يرشُّ كثيفُ الدجْن حيناً وتارةً

يرشُّ كثيفُ الدجْن حيناً وتارةً

له ساكبٌ من رائق الماء هاطلُ

له ساكبٌ من رائق الماء هاطلُ

Dense cloud-cover sprinkles at times, and at others

The heavy, dense rain sometimes pours down

A stream of clear water pours down from it.

And sometimes a pourer makes it flow gently

ويفضل جَوْدَ السحب جُودُ محمدٍ

ويفضل جَوْدَ السحب جُودُ محمدٍ

فكلُّ ندى كفَّيْه سَحٌّ ووابلُ

فكلُّ ندى كفَّيْه سَحٌّ ووابلُ

Yet Muhammad's bounty surpasses the clouds' copious rain,

But the generosity of Muhammad exceeds the clouds' rainfall

For all the dew of his two palms is a torrent and a downpour.

So every dew of his palms is pouring rain and downpour

اذا ما انتدى فالشامخ الطودُ راسخٌ

اذا ما انتدى فالشامخ الطودُ راسخٌ

وفي العزم مَضَّاءُ الغِرارين قاصل

وفي العزم مَضَّاءُ الغِرارين قاصل

When he sits in council, he is a lofty, firmly rooted mountain;

When he is determined, the towering mountains are steadfast

And in resolve he is a cleaving blade, keen on both edges.

And in his resolve, the sharp swords flash bright

حوى عضد الدين العُلى عن وراثةٍ

حوى عضد الدين العُلى عن وراثةٍ

وسعي فأمسى وهو في المجد كامل

وسعي فأمسى وهو في المجد كامل

Adud al-Din attained high honor through inheritance

He carried the pillar of high religion without any inheritance

And striving; thus he became consummate in glory.

And strived until he attained perfection in glory

فأدركَ مسعى قوْمه وهو غايةٌ

فأدركَ مسعى قوْمه وهو غايةٌ

وزادَ بما لم يستطعهُ الأوائلُ

وزادَ بما لم يستطعهُ الأوائلُ

He reached his people's goal of striving, itself the utmost height,

He accomplished his people’s hopes, an ultimate goal

And surpassed it with deeds the forebears could not accomplish.

And excelled what the predecessors were unable to achieve

يطيب ويذكو من أحاديثِ مجده

يطيب ويذكو من أحاديثِ مجده

ونشر معاليهِ الضُّحى والأصائلُ

ونشر معاليهِ الضُّحى والأصائلُ

Sweet and fragrant grow, from tales of his glory

The mornings and the gentle winds freshen

And the perfume of his noble deeds, the morning hours and late afternoons.

With the tales of his glory and the spreading of his nobility

ويهتزُّ للمعروفِ حتى كأنهُ

ويهتزُّ للمعروفِ حتى كأنهُ

صفيحةُ نصلٍ أخلصتها الصَّياقل

صفيحةُ نصلٍ أخلصتها الصَّياقل

He thrills to kindness until he seems

Even this sword trembles for benevolence

A blade's flat perfected by the polishers.

As if it were a polished blade tested by the whetstones

وَسائِلُ باغي جوده مُستريحةٌ

وَسائِلُ باغي جوده مُستريحةٌ

وناصبةٌ أفكارُه والعواذلُ

وناصبةٌ أفكارُه والعواذلُ

The means of the seeker of his bounty are at rest,

The seekers of his generosity are satisfied

While his thoughts and the reproachers are weary.

While his thoughts and passions remain zealous

ويُضعف أدنى العار محملَ عرضه

ويُضعف أدنى العار محملَ عرضه

ولكن لاِعْباءِ المكارمِ حاملُ

ولكن لاِعْباءِ المكارمِ حاملُ

His honor cannot bear the slightest disgrace,

The slightest shame weakens the load on his honor

Yet he bears the burdens of noble deeds.

But he carries the burdens of noble deeds

فتىً حِلْيتاه في وغاهُ وسلْمهِ

فتىً حِلْيتاه في وغاهُ وسلْمهِ

لعافيهِ والأعداءِ بأسٌ ونائلُ

لعافيهِ والأعداءِ بأسٌ ونائلُ

A youth whose two adornments, in his war and peace,

A young man whose adornments in battle and peace

Are might for his enemies and bounty for his supplicants.

Are his virtuousness, while for enemies he is severe and deadly

تُغنَّى طِلاحُ الخامسات بمدحهِ

تُغنَّى طِلاحُ الخامسات بمدحهِ

فيُطوى سحيقٌ نازحٌ ومَناهلُ

فيُطوى سحيقٌ نازحٌ ومَناهلُ

His praise is sung to weary camels on their fifth-day watering round,

The fertile rainclouds sing his praises

So remote, far-off stretches and watering places are passed.

So the torrential rain pours and the valley streams overflow

اذا القرَبُ القَسْقاس أذكى كبودها

اذا القرَبُ القَسْقاس أذكى كبودها

إِلى شَبِمٍ اِعراضُها عنهُ قاتلُ

إِلى شَبِمٍ اِعراضُها عنهُ قاتلُ

When the grueling night march to water sets their livers burning

When the polished goblets are filled, they shine

For cold water, turning away from which would be fatal,

While to him their aversion is destructive and fatal

طوتْهُ مِراحاً بالحديثِ كأنما

طوتْهُ مِراحاً بالحديثِ كأنما

على كلِّ لفظٍ موردٌ وخمائلُ

على كلِّ لفظٍ موردٌ وخمائلُ

They cover it merrily with the tale, as though

The night wrapped him in conversation as if

At every word lay a watering place and leafy groves.

For every word there were a pasture and loving friend

فلا الغمرُ جذَّابٌ ولا الظل خادع

فلا الغمرُ جذَّابٌ ولا الظل خادع

ولا الوعرُ نكَّابٌ ولا الخرق هائلُ

ولا الوعرُ نكَّابٌ ولا الخرق هائلُ

So neither deep water lures them nor shade beguiles them,

So neither is the deep water deceitful, nor the shadow deceptive

Nor rough ground diverts them nor the vast waste daunts them.

Nor the harsh terrain spiteful, nor the rugged path dreadful

على ثقةٍ أنَّ المُناخَ بمخْصِبٍ

على ثقةٍ أنَّ المُناخَ بمخْصِبٍ

يعيش به ركبٌ وتُحمى رواحلُ

يعيش به ركبٌ وتُحمى رواحلُ

Sure that their resting place lies in fertile land,

Trusting that the resting place is fertile,

Where riders live and riding-camels are kept safe.

A caravan can live there and camel litters be protected

اذا صرَّم النَّحض السُّرى فنعيمهُ

اذا صرَّم النَّحض السُّرى فنعيمهُ

مريءٌ به يُثْني سَنامٌ وكاهِلُ

مريءٌ به يُثْني سَنامٌ وكاهِلُ

When night travel strips away their flesh, his comfort

When the sweet creek gurgles, its bliss

Is wholesome; for it, hump and withers offer praise.

Makes the slender bodies and shoulders bend

يوطنه خصب المحل ابنُ هِمَّةٍ

يوطنه خصب المحل ابنُ هِمَّةٍ

منازلُهُ للمعْتَفينَ مَنازلُ

منازلُهُ للمعْتَفينَ مَنازلُ

A son of high resolve, with a bountiful abode, makes it his home;

The son of high ambition inhabits the fertile land

His dwellings are resting places for seekers of bounty.

His dwellings are dwellings for those who seek refuge

جمالُ الورى حامي الحمى باذل الندى

جمالُ الورى حامي الحمى باذل الندى

وشيك القرى والعام أغبر ماحِل

وشيك القرى والعام أغبر ماحِل

The ornament of humankind, protector of the domain, bestower of bounty,

The beauty of the earth, protector of sanctuaries, generous with dew

Swift with hospitality while the year is dust-gray and barren.

Swift to the villages and the years darkened with sorrows

بطيءُ عقابِ الذَّنب لكن بنصره

بطيءُ عقابِ الذَّنب لكن بنصره

وبالجودِ للمستصرخين مُعاجِلُ

وبالجودِ للمستصرخين مُعاجِلُ

Slow to punish an offense, yet with his aid

Slow to punish sins but quick to give victory

And bounty, he hastens to those who cry for help.

And to urgently help those crying for aid

فهُنِّيَ بالعيدِ الذي كلُّ فخرهِ

فهُنِّيَ بالعيدِ الذي كلُّ فخرهِ

عُلاهُ وغُرَّانُ المساعي دلائلُ

عُلاهُ وغُرَّانُ المساعي دلائلُ

So may he be congratulated on the festival, whose whole glory

So he was congratulated on the feast which all its pride

Is his eminence; his shining deeds bear witness.

Is its height, and the strivings are its clear signs