بنو فُرَيْغونَ قومٌ في وُجوهِهُمُ

بنو فُرَيْغونَ قومٌ في وُجوهِهُمُ

نورُ الهُدى وضِياءُ السُّوُدِ العالي

نورُ الهُدى وضِياءُ السُّوُدِ العالي

The sons of Furayghun are a people whose faces bear

The sons of Freigoun are a people with

The light of guidance and the radiance of lofty nobility.

The light of guidance and brilliance of noble blacks upon their faces,

كأنَّما خُلِقوا من سؤْدُدٍ وعلا

كأنَّما خُلِقوا من سؤْدُدٍ وعلا

وسائرُ النَّاسِ من طينٍ وصَلْصالِ

وسائرُ النَّاسِ من طينٍ وصَلْصالِ

As though they were created from nobility and eminence,

As if they were created from aloes wood and height

And all other people from mud and dry, ringing clay.

While the rest of mankind is from clay and potsherds.

مَنْ تلْقَ مِنهُمْ تقُلْ هَذا أجلُّهُمُ

مَنْ تلْقَ مِنهُمْ تقُلْ هَذا أجلُّهُمُ

شأناً وأسناهُم بالنَّفسِ والمَالِ

شأناً وأسناهُم بالنَّفسِ والمَالِ

Whoever you meet among them, you say: 'This is their greatest

Whosoever meets them would say this is the best of them

In standing, and their most exalted in person and wealth.'

In rank and most excellent of soul and wealth.

فإنْ تقِسْهُمْ بأملاكِ الورى فهُمُ

فإنْ تقِسْهُمْ بأملاكِ الورى فهُمُ

ماءٌ زلالٌ إذ الأملاكُ كالآلِ

ماءٌ زلالٌ إذ الأملاكُ كالآلِ

So if you compare them with the kings of humankind, they are

And if you compare them to the domains of the earth, they are

Clear, sweet water, while the kings are like a mirage.

Pure water, while domains are like salts.

يا سائلي ما الّذي حصَّلْتَ عندهُمُ

يا سائلي ما الّذي حصَّلْتَ عندهُمُ

دَعِ السُّؤالَ وقْم فانظُرْ إلى حالي

دَعِ السُّؤالَ وقْم فانظُرْ إلى حالي

O you who ask me, 'What did you gain with them?'

O questioner, what have you obtained from them?

Leave the question and rise; then look at my condition.

Leave off questioning and arise and look upon my state.

ألا ترى الآنَ حالي كيفَ قد حلِتَتْ

ألا ترى الآنَ حالي كيفَ قد حلِتَتْ

بهِمْ ألم ترَ حالي عندَ تَرْحالي

بهِمْ ألم ترَ حالي عندَ تَرْحالي

Do you not now see how my condition has been adorned

Do you not see my state now, how it has settled

Through them? Did you not see my condition when I set out?

With them? Have you not seen my state during my wandering?

أفادَني الملِكُ المَيمونُ طائرُهُ

أفادَني الملِكُ المَيمونُ طائرُهُ

عِزّاً وألبَسَني سِربالَ إقبال

عِزّاً وألبَسَني سِربالَ إقبال

The king, whose omen is auspicious, bestowed on me

The auspicious king has granted me honor with his bird

Honor, and clothed me in a garment of good fortune.

And clothed me in a robe of favor.

واشتَقَّ من حَقِّهِ بَحراً طغى وطمى

واشتَقَّ من حَقِّهِ بَحراً طغى وطمى

حُبابُهُ فَوقَ أفكاري وآمالي

حُبابُهُ فَوقَ أفكاري وآمالي

And from what was rightfully his he drew a sea that surged and swelled,

And he produced from his right a sea that overflowed and crashed

Its foam rising above my thoughts and hopes.

Its bubbles above my thoughts and hopes.

فإنْ أكُنْ ساكِتاً عن شُكرِ أنعُمِهِ

فإنْ أكُنْ ساكِتاً عن شُكرِ أنعُمِهِ

فإنَّ ذاكَ لِعَجزي لا لإغفالي

فإنَّ ذاكَ لِعَجزي لا لإغفالي

So if I am silent in offering thanks for his favors,

If I am silent in thanks for his gifts

Then that is from my inadequacy, not my neglect.

It is from inability, not neglect.