لأبيfor Abu العَلاءِal-Ala فَضائِلٌvirtues مَشهورَةٌrenowned
لأبي العَلاءِ فَضائِلٌ مَشهورَةٌ
حَلَّتhave settled مَحَلَّthe station of الفَرقَدَينِthe two Farqad stars عَلاءَin loftiness
حَلَّت مَحَلَّ الفَرقَدَينِ عَلاءَ
Abū al-ʿAlā possesses virtues renowned,
Abu al-Ala has renowned virtues,
Raised in loftiness to the station of the Farqadān stars.
that have risen to the lofty station of the two Farqad stars.
فَلِذاكَso for that reason قَدَّمَهُhe placed him ahead الأَميرُthe prince عَلىabove الأُلىthose who
فَلِذاكَ قَدَّمَهُ الأَميرُ عَلى الأُلى
كانواthey would have been لَهُfor him لَولاwere it not for الإلهGod رُعاءَshepherds
كانوا لَهُ لَولا الإله رُعاءَ
For that reason, the emir preferred him to those
Thus the prince placed him above those
Who—were it not for God—had tended him.
who, but for God, would have been his shepherds.
جَزلَabundant المَواهِبِgifts وَالفَضائلand virtues قَدindeed حَوىhe has gathered
جَزلَ المَواهِبِ وَالفَضائل قَد حَوى
جوداًgenerosity وَرَأياًand judgment ثاقِباًpenetrating وَغَناءَand the ability to help
جوداً وَرَأياً ثاقِباً وَغَناءَ
Abundant gifts and virtues he has gathered:
He has gathered abundant gifts and virtues:
Generosity, penetrating judgment, and competence.
generosity, penetrating judgment, and the ability to help.
ياO مَنone who إِذاwhen ذُكِرَare mentioned الكِرامُthe noble فَأَنَّهُthen indeed he
يا مَن إِذا ذُكِرَ الكِرامُ فَأَنَّهُ
فيهاamong them المُقَدَّمthe foremost نَجدَةًin valor وَعَطاءَand giving
فيها المُقَدَّم نَجدَةً وَعَطاءَ
O you who, whenever noble men are named,
O you who, when the noble are mentioned, are indeed
Are foremost among them in valor and giving;
foremost among them in valor and giving.
وَإِذاand when الأَماكِنُplaces أَظلَمَتgrew dark أَقطارُهاtheir regions
وَإِذا الأَماكِنُ أَظلَمَت أَقطارُها
بِالبُخلِthrough miserliness كانَhe was لِمُعتَفيهِfor those seeking his bounty ضِياءَa light
بِالبُخلِ كانَ لِمُعتَفيهِ ضِياءَ
And when the regions of every place grow dark
And when the reaches of the lands grow dark
With miserliness, you are a light to whoever seeks your bounty.
through miserliness, you are a light to those seeking your bounty.
إِنّيindeed I دَعَوتُكَI called upon you لِلنَّوائِبِagainst misfortunes دَعوَةٍa plea
إِنّي دَعَوتُكَ لِلنَّوائِبِ دَعوَةٍ
لَمّاwhen رَأَيتُكَI saw you للأنامِfor mankind لَجاءَa refuge
لَمّا رَأَيتُكَ للأنامِ لَجاءَ
I have called upon you against calamities,
Indeed, I called upon you with a plea against misfortunes,
When I saw that you were a refuge for humankind.
when I saw you were a refuge for mankind.
وَإِذاand when الزَمانُtime نَباdealt harshly بحرwith a noble man نَبوَةًa harsh turn
وَإِذا الزَمانُ نَبا بحر نَبوَةً
قَصَدَhe sought الأَكارِمَthe most generous غُدوَةًin the morning وَعِشاءَand in the evening
قَصَدَ الأَكارِمَ غُدوَةً وَعِشاءَ
And whenever Time recoils in a harsh rebuff,
And when time deals harshly with a noble man,
The noble are sought morning and evening.
he seeks the most generous, morning and evening.
وَلَقَدand indeed ظَنَنتُI expected بِكَof you الجَميلkindness فَكُنso be كَماas
وَلَقَد ظَنَنتُ بِكَ الجَميل فَكُن كَما
أَمَّلتُI hoped تَغنَمyou will earn مِدحَةٌa poem of praise وَثناءَand acclaim
أَمَّلتُ تَغنَم مِدحَةٌ وَثناءَ
I have indeed expected kindness from you—so be as
And I have indeed expected kindness from you; so be as
I hoped, and you will win praise and acclaim.
I hoped, and you will earn a poem of praise and acclaim.
