مَرَرْنا بروضٍ والركائبُ وُقَّفُ

مَرَرْنا بروضٍ والركائبُ وُقَّفُ

فقالوا لمَنْ هذا المَحَلُّ المُزَخْرَفُ

فقالوا لمَنْ هذا المَحَلُّ المُزَخْرَفُ

We passed by a garden, while the riding camels stood halted.

We passed by a garden, and the riders halted,

They said, “Whose is this richly adorned place?”

And said, "For whom is this adorned dwelling?"

فقلب مولاي ابن سلطان ذي الندى

فقلب مولاي ابن سلطان ذي الندى

سعيد بذكراه الورى تَتَشَرَّفُ

سعيد بذكراه الورى تَتَشَرَّفُ

Then [it is] the heart of my lord, son of Sultan, endowed with bounty—

My master, Ibn Sultan of generosity, replied,

Saʿid, whose remembrance brings honor to humankind.

The whole world is honored by his mention.

فقلتُ سلوني عن جميعِ صفاتِه

فقلتُ سلوني عن جميعِ صفاتِه

فقالوا جميعاً أنتَ لا شكَ أعْرَفُ

فقالوا جميعاً أنتَ لا شكَ أعْرَفُ

So I said, “Ask me about all his qualities.”

I said, "Ask me about all his virtues,"

They all said, “You, without doubt, know best.”

They all said, "You, without doubt, know him best."

فقالوا وما النُوْرُ الذي فيه ساطعٌ

فقالوا وما النُوْرُ الذي فيه ساطعٌ

فقلتُ لهم نَور فإن شئتمُ اقطفوا

فقلتُ لهم نَور فإن شئتمُ اقطفوا

They said, “And what is the light shining within it?”

They said, "What is the light radiating from him?"

I told them, “Blossoms—if you wish, pluck them.”

I said to them, "A light - so pluck, if you wish -

قرنفلهُ الرّيانُ مالَ كأنَّهُ

قرنفلهُ الرّيانُ مالَ كأنَّهُ

عذارى سقت راحاً عليهن رَفْرَفُ

عذارى سقت راحاً عليهن رَفْرَفُ

Its lush carnations leaned, as though they were

Its carnation, bending as if it were

maidens serving wine, with flowing drapery upon them.

Maidens who had sprinkled on them a fluttering.

سموطُ لآلي الطَّلِ فوقَ غُصونِهِ

سموطُ لآلي الطَّلِ فوقَ غُصونِهِ

وتهوي على أوراقهِ الورق تَهْتِفُ

وتهوي على أوراقهِ الورق تَهْتِفُ

Strings of dew-pearls lie upon its branches,

It hangs before the radiant rising moon upon its branches,

and gray doves swoop onto its leaves, calling.

And upon its leaves the leaves flutter calling.

يفيء عليه الظِّلُ من كلِّ جانبٍ

يفيء عليه الظِّلُ من كلِّ جانبٍ

وَرَوَّتْهُ عينُ المُزْنِ والدَّمْعُ وكَّفُ

وَرَوَّتْهُ عينُ المُزْنِ والدَّمْعُ وكَّفُ

Shade returns over it from every side,

Shade covers it from every side,

and the rainclouds’ eye watered it, with tears pouring down.

The spring's eye and tears have watered it.

ولو عَلِمَ الساعونَ طُرّاً بِفَضْلِه

ولو عَلِمَ الساعونَ طُرّاً بِفَضْلِه

لجأوا جميعاً نحوَه وتَكَلَّفُوا

لجأوا جميعاً نحوَه وتَكَلَّفُوا

And if all the seekers knew of its excellence,

If the ambitious knew his superiority,

they would all seek refuge there and take pains.

They would all head towards him and make effort.

ولو أن في الأحياءِ عاداً ليَدَّعي

ولو أن في الأحياءِ عاداً ليَدَّعي

تَمَلُّكَه والشَّرْعُ بالحقِ يُنْصَف

تَمَلُّكَه والشَّرْعُ بالحقِ يُنْصَف

And were ʿAd among the living, they would surely claim

If the living claimed ownership of him,

ownership of it, while sacred law is justly given its due.

The law with truth would appraise.

وألقى عليه بالقريضِ غَرائباً

وألقى عليه بالقريضِ غَرائباً

مدائحَ من بحرِ القريحةِ أغرُفُ

مدائحَ من بحرِ القريحةِ أغرُفُ

And I cast upon him rare marvels in verse—

And he threw upon it wondrous eulogies -

praises I draw from the sea of poetic inspiration.

Praises from the sea of poetry I drew up.

وأسْلُكُ نَهْجَ السالفينَ قريضَهم

وأسْلُكُ نَهْجَ السالفينَ قريضَهم

ولي مِن بقايا الجاهليةِ عَجْرَفُ

ولي مِن بقايا الجاهليةِ عَجْرَفُ

And I follow the path of those of old in their verse,

And I follow the path of the ancients' eulogies,

and I have a rough pride left over from the Age of Ignorance.

Yet from the remnants of the Ignorance I am raucous."