سأختارُ من حُرِّ الكلام قصيدةً

سأختارُ من حُرِّ الكلام قصيدةً

لِفتحِ بن خاقانٍ تفوقُ القصائدا

لِفتحِ بن خاقانٍ تفوقُ القصائدا

I shall choose from the noblest speech a poem

I shall choose a poem from the finest speech,

for al-Fath ibn Khaqan, surpassing every other poem—

for Fath ibn Khaqan, surpassing all other poems.

يَلَذُّ بأفواهِ الرُّواهِ نَشيدُها

يَلَذُّ بأفواهِ الرُّواهِ نَشيدُها

وَيُشنا بها من كانَ للِفتحِ حاسدا

وَيُشنا بها من كانَ للِفتحِ حاسدا

its recitation sweet upon the mouths of transmitters,

Its recitation is sweet in the mouths of reciters,

and through it whoever envied al-Fath is despised.

and through it, whoever envied Fath is loathed.

لَعَمرُك إنَّ الفتحَ مُذ كانَ يافعاً

لَعَمرُك إنَّ الفتحَ مُذ كانَ يافعاً

ليَسمو إلى أَعلى ذُرى المجدِ صاعدا

ليَسمو إلى أَعلى ذُرى المجدِ صاعدا

By your life, ever since al-Fath was a youth,

By your life, ever since Fath was a youth,

he has aspired to climb the loftiest peaks of glory.

he has indeed soared upward to glory’s loftiest peaks.

قريعُ المَوالي سادَ في خمس عشرة

قريعُ المَوالي سادَ في خمس عشرة

موالي بني العبّاسِ لم يُبقِ واحدا

موالي بني العبّاسِ لم يُبقِ واحدا

A paragon of high honor, at fifteen he became foremost among

Foremost among the clients, at fifteen he outshone

the retainers of the Abbasid house; not one remained his equal.

the clients of the house of Abbas, leaving not one unsurpassed.

وبذّهم طُرّاً ندىً وشجاعةً

وبذّهم طُرّاً ندىً وشجاعةً

فألقَوا إليهِ مُذعنينَ المقالدا

فألقَوا إليهِ مُذعنينَ المقالدا

He outstripped them all in generosity and courage,

And he outstripped them all in generosity and courage,

so they submissively yielded him the reins of power.

so, submitting, they cast the keys to him.