ونُبئتُ والرحمن أكرمُ دافعٍ

ونُبئتُ والرحمن أكرمُ دافعٍ

بوعكةِ هَصَّارِ الفوارسِ خادرِ

بوعكةِ هَصَّارِ الفوارسِ خادرِ

And I was told—the All-Merciful is the noblest defender—

I was told—and the Merciful is most generous—

of an illness afflicting the horsemen-crushing lion in his lair.

Of the bravery at Buwaib of knights charging,

فمادَتْ بي الأرض العَزازُ مخافةً

فمادَتْ بي الأرض العَزازُ مخافةً

وأصبح لُبِّي في قوادمِ طائرِ

وأصبح لُبِّي في قوادمِ طائرِ

Then the firm earth swayed beneath me from fear,

So the glorious earth recoiled in fear before me,

and my mind came to be in a bird's foremost flight feathers.

And my resolve was in the forelegs of a swift horse.

وقلتُ وبي من خاطر الهمِّ سورةٌ

وقلتُ وبي من خاطر الهمِّ سورةٌ

لغيرِ بهاء الدين سُوءُ الخَواطرِ

لغيرِ بهاء الدين سُوءُ الخَواطرِ

And I said, with a surge of anxious thought within me:

And I said—while my heart overflowed with cares—

Ill forebodings belong to anyone but Baha al-Din.

"None but the excellent endure vile thoughts."

فعند أبي الفضل البَسالةُ والنَّدى

فعند أبي الفضل البَسالةُ والنَّدى

ينوبانِ عن بيض الظُّبى والمَواطرِ

ينوبانِ عن بيض الظُّبى والمَواطرِ

For with Abu al-Fadl, bravery and generosity

So in Abul-Fadl are grit and glory,

take the place of white sword-edges and rain-bearing clouds.

Which replace the white blades and lances.

يكُفَّانِ ضوضاء الخطوب بكفِّ

يكُفَّانِ ضوضاء الخطوب بكفِّ

فيُمضيهما ما بين مَجْدٍ وناصِرِ

فيُمضيهما ما بين مَجْدٍ وناصِرِ

They quell the clamor of calamities with a hand,

They silence the clamor of catastrophes with a palm

and he deploys them between Majd and Nasir.

And so guide them between glory and victory.

فلا الجدبُ للعافي نَداهُ بعارقٍ

فلا الجدبُ للعافي نَداهُ بعارقٍ

ولا الخوفُ للحامي حِماهُ بذاعرِ

ولا الخوفُ للحامي حِماهُ بذاعرِ

So drought cannot gnaw at the seeker of his bounty,

So neither does aridity deny his freshness,

nor can fear terrify the defender of his sanctuary.

Nor does fear neglect to protect his ward.

يضيقُ بغَضْراءِ النَّعيمِ وإنهُ

يضيقُ بغَضْراءِ النَّعيمِ وإنهُ

على شظفِ العلياءِ أكرمُ صابرِ

على شظفِ العلياءِ أكرمُ صابرِ

He chafes at the lushness of ease, yet he

He is content with the green of bliss though confined

is the noblest in enduring the privations of lofty honor.

To the bare summit, more patient than any.

توقَّلَ في شمَّائها وهي دَحْضَةٌ

توقَّلَ في شمَّائها وهي دَحْضَةٌ

فأوطىءَ طفلاً مُرتقى كلِّ كابرِ

فأوطىءَ طفلاً مُرتقى كلِّ كابرِ

He scaled its lofty summit, though it was slippery,

He roams about its thorns while it is a tangled thicket,

so, still a child, he was made to tread the height of every eminent elder,

Yet he makes it smooth terrain, surmounting all.

من النُّبُلِ الغرِّ الذين إذا انتدوا

من النُّبُلِ الغرِّ الذين إذا انتدوا

رأيتَ المعالي بين طوْدٍ وزاخرِ

رأيتَ المعالي بين طوْدٍ وزاخرِ

among the illustrious nobles who, when they gather in council,

He is of noble heroes, who when they charge forth,

you see lofty virtues between a towering mountain and a swelling sea.

You see glory between Effulgence and Overflowing.

يشدُّ حُباهم سلمهمْ فإذا غَزوْا

يشدُّ حُباهم سلمهمْ فإذا غَزوْا

تحلُّ ظُباهُمْ من عُقودِ المَغافرِ

تحلُّ ظُباهُمْ من عُقودِ المَغافرِ

Their peace tightens their knee-wrappings; but when they wage war,

Their affection strengthens their pact, and when they battle

their sword-edges undo some of the knots of mail coifs.

Their zeal is unleashed from the fetters of forgiveness.

يصونُهم حِجْر الخلافة غَيْرَةً

يصونُهم حِجْر الخلافة غَيْرَةً

وتشركهُم في نهْيها والأوامِرِ

وتشركهُم في نهْيها والأوامِرِ

The caliphate's bosom guards them with jealous care,

The Caliphate protects them out of jealousy

and makes them partners in its prohibitions and commands.

And they share in its prohibitions and commands.