وفيand on حَشيَّةthe cushion of دستthe throne of المجدglory ذوpossessed of طَربٍrapture
وفي حَشيَّة دست المجد ذو طَربٍ
لكنbut بحُبِّthrough love of المعاليlofty honors ذلكthat الطَّرَبُrapture
لكن بحُبِّ المعالي ذلك الطَّرَبُ
And on the cushion of glory's throne sits one enraptured,
In the palm of glory lies exultant pleasure,
but that rapture comes from love of lofty honors.
Yet with love of nobility that pleasure is tempered.
يهابُfears جدْبُthe drought of المشانيal-Mashani ضيفَthe guest of منزلهhis house
يهابُ جدْبُ المشاني ضيفَ منزله
وتتَّقيand avoids جارهُhis neighbor الأحْداثُmisfortunes والنِّوَبُand calamities
وتتَّقي جارهُ الأحْداثُ والنِّوَبُ
The drought of al-Mashani fears the guest of his house,
The neighbor fears his guest will harm his dwelling,
and misfortunes and calamities avoid his neighbor.
And events and mishaps are dodged.
أغرُّradiant إِحسانُهhis beneficence والحُسنُand beauty يحسدُهenvies him
أغرُّ إِحسانُه والحُسنُ يحسدُه
فيin حالتيهhis two aspects مِجَنُّthe shield of الشمسthe sun والسُّحبand the clouds
في حالتيه مِجَنُّ الشمس والسُّحب
Radiant is his beneficence, and beauty envies him;
His benevolence is tempting, and envy pursues his grace,
in both his aspects, he is the shield of sun and clouds.
Like the sun and clouds in their two states.
فساكِبٌso, a pourer ومُضيءٌand a light-giver عَمَّreached all نَفْعُهماtheir shared benefit
فساكِبٌ ومُضيءٌ عَمَّ نَفْعُهما
فماso not يكُفُّهُماrestrains them both الإعدامُpoverty والحُجُبُand veils
فما يكُفُّهُما الإعدامُ والحُجُبُ
So one pours and one shines; their benefit reaches all,
Pouring and radiating, their benefit spreads,
and neither poverty nor veils restrain them.
Not contained by darkness or barriers.
مُطهَّمٌa finely built steed سابقٌforemost فيin كلِّevery مأثُرَةٍnoble deed
مُطهَّمٌ سابقٌ في كلِّ مأثُرَةٍ
مسيرهُhis gait الشَّدُّfull gallop لاnot التَّقريبthe canter والخَبَبand the trot
مسيرهُ الشَّدُّ لا التَّقريب والخَبَب
A finely built steed, foremost in every noble deed,
A pioneer surpassing in every great feat,
his gait is full gallop, not a canter or a trot.
His path is fervor, not gradual steps or stumbles.
فيهin him انْقيادٌwilling obedience إذاwhen يُدْعىhe is summoned لمكْرُمَةٍto a noble deed
فيه انْقيادٌ إذا يُدْعى لمكْرُمَةٍ
وذوand possessed of جِماحٍrestiveness إلىtoward غيرanything other than العُلىlofty honor شَغِبُrebellious
وذو جِماحٍ إلى غير العُلى شَغِبُ
He yields readily when summoned to a noble deed,
When called to generosity, he obediently responds,
and is restive and rebellious toward anything but lofty honor.
While to anything less, his wings refuse.
قدalready أدركreached الغايةthe goal القصوىfarthest وأحرزهاand secured it
قد أدرك الغاية القصوى وأحرزها
فكلُّso every قاصٍdistant thing علىupon إِحضارهhis galloping صَقِبnear
فكلُّ قاصٍ على إِحضاره صَقِب
He has reached the farthest goal and secured it;
He has attained the utmost goal and grasped it,
thus all that is far is near when he gallops.
So every storyteller sings his praises.
وسلسلٌand limpid سائغٌeasy to drink فيin وُدِّهِhis friendship خَصِرٌcool
وسلسلٌ سائغٌ في وُدِّهِ خَصِرٌ
وفيand in تنكُّرهِhis hostility نارٌa fire لهاthat has لَهَبُflame
وفي تنكُّرهِ نارٌ لها لَهَبُ
And in his friendship he is limpid, easy to drink, and cool;
A delicate chain around his neck,
and in his hostility, a fire with blazing flame.
And in his disfavor, a fire with flames.
إذاwhen الكتائبthe battalions أعيْىexhausted السيفthe sword سورتهاtheir fury
إذا الكتائب أعيْى السيف سورتها
قامتْrose بنُصْرتهto his aid الأقلامُthe pens والكُتُبand the books
قامتْ بنُصْرته الأقلامُ والكُتُب
When the battalions' fury exhausts the sword,
When battalions fatigue the sword’s blade,
the pens and books rise to his aid.
The pens and books rise in his defense.
وزيرُa vizier of مجدٍglory لهhe has فيin سعيهhis endeavors شَرَفٌnobility
وزيرُ مجدٍ له في سعيه شَرَفٌ
ومنand from عُلاthe nobility of خِنْدِفٍKhindif فيin محضهاits purest stock نسبlineage
ومن عُلا خِنْدِفٍ في محضها نسب
A vizier of glory, noble in his endeavors,
An eminent vizier, his effort has nobility,
whose lineage springs from the purest nobility of Khindif.
And his pure origin an exalted lineage.
حيثwhere الرضاfavor مرتعٌa pasture نامٍflourishing ومُرتَبعٌand a springtime grazing ground
حيث الرضا مرتعٌ نامٍ ومُرتَبعٌ
والمحلُand drought والخوفand fear واللأواءand hardship إنif غضبواthey grow angry
والمحلُ والخوف واللأواء إن غضبوا
Where favor is a flourishing pasture and a springtime grazing ground,
Where contentment is a resting place, he settles,
but drought, fear, and hardship come if they are angered.
And should anger or unease stir,
بنَوْاthey built وشادواand raised high فخافتْso feared كلُّevery شامخةٍtowering height
بنَوْا وشادوا فخافتْ كلُّ شامخةٍ
تطاوُلَthe towering reach of الفخرglory حتىeven السَّبعةُthe seven الشُّهبradiant stars
تطاوُلَ الفخر حتى السَّبعةُ الشُّهب
They built and raised high, so every towering height feared
They build and fortify, so every lofty one fears,
their glory's towering reach—even the seven radiant stars.
Pride ascends until the seven stars.
يلقىhe faces الكُفاةَmen of skill كماjust as يلقىhe faces الكُماةwarriors إذاwhen
يلقى الكُفاةَ كما يلقى الكُماة إذا
كلَّgrew blunt المَزابرُthe pens والخطِّيَّةُand the Khatti spears السُّلُبُthe long, slender ones
كلَّ المَزابرُ والخطِّيَّةُ السُّلُبُ
He faces men of skill as he faces warriors, when
He receives the competent as he receives the unskilled, when
the pens and the long Khatti spears grow blunt.
Tombs and lowly plots are all that remain.
فجاءso he came ديمةَa steady rain of جودٍgenerosity غيرَnot مُنْجمَةٍintermittent
فجاء ديمةَ جودٍ غيرَ مُنْجمَةٍ
تهْميpours down إذاwhen غاضتِran dry الغُدرانُthe pools والقُلبand the wells
تهْمي إذا غاضتِ الغُدرانُ والقُلب
So he came as a steady rain of bounty, never intermittent,
So he came with a flood of generosity, sudden,
pouring down when pools and wells run dry.
To follow righteousness when passions raged within.
فيُتْبعُso he follows الحُجَّةَthe argument الغَرَّاءbrilliant ضرْبتهُhis blow
فيُتْبعُ الحُجَّةَ الغَرَّاء ضرْبتهُ
الرَّعْلاءflesh-rending حتىuntil يحينdraws near الحتفdeath والهربand flight
الرَّعْلاء حتى يحين الحتف والهرب
Then he follows the brilliant argument with his blow,
So eloquence and song are routed by a hero—
flesh-rending, until death and flight draw near.
Had he not shown restraint, ruin would have come.
فالحَبرso the scholar والذِّمْرand the champion مهزومانboth defeated منby بطلٍa hero
فالحَبر والذِّمْر مهزومان من بطلٍ
لولاwere it not for سجاجتُهhis gentleness أرْداهُماwould have killed them both العَطَبُdestruction
لولا سجاجتُه أرْداهُما العَطَبُ
So scholar and champion are routed by a hero;
Congratulations to time and days entire
but for his gentleness, destruction would have slain them both.
For his survival; the grass thrives with the rain.
فهنَّأso gladdened الدَّهرَtime والأيامَand the days قاطِبَةًall together
فهنَّأ الدَّهرَ والأيامَ قاطِبَةً
بَقاؤُهُhis continued life ماas long as نَمىgrows بالوابلِwith drenching rain العُشُبُthe grass
بَقاؤُهُ ما نَمى بالوابلِ العُشُبُ
Thus time and all the days are gladdened
None but Abu Ja'far is a friend of piety;
by his continued life, as long as grass grows with drenching rain.
All his days from his devotion are blessed.
فماfor not أبوAbu (father of) جعفرٍJa'far إِلاexcept حليفُan ally of تُقىًpiety
فما أبو جعفرٍ إِلا حليفُ تُقىً
أيامُهُhis days كُلهاall of them منthrough نُسْكهِhis devotion رَجبُRajab
أيامُهُ كُلها من نُسْكهِ رَجبُ
For Abu Ja'far is nothing but an ally of piety;
The crown of kings and feast of night when
through his devotion, all his days are Rajab.
Winter rages and food and milk grow scarce.
تاجُthe crown of الملوكkings ومِطْعامُand a lavish feeder العَشيِّat evening إذاwhen
تاجُ الملوك ومِطْعامُ العَشيِّ إذا
هَرَّgrowled الشتاءُwinter وعَزَّand became scarce الودْقrain والحَلَبand milk
هَرَّ الشتاءُ وعَزَّ الودْق والحَلَب
The crown of kings, and a lavish provider of evening meals, when
God reward you for tending to knowledge
winter growls and rain and milk are scarce.
And company when covenants and kinship are forgotten.
للّهِto God دَرُّكَyour praiseworthy excellence منas راعٍa guardian لمَعْرفَةٍof acquaintance
للّهِ دَرُّكَ من راعٍ لمَعْرفَةٍ
وصُحبةٍand companionship حينwhen يُنسىis forgotten العهدthe pledge والقُربand close ties
وصُحبةٍ حين يُنسى العهد والقُرب
God bless you, guardian of acquaintance
No covenant like yours in the son of a companion
and companionship, when pledges and close ties are forgotten.
Brought joy to the eminent, prolonged glory and repute.
ولاand none كعهدكlike your loyalty فيtoward ابنIbn (son of) الصاحبal-Sahib ابتهجتrejoiced
ولا كعهدك في ابن الصاحب ابتهجت
لهfor him المعاليlofty honors وطالَand rose high الفخرُglory والحسَبand noble lineage
له المعالي وطالَ الفخرُ والحسَب
And no loyalty equals yours toward Ibn al-Sahib; rejoicing
You raised from the house of Majd al-Din one deposed—
were the lofty honors for him, and glory and noble lineage rose high.
Had you not protected him, ropes would not have cinched.
رفعْتَyou raised منfrom بيتthe house of مجدMajd (glory) الدينal-Din (the faith) منخفضاًwhat lay low
رفعْتَ من بيت مجد الدين منخفضاً
لولاwere it not for حِفاظُكyour protection لمnot يُشددbe fastened بهin it طُنُبُa tent-rope
لولا حِفاظُك لم يُشدد به طُنُبُ
You raised what had fallen low in the house of Majd al-Din;
Affectionate affinity never led you to opposition,
without your protection, no tent-rope would have been fastened there.
Nor did contention or anger make you swerve.
لمdid not يُنْسكmake you forget الودaffection واشٍa slanderer فيin مُناقضةٍa dispute
لم يُنْسك الود واشٍ في مُناقضةٍ
ولاand not ثَنَتْكَturned you aside مُماراةٌwrangling ولاand not غَضبُanger
ولا ثَنَتْكَ مُماراةٌ ولا غَضبُ
No slanderer in a dispute made you forget affection,
You preserved a house of ancient glory and import
nor did wrangling or anger turn you aside.
Praised within for your deed by Arab and non-Arab.
حفِظتَyou preserved بيتa house قديمancient in المجدglory ذيpossessed of خَطرٍhigh standing
حفِظتَ بيت قديم المجد ذي خَطرٍ
أثنىpraised بفعلكِfor your deed فيهconcerning it العُجْمُnon-Arabs والعربُand Arabs
أثنى بفعلكِ فيه العُجْمُ والعربُ
You preserved a house of ancient glory and high standing;
Until you left the halls of Muslims for it
non-Arabs and Arabs praised what you did for it.
Echoing with the praise of you in all its regions.
حتىuntil تركتَyou left رحابَthe wide courts of المسلمينthe Muslims لهاthey have
حتى تركتَ رحابَ المسلمين لها
منfrom رفْعِraising حمدكpraise of you فيin أرجائهاtheir reaches لَجَبa clamor
من رفْعِ حمدك في أرجائها لَجَب
Until you left the Muslims' wide courts filled
Fate's hands folded it after its unfurling,
with the clamor of your praise rising throughout them.
As roses and basilico gently intertwine.
طَوَتْهُfolded him away أيديthe hands of اللياليthe nights بعدafter بسْطتهِhis flourishing
طَوَتْهُ أيدي الليالي بعد بسْطتهِ
وشْكاًswiftly كماjust as يَتدانىdraw close together الوِردُarrival at water والقَربand the night journey to water
وشْكاً كما يَتدانى الوِردُ والقَرب
The hands of the nights folded him away after his flourishing,
And I, in my patience after its defeat by death,
swiftly, as watering and the night's journey toward it lie close together.
Am more patient than a willow switch in binds.
وإنَّنيand indeed I واصطباريand my patient endurance بعدafter صِرْعَتهِhis fall
وإنَّني واصطباري بعد صِرْعَتهِ
للموتbefore death أصبرُmore patient منthan عَوْدٍan old camel بهupon it جُلَبscabs
للموت أصبرُ من عَوْدٍ به جُلَب
And I, with my patient endurance after his fall,
am more steadfast before death than an old camel covered in scabs.
Partial English translation: 52 of 54 Arabic lines translated.