لستَyou do not ترىsee ذاDhu (possessor of) الفقارal-Fiqar مُذكَّراًrecalled
لستَ ترى ذا الفقار مُذكَّراً
إلاexcept إذاwhen يُذكرُis mentioned الفتىthe youth حيدَرْHaidar
إلا إذا يُذكرُ الفتى حيدَرْ
You never see Dhu al-Fiqar recalled
You do not see this knight remembered
except when the youth Haidar is mentioned.
Except when the brave young man is recalled
جازَsurpassed أبوAbu (father of) القاسمal-Qasim المَديحَpraise عُلاًin eminence
جازَ أبو القاسم المَديحَ عُلاً
وقَدرُهand his worth فيin المَديحpraise لاnot يُقدَرْcan be measured
وقَدرُه في المَديح لا يُقدَرْ
Abu al-Qasim has surpassed praise in eminence,
Abu Al-Qasim excelled in praise
and his worth cannot be measured in praise.
And his merit in praise cannot be measured
شكرتُهI thanked him منas أخٍa brother ومِصرand a city تُرىis seen
شكرتُه من أخٍ ومِصر تُرى
مُخصِبَةًfertile إذsince بِجُودهby his generosity تُمطَرْis rained upon
مُخصِبَةً إذ بِجُوده تُمطَرْ
I thanked him as a brother; and a city is seen
I thanked him as a brother and an Egypt seen
fertile, since his generosity rains upon it.
Fertilized as his generosity rains down
أَشعَرُI compose verse فيin مَدحِهhis praise ومَنand whoever أودَعbestowed الthe
أَشعَرُ في مَدحِه ومَن أودَع ال
نِعمَةَblessing منone who يستحقهاdeserves it أشعَرْa finer poet
نِعمَةَ من يستحقها أشعَرْ
I compose verse in his praise; and whoever bestows the
I feel more inspired praising him, and who bestowed
blessing on one who deserves it is the finer poet.
A blessing on one deserving, feels more inspired
مَنwhoever يجعلِputs الفضلَbounty فيin مواطنهits proper places
مَن يجعلِ الفضلَ في مواطنه
فذاكthen that man فيin كلevery موطنٍplace يُشكَرْis thanked
فذاك في كل موطنٍ يُشكَرْ
Whoever puts bounty in its proper places,
He who makes merit deservedly situated
that man is thanked in every place.
Is thanked in every situation
لولاwere it not for أُناسpeople يقومrests شكرُهُمُpraise of them
لولا أُناس يقوم شكرُهُمُ
بالجودon generosity كادwould almost البخيلthe miser أنto يُعذَرْbe excused
بالجود كاد البخيل أن يُعذَرْ
Were it not for people whose praise rests
Were it not for people whose gratitude
on generosity, the miser would almost be excused.
Matches generosity, the stingy would be excused
لازلتَmay you always remain حيّاًalive كذاlikewise الوليُّthe ally لكof yours الthe
لازلتَ حيّاً كذا الوليُّ لك ال
فائزvictorious دَوماًalways والشانئand the hater الأبتَرْthe one cut off
فائز دَوماً والشانئ الأبتَرْ
May you ever live, and likewise your ally, the
Long may you live, and so too the patron for you
ever-victorious one; and may your hater be cut off.
Ever victorious, and the critic severed