بأيِّ لسانٍ في المَحافِل أخطُب

بأيِّ لسانٍ في المَحافِل أخطُب

وأيِّ يَراعٍ في مدِيحكَ أكتُب

وأيِّ يَراعٍ في مدِيحكَ أكتُب

With what tongue shall I speak in the assemblies?

With what tongue in gatherings shall I speak,

And with what reed pen shall I write in your praise?

And with what melody in praising you shall I write,

وأيُّ نَواحِي الفضل أطرُ بادِئا

وأيُّ نَواحِي الفضل أطرُ بادِئا

وكيفَ يُعدُّ الفضلُ منك ويُحسَبُ

وكيفَ يُعدُّ الفضلُ منك ويُحسَبُ

And which aspects of excellence shall I extol first?

And from which aspects of virtue shall I begin,

And how can your excellence be numbered and reckoned?

And how can virtue from you be counted and reckoned,

وإن كنتَ مني للفُؤادِ مُحبّباً

وإن كنتَ مني للفُؤادِ مُحبّباً

فأنتَ على كلِّ القلُوب محَبَّبُ

فأنتَ على كلِّ القلُوب محَبَّبُ

And though you are beloved to my heart,

And if to my heart you were beloved,

Yet you are beloved to every heart.

Then to all hearts you are beloved,

ألَم تدِر يا مولايَ أنَّ يرَاعِتي

ألَم تدِر يا مولايَ أنَّ يرَاعِتي

تَدينُ لكم في كلِّ ما عنهُ تُعرِبُ

تَدينُ لكم في كلِّ ما عنهُ تُعرِبُ

Did you not know, my lord, that my reed pen

Do you not know, my Master, that my poetry

Is indebted to you in all it speaks of?

Is indebted to you in all that it expresses,

لذاكَ تراهَا إن ترومُ مدِيحَكم

لذاكَ تراهَا إن ترومُ مدِيحَكم

تَتيهُ وتَزهُو من دَلالٍ وتَطرَبُ

تَتيهُ وتَزهُو من دَلالٍ وتَطرَبُ

Hence you see it, when it seeks to praise you,

Thus you see it, if it seeks to praise you,

Strutting and preening with coquettish pride, and thrilling with joy.

It wanders and revels in metaphors and rapture,

ولكنَّها سُرعانَ ما تَنثَنِي وقد

ولكنَّها سُرعانَ ما تَنثَنِي وقد

علاَ وجنتَيها باحمِرارٍ تَخَضُّبُ

علاَ وجنتَيها باحمِرارٍ تَخَضُّبُ

But it soon draws back, while already

But soon it recoils, with its cheeks

A red blush has risen over its cheeks.

Blushing red in embarrassment,

فابسِمُ منها حينَ أعلَمُ عجزَها

فابسِمُ منها حينَ أعلَمُ عجزَها

فَتُنحِي عليَّ باالملام وتَعتِبُ

فَتُنحِي عليَّ باالملام وتَعتِبُ

So I smile at it when I realize its helplessness,

So gently chide it when I know its incapacity,

Then it turns on me with blame and reproaches me.

And it will incline to me with guidance and reproach,

تقولُ تُريني النجمَ مِن فَلك العُلا

تقولُ تُريني النجمَ مِن فَلك العُلا

يشِعُّ شُعاعا دائِما ليسَ يَغرُبُ

يشِعُّ شُعاعا دائِما ليسَ يَغرُبُ

It says: You show me the star from the sphere of loftiness,

Saying, you show me a star in the expanse of the heavens,

Shining with constant radiance, never setting,

Beaming continuously, never setting,

وتُلزِمُني قولاً لِوَصفِه شاملا

وتُلزِمُني قولاً لِوَصفِه شاملا

أليسَ شُعاعُ الشَّمسِ للشُّهب يَحجُبُ

أليسَ شُعاعُ الشَّمسِ للشُّهب يَحجُبُ

And demand of me words that describe him fully.

And oblige me to describe it fully,

Does not the sun’s radiance hide the shooting stars?

Is not the sun's rays the veil of meteors?

نعم بينَنا بُعدٌ وبينَهُ شاسِع

نعم بينَنا بُعدٌ وبينَهُ شاسِع

وإن كانَ مِني بالتواضُع يَقرُبُ

وإن كانَ مِني بالتواضُع يَقرُبُ

Yes, a vast distance lies between us and him,

Yes between us is vast distance, and nearness to it

Though in humility he draws near to me.

Though with humility on my part it comes closer,

ولكن نَصُدُّ الطَّرفَ عنه مهَابةً

ولكن نَصُدُّ الطَّرفَ عنه مهَابةً

لدى القُربِ حتى إن به حقَّ مَركَبُ

لدى القُربِ حتى إن به حقَّ مَركَبُ

But we avert our gaze from him in awe

But we avert our eyes from it in awe

When near, even if through him a mount is assured.

When nearing, though it has the right of approach,

هُمَامٌ صِفاتُ المجدِ مِلكُ يَمينِه

هُمَامٌ صِفاتُ المجدِ مِلكُ يَمينِه

وَللِغيرِ أسماءٌ لها وتلَقَّبُ

وَللِغيرِ أسماءٌ لها وتلَقَّبُ

A magnanimous man: the qualities of glory belong to his right hand,

The attributes of Glory are the possession of the King,

While others have only names for them and adopted titles.

While names and epithets belong to others,

بِدارِ بَني المزوَارِ حيثُ نزيلُهم

بِدارِ بَني المزوَارِ حيثُ نزيلُهم

نَزيلٌ وروضُ الفضلِ منهم معشَّب

نَزيلٌ وروضُ الفضلِ منهم معشَّب

In the house of Banu al-Mizwar, where their guest

In the abode of the Beni Mozar, where he dwells,

Is a guest indeed, and through them the garden of bounty is lush.

A dweller, and the meadow of virtue is green from them.

أمولاي كم من نعمةٍ لك حُرَّةٍ

أمولاي كم من نعمةٍ لك حُرَّةٍ

علىَّ بها ما زالَ عَيشِىَ يَخصَبُ

علىَّ بها ما زالَ عَيشِىَ يَخصَبُ

O my lord, how many noble favors of yours

My Master, how many free bounties do you have

Have blessed me, through which my life keeps flourishing!

By which my life remains fertile,

إذا الشُّعَرا أثنَوا عليكَ فإنَّما

إذا الشُّعَرا أثنَوا عليكَ فإنَّما

ثَنَاء لَهُم ذاك الثَّناءُ المُطيِّبُ

ثَنَاء لَهُم ذاك الثَّناءُ المُطيِّبُ

When poets praise you, that is but

When the poets praise you, it is but

Praise for themselves—that praise which lends them fragrance.

Praise to them - that pleasing praise,

وهل في الورَى فردٌ فريدٌ مُهَذبٌ

وهل في الورَى فردٌ فريدٌ مُهَذبٌ

به يمدحُ الشِّعر الفريدُ المهذَّبُ

به يمدحُ الشِّعر الفريدُ المهذَّبُ

And is there among humankind a unique, refined man

Is there anyone in the world unique and refined,

Through whom unique, refined poetry is itself praised,

With whom poetry, itself unique and refined, praises?

سِواك الذي أحنَى له الدهرُ رأسَه

سِواك الذي أحنَى له الدهرُ رأسَه

لَكُم متنُه والحمدُ للهِ مَركَبُ

لَكُم متنُه والحمدُ للهِ مَركَبُ

Other than you, before whom Time has bowed its head?

Other than you, to whom time has bowed its head,

Its back is your mount—praise be to God.

Its text to you, and praise belongs to God carriage,

وليسَ سِوى الرحمانِ جلَّ جلالُه

وليسَ سِوى الرحمانِ جلَّ جلالُه

سيَجزيكَ عنِّي بالذي أنتَ تَطلُبُ

سيَجزيكَ عنِّي بالذي أنتَ تَطلُبُ

And none but the All-Merciful—exalted be His majesty—

And none but the Most Merciful, Majestic His Majesty,

Will reward you on my behalf with what you seek,

Will reward me for that which you seek,

لَه رافعا كفَّ الدُّعاءِ فإنَّه

لَه رافعا كفَّ الدُّعاءِ فإنَّه

سَميعُ دعاءٍ وهُو لِلعبدِ أقرَبُ

سَميعُ دعاءٍ وهُو لِلعبدِ أقرَبُ

As you raise to Him the palm of supplication; for He

To Him I raise my palms in supplication, He

Hears prayer, and He is nearer to the servant.

Hears the prayer, and to His servant He is nearer,