قلsay لوزيرto the vizier الملكthe king ياO منone who لهhe has
قل لوزير الملك يا من له
عزائمresolves مثلlike الظُّباthe sword blades تقطعcut
عزائم مثل الظُّبا تقطع
Say to the king's vizier: O you whose
Tell the king’s minister, O you whose
resolves cut like sword blades.
Determination is like that of lions,
ياO زارعاًa planter منيfrom me النباتthe plant الذيthat
يا زارعاً مني النبات الذي
يعجبdelights بالأمداحwith praises منwhoever يزرعplants
يعجب بالأمداح من يزرع
O you who grow from me the plant that
O you who planted the crops that
delights its planter with praises.
Please those who praise,
هُنئتهاmay you be congratulated on it ياO سيديmy lord خلعةًa robe of honor
هُنئتها يا سيدي خلعةً
قلوبhearts أعداكyour enemies بهاby it تخلعare wrenched out
قلوب أعداك بها تخلع
Congratulations on it, my lord—a robe of honor
Congratulations, my lord, on a robe
that wrenches out your enemies' hearts.
That hearts plotting against you unrobe,
بيضاءwhite كمhow many طرفan eye عدًىfoes بيضتit whitened
بيضاء كم طرف عدًى بيضت
حتىuntil تمنىit wished أنهthat it يقلعbe plucked out
حتى تمنى أنه يقلع
White—it has turned many a foe's eye white,
White, how many gazes of hatred whitened
until it wished to be plucked out.
Until they wished they could pluck it off.
منfrom فوقabove خضراءa green one سقىwatered روضهاits garden
من فوق خضراء سقى روضها
غيثُrain أياديكyour bounties التيwhich تهمعpour down
غيثُ أياديك التي تهمع
Above a green one, whose garden was watered
Above a green garden its downpour watered,
by the rain of your bounties, which pour down.
A rain from your hands that glisten.
قالتit said وقدwhile already راقpleased لهاto it منظرٌa sight
قالت وقد راق لها منظرٌ
كالبدرِlike the full moon منfrom أزرارهاits buttons يطلعrises
كالبدرِ من أزرارها يطلع
It said, delighted by a sight
It said, as the scene pleased it,
rising like the full moon from its buttons:
Like the moon rising from its buttons.
زدْincrease كلevery يومٍday فيin العلىthe heights of glory رفعةًelevation
زدْ كل يومٍ في العلى رفعةً
وليصنعand let him do الحاسدthe envious man ماwhatever يصنعhe does
وليصنع الحاسد ما يصنع
Rise higher in glory every day,
Increase each day in sublime ascension,
and let the envious man do whatever he will.
Let the envious do what he does.
عشlive لعفاةٍfor supplicants طُوّقواthey were garlanded بالندىwith bounty
عش لعفاةٍ طُوّقوا بالندى
فالكلّfor all فيin دوحِspreading trees الثناpraise يسجعcoo
فالكلّ في دوحِ الثنا يسجع
Live for supplicants garlanded with bounty,
Live happily crowned with dew,
for all coo in the spreading trees of praise.
For all in the circle of praise compose.
الدهرtime نحويa grammarian كماas ينبغيis fitting
الدهر نحوي كما ينبغي
يدريknows الذيwhom يخفضlowers أوor يرفعraises
يدري الذي يخفض أو يرفع
Time is a grammarian, as it should be:
Fate treats me as it should,
it knows whom to lower or raise.
The one who debases or raises knows.