منْ مُبلغٌ سلف الأجواد إذ سبقوا

منْ مُبلغٌ سلف الأجواد إذ سبقوا

إلى العُلى فمساعي مجدهم سُنَنُ

إلى العُلى فمساعي مجدهم سُنَنُ

Who will tell the generous men of old, who led the way

I am a messenger of the generosity of the noble ones, for they preceded

to the heights, their glorious endeavors paths to follow,

To the heights, so their efforts for glory became exemplary

أنَّ الذي أحْرزوهُ من فخارهُم

أنَّ الذي أحْرزوهُ من فخارهُم

أرْبى وزادَ عليه بعدهُم حَسَنُ

أرْبى وزادَ عليه بعدهُم حَسَنُ

that the glory they attained

What they had gained of their pride

has been surpassed and exceeded by Hasan after them?

Was more fruitful, and after them it improved

سقى هوامد لا ترضى بشَيْم حَياً

سقى هوامد لا ترضى بشَيْم حَياً

ولو تبعَّقَ فيها العارضُ الهَتِنُ

ولو تبعَّقَ فيها العارضُ الهَتِنُ

He watered parched lands not content with watching for rain,

It watered towering palms that do not accept the shame of life

even if the pouring raincloud burst over them.

Even if the fickle one wallowed in it

تبرُّعاً ما مرى أخْلافَ دِرَّتهِ

تبرُّعاً ما مرى أخْلافَ دِرَّتهِ

كَرُّ السؤال ولم يُحرج له عطنُ

كَرُّ السؤال ولم يُحرج له عطنُ

Freely: the teats of his bounty were not milked

Willingly he did not see the successors of his pearls

by repeated requests, nor was his watering-place cramped.

Refusing to ask and not embarrassing anyone

كالسيل من شاهقٍ يجري لغايتهِ

كالسيل من شاهقٍ يجري لغايتهِ

طبعاً فلا هو مكدودٌ ولا يَهِنُ

طبعاً فلا هو مكدودٌ ولا يَهِنُ

Like a torrent from a lofty peak, flowing to its destination,

Like a torrent from a lofty mountain flowing to its goal

by nature—he is neither wearied nor growing weak.

By nature, neither held back nor subdued

لما أتى قارعاً للبابِ مُبْتدئاً

لما أتى قارعاً للبابِ مُبْتدئاً

بالجودِ لا كُلَفٌ شابتْ ولا مننُ

بالجودِ لا كُلَفٌ شابتْ ولا مننُ

When he came knocking at the door, taking the initiative

When he came knocking on the door, beginning

in generosity, untainted by burdens or reminders of favors,

With generosity, no burden and no favor

رأيتُ تركَ مديحي والثَّناءِ لهُ

رأيتُ تركَ مديحي والثَّناءِ لهُ

ظُلْماً له تقلقُ الأحلاس الوُضنُ

ظُلْماً له تقلقُ الأحلاس الوُضنُ

I deemed withholding my praise and commendation of him

I saw that leaving my praise and eulogy for him

an injustice to him that makes the girths shake the saddlecloths.

Would be an injustice, stirring the hearts of the chaste

ففارسُ الخيل نجم الدين من كرمٍ

ففارسُ الخيل نجم الدين من كرمٍ

بالمدح مني جديرٌ عِرْضهُ قَمِن

بالمدح مني جديرٌ عِرْضهُ قَمِن

So the knight of the cavalry, Najm al-Din, for his generosity,

So the horseman Najm al-Din, from generosity

is worthy of my praise; his honor deserves it.

Deserves my praise, his honor priceless

مُروي القنا من نحور الدارعين ضحى

مُروي القنا من نحور الدارعين ضحى

إذا التقتْ وفَراتُ الجيش والثُّننُ

إذا التقتْ وفَراتُ الجيش والثُّننُ

He slakes the spears from armored men's throats in the forenoon,

Quenching the thirst of warriors at dawn

when the army's locks meet the horses' fetlock tufts.

When the cavalry of the army and spears clash

وعاقرُ الكوم للعافي إذا احْتبستْ

وعاقرُ الكوم للعافي إذا احْتبستْ

سُحب السماء وعزَّ القطر واللَّبنُ

سُحب السماء وعزَّ القطر واللَّبنُ

And he slaughters high-humped she-camels for the suppliant when withheld

Barren mountains benefit from his rain

are heaven's clouds, and rain and milk grow scarce.

When the clouds withhold, scarce is the rain and milk

تعلَّمَ الصَّارمُ الهنديُّ نجْدتَه

تعلَّمَ الصَّارمُ الهنديُّ نجْدتَه

فحدُّهُ مثلهُ في بأسهِ خَشِنُ

فحدُّهُ مثلهُ في بأسهِ خَشِنُ

The keen Indian sword has learned his valor,

The Indian sword learned his aid

so its edge, like him, is harsh in its might.

So its sharpness in his might is rugged

وعلَّمَ الخيل شدَّاً من عزيمتهِ

وعلَّمَ الخيل شدَّاً من عزيمتهِ

فأحرزَ السَّبق عند الغاية الحُصنُ

فأحرزَ السَّبق عند الغاية الحُصنُ

And he taught the horses speed from his resolve,

And he taught the horses vigor from his resolve

so the stallions won first place at the finish.

Thus achieving precedence at the fortified goal

يلقاك في سلمهِ منه ويومِ وَغىً

يلقاك في سلمهِ منه ويومِ وَغىً

صفو المناقبِ لا بُخلٌ ولا جُبُن

صفو المناقبِ لا بُخلٌ ولا جُبُن

What meets you from him, in his peace and on a day of battle,

He meets you in peace with the finest traits

is the purest of virtues—neither miserliness nor cowardice.

No stinginess nor cowardice

مسدِّدُ الطعن حيث السُّمر حائدةٌ

مسدِّدُ الطعن حيث السُّمر حائدةٌ

وصائبُ القول حيث الرأي مُرتجن

وصائبُ القول حيث الرأي مُرتجن

His thrusts strike true where the dusky spears veer aside,

The piercer of spears where the blades stray

and his speech is sound where judgment is clouded.

And the speaker of truth where opinion wavers

غالي المعالي رخيصٌ عند هِمَّتهِ

غالي المعالي رخيصٌ عند هِمَّتهِ

حيث التَّودُّدُ منه والنَّدى ثمَنُ

حيث التَّودُّدُ منه والنَّدى ثمَنُ

Costly heights of honor are cheap to his ambition,

Of high aspirations, yet easy in his determination

where his goodwill and generosity are the price.

Where intimacy from him and dew are priceless

مُسْتمسكٌ بحبالِ اللّه مُعْتصمٌ

مُسْتمسكٌ بحبالِ اللّه مُعْتصمٌ

له المكارم حِصْنٌ والتُّقى جُنَنُ

له المكارم حِصْنٌ والتُّقى جُنَنُ

He holds fast to God's ropes, seeking shelter;

Clinging to God's rope, steadfast

noble deeds are his fortress, and piety his shields.

Virtues are his fortress and piety his armor

صافي الطَّويَّةِ ما في قلبه دَغَلٌ

صافي الطَّويَّةِ ما في قلبه دَغَلٌ

تشابه السِّرُّ في تقْواهُ والعَلَنُ

تشابه السِّرُّ في تقْواهُ والعَلَنُ

Pure in intent, with no guile in his heart;

Of pure intention, no deceit in his heart

in his piety, the private and the public are alike.

The secret and open equal in his devotion

تَنْميه فتيانُ صَدْقٍ من بني أسدٍ

تَنْميه فتيانُ صَدْقٍ من بني أسدٍ

وآل نصْرٍ وكلٌّ معشَرٌ خُشُنُ

وآل نصْرٍ وكلٌّ معشَرٌ خُشُنُ

He springs from upright young men of Banu Asad

They are cultivated by the sincere youth of Bani Asad

and the house of Nasr—each a hardy clan.

And the Al Nasr, all a courageous group

تخشى المَنونُ إذا سُلَّتْ سيوفُهم

تخشى المَنونُ إذا سُلَّتْ سيوفُهم

وتُخجل السُّحب أيديهم إذا هتنوا

وتُخجل السُّحب أيديهم إذا هتنوا

Death fears them when their swords are drawn,

Death fears when their swords are unleashed

and their hands shame the clouds when they pour like rain.

And the clouds are ashamed when their hands are raised

لا يأخذون المباغي غير غَشْرمَةٍ

لا يأخذون المباغي غير غَشْرمَةٍ

ولا يضامون إنْ حَلَّوا وإن ظعنوا

ولا يضامون إنْ حَلَّوا وإن ظعنوا

They take what they seek only by overwhelming force,

They take no unjust gains, only the spoils of war

and suffer no oppression, whether they encamp or depart.

And they do not oppress when they overcome and pierce

فاسترعَفوا بابن روميٍّ فقادَهُمُ

فاسترعَفوا بابن روميٍّ فقادَهُمُ

إلى العُلى حيث لا عارٌ ولا دَرَنُ

إلى العُلى حيث لا عارٌ ولا دَرَنُ

So they put Ibn Rumi at their head, and he led them

So they chose the son of a Roman to lead them

to the heights, where there is neither disgrace nor stain.

To the heights, where there is no shame or lowliness

مدحتُه طَرِباً من حُسنِ همَّتهِ

مدحتُه طَرِباً من حُسنِ همَّتهِ

تعجُّباً إذْ أراني مثلَه الزَّمنُ

تعجُّباً إذْ أراني مثلَه الزَّمنُ

I praised him, delighted by the nobility of his ambition,

I praised him, amazed at his noble aspiration

amazed that time had shown me one like him.

Astonished that time made me his equal

ضحضاح حالٍ يخوض الطير جَمَّتَه

ضحضاح حالٍ يخوض الطير جَمَّتَه

وبحرُ مكرُمةٍ تجري به السُّفنُ

وبحرُ مكرُمةٍ تجري به السُّفنُ

In worldly means, a shallow pool whose waters birds can wade,

The sheen of a state where birds plunge into its abundance

yet a sea of generosity upon which ships sail.

And a sea of generosity where ships sail

يا تاجر الفخرِ وهَّاباً لبُلْغَهِ

يا تاجر الفخرِ وهَّاباً لبُلْغَهِ

إذْ تاجرُ المال مَنَّاعٌ ومُحْتجِنُ

إذْ تاجرُ المال مَنَّاعٌ ومُحْتجِنُ

O merchant of glory, lavish with your sustenance,

O merchant of pride and granter of its reach

while the merchant of wealth withholds and hoards.

When the trader of wealth is preventing and miserly

اِبشرْ بربحٍ حوتهُ فِطْنةٌ ونُهىً

اِبشرْ بربحٍ حوتهُ فِطْنةٌ ونُهىً

فالخيرُ ما تجلبُ الألبابُ والفِطَن

فالخيرُ ما تجلبُ الألبابُ والفِطَن

Rejoice in a profit secured by discernment and reason,

Receive tidings of profit containing insight and integrity

for good is what minds and insight bring.

For the good is what minds and the wise bring

بذلْتَ غُبْر الدوالي فاشتريت بها

بذلْتَ غُبْر الدوالي فاشتريت بها

غُرَّ المعالي فلا بخْسٌ ولا غَبَنُ

غُرَّ المعالي فلا بخْسٌ ولا غَبَنُ

You gave away dusty, circulating wealth and bought with it

You spent the dust of riches and bought with it

radiant heights of honor—no shortchanging and no loss.

The caves of aspirations, no loss and no fraud