أعطيت رتبتك الأولى فما عظمت

أعطيت رتبتك الأولى فما عظمت

عليك لكنها سادت بذي عِظَمِ

عليك لكنها سادت بذي عِظَمِ

You were granted your foremost rank, yet it did not tower above you;

You were granted your first rank, yet it was not too great

rather, the rank itself was ennobled through a man of greatness.

For you; rather, it gained eminence through a man of greatness.

فأنت من قبل توزيع المناصب في

فأنت من قبل توزيع المناصب في

أعلى المراتب ممدوحٌ من الأمم

أعلى المراتب ممدوحٌ من الأمم

For even before offices were allotted, you stood among

For even before posts were allotted, you were in

the highest ranks, praised by all peoples.

The highest ranks, praised by the nations.

ما استعظم الناس إلّا مثلها مُنحت

ما استعظم الناس إلّا مثلها مُنحت

لخاملٍ لا يساوي موضع القدم

لخاملٍ لا يساوي موضع القدم

The people found nothing shocking except that such a rank was bestowed

People thought a rank like it too great only when it was granted

upon an obscure nobody not worth the space a foot occupies.

To an obscure man not worth the space a foot occupies.

لا تعجبن لهذا الجمع بينكما

لا تعجبن لهذا الجمع بينكما

فالبحر يجمع بين الدر والرمم

فالبحر يجمع بين الدر والرمم

Do not marvel that the two of you have been joined:

Do not marvel at this joining of you two:

the sea gathers both pearls and rotting remains.

For the sea brings together pearls and decayed bones.

إن الجبال طيور الجو تسكنها

إن الجبال طيور الجو تسكنها

والفرق يعرف بين الباز والرخم

والفرق يعرف بين الباز والرخم

Indeed, the mountains are inhabited by the birds of the sky,

Indeed, the birds of the air dwell in the mountains,

yet the difference between falcon and vulture is known.

Yet the difference between hawk and vulture is known.