imploring the One, the Most High, the Self-Sufficient,

يَرزُقه التوفيقَ طُولَ الأبدِ

يَرزُقه التوفيقَ طُولَ الأبدِ

في السَّير في هدي النَّبِي محمَّدِ

في السَّير في هدي النَّبِي محمَّدِ

to grant him success forever

that He grant him success for all eternity,

in following the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad.

in walking in the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad.

أمدَّهُ اللهُ بعون مُسعِدٍ

أمدَّهُ اللهُ بعون مُسعِدٍ

له علَى فِعلِ المُفيد الأفيَد

له علَى فِعلِ المُفيد الأفيَد

May God sustain him with gladdening aid

God sustained him with help that brings success,

to do what is useful—what is most beneficial—

for him in doing what is beneficial, most beneficial,

في الدِّينِ والدنيا ويَومَ الموعدِ

في الدِّينِ والدنيا ويَومَ الموعدِ

إنَّه للأخرَى أخو تَزَّودِ

إنَّه للأخرَى أخو تَزَّودِ

in faith, in this world, and on the Promised Day.

in religion and worldly life, and on the appointed Day.

Truly, he is one who lays in provisions for the Hereafter;

Indeed, he lays up provisions for the hereafter.

كسَاه في غَيبتِه ومشهَدٍ

كسَاه في غَيبتِه ومشهَدٍ

بِهَيبةٍ تَفرِي قلوبَ الأسَدِ

بِهَيبةٍ تَفرِي قلوبَ الأسَدِ

that preparation has clothed him, absent or before my eyes,

He clothed him, both absent and present,

in an awe that scatters the hearts of lions,

with awe that rends the hearts of lions,

وخُلقٍ يَضوعُ كالزهر النَّدِيِّي

وخُلقٍ يَضوعُ كالزهر النَّدِيِّي

ذِكرُه في الأفواهِ عَذبُ المَوردِ

ذِكرُه في الأفواهِ عَذبُ المَوردِ

and in character fragrant as a dew-fresh flower.

and character fragrant as dew-fresh flowers—

His name upon people's lips is a sweet watering-place,

his name in people's mouths is a sweet wellspring,

كأنه الزُّلالُ في فمِ الصَّدِيِّ

كأنه الزُّلالُ في فمِ الصَّدِيِّ

والعِلمِ والتَّقوَى ونُبلِ المَحتِدِ

والعِلمِ والتَّقوَى ونُبلِ المَحتِدِ

as though it were pure water in a thirsty mouth.

as though it were pure water in a thirsty man's mouth—

Knowledge and piety are his, and nobility of stock,

and with learning, piety, and noble lineage,

والحِلمِ بالعادةِ لا التَّعوُّدِ

والحِلمِ بالعادةِ لا التَّعوُّدِ

وسَيِّدُ الأخلاقِ حِلمُ السَّيِّدِ

وسَيِّدُ الأخلاقِ حِلمُ السَّيِّدِ

and forbearance by nature, not laboriously acquired.

and forbearance that is habitual, not acquired.

For the crown of virtues is a master's forbearance.

And the chief of virtues is the lord's forbearance.

هذا لعمرُ الحقِّ وصفُ مَن هُدِى

هذا لعمرُ الحقِّ وصفُ مَن هُدِى

وواجِبٌ بِفعلهِ أن نقتَدِي

وواجِبٌ بِفعلهِ أن نقتَدِي

By my life, this is the true description of one rightly guided,

This, by the life of the Truth, describes one rightly guided,

whose deeds it is our duty to emulate,

and we must take his deeds as our example,

إِن كان من يبغِي طريقَ السُّؤدَدِ

إِن كان من يبغِي طريقَ السُّؤدَدِ

وَيُسعِدَنَّ حالَه وَيَسعَدِ

وَيُسعِدَنَّ حالَه وَيَسعَدِ

if one seeks the road to glory;

if one seeks the path to nobility,

then surely his lot—and he himself—will prosper.

and would surely improve his lot and prosper.

أَمّا الَّذي لا يَقتَدِي بِالمُهتَدي

أَمّا الَّذي لا يَقتَدِي بِالمُهتَدي

ولولَه قد كان خيرَ مُرشِدِ

ولولَه قد كان خيرَ مُرشِدِ

But as for one who does not follow the diligent man,

As for one who does not follow the rightly guided,

though that man has been the finest guide for him,

although the latter had been the best guide to him,

وطالَما النصحُ له منه سُدًى

وطالَما النصحُ له منه سُدًى

لنِفعهِ ليسَ لأدنَى مَقصِدِ

لنِفعهِ ليسَ لأدنَى مَقصِدِ

and often counsel has been tendered to him by him

and how often his counsel to him has been in vain,

for his benefit, with not the least ulterior aim—

for his benefit, not for any lesser purpose,

وَهوَ عنِ النُّصحِ أخو تَمرُّدٍ

وَهوَ عنِ النُّصحِ أخو تَمرُّدٍ

بالشُّحِّ والتَّقتير محجوبُ اليدِ

بالشُّحِّ والتَّقتير محجوبُ اليدِ

he remains stubbornly defiant toward advice,

while he turns from counsel in rebellion,

his hand withheld by stinginess and parsimony.

his hand veiled by miserliness and parsimony,

لا فرقَ بين كفِّه والجُلمُدِ

لا فرقَ بين كفِّه والجُلمُدِ

أقولُ في وصفِه ذا الوصفَ الرَّدِى

أقولُ في وصفِه ذا الوصفَ الرَّدِى

There is no difference between his palm and solid rock.

no difference lies between his palm and a hard rock.

I describe him with this wretched description:

I give this wretched description of him:

أنشِد له وأنشدَن وأنشدِ

أنشِد له وأنشدَن وأنشدِ

قَدنِىَ مِن نَصرِ الخُبَيبيَنِ قَدِي

قَدنِىَ مِن نَصرِ الخُبَيبيَنِ قَدِي

Recite it to him—yes, recite and recite:

Recite to him, and surely recite, and recite:

“Enough of my supporting those two vile ones—enough!”

Enough for me of supporting the two Khubaybs—enough for me!