أَتَتكَhas come to you وَلَمand did not تَبعُدbe far عَلىfor عاشِقٍa lover مِصرُEgypt
أَتَتكَ وَلَم تَبعُد عَلى عاشِقٍ مِصرُ
وَوافاكَand reached you مُشتاقاًlonging لَكَfor you المَدحُpraise وَالشِعرُand poetry
وَوافاكَ مُشتاقاً لَكَ المَدحُ وَالشِعرُ
Egypt has come to you; to a lover it was never far.
You came to a lover who does not turn away
And praise and poetry have reached you, longing for you.
And poetry of praise came to you eagerly
إِلىto المَلِكِthe king البَرِّbenevolent الرَحيمِmerciful فَحَدِّثواso tell
إِلى المَلِكِ البَرِّ الرَحيمِ فَحَدِّثوا
بِأَعجَبِof the most wondrous شَيءٍthing إِنَّهُindeed he is البَرُّthe land وَالبَحرُand the sea
بِأَعجَبِ شَيءٍ إِنَّهُ البَرُّ وَالبَحرُ
To the benevolent, merciful king—tell, then,
Speak to the righteous, merciful king
of the most wondrous thing: he is both land and sea.
Of the most amazing thing - it is righteousness and the sea
إِلىto المَلِكِthe king المَسعودِal-Masʿud ذيpossessing البَأسِmight وَالنَدىand bounty
إِلى المَلِكِ المَسعودِ ذي البَأسِ وَالنَدى
فَأَسيافُهُso his swords حُمرٌred وَساحاتُهُand his courtyards خُضرُgreen
فَأَسيافُهُ حُمرٌ وَساحاتُهُ خُضرُ
To King al-Masʿud, possessed of might and bounty:
To the victorious king, with might and dew
his swords are red, and his courtyards green.
His swords are red and his plains are green
يَرِقُّis gentle وَيَقسوand is harsh لِلعُفاةِto suppliants وَلِلعِدىand to enemies
يَرِقُّ وَيَقسو لِلعُفاةِ وَلِلعِدى
فَلِلَّهِso, to God مِنهُfrom him ذَلِكَthat العُرفُkindness وَالنُكرُand harshness
فَلِلَّهِ مِنهُ ذَلِكَ العُرفُ وَالنُكرُ
He is gentle with suppliants and harsh with enemies.
He is gentle and stern towards the meek and the hostile
God be praised for such kindness and harshness in him!
For God - he has that custom and norm
يُراعيguards حِمىthe sanctuary of الإِسلامِIslam لازَمَنَnot the season of الحِمىfever
يُراعي حِمى الإِسلامِ لازَمَنَ الحِمى
وَيَحلوand is sweet لَهُto him ثَغرُa frontier المَخافَةِperil لاnot الثَغرُthe mouth
وَيَحلو لَهُ ثَغرُ المَخافَةِ لا الثَغرُ
He watches over Islam's sanctuary, not the season of fever,
He protects the sanctity of Islam, adheres to sanctity
and finds sweetness in the frontier of peril, not in lips.
And the mouth of reverence is sweet to him, not the mouth of a fortress
إِذاwhen ماfor emphasis أَفَضناwe elaborate فيon أَفانينِthe many aspects of ذِكرِهِhis renown
إِذا ما أَفَضنا في أَفانينِ ذِكرِهِ
يَقولُsays جَهولُthe ignorant one of القَومِthe people قَدindeed ذَهَبَhas vanished الحَصرُlimitation
يَقولُ جَهولُ القَومِ قَد ذَهَبَ الحَصرُ
Whenever we dwell on the many aspects of his renown,
When we overflow in mentioning him
the ignorant among the people say, “All bounds are gone.”
The ignorant say "he has gone beyond limits"
تَكَنَّفَهُsurrounded him مِنfrom آلِthe house of أَيّوبَAyyub مَعشَرٌa company
تَكَنَّفَهُ مِن آلِ أَيّوبَ مَعشَرٌ
بِهِمthrough them نَهَضَrose الإِسلامُIslam وَاِندَحَضَand was vanquished الكُفرُunbelief
بِهِم نَهَضَ الإِسلامُ وَاِندَحَضَ الكُفرُ
A company from the house of Ayyub has surrounded him;
He is surrounded by the Ayyubid family
through them Islam rose and unbelief was vanquished.
Through them, Islam rose up and disbelief faded
بَهاليلُnoble lords أَملاكٌkings عَلىon كُلِّevery مِنبَرٍpulpit
بَهاليلُ أَملاكٌ عَلى كُلِّ مِنبَرٍ
وَفيand on كُلِّevery دينارٍdinar يَسيرُcirculates لَهُمfor them ذِكرُrenown
وَفي كُلِّ دينارٍ يَسيرُ لَهُم ذِكرُ
Noble kings—on every pulpit,
Bahāʾ ad-Dīn, kings over every pulpit
and on every dinar, their renown circulates.
In every coin, their mention travels
وَيَكفيكَand it suffices you أَنَّthat الكامِلَal-Kamil النَدبَthe gallant one مِنهُمُamong them
وَيَكفيكَ أَنَّ الكامِلَ النَدبَ مِنهُمُ
وَيَكفيكَهُمand suffices you concerning them هَذاthis هُوَit المَجدُglory وَالفَخرُand pride
وَيَكفيكَهُم هَذا هُوَ المَجدُ وَالفَخرُ
It suffices you that the gallant al-Kamil is among them,
It suffices that al-Kāmil is related to them
and this tells you enough of them: this is glory and pride.
And that suffices them - this is glory and pride
فَياso, O مَلِكاًa king عَمَّhas spread across البَسيطَةَthe earth ذِكرُهُhis renown
فَيا مَلِكاً عَمَّ البَسيطَةَ ذِكرُهُ
يُرَجّىis hoped for وَيُخشىand is feared عِندَهُwith him النَفعُbenefit وَالضَرُّand harm
يُرَجّى وَيُخشى عِندَهُ النَفعُ وَالضَرُّ
O king whose renown has spread across the earth,
So O king whose mention has spread through the peninsula
with whom benefit is hoped for and harm is feared:
Feared and hoped for - with him is benefit and harm
لَكَyours is الفَضلُexcellence قَدindeed أَزرىhas put to shame بِفَضلٍFadl وَجَعفَرٍand Jaʿfar
لَكَ الفَضلُ قَد أَزرى بِفَضلٍ وَجَعفَرٍ
وَأَصبَحَand has become فيin خُسرٍloss لَدَيهِbeside it فَناخُسرُFana Khusraw
وَأَصبَحَ في خُسرٍ لَدَيهِ فَناخُسرُ
your excellence has eclipsed Fadl and Jaʿfar,
You have virtue, it has become magnificent with Fadl and Ja'far
and Fana Khusraw stands at a loss beside it.
And it woke up diminished before him
وَأَنسَيتَand you made forgotten أَملاكَthe kings of الزَمانِthe age الَّذيwhich خَلاpassed
وَأَنسَيتَ أَملاكَ الزَمانِ الَّذي خَلا
فَلاso no قُدرَةٌpower مِنهُمof theirs تُعَدُّis reckoned وَلاand no قَدرُstanding
فَلا قُدرَةٌ مِنهُم تُعَدُّ وَلا قَدرُ
And you have consigned the kings of bygone times to oblivion,
You forgot the kings of past eras
so neither their power nor their standing counts.
They have no power that can be counted or measured
وَكَمand how many لَكَfor you مِنof فِعلٍa deed جَميلٍnoble فَعَلتَهُyou performed it
وَكَم لَكَ مِن فِعلٍ جَميلٍ فَعَلتَهُ
فَأَصبَحَso has become مُعتَزّاًproud بِهِin it البَيتُthe Sacred House وَالحِجرُand the Hijr
فَأَصبَحَ مُعتَزّاً بِهِ البَيتُ وَالحِجرُ
And how many a noble deed you have performed,
And you have done so many good deeds
so that the Sacred House and the Hijr take pride in it!
The house and stone became proud of it in the morning
وَمَنand whoever يَغرِسِplants المَعروفَkindness يَجنِreaps ثِمارَهُits fruits
وَمَن يَغرِسِ المَعروفَ يَجنِ ثِمارَهُ
فَعاجِلُهُso its immediate yield ذِكرٌrenown وَآجِلُهُand its later yield أَجرُreward
فَعاجِلُهُ ذِكرٌ وَآجِلُهُ أَجرُ
And whoever plants kindness reaps its fruits:
Whoever plants good will reap its fruits
its immediate yield is renown, its later yield reward.
Its quick reward being mention, and its delayed reward being a prize
وَطوبىand blessedness لِمِصرٍto Egypt ماحَوَتwhat it has gained مِنكَfrom you مِنof عُلاًeminence
وَطوبى لِمِصرٍ ماحَوَت مِنكَ مِن عُلاً
وَمَنand who مُبلِغٌwill convey to بَغدادَBaghdad ماwhat قَدalready حَوَتhas gained مِصرُEgypt
وَمَن مُبلِغٌ بَغدادَ ما قَد حَوَت مِصرُ
And blessed is Egypt for the eminence it has gained from you!
Happy is Egypt for what virtues it discovered in you
And who will tell Baghdad what Egypt has gained?
And what attained Baghdad from what Egypt attained?
بِكَthrough you اِهتَزَّstirred with joy ذاكَthat القَطرُland لَمّاwhen حَلَلتَهُyou settled in it
بِكَ اِهتَزَّ ذاكَ القَطرُ لَمّا حَلَلتَهُ
وَأَصبَحَand became جَذلاناًoverjoyed بِقُربِكَat your nearness يَفتَرُsmiles
وَأَصبَحَ جَذلاناً بِقُربِكَ يَفتَرُ
Through you that land stirred with joy when you settled in it,
Through your presence that land shook
and, overjoyed by your nearness, began to smile.
Becoming humbled by your nearness, crumbling
رَأىsaw لَكَyours عِزّاًglory لَمnot يَكُنexisted لِمُعِزِّهِfor its Muʿizz
رَأى لَكَ عِزّاً لَم يَكُن لِمُعِزِّهِ
وَبَعدَand after ضِياءِthe radiance of الشَمسِthe sun لاnot يُذكَرُis mentioned الفَجرُdawn
وَبَعدَ ضِياءِ الشَمسِ لا يُذكَرُ الفَجرُ
It saw in you a glory its Muʿizz had never possessed;
It saw glory for you that its granter never saw
and after the sun's radiance, dawn is not mentioned.
After the sun's radiance, dawn is not mentioned
لَئِنif indeed أَدرَكَتhas attained مِصرٌEgypt بِقُربِكَthrough your nearness سُؤلَهاits desire
لَئِن أَدرَكَت مِصرٌ بِقُربِكَ سُؤلَها
فَياthen, oh رُبَّmany a مِصرٍcity شَقَّهُcleft it بَعدَكَafter you البَحرُthe sea
فَيا رُبَّ مِصرٍ شَقَّهُ بَعدَكَ البَحرُ
If indeed Egypt has attained its wish through your nearness,
If Egypt had attained its wishes through your proximity
then how many a city has the sea cleft since you departed!
Then O lord of Egypt - the sea would split after you
يُزيلُdispels بِهِin it اللَأواءَhardship جودُكَyour generosity لاnot الحَياrain
يُزيلُ بِهِ اللَأواءَ جودُكَ لا الحَيا
وَيَجلوand dispels بِهِin it الظَلماءَdarkness وَجهُكَyour face لاnot البَدرُthe full moon
وَيَجلو بِهِ الظَلماءَ وَجهُكَ لا البَدرُ
There your generosity dispels hardship, not the rain,
Your generosity dispels adversity, not life
and there your face dispels darkness, not the full moon.
And your face dispels darkness, not the full moon
بِلادٌlands بِهاin them طابَgrew pleasant النَسيمُthe breeze لِأَنَّهُbecause it
بِلادٌ بِها طابَ النَسيمُ لِأَنَّهُ
يَزورُكَvisits you مِنfrom أَرضٍa land هِيَit is الهِندُIndia وَالشَحرُand al-Shihr
يَزورُكَ مِن أَرضٍ هِيَ الهِندُ وَالشَحرُ
Lands where the breeze is sweet, because it
A land where the breeze was fragrant because
visits you from the lands of India and al-Shihr.
It visits you from a land that is India and Syria
وَكَمand how many مَعقِلٍa stronghold فيهاin them مَنيعٍimpregnable مَلَكتَهُyou captured it
وَكَم مَعقِلٍ فيها مَنيعٍ مَلَكتَهُ
وَلَمand did not يَحمِهِprotect it جيرانُهُits neighbors الأَنجُمُthe stars الزُهرُthe bright ones
وَلَم يَحمِهِ جيرانُهُ الأَنجُمُ الزُهرُ
And how many an impregnable fortress there you have taken,
And how many strongholds you conquered there
and its neighbors, the shining stars, did not protect it.
Its neighboring stars could not protect it
أَنافَrose high إِلىuntil أَنthat سارَتِtraveled السُحبُthe clouds تَحتَهُbeneath it
أَنافَ إِلى أَن سارَتِ السُحبُ تَحتَهُ
فَلَولاso, were it not for نَداكَyour bounty الجَمُّabundant عَزَّwas scarce بِهِin it القَطرُrain
فَلَولا نَداكَ الجَمُّ عَزَّ بِهِ القَطرُ
It towered so high that the clouds passed beneath it,
It frowned until the clouds marched beneath it
so, but for your abundant bounty, rain there would be scarce.
If not for your call, the masses would have valued the rain
وَلَوand if عَلِمَتhad known صَنعاءُSanaʿa أَنَّكَthat you قادِمٌare coming
وَلَو عَلِمَت صَنعاءُ أَنَّكَ قادِمٌ
لَحَلَّتwould have alighted لَهاfor it البُشرىglad tidings وَدامَand would have endured بِهاin it البِشرُjoy
لَحَلَّت لَها البُشرى وَدامَ بِها البِشرُ
And had Sanaʿa known you were coming,
Had Sanaa known you were coming
glad tidings would have alighted there, and joy would have endured.
Good tidings would have come to it and joy would have lasted
أَلاtruly إِنَّindeed قَوماًa people غِبتَyou were absent عَنهُمfrom them لَضُيَّعٌsurely forsaken
أَلا إِنَّ قَوماً غِبتَ عَنهُم لَضُيَّعٌ
وَإِنَّand indeed مَكاناًa place لَستَyou are not فيهِin it هُوَit is القَفرُa wasteland
وَإِنَّ مَكاناً لَستَ فيهِ هُوَ القَفرُ
Truly, a people from whom you are absent are forsaken,
Look - people you were absent from are lost
and a place where you are not is a wasteland.
And a place you are not in is desolate
فَياصاحِبيso, O my companion هَبgrant ليto me بِحَقِّكَby your honor وَقفَةًa pause
فَياصاحِبي هَب لي بِحَقِّكَ وَقفَةً
يَكونُthere will be بِهاthrough it عِنديwith me لَكَfor you الحَمدُpraise وَالأَجرُand reward
يَكونُ بِها عِندي لَكَ الحَمدُ وَالأَجرُ
So, my companion, grant me, by your honor, a moment's halt,
So my friend, for your right, stop for me
for which you shall have praise and reward from me.
So I can thank and reward you
تَحَمَّلcarry سَلاماًa greeting وَهوَand it is فيin الحُسنِbeauty رَوضَةٌa garden
تَحَمَّل سَلاماً وَهوَ في الحُسنِ رَوضَةٌ
تُزَفُّare borne in procession بِهاin it زُهرُthe bright ones الكَواكِبِof the stars لاnot الزَهرُflowers
تُزَفُّ بِها زُهرُ الكَواكِبِ لا الزَهرُ
Carry a greeting that is, in beauty, a garden,
Bear greetings that are a garden of beauty
where bright stars, not flowers, are borne in procession.
With it, the stars' flowers, not flowers, are presented
تُخَصُّis singled out بِهِwith it مِصرٌEgypt وَأَكنافُand the precincts of قَصرِهاits palace
تُخَصُّ بِهِ مِصرٌ وَأَكنافُ قَصرِها
فَياso, oh حَبَّذاhow lovely مِصرٌEgypt وَياand oh حَبَّذاhow lovely القَصرُthe palace
فَيا حَبَّذا مِصرٌ وَيا حَبَّذا القَصرُ
It is reserved for Egypt and the precincts of its palace.
Egypt and its palace corners are special for it
How lovely is Egypt, and how lovely the palace!
So blessed is Egypt and blessed is the palace
بِعَيشِكَby your life قَبِّلkiss ساحَةَthe courtyard of القَصرِthe palace ساجِداًprostrating yourself
بِعَيشِكَ قَبِّل ساحَةَ القَصرِ ساجِداً
وَقُمand stand خادِماًas a servant عَنّيon my behalf هُناكَthere وَلاand no صُغرُabasement
وَقُم خادِماً عَنّي هُناكَ وَلا صُغرُ
By your life, kiss the palace courtyard in prostration,
Kiss the ground of the palace in prostration through your life
and stand there as a servant on my behalf, without abasement,
And stand up serving there for me - and do not be small
لَدىbefore مَلِكٍa king رَحبِgenerous الخَليقَةِdisposition قاهِرٍconquering
لَدى مَلِكٍ رَحبِ الخَليقَةِ قاهِرٍ
فَمَجلِسُهُfor his court الدُنياthe world وَخادِمُهُand his servant الدَهرُTime
فَمَجلِسُهُ الدُنيا وَخادِمُهُ الدَهرُ
before a conquering king of generous disposition:
Before a generous king, conqueror
his court is the world, and Time is his servant.
His gathering place is the world and his servant is fate
سَأُذكيI shall kindle لَهُfor him بَينَamong المُلوكِthe kings مَجامِراًcensers
سَأُذكي لَهُ بَينَ المُلوكِ مَجامِراً
فَمِنfor from ذِكرِهِhis renown نَدٌّincense وَمِنand from فِكرِيَmy thought الجَمرِthe embers
فَمِن ذِكرِهِ نَدٌّ وَمِن فِكرِيَ الجَمرِ
I shall kindle censers for him among the kings:
I will stir embers between kings for him
the incense comes from his renown, and the embers from my thought.
From his mention comes dew and from my thoughts come embers
بَقَيتَmay you endure صَلاحَSalah الدينِal-Din لِلدينِfor the faith مُصلِحاًa reformer
بَقَيتَ صَلاحَ الدينِ لِلدينِ مُصلِحاً
تُصاحِبُكَaccompanies you التَقوىpiety وَيَخدُمُكَand serves you النَصرُvictory
تُصاحِبُكَ التَقوى وَيَخدُمُكَ النَصرُ
May you endure, Salah al-Din, setting the faith aright;
You remained to reform the religion, Salah ad-Din
may piety accompany you and victory serve you.
God consciousness accompanies you and victory serves you
وَخُذand take جُمَلاًin summary هَذاthis الثَناءَpraise فَإِنَّنيfor indeed I
وَخُذ جُمَلاً هَذا الثَناءَ فَإِنَّني
لَأَعجَزُI am truly unable عَنto تَفصيلِهِdetail it وَلِيَand I have العُذرُthe excuse
لَأَعجَزُ عَن تَفصيلِهِ وَلِيَ العُذرُ
And take this praise in summary, for I
Take this praise in summary for I
truly cannot recount it in detail, and I have my excuse,
Am unable to detail it and I have an excuse
عَلىdespite أَنَّنيthat I فيin عَصرِيَmy age القائِلُthe poet الَّذيwho
عَلى أَنَّني في عَصرِيَ القائِلُ الَّذي
إِذاwhen قالَhe speaks بَزَّsurpasses القائِلينَthe other poets وَلاand no فَخرُboasting
إِذا قالَ بَزَّ القائِلينَ وَلا فَخرُ
though in my age I am the poet who,
I am the one in my time who says
when he speaks, surpasses other poets—no boast.
When he speaks, he surpasses speakers, and no boasting
لَعَمرِيَby my life قَدindeed أَنطَقتَyou have made speak مَنone who كانَwas مُفحَماًspeechless
لَعَمرِيَ قَد أَنطَقتَ مَن كانَ مُفحَماً
لَكَto you الحَمدُpraise يارَبَّO lord of النَدىbounty وَلَكَand to you الشُكرُthanks
لَكَ الحَمدُ يارَبَّ النَدى وَلَكَ الشُكرُ
By my life, you have made one who was speechless speak.
By my life - you made eloquent who was silenced
To you be praise, O lord of bounty, and to you be thanks.
Thanks to you, O Lord of dew, and thanks
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.