أَحَقُّmost deserving الأَياديbenefactions أَنto تُجَلَّbe honored وَتُعظَماand exalted
أَحَقُّ الأَيادي أَن تُجَلَّ وَتُعظَما
وَتُسلَكَand be strung فيaround الأَعناقِnecks سَمَطاًas a necklace وَتُنَظَّماand arranged
وَتُسلَكَ في الأَعناقِ سَمَطاً وَتُنَظَّما
The benefactions most deserving of honor and exaltation,
Are hands most deserving to be adorned and revered,
And of being strung about necks as necklaces and set in order,
And worn as necklaces, organized and esteemed?
وَتَلبِسُهاand clothe them الأَيّامُthe days حَلياًwith ornaments وَكِسوَةًand raiment
وَتَلبِسُها الأَيّامُ حَلياً وَكِسوَةً
وَتَسنيand prepare لَهاfor them الأَحقابُthe ages عيداًa feast وَمَوسِماand a festival
وَتَسني لَها الأَحقابُ عيداً وَمَوسِما
And of being clothed by the days in ornaments and raiment,
Should days dress them in jewelry and robes
And of having the ages prepare for them a feast and a festival,
And eras appoint for them holidays and seasons?
أَياديthe benefactions الأولىof those who كانواwere مَصابيحَlamps عَصرِهِمof their age
أَيادي الأولى كانوا مَصابيحَ عَصرِهِم
لِمُدَّرِعٍfor one wrapped لَيلاًin a night مِنَof الجَهلِignorance مُظلِماdark
لِمُدَّرِعٍ لَيلاً مِنَ الجَهلِ مُظلِما
Are the benefactions of those who were lamps of their age,
The first hands were lanterns of their time
For one wrapped in a dark night of ignorance;
Lighting the way at night for one clad in ignorance’ darkness.
وَمَنand those who أَوضَحواmade clear لِلحائِرينَfor the bewildered مَحَجَّةًa clear road
وَمَن أَوضَحوا لِلحائِرينَ مَحَجَّةً
فَسارواso they journeyed بِهِمwith them فيthrough العَيشِlife نَهجاًalong a path مُقَوِّماthat sets one straight
فَساروا بِهِم في العَيشِ نَهجاً مُقَوِّما
And of those who showed the bewildered a clear road,
They showed the lost the path to tread
Then led them through life along a path that sets one straight.
Guiding them through life on a straight course.
لَعَمريby my life إِذاwhen الأَعلامُthe luminaries قيسَتare measured جُهودُهاtheir efforts
لَعَمري إِذا الأَعلامُ قيسَت جُهودُها
وَكُلٌّand each أَتىcame عَمّاabout what فَراهُhe wrought it مُتَرجِماgiving an account
وَكُلٌّ أَتى عَمّا فَراهُ مُتَرجِما
By my life, when the luminaries' efforts are measured,
Truly if the famous were weighed by their works
And each comes to recount what he has wrought,
And each came with what they pioneered translated,
وَجاءَand came الكِرامُthe noble ones الكاتِبونَthe scribes فَقيدواso they recorded
وَجاءَ الكِرامُ الكاتِبونَ فَقيدوا
لِكُلِّfor every عِصامِيٍّself-made man حِساباًan account مُرَقَّماset down in figures
لِكُلِّ عِصامِيٍّ حِساباً مُرَقَّما
And the noble scribes come and set down
The generous writers would come to record
A reckoning in figures for every self-made man,
A numbered account for every excelling leader.
فَمَنthen who مِثلُlike عَبدُAbd (servant of) اللَهِAllah (God) فيin الشَرقِthe East عالَمٌa scholar
فَمَن مِثلُ عَبدُ اللَهِ في الشَرقِ عالَمٌ
لَهُhe has مِثلُthe like of مِنthose whom رَبّيhe nurtured وَرقىand uplifted وَعَلَماand taught
لَهُ مِثلُ مِن رَبّي وَرقى وَعَلَما
What scholar in the East, then, is like Abd Allah,
Who in the East resembles Abdullah, a scholar
With pupils to match those he nurtured, uplifted, and taught?
With no peer from my Lord in ascent or knowledge?
تَلاميذُهُhis pupils عَدُّas numerous as الحَصىthe pebbles وَتَراهُمand you see them
تَلاميذُهُ عَدُّ الحَصى وَتَراهُم
بُدوراًfull moons بِآفاقِon the horizons of البِلادِthe land وَأَنجُماand stars
بُدوراً بِآفاقِ البِلادِ وَأَنجُما
His pupils are as numerous as pebbles, and you see them
His students beyond count, you see them
As full moons upon the land's horizons, and as stars.
As constellations across horizons and stars.
أَفاضَhe poured forth عَلىover الأَرجاءِthe regions عِلمٌknowledge عَلِمَهُhe mastered it
أَفاضَ عَلى الأَرجاءِ عِلمٌ عَلِمَهُ
فَعَجَّso it roared وَمَنand who لِلبَحرِfor the sea كَقفوَa match (apparently intended) إِذاwhen طَمىit overflowed
فَعَجَّ وَمَن لِلبَحرِ كَقفوَ إِذا طَمى
He poured over the lands the knowledge he had mastered,
Knowledge he taught poured over regions
And it roared—who can match the sea when it overflows?
Overflowing, and who can dam the sea's swell?
وَبَثَّand he spread لِسانُthe tongue of العَرَبِthe Arabs خَمسينَfifty حَجَّةًyears
وَبَثَّ لِسانُ العَرَبِ خَمسينَ حَجَّةً
يُقَوِّمُhe straightens مُنآداًwhat is crooked وَيُوَضِّحُand clarifies مُبهَماwhat is obscure
يُقَوِّمُ مُنآداً وَيُوَضِّحُ مُبهَما
And for fifty years he spread the Arabs' tongue,
The Arab tongue he armed with fifty proofs
Straightening what was crooked and clarifying what was obscure.
To straighten what leans and clarify the ambiguous.
وَسَلَّand he drew سُيوفاًswords مِنfrom قَرابِthe sheath of دِماغِهِhis brain
وَسَلَّ سُيوفاً مِن قَرابِ دِماغِهِ
فَفَلَّso he routed بِهاwith them اللَحنَgrammatical error جَيشاًan army عَرَمرَماvast
فَفَلَّ بِها اللَحنَ جَيشاً عَرَمرَما
And drew swords from his brain's sheath,
From his mind’s orb unsheathed swords
Then with them routed the vast army of grammatical error.
That routed the forces of grammatical error in disarray.
وَمَنand whoever يَبتَذِلexpends freely فيin خِدمَةِthe service of العِلمِknowledge نَفسَهُhimself
وَمَن يَبتَذِل في خِدمَةِ العِلمِ نَفسَهُ
فَأَجدَرَthen most deserving بِأَنof يَغدوbecoming عَزيزاًesteemed مُكَرَّماhonored
فَأَجدَرَ بِأَن يَغدو عَزيزاً مُكَرَّما
And whoever gives himself unstintingly to the service of knowledge
Whoever humbles himself serving knowledge
Most deserves to become esteemed and honored.
Is most deserving to live honored and cherished.
رَقىhe ascended مِنamong ذَرىthe peaks of التَحقيقِrigorous inquiry فيin النَحوِgrammar ذَروَةًa summit
رَقى مِن ذَرى التَحقيقِ في النَحوِ ذَروَةً
يُقَصِّرُfall short عَنهاof it مَنthose who مَضىpassed away وَتَقَدَّماand went before
يُقَصِّرُ عَنها مَن مَضى وَتَقَدَّما
He rose among the peaks of grammatical inquiry to a summit
He climbed the summit of investigative grammar
Beyond the reach of those who passed away and went before.
Beyond what predecessors attained and surpassed.
فَلَوthen if كانَhe had لاقىmet سيبَويهِSibawayh وَرَهطَهُand his circle
فَلَو كانَ لاقى سيبَويهِ وَرَهطَهُ
لَعادَwould become لَعَمريby my life سيبَويهSibawayh اِبنُson of أَعجَماa foreigner
لَعادَ لَعَمري سيبَويه اِبنُ أَعجَما
Had he met Sibawayh and his circle,
Had he met Sibawayh and his group
Sibawayh would, by my life, have become a foreigner's son,
Sibawayh, by my life, would be the foreigner!
وَلَمand not يَكُنwould be ذِياكَthat الكِتابَthe Book مَرجَباvenerated
وَلَم يَكُن ذِياكَ الكِتابَ مَرجَبا
وَرائَحَةُand the scent of التُفّاحِapples لَمnot تَكُwould be مَغَنماa prize
وَرائَحَةُ التُفّاحِ لَم تَكُ مَغَنما
And that Book would not have been revered,
That book of his would not have been so wondrous
Nor would the scent of apples have been a prize.
Nor would the apple's scent have been so sweet.
وَلَوand if كانَhad been فيin العَصرِthe age القَديمِancient مَجيئَهُhis coming
وَلَو كانَ في العَصرِ القَديمِ مَجيئَهُ
لَفَتَّhe would crush بِعَينِin the eye of الجحِظِal-Jahiz العَينِthe eminent one حَصرَماunripe grapes
لَفَتَّ بِعَينِ الجحِظِ العَينِ حَصرَما
Had his coming been in ancient times,
Had his coming been in ancient times
He would have crushed sour grapes in the eye of the eminent al-Jahiz.
He would have dazzled al-Jahiz’s very eyes.
وَأَصبَحَand would become مَعَهُbeside him الفارِسِيُّal-Farisi وَاِبنُand Ibn (son of) فارِسٍFaris
وَأَصبَحَ مَعَهُ الفارِسِيُّ وَاِبنُ فارِسٍ
وَقَدand already بَرَّئتَhad dissociated itself تِلكَthat الفَراسَةِdiscernment مِنهُماfrom them both
وَقَد بَرَّئتَ تِلكَ الفَراسَةِ مِنهُما
And beside him al-Farisi and Ibn Faris would have stood,
Al-Farisi and ibn Faris would be with him
With discernment having disowned them both.
While you exonerated them of such perception.
لَباتَتwould lodge overnight بِأَحشاءِin the entrails of المُبرَدِal-Mubarrad غُلَّةًa burning thirst
لَباتَت بِأَحشاءِ المُبرَدِ غُلَّةً
وَكادَand almost اِبنُIbn (son of) جَنِيٍّJinni يُجِنُّwould go mad تَأَلُّماin anguish
وَكادَ اِبنُ جَنِيٍّ يُجِنُّ تَأَلُّما
A burning thirst would have lodged in al-Mubarrad's entrails,
Doubt would have lodged in al-Mubarrad's mind
And Ibn Jinni would nearly have gone mad with pain.
And ibn Janni would have fretted in agony.
وَصارَand would become اِبنُIbn (son of) عُصفورَUsfur (sparrow) مَهيَضاًbroken جَناحَهُhis wing
وَصارَ اِبنُ عُصفورَ مَهيَضاً جَناحَهُ
وَلَوand even if كانَhe had قَبلَbefore اليَومِtoday طارَflown إِلىto السَماthe sky
وَلَو كانَ قَبلَ اليَومِ طارَ إِلى السَما
And Ibn Usfur would have had his wing broken,
Ibn ‘Usfur would have folded his wings
Even if before today he had flown to the sky.
Though before today he flew to the heavens.
وَلَوand if ناظَروهُthey debated him فيon الفَرائِدِrare gems مَرَّةًonce
وَلَو ناظَروهُ في الفَرائِدِ مَرَّةً
رَأَواthey would see مِنof عُلاهُhis eminence ماwhat يَفوقُsurpasses التَوَهُّماimagination
رَأَوا مِن عُلاهُ ما يَفوقُ التَوَهُّما
Had they debated him once on rare gems of learning,
Had they debated him just once
They would have seen in his eminence what exceeds imagination.
They would have seen wonders beyond imagining.
وَأَصبَحَand would become مَعَهُbeside him المَجدُal-Majd قَدalready قَلَّdiminished مَجدَهُhis glory
وَأَصبَحَ مَعَهُ المَجدُ قَد قَلَّ مَجدَهُ
وَآبَand would return صِحاحُthe Sihah الجَوهَرِيُّof al-Jawhari مِثلَماflawed
وَآبَ صِحاحُ الجَوهَرِيُّ مِثلَما
And beside him al-Majd would have had his glory diminished,
Glory beside him is lesser
And al-Jawhari's Sihah would have come away flawed.
And Sihah al-Jawhari has declined like him.
وَلَوand if كانَhad جارُJar (neighbor of) اللَهِAllah (God) جاراهُvied with him بَذَّهُhe outstripped him
وَلَو كانَ جارُ اللَهِ جاراهُ بَذَّهُ
وَماand not اِفتَخَرَتwould boast مِنهُof him زَمَخشَرُZamakhshar بِاِنتِماof affiliation
وَما اِفتَخَرَت مِنهُ زَمَخشَرُ بِاِنتِما
Had Jar Allah vied with him, he would have been outdone,
Had al-Zamakhshari been his peer it would distress him
Nor would Zamakhshar have boasted of his connection to it.
For he never boasted having outdone him.
لَقَدindeed سَعِدتُwas blessed مِنهُthrough him العُروبَةُArabness بِالَّذيby the way that
لَقَد سَعِدتُ مِنهُ العُروبَةُ بِالَّذي
تَوَلَّهُhe was enraptured فيهاwith it مُستَهاماًlovesick مُتَيَّماenthralled
تَوَلَّهُ فيها مُستَهاماً مُتَيَّما
Indeed, Arabness was blessed in him for the way
With him, pride in Arabic was given such
He was enraptured with it, lovesick and enthralled.
As he selflessly desired and sought.
وَثارَتand arose لَهُwithin him فيin نَصرِchampioning أُمَّةِthe nation of يَعرُبٍYa'rub
وَثارَت لَهُ في نَصرِ أُمَّةِ يَعرُبٍ
عَزائِمَresolves of شَوقٍlonging خالَطَthat mingled with اللَحمَflesh وَالدَماand blood
عَزائِمَ شَوقٍ خالَطَ اللَحمَ وَالدَما
And there stirred in him, in championing Ya'rub's nation,
For the nation of eloquence, zeal rose in him
Resolves of longing that mingled with flesh and blood.
Mixed with flesh and blood in fervent passion.
قَضىhe spent عُمرُهُhis life سَيفاًas a sword يَقِدُcleaving عَداتَهاits enemies
قَضى عُمرُهُ سَيفاً يَقِدُ عَداتَها
فَيَرميso he hurls بِهِمthem down شَلواًa severed limb فَشَلواًthen another limb مُقَسَّماdismembered
فَيَرمي بِهِم شَلواً فَشَلواً مُقَسَّما
He spent his life a sword cleaving its enemies,
His life he spent as a sword leading its strikes
Casting them down, dismembered, limb after limb.
Throwing them into disarray cloven and partitioned.
يُبَلِّجُhe makes shine مِنfrom أَنوارِهاits lights كُلَّevery ساطِعٍshining ray
يُبَلِّجُ مِن أَنوارِها كُلَّ ساطِعٍ
وَقَدand may يُنكِرُdeny الأَنوارَthe lights مِنwhoever رِزقِwas granted العَمىblindness
وَقَد يُنكِرُ الأَنوارَ مِن رِزقِ العَمى
He makes every bright ray of its light shine forth,
Dazzling the vision of any shining light
Yet those granted blindness may deny the lights.
Though the blind may reject the light’s provision.
وَيَكشِفُand uncovers عَنfrom أَسرارِهاits secrets كُلَّevery غامِضٍobscurity
وَيَكشِفُ عَن أَسرارِها كُلَّ غامِضٍ
عَلَيهِover it حِجابُthe veil of الجَهلِignorance كانَhad been مُخَيِّماhanging
عَلَيهِ حِجابُ الجَهلِ كانَ مُخَيِّما
And uncovers every obscurity among its secrets,
Revealing the essence of each obscurity
Over which the veil of ignorance had hung.
Veiled by the cloud of ignorance it was shrouded in.
فَماso never عَنَّappeared فيon يَومِa day شُعوبِيُّan anti-Arab partisan فِرقَةٍof a faction
فَما عَنَّ في يَومِ شُعوبِيُّ فِرقَةٍ
لِمُنقَصَةٍto disparage إِلّاexcept وَخَلاهُand he left him مَلجَماbridled
لِمُنقَصَةٍ إِلّا وَخَلاهُ مَلجَما
No Shu'ubi of any faction ever appeared
Never on a day of discord did he belong
To disparage it without being left bridled by him.
To a detracting group, except to bridle them.
وَماand never لاحَappeared قَرنُthe horn of القَرنِa rival إِلّاexcept اِنبَرىhe sprang forth لَهُto confront him
وَما لاحَ قَرنُ القَرنِ إِلّا اِنبَرى لَهُ
بِرَميِwith the shooting of الَّذيone who يَصميkills outright لِعُمريby my life إِذاwhen رَمىhe shoots
بِرَميِ الَّذي يَصمي لِعُمري إِذا رَمى
And no rival's horn appeared but he sprang to face him,
Each generation found him rising
With the shot of one who, by my life, kills outright when he shoots.
To shoot arrows that pierce, by my life, when shot.
فَلَوthen if شاءَتwished الفُصحىeloquent Arabic وَفاءَrepayment for جِهادَهُhis striving
فَلَو شاءَت الفُصحى وَفاءَ جِهادَهُ
لَنَصَتَit would raise لَهُfor him فَوقَabove السَماكينَthe two Simak stars مِجثَماa perch
لَنَصَتَ لَهُ فَوقَ السَماكينَ مِجثَما
If eloquent Arabic wished to repay his striving,
If Arabic wished to repay his struggle
It would raise for him a perch above the two Simak stars.
It would erect for him above the heavens a minbar.
فَمَنthen who لِلأُلىfor those who مِثليlike me اِرتَوَواdrank their fill مِنfrom مَعينِهِhis spring
فَمَن لِلأُلى مِثلي اِرتَوَوا مِن مَعينِهِ
بِأَنto يَنقَعواquench مِنby ذِكرِrecalling مَعروفِهِhis kindness الظَماthirst
بِأَن يَنقَعوا مِن ذِكرِ مَعروفِهِ الظَما
Who, then, will help those who, like me, drank their fill from his spring
So who can blame me, having drunk my fill
To quench their thirst by recalling his kindness?
From his spring, to overflow with his renowned mention?
عَرَفناwe acknowledged لَهُin him فَضلاًbounty عَلَيناtoward us وَمِنَّةًand favor
عَرَفنا لَهُ فَضلاً عَلَينا وَمِنَّةً
وَلَمand not يَكُwas ماwhat نَرعاهُwe uphold عَهداًa pledge مُذَمَّماblameworthy
وَلَم يَكُ ما نَرعاهُ عَهداً مُذَمَّما
We have acknowledged his bounty toward us and his favor,
We knew his merit and favor to us
And the pledge we uphold has not been a dishonorable one.
With no repayment made or pact agreed upon.
وَماand not أَناI إِلّاexcept مَنone who تَلَقَىreceived بِضاعَةًmerchandise
وَما أَنا إِلّا مَن تَلَقَى بِضاعَةً
فَنَمَّقَthen embellished مِنهاsome of it جَهدَwith the effort of مُعيٍa weary man وَنَمنَماand embroidered
فَنَمَّقَ مِنها جَهدَ مُعيٍ وَنَمنَما
I am no more than one who received some wares,
I am but one who received goods
Then embellished and embroidered some of them with a weary man's effort.
And gleaned as much as my strength and business would allow.
وَماand not الفَضلُthe credit إِلّاexcept لِلقَساميto the cloth dealer عِندَماwhen
وَما الفَضلُ إِلّا لِلقَسامي عِندَما
يَرانيsee me الوَرىpeople دَبَّجتَI embroidered بَرداًa cloak مُسَهَّماarrow-patterned
يَراني الوَرى دَبَّجتَ بَرداً مُسَهَّما
The credit belongs only to the cloth dealer when
Merit belongs to the Giver
People see that I have embroidered an arrow-patterned cloak.
When people see me clad in a patchwork coat.
وَماand not هُوَit إِلّاexcept بَعضَa part of مَرجوعِthe echo of صَوتِهِhis voice
وَما هُوَ إِلّا بَعضَ مَرجوعِ صَوتِهِ
وَتَقليدُand an imitation of ماwhat قَدalready كانَhad جادَgiven generously وَأَنعَماand bestowed favors
وَتَقليدُ ما قَد كانَ جادَ وَأَنعَما
It is merely a little echo of his voice,
It is but an echo of his voice
And an imitation of what he had generously given and bestowed.
And mimicry of one who was generous and bestowed.
حَنانيكَyour forbearance أُستاذَteacher of الأَساتيذِteachers إِنَّناindeed we
حَنانيكَ أُستاذَ الأَساتيذِ إِنَّنا
جَميعاًall together نُحَيِّsalute فيكَin you مِنthe one who شَرَّفَennobled الحِمىthe homeland
جَميعاً نُحَيِّ فيكَ مِن شَرَّفَ الحِمى
Be gracious, teacher of teachers, for we
O teacher of teachers, we all salute you
All salute in you the one who ennobled the homeland.
As the most honorable fever's refuge.
وَلَوand if أَنصَفَتكَhad treated you fairly العَرَبُthe Arabs لَمnot يَبقَwould remain مُعرِبُan eloquent Arabic speaker
وَلَو أَنصَفَتكَ العَرَبُ لَم يَبقَ مُعرِبُ
عَلىon سَطحِهاits surface إشلأّاexcept (corrupt spelling) أَتاكَcame to you مُسَلَّماoffering greetings
عَلى سَطحِها إشلأّا أَتاكَ مُسَلَّما
Had the Arabs treated you justly, no speaker of pure Arabic would remain
Had the Arabs been fair to you no Arab
On the face of the earth without coming to salute you.
Would remain on its surface but came submitting to you.
وَلَوand if كانَhad لُبنانَLebanon يوفيكَrendered you in full شُكرُهُits thanks
وَلَو كانَ لُبنانَ يوفيكَ شُكرُهُ
لَأَوشَكَwould almost فيهِwithin it الصَخرُthe rock أَنto يَتَكَلَّماspeak
لَأَوشَكَ فيهِ الصَخرُ أَن يَتَكَلَّما
Had Lebanon rendered you its thanks in full,
Had Lebanon properly given you thanks
The rock within it would almost have spoken.
Nearly every boulder in it would speak!
تَقَبَّلَaccept ثَناءَpraise لَوif غَداit became رَملُthe sands of عالِجٍAlij
تَقَبَّلَ ثَناءَ لَو غَدا رَملُ عالِجٍ
بِكَثرَتِهِin its abundance لِمَnot نوفِwe would fulfill حَقّاًa due مُحَتَّماbinding
بِكَثرَتِهِ لِمَ نوفِ حَقّاً مُحَتَّما
Accept praise: were it to become the sands of Alij,
You accepted praise that, had it been grains of sand,
In all their abundance, we would not discharge our binding debt.
Would not fulfill your right even heaped and piled.
وَقابَلَand receive بِغَضِّwith lowering of الطَرفِthe gaze مَيسورٍthe modest offering of وامِقٍa loving admirer
وَقابَلَ بِغَضِّ الطَرفِ مَيسورٍ وامِقٍ
قُصارىthe utmost of مُناهُhis wishes أَنthat تَعيشَyou live وَتَسَلَّماand remain safe
قُصارى مُناهُ أَن تَعيشَ وَتَسَلَّما
And receive, with eyes lowered in indulgence, a loving admirer's modest offering,
You met deficient, blundering criticism
Whose utmost wish is that you live and remain safe.
With no more than living and being safe.
Sol 6.1