تبلَّجَ وجْهُ الدَّهر بعد قُطوبهِ

تبلَّجَ وجْهُ الدَّهر بعد قُطوبهِ

ولم يكف ذاك البِشْرُ حتى تبسَّما

ولم يكف ذاك البِشْرُ حتى تبسَّما

Time's face grew radiant after its frown,

The face of time brightened after its gloominess

And that cheerfulness did not suffice until time smiled,

And that good news did not cease until it smiled

سُروراً بإحْسانِ الوزير محمَّدٍ

سُروراً بإحْسانِ الوزير محمَّدٍ

لِما مَلأَ الأيامَ بأساً وأنْعُما

لِما مَلأَ الأيامَ بأساً وأنْعُما

In joy at the beneficence of the vizier Muhammad,

With joy at the benevolence of the minister Muhammad

For he filled the days with might and blessings.

For he filled the days with might and favors

فأضحى الدجى الغريب صبحاً مشرِّقاً

فأضحى الدجى الغريب صبحاً مشرِّقاً

وأصبح جدْب الأرض روضاً مُنمنما

وأصبح جدْب الأرض روضاً مُنمنما

So the strange darkness became a radiant morning,

So the strange darkness became a radiant dawn

And the earth's barrenness became a richly adorned meadow.

And the barren land became a flowering meadow

ومدَّ أتيُّ الجود في كلِّ مسْلكٍ

ومدَّ أتيُّ الجود في كلِّ مسْلكٍ

فلست ترى إِلا غَماماً وخِضْرِما

فلست ترى إِلا غَماماً وخِضْرِما

And the torrent of generosity swelled along every path,

The generous one extended his generosity in every path

So you see nothing but rainclouds and a boundless sea.

So you see nothing but clouds and greenery

كذي شُطبٍ ماضي الغرارين مرهف

كذي شُطبٍ ماضي الغرارين مرهف

إذا هُزَّ للعلْياءِ راحَ مُصَمَّما

إذا هُزَّ للعلْياءِ راحَ مُصَمَّما

Like a grooved sword, keen on both edges and finely honed,

Like a polished Indian sword when brandished

When brandished for glory, it goes forth cutting clean through.

To the high ones it moves resolutely

تنوءُ بأعْباءِ النَّوالِ عُفاتُهُ

تنوءُ بأعْباءِ النَّوالِ عُفاتُهُ

وتُثْقل بالجود المَطِيَّ المُخَزَّما

وتُثْقل بالجود المَطِيَّ المُخَزَّما

His petitioners stagger under the weight of his bounty,

His chastity buckles under the burden of grants

And weigh down their nose-ringed camels with his generosity.

And his free-flowing generosity weighs down the treasury

إذا حاردتْ غُبر السنين فلم تجُدْ

إذا حاردتْ غُبر السنين فلم تجُدْ

بطَلٍّ وأضْحى الجوُّ بالمحل أقْتما

بطَلٍّ وأضْحى الجوُّ بالمحل أقْتما

When the dust-gray years turn barren and yield no

When the dust of years confused it did not find

Light rain, and the sky grows dust-dark with drought,

A hero and the atmosphere in the abode became gloomy

هَمى عَضدُ الدين الوزيرُ فمَدَّتِ

هَمى عَضدُ الدين الوزيرُ فمَدَّتِ

الشِّعابُ أتِيّاً ذا غَواربَ مُفْعَما

الشِّعابُ أتِيّاً ذا غَواربَ مُفْعَما

The vizier Adud al-Din rains down, swelling

The pillar of religion, the minister, was determined so

The ravines with a brimful torrent of towering crests.

The valleys extended a generous hand full of bounty

يزينُ حَيا كفَّيْه والبشْر بارقٌ

يزينُ حَيا كفَّيْه والبشْر بارقٌ

حياءٌ يُريه الجودَ بُخْلاً مُذمَّما

حياءٌ يُريه الجودَ بُخْلاً مُذمَّما

The rain of his palms—his cheer its lightning—is graced

The joy on his palms adorns life and the good news is shining

By modesty that makes him see his generosity as blameworthy stinginess.

Modesty that shows generosity as disdained stigma

فيَصْغُر قدْرُ الدَّثْر في عين جودهِ

فيَصْغُر قدْرُ الدَّثْر في عين جودهِ

إلى أن يرى ألْفَ العَطِيَّة دِرْهما

إلى أن يرى ألْفَ العَطِيَّة دِرْهما

So the worth of great riches dwindles in his generosity's eye,

So the worth of wealth is belittled in his eyes

Until he sees a gift of a thousand as a single dirham.

Until he sees a thousand gifts as one dirham

فيا لك من صدرٍ مشارٍ وسَيِّدٍ

فيا لك من صدرٍ مشارٍ وسَيِّدٍ

مطاعٍ وذي خالٍ إذا الشَّيْم أنجما

مطاعٍ وذي خالٍ إذا الشَّيْم أنجما

So what a renowned leader you are, and a lord

What a generous, obeyed, and noble chest you have

Obeyed, and bearing a raincloud when the watch for lightning ends!

Protected, when serious his look is starry

نحا سعيُه في المجدِ منْحى جُدوده

نحا سعيُه في المجدِ منْحى جُدوده

وأرْبى عليهم نجْدَةً وتكَرُّما

وأرْبى عليهم نجْدَةً وتكَرُّما

His pursuit of glory followed the path of his forefathers,

His endeavor in glory followed his ancestors

And he surpassed them in valor and generosity.

And he harvested to them help and nobility

فما زالَ متْبوعَ اللِّواءِ مُقَدَّماً

فما زالَ متْبوعَ اللِّواءِ مُقَدَّماً

منيعَ الحمى ما صاحب المِقْولُ الفما

منيعَ الحمى ما صاحب المِقْولُ الفما

So he remains foremost, his banner followed,

So he remained preceded, carrying the banner

His domain inviolate, as long as the tongue keeps company with the mouth.

Impregnable, while the speaker of words has the bridle