شُيوخُ البَيانِ الذائِقينَ حَلاوَةً

شُيوخُ البَيانِ الذائِقينَ حَلاوَةً

مِنَ العِلمِ لَم تُطعَم لِغَيرِ ذَويهِ

مِنَ العِلمِ لَم تُطعَم لِغَيرِ ذَويهِ

Masters of rhetoric, who have tasted a sweetness

The eloquent scholars who have savored

of knowledge never tasted by any but its possessors:

The sweetness of knowledge unfed to others

سَلامٌ مِنَ اللَهِ السَلام وَرَحمَةٌ

سَلامٌ مِنَ اللَهِ السَلام وَرَحمَةٌ

يَعُمّانِكُم مِن خامِلٍ وَنَبيهِ

يَعُمّانِكُم مِن خامِلٍ وَنَبيهِ

peace from God, the Source of Peace, and mercy—

Peace from Allah, peace and mercy

may both embrace you, obscure and eminent alike.

Envelop you, sleepy and awake

سُؤالُ غَريبٍ دونَ شِنجيطَ أَرضِهِ

سُؤالُ غَريبٍ دونَ شِنجيطَ أَرضِهِ

مِنَ البُعدِ تيهٌ يَتَّصِلنَ بِتيهِ

مِنَ البُعدِ تيهٌ يَتَّصِلنَ بِتيهِ

A stranger's question: between him and Shinqit, his homeland,

A stranger's question without roaming his land

lie distant wildernesses adjoining other wildernesses.

In distance, bewilderment connects to bewilderment

إِذا شَبَّهَ الهادي بِها وَجهَ مُرشِدٍ

إِذا شَبَّهَ الهادي بِها وَجهَ مُرشِدٍ

تَشابَهَ في عَينَيهِ وَجهُ مُتيهِ

تَشابَهَ في عَينَيهِ وَجهُ مُتيهِ

If the guide there compares a true guide's face,

If the guide likens his face to the guide's face

a misleader's face looks the same to his eyes.

Their faces become alike in the lost one's eyes

قِراهُ لَدَيكُم أَهلَ فاسٍ جَوابُهُ

قِراهُ لَدَيكُم أَهلَ فاسٍ جَوابُهُ

بِنَصِّ جَوابٍ في البَيانِ وَجيهِ

بِنَصِّ جَوابٍ في البَيانِ وَجيهِ

His welcome among you, people of Fez, is an answer to him,

Read it, O people of Fez, the answer

in the wording of a reply well-founded in rhetoric.

In eloquent, excellent phrasing

سَما بِكُمُ علمُ البَيانِ وَحَقُّهُ

سَما بِكُمُ علمُ البَيانِ وَحَقُّهُ

إِذا ما هَوى ظَنٌّ بِمُختِلِجيهِ

إِذا ما هَوى ظَنٌّ بِمُختِلِجيهِ

The science of rhetoric and its truth have raised you high,

The knowledge of eloquence and its right rose with you

when conjecture brings low those who entertain it.

When fancy strayed into shaking thoughts

أُسائِلُكُم ما سِرُّ إِظهارِ رَبِّنا

أُسائِلُكُم ما سِرُّ إِظهارِ رَبِّنا

تَبارَكَ مَجداً مِن وَعاءِ أَخيهِ

تَبارَكَ مَجداً مِن وَعاءِ أَخيهِ

I ask you: what is the secret of our Lord's explicit wording—

I ask you, what is the secret of our Lord's revelation

blessed in majesty—'from his brother's vessel'?

Blessed be His glory from His brother's vessel

فَلَم ياتِ عَنهُ مِنهُ أَو مِن وِعائِهِ

فَلَم ياتِ عَنهُ مِنهُ أَو مِن وِعائِهِ

لِأَمرٍ دَقيقٍ جَلَّ ثَمَّ يَخيهِ

لِأَمرٍ دَقيقٍ جَلَّ ثَمَّ يَخيهِ

He did not say 'from it' or 'from his vessel',

Yet nothing came from Him or from His vessel

for a subtle purpose that He—exalted is He—intends there.

For a subtle matter He then inspired His brother

فَإِن تَكُ أَسرارُ المَعاني خَفِيَّةً

فَإِن تَكُ أَسرارُ المَعاني خَفِيَّةً

فَمرءاتُها أَفكارُ كُلِّ نَبيهِ

فَمرءاتُها أَفكارُ كُلِّ نَبيهِ

If the secrets of meanings are hidden,

If the secrets of meanings are hidden

then every discerning person's thoughts are their mirror.

Their visions are the thoughts of each prophet

وَأَنتَ اِبنَ زُكرِيّ إِمامٌ مُحَقِّقٌ

وَأَنتَ اِبنَ زُكرِيّ إِمامٌ مُحَقِّقٌ

تَفَرَّدتَ في الدُنيا بِغَيرِ شَبيهِ

تَفَرَّدتَ في الدُنيا بِغَيرِ شَبيهِ

And you, Ibn Zukri, are an imam, a rigorous scholar;

You, son of Zakariyya, are the verifying imam

you stand alone in the world, without a peer.

You were unique in the world, with no peer

إِذا غُصتَ في بَحرٍ حَصَلتَ بِدُرِّهِ

إِذا غُصتَ في بَحرٍ حَصَلتَ بِدُرِّهِ

وَخَلَّيتَ عَن سَفسافِهِ وَرَديهِ

وَخَلَّيتَ عَن سَفسافِهِ وَرَديهِ

When you dive into a sea, you obtain its pearls,

If you delve into a sea you attain its pearls

and leave aside its dross and worthless matter.

And leave its spume and rubbish

يَمُدُّكَ في إِتقانِ عِلمٍ تَبُتُّهُ

يَمُدُّكَ في إِتقانِ عِلمٍ تَبُتُّهُ

قِياسُ أُصولِيٍّ وَنَصُّ فَقيهِ

قِياسُ أُصولِيٍّ وَنَصُّ فَقيهِ

In mastering the knowledge you establish, you are supported

It provides you in mastering sought knowledge

by a legal theorist's analogical reasoning and a jurist's text.

The analogy of a fundamentalist and text of a jurist

وَقاكَ الَّذي أَبداكَ كَالنَجمِ يَتَّقي

وَقاكَ الَّذي أَبداكَ كَالنَجمِ يَتَّقي

بِهِ الغَيَّ مَن يَبغي الهُدى وَيَعيهِ

بِهِ الغَيَّ مَن يَبغي الهُدى وَيَعيهِ

May He who made you manifest like a star protect you; error is avoided

And may He who originated you as a star protect you

through it by whoever seeks guidance and understands it.

By it the lost seek guidance and perceive it