وَوَفاكَ وفد الشُّكرِ من كُلَّ وَجهَةٍ

وَوَفاكَ وفد الشُّكرِ من كُلَّ وَجهَةٍ

ثناءٌ يُسَدَّى أو مَديحٌ يُنظَّمُ

ثناءٌ يُسَدَّى أو مَديحٌ يُنظَّمُ

And delegations of gratitude came to you from every quarter—

And the delegation of gratitude has come to you from every direction:

praise bestowed, or panegyric fashioned into verse—

Praise offered, or a panegyric composed in verse.

يزفُّ إلى الأسماع كلَّ خريدةٍ

يزفُّ إلى الأسماع كلَّ خريدةٍ

تكادُ إذا ما أُنشدَت تتبَسَّمُ

تكادُ إذا ما أُنشدَت تتبَسَّمُ

bringing to the ears every maidenly poem

It ushers to the ears each fair maiden of verse,

that almost smiles when it is recited.

Who almost smiles whenever she is recited.

أطافت بها الأفكارُ حتى تركنها

أطافت بها الأفكارُ حتى تركنها

يُقَالَ أأبياتٌ تَرَاها أو أنُجمُ

يُقَالَ أأبياتٌ تَرَاها أو أنُجمُ

Thoughts circled about her until they left her

Thoughts circled about her until they left her such that

such that one asks, “Are these verses you behold, or stars?”

One asks: “Are these verses you see, or stars?”

وتشرفُ أحسابُ الكلامِ وتكرَمُ

وتشرفُ أحسابُ الكلامِ وتكرَمُ

Thus the pedigrees of speech are ennobled and honored.

And the pedigrees of speech gain nobility and honor.

كفى الدهر علماً أن

كفى الدهر علماً أن

شهادة أهل الدَّهرِ أنِّك منهُمُ

شهادة أهل الدَّهرِ أنِّك منهُمُ

For Time, it is knowledge enough that

It is enough for the age to know that

the testimony of Time’s own people declares you one of them.

The people of the age testify that you are one of them.

نُباهي بك اللأفلاكَ مجداً ورتبةً

نُباهي بك اللأفلاكَ مجداً ورتبةً

فهنَّ بُروجٌ والمكارمُ أنجمُ

فهنَّ بُروجٌ والمكارمُ أنجمُ

Through you we vie with the celestial spheres in glory and rank:

Through you we rival the celestial spheres in glory and rank,

they are constellations, while noble virtues are stars.

For they are towers, and noble deeds are stars.

أرى الشمسَ قد ذرَّت ضياءً كأَنَّما

أرى الشمسَ قد ذرَّت ضياءً كأَنَّما

يَلوحُ عليها باسمك الفَردِ مَيسَمُ

يَلوحُ عليها باسمك الفَردِ مَيسَمُ

I see the sun spreading its radiance, as though

I see the sun has scattered radiance, as though

the unique seal of your name gleamed upon it.

A brand bearing your peerless name gleams upon it.

تكاَملَ فيه الخلقُ والخُلقُ وانتمى

تكاَملَ فيه الخلقُ والخُلقُ وانتمى

به الملكُ والبيتُ الأصيل المقدَّمُ

به الملكُ والبيتُ الأصيل المقدَّمُ

In him, form and character attained perfection, and through him

In him, form and character reached perfection; and there rose

royalty and the ancient, foremost house claimed their lineage.

Through him kingship and the ancient, preeminent house.

وغايةُ شكري أن أكلِّفَ خاطري

وغايةُ شكري أن أكلِّفَ خاطري

مُحَبَّرةً لا تُستطالُ فُتسأمُ

مُحَبَّرةً لا تُستطالُ فُتسأمُ

The utmost of my gratitude is to task my mind with

And the utmost of my gratitude is to task my imagination

a finely wrought poem, not so lengthy as to weary;

With a finely wrought poem, not so long as to weary.

إذا أُنشِدتَ لم يبقَ عضوٌ لفاضلٍ

إذا أُنشِدتَ لم يبقَ عضوٌ لفاضلٍ

من الناسِ إلا وَدَّ لو أَنَّه فَمُ

من الناسِ إلا وَدَّ لو أَنَّه فَمُ

when it is recited, no limb of any person of merit

When it is recited to you, every limb of a worthy person

but wishes that it were a mouth.

Among humankind wishes it were a mouth.