جُزيتَmay you be rewarded نجيبNajib الدينal-Din (of the faith) خيراًwith good واننيand indeed I
جُزيتَ نجيب الدين خيراً وانني
بأفصحwith the most eloquent شكريmy thanks ماas long as حيْتُI live مُثيبُone who repays
بأفصح شكري ما حيْتُ مُثيبُ
May you be rewarded with good, Najib al-Din; and I
You have done well, O noble Al-Najeeb, and I
shall repay you with my most eloquent thanks as long as I live.
Thank you sincerely for as long as I live.
فماfor not كلُّeveryone منْwho صاغcrafted القوافيrhymes بمُفلقٍa master poet
فما كلُّ منْ صاغ القوافي بمُفلقٍ
ولاnor كلُّeveryone منwho يُدعىis called النَّجيبNajib (the Noble) نجيبُnoble
ولا كلُّ من يُدعى النَّجيب نجيبُ
For not everyone who crafts rhymes is a master poet,
Not all who string rhymes are truly eloquent,
nor is everyone called Najib truly noble.
Nor all who are called noble, truly noble.
تفارطrushed ahead قبلbefore الشَّيْمwatching for lightning صوبكَyour rainfall ساكِباًpouring down
تفارط قبل الشَّيْم صوبكَ ساكِباً
وأقبلْتَand you came forward منfrom قبلِbefore النِّداءِthe call تُجيبُanswering
وأقبلْتَ من قبلِ النِّداءِ تُجيبُ
Your rain rushed forth, pouring before anyone watched for lightning,
You poured your favor on me before any fault,
and you came answering before the call.
And you answered my call before I asked.
وقمتَand you rose بنصريin my defense حيثwhere لاnot السيفُthe sword ناصرa defender
وقمتَ بنصري حيث لا السيفُ ناصر
حميٌّzealous ولاnor رأيُjudgment اللَّبيبِthe wise man مُصيبُhitting the mark
حميٌّ ولا رأيُ اللَّبيبِ مُصيبُ
And you rose to my aid where the sword was no champion
You supported me when no sword could assist,
of fiery zeal, nor was the wise man's judgment sound.
No counsel of the wise proved of benefit.
فنعمso, how excellent الفتىthe man عبدAbd (servant) الجليلal-Jalil (the Majestic) هوhe الذيwho
فنعم الفتى عبد الجليل هو الذي
إِلىto الفخرhonor والمجدِand glory الأثيلِdeep-rooted حبيبُdear
إِلى الفخر والمجدِ الأثيلِ حبيبُ
How fine a man is Abd al-Jalil, he who
How excellent is this young man Abd al-Jaleel,
is dear to honor and deep-rooted glory.
Who loves glory and high honor ardently!
هُمامhigh-minded لبيقُgraceful العِطفbearing سامٍaspiring إِلىto العلىthe heights
هُمام لبيقُ العِطف سامٍ إِلى العلى
عتيقٌnoble-born كريمُgenerous الحِلْمِforbearance وهوthough he is عَزيبfar away
عتيقٌ كريمُ الحِلْمِ وهو عَزيب
High-minded, graceful in bearing, aspiring to the heights,
His compassion is ready to rise to the heights,
noble-born, generous in forbearance, though far away;
His reason is noble and his zeal is keen.
يفلُّhe routs جيوشarmies الخطبcalamity وهيthough they are كثيفةٌdensely massed
يفلُّ جيوش الخطب وهي كثيفةٌ
ويُنبتُand he makes sprout قاعَflat ground الحيِّthe tribe وهوthough it is جَديبُbarren
ويُنبتُ قاعَ الحيِّ وهو جَديبُ
he routs calamity's armies, though densely massed,
He scatters the ranks of misfortune thickly arrayed,
and makes the tribe's flat ground bloom, though barren.
And makes life flourish where all was bleak.