أَأُهنِّيك قائلاً لك بشرى

أَأُهنِّيك قائلاً لك بشرى

أو أُعزِّيك قائلاً لك صبرا

أو أُعزِّيك قائلاً لك صبرا

Shall I congratulate you, saying, 'Glad tidings!'

Should I congratulate you saying good tidings,

Or console you, saying, 'Patience!'

Or console you saying patience?

فرحة أردفت بترحة ثكلٍ

فرحة أردفت بترحة ثكلٍ

ساءَ فيها الزمانُ ساعةَ سرَّا

ساءَ فيها الزمانُ ساعةَ سرَّا

A joy was followed by the sorrow of bereavement;

Joy followed by bereavement,

in it, Time brought sorrow at the very hour it brought delight.

The time has been good and bad.

شفعت فيه أوبةٌ بذهابٍ

شفعت فيه أوبةٌ بذهابٍ

فمنحنا سجلين نفعاً وضرَّا

فمنحنا سجلين نفعاً وضرَّا

A return was paired therein with a departure,

A calamity followed by loss,

and it gave us two bucketfuls: benefit and harm.

Giving us two records, benefit and harm.

ملأا بالسرور للمجدِ شطراً

ملأا بالسرور للمجدِ شطراً

من حشاه وبالكآبة شطرا

من حشاه وبالكآبة شطرا

They filled one half of Glory with joy,

One filled with joy for glory,

deep in its heart, and the other half with sorrow.

The other with sorrow.

زمنٌ آبَ بالسعود حميداً

زمنٌ آبَ بالسعود حميداً

بعدما أقلقَ الركائب عصرا

بعدما أقلقَ الركائب عصرا

Time returned with good fortune, worthy of praise,

A time that came with good fortune,

after keeping the riding camels restless for an age.

After disturbing the riders for a while.

قلت ألقى العصا وما كنتُ أدري

قلت ألقى العصا وما كنتُ أدري

أنَّ فيها له مآربَ أُخرى

أنَّ فيها له مآربَ أُخرى

I said, 'He has laid down his staff,' not knowing

I said I would give up, and I did not know

that he had other uses for it.

That it had other purposes for it.

بينما تكتسي وجوهُ الليالي

بينما تكتسي وجوهُ الليالي

رونقاً للسرور إذ عدن غبرا

رونقاً للسرور إذ عدن غبرا

While the faces of the nights were clothing themselves

While the faces of the nights are adorned

in the luster of joy, suddenly they turned dust-gray.

With the luster of joy when they return from dust.

خيرُ يومٍ بدا بحلَّةِ زهوٍ

خيرُ يومٍ بدا بحلَّةِ زهوٍ

ما له تحتها تأبَّط شرَّا

ما له تحتها تأبَّط شرَّا

The finest day appeared in a robe of splendor—

The best day that began with pride,

why did it carry evil under its arm beneath that robe?

Nothing under it is inflicted with evil.

يا خليليَّ والحديثُ شجونٌ

يا خليليَّ والحديثُ شجونٌ

فأجيلا معي إلى الحزم فكرا

فأجيلا معي إلى الحزم فكرا

O my two friends—and talk has many branches—

My friend, the talk is sorrows,

so turn your thoughts with mine toward prudence.

So think wisely with me.

خبراني عن الصواب برشدٍ

خبراني عن الصواب برشدٍ

إن تكونا أحطتما فيه خبرا

إن تكونا أحطتما فيه خبرا

Tell me with sound judgment where the right course lies,

Tell me the truth with guidance,

if you two have fully grasped it.

If you have gained any knowledge of it.

كانَ لي في الأُمور قلبٌ ولكن

كانَ لي في الأُمور قلبٌ ولكن

بمقاديم دهشتي طارَ ذعرا

بمقاديم دهشتي طارَ ذعرا

I had a heart for dealing with affairs, but

I used to have insight into matters, but

at the onset of my bewilderment it flew away in terror.

With the events, my astonishment took flight.

قد وفدنا لكي نهنِّي المعالي

قد وفدنا لكي نهنِّي المعالي

فوجدنا العيونَ منهنَّ عبرى

فوجدنا العيونَ منهنَّ عبرى

We came to congratulate high honors,

We came to congratulate the eminent one,

yet found their eyes full of tears.

But found the eyes shedding tears.

فبماذا أُواجهُ الفخرَ أم في

فبماذا أُواجهُ الفخرَ أم في

أيِّ شيءٍ أُخاطبُ المجدَ جهرا

أيِّ شيءٍ أُخاطبُ المجدَ جهرا

With what, then, shall I face Pride, or in

How then shall I face the pride, or

what terms shall I address Glory aloud?

In what shall I address the glory openly?

أبنعيٍ فأنثرُ الشجوَ دمعاً

أبنعيٍ فأنثرُ الشجوَ دمعاً

أم أُحيِّي فأنظم السعدَ شعرا

أم أُحيِّي فأنظم السعدَ شعرا

With death's tidings, scattering sorrow as tears?

Shall I wail spreading the night rain of sorrows,

Or offer greetings, weaving good fortune into verse?

Or shall I celebrate composing poetry of joy?

فالليالي أقررن للجودِ عيناً

فالليالي أقررن للجودِ عيناً

وعلى النعيِّ منه أقذين أُخرى

وعلى النعيِّ منه أقذين أُخرى

The nights gladdened one eye of Generosity,

For generosity the nights have sanctioned an eye,

and at death's tidings put a mote in its other.

And for bereavement they have sanctioned another.

ومن المكرمات أبكين جفناً

ومن المكرمات أبكين جفناً

بعدما للسعودِ أضحكن ثغرا

بعدما للسعودِ أضحكن ثغرا

They made an eyelid of Noble Deeds weep,

And they sanctioned an eyelid for honors,

after making a mouth smile with good fortune.

After laughing a mouth for good fortune.

طبت يا أرضُ بينَ حيٍّ وميتٍ

طبت يا أرضُ بينَ حيٍّ وميتٍ

بالشذا عطَّراك بطناً وظهرا

بالشذا عطَّراك بطناً وظهرا

You grew fragrant, O earth, between one living and one dead;

You have prospered, O land, between a living and a dead,

both perfumed your belly and back with fragrance.

The perfume scenting your belly and back.

فعزاءً لمصطفى المجد عن مَن

فعزاءً لمصطفى المجد عن مَن

خلت بالمصطفى أهنِّيه بشرى

خلت بالمصطفى أهنِّيه بشرى

So, condolences to Mustafa, Glory's elect, for the man

As condolences for Mustafa from one

I had thought to congratulate with glad tidings of Mustafa.

Who has passed with Mustafa, I congratulate him.

رحلت بالجواد أيامُ دهرٍ

رحلت بالجواد أيامُ دهرٍ

أين مرَّت من بعده قيل عقرا

أين مرَّت من بعده قيل عقرا

The days of Time departed with the generous man;

The days of time traveled with the noble one,

wherever they passed after him, the cry was, 'Perish!'

Where did they pass after him, it is said to the grave.

كانَ بالأمسِ أنظرَ الناس ربعاً

كانَ بالأمسِ أنظرَ الناس ربعاً

وهو اليوم أطيبُ الناس قبرا

وهو اليوم أطيبُ الناس قبرا

Yesterday his abode was the fairest of all,

Yesterday he looked upon people as a leader,

and today his grave is the most fragrant of all.

Today he is the best of people in the grave.

يا بني المصطفى وبيتُ نداكم

يا بني المصطفى وبيتُ نداكم

قد بنى طائرُ الرجا فيه وكرا

قد بنى طائرُ الرجا فيه وكرا

O sons of Mustafa, your house of bounty—

O family of Mustafa, your home

the bird of hope has built a nest within it.

Where the bird of aspiration nested in it.

شدتموه على التقى يهدمُ الدهرَ

شدتموه على التقى يهدمُ الدهرَ

ويبقى بناؤه مشمخرَّا

ويبقى بناؤه مشمخرَّا

You raised it upon piety; it brings Time down,

You commanded him with piety, he destroys time,

while its edifice remains towering.

And his building remains lofty.

لستُ أدري أَأودعَ المجدُ منكم

لستُ أدري أَأودعَ المجدُ منكم

بشراً فيه أم ملائك غرَّا

بشراً فيه أم ملائك غرَّا

I do not know: did Glory lodge some of you

I do not know, did the glory entrust to you

within it as mortals, or as radiant angels?

Humans in whom it glories, or honored angels?

خلَّد المصطفى به لكم الفخرَ

خلَّد المصطفى به لكم الفخرَ

وزدتم بالمصطفى اليومَ فخرا

وزدتم بالمصطفى اليومَ فخرا

Mustafa made your glory everlasting through it,

Mustafa immortalized the pride for you,

and today you gained further glory through Mustafa.

And you have today increased pride in Mustafa.

أرجُ المجد لو تجسَّم نشراً

أرجُ المجد لو تجسَّم نشراً

من شذاه لعطَّر الأرضَ نشرا

من شذاه لعطَّر الأرضَ نشرا

If Glory's scent took bodily form as perfume,

I wish glory would embody diffusion

its fragrance would perfume the earth far and wide.

Its aroma would perfume the land diffusion.

ولودَّت أترابُها الغيدُ أن قد

ولودَّت أترابُها الغيدُ أن قد

جعلته على الترائبِ عطرا

جعلته على الترائبِ عطرا

And her graceful maiden peers would wish

And its clouds would give birth, if they

to have laid it as perfume upon their bosoms.

Made it their perfume upon the meadows.

بسط الكفَّ بالسماح فقلنا

بسط الكفَّ بالسماح فقلنا

أرسلت نوءها الثريَّا فدرَّا

أرسلت نوءها الثريَّا فدرَّا

He spread his hand in generosity, and we said:

He stretched out his palm with generosity, so we said

'The Pleiades sent their rain, and it poured forth!'

He unleashed its rivers abundantly.

ملكٌ في يديه عشرُ بنانٍ

ملكٌ في يديه عشرُ بنانٍ

نشأت للورى سحائبَ عشرا

نشأت للورى سحائبَ عشرا

A king, with ten fingers upon his two hands,

A King whose hands hold ten fingers

that have risen as ten rain-clouds for mankind.

Raised for people ten clouds.

زاد في قدره التواضعُ حتَّى

زاد في قدره التواضعُ حتَّى

عاد منه الزمانُ يصعر قدرا

عاد منه الزمانُ يصعر قدرا

Humility increased his stature until

Humility increased his worth until

Time itself held its head high in rank through him.

Time itself was amazed by his worth.

فهو قلبُ العُلى وأيُّ مكانٍ

فهو قلبُ العُلى وأيُّ مكانٍ

حلَّ فيه تواضعاً كانَ صدرا

حلَّ فيه تواضعاً كانَ صدرا

He is the heart of Eminence; whatever place

He is the heart of the eminent, and which place

he humbly takes becomes the place of honor.

He settled in with humility became a breast.

بل هو العقدُ زانها وكذا العق

بل هو العقدُ زانها وكذا العق

دُ يزين الفتاةَ جيداً ونحرا

دُ يزين الفتاةَ جيداً ونحرا

Rather, he is the necklace adorning her; likewise, a necklace

Rather, he is the jewel that adorned it, and thus the jewel

adorns a maiden's neck and bosom.

Adorns the maiden's neck and breast handsomely.

لو تحكُّ النجومُ في عاتقيها

لو تحكُّ النجومُ في عاتقيها

أخمصيه لقيل حسبُك فخرا

أخمصيه لقيل حسبُك فخرا

Were the stars to rub upon their shoulders

If the stars told on her shoulders and feet

his arched soles, one would say, 'Glory enough for you!'

It would be said, "You have enough pride."

أطبقت ظلمةُ الخطوب ولكن

أطبقت ظلمةُ الخطوب ولكن

بأخيه من ليلها شقَّ فجرا

بأخيه من ليلها شقَّ فجرا

The darkness of calamities closed in, but

The darkness of sorrows has come, but

through his brother he cleft a dawn from their night.

Through his brother a dawn broke from its night.

فأرانا شمساً بوجه أبي الها

فأرانا شمساً بوجه أبي الها

دي وشمنا به ولا ليلَ بدرا

دي وشمنا به ولا ليلَ بدرا

He showed us a sun in the face of Abu al-Hadi,

So he showed us a sun with the face of Abul Hadi

and in him we glimpsed a full moon, though there was no night.

And we smelled it, and no night remains for the full moon.

ذاك مَن أزهرت مزايا علاهُ

ذاك مَن أزهرت مزايا علاهُ

فبدت والكواكبُ الزهر زهرا

فبدت والكواكبُ الزهر زهرا

He is the one whose lofty merits blossomed,

That is the one whose merits blossomed

appearing as flowers beside the radiant stars.

Appearing while the stars are flowers.

جاءَ محضَ النجار أملسَ عرضٍ

جاءَ محضَ النجار أملسَ عرضٍ

فيها طابت حواضنُ المجد حجرا

فيها طابت حواضنُ المجد حجرا

He came of pure stock and unblemished honor;

The carpenter came smooth of manner

there, the laps of Glory's nurses were pure.

In which the cradles of glory settled as pebbles.

عبقَ الجيب طاهرَ الردن والأذ

عبقَ الجيب طاهرَ الردن والأذ

يال عفّ الأزار سرًّا وجهرا

يال عفّ الأزار سرًّا وجهرا

Fragrant at the collar, pure of sleeve and trailing hems,

The pocket smelled good, the thigh and arm

chaste of waistcloth, in secret and openly.

Were chaste, the waist pure secretly and openly.

قد حلتْ لي أخلاقه في زمانٍ

قد حلتْ لي أخلاقه في زمانٍ

قلتُ لمَّا طعمته ما أمرَّا

قلتُ لمَّا طعمته ما أمرَّا

His character grew sweet to me in an age

His morals came to me in a time

of which, when I tasted it, I said, 'How bitter!'

When I tasted it I said, “How bitter!”

علمتني هي النظام إلى أن

علمتني هي النظام إلى أن

قيلَ لي أنتَ أشعرُ الناس طرا

قيلَ لي أنتَ أشعرُ الناس طرا

It taught me the craft of verse until

It taught me order until

I was told, 'You are the greatest poet of them all.'

It was said, “You are the most poetic of people.”

وأداروا لي المدامة منها

وأداروا لي المدامة منها

ثم قالوا تحبُّها قلتُ بهرا

ثم قالوا تحبُّها قلتُ بهرا

They passed me the wine of those virtues,

And they passed me the cup from it

then asked, 'Do you love it?' I said, 'Beyond measure!'

Then said, “Do you love it?” I said confused.

ماجدٌ تطرب المسامعُ منه

ماجدٌ تطرب المسامعُ منه

من رقيق الثناء ما كانَ حرا

من رقيق الثناء ما كانَ حرا

A noble man: the ears delight, on his account,

Majid whom ears are delighted by

in whatever is noble in delicate praise.

From the delicate praise that was not hot.

وإذا مرَّ في العطا ودَّ فيه

وإذا مرَّ في العطا ودَّ فيه

مجلسُ الجود لم يزل مستمرَّا

مجلسُ الجود لم يزل مستمرَّا

And when he passes by bestowing gifts,

And if he passes in generosity, the assembly

Generosity's assembly wishes he would never stop.

Of generosity does not cease to flow.

لا كمن إن تكلَّف الرفدَ يوماً

لا كمن إن تكلَّف الرفدَ يوماً

أكلتْ كفَّه الندامةُ دهرا

أكلتْ كفَّه الندامةُ دهرا

Unlike one who, if he forces himself to give one day,

Not like one who if he rarely gives

has his hand gnawed by regret for an age.

Regret eats his palm for ages.

ففداءاً لشبره باع قومٍ

ففداءاً لشبره باع قومٍ

لم تقس في ذراعها منه فترا

لم تقس في ذراعها منه فترا

Let a people's armspan be ransom for his handspan:

He has sacrificed his span for people

their cubit could not match a finger-span of his.

Whose arm could not measure any gap from him.

مدَّ لكن يداً صناع العطايا

مدَّ لكن يداً صناع العطايا

طرّزت بردتيه حمداً وشكرا

طرّزت بردتيه حمداً وشكرا

But he stretched out a hand skilled in giving,

Yet he stretched out a hand the makers of gifts have adorned

which embroidered his two cloaks with praise and thanks.

Embroidering my robe with thanks and gratitude.

لا تفاخر به المجرَّة إلاَّ

لا تفاخر به المجرَّة إلاَّ

إن ترد تكسب المجرةَ فخرا

إن ترد تكسب المجرةَ فخرا

Do not vie with the Milky Way through him, unless

Do not boast about it but the Milky Way

you wish to lend the Milky Way glory.

Unless it wants to gain pride from the Milky Way.

فهو بحرٌ ويقذف الدرَّ جوداً

فهو بحرٌ ويقذف الدرَّ جوداً

وهي نهرٌ وليس يقذف درَّا

وهي نهرٌ وليس يقذف درَّا

For he is a sea, casting forth pearls in generosity,

For he is an ocean who throws pearls of generosity

while it is a river that casts forth no pearls.

While it is a river that does not throw pearls.

وهو والمصطفى بنادي العُلى شف

وهو والمصطفى بنادي العُلى شف

عٌ وكلٌّ يقوم في القوم وترا

عٌ وكلٌّ يقوم في القوم وترا

He and Mustafa are a pair in the assembly of Eminence,

He and Mustafa are in the eminent association

yet each stands among the people alone and unmatched.

Each standing among the people as a lute string.

حفظا حوزةَ السماح وكلٌّ

حفظا حوزةَ السماح وكلٌّ

دونها للعذول كم سدَّ ثغرا

دونها للعذول كم سدَّ ثغرا

They guarded generosity's domain, and each

Protecting the precinct of generosity while anyone

sealed many a breach against the censurer in its defense.

Besides it, how many breaches he has blocked!

فدمُ المكرمات لو لم يجيئا

فدمُ المكرمات لو لم يجيئا

لنعته يتائم الشعر هدرا

لنعته يتائم الشعر هدرا

Had they not come, the blood of Noble Deeds

If the blood of favors had not come

would have been mourned, unavenged, by poetry's orphaned verses.

Poetry would harmonize about it randomly.

قد غرسنا فأثمر النظمُ حمداً

قد غرسنا فأثمر النظمُ حمداً

وسقيتم فأينع الجودُ وفرا

وسقيتم فأينع الجودُ وفرا

We planted, and verse bore fruit in praise;

We have planted so poetry has borne praise,

you watered, and generosity ripened into abundance.

And you have watered so generosity has thrived and given fruit.

لسواه يا عاصراً حلبَ الفكر

لسواه يا عاصراً حلبَ الفكر

بكفِّ الخسار تعصر خمرا

بكفِّ الخسار تعصر خمرا

O you pressing thought's milk for anyone but him,

For other than it, O contemporary, milk the mind's udder

you press wine with the hand of loss.

With the palms of loss, you squeeze wine!

أيُّها الطيّبون معقدَ أزرٍ

أيُّها الطيّبون معقدَ أزرٍ

لكم اللهُ شدَّ بالنصر أزرا

لكم اللهُ شدَّ بالنصر أزرا

O you whose waistcloth-knots are pure,

O good people, the knot of resolve is for you

God has strengthened your backs with victory.

May God strengthen resolve’s knot with victory.

ذكركم بالجميل سارَ ولكن

ذكركم بالجميل سارَ ولكن

كمسير الرياح برًّا وبحرا

كمسير الرياح برًّا وبحرا

Your fair renown has traveled, but

Mentioning you with good has continued, but

with the passage of winds over land and sea.

Like the winds' passage, on land and sea.

قرَّت الأرضُ بالجبال وكانت

قرَّت الأرضُ بالجبال وكانت

هي والراسياتُ فيكم أقرَّا

هي والراسياتُ فيكم أقرَّا

The earth grew steady through the mountains, and

The land has settled with mountains, and it and the firm mountains

it and those rooted heights grew steadier through you.

In you have settled.

هاكموها بكرَ القريض وعنها

هاكموها بكرَ القريض وعنها

سائلاها هل مثلها افتضَّ بكرا

سائلاها هل مثلها افتضَّ بكرا

Take her, the virgin of poetry; and about her,

Are there any like it that burst forth early?

ask her: 'Was ever a virgin like her deflowered?'

Besides sorcery, no consciousness will toil,

بسوى السحر لن تعب أي وعي

بسوى السحر لن تعب أي وعي

ب البابليات إنَّه كانَ سحرا

ب البابليات إنَّه كانَ سحرا

You will fault her for nothing but magic—that is, the fault

It was verily sorcery.

of the Babylonian charms: that it was magic.

It mixed the comfort of joy with harm,

مزجت راحةَ السرور بضرٍّ

مزجت راحةَ السرور بضرٍّ

فأذاقت طعمين حلواً ومرَّا

فأذاقت طعمين حلواً ومرَّا

She blended the ease of joy with affliction,

So it tasted two flavors, sweet and bitter.

and gave two tastes: sweet and bitter.

It worried about its poetry, and not everyone who worries

همت في عفرها وما كلُّ من ها

همت في عفرها وما كلُّ من ها

مَ بوادي القريض يصطاد عفرا

مَ بوادي القريض يصطاد عفرا

I wandered in love with her pale gazelles; not everyone who wanders

In the lands of poetry hunts poetry.

in poetry's valley hunts down pale gazelles.

Its embellishment adorned pages so look

زانَ تحبيرُها الطروسَ ففتّش

زانَ تحبيرُها الطروسَ ففتّش

ما عداها تجده طرساً وحبرا

ما عداها تجده طرساً وحبرا

Her artistry adorned the pages; examine

Beyond it, you will find it pages and embellishment.

anything but her, and you will find merely paper and ink.