وإِني وإنْ كَفَّ الأسى غَرْبَ مِقْوَلي

وإِني وإنْ كَفَّ الأسى غَرْبَ مِقْوَلي

فغاضَ عُبابِيٌّ وأغْمِدَ قاطِعُ

فغاضَ عُبابِيٌّ وأغْمِدَ قاطِعُ

And I, though sorrow has checked my tongue's sharp edge,

Though grief's gloom has waned, and my complaining ceased,

So my surging tide has ebbed and my keen blade has been sheathed,

My tears still flow, and my sword stays sheathed,

وأصبَحَ فَضْلي بالعِراق كأنَّهُ

وأصبَحَ فَضْلي بالعِراق كأنَّهُ

طَليحُ سِفار جَعْجَعَتْهُ البَلاقِعُ

طَليحُ سِفار جَعْجَعَتْهُ البَلاقِعُ

And my merit in Iraq has come to seem

My bounty in Iraq is like

Like one exhausted by journeys, hemmed in by barren wastes,

A coat of mail the storms have battered.

يُذادُ ذيادَ العاطِشاتِ عَنِ النَّدى

يُذادُ ذيادَ العاطِشاتِ عَنِ النَّدى

وقد أثْعَلَتْ بالجاهلينَ الشَّرائِعُ

وقد أثْعَلَتْ بالجاهلينَ الشَّرائِعُ

Driven from bounty as thirsty beasts are driven away,

It quenches the thirst of the needy,

While the watering places have grown crowded with the ignorant,

While the ignorant transgress sacred law.

لَمُثْنٍ على غَيْرانَ منْ آلِ هاشِمٍ

لَمُثْنٍ على غَيْرانَ منْ آلِ هاشِمٍ

لهُ أرَجٌ منْ عَبْقَةِ المجْدِ رادِعُ

لهُ أرَجٌ منْ عَبْقَةِ المجْدِ رادِعُ

Surely praise a zealous man of the House of Hashim,

I praise, as none before, the noble scions

Who bears an overpowering fragrance from the scent of glory,

Of Hashim whose glory brightness sheds,

بأحْسَن ما أثْنى الفَصيحُ وحُبِّر المَ

بأحْسَن ما أثْنى الفَصيحُ وحُبِّر المَ

ديحُ وطابَتْ بالحَديثِ المَجامِعُ

ديحُ وطابَتْ بالحَديثِ المَجامِعُ

With the finest praise voiced by the eloquent, and with finely wrought

With choicest words of eloquence, and song

Panegyric, whose telling has delighted gatherings,

That graced the tongues of men in every clan.

لأِبْلُغَ وَصفْاً منْ عُلاً زَيْنَبيَّةٍ

لأِبْلُغَ وَصفْاً منْ عُلاً زَيْنَبيَّةٍ

غَدا وهو فيها باهِرُ السَّعْي بارِعُ

غَدا وهو فيها باهِرُ السَّعْي بارِعُ

To capture in words something of Zaynabi eminence,

To describe great Zainab's lofty traits,

In which he has become dazzling in endeavor, preeminent.

Her tireless toil and diligence, in vain,

فإنَّ يمينَ الدولةِ الخِرْقَ عارض

فإنَّ يمينَ الدولةِ الخِرْقَ عارض

يَنوضُ به بَرْقٌ من البِشْرِ لامِعُ

يَنوضُ به بَرْقٌ من البِشْرِ لامِعُ

For the resourceful Yamin al-Dawla is a raincloud,

For the state's pillar, breach confronting,

Within it rises a gleaming flash of lightning born of good cheer.

Flashes with human brilliance, lighting plains.

إذا ما هَمى مُسْحَنْفِرَ الوَدْقِ أصبحت

إذا ما هَمى مُسْحَنْفِرَ الوَدْقِ أصبحت

لهُ الهامِداتُ الغُبْرُ وهي مَراتِعُ

لهُ الهامِداتُ الغُبْرُ وهي مَراتِعُ

When it pours its rain in rushing torrents,

When the courser charges, timid beasts

Through it, the lifeless, dust-gray lands become pastures.

Take cover, while mountains stand amazed.

تَعَلَّمُ منْ إِقْدامِهِ وأناتِهِ

تَعَلَّمُ منْ إِقْدامِهِ وأناتِهِ

خِفافُ المَواضي والجبالُ الفَوارِعُ

خِفافُ المَواضي والجبالُ الفَوارِعُ

From his boldness and deliberation learn

Foals learn courage from his daring,

The swift, keen blades and the towering mountains.

As raging torrents carve the crags.

فصَفْحٌ يَغولُ الجُرْمَ والجُرمُ فاحشٌ

فصَفْحٌ يَغولُ الجُرْمَ والجُرمُ فاحشٌ

وبأسٌ يَفِلُّ الجيشَ والجيشُ رائِعُ

وبأسٌ يَفِلُّ الجيشَ والجيشُ رائِعُ

So his pardon devours the offense, though the offense is heinous,

Clemency makes crime dissolve, but foul misdeeds

And his might shatters the army, though the army is fearsome.

Bring havoc to the ranks, though firmly based.

وأغْلَبُ عاصٍ للْعَواذِل في النَّدى

وأغْلَبُ عاصٍ للْعَواذِل في النَّدى

ولكنَّهُ للّهِ والمَجْدِ طائِعُ

ولكنَّهُ للّهِ والمَجْدِ طائِعُ

And he is a mighty lion, defying those who chide his bounty,

Most defiant to the vile, but to the glorious Lord

Yet obedient to God and glory.

And honor always pliant and obedient.

يُسِرُّ عَطاياهُ حَياءً ونَصْرُهُ

يُسِرُّ عَطاياهُ حَياءً ونَصْرُهُ

لِمُسْتَصْرخيهِ شائعُ البأسِ ذائعُ

لِمُسْتَصْرخيهِ شائعُ البأسِ ذائعُ

He conceals his gifts out of modesty, while his aid

To those crying for aid, swiftly he accords

To those who cry to him for help is famed for valor, known far and wide.

Succor, broadcasting might, munificence.

ويُعْرِضُ إِنْ نَدَّ السَّفاهُ لِسَمْعِهِ

ويُعْرِضُ إِنْ نَدَّ السَّفاهُ لِسَمْعِهِ

وللطَّيِّبِ الزَّاكي مِنَ القَوْلِ سامِعُ

وللطَّيِّبِ الزَّاكي مِنَ القَوْلِ سامِعُ

And he turns away if foolish talk strays to his hearing,

Yet from fools he turns his ear,

But listens to speech that is good and pure.

Hearkening to wisdom's graceful eloquence.

ارَى طَلْحَةَ الخيْراتِ شمسَ مَناقِبٍ

ارَى طَلْحَةَ الخيْراتِ شمسَ مَناقِبٍ

لَها المَجْدُ أوْجٌ والمَعالي مَطالِعُ

لَها المَجْدُ أوْجٌ والمَعالي مَطالِعُ

I see Talha of Good Deeds as a sun of virtues,

In Talha's virtues, honor's brilliant suns,

With glory for its zenith and lofty attainments for its rising places.

Noble heights and lofty peaks commence.

إذا أشْرقَتْ في ليلِ حَظٍّ تَبَلَّجَتْ

إذا أشْرقَتْ في ليلِ حَظٍّ تَبَلَّجَتْ

نَواحيهِ حتى صُبْحُ نُعْماهُ ناصِعُ

نَواحيهِ حتى صُبْحُ نُعْماهُ ناصِعُ

When it shines in fortune's night, light spreads

When in fortune's darkest night they shine,

Through its reaches, until the dawn of his bounty shines clear.

Their radiance remains till dawn's fluorescence.

تبَرَّعْتَ بالإِحْسانِ بَدْءاً وعَوْدَةً

تبَرَّعْتَ بالإِحْسانِ بَدْءاً وعَوْدَةً

فشُكْرُكَ مِني دائمٌ مُتَتابِعُ

فشُكْرُكَ مِني دائمٌ مُتَتابِعُ

You freely bestowed kindness, at first and then again,

You were generous at first, and ever since.

So my thanks to you are constant and unceasing.

My lasting gratitude is recompense.

وراقَبْتَ صَوْني وهو أشْرَفُ شيمَتي

وراقَبْتَ صَوْني وهو أشْرَفُ شيمَتي

وما كُلُّ مُحْتاجٍ إلى الجودِ كانِعُ

وما كُلُّ مُحْتاجٍ إلى الجودِ كانِعُ

And you were mindful of my dignity, my noblest quality,

You guarded my protection, my honor's core,

And not everyone in need of bounty is submissive.

Though not all who want are generous or intense.