إليك من الفتاح يا عبده البشرا

إليك من الفتاح يا عبده البشرا

فقد وعد الرحمن من صبروا أجرا

فقد وعد الرحمن من صبروا أجرا

To you come glad tidings from the Opener, O Abduh.

To you from Al-Fattah, O servant of good tidings

For the All-Merciful has promised a reward to those who endure.

For God has promised those who are patient a reward

وأنت كريم لا تضام وانما

وأنت كريم لا تضام وانما

ترى بعد هذا الأمر من ربك النصرا

ترى بعد هذا الأمر من ربك النصرا

And you are noble and will not be wronged; rather,

And you are generous, you do no injustice

after this affair, you will see victory from your Lord.

And after this matter you will see victory from your Lord

الست الحمادي الذي عم فضله

الست الحمادي الذي عم فضله

جميع ذوي الحاجات فاغتنم الشكرا

جميع ذوي الحاجات فاغتنم الشكرا

Are you not al-Hammadi, whose bounty has embraced

You are Al Hamadi whose virtues have spread

all those in need? Then reap their gratitude.

To all people in need, so be thankful

لقد جل مقدار الذي قد صنعته

لقد جل مقدار الذي قد صنعته

من الخير في الدنيا فسدت الورى قدرا

من الخير في الدنيا فسدت الورى قدرا

Indeed, immense is the worth of what you have done

Indeed your good deeds in this life are great

of good in this world; thus you surpassed humankind in stature.

You have mended the land, and raised its worth

فيا سيدا لا زلت في الناس سيدا

فيا سيدا لا زلت في الناس سيدا

فآباؤك السادات كانوا بهم غرا

فآباؤك السادات كانوا بهم غرا

So, O master, may you always remain a master among people.

O master, you remain master over people

For your forefathers, the lords, were illustrious among them.

Your noble fathers were leaders of virtue

وأنت سماء الجود والمجد والعلى

وأنت سماء الجود والمجد والعلى

وانجالك الانجاب كل غدا بدرا

وانجالك الانجاب كل غدا بدرا

And you are the sky of generosity, glory, and eminence,

You are the sky of generosity, glory, and highness

and each of your noble sons has become a full moon.

And your children each morning shine like the full moon

اضاءت بلاد الشرق والغرب كلها

اضاءت بلاد الشرق والغرب كلها

بنور مزاياك الحسان ولا فخرا

بنور مزاياك الحسان ولا فخرا

All the lands of the East and West have shone

The lands of East and West are all illuminated

with the light of your beautiful qualities—and this is no boast.

By the light of your beautiful virtues, do not boast

ومن رام إطفاء لنورك قل له

ومن رام إطفاء لنورك قل له

ابى الله إلا ان يتم الأثقرا

ابى الله إلا ان يتم الأثقرا

And whoever seeks to extinguish your light, tell him:

And whoever tries to extinguish your light, tell him

God wills nothing but to complete [unclear word in the source].

God refuses but to perfect His light

وما ضر شمس الأفق حجب ضيائها

وما ضر شمس الأفق حجب ضيائها

ببعض غمام مر عنها وما ضرا

ببعض غمام مر عنها وما ضرا

Nor did the veiling of its radiance harm the sun on the horizon,

The sun at dawn is not harmed by blocking its rays

by some cloud that passed away from it and did no harm.

With passing clouds that cannot cause it damage

فطالع حديث الفضل من آل برمك

فطالع حديث الفضل من آل برمك

تجده على الفعل الجميل اكتسى قهرا

تجده على الفعل الجميل اكتسى قهرا

So read the story of al-Fadl of the house of Barmak:

Read the discourse of virtue from the house of Barmak

you will find him clothed in oppression for his noble deeds.

You will find it clothed in good deeds, forcefully prevailing

ولكن له ذكر جميل مؤبدٌ

ولكن له ذكر جميل مؤبدٌ

وحسن جزاء عند ربكفي الأخرا

وحسن جزاء عند ربكفي الأخرا

Yet he has a fair remembrance that lasts forever,

But it has an eternal, beautiful remembrance

and a fine reward with your Lord in the Hereafter.

And a good reward from your Lord in the end

فلو كانت الأقوال تخفض ذاعلا

فلو كانت الأقوال تخفض ذاعلا

لصار هلال الأفق من قولهم ظفرا

لصار هلال الأفق من قولهم ظفرا

For if words could lower one of lofty rank,

If words could lessen a doer

the horizon's crescent would become a fingernail through their words.

The crescent moon would turn from their words a dissident

ومهما يقل للدر فهو مكرم

ومهما يقل للدر فهو مكرم

ومهما يقل للتبن لا يلحق التبرا

ومهما يقل للتبن لا يلحق التبرا

And whatever is said of the pearl, it remains prized,

No matter how little is said of a pearl it is still noble

and whatever is said of straw, it does not equal raw gold.

And no matter how little is said of straw it does not attain purity

يحبك آل الفضل في كل بلدة

يحبك آل الفضل في كل بلدة

وقد قلدوا نعماك من مدحهم شعرا

وقد قلدوا نعماك من مدحهم شعرا

People of merit love you in every town,

The house of virtue loves you in every town

and have garlanded your favors with verses of their praise.

And they have made your favors into eulogizing poetry

وأنت حري بالمديح الذي غدا

وأنت حري بالمديح الذي غدا

تسير به الركبان برا كذا بحرا

تسير به الركبان برا كذا بحرا

And you are worthy of the praise that now

And you are worthy of the praise that has become

travellers carry by land and likewise by sea.

A means by which travelers journey by land and sea

وما قلت مدحا في علاك لعلة

وما قلت مدحا في علاك لعلة

ولكن رأيت المجد عندك قد قرا

ولكن رأيت المجد عندك قد قرا

Nor have I praised your eminence for an ulterior motive,

I do not praise you out of greed

but I saw that glory had settled at your side.

But I saw glory residing with you

فسامح اخا ود ودم سالما له

فسامح اخا ود ودم سالما له

لتجبر من أمثاله في الورى كسرا

لتجبر من أمثاله في الورى كسرا

So pardon a loving brother, and remain safe for his sake,

So forgive a loving, devoted brother

to mend the brokenness of others like him among humankind.

The likes of whom mend the broken in this world

واسأل ربي أن يطيل لك البقا

واسأل ربي أن يطيل لك البقا

لينسر من ياتي لبيروت مضطرا

لينسر من ياتي لبيروت مضطرا

And I ask my Lord to prolong your life,

And I ask my Lord to prolong your survival

so that whoever comes to Beirut in distress may rejoice.

So one who comes to Beirut distressed may be relieved

وقد قل في ذا العصر مثلك في الورى

وقد قل في ذا العصر مثلك في الورى

وان الذي يرجو سواك قد اغترا

وان الذي يرجو سواك قد اغترا

And in this age, your like is rare among humankind,

In this age, none are like you in the world

and whoever hopes in anyone but you has been deluded.

And he who hopes for other than you has been fooled

فدم كاملاً ما أشرق البدر في الدجى

فدم كاملاً ما أشرق البدر في الدجى

لكي تقهر الأعداء دهرا وتنسرا

لكي تقهر الأعداء دهرا وتنسرا

So remain perfect as long as the full moon shines in the darkness,

You are complete, for as long as the moon shines in the darkness

so that you may vanquish enemies for ages and rejoice.

That you may conquer enemies, for ages and eons

وتخدمك الأيام ما قال قائل

وتخدمك الأيام ما قال قائل

إليك من الفتاح يا عبده البشرا

إليك من الفتاح يا عبده البشرا

And may the days serve you as long as anyone says:

And serve you for as long as a speaker speaks

To you come glad tidings from the Opener, O Abduh.

To you from Al-Fattah, O servant of good tidings