بابيwith my father as ransom طلوعكyour rising ايهاO القمرmoon
بابي طلوعك ايها القمر
حتىuntil متىwhen ياO بدرfull moon تنتظرyou are awaited
حتى متى يا بدر تنتظر
May my father be a ransom for your rising, O moon!
How long, O full moon, are you to be awaited?
ياO مجملاًgathered together فيهin him الجمالbeauty لهhe has
يا مجملاً فيه الجمال له
خصرa waist كحظيlike my share منهof him مختصرslender
خصر كحظي منه مختصر
O one in whom beauty is gathered, with
A waist as slender as my share of him.
العشقpassionate love أولfirst مرةtime نظرa glance
العشق أول مرة نظر
كمhow often خاضwaded فيin دمthe blood of عاشقa lover نظرa glance
كم خاض في دم عاشق نظر
Love is, at first, a glance;
How often has a glance waded in a lover's blood!
والمجدand glory يحمدpraises فعلthe conduct of أحمدهits Ahmad
والمجد يحمد فعل أحمده
فيin كلall ماthat يأتيhe does وماand what يذرhe leaves undone
في كل ما يأتي وما يذر
And glory praises the deeds of its Ahmad,
In all he does and all he leaves undone.
الحمدويal-Hamdawi المكتفيcontent بندىwith dew-like bounty
الحمدوي المكتفي بندى
كفيهhis two palms إماwhenever أمسكholds back المطرthe rain
كفيه إما أمسك المطر
Al-Hamdawi, content with the dew of
His two hands whenever the rain holds back.
وكفىand he relieved الوزيرthe vizier مهمةa weighty concern فغداand so became
وكفى الوزير مهمة فغدا
منهin relation to him بحيثin the position of السمعhearing والبصرand sight
منه بحيث السمع والبصر
And he relieved the vizier of a weighty concern, and became
To him what hearing and sight are.
فإذاand when دجاgrows dark خطبa calamity يفرجهdispels it
فإذا دجا خطب يفرجه
عنfrom وجههhis face اراؤهhis counsels الزهرradiant
عن وجهه اراؤه الزهر
And when a calamity grows dark, it is dispelled
From his face by his radiant counsels.
بعزيمةwith a resolve كالسهمlike an arrow ماضيةpiercing
بعزيمة كالسهم ماضية
يرتدrecoils عنهاfrom it الصارمthe sharp sword الذكرhard-steeled
يرتد عنها الصارم الذكر
With a resolve as piercing as an arrow,
The sharp, hard-steeled sword recoils from it.
غرسhe planted الصنائعbenefactions فيamong الورىmankind فغداand so came to be
غرس الصنائع في الورى فغدا
يجتنىis gathered لهfor him منfrom شكرهمtheir gratitude ثمرfruit
يجتنى له من شكرهم ثمر
He planted benefactions among mankind, and now
Fruit is gathered for him from their gratitude.
لاlet not يخشfear صرفthe reversals الدهرof time زائرهhis visitor
لا يخش صرف الدهر زائره
فذارهfor his dwelling (likely فداره) منfrom أحداثهits calamities وزرa refuge
فذاره من أحداثه وزر
Let his visitor not fear time's reversals,
For his dwelling is a refuge from its calamities.
ياO مثرياًone rich منin كلevery مكرمةnoble deed
يا مثرياً من كل مكرمة
إنيindeed I إلىof جدواكyour bounty مفتقرam in need
إني إلى جدواك مفتقر
O you rich in every noble deed,
I am indeed in need of your bounty.
ليI have حاجةa need وقضاؤهاand its fulfillment أممwithin reach
لي حاجة وقضاؤها أمم
سهلeasy عليكfor you وماand not لهاit has خطرgreat weight
سهل عليك وما لها خطر
I have a need, and its fulfillment is within reach,
Easy for you, and no weighty matter.
ومتىand whenever يكنis عمراًan Amr لهاfor it أحدanyone
ومتى يكن عمراً لها أحد
فالشيخthen the shaykh سيدناour master لهاfor it عمرUmar
فالشيخ سيدنا لها عمر
And whenever anyone is an Amr for it,
Then the shaykh, our master, is its Umar.
لاmay not زلتyou cease ماas long as سجعcoo الحمامthe doves وماand as long as
لا زلت ما سجع الحمام وما
نفحwafts النسيمthe breeze ونورand blooms الزهرthe flowers
نفح النسيم ونور الزهر
May you ever remain, as long as doves coo and
The breeze wafts and flowers bloom,
فيin عيشةa life لاno جوهاits sky قطرrain
في عيشة لا جوها قطر
فيهin it ولاnor فيin صفوهاits serenity كدرmurk
فيه ولا في صفوها كدر
In a life whose sky has no rain
In it, nor any murk in its serenity.