أَيُّwhat نَجْمٍa star منfrom أَيِّwhat شَمْسٍa sun وبَدْرِand a full moon
أَيُّ نَجْمٍ من أَيِّ شَمْسٍ وبَدْرِ
أُلْبِسَwas clothed الليلُthe night منهfrom him حُلَّةَa robe of فَجْرِdawn
أُلْبِسَ الليلُ منه حُلَّةَ فَجْرِ
What a star, from what a sun and full moon!
What star from what sun and full moon
Through him, night was clothed in a robe of dawn.
Has the night been clothed with the garb of dawn?
وحسامٍand a sword قدalready جَرَّدَتْهُunsheathed it المعاليlofty virtues
وحسامٍ قد جَرَّدَتْهُ المعالي
لِتُوَقِّيto guard against بهwith it صُروفَthe vicissitudes of الدهرِtime
لِتُوَقِّي به صُروفَ الدهرِ
And a sword that lofty virtues have unsheathed,
And a sword that glories have bared
to ward off with it the vicissitudes of time.
To kindle with it the turns of fate?
وأَنيقٍand an exquisite one منamong المحامِدِpraiseworthy qualities نَمَّتْspread abroad
وأَنيقٍ من المحامِدِ نَمَّتْ
بأَحاديثِهِwith his tales رِياحُthe winds of الشُّكرِgratitude
بأَحاديثِهِ رِياحُ الشُّكرِ
And an exquisite paragon of virtues, whose tales
And a graceful one where praises grew
the winds of gratitude have spread abroad.
With his words the winds of gratitude.
علمناwe learned أَنَّthat اللَّيالِيَthe nights بَحْرٌa sea
علمنا أَنَّ اللَّيالِيَ بَحْرٌ
حينَwhen أَبْدَتْthey revealed لناto us لآَلِئَpearls of دُرِّfine pearl
حينَ أَبْدَتْ لنا لآَلِئَ دُرِّ
We learned that the nights are a sea
He taught us that the nights are a sea
when they revealed fine pearls to us.
When he showed us for us the pearls of gold.
وعهدناand we had known الزَّمَانtime يَرْقُدُslumbers طِرْفاًa noble steed
وعهدنا الزَّمَان يَرْقُدُ طِرْفاً
أَدْهَماًjet-black فاكْتَسَىthen it donned شِيَاتِthe markings of أَغَرِّa white-blazed horse
أَدْهَماً فاكْتَسَى شِيَاتِ أَغَرِّ
And we had known Time slumbering as a steed,
And we knew time slumbers with one eyelid
jet-black, till it donned a white-blazed horse's markings.
Having donned the attributes of the brilliant agate.
وعجيبٌand wondrous لشهرِfor the month of شعبانَSha'ban إِذwhen جاcame (first part)
وعجيبٌ لشهرِ شعبانَ إِذ جا
ءَcame (completion) لميلادِهِfor his birth بلَيْلَةِwith a Night of قَدْرِDecree
ءَ لميلادِهِ بلَيْلَةِ قَدْرِ
And how wondrous that the month of Sha'ban came
And wondrous is the month of Sha’ban when
with a Night of Decree for his birth!
It came for his birth on the Night of Valor.
ليلَةٌa night أَشرقَتْshone بغُرَّةwith the bright brow of نورِNur (light) الدِّthe Faith (first part)
ليلَةٌ أَشرقَتْ بغُرَّة نورِ الدِّ
ينِthe Faith (completion) حَقًاtruly أَجَلُّgreater منthan أَلْفِa thousand شَهْرِmonths
ينِ حَقًا أَجَلُّ من أَلْفِ شَهْرِ
A night radiant with the bright brow of Nur al-
A night shone with the prime light of religion
Din—truly greater than a thousand months.
Indeed more glorious than a thousand months.
لاحshone نَصْرٌNasr فيهاin it فَلاحَthen he shone بنصرٍwith a victory
لاح نَصْرٌ فيها فَلاحَ بنصرٍ
ثابتٍenduring عِزُّهits glory علىupon آلِthe house of نَصْرِNasr
ثابتٍ عِزُّه على آلِ نَصْرِ
Nasr shone in it, resplendent with a victory
In it appeared a victory so it thrived
whose glory stands firm over the house of Nasr.
With a lasting glory on the House of Victory.
حَوَّمَتْcircled طَيْرُهاits birds السّعاداتِgood fortunes مِنْهُfrom him
حَوَّمَتْ طَيْرُها السّعاداتِ مِنْهُ
فَوْقَabove بُدْنٍsacrificial camels نَحُورِهاtheir throats كالوَكْرlike a nest
فَوْقَ بُدْنٍ نَحُورِها كالوَكْر
Its birds of good fortune circled forth from him
Its birds hovered happinesses from it
above sacrificial camels whose throats were like nests.
Above breasts their pits like dens.
وكَأَنِّيand as though I بِأَنْجُمِbehold the stars of الفَضْلِexcellence تَبْدُوappear
وكَأَنِّي بِأَنْجُمِ الفَضْلِ تَبْدُو
منهfrom him أَضْواؤهاtheir lights بأَفلاكِin the spheres of صَدْرِa breast
منه أَضْواؤها بأَفلاكِ صَدْرِ
And I seem to see the stars of excellence appear,
As though before me the stars of virtue appear
their lights shining from him in the spheres of his breast.
Their lights from it in the spheres of my chest.
وكَأَنِّيand as though I بالطِّرْسِbehold the page بَيْنَbetween يَدَيْهِhis two hands
وكَأَنِّي بالطِّرْسِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ
يَجْمَعُgathers الدُّرَّpearls بينbetween نَظْمٍverse; stringing ونَثْرِand prose; scattering
يَجْمَعُ الدُّرَّ بين نَظْمٍ ونَثْرِ
And I seem to see the page before him
As though before it the peacock gathers
gathering pearls in verse and prose.
Pearls between prose and verse.
وكَأَنِّيand as though I براحَتَيْهِbehold his two palms تسيحاthe two flow (first part)
وكَأَنِّي براحَتَيْهِ تسيحا
نِthe two flow (completion) علىupon كلِّevery أَهلِthe people of قُطْرٍa region بقَطْرِwith rain
نِ على كلِّ أَهلِ قُطْرٍ بقَطْرِ
And I seem to see his two palms streaming
As though his two hands bestow greetings
rain upon the people of every land.
Upon every fellow of country and region.
وكَأَنِّيand as though I بالخَيْلِbehold the horses بينَbetween يَدَيْهِhis two hands
وكَأَنِّي بالخَيْلِ بينَ يَدَيْهِ
مُجْنَبَاتٍled alongside فيin حَلْيthe adornment of زَهْوٍsplendor وكِبْرِand pride
مُجْنَبَاتٍ في حَلْي زَهْوٍ وكِبْرِ
And I seem to see the horses before him,
As though before it the steeds
led alongside, adorned in splendor and pride.
Caparisoned in the adornment of glory and pride.
وكَأَنِّيand as though I بالبيضbehold the white swords والسُّمْرِand the brown spears تهفوfly off
وكَأَنِّي بالبيض والسُّمْرِ تهفو
بهواهُwith his passion عنaway from كُلِّall بِيضfair-skinned beauties وسُمْرِand dark-skinned beauties
بهواهُ عن كُلِّ بِيض وسُمْرِ
And I seem to see white swords and brown spears carrying
As though the whites and browns swoon
his passion away from all fair and dark beauties.
For his love over every white and brown.
إِنَّماindeed; none other than الأَرْوَعُthe awe-inspiring الأَجَلُّthe most exalted جمالُJamal (beauty) الدِّthe Faith (first part)
إِنَّما الأَرْوَعُ الأَجَلُّ جمالُ الدِّ
ينِthe Faith (completion) بحرٌa sea طَمَاsurged فَفَاضَthen overflowed بِنَهْرِwith a river
ينِ بحرٌ طَمَا فَفَاضَ بِنَهْرِ
Indeed, the awe-inspiring, most exalted Jamal al-
But the most wondrous and glorious is the beauty of religion
Din is a sea that surged and poured forth a river.
A sea whose abundance overflowed with a river.
أَثمَرَتْbore fruit منfrom علاهhis eminence دَوْحَةُa spreading tree of مجدٍglory
أَثمَرَتْ من علاه دَوْحَةُ مجدٍ
صَدَحَتْsang out بينهاamid it حمائِمُthe doves of شِعْرِيmy poetry
صَدَحَتْ بينها حمائِمُ شِعْرِي
A spreading tree of glory bore fruit through his eminence,
From its heights sprouted a palm tree of glory
amid it, the doves of my poetry sang.
Among which the doves of my poetry cooed.
حَكَمَdecreed اللُّهGod أَنهthat he ذوpossessor of افتخارٍglory
حَكَمَ اللُّه أَنه ذو افتخارٍ
لاnot يُوازَىcan be equaled بهwith it أَحادِيثُtales of فَخْرِpride
لا يُوازَى به أَحادِيثُ فَخْرِ
God has decreed that his is a glory
God has decreed that he has a pride
that no tales of pride can equal.
That cannot be matched by pretensions of pride.
عارِضٌa raincloud يَسْتَهِلُّpours forth فيin الجَدْبِdrought والخَطْand calamity (first part)
عارِضٌ يَسْتَهِلُّ في الجَدْبِ والخَطْ
بِcalamity (completion) بماءٍwith water منof النَّدَىbounty; dew وبِجَمْرِand with embers
بِ بماءٍ من النَّدَى وبِجَمْرِ
A raincloud pouring forth in drought and calamity,
A competitor who begins in dearth and address
with waters of bounty and glowing embers.
With water from dew and embers.
فيهِin him ماwhatever شِئْتَyou wish منof أَيادِيَfavors بيضٍwhite
فيهِ ما شِئْتَ من أَيادِيَ بيضٍ
هُنَّthey are ماwhatever شئتَyou wish منof عوادِيَonslaughts حُمْرِred
هُنَّ ما شئتَ من عوادِيَ حُمْرِ
In him are white favors, as many as you wish,
In it is whatever you wish of white hands
which are red onslaughts, as many as you wish.
They are whatever you wish of ruddy trysts.
قدindeed عَلِمْنَاwe have learned منfrom بأْسِهِhis might كيفَhow يُذْكِيhe kindles fire
قد عَلِمْنَا من بأْسِهِ كيفَ يُذْكِي
وعلمناand we have learned منfrom جُودِهhis generosity كَيْفَhow يَمْريhe draws forth rain
وعلمنا من جُودِه كَيْفَ يَمْري
We have learned from his might how he kindles fire,
We have known from his might how he kindles
and from his generosity, how he draws forth rain.
And we’ve known from his munificence how he flows.
فسقانَاso he gave us drink منfrom فضلِهِhis bounty كُلَّevery حُلْوsweet thing
فسقانَا من فضلِهِ كُلَّ حُلْو
وكفانَاand he spared us منthrough صَوْلِهِhis might كُلِّevery مُرِّbitter thing
وكفانَا من صَوْلِهِ كُلِّ مُرِّ
So he gave us every sweetness to drink from his bounty,
He has sated us from his excellence every sweet
and by his might spared us every bitterness.
And sufficed us from his dashing every bitter.
ياO بَنِيsons of ناصرِchampion of الرّئاسةِleadership والديand the Faith (first part)
يا بَنِي ناصرِ الرّئاسةِ والدي
نِthe Faith (completion) أَبيAbu (father of) الفتحِal-Fath (victory) فاتِحِopener of الخيرgoodness نَصْرِNasr
نِ أَبي الفتحِ فاتِحِ الخير نَصْرِ
O sons of the champion of leadership and the
O House of Nasser, leadership and religion,
Faith—Abu al-Fath, Nasr, opener of goodness!
My master, Opener of Goodness, Victory!
أَناI عبدٌa slave لَكُمْto you وإِنْand even though كنتُI am حُراًّfree
أَنا عبدٌ لَكُمْ وإِنْ كنتُ حُراًّ
فالأَيادِيfor favors تَملَّكَتْhave taken possession of كُلَّevery حُرِّfree person
فالأَيادِي تَملَّكَتْ كُلَّ حُرِّ
I am your slave, even though I am free;
I am a slave to you though I was free
for favors have taken possession of every free person.
For the hands have taken possession of every freeman.
لستُI am not أَرْضَىcontent with منamong الأَنامِmankind سِواكُمْanyone but you
لستُ أَرْضَى من الأَنامِ سِواكُمْ
لعوانٍfor the well-tried منof الثَّناءِpraise وبِكْرand the virgin-new
لعوانٍ من الثَّناءِ وبِكْر
I am content with none among mankind but you
I am not pleased with people but you
for praise, whether seasoned or virgin-new.
As supporters with praise and virginity.
لاnot أَحبُّdo I love السَّبْعَthe seven البحارَseas وعندِيand I have
لا أَحبُّ السَّبْعَ البحارَ وعندِي
منfrom أَيادِيكُمُyour generous hands موارِدُwatering places عَشْرِten
من أَيادِيكُمُ موارِدُ عَشْرِ
I do not love the seven seas, when I have
I do not love the seven seas while I have
ten springs to draw on from your generous hands.
From your hands the resources of ten.
كُلَّevery يَوْمٍday لَكُمْyou have غمامُa cloud of سَمَاحٍgenerosity
كُلَّ يَوْمٍ لَكُمْ غمامُ سَمَاحٍ
تَعْتَلِيrise high بَيْنَهُamid it بوارِقُlightning-flashes of بِشْرgood cheer
تَعْتَلِي بَيْنَهُ بوارِقُ بِشْر
Every day you have a cloud of generosity,
Every day for you a forgiving cloud
amid which rise lightning-flashes of good cheer.
Between it lightning of good tidings flashes.
منwho يُجارِيكُمُcan rival you وقدand indeed جَعَلَhas made اللّGod (first part)
من يُجارِيكُمُ وقد جَعَلَ اللّ
هُGod (completion) بأَيديكُمُthrough your hands المقاديرَthe decrees of fate تَجْريflow
هُ بأَيديكُمُ المقاديرَ تَجْري
Who can rival you, when God has made
Who can rival you when God has placed
the decrees of fate flow through your hands?
In your hands the reins to dispose?
سَهَّلَmade easy الجَدُّgood fortune سُبْلَthe paths of مجدٍglory عليكُمْfor you
سَهَّلَ الجَدُّ سُبْلَ مجدٍ عليكُمْ
أَتلَفَتْdestroyed غيرَكُمْothers besides you بمَسْلَكِalong a path وَعْرِrugged
أَتلَفَتْ غيرَكُمْ بمَسْلَكِ وَعْرِ
Good fortune smoothed for you the paths of glory
Ease has paved the roads of glory for you
that ruined others along a rugged way.
While without you they wind in difficulty.
ولكُمْand you have بَيْتُa house of مَفْخَرٍglory قدalready غَنِيتُمْyou have become self-sufficient
ولكُمْ بَيْتُ مَفْخَرٍ قد غَنِيتُمْ
بمغانِيهِthrough its abodes عنbeyond need of قصائِدِthe odes of شِعْرِيmy poetry
بمغانِيهِ عن قصائِدِ شِعْرِي
And you have a house of glory, and are enriched
And you have a proud house you have enriched
by its abodes, beyond need of my poetic odes.
With its treasures over the poems of my poetry.
حَصَرِيmy inability to speak عنabout صفاتِكُمْyour qualities مُسْتَفَادٌis derived
حَصَرِي عن صفاتِكُمْ مُسْتَفَادٌ
منfrom أَيادٍfavors لكمof yours أَبَتْrefused كُلَّevery حَصْرِreckoning
من أَيادٍ لكم أَبَتْ كُلَّ حَصْرِ
My inability to describe your qualities comes
I fall short of describing your attributes
from favors of yours that defy all counting.
Derived from hands that refuse every fall short.
ذاكَthat عُذْريmy excuse وليتَand would that شعريَI knew هَلْwhether فيwithin
ذاكَ عُذْري وليتَ شعريَ هَلْ في
وُسْعِthe capacity of أَفضالِكُمْyour bounty تَقَبُّلُacceptance of عُذرِيmy excuse
وُسْعِ أَفضالِكُمْ تَقَبُّلُ عُذرِي
That is my excuse; would that I knew whether
That is my excuse—and I wonder, is there Scope
your bounty has room to accept my excuse.
In your exceeding merits to accept my excuse?
غرّدَتْwarbled فيكُمُin praise of you طيورُthe birds of القوافِيrhymes
غرّدَتْ فيكُمُ طيورُ القوافِي
بينَamong ضالٍwild jujube trees منof الثَّناءِpraise وسِدْرِand lote-trees
بينَ ضالٍ من الثَّناءِ وسِدْرِ
The birds of rhyme have warbled in your praise,
The birds of rhymed prose have twittered for you
among the wild jujubes and lote-trees of praise.
Between a straying of praise and lotuses.
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.