إبْقَremain فيin نِعْمَةٍblessing بَقاءَfor the duration of الدّهورِthe ages
إبْقَ في نِعْمَةٍ بَقاءَ الدّهورِ
نافِذَprevailing الأمرِcommand فيin جميعِall الأمورِaffairs
نافِذَ الأمرِ في جميعِ الأمورِ
May you remain in blessing as long as the ages endure,
Remain in blessings, enduring like ages,
your command prevailing in all affairs.
Powerful in all matters, your command prevailing,
خاضِعاتٍsubmissive لكَto you الكواكبُthe stars تَخْتصْsingles out (continued)
خاضِعاتٍ لكَ الكواكبُ تَخْتصْ
صend of 'singles out' مَوالِيكَyour protégés بالمحَلّfor the station الأثيرِthe favored
ص مَوالِيكَ بالمحَلّ الأثيرِ
The stars are subject to you, singling out
The planets submit to you, exalting
your protégés for the favored station.
Your loyalists to the most exalted realm.
لاnot يُؤثّرْنَthey exert influence فيon الوَلِيّthe ally ولاnor الحاthe envier (continued)
لا يُؤثّرْنَ في الوَلِيّ ولا الحا
سِدِend of 'the envier' حتىuntil تُشِيرَyou signal بالتّأثيرِfor influence
سِدِ حتى تُشِيرَ بالتّأثيرِ
They influence neither ally nor
Neither ally nor rival affects the patron
envier until you signal them to exert influence.
Until you gesture with influence,
وتَهَنَّand enjoy النُّعْمىthe blessing السّنيّةَthe sublime والْبَسْand wear
وتَهَنَّ النُّعْمى السّنيّةَ والْبَسْ
حُلَلَrobes of المَجْدِglory والفَعَالِand deeds الخَطيرِillustrious
حُلَلَ المَجْدِ والفَعَالِ الخَطيرِ
Enjoy sublime blessings, and put on
Donning the finest garments of glory and might
the robes of glory and illustrious deeds.
While enjoying the bloom of prosperous life.
وتمَتّعْand enjoy بنَضْرَةِin the freshness of العَيْشِlife إذْsince جَاcame (continued)
وتمَتّعْ بنَضْرَةِ العَيْشِ إذْ جَا
ءتْكَend of 'came to you' فيin رَونْقِthe splendor of الزّمانِtime النّضيرِthe flourishing
ءتْكَ في رَونْقِ الزّمانِ النّضيرِ
Enjoy the freshness of life, since it has
The best of fate's hands for people of this world
come to you amid the splendor of flourishing time.
Came in the season of the finest months.
خَيْرُthe finest of أيْديfavors of الزّمانِtime عندamong بَنيthe children of الدّنْthe world (continued)
خَيْرُ أيْدي الزّمانِ عند بَني الدّنْ
ياend of 'the world' أتَتْcame فيin أوَانِthe season of خيرِthe finest of الشهورِthe months
يا أتَتْ في أوَانِ خيرِ الشهورِ
Time's finest favor to the children of this
You were Moses, and the daughter of Shuaib came to you,
world has come in the season of the finest month.
Though neither of you were destitute.
كنتَyou were موسىMoses وافَتْكَcame to you بنتُthe daughter of شُعَيْبٍShuʿayb
كنتَ موسى وافَتْكَ بنتُ شُعَيْبٍ
غيرَexcept أنْthat ليسَthere is not فيكُماamong you two مِنْany فَقِيرِpoor person
غيرَ أنْ ليسَ فيكُما مِنْ فَقِيرِ
You were Moses; Shuʿayb's daughter came to you,
Your splendid abode was not to settle
except that neither of you is poor.
Except atop the highest mansions.
لمnot يكُنْwas قَصْرُكَyour palace المُنيفُthe lofty ليَسْتَنْto summon down (continued)
لم يكُنْ قَصْرُكَ المُنيفُ ليَسْتَنْ
زِلَend of 'summon down' إلاّexcept أعْلىthe loftiest of بناتِthe daughters of القُصورِpalaces
زِلَ إلاّ أعْلى بناتِ القُصورِ
Your lofty palace was not to summon
The gray shadows of gloom departed its courtyard
any but the loftiest daughters of palaces.
Fearing the light of a brilliant dawn.
رَحَلَتْdeparted منfrom فِنائِهِits courtyard شُهُبُthe meteors of الغِلْthe pageboys (continued)
رَحَلَتْ من فِنائِهِ شُهُبُ الغِلْ
مانِend of 'the pageboys' خوْفاًout of fear منof ضَوْءthe light of فَجْرٍa dawn مُنيرِradiant
مانِ خوْفاً من ضَوْء فَجْرٍ مُنيرِ
From its courtyard departed the meteors of the
It was like the horizon when the sun inclined towards it
pageboys, fearing the light of a radiant dawn.
And its stars hastened to depart.
كانَit was كالأفْقِlike the horizon حينwhen هَمّتْmade for بهtoward it الشمthe sun (continued)
كانَ كالأفْقِ حين هَمّتْ به الشم
سُend of 'the sun' تَنَادَتْcalled to one another نُجومُهits stars بالمَسيرِfor departure
سُ تَنَادَتْ نُجومُه بالمَسيرِ
It was like the horizon: when the sun made for it,
What blessing that the suns inhabit
its stars called to one another to depart.
The gardens of moons.
ياoh لهاfor her نِعْمَةًa blessing وليسَand it is not ببِدْعٍanything unprecedented
يا لها نِعْمَةً وليسَ ببِدْعٍ
أنthat تَحُوزَshould possess الشّموسُthe suns رِقَّthe bondage of البُدورِthe full moons
أن تَحُوزَ الشّموسُ رِقَّ البُدورِ
What a blessing! And it is no novelty
A pearl from your treasures dwells in an ocean,
for suns to hold full moons in bondage.
As pearls dwell in the depths.
دُرّةٌa pearl منfrom ذُراكَyour heights تَسْكُنُdwells in بحْراًa sea
دُرّةٌ من ذُراكَ تَسْكُنُ بحْراً
وكذاand likewise الدّرّpearls ساكنٌdwelling فيin البُحورِthe seas
وكذا الدّرّ ساكنٌ في البُحورِ
A pearl from your heights dwells in a sea,
You are the sun of daybreak, so morning derives
and likewise pearls dwell in seas.
Its illumination and light from you.
أنتَyou شمسُthe sun of الضّحىthe forenoon فمنكَso from you يُفيدُالderives; the (continued)
أنتَ شمسُ الضّحى فمنكَ يُفيدُال
صّبْحُdawn (completion) ماwhat فيهin it منof ضِياءٍradiance ونُورِand light
صّبْحُ ما فيه من ضِياءٍ ونُورِ
You are the forenoon sun; from you the
Spring has come to you, acting as
dawn gains all the radiance and light within it.
Your obedient slave acts.
قدindeed أتاكَcame to you الرّبيعُspring يَفعلُdoes ماwhat تأyou command (continued)
قد أتاكَ الرّبيعُ يَفعلُ ما تأ
مُرُهُend of 'you command it' فِعْلَin the manner of عبدكَyour slave المأمورِunder orders
مُرُهُ فِعْلَ عبدكَ المأمورِ
Spring has come to you, doing whatever you
It clothed the earth in green silk in your service,
command it, like your slave under orders.
My Master, above all kings.
وكساand clothed الأرضَthe earth خِدْمَةًin service لكَto you ياO مَوْmaster (continued)
وكسا الأرضَ خِدْمَةً لكَ يا مَوْ
لاهُend of 'its master' دونَexcluding المُلوكِthe kings خُضْرَgreen الحريرِsilk
لاهُ دونَ المُلوكِ خُضْرَ الحريرِ
It clothed the earth in your service, O its
So it struts in emerald green,
master—not the kings—in green silk.
Becoming pearls scattered at dawn.
فهْيَso she تَخْتَالُstruts فيin زَبَرْجَدةٍan emerald خَضْgreen (continued)
فهْيَ تَخْتَالُ في زَبَرْجَدةٍ خَضْ
راءَend of 'green' تُغْدىis supplied at dawn بلُؤْلُؤٍwith pearls مَنْشُورِscattered
راءَ تُغْدى بلُؤْلُؤٍ مَنْشُورِ
So she struts in a green emerald,
Every hillside longs for the verdure
supplied at dawn with scattered pearls.
Of a short coat of vegetation.
وغدَتْand became كلُّevery رَبْوَةٍhillock تشتهيlongs for الرّقْthe dance (continued)
وغدَتْ كلُّ رَبْوَةٍ تشتهي الرّقْ
صَend of 'the dance' بثوْبٍin a dress منof النّباتِvegetation قَصيرِshort
صَ بثوْبٍ من النّباتِ قَصيرِ
And every hillock now longs
Your wedding day shaded people -
to dance in a short dress of vegetation.
They named it the Feast of Joy.
ظَلّwas للنّاسfor the people يوْمَon the day of عَقْدِكyour sealing هذاthis الthe
ظَلّ للنّاس يوْمَ عَقْدِك هذا ال
أمْرَaffair عِيدٌa feast سمّوهthey named it عِيدَthe Feast of السرورِJoy
أمْرَ عِيدٌ سمّوه عِيدَ السرورِ
For the people, the day you sealed this
If their feast is without a crescent,
union was a feast they named the Feast of Joy.
The brilliant crescent is the face of the Prince.
إنْif يكُنْis عِيدُهمْtheir feast بغيرِwithout a crescent هِلالٍline_38
إنْ يكُنْ عِيدُهمْ بغيرِ هِلالٍ
فالهِلالُthen the crescent المُنيرُthe shining وَجْهُthe face of الأميرِthe emir
فالهِلالُ المُنيرُ وَجْهُ الأميرِ
If their feast comes without a crescent moon,
It delighted them in appearance and they regarded it in awe -
then the shining crescent is the emir's face.
It filled visions and breasts.
راقَهُمْdelighted them مَنْظَراًin appearance وهَابوهُand they held him in awe خَوْفاًout of fear
راقَهُمْ مَنْظَراً وهَابوهُ خَوْفاً
فهْوَso he مِلءُthe fullness of العُيونِthe eyes مِلءthe fullness of الصّدورِthe breasts
فهْوَ مِلءُ العُيونِ مِلء الصّدورِ
His appearance delighted them, and they held him in fearful awe;
It delighted the city and nomad folk alike
so he fills their eyes and fills their breasts.
As it proceeded to those in graves.
سَرّgladdened أهلَthe people of الأمصارِthe cities والبَدْوِand the nomads حتىuntil
سَرّ أهلَ الأمصارِ والبَدْوِ حتى
جازَهُمّpassed beyond them عامِداًheading deliberately لأهْلِfor the people of القُبورِthe graves
جازَهُمّ عامِداً لأهْلِ القُبورِ
He gladdened city-dwellers and nomads, until
It returned their souls - had it not been for fear of God,
he passed beyond them, making for the people of the graves.
They would have risen before the Day of Resurrection.
رَدَّrestored أرواحَهُمْtheir souls فلولاand were it not for حِذارُfear of اللهِGod
رَدَّ أرواحَهُمْ فلولا حِذارُ اللهِ
قامُواthey would have risen منfrom قبْلِbefore يومِthe day of النّشورِresurrection
قامُوا من قبْلِ يومِ النّشورِ
He restored their souls; but for fear of God,
Do not ask where your enemies settled -
they would have risen before the Day of Resurrection.
The wretches met the Subtle, All-Aware.
لاdo not تَسَلْask عنabout عِداكَyour enemies أينwhere اسْتَقَرّواthey settled
لا تَسَلْ عن عِداكَ أين اسْتَقَرّوا
لَحِقَhave joined القَوْمُthe people باللّطيفِwith the Subtle One الخَبيرِthe All-Aware
لَحِقَ القَوْمُ باللّطيفِ الخَبيرِ
Do not ask where your enemies have settled:
Milk from the Patron, Paradise for the loyal,
the people have joined the Subtle One, the All-Aware.
And for the wicked, the Furnace's heat.
حَلَبٌAleppo للَوليّfor the ally جَنْةُa garden of عَدْنٍEden
حَلَبٌ للَوليّ جَنْةُ عَدْنٍ
وهْيَand it للغادرينَfor traitors نارُa fire سعيرِblazing flame
وهْيَ للغادرينَ نارُ سعيرِ
Aleppo is a garden of Eden for the ally,
The Almighty seems greater in my eyes
and for traitors it is a blazing fire.
Than the small seeming small.
والعَظيمُand the great العظيمُthe great يَكبُرُgrows great فيin عَيْنَيْtwo eyes (continued)
والعَظيمُ العظيمُ يَكبُرُ في عَيْنَيْ
ِهhis منهاof it قَدْرُthe stature of الصّغيرِthe small الصغيرِthe small
ِه منها قَدْرُ الصّغيرِ الصغيرِ
And in the eyes of the greatest of the great,
So a gnat in people's souls is an ocean
the stature of its smallest of the small looms large.
While a pebble from it sends a torrent.
فقُويْقٌso Quwayq فيin أنْفُسِthe minds of القَوْمِthe people بَحْرٌa sea
فقُويْقٌ في أنْفُسِ القَوْمِ بَحْرٌ
وحَصَاةٌand a pebble منهاfrom it تَطِيرُflies ثَبِيرThabir
وحَصَاةٌ منها تَطِيرُ ثَبِير
Thus Quwayq is a sea in the people's minds,
You lived until yesterday returned in my knowledge
and a flying pebble from it is Thabir.
That it will not return after passing.
عِشتَmay you live حتىuntil يعُودَreturns أمْسِyesterday لعِلْميbecause I know
عِشتَ حتى يعُودَ أمْسِ لعِلْمي
أنّهthat it لاdoes not يَعُودُreturn بَعْدَafter المُرُورِpassing
أنّه لا يَعُودُ بَعْدَ المُرُورِ
May you live until yesterday returns, for I know
The pretensions of kings other than you
that it does not return once it has passed.
Are claims of dissent and falsehood.
فادّعاءُso the claim of المُلوكِthe kings غيْرِكother than you إدراattainment (continued)
فادّعاءُ المُلوكِ غيْرِك إدرا
كَend of 'attainment' المَعاليlofty honors دعْوىa claim of شِقاقٍdiscord وزُورِand falsehood
كَ المَعالي دعْوى شِقاقٍ وزُورِ
So the claim of kings other than you to attain
lofty honors is a claim of discord and falsehood.
Partial English translation: 54 of 56 Arabic lines translated.