لَقَدindeed وَفَّقَgranted success اللَهُGod المُوَفَّقَal-Muwaffaq لِلَّذيin what
لَقَد وَفَّقَ اللَهُ المُوَفَّقَ لِلَّذي
أَتاهُhe undertook it وَأَعطىand gave الشامَSyria ماكانَwhat it had يامُلُهhoped for it
أَتاهُ وَأَعطى الشامَ ماكانَ يامُلُه
God has indeed granted al-Muwaffaq success in what
He undertook, and given Syria what it had hoped for.
أَضافَhe entrusted إِلىto سيماSima الطَويلِal-Tawil (the Tall) أُمورَناour affairs
أَضافَ إِلى سيما الطَويلِ أُمورَنا
وَسيماand Sima الرِضاsatisfaction فيin كُلِّevery أَمرٍaffair يُحاوِلُهhe undertakes it
وَسيما الرِضا في كُلِّ أَمرٍ يُحاوِلُه
He entrusted our affairs to Sima al-Tawil,
And Sima gives satisfaction in every task he undertakes.
هُوَhe المَرءُthe man مَأمولٌhoped for لَناby us العَدلُjustice وَالنَدىand bounty
هُوَ المَرءُ مَأمولٌ لَنا العَدلُ وَالنَدى
لَدَيهِwith him وَمَأمونٌand not feared لَدَيناby us غَوائِلُهhis treacherous harm
لَدَيهِ وَمَأمونٌ لَدَينا غَوائِلُه
He is the man: we look for justice and bounty
From him, and feel safe from his treacherous harm.
فَأَهلاًso welcome وَسَهلاًand welcome بِالإِمامِto the imam وَقادِمٍand a newcomer
فَأَهلاً وَسَهلاً بِالإِمامِ وَقادِمٍ
أَتَتhave come بِالسُرورِwith joy كُتبُهُhis letters وَرَسائِلُهand his messages
أَتَت بِالسُرورِ كُتبُهُ وَرَسائِلُه
So a warm welcome to the imam and the newcomer
Whose letters and messages have brought joy.
وَأُقسِمُand I swear حَقّاًtruly أَنَّthat أَيمَنَmost auspicious طالِعٍarrival
وَأُقسِمُ حَقّاً أَنَّ أَيمَنَ طالِعٍ
عَلَيناupon us مِنَfrom الشَرقِthe East اللِواءُthe banner وَحامِلُهand its bearer
عَلَينا مِنَ الشَرقِ اللِواءُ وَحامِلُه
And I truly swear: the most auspicious arrival
Upon us from the East is the banner and its bearer.
وَقَدand now تَمَّis complete صُنعُthe favor of اللَهِGod لِلمَعشَرِfor the people الأُلىwhom
وَقَد تَمَّ صُنعُ اللَهِ لِلمَعشَرِ الأُلى
تَولّاهُمُtook them under his care الغَمرُthe munificent man المُؤَمَّلُhoped for نائِلُهhis bounty
تَولّاهُمُ الغَمرُ المُؤَمَّلُ نائِلُه
And God's favor is now complete for the people whom
The munificent man, whose bounty is hoped for, has taken under his care.
مَتىwhenever يَسكُنواthey remain peaceful يُمطِرrains عَلَيهِمupon them سَحابُهُhis cloud
مَتى يَسكُنوا يُمطِر عَلَيهِم سَحابُهُ
وَإِنand if يَشغُبواthey stir up trouble تُشهَرare unsheathed عَلَيهِمagainst them مَناصِلُهhis blades
وَإِن يَشغُبوا تُشهَر عَلَيهِم مَناصِلُه
Whenever they remain peaceful, his cloud rains upon them;
But if they stir up strife, his blades are drawn against them.
وِلايَةُa rule of عَدلٍjustice يَستَبِدُّalone commands بِفَضلِهاits merit
وِلايَةُ عَدلٍ يَستَبِدُّ بِفَضلِها
وَحُسنِand the beauty of ثَناهاits praise مُقسِطُone equitable in الحُكمِjudgment فاصِلُهits arbiter
وَحُسنِ ثَناها مُقسِطُ الحُكمِ فاصِلُه
A rule of justice, whose merit belongs solely—
With its fair praise—to one just and decisive in judgment.
يَنالُattains بِهاthrough it باغيthe seeker of السَلامَةِsafety حُكمَهُhis desired outcome
يَنالُ بِها باغي السَلامَةِ حُكمَهُ
وَيَهلَكُand perishes فيهاunder it ناكِبُone turning aside الرَأسِthe head مائِلُهone tilting it
وَيَهلَكُ فيها ناكِبُ الرَأسِ مائِلُه
Through it the seeker of safety attains his wish,
And under it, the man who defiantly turns his head aside perishes.
فَكَمso how often قَدindeed مَدَدناwe stretched out مِنof رَجاءٍhope إِلىtoward أَبيAbu
فَكَم قَد مَدَدنا مِن رَجاءٍ إِلى أَبي
عَلِيٍّAli فَلَقَّتناand brought us النَجاحَsuccess مَخايِلُهhis promising signs
عَلِيٍّ فَلَقَّتنا النَجاحَ مَخايِلُه
How often have we stretched our hopes toward Abu
Ali, and his promising signs have brought us success!
لَهُhe has مَذهَبٌa path فيin المَكرُماتِnoble deeds تَشابَهَتwere alike
لَهُ مَذهَبٌ في المَكرُماتِ تَشابَهَت
أَواخِرُهُits endings فيin سُؤدُدٍnobility وَأَوائِلُهand its beginnings
أَواخِرُهُ في سُؤدُدٍ وَأَوائِلُه
He follows a course in noble deeds whose
Last and first stages are alike in nobility.
قَريبُnear مَنالِthe reach of الرَفدِbounty يَبعُدُlies far off مَجدُهُhis glory
قَريبُ مَنالِ الرَفدِ يَبعُدُ مَجدُهُ
عَلىbeyond مَنanyone who يُجاريmatches مَجدِهِhis glory وَيُساجِلُهand vies with him
عَلى مَن يُجاري مَجدِهِ وَيُساجِلُه
His bounty is within easy reach; his glory lies beyond
Those who would match his glory and compete with him.
وَقائِدُand a commander of جَيشٍan army ماتَنَحَّلَhe never falsely claimed قُدرَةًprowess
وَقائِدُ جَيشٍ ماتَنَحَّلَ قُدرَةً
عَلىover القِرنِthe rival بَينَbetween العَسكَرَينِthe two armies يُنازِلُهhe duels with him
عَلى القِرنِ بَينَ العَسكَرَينِ يُنازِلُه
And he commands an army, never falsely claiming prowess
Against the rival he meets between the two armies.
طَلوبٌan ardent seeker لِأَعلىof the highest الأَمرِrank حَتّىuntil يَنالَهُhe attains it
طَلوبٌ لِأَعلى الأَمرِ حَتّى يَنالَهُ
إِذاwhen قُيِّضَتare allotted لِلأَدنِياءِto the base أَسافِلُهits lowest levels
إِذا قُيِّضَت لِلأَدنِياءِ أَسافِلُه
He seeks the highest rank until he gains it,
When its lowest levels are allotted to the base.
بَعيدٌfar مِنَfrom الفَحشاءِindecency لَمnot تَدنُhas drawn near ريبَةٌsuspicion
بَعيدٌ مِنَ الفَحشاءِ لَم تَدنُ ريبَةٌ
إِلَيهِto him وَلَمand not يوجَدwas found نَظيرٌan equal يُعادِلُهmatching him
إِلَيهِ وَلَم يوجَد نَظيرٌ يُعادِلُه
Far from foul deeds, no suspicion has drawn near
To him, nor has an equal been found to match him.
نَقِيُّpure الثِيابِof garments مِنthrough تُقىًpiety وَتَنَزُّهٍand self-restraint
نَقِيُّ الثِيابِ مِن تُقىً وَتَنَزُّهٍ
صَحيحُsound العَفافِin chastity وافِرُabundant الحِلمِin forbearance كامِلُهcomplete in it
صَحيحُ العَفافِ وافِرُ الحِلمِ كامِلُه
His garments are pure through piety and self-restraint,
His chastity sound, his forbearance abundant and complete.
أَميرٌa prince يَكونُis الجَدُّearnestness مِنهُin him سَجِيَّةٌan innate trait
أَميرٌ يَكونُ الجَدُّ مِنهُ سَجِيَّةٌ
إِذاwhen ضَيَّعَsquanders التَدبيرَplanning فيin الرَأيِjudgment هازِلُهone trifling with it
إِذا ضَيَّعَ التَدبيرَ في الرَأيِ هازِلُه
A prince for whom earnestness is second nature,
When one who trifles with judgment squanders sound planning.
وَلَيسَand he is not كَمَسبوتِlike one stupefied الضُحىat forenoon مِنfrom خُمارِهِhis hangover
وَلَيسَ كَمَسبوتِ الضُحى مِن خُمارِهِ
إِذاراحَwhen he goes out in the afternoon كانَتwere لِلمُدامِfor wine أَصائِلُهhis late afternoons
إِذاراحَ كانَت لِلمُدامِ أَصائِلُه
He is not like one stupefied at forenoon by his hangover,
Who, when he goes out, gives his late afternoons to wine.
جُزيتَmay you be rewarded عَنِon behalf of الإِسلامِIslam خَيراًwith good وَلايُضِعand may He not waste
جُزيتَ عَنِ الإِسلامِ خَيراً وَلايُضِع
لَكَfor you اللَهُGod فيfor الإِسلامِIslam ماwhat أَنتَyou فاعِلُهare doing it
لَكَ اللَهُ في الإِسلامِ ما أَنتَ فاعِلُه
May you be rewarded well on Islam's behalf, and may
God not let your deeds for Islam go unrewarded.
فَكَمso how many فِتنَةٍa tumult أَخرَجتَناyou brought us out مِنfrom ظَلامِهاits darkness
فَكَم فِتنَةٍ أَخرَجتَنا مِن ظَلامِها
وَخَطبٍand a calamity تَجَلّىcleared away عَنfrom حِسامِكَyour keen sword هائِلُهits terror
وَخَطبٍ تَجَلّى عَن حِسامِكَ هائِلُه
From how many a tumult's darkness have you brought us,
And how many a calamity's terrors has your sword dispelled!
وَطاغِيَةٍand a tyrant حاكَمتَyou brought to judgment بِالسَيفِwith the sword مُصلَتاًunsheathed
وَطاغِيَةٍ حاكَمتَ بِالسَيفِ مُصلَتاً
إِلىuntil أَنthat وَهىgrew weak مِنfrom دونِbefore حَقِّكِyour right باطِلُهhis falsehood
إِلى أَن وَهى مِن دونِ حَقِّكِ باطِلُه
And how many a tyrant you have judged with your drawn sword,
Until his falsehood weakened before your right!
كَماas اِنهَزَمَfled in defeat المَغرورُthe deluded man مِنfrom مَرجِMarj (meadow) دابِقٍDabiq
كَما اِنهَزَمَ المَغرورُ مِن مَرجِ دابِقٍ
وَخَيلُكَand your cavalry فيon جَنبىboth sides of قُوَيقٍQuwayq تُحاوِلُهpursuing him
وَخَيلُكَ في جَنبى قُوَيقٍ تُحاوِلُه
As the deluded man fled from Marj Dabiq,
With your cavalry pursuing him on both sides of Quwayq.
تَأَوَّبَhe came by night مِنfrom حَمّوصَHammus أَبوابَthe gates of بالِسٍBalis
تَأَوَّبَ مِن حَمّوصَ أَبوابَ بالِسٍ
مَسيراًa journey بِفَرطِfrom excessive الذُعرِterror تُطوىare folded away مَراحِلُهits stages
مَسيراً بِفَرطِ الذُعرِ تُطوى مَراحِلُه
He came by night from Hammus to the gates of Balis,
On a journey whose stages were folded away by sheer terror.
يُقَوِّسُhe arches مِنaway from حَدِّthe sharpness of الأَسِنَّةِthe spearheads ظَهرَهُhis back
يُقَوِّسُ مِن حَدِّ الأَسِنَّةِ ظَهرَهُ
وَقَدand already بُلَّhave been drenched مِنهاby them مَنكِباهُhis two shoulders وَكاهِلُهand his upper back
وَقَد بُلَّ مِنها مَنكِباهُ وَكاهِلُه
He arches his back away from the spearpoints,
His shoulders and upper back already drenched by them.
يُحيطُhe wraps عَلَيهِaround himself جانِبَthe edge of النَقعِthe dust-cloud موعِثاًcrossing soft sand
يُحيطُ عَلَيهِ جانِبَ النَقعِ موعِثاً
لِكَيso that تَتَغَطّىare covered فيin العَجاجِthe swirling dust مَقاتِلُهhis vulnerable spots
لِكَي تَتَغَطّى في العَجاجِ مَقاتِلُه
He draws the dust-cloud's edge around himself, crossing soft sand,
So his vulnerable parts may be hidden in the swirling dust.
إِذاwhen مَرَّhe passes بِالشَجراءِby a thicket جانَبَhe avoids قَصدَهاits direction
إِذا مَرَّ بِالشَجراءِ جانَبَ قَصدَها
يَرىhe thinks أَنَّهاthat it is أَرسالُbands of خَيلٍcavalry تُقاتِلُهfighting him
يَرى أَنَّها أَرسالُ خَيلٍ تُقاتِلُه
When he passes a thicket, he veers away from it,
Thinking it bands of horsemen fighting him.
أَتىhe came سادِراًheedless بِالبَغيِin rebellion مُستَحقِباًcarrying on his back لَهُfor himself
أَتى سادِراً بِالبَغيِ مُستَحقِباً لَهُ
وَحاوَلَand sought نَصرَthe aid of اللَهِGod وَاللَهُwhile God خاذِلُهforsaking him
وَحاوَلَ نَصرَ اللَهِ وَاللَهُ خاذِلُه
He came blindly bent on rebellion, carrying it on his back,
And sought God's aid, while God forsook him.
فَأَولىso better لَهُfor him أَلّاthat not غَداbecame السَيفُthe sword مُدرِكاًovertaking
فَأَولى لَهُ أَلّا غَدا السَيفُ مُدرِكاً
ضَريبَتَهُits target وَأَعلَقَand ensnared العَيرَthe wild ass حابِلُهits snarer
ضَريبَتَهُ وَأَعلَقَ العَيرَ حابِلُه
So better for him that the sword did not overtake
Its target, and the snarer did not catch the wild ass.
لِيَهنِكَmay it gladden you أَنthat أَمسىhe came to evening بِدارِin a house of خَزايَةٍdisgrace
لِيَهنِكَ أَن أَمسى بِدارِ خَزايَةٍ
وَأَنand that باتَhe spent the night مَشغولاًpreoccupied وَخَوفُكَand fear of you شاغِلُهoccupies him
وَأَن باتَ مَشغولاً وَخَوفُكَ شاغِلُه
May it gladden you that he has ended in a house of shame,
And that he spent the night preoccupied, consumed by fear of you.
وَإِنَّكَand indeed you are مَنone whose تَأبىrefuse المَواليthe retainers الَّذيwhat أَبىhe refused
وَإِنَّكَ مَن تَأبى المَوالي الَّذي أَبى
وَيُعطونَand they give عِندَin الجِدِّserious matters ماwhat أَنتَyou باذِلُهoffer it
وَيُعطونَ عِندَ الجِدِّ ما أَنتَ باذِلُه
You are the man whose retainers refuse what he refuses,
And in earnest matters give whatever you give.
وَمازِلتُمُand you have continued بِالمُلكِwith the kingdom حتّىuntil تَمَكَّنَتbecame firm
وَمازِلتُمُ بِالمُلكِ حتّى تَمَكَّنَت
قَواعِدُهُits foundations العُظمىmighty وَقَرَّتand were stilled زَلازِلُهits tremors
قَواعِدُهُ العُظمى وَقَرَّت زَلازِلُه
You have kept supporting the kingdom until
Its mighty foundations stood firm and its tremors were stilled.
رَأَيتُI saw المُريبَthe suspect مُخفِياًhiding مِنكَfrom you شَخصَهُhis person
رَأَيتُ المُريبَ مُخفِياً مِنكَ شَخصَهُ
عَلىin حالَةٍa state يَشتَدُّintensifies فيهاin it تَضاؤُلُهhis shrinking
عَلى حالَةٍ يَشتَدُّ فيها تَضاؤُلُه
I have seen the suspect hiding himself from you,
In a state in which he shrinks ever further.
فَلاso let not يُتلَفَنever be squandered حَقّيmy due وَقَدwhen already نَطَقَتhave spoken بِهِfor it
فَلا يُتلَفَن حَقّي وَقَد نَطَقَت بِهِ
شَواهِدُهُits witnesses وَأَوضَحَتهُand made it plain دَلائِلُهits proofs
شَواهِدُهُ وَأَوضَحَتهُ دَلائِلُه
So let my due not be lost, since it has been attested
By its witnesses and made plain by its proofs.