باحdisclosed وجداًout of longing بهواهof his love
باح وجداً بهواه
حينwhen لمnot يعطwas granted مناهhis desire
حين لم يعط مناه
He confessed the passion of his love
He revealed his love out of longing,
He was consumed by passion when denied his desire
when he was denied his desire:
When his desire was not granted.
A lover made more ardent by the one who inflamed his passion
مغرمa lovesick man أغرىwas set upon بهagainst him السقthe sickness (word begins here)
مغرم أغرى به السق
مcompletion of 'sickness' فماso not يرجىis hoped for شفاهhis cure
م فما يرجى شفاه
a lovesick man whom illness beset—
A lovesick man whom sickness has beset,
His body grew emaciated from lovesickness
what hope, then, is there for his cure?
So there is no hope of his cure.
Had he wished to hide it from the eyes, his emaciation would have revealed it
كادalmost يخفيهconceals him نحولemaciation الthe (attached to 'body')
كاد يخفيه نحول ال
جسمbody حتىuntil لاnot تراهyou see him
جسم حتى لا تراه
He was nearly hidden by the wasting of his—
He is almost hidden by the wasting of the
Blessed be Al-Rasheed, my master
body, until you could no longer see him.
Body, until you cannot see him.
The people were pleased with his rule
لوif ضناa wasted sufferer يخفىis hidden عنfrom العيthe eye (word begins here)
لو ضنا يخفى عن العي
نcompletion of 'eye' لأخفاهwould surely have hidden him ضناهhis wasting
ن لأخفاه ضناه
If one wasted away could vanish from the ey—
If a wasted man could vanish from the eye,
May God make his enemies
—e, his wasting would have hidden him.
His wasting would surely have hidden him.
Suffer evil instead of him
حبذاhow excellent الرسيal-Rassi مولىas a lord
حبذا الرسي مولى
رضيapproved الناسthe people ولاهhis patronage
رضي الناس ولاه
How excellent a master is al-Rassī,
How fine a lord is al-Rassi,
He was certain that wealth lies
whose rule has pleased the people!
Whose patronage the people approve.
In spreading his riches
جعلmay make اللهGod أعاديenemies
جعل الله أعادي
هhis (attached to 'enemies') منfrom السوءharm فداهa ransom for him
ه من السوء فداه
May God make his enem—
May God make his enemies
He climbed high until he reached
—ies ransom him from every evil.
A ransom for him against harm.
The pinnacle with his ascent
فلقدfor indeed أيقنbecame certain بالثرof wealth (word begins here)
فلقد أيقن بالثر
وةcompletion of 'wealth' منwhoever حلsettled ذراهhis heights
وة من حل ذراه
For surely he is assured of wea—
For assured of wealth is
But missed attaining the heights
—lth who shelters beneath his heights.
Whoever settles on his heights.
Of glory and greatness
منone who رقىascended حتىuntil تناهىreached its utmost limit
من رقى حتى تناهى
فيin المعاليlofty honors مرتقاهhis ascent
في المعالي مرتقاه
He rose until his ascent reached its utmost
One who climbed until his ascent
He has reigned with authority
in the heights of honor.
Reached the summit of noble rank.
And protected his subjects
فاتlay beyond reach أنthat يبلغbe attained فيin السؤnobility (word begins here)
فات أن يبلغ في السؤ
ددوالمجدcompletion of 'nobility'; and glory مداهhis utmost reach
ددوالمجد مداه
None could reach, in sovereign—
None can attain, in nobility
An ocean of generosity, unknown
—ty and glory, the bounds he attained.
And glory, the heights he has reached.
Where his limits lie
ملكa king مذever since كانhe existed بالسطby might (word begins here)
ملك مذ كان بالسط
وةممنوعcompletion of 'might'; protected حماهhis domain
وةممنوع حماه
A king whose sanctuary, since he wielded pow—
A king since first he was; by might
He did not fail, like Abraham
—er, has remained inviolate.
His domain has been kept secure.
To have hope in people
بحرan ocean جودgenerosity ليسnot يدريone knows
بحر جود ليس يدري
أينwhere منهof it منهاهits limit
أين منه منهاه
An ocean of generosity that does not know
An ocean of bounty—none can tell
Time does not change one
where its furthest shore may lie.
Where its furthest limit lies.
Who withstands if time hardens
لمnot يضعwas lost منwhoever كانwas إبراIbrahim (name begins here)
لم يضع من كان إبرا
هيمcompletion of 'Ibrahim' فيamong الناسthe people رجاهhis hope
هيم في الناس رجاه
Never was one disappointed whose hope among men was Ibra—
No one was lost whose hope was
He sufficed against the woes
—him.
Ibrahim, among mankind.
Of days and fate protected him
لاno ولاand not يفرقfears منfrom صرvicissitudes (word begins here)
لا ولا يفرق من صر
فcompletion of 'vicissitudes' زمنtime إنif عرهit assailed him
ف زمن إن عره
No; nor does he fear the vicissitudes of ti—
No, nor does he fear the turns
How can I not praise one whose
—me, should they assail him.
Of time, should they assail him.
Character lacked no virtues
منwhoever بهthrough him استكفىsought protection أذىharm الأيthe days (word begins here)
من به استكفى أذى الأي
امcompletion of 'days' والدهرand time كفاهhe shielded him
ام والدهر كفاه
Whoever seeks sufficiency through him is spared the harm of the da—
Whoever sought his aid against the harm of days
—ys, and he is shielded from Time itself.
And time—he shielded him.
كيفhow لاnot أمدحI praise منone who لمnot
كيف لا أمدح من لم
يخلis devoid خلقany creature منof نداهhis bounty
يخل خلق من نداه
How could I fail to praise one when no—
How could I not praise one whose
—creature is untouched by his bounty?
Bounty no creature is without?
Partial English translation: 26 of 30 Arabic lines translated.