ربِّMy Lord هبْgrant ليto me فيconcerning أبيAbu الفضلal-Fadl رَذاذِRadhadh
ربِّ هبْ لي في أبي الفضل رَذاذِ
عُوذةَa protective charm الصحةhealth ياO خيرbest مَعاذِrefuge
عُوذةَ الصحة يا خير مَعاذِ
My Lord, grant me, for Abu al-Fadl Radhadh,
My Lord, grant my father Al-Fadl the dew of health, O best refuge!
a charm safeguarding health, O best refuge.
And make him prosperous, for he is worthy of prosperity.
واصطنعْهand favor him واتخذهand choose him للعلاfor eminence
واصطنعْه واتخذه للعلا
إنهindeed, he is أهلworthy of اصطناعfavor واتخاذِand selection
إنه أهل اصطناع واتخاذِ
And favor him and choose him for eminence;
Magnificent, executing wisdom in his judgments,
he is worthy of favor and selection.
And exerting righteous efforts with full determination.
ماجدٌa noble man ينفُذُgoes far فيin حكمتهhis wisdom
ماجدٌ ينفُذُ في حكمته
ومساعيand endeavors of بِرِّهhis kindness كلthe full extent of النفاذِadvancement
ومساعي بِرِّه كل النفاذِ
A noble man who goes far in his wisdom
God has graced his character,
and in his endeavors of kindness—to the utmost.
And nourished him with the bliss of pleasant living.
أنعمmay bless اللهGod علىupon أخلاقهhis character
أنعم الله على أخلاقه
وغذاهand may nourish him بنعيمwith the bliss of العيشlife غاذيa nurturer
وغذاه بنعيم العيش غاذي
May God bless his character,
He is of elegance, forbearance and brightness,
and may a nurturer nourish him with life's bliss.
His deeds as even as threading pearls.
فهوso he is منin respect of ظرفrefinement وحلمand forbearance وندىand generosity
فهو من ظرف وحلم وندى
تستويare evenly matched أفعالهhis deeds مثلlike القِذاذِarrow-feathers
تستوي أفعاله مثل القِذاذِ
Thus, in his refinement, forbearance, and generosity,
He repays the lute for its right,
his deeds are as evenly matched as an arrow's feathers.
When it raves deliriously in response to the lute.
لجوابِfor the response العُودthe lute منهfrom him حقّهُits due
لجوابِ العُود منه حقّهُ
حينwhen يهذِيbabbles فيin جوابresponse to العودthe lute هاذيa babbler
حين يهذِي في جواب العود هاذي
He gives the response to the lute its due,
Give me a drink for his health’s sake,
when a babbler babbles in answering the lute.
For it is a morn of joy and delight!
اسقنيgive me a drink واشربand drink علىto صحتهhis health
اسقني واشرب على صحته
إنهindeed, it is عيدa feast اصطباحٍmorning drinking والتذاذِand delight
إنه عيد اصطباحٍ والتذاذِ
Pour me a drink, and drink to his health:
Of diverse hues, like the rubies of Yemen,
it is a feast of morning drinking and delight,
Colored by precious gems of Ja’daan.
منof شمولٍwine ذاتhaving صِبغٍa tint قانئٍdeep crimson
من شمولٍ ذات صِبغٍ قانئٍ
نحلتْهاbestowed on it اللونَthe color أحجارstones of بجاذيgarnet
نحلتْها اللونَ أحجار بجاذي
with wine of a deep-crimson hue,
Sorrows descend upon its decrees,
a color bestowed on it by garnet stones.
Then you see the judgments of Sa’d ibn Mu’adh.
يَنْزلsubmits الهمُّworry علىto أحكامهاits judgments
يَنْزل الهمُّ على أحكامها
فترىand then you see أحكامthe judgments of سعدSa'd بنson of مُعاذِMu'adh
فترى أحكام سعد بن مُعاذِ
Worry submits to its judgments,
That one is yellow, pure of color,
and you behold the judgments of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh.
Freed in the days of Chosroes son of Qubadh.
تلكthat one أوor صفراءa yellow one صافٍclear لونهاits color
تلك أو صفراء صافٍ لونها
عُتِّقتwas aged منsince عهدthe time of كسرىKisra بنson of قُباذِQubadh
عُتِّقت من عهد كسرى بن قُباذِ
That, or a yellow wine, clear in color,
My father Al-Fadl, his oaths are indeed
aged since the time of Kisra ibn Qubadh.
For fulfilling, not vain binding.
وأبيand by Abu الفضلal-Fadl يميناًas an oath إنهindeed, he is
وأبي الفضل يميناً إنه
لوصولsurely a keeper of ties غيرnot ذيpossessing حبلa cord جُذاذِsevered
لوصول غير ذي حبل جُذاذِ
And by Abu al-Fadl, I swear, he is
The people of elegance sought refuge in a youth,
surely steadfast in friendship, with no severed cord.
With pierced armor, and found sanctuary.
عاذtook refuge أهلpeople of الظرفrefinement منهin him بفتىًwith a young man
عاذ أهل الظرف منه بفتىً
مُثْقَبkindled الزندthe firestick ولاذواand they took shelter بملاذِin a haven
مُثْقَب الزند ولاذوا بملاذِ
The refined took refuge in him, a young man
May God perpetuate the delights through him
whose firestick was kindled, and they sheltered in a haven.
In the days of his name, which are dewy.
عَمَرmay make flourish اللهGod اللذاذاتِpleasures بهthrough him
عَمَر الله اللذاذاتِ به
تحتbeneath أيامdays of اسمهhis name ذاتhaving الرَّذاذِdrizzle
تحت أيام اسمه ذات الرَّذاذِ
May God make pleasures flourish through him,
beneath days bearing his name, filled with drizzle.
Partial English translation: 24 of 26 Arabic lines translated.