وما حاكمٌ ساعٍ لإمضاءِ حُكمهِ

وما حاكمٌ ساعٍ لإمضاءِ حُكمهِ

اذا قال لا يُخطي وان سار لا يخطو

اذا قال لا يُخطي وان سار لا يخطو

And what judge, striving to carry out his judgment,

No ruler hastens to enforce his rule

never errs when he speaks, and takes no step if he travels?

If he says no, he will not err, and if he walks he will not stumble

فصيحٌ اذا استنطقتهُ وهو أخرسٌ

فصيحٌ اذا استنطقتهُ وهو أخرسٌ

جوادٌ اذا يُعطي مجيدٌ اذا يَعطو

جوادٌ اذا يُعطي مجيدٌ اذا يَعطو

Eloquent when you make him speak, though he is mute;

Eloquent when you address him though mute

generous when he gives, masterful when he reaches out.

Generous when asked though with nothing to give

يقةلُ ويسطو لا لسانٌ ولا يدٌ

يقةلُ ويسطو لا لسانٌ ولا يدٌ

فأعجب بهِ أنَّي يترجمُ أو يَسطو

فأعجب بهِ أنَّي يترجمُ أو يَسطو

He speaks and strikes, with neither tongue nor hand;

He speaks and bestows though no tongue or hand he owns

so marvel at him: how does he give expression or strike?

A wonder that though wordless he can translate or give

فأقوالهُ شَرطٌ لِيُمنِ فعالهِ

فأقوالهُ شَرطٌ لِيُمنِ فعالهِ

كذلكُمُ المشروطُ يسبِقُه الشّرطُ

كذلكُمُ المشروطُ يسبِقُه الشّرطُ

For his words are a prerequisite for the success of his deeds;

His words condition his gifts to be timely

thus what is conditional is preceded by its condition.

Thus the conditional comes before the condition

فلهو الأمينُ العدلُ والكاتبُ الذي

فلهو الأمينُ العدلُ والكاتبُ الذي

بهِ تُحكمُ الدعوى ويُكتَتبُ القِسطُ

بهِ تُحكمُ الدعوى ويُكتَتبُ القِسطُ

For he is the trustworthy, the just, and the scribe

He is the trustee, the just, the scribe who

through whom claims are judged and justice is recorded.

Determines the case and records the share

يُرى خاليَ الأعطافِ مِن فاخرِ الحُلي

يُرى خاليَ الأعطافِ مِن فاخرِ الحُلي

وليس له بُردٌ وليس له مِرطِ

وليس له بُردٌ وليس له مِرطِ

He is seen with his flanks bare of fine jewelry,

Seen without adornments or fancy clothes

and he has neither cloak nor mantle.

No cloak or robes on him

هو المدنفُ الصَّبُّ الموكَّلُ بالسُّرى

هو المدنفُ الصَّبُّ الموكَّلُ بالسُّرى

يرقُّ له الجافي ويدنو به الشَّحطُ

يرقُّ له الجافي ويدنو به الشَّحطُ

He is the ailing, ardent lover, charged with traveling by night;

He is the confidant, the rock, the keeper of secrets

the hardhearted soften for him, and through him the far-off draws near.

The rude draw near him and the needy cling to him

تشافِهُهُ الأرواحُ عن نَشرِ حُبِّهِ

تشافِهُهُ الأرواحُ عن نَشرِ حُبِّهِ

فيسلبُه المُعطي ويقبِضُه البَسطُ

فيسلبُه المُعطي ويقبِضُه البَسطُ

Souls speak to him directly of spreading his love;

Spirits whisper to spread news of his love

so the giver robs him, and expansion constricts him.

The giver strips him and the hand seizes him

تُرنِّحُهُ سُكراً فيرتاحُ هزَّةً

تُرنِّحُهُ سُكراً فيرتاحُ هزَّةً

وما لعبت يوماً بعطفيهِ اسفَنطُ

وما لعبت يوماً بعطفيهِ اسفَنطُ

They make him reel with drunkenness, and he trembles with delight,

Drunkenly he moans, then rests, sways

yet wine has never once played upon his two flanks.

Never played with, his arms limp

أبن لي يا ابنَ الأطهرين محلَّهُ

أبن لي يا ابنَ الأطهرين محلَّهُ

فقد حُكتُهُ لفظاً تضمَّنهُ الخَطُ

فقد حُكتُهُ لفظاً تضمَّنهُ الخَطُ

Make his place clear to me, O son of the purest,

Son of the two pure ones, show me his place

for I have woven him into words contained in writing.

For I have told of him in words my pen traced