لَئِنthough قَلَّhave grown few أَربابُthe masters of المَكارِمِnoble deeds وَالعُلاand eminence
لَئِن قَلَّ أَربابُ المَكارِمِ وَالعُلا
لِيَحيىfor Yahya كَثيرٌmuch فيin العُلاeminence وَالمَكارِمِand noble deeds
لِيَحيى كَثيرٌ في العُلا وَالمَكارِمِ
Though the masters of noble deeds and eminence are few,
Yahya abounds in eminence and noble deeds.
يَذكُرُنيreminds me of جودَthe generosity of الغَمائِمِthe clouds جودُهُhis generosity
يَذكُرُني جودَ الغَمائِمِ جودُهُ
وَشُكريand my gratitude لَهُto him شُكرُthe gratitude of الثَرىthe soil لِلغَمائِمِto the clouds
وَشُكري لَهُ شُكرُ الثَرى لِلغَمائِمِ
His generosity reminds me of the generosity of clouds,
And my gratitude to him is the soil's gratitude to the clouds.
تَخالُyou imagine بِهِin him بَدراًa full moon مَعَamid اللَيلِthe night باهِراًdazzling
تَخالُ بِهِ بَدراً مَعَ اللَيلِ باهِراً
يَلوحُgleams عَلىabove عُرفٍa mane مِنَof اللَيلِthe night فاحِمِcoal-black
يَلوحُ عَلى عُرفٍ مِنَ اللَيلِ فاحِمِ
In him you imagine a dazzling full moon amid the night,
Gleaming above a coal-black mane of night.
يُديلُexacts redress مِنَfrom الأَيّامِthe days وَالدَهرُand time مُنصِفٌjust
يُديلُ مِنَ الأَيّامِ وَالدَهرُ مُنصِفٌ
بِعَزمٍwith resolve عَلىover الأَيّامِthe days وَالدَهرِand time حاكِمِruling
بِعَزمٍ عَلى الأَيّامِ وَالدَهرِ حاكِمِ
He exacts redress from the days, and time is just,
With a resolve that rules the days and time.
يَبُزُّsurpasses مِنَamong الأَنجادِthe valiant كُلَّevery مُساوِرٍchallenger
يَبُزُّ مِنَ الأَنجادِ كُلَّ مُساوِرٍ
وَيَعلوand outshines مِنَamong الأَمجادِthe illustrious كُلَّevery مُكارِمِrival in generosity
وَيَعلو مِنَ الأَمجادِ كُلَّ مُكارِمِ
He surpasses every challenger among the valiant,
And outshines every rival in generosity among the illustrious.
بِخَلقٍwith a nature كَمَتنِlike the surface of الصَخرِrock فيin كَفِّthe palm of لامِسٍone who touches
بِخَلقٍ كَمَتنِ الصَخرِ في كَفِّ لامِسٍ
وَطورٌand at times كَجَريِlike the flow of الماءِwater فيin عَينِthe eye of صائِمِone who fasts
وَطورٌ كَجَريِ الماءِ في عَينِ صائِمِ
With a nature like rock's surface in a touching palm,
And at times like flowing water to the eye of one who fasts;
وَرَأيٍand judgment كَصَدرِlike the prow of الراغِبِيَّةِthe Raghibiyya vessel شارِعٍprojecting
وَرَأيٍ كَصَدرِ الراغِبِيَّةِ شارِعٍ
وَعَزمٍand resolve كَحَدِّlike the edge of المَشرَفِيَّةِthe Mashrafi sword صارِمِkeen
وَعَزمٍ كَحَدِّ المَشرَفِيَّةِ صارِمِ
And judgment projecting like a Raghibiyya vessel's prow,
And resolve as keen as the edge of a Mashrafi sword,
عَلىover بَلدَةٍa town يَسقيgives drink to الضَراغِمَthe lions ماؤُهاits water
عَلى بَلدَةٍ يَسقي الضَراغِمَ ماؤُها
وَيُسقىand is given to drink بِهاin it الأَعلىthe loftiest دِماءَthe blood of الضَراغِمِthe lions
وَيُسقى بِها الأَعلى دِماءَ الضَراغِمِ
Over a town whose water gives lions drink,
And where the loftiest is given lions' blood to drink.