لا سِفرَ هَذا السفر إِن صارَ ملك مَن

لا سِفرَ هَذا السفر إِن صارَ ملك مَن

مَكارمُه أَندى وَأَجدى مِن السُحبِ

مَكارمُه أَندى وَأَجدى مِن السُحبِ

This volume is no mere volume, if it becomes the property of one

This journey was not traveled if he whose

Whose generous deeds are more bountiful and more beneficial than the clouds.

Virtues are more brilliant and useful than clouds

وَتاهَ عَلى الأَسفارِ زَهواً وَنَخوَةً

وَتاهَ عَلى الأَسفارِ زَهواً وَنَخوَةً

وَانشر زَهواً وَافتخاراً عَلى الكُتبِ

وَانشر زَهواً وَافتخاراً عَلى الكُتبِ

And it lorded over volumes in pride and haughtiness,

Lost himself in travels out of vainglory and arrogance

And spread pride and glory over books.

And spread vainglory and boasting in books

لَقَد جَلَّ قَدري إِذ بَلَغتُ بِهمَّتي

لَقَد جَلَّ قَدري إِذ بَلَغتُ بِهمَّتي

سَماءَ المَعالي وَاِنتَقَلتُ إِلى الشُهبِ

سَماءَ المَعالي وَاِنتَقَلتُ إِلى الشُهبِ

Indeed, my standing rose when, through my resolve, I reached

Indeed my worth has become great when with my ambition

The heaven of high honors, and moved on to the shooting stars.

I reached the sky of glory and ascended to meteors

إِلى العالَم العُلويِّ سَعدي مُصعِّد

إِلى العالَم العُلويِّ سَعدي مُصعِّد

أُناجي إِماماً خَصَّني مِنهُ بِالقُربِ

أُناجي إِماماً خَصَّني مِنهُ بِالقُربِ

To the upper realm my good fortune lifts me;

To the highest world my good fortune lifts me

I speak privately with an imam who singled me out for nearness to him.

I whisper to the Imam who honored me with nearness

تَفرَّستُ أَن لَو كانَ في عَصرِهِ أَبو

تَفرَّستُ أَن لَو كانَ في عَصرِهِ أَبو

فِراسٍ ثَنى شعري إِلى جُودِهِ الرَّحبِ

فِراسٍ ثَنى شعري إِلى جُودِهِ الرَّحبِ

I surmised that, had there lived in his age Abu

I guessed that if Abu Firas in his time

Firas, my verse would have drawn him toward his boundless bounty.

Praised my poetry to his vast generosity

فَكانَ شهابُ الدينِ يُعليهِ رُتبةً

فَكانَ شهابُ الدينِ يُعليهِ رُتبةً

يَصير بِها مَلكاً عَلى جِنسِهِ العُربِ

يَصير بِها مَلكاً عَلى جِنسِهِ العُربِ

Then Shihab al-Din would have raised him to a rank

Shahab al-Din would give him a rank

By which he would become king over his people, the Arabs.

By which he would become king of his fellow Arabs

وَإِن كانَ قَد أَودى فَإِنَّ بذكره

وَإِن كانَ قَد أَودى فَإِنَّ بذكره

لَهُ شَرَفاً يَبقى عَلى غابِرِ الحقبِ

لَهُ شَرَفاً يَبقى عَلى غابِرِ الحقبِ

And though he has perished, yet through mention of him

And if he passed away, still the mention of him

He has an honor that endures through the ages to come.

Has for him an honor that remains across eras

كَريم لَهُ في كُل قُطرٍ مَكارِم

كَريم لَهُ في كُل قُطرٍ مَكارِم

مِن الفَضل قَد عَمَّت وَمرَّت إِلى الغَربِ

مِن الفَضل قَد عَمَّت وَمرَّت إِلى الغَربِ

A generous man, with noble deeds in every land—

He has noble deeds in every place

Deeds of bounty that have spread everywhere and traveled to the West.

Of virtue that have spread and extended to the West

فَأَحيت أَبا حَيّان مِن بَعد ميتَةٍ

فَأَحيت أَبا حَيّان مِن بَعد ميتَةٍ

وَأَروَتهُ ظَمآناً مِن البارد العَذبِ

وَأَروَتهُ ظَمآناً مِن البارد العَذبِ

Thus they revived Abu Hayyan after death,

So I revived Abu Hayyan after a death

And gave him, parched, his fill of cool, sweet water.

And quenched his thirst with fresh, cool water