بعزم يراه السَّيف أولى بغِمدِهِ

بعزم يراه السَّيف أولى بغِمدِهِ

إذا سلَّ لم يظفر به كفّ غامد

إذا سلَّ لم يظفر به كفّ غامد

With a resolve the sword deems worthier of its sheath:

With resolve he sees the sword as more deserving of its sheath,

when drawn, no sheather's hand can seize it.

When unsheathed, no hand grasps it except unsheathing hands.

وطالع سعد لو تحرَّى عطارد

وطالع سعد لو تحرَّى عطارد

مطالعه احتراق عطارد

مطالعه احتراق عطارد

And an auspicious ascendant—were Mercury to seek

Good fortune ascends as Mercury ascends,

its rising points, Mercury would burn.

Its ascendant is Mercury's combustion.

فما زلتَ تَعلو والسعادةُ والعُلا

فما زلتَ تَعلو والسعادةُ والعُلا

دليلاك حتى فُتَّ قدر التحاسُدِ

دليلاك حتى فُتَّ قدر التحاسُدِ

And so you have kept rising, good fortune and eminence

So you continued to ascend as fortune and ascent

your two guides, until you surpassed the reach of mutual envy.

Guided you until the decree of envy was fulfilled,

وحتى أتاك الحمدُ من كلِّ حاسدٍ

وحتى أتاك الحمدُ من كلِّ حاسدٍ

وحتى أتاك العُذرُ من كلِّ حامد

وحتى أتاك العُذرُ من كلِّ حامد

And until praise came to you from every envier,

And until praise came to you from every envious one,

and until excuses came to you from every praiser.

And until the excuse came to you from every critic.

بعدت ولم يبعد فؤاد خَتَمتَه

بعدت ولم يبعد فؤاد خَتَمتَه

برقٌ أياديك البوادي العوائد

برقٌ أياديك البوادي العوائد

You are far away, yet no heart is far that you have sealed

You were absent yet the heart whose seal you are did not become distant.

in bondage to your favors, first bestowed and renewed.

Lightning flashes your hands over the returning deserts.

أروح وأغدو في ذراك وإن ثوى

أروح وأغدو في ذراك وإن ثوى

بحيث التقى السدَّان رحلي وقائدي

بحيث التقى السدَّان رحلي وقائدي

At dusk and dawn I am within your shelter, though there rest

I come and go in your abode though my saddlebags and guide settled

my saddle and my guide where the two barriers meet.

Where the two encampments meet.

ولما دعاني الشَّوقُ لَبَّيتُ واغتدى

ولما دعاني الشَّوقُ لَبَّيتُ واغتدى

أمامي عزمٌ عالمٌ بالمراشدِ

أمامي عزمٌ عالمٌ بالمراشدِ

And when longing called me, I answered, and at dawn there went

And when yearning called me I responded and it overcame me,

before me a resolve that knew the right paths.

Before me a resolute determination cognizant of the directions.

يُكلِّفني الإسراعَ حتى كأنَّني

يُكلِّفني الإسراعَ حتى كأنَّني

نوالُك أو حَتفُ العدوِّ المعاند

نوالُك أو حَتفُ العدوِّ المعاند

It drives me to such haste that I seem to be

It obligates me to hasten as if I am

your bounty, or the doom of the stubborn foe.

Your attainment or the doom of the defiant enemy.

أفدَّى طريقاً أهتدي بمناره

أفدَّى طريقاً أهتدي بمناره

وأرشُفُ مهجورً الثرى والجلامد

وأرشُفُ مهجورً الثرى والجلامد

I would ransom a road whose beacon guides me,

I sacrifice a path whose minaret I seek guidance by

and sip the forsaken earth and boulders.

And survey the neglected barren land and frozen deserts.

وألثم أخفافَ الَمطِيِّ لأنَّني

وألثم أخفافَ الَمطِيِّ لأنَّني

أرى كُلَّ ما أدنى إليك مساعدي

أرى كُلَّ ما أدنى إليك مساعدي

And I kiss the camels' padded feet, because I

And I kiss the trotting feet of my steed for I see

see as my helper whatever brings me nearer to you.

Everything leading me closer to you aids me.

ولو لم يكن حَظرُ الشريعةِ لم نَسِر

ولو لم يكن حَظرُ الشريعةِ لم نَسِر

نَؤُمُّك إلا بالجباه السواجد

نَؤُمُّك إلا بالجباه السواجد

And were it not for the sacred law's prohibition, we would not journey

Were it not for the sanctity of law we would not travel

toward you save on prostrate foreheads.

To you except prostrating with forehead touching the ground.

أتيتُ بها جهد الُمقِلِّ ولا أرى

أتيتُ بها جهد الُمقِلِّ ولا أرى

أحقَّ بحسن البَسط من عذر جاهد

أحقَّ بحسن البَسط من عذر جاهد

I have brought it, the utmost effort of one with little, and I see

I came with the utmost effort of the weary, and I see

nothing worthier of a gracious welcome than a striver's excuse.

None more deserving of eloquence's grace than the sincere.

ولي فيك ما لو أنصفَ الشِّعرُ لاغتدت

ولي فيك ما لو أنصفَ الشِّعرُ لاغتدت

معانيه كُحلاً في عيونِ القصائدِ

معانيه كُحلاً في عيونِ القصائدِ

And I have verse about you: were poetry fair,

For you I have what, if poetry were just, the themes of its verses

its meanings would become kohl in the eyes of poems.

Would be kohl in the eyes of poems.

وما أدَّعي الإحسانَ لكن أظُنُّها

وما أدَّعي الإحسانَ لكن أظُنُّها

ستعذُبِ في الأفواهِ عند التناشُد

ستعذُبِ في الأفواهِ عند التناشُد

And I claim no excellence, but I think it

I do not claim favor but I reckon it

will taste sweet on the lips when people recite it to one another.

Will be sweet in mouths when recited.

وما أعجبتني قَطّ دعوى عريضةٌ

وما أعجبتني قَطّ دعوى عريضةٌ

ولو قام في تصديقِها الفُ شاهدِ

ولو قام في تصديقِها الفُ شاهدِ

And no sweeping claim has ever pleased me,

I never liked an ostentatious claim

even if a thousand witnesses stood to confirm it.

Even if thousands stood witness to verify it.

ولستُ أحبُّ المدحَ تُحشَى فصولُه

ولستُ أحبُّ المدحَ تُحشَى فصولُه

بقولٍ على قدرِ العقيدةِ زائدِ

بقولٍ على قدرِ العقيدةِ زائدِ

Nor do I like praise whose passages are stuffed

I do not like praise whose sections are laden

with words exceeding the measure of conviction.

With words exceeding the creed’s measure.

وما المدح إلا بالقلوبِ وإنَّما

وما المدح إلا بالقلوبِ وإنَّما

يُتّمِّمُ حُسنَ القولِ حُسنُ العقائدِ

يُتّمِّمُ حُسنَ القولِ حُسنُ العقائدِ

And praise comes only from the heart; only

Praise is only in hearts while excellent words

sincerity of conviction perfects the beauty of speech.

Perfect excellent beliefs’ beauty.