توسَّعَ دَهْرٌ لم يَضق بك وُسْعُه

توسَّعَ دَهْرٌ لم يَضق بك وُسْعُه

على أَنّ أهلَ الذكر دونك والدهر

على أَنّ أهلَ الذكر دونك والدهر

Time has grown spacious; its breadth was not too narrow for you,

Time has expanded, yet its breadth cannot contain you,

though men of renown, and Time itself, stand beneath you.

Though people of remembrance are less than you, and time itself.

اُجِلّ مَعَدّاً أن أقولَ كأنه

اُجِلّ مَعَدّاً أن أقولَ كأنه

وأُكْبِره عن أن يُحيطَ بهِ الشعر

وأُكْبِره عن أن يُحيطَ بهِ الشعر

I revere Maʿadd too much to say, 'He is like ...',

Delay the eulogy, that I may say he is as though

and deem him too great for poetry to encompass him.

And exalt him beyond what poetry can encompass.

وقالوا منَ الشمس انتضى البدرُ نورَه

وقالوا منَ الشمس انتضى البدرُ نورَه

ولو علِموا قالوا هو الشمس والبدر

ولو علِموا قالوا هو الشمس والبدر

And they said the full moon drew its light from the sun;

They said the full moon borrows its light from the sun,

had they known, they would have said: he is the sun and the full moon.

Had they but known, they would have said he is both sun and moon.

ولو أَنَّهُمْ بالبحر قاسوا نَوالَه

ولو أَنَّهُمْ بالبحر قاسوا نَوالَه

لما اختلفوا في أنّ نائِلَة البحر

لما اختلفوا في أنّ نائِلَة البحر

And had they measured his bounty against the sea,

Had they gauged his outpouring by the sea,

they would not have disagreed that the sea is one gift of his.

They would not have disputed that the sea depends on him.

ولو عاين القَطْرُ انهِمالَ يمينِه

ولو عاين القَطْرُ انهِمالَ يمينِه

إذا جاد ما أَثْنَى على نفسِه القَطْر

إذا جاد ما أَثْنَى على نفسِه القَطْر

And had the rain beheld his right hand's outpouring,

Had a shower witnessed the incline of his right hand

when he gave generously, the rain would not have praised itself.

When he is generous, it would not praise itself as rain.

ولو أَنه في الحرب أَعْملَ رَأيَهُ

ولو أَنه في الحرب أَعْملَ رَأيَهُ

لما نفعتْ بيضُ الظُّبا والقنا السُمْر

لما نفعتْ بيضُ الظُّبا والقنا السُمْر

And had he brought his judgment to bear in war,

Had he strategized in war,

white sword-edges and brown spears would have been of no use.

The onslaught of white blades and spears would have been in vain.

ولمَّا بلوتُ الناس ثم انتهيتُه

ولمَّا بلوتُ الناس ثم انتهيتُه

حللتُ بمن يعلو به الخبَرَ الخُبْرُ

حللتُ بمن يعلو به الخبَرَ الخُبْرُ

And when I had tested people, then reached him,

When I tested mankind and recognized its elite,

I alighted with one in whom firsthand experience surpasses report.

I found none but you rise above the rest.

أرى كلّ أَرضٍ لستَ فيها كأنها

أرى كلّ أَرضٍ لستَ فيها كأنها

عليَ ظلامٌ دامسٌ ماله فجر

عليَ ظلامٌ دامسٌ ماله فجر

I see every land where you are not as though it were

I see every land where you are not

a pitch-black darkness upon me, with no dawn.

To be darkness without dawn.

ولو لم يُفرِّج عن فؤاديَ غُمَّةً

ولو لم يُفرِّج عن فؤاديَ غُمَّةً

كتابُك لاستولى على مهجتي الفكر

كتابُك لاستولى على مهجتي الفكر

And had distress not been lifted from my heart

Had your letter not relieved my heart's gloom,

by your letter, brooding would have seized my soul.

Worry would have dominated my thoughts.

على أنني ممن يراك بحالةٍ

على أنني ممن يراك بحالةٍ

يُقَصِّر عنها المدحُ والحمدُ والشكرُ

يُقَصِّر عنها المدحُ والحمدُ والشكرُ

Yet I am among those who behold you in a state

Yet I am one who sees you in a state

beyond the reach of praise, acclaim, and gratitude.

Too lofty for praise, thanks or gratitude.