ملأَ العصر بل الدهر عُلاً

ملأَ العصر بل الدهر عُلاً

ثابتُ الحبوةِ طيَّاشُ القلمْ

ثابتُ الحبوةِ طيَّاشُ القلمْ

He filled the age—indeed, all time—with glory.

He filled the age, nay the epoch, with glory,

Steady in his seat, his pen darting swiftly.

Steadfast of purpose, deft of pen,

يُظهرُ النَّصرَ لمُستصرخهِ

يُظهرُ النَّصرَ لمُستصرخهِ

فاذا ما بذلَ الجودَ كَتمْ

فاذا ما بذلَ الجودَ كَتمْ

He openly aids whoever calls on him;

He brings victory to those who implore him,

yet when he bestows his bounty, he conceals it.

So when he is open-handed he hides it.

وقَطوبٌ لأحاديثِ الخَنا

وقَطوبٌ لأحاديثِ الخَنا

فاذا ما قطَّبَ الخطبُ ابتسمْ

فاذا ما قطَّبَ الخطبُ ابتسمْ

And he frowns at obscene talk,

And frowns at the prattle of slanderers,

yet when calamity frowns, he smiles.

So when prating makes him frown he smiles.

بِشْرهُ والجودُ من راحتهِ

بِشْرهُ والجودُ من راحتهِ

كاشفاً لَيْلَىْ حُظوظٍ وظُلَمْ

كاشفاً لَيْلَىْ حُظوظٍ وظُلَمْ

His cheerfulness and the bounty from his palm

Gladden him and munificence is his nature,

dispel the twin nights of ill fortune and darkness.

Dispelling the gloom of misfortunes and darkness.

حَسدَ الطودُ مزايا حِلْمهِ

حَسدَ الطودُ مزايا حِلْمهِ

مثلما تحسدُ جَدْواهُ الدِّيمْ

مثلما تحسدُ جَدْواهُ الدِّيمْ

The mountain envies his surpassing forbearance,

The lofty mounts envied the qualities of his clemency,

just as the steady rains envy his bounty.

As their permanent water envies their rains.

قاتلُ الأقْرانِ في معْركَةٍ

قاتلُ الأقْرانِ في معْركَةٍ

وبيوم السلم قتَّالُ العَدمْ

وبيوم السلم قتَّالُ العَدمْ

A slayer of opponents in battle,

Deadly to his peers in battle,

and in peacetime, a relentless slayer of poverty.

Yet on days of peace he kills no one.

تشتكي ليلاً وصُبحاً سيْفهُ

تشتكي ليلاً وصُبحاً سيْفهُ

هامةُ الذِّمْرِ وحمْراءُ النَّعَمْ

هامةُ الذِّمْرِ وحمْراءُ النَّعَمْ

Night and morning, his sword draws complaints from

By day and night his sword complains

the valiant warrior’s head and the red she-camel.

Of the zebra-hide shield and the red ostrich-leather.

فالمقاري وبَراكاءُ الوَغى

فالمقاري وبَراكاءُ الوَغى

مُلئا منهُ سَديفاً وقِمَمْ

مُلئا منهُ سَديفاً وقِمَمْ

So the guest-bowls and the thick of battle

So both steed and foot-soldier in the fray

are filled by him with camel-hump fat and heads.

Are filled with awe of him and dread.

وبعيدٌ عن رِما أعْدائهِ

وبعيدٌ عن رِما أعْدائهِ

وهو في الودِّ على البُعْدِ أمَمْ

وهو في الودِّ على البُعْدِ أمَمْ

And far beyond the reach of his enemies’ shots,

And he is far from the venom of his foes,

yet, though distant, he is near in affection.

Yet in affection near even to the distant.

ذو حياءٍ حابسٍ مَنْطِقهُ

ذو حياءٍ حابسٍ مَنْطِقهُ

فاذا جادلَهُ اللُّدُّ خَصَمْ

فاذا جادلَهُ اللُّدُّ خَصَمْ

Possessed of modesty that restrains his speech,

Modest, reticent of speech,

yet when the contentious debate him, he prevails.

So when calumny wags its tongue he disputes it.

أحْمدُ الخير اذا سمَّيتهُ

أحْمدُ الخير اذا سمَّيتهُ

شرفُ الدينِ اذا المجدُ وسَمْ

شرفُ الدينِ اذا المجدُ وسَمْ

Ahmad the Good, when you name him;

Ahmad is the best when you name him,

Sharaf al-Din, when glory bestows its mark.

The noblest of the faith when glory brands men.

فوقاهُ اللّهُ أسْبابَ الرَّدى

فوقاهُ اللّهُ أسْبابَ الرَّدى

ما هدى السَّفْرَ إِلى الماءِ عَلَمْ

ما هدى السَّفْرَ إِلى الماءِ عَلَمْ

So may God shield him from the causes of death,

May God guard him from the roads of destruction

as long as a landmark guides travelers to water.

As the star guides travelers to water.