واِنيand indeed I لمطْواعُindeed readily obedient to الصِّماتِsilence ومنطقيand my speech
واِني لمطْواعُ الصِّماتِ ومنطقي
اذاwhen قلتُI speak ماضيkeen on الشَّفْرتينboth edges صقيلُpolished
اذا قلتُ ماضي الشَّفْرتين صقيلُ
And I am indeed readily obedient to silence; yet my speech,
Though I keep silent, my lips do not betray
when I speak, is keen on both edges and polished.
The smile I force though my tears flow away
ومبتسمٌand smiling فيin الحفلthe gathering والدمعُwhile the tears غائضٌsinking inward
ومبتسمٌ في الحفل والدمعُ غائضٌ
لهfor it بينbetween أثناءthe folds of الضُّلوعِthe ribs مَسيلُa channel
له بين أثناء الضُّلوعِ مَسيلُ
And I smile in the gathering while my tears sink inward;
My needs are many, I wish I could be
they have a channel between the folds of my ribs.
One who is wealthy, unknown completely
وعيٌّand tongue-tied بحاجاتيabout my needs وفضْليand my merit فليتنيso, would that I were
وعيٌّ بحاجاتي وفضْلي فليتني
معamong القومthe people موفورwell-endowed with الثَّراءِwealth جَهولُignorant
مع القوم موفور الثَّراءِ جَهولُ
And I am tongue-tied about my needs and my merit—would that I were
Wise patience oft turns to ignorant rage
among the people, amply wealthy and ignorant.
As time's wheel turns and the world's ways change
وربَّand many a اصطبارٍpatient endurance بدَّلturned الحلمforbearance والنُّهىand reason
وربَّ اصطبارٍ بدَّل الحلم والنُّهى
سَفاهاًinto folly وأحْوالُand the conditions الزمانِof time تَحولُchange
سَفاهاً وأحْوالُ الزمانِ تَحولُ
And many a spell of endurance has turned forbearance and reason
Let us thank the vizier, our protector
to folly; and the fortunes of time change.
Who saves us from harm and disaster
فلاso may not عَدِمlack الحمدpraise الوزيرُthe vizier الذيwho بهthrough him
فلا عَدِم الحمد الوزيرُ الذي به
أشُدُّI charge علىagainst صرفthe vicissitudes الرَّدىof death وأصولُand I attack
أشُدُّ على صرف الرَّدى وأصولُ
So may the vizier never lack praise, through whom
A noble youth, he shelters us all
I charge against the ravages of death and strike.
From fate's injustice, misfortune's downfall
فتىًa young man هوhe منfrom جورthe tyranny of الحوادثcalamities عصمةٌa safeguard
فتىً هو من جور الحوادث عصمةٌ
ومنand from رائعاتِthe terrors of النَّازلاتِmisfortunes مُقيلُa rescuer
ومن رائعاتِ النَّازلاتِ مُقيلُ
A young man who is a safeguard against the tyranny of calamities,
His friendship and grace are free flowing waters
and a rescuer from the terrors of misfortunes.
The elixir of life in our darkest hours
طليقُopen; cheerful المُحيَّاthe face والبَنانِand the fingers حِباؤهُhis bounty
طليقُ المُحيَّا والبَنانِ حِباؤهُ
وماءُand the water الحَياof rain فيin الحالتينboth cases هَطولُpouring abundantly
وماءُ الحَيا في الحالتين هَطولُ
Bright-faced and open-handed; his bounty
He has glory and grace, a manner genteel
and the rain’s water both pour down in torrents.
Far from each shame or anything unreal
لهfor him فيin المعاليlofty honors جَثْوةٌa settled seat ومُقامَةٌand an abode
له في المعالي جَثْوةٌ ومُقامَةٌ
ونand from (likely intended) كُلِّevery عارٍdisgrace نَبْوَةٌa recoiling ورَحيلُand a departure
ون كُلِّ عارٍ نَبْوَةٌ ورَحيلُ
He has a settled seat and an abode in the heights of honor,
Excellence leads him with no peer beside
and [from] every disgrace he recoils and departs.
If virtues were counted, he'd still preside
تقودُlead اليهto him الفخرَglory غيرَnot مُشارَكٍrivaled
تقودُ اليه الفخرَ غيرَ مُشارَكٍ
مَساعٍdeeds اذاwhen ماemphatic particle عُدِّدَتْthey are enumerated وأصولُand ancestral roots
مَساعٍ اذا ما عُدِّدَتْ وأصولُ
Glory is led to him, with none to rival him,
by deeds, when recounted, and ancestral roots.
Partial English translation: 16 of 18 Arabic lines translated.