قلsay لِلذَكيّto the clever one الأَلمعيّthe keen-witted one وَقَدand already رقىhe has risen
قل لِلذَكيّ الأَلمعيّ وَقَد رقى
رتباًranks بطالعهunder his star السَعيدfortunate تهيمُis enamored
رتباً بطالعه السَعيد تهيمُ
Say to the clever, keen-witted man, who has risen
Through ranks under his lucky star: enamored
بكَwith you أَنتَyou yourself ثانيةthe second المَراتبof the ranks زانَهاadorned it
بكَ أَنتَ ثانية المَراتب زانَها
شرفhonor لَهاfor it بَينamong الأَنامhumankind عَظيمgreat
شرف لَها بَين الأَنام عَظيم
Of you yourself is the second rank, graced
With an honor great among humankind.
وَستأخذand you will attain الأولىthe first وتبلغand reach ماwhat تَشاyou wish
وَستأخذ الأولى وتبلغ ما تَشا
عَمّاafter قَليلa short while وَالزَمانand time خَديمa servant
عَمّا قَليل وَالزَمان خَديم
And you will attain the first and achieve what you wish
Before long, with time as your servant.
وَإِذاand when رآكit sees you المَجدglory قالit says مهنئاًin congratulation
وَإِذا رآك المَجد قال مهنئاً
متمثلاًquoting بِالمَدحwith praise وَهُوَand it is نَظيمfinely strung verse
متمثلاً بِالمَدح وَهُوَ نَظيم
And when glory sees you, it speaks in congratulation,
Quoting praise finely strung in verse:
لاno غروwonder أَنthat فقتyou surpassed الثرياthe Pleiades رفعةًin height
لا غرو أَن فقت الثريا رفعةً
هَذاthis المَقامthe station وَأَنتَand you are إِبراهيمIbrahim
هَذا المَقام وَأَنتَ إِبراهيم
No wonder you have surpassed the Pleiades in height;
This is the station, and you are Ibrahim.
حاشاكfar be it from you تَنسىto forget ذاكراًone mindful لكof you مخلصاًsincerely devoted
حاشاك تَنسى ذاكراً لك مخلصاً
طُولthroughout المَدىthe span of time فيin الودthe affection وَهوَand it is قَديمlongstanding
طُول المَدى في الود وَهوَ قَديم
Far be it from you to forget one mindful of you, devoted
Throughout the years in an affection of long standing.
فَكَفاهso may it suffice him سَبعةseven أَشهرmonths مَعدودةcounted
فَكَفاه سَبعة أَشهر مَعدودة
مرّتpassed بِهِfor him فيin الدارthe house وَهوَwhile he was مقيمresiding
مرّت بِهِ في الدار وَهوَ مقيم
So let seven counted months suffice him,
Which went by for him in the house, where he stayed.
قلمthe bureau الإِدارةof administration بِالمَدارسat the schools غَيرهsomeone other than him
قلم الإِدارة بِالمَدارس غَيره
خدمserved بِهاin them طبقin accordance with المَرامthe desired aim يَقومhe performs
خدم بِها طبق المَرام يَقوم
In the schools' administrative bureau, someone else
Has served there, performing just as desired.
فَارفعso submit إِلىto الصدّيقal-Siddiq (the truthful one) حالةa condition فاقةٍof destitution
فَارفع إِلى الصدّيق حالة فاقةٍ
مِنهاfrom it يَذوبmelts الصَخرthe rock وَهوَthough it is جسيمmassive
مِنها يَذوب الصَخر وَهوَ جسيم
So bring before al-Siddiq a plight of destitution
That melts rock, massive though it is.
لاnever زلتmay you cease للمضطرّto the distressed one عَوناًa help فيin قَضاfulfilling
لا زلت للمضطرّ عَوناً في قَضا
حاجاتهhis needs وَلَكَand for you الثَناءpraise يَدومendures
حاجاته وَلَكَ الثَناء يَدوم
May you always be a help to one in need in meeting
His needs, and may praise of you endure.