ولو أن نِكساً خامل الذكر جاهلاً

ولو أن نِكساً خامل الذكر جاهلاً

مقام المعالي باخل الرأي واليّدِ

مقام المعالي باخل الرأي واليّدِ

Even if a base man, obscure in renown and ignorant—

And were even a base man, obscure in name and ignorant

ignorant of the station of high honor, stingy with counsel and hand,

of lofty rank, stingy in counsel and hand,

بكيء الحِجا نزر الدراية معرضاً

بكيء الحِجا نزر الدراية معرضاً

عن الفضل ضِلِّيلَ المُنى غير مهتد

عن الفضل ضِلِّيلَ المُنى غير مهتد

dull of wit, scant in understanding, turning away

dull of wit, scant in understanding, turning away

from excellence, astray in his hopes and unguided—

from excellence, astray in his hopes, unguided,

غدا لمساعي الصاحب الصدر سامعاً

غدا لمساعي الصاحب الصدر سامعاً

هداهُ إِلى العلياء ذِكْرُ محمَّدِ

هداهُ إِلى العلياء ذِكْرُ محمَّدِ

were to become attentive to the endeavors of the Ṣāḥib, the foremost lord,

to hear the deeds of the eminent minister,

Muhammad’s renown would guide him to the heights.

the mention of Muhammad would guide him to the heights.

هداهُ حديثٌ من أغَرَّ مُهذَّبٍ

هداهُ حديثٌ من أغَرَّ مُهذَّبٍ

عليمٍ بكسب المجد طَّلاع أنجد

عليمٍ بكسب المجد طَّلاع أنجد

The account of a radiant, cultivated man would guide him—

An account of a radiant, refined man would guide him,

one versed in winning glory, a daring scaler of uplands.

versed in winning glory, ever scaling highlands.

اذا ما أفادَ المالَ والعِزَّ سعْيهُ

اذا ما أفادَ المالَ والعِزَّ سعْيهُ

تقسمه جارٌ طريد ومُجْتَدِ

تقسمه جارٌ طريد ومُجْتَدِ

Whenever his striving wins him wealth and honor,

Whenever his striving gains wealth and honor,

an exiled neighbor and a petitioner divide that wealth between them.

an exiled neighbor and a supplicant share it.

فيكرهُ أنْ تمضي من الدهر ساعة

فيكرهُ أنْ تمضي من الدهر ساعة

ولم يُرَ فيها بين حامٍ ومُرْفدِ

ولم يُرَ فيها بين حامٍ ومُرْفدِ

He hates to let a single hour of time pass

So he hates for an hour of time to pass

without being seen in it as either protector or benefactor.

without being seen in it as protector or benefactor.

يُنيخُ الرجالُ المُسنتون بأرضهِ

يُنيخُ الرجالُ المُسنتون بأرضهِ

إِلى ناضرٍ من خُرَّم العيش اُغْيد

إِلى ناضرٍ من خُرَّم العيش اُغْيد

Famine-stricken men make their mounts kneel in his land,

Famine-stricken men make their camels kneel on his land,

drawn to one radiant and graceful amid life’s delights,

toward the fresh, gentle bloom of blissful living,

إِلى ذروةٍ شمَّاء من شرفِ العُلى

إِلى ذروةٍ شمَّاء من شرفِ العُلى

بناها فأعلى سيدٌ بعد سيدِ

بناها فأعلى سيدٌ بعد سيدِ

to a towering summit of the honor of highest rank.

toward a towering summit of exalted honor,

He built it, and thereby exalted lord after lord.

which lord after lord built and raised still higher.

يموتُ لديها المَحل والمحل عارقٌ

يموتُ لديها المَحل والمحل عارقٌ

ويحذرُها بأسُ الحسام المهنَّد

ويحذرُها بأسُ الحسام المهنَّد

There drought dies, while whoever alights is drenched in plenty;

Famine dies in its presence, though famine gnaws to the bone,

even the might of the Indian-forged sword stands in awe of it.

and the might of the keen, Indian-forged sword fears it.

وما عضد الدين الجوادِ بواجِدٍ

وما عضد الدين الجوادِ بواجِدٍ

نظير عُلاهُ من فخارٍ وسؤددِ

نظير عُلاهُ من فخارٍ وسؤددِ

Nor will generous ʿAḍud al-Dīn ever find

Nor can generous Adud al-Din find

a peer to his loftiness in glory and lordly eminence:

an equal to his eminence in glory and lordship.

فتىً يتقاضى جودهُ لِعُفاتهِ

فتىً يتقاضى جودهُ لِعُفاتهِ

تبرُّعه فعل الغريم اليَلَنْدَدِ

تبرُّعه فعل الغريم اليَلَنْدَدِ

a young lord whose generosity, for those seeking his bounty, exacts

A young man whose generosity exacts for his petitioners

his freely offered gift like a relentless creditor.

his voluntary gifts, as a fierce creditor would.

كريمُ السجايا لا يقارن هُجنة ال

كريمُ السجايا لا يقارن هُجنة ال

جفاةِ ولا يدنو للهوٍ ولا دَدِ

جفاةِ ولا يدنو للهوٍ ولا دَدِ

Noble in character, he is untouched by the baseness of the—

Noble in character, he shuns the baseness of the

boorish, and draws near neither amusement nor idle play.

uncouth, and draws near neither amusement nor play.

فهُنِّيَ بالعيد السعيد ومجدهِ

فهُنِّيَ بالعيد السعيد ومجدهِ

ولا زالَ ينْضو مُنهَجا بمجدَّدِ

ولا زالَ ينْضو مُنهَجا بمجدَّدِ

So may he be congratulated on the blessed feast and on his glory,

So may he be congratulated on the joyous feast and his glory,

and may he never cease casting off a threadbare garment for one renewed.

and may he ever shed a worn-out robe for a new one.