قَد نِلتَ بِالرَأيِ وَالتَميِيزِ مَنزِلَةً

قَد نِلتَ بِالرَأيِ وَالتَميِيزِ مَنزِلَةً

ما نالَها أَخَواكَ البَحرُ وَالمَطَرُ

ما نالَها أَخَواكَ البَحرُ وَالمَطَرُ

Through sound judgment and discernment, you have attained a station

You have attained, through judgment and discernment, a station

that your two brothers—the sea and the rain—did not attain;

that your two brothers, the sea and the rain, have not attained;

وَبِالتَكَرُّمِ وَالأَفضالِ مَرتَبَةً

وَبِالتَكَرُّمِ وَالأَفضالِ مَرتَبَةً

لَم يُعطَها خادِماكَ السَيفُ وَالقَدَرُ

لَم يُعطَها خادِماكَ السَيفُ وَالقَدَرُ

and through noble generosity and bounty, a rank

and through generosity and benefactions, a rank

that your two servants—the sword and Fate—were not granted.

not granted to your two servants, the sword and fate.

قالوا أَيُمطِرُ مِن مَحلٍ أَلَمَّ بِهِ

قالوا أَيُمطِرُ مِن مَحلٍ أَلَمَّ بِهِ

فَقُلتُ قَد تُمطِرُ الأَنهارُ وَالغَدرُ

فَقُلتُ قَد تُمطِرُ الأَنهارُ وَالغَدرُ

They asked, “Can he rain down bounty out of drought that has befallen him?”

They said, "Can he rain when drought has befallen him?"

I answered, “Indeed, rivers and pools may rain.”

So I said, "Rivers and pools may indeed rain."

مالٌ يُبَدِّدُهُ في جَمعِ مَكرُمَةٍ

مالٌ يُبَدِّدُهُ في جَمعِ مَكرُمَةٍ

فَالمَجدُ مُجتَمِعٌ وَالمالُ مُنتَشِرُ

فَالمَجدُ مُجتَمِعٌ وَالمالُ مُنتَشِرُ

Wealth he scatters in gathering noble deeds;

Wealth he scatters to amass honor;

thus glory is gathered while wealth is scattered.

so glory is gathered, and wealth is dispersed.

مَناقِبٌ ما يَكادُ الدَهرُ يَهدِمُها

مَناقِبٌ ما يَكادُ الدَهرُ يَهدِمُها

كَأَنَّها أُصَلٌ لِلدَهرِ أَو بُكَرُ

كَأَنَّها أُصَلٌ لِلدَهرِ أَو بُكَرُ

Virtues that Time can scarcely tear down,

Virtues that Time can scarcely destroy,

as though they were Time’s evenings or its mornings.

as though they were Time's evenings or mornings.

فَاِبشِر فَإِنَّكَ رَأسٌ وَالعُلا جَسَدٌ

فَاِبشِر فَإِنَّكَ رَأسٌ وَالعُلا جَسَدٌ

وَالمَجدُ وَجهٌ وَأَنتَ السَمعُ وَالبَصَرُ

وَالمَجدُ وَجهٌ وَأَنتَ السَمعُ وَالبَصَرُ

Rejoice: you are the head, and high glory is a body;

So rejoice: you are the head, and eminence is the body;

glory is a face, and you are its hearing and sight.

and glory is the face, and you are hearing and sight.

لَولاكَ لَم تَكُ لِلأَيّامِ مَنقَبَةٌ

لَولاكَ لَم تَكُ لِلأَيّامِ مَنقَبَةٌ

تَسمو إِلَيها وَلا لِلدَهرِ مُفتَخَرُ

تَسمو إِلَيها وَلا لِلدَهرِ مُفتَخَرُ

But for you, the days would have no virtue

Without you, the days would have no noble distinction

to which they might aspire, nor would Time have any boast.

to aspire to, nor would Time have any source of pride.