بالسعدِ طالعُك المهلْ

بالسعدِ طالعُك المهلْ

لطلوعه العليا تهلْ

لطلوعه العليا تهلْ

Auspicious is your newly risen star;

The auspiciousness of your rising star is evident

the heights rejoice at his rising.

For its sublime ascension brings joy

تَهمي به البركات سـ

تَهمي به البركات سـ

ـحّاً والمكارمُ تستهل

ـحّاً والمكارمُ تستهل

Through him blessings pour in

It carries blessings galore

torrents, and noble virtues rain down.

Initiating generosity and noble deeds

ويرى دليلَ العزِّ في

ويرى دليلَ العزِّ في

مرآه فأنظرْ واستدل

مرآه فأنظرْ واستدل

And the sign of glory is seen in

And the guide to glory is seen

his appearance: look, then, and draw your proof.

In its reflection, so observe and deduce

تبصر سماتِ جماله

تبصر سماتِ جماله

يظهرنَ أي المستدل

يظهرنَ أي المستدل

You will behold the marks of his beauty;

You can see its traits of beauty

they shine forth, O seeker of proof.

Manifest, which of the deduced?

بدرٌ يقول سناؤه

بدرٌ يقول سناؤه

للبدر مني فأستنل

للبدر مني فأستنل

A full moon whose radiance says

A moon saying its brilliance

to the moon: “Seek your bounty from me.

To the moon is from me, so draw from me

ولصورتي سور المحا

ولصورتي سور المحا

سن فأقتريها واستمل

سن فأقتريها واستمل

My form bears the chapters of

And for my image, the walls of excellent qualities

beauty: seek them out and have them dictated.

So approach them and take

اقبسكَ نوراً لم تكن

اقبسكَ نوراً لم تكن

لولا علايَ له تصِل

لولا علايَ له تصِل

I impart to you a light you would not

I have illuminated you with a light you would not have had

attain, were it not for my eminence.

Were it not for my ascent you sought

فلك السنا من غرَّتي

فلك السنا من غرَّتي

ومطالعي حلٌ وبل

ومطالعي حلٌ وبل

So yours is the radiance of my bright brow

So for you is brilliance from my pride

and of my risings—freely granted.

And my ascendant fortunes, resolved and fulfilled

وليَ التسامي بالأسامي

وليَ التسامي بالأسامي

والجلالة والمحل

والجلالة والمحل

Mine is exaltation in names,

And for me is the sublime with names

and majesty and rank.

And majesty and position

وأبي وجدي سيدا

وأبي وجدي سيدا

العصر المكرم والمجل

العصر المكرم والمجل

My father and grandfather are the two lords

My father and grandfather, masters

of the age, the honored and the revered,

Of the honored and illustrious age

الرافعان بناءَ مجد

الرافعان بناءَ مجد

ي بالقواضب والأسل

ي بالقواضب والأسل

who raised the edifice of my glory

Who built the edifice of my glory

with cutting swords and spears.

With determination and firmness

والجود جاد بصوبه

والجود جاد بصوبه

من ساله أو لم يسل

من ساله أو لم يسل

And generosity poured its rain upon

And generosity flowed in their direction

those who asked it and those who did not.

Whether asked or not asked

إن كنت تعلم من هما

إن كنت تعلم من هما

يا بدر أو فاذهب فسل

يا بدر أو فاذهب فسل

If you know who those two are,

If you know who they are

O moon—or else, go and ask.

O moon, then go ask

ينبيك عن هذا وذا

ينبيك عن هذا وذا

ذكر كما سار المثل

ذكر كما سار المثل

Of this one and that you will be told by

Their mention will inform you about this and that

a renown that travels like a proverb,

As the proverb has spread

وقديم عزٍ حكمه

وقديم عزٍ حكمه

عند الأعزة ممتثل

عند الأعزة ممتثل

and ancient glory whose authority

And old glory whose wisdom

is obeyed among the mighty,

The glorious still follow

ومحامدٌ ومحاتد

ومحامدٌ ومحاتد

كرمت بآبائي الأول

كرمت بآبائي الأول

and praiseworthy deeds and lineages

And praises and poems

ennobled by my earliest forefathers,

That extolled my forefathers

وفواضلٌ وفضائل

وفواضلٌ وفضائل

بيتي البيوت بها فضل

بيتي البيوت بها فضل

and bounties and virtues

And merits and virtues

through which my house surpassed other houses,

My house, the houses, excelled in them

ومآثر لم يتبع

ومآثر لم يتبع

آثارها أحد فضل

آثارها أحد فضل

and glorious deeds: none who followed

And achievements none has pursued

their tracks has ever gone astray.

Their tracks, excelled

هنّ النجوم بها أهتدى

هنّ النجوم بها أهتدى

من يبتغي أهدى السّبل

من يبتغي أهدى السّبل

They are the stars by which is guided

By them the stars are guided

whoever seeks the surest paths.

Those seeking the rightest paths

ومناقب قدراق منـ

ومناقب قدراق منـ

ـهن المفصّل والجمل

ـهن المفصّل والجمل

And virtues, pleasing alike in

And virtues elaborated in prose and verse

their details and their entirety,

And positions above, while Saturn

ومراتب تعلو فيلـ

ومراتب تعلو فيلـ

ـفي في الحضيض بها زحل

ـفي في الحضيض بها زحل

and ranks that soar so high

Remains in the low

that Saturn, beside them, is found in the depths.

Let not the morning sun claim

لا تدعي شمس الضحى

لا تدعي شمس الضحى

شرفي لدى برج الحمل

شرفي لدى برج الحمل

Let not the forenoon sun claim

My nobility near Aries

my exaltation in the sign of Aries.

For my Lord has the bounties and for me

فلربي النعمى ولي

فلربي النعمى ولي

فخر بحمد الله جل

فخر بحمد الله جل

To my Lord belongs the favor, and to me

Is the pride, by God's grace the Sublime

the pride—with praise to God, exalted is He.”

And we have been given good tidings with which

ولنا جلا البشرى بها

ولنا جلا البشرى بها

ربع المسرة قد أهل

ربع المسرة قد أهل

And for us he unveiled glad tidings with which

A quarter of bliss has been prepared

the abode of joy has brightened.

Honor through it a son, nothing more auspicious and honorable than a son

أكرمْ به نجلا وما

أكرمْ به نجلا وما

أسنى وأكرم من نجَل

أسنى وأكرم من نجَل

How noble a son he is! And what

A branch, pure like its roots

a radiant and noble son!

Though the most majestic of the majestic

فرعٌ زكا كأصوله

فرعٌ زكا كأصوله

إن الأجلَّ من الأجل

إن الأجلَّ من الأجل

A branch that flourished like its roots:

And blessed in his perfection

the most noble springs from the most noble.

Perfection itself called him the most noble

ومباركٌ بكماله

ومباركٌ بكماله

نادى الكمال الايجل

نادى الكمال الايجل

A blessed one: at his perfection

He raced ahead in the first row

Perfection cried, “Should he not be revered?”

From those praying and sitting in the front row

بزَّ المذكي سابقاً

بزَّ المذكي سابقاً

فمن المصلِّي والمجل

فمن المصلِّي والمجل

He outstripped the seasoned racehorse, coming first;

His traits made happy

who, then, is runner-up, and who the leader?

The describer from them in awe

أوصافه قد أسعَدت

أوصافه قد أسعَدت

وصَّافه منها التجل

وصَّافه منها التجل

His qualities have aided

They guide those who related speech or improvised it

his describer through their manifest splendor.

And the just judge judged

يهديهما أعجازُ من

يهديهما أعجازُ من

روى الكلام أو ارتجل

روى الكلام أو ارتجل

Both are guided by the closing verses of whoever

The fairest words about him, the impartial

recites words or improvises.

And he came with attainments the likes of which

وقضى له قاضي لعد

وقضى له قاضي لعد

ل القول فيه المعتدلْ

ل القول فيه المعتدلْ

And the judge of justice pronounced for him

Bring perfect joy

a measured statement concerning him,

And I was overjoyed with the tidings in which

وأتى بنائل مثلها

وأتى بنائل مثلها

تهدى السُّرور المكتمل

تهدى السُّرور المكتمل

and brought a gift whose like

My grievance has departed

bestows complete joy.

To God belongs praise

ورفلتُ في البشرى لتي

ورفلتُ في البشرى لتي

فيها عتابي قد رحل

فيها عتابي قد رحل

And I reveled in the glad tidings

Adorned with the jewels of eulogy

wherein my reproach had departed.

Indeed the sources of pride

لله منه طالع

لله منه طالع

بحلى الممادح مشتمل

بحلى الممادح مشتمل

God be praised for the star rising from him,

Rely on witnessing His sublime signs

clothed in the adornments of praise!

I rejoiced in him as

إن المفاخرَ ركنها

إن المفاخرَ ركنها

بشهود علياه استقل

بشهود علياه استقل

Indeed, the pillar of glorious deeds

The hopeful rejoice in hope

has risen firm through witnessing his eminence.

When I saw the moon from

إني ابتهجت به كما

إني ابتهجت به كما

ابتهج المؤمل بالأمل

ابتهج المؤمل بالأمل

I rejoiced in him as

The horizon of leadership rise

the hopeful one rejoices in hope,

The reasons for the ascent have connected him

لما رأيت البدرَ من

لما رأيت البدرَ من

أفق السيادة قد أطل

أفق السيادة قد أطل

when I saw the full moon

To glory, continuous

appear from the horizon of lordship.

It brings joy, they have indeed

وصلتْ به للمجد أسـ

وصلتْ به للمجد أسـ

ـباب العلاء المتصل

ـباب العلاء المتصل

Through him, glory was joined by the bonds

Rejoiced in noble ancestors

of unbroken eminence.

And the eyes were delighted when it said

يهنَى المعالي إنها

يهنَى المعالي إنها

سعدت بجدٍ مقتبَل

سعدت بجدٍ مقتبَل

Let lofty honors be congratulated, for they

The eyes of glory are delighted in abundance

have prospered with newly dawning fortune.

And I saw in him imaginations

وقررت عيناً حين قال قـ

وقررت عيناً حين قال قـ

ـر المجد عيناً بالجذل

ـر المجد عيناً بالجذل

My eyes were gladdened when he said,

Of pride saying, "Boast!", so I boasted and left

“Glory’s eyes are gladdened with delight.”

I exalted in reverence and in

ولمحت منه مخايلا

ولمحت منه مخايلا

للفخر قلن افخر وخل

للفخر قلن افخر وخل

And I glimpsed in him signs

Thanking the Perfecter, I did not fail

of pride that said, “Be proud, and leave the rest.”

And I was delighted at the sweet that

كبّرت إعظاماً وبالش

كبّرت إعظاماً وبالش

كر المتمم لم أخلُ

كر المتمم لم أخلُ

I proclaimed God’s greatness in reverence, and in

Has no parallel among people

offering full thanks I did not fail.

With his offspring, the most auspicious of dress

وسررت للخل الذي

وسررت للخل الذي

ما مثله في الناس خل

ما مثله في الناس خل

And I rejoiced for the friend

The son of the essence of essence

whose equal among people no friend can match,

From the elite of masters of humanity

بسليله الأسنى اللبا

بسليله الأسنى اللبا

ب ابن اللباب المنتَخل

ب ابن اللباب المنتَخل

at his most radiant scion, the choicest essence,

And secret of the first lords

son of the choicest essence, finely sifted,

Time was generous with him, so if they said he was stingy

من صفوِ سادات الأنا

من صفوِ سادات الأنا

م وسر أرباب الأول

م وسر أرباب الأول

of the purest of the lords of

They wronged him

mankind, and the essence of lords of the first rank.

And he was honored with a penetrating

جاد الزمان به فقد

جاد الزمان به فقد

ظلموه إن قالوا بخل

ظلموه إن قالوا بخل

Time bestowed him generously; thus

And far reaching wing he connected with

they wrong Time if they call it miserly.

And greetings like my loyalty

واعتزَّ منه بمرهف

واعتزَّ منه بمرهف

وصل الجناح به وصل

وصل الجناح به وصل

And he gained might through him, a keen blade,

Will not move away from your abode

with which he joined his wing and attained his aim.

With blessings a delegation connects

وتحيةً كمودتي

وتحيةً كمودتي

عن ربعكم لا تنتقل

عن ربعكم لا تنتقل

And a greeting, like my affection,

To the matter not separate

that never departs from your dwelling,

You remain, and remains, and remains the glory

باليمن وفداً يتصل

باليمن وفداً يتصل

بالأمر غير المنفصل

بالأمر غير المنفصل

a deputation bearing good fortune, joined

As planets rise

to a cause that cannot be severed.

And to you the diligent bee of a poet

دمتم ودام ودام عز

دمتم ودام ودام عز

كما الكواكبَ ينتعل

كما الكواكبَ ينتعل

May you endure, and he, and may the glory

Not false in claim

of you both endure, taking the stars as sandals.

وإليكَ نحلةُ مخلص

وإليكَ نحلةُ مخلص

للشعر ليس بمنتحِل

للشعر ليس بمنتحِل

And to you, the offering of one devoted

to poetry, no plagiarist.