مِنّا الثَناءُ وَمِنكَ الصَيِّبُ الغَدِقُ

مِنّا الثَناءُ وَمِنكَ الصَيِّبُ الغَدِقُ

فَضلٌ يَعُمُّ وَشُكرٌ طَيِّبُ عَبِقُ

فَضلٌ يَعُمُّ وَشُكرٌ طَيِّبُ عَبِقُ

From us comes praise, and from you abundant pouring rain;

The praise is from us, and the plentiful rain is from you,

Bounty that reaches all, and sweet, fragrant gratitude.

Generosity spreads, and gratitude is aromatic and ripe.

نُثنِي عَلَيكَ بِما أَولَيتَ مِن كَرَمٍ

نُثنِي عَلَيكَ بِما أَولَيتَ مِن كَرَمٍ

فَالحَمدُ يُجمَعُ وَالأَموالُ تَفتَرِقُ

فَالحَمدُ يُجمَعُ وَالأَموالُ تَفتَرِقُ

We praise you for the generosity you have bestowed;

We praise you for the nobility you have shown,

So praise is gathered, and riches are dispersed.

So praise is gathered, while wealth divides.

ضَجَّت إِلى رَبِّها الدُنيا الَّتي دُحِيَت

ضَجَّت إِلى رَبِّها الدُنيا الَّتي دُحِيَت

مِمّا تَدُلُّ إِلى أَبوابِكَ الطُرُقُ

مِمّا تَدُلُّ إِلى أَبوابِكَ الطُرُقُ

The world that was spread out cried aloud to its Lord

The world cried out to its Lord after it was renewed,

At how the roads lead to your gates.

Because of roads leading to your doors.

يَخضَرُّ كُلُّ مَكانٍ أَنتَ نازِلُهُ

يَخضَرُّ كُلُّ مَكانٍ أَنتَ نازِلُهُ

حَتّى يُنَبِّعَ مِن أَحجارِهِ الوَرَقُ

حَتّى يُنَبِّعَ مِن أَحجارِهِ الوَرَقُ

Every place where you dwell turns green,

Every place where you settle turns green,

Till leaves spring from its very stones.

Until leaves sprout from its rocks.

وَيُشرِقُ اللَيلُ إِن أَسرَيتَ مُدَّلِجاً

وَيُشرِقُ اللَيلُ إِن أَسرَيتَ مُدَّلِجاً

فِيهِ كَأَنَّكَ في ظَلمائِهِ فَلَقُ

فِيهِ كَأَنَّكَ في ظَلمائِهِ فَلَقُ

And night shines if you travel late at night

And the night shines if you travel cloaked in it,

Within it, as though you were dawn in its darkness.

As if you split its darkness with morning.

رُزِقتَ جَدّاً يَضِيقُ الخافِقانِ بِهِ

رُزِقتَ جَدّاً يَضِيقُ الخافِقانِ بِهِ

فَكَم بَغى الحَمدَ أَقوامٌ فَما رُزِقُوا

فَكَم بَغى الحَمدَ أَقوامٌ فَما رُزِقُوا

You were granted good fortune too vast for the two horizons;

You were granted generosity until hearts were too narrow for it,

For how many peoples sought praise but were not granted it!

Yet how many people craved praise but were not granted it.

تَأَنَّقَ اللَهُ حَتّى باتَ مُجتَمِعاً

تَأَنَّقَ اللَهُ حَتّى باتَ مُجتَمِعاً

هَذا الجَميلُ وَهَذا المَنظَرُ الأَنِقُ

هَذا الجَميلُ وَهَذا المَنظَرُ الأَنِقُ

God wrought with exquisite care, until there came together

God adorned Himself until He remained assembled,

This beauty and this graceful appearance.

This beauty and this graceful view.

مِن أَينَ يُعطى الَّذي أُعطِيتَهُ بَشَرٌ

مِن أَينَ يُعطى الَّذي أُعطِيتَهُ بَشَرٌ

وَيُلحَقُ الدَرُّ مِن مَسعاكَ وَالعَنَقُ

وَيُلحَقُ الدَرُّ مِن مَسعاكَ وَالعَنَقُ

How can a mortal be given what you have been given,

From where can one who is granted what you are given be human?

And how can the swift run and measured trot of your striving be matched?

And pearls unite at your touch.

طَلَعتَ في شاهِقٍ صَعبٍ مَطالِعُهُ

طَلَعتَ في شاهِقٍ صَعبٍ مَطالِعُهُ

إِذا تَرَقّى إِلَيهِ مَعشَرٌ زَلَقُوا

إِذا تَرَقّى إِلَيهِ مَعشَرٌ زَلَقُوا

You rose to a lofty peak whose approaches are arduous;

You rose high where rising is difficult,

Whenever a band climbs toward it, they slip.

So when a group climbed up, they slipped.

وَالمَجدُ ثَوبٌ لِفَخرِ المُلكِ جِدَّتُهُ

وَالمَجدُ ثَوبٌ لِفَخرِ المُلكِ جِدَّتُهُ

وَلِلبَرِيَّةِ مِنهُ المُنهَجُ الخَلقُ

وَلِلبَرِيَّةِ مِنهُ المُنهَجُ الخَلقُ

And glory is a robe whose freshness belongs to Fakhr al-Mulk,

And glory is the robe of the pride of kingship,

While mankind has its frayed, threadbare portion.

While the common folk have the righteous path.

قَد حاوَلَ الناسُ مِن عُجمٍ وَمِن عَرَبٍ

قَد حاوَلَ الناسُ مِن عُجمٍ وَمِن عَرَبٍ

أَن يَلحَقُوهُ إِلى شَأوٍ فَما لَحِقوا

أَن يَلحَقُوهُ إِلى شَأوٍ فَما لَحِقوا

People, both non-Arabs and Arabs, have tried

People of non-Arabs and Arabs have tried

To catch him in his course, but they never caught up.

To reach up to your rank, but did not succeed.

مُتَوَّجٌ تَخفِضُ الأَبصارَ هَيبَتُهُ

مُتَوَّجٌ تَخفِضُ الأَبصارَ هَيبَتُهُ

فَلَيسَ تُملَأُ مِن مَرأىً بِهِ الحَدَقُ

فَلَيسَ تُملَأُ مِن مَرأىً بِهِ الحَدَقُ

A crowned ruler whose majesty makes eyes lower,

Crowned, your awe lowers sights,

So eyes cannot take their fill of beholding him.

So gazes are not filled looking at you.

إِذا تَنَكَّرَ لَم يَخرُج بِهِ غَضَبٌ

إِذا تَنَكَّرَ لَم يَخرُج بِهِ غَضَبٌ

عَنِ الجَميلِ وَلَم يَذهَب بِهِ الحَنَقُ

عَنِ الجَميلِ وَلَم يَذهَب بِهِ الحَنَقُ

When he grows stern, anger never drives him

If you get angry, no rage takes you

From noble conduct, nor does fury carry him away.

Away from beauty, no grudge makes you leave.

وَبِالعَواصِمِ مِن تاجِ العُلى مَلِكٌ

وَبِالعَواصِمِ مِن تاجِ العُلى مَلِكٌ

لا الزَهوُ مِنهُ وَلا مِن طَبِعِهِ الخَرَقُ

لا الزَهوُ مِنهُ وَلا مِن طَبِعِهِ الخَرَقُ

And in al-Awasim is a king, Taj al-Ula,

With the fortresses of the crown of highest rule, you are king

Neither arrogance comes from him, nor is rashness in his nature.

Without arrogance or breach in your nature.

يَهمِي عَلى الشامِ سُحباً مِن مَكارِمِهِ

يَهمِي عَلى الشامِ سُحباً مِن مَكارِمِهِ

حَتّى يُخافَ عَلى سُكانِهِ الغَرَقُ

حَتّى يُخافَ عَلى سُكانِهِ الغَرَقُ

He rains clouds of his generosity upon al-Sham,

It rains your generosity over Syria

Until one fears that its inhabitants may drown.

Until its inhabitants fear drowning.

عَمَّت مَواهِبُهُ الدُنيا وَساكِنَها

عَمَّت مَواهِبُهُ الدُنيا وَساكِنَها

فَلا خَلا بَشَرٌ مِنها وَلا أُفُقُ

فَلا خَلا بَشَرٌ مِنها وَلا أُفُقُ

His gifts have embraced the world and all who inhabit it,

Your gifts covered the world and its inhabitants,

So no person or horizon has been left without them.

So no human or horizon lacks them.

كَالصُبحِ فاضَ فَغَشى كُلَّ ناحِيَةٍ

كَالصُبحِ فاضَ فَغَشى كُلَّ ناحِيَةٍ

فَلَيسَ يَعرِفُ فِيها نَفسَهُ الغَسَقُ

فَلَيسَ يَعرِفُ فِيها نَفسَهُ الغَسَقُ

Like dawn he overflowed and covered every region,

Like the dawn, it overflowed and covered every region,

So darkness cannot recognize itself there.

So night cannot recognize itself there.

يا باذِلَ المالَ لِلقُصّادِ إِن قَصَدُوا

يا باذِلَ المالَ لِلقُصّادِ إِن قَصَدُوا

وَعاقِرَ الكُومِ لِلطُرّاقِ إِن طَرَقُوا

وَعاقِرَ الكُومِ لِلطُرّاقِ إِن طَرَقُوا

O giver of wealth to those who seek you, when they come,

O you who spend money on archers if they aim,

And slaughterer of high-humped camels for night visitors when they arrive!

And makes the empty quiver full when they knock.

فِداكَ قَومٌ إِذا ما عاهَدُوا نَكَثُوا

فِداكَ قَومٌ إِذا ما عاهَدُوا نَكَثُوا

تِلكَ العُهُودَ وَإِمّا صادَقُوا مَذَقُوا

تِلكَ العُهُودَ وَإِمّا صادَقُوا مَذَقُوا

May a people be your ransom who, whenever they pledge, break

Your people – if they make a pact, they break it,

Those pledges, and if they befriend, dilute their friendship.

Those covenants, and if they speak truthfully, they taste it.

لا يَعرِفُونَ جَميلاً إِن هُم سُئِلُوا

لا يَعرِفُونَ جَميلاً إِن هُم سُئِلُوا

وَلا يَخافُونَ عاراً إِن هُمُ رُهِقُوا

وَلا يَخافُونَ عاراً إِن هُمُ رُهِقُوا

They know no kindness when they are asked,

They know no favor if asked,

Nor do they fear disgrace when pressed.

And fear no shame if strained.

لَيسُوا كَأَبناءِ مِرداسٍ إِذا وَعَدُوا

لَيسُوا كَأَبناءِ مِرداسٍ إِذا وَعَدُوا

فَقَد وَفَوا وَإِذا قالُوا فَقَد صَدَقُوا

فَقَد وَفَوا وَإِذا قالُوا فَقَد صَدَقُوا

They are not like the sons of Mirdas: when those promise,

They are not like the sons of Mirdas, if they promise

They keep their word, and when they speak, they speak the truth.

They fulfill it, and if they speak, they are honest,

مُعَوَّدِينَ لِبَذلِ المالِ قَد جَعَلُوا

مُعَوَّدِينَ لِبَذلِ المالِ قَد جَعَلُوا

في رِزقِ كُلِّ عَدِيمٍ كُلَّ ما رُزِقُوا

في رِزقِ كُلِّ عَدِيمٍ كُلَّ ما رُزِقُوا

Accustomed to giving wealth, they have devoted

Used to spending money, they make

All they have been granted to the sustenance of every destitute person.

Every bit they are given the livelihood of the penniless.

مَن يَلقَهُمُ يَلقَ مِنهُم مَعشَراً نُجُباً

مَن يَلقَهُمُ يَلقَ مِنهُم مَعشَراً نُجُباً

لَم يُخلَقِ الفَضلُ إِلّا ساعَةً خُلِقُوا

لَم يُخلَقِ الفَضلُ إِلّا ساعَةً خُلِقُوا

Whoever meets them meets among them a band of noble men;

Whoever meets them, meets a noble group of people –

Excellence was created only at the hour they were created.

Excellence was not created except the hour they were created.

أَخنَوا عَلى المالِ حَتّى ما يَعِيشُ لَهُم

أَخنَوا عَلى المالِ حَتّى ما يَعِيشُ لَهُم

ذَودٌ يُراحُ وَلا عَينُ وَا وَرِقُ

ذَودٌ يُراحُ وَلا عَينُ وَا وَرِقُ

They laid waste to their wealth, till nothing survived for them:

They stingily hoarded money until they have no

No camel herd brought home at dusk, no gold, nor silver.

Livelihood left, or goods, or wealth.

تَعَلَّمُوا مِن عِمادِ المُلكِ كُلَّ نَدىً

تَعَلَّمُوا مِن عِمادِ المُلكِ كُلَّ نَدىً

وَاستَمسَكُوا بِعُرى نُعماهُ وَاعتَلَقُوا

وَاستَمسَكُوا بِعُرى نُعماهُ وَاعتَلَقُوا

They learned every kind of generosity from Imad al-Mulk,

They learned every dew of the pillar of kingship from you

And grasped the bonds of his bounty and clung to them.

And held onto the ropes of your bounty and clung to them.

مازالَ يُقلِقُ أَحشاءَ العِدى زَمَناً

مازالَ يُقلِقُ أَحشاءَ العِدى زَمَناً

حَتّى جَلا الخَوفُ عَنّا وَانجَلى القَلَقُ

حَتّى جَلا الخَوفُ عَنّا وَانجَلى القَلَقُ

For a long time he kept the enemies' entrails in turmoil,

You continued to disturb the enemy’s guts for a time

Until fear departed from us and anxiety cleared away,

Until fear left us and anxiety cleared up.

مِن بَعدِ أَن تَرَكَ الأَرماحَ راعِفَةً

مِن بَعدِ أَن تَرَكَ الأَرماحَ راعِفَةً

مِمّا يَسِيلُ عَلى أَطرافِها العَلقُ

مِمّا يَسِيلُ عَلى أَطرافِها العَلقُ

After he had left the spears bleeding

After you left the spears quivering

From the clotted blood flowing over their points.

From the blood dripping from their tips,

وَالخَيلُ قَد بَدَّلَ التَقرِيبُ سِحنَتَها

وَالخَيلُ قَد بَدَّلَ التَقرِيبُ سِحنَتَها

حَتّى تَغَيَّرَتِ الأَلوانُ وَالخِلَقُ

حَتّى تَغَيَّرَتِ الأَلوانُ وَالخِلَقُ

And cantering had altered the horses' appearance,

And the horses – drawing near changed their disposition

Until their colors and forms had changed.

Until the colors and nature changed.

فَالدُهمُ تَحسَبُها بُلقاً إِذا رَجَعَت

فَالدُهمُ تَحسَبُها بُلقاً إِذا رَجَعَت

وَقَد تَجَمَّعَ في لَبّاتِها العَرَقُ

وَقَد تَجَمَّعَ في لَبّاتِها العَرَقُ

So you would take the black steeds for piebald when they returned,

Sweat gathered on their forelocks, so you would think them mange-ridden when they returned,

And sweat had gathered on their chests.

And sweat gathered on their forehead hair.

يا أَكرَمَ الناسِ عِش لِلناسِ في دَعَةٍ

يا أَكرَمَ الناسِ عِش لِلناسِ في دَعَةٍ

ما عاش لِي فِيكَ هَذا الفائِحُ العَبقُ

ما عاش لِي فِيكَ هَذا الفائِحُ العَبقُ

O most generous of men, live for mankind in ease,

O most generous of people, live at ease among people

So long as this wafting fragrance lives for me in you.

As long as this pure fragrance lived in you.

فَإِنَّما أَنتَ فِينا رَحمَةٌ كَشَفَت

فَإِنَّما أَنتَ فِينا رَحمَةٌ كَشَفَت

عَنّا الشَقاءَ فَلا بُؤسٌ وَلا رَهَقُ

عَنّا الشَقاءَ فَلا بُؤسٌ وَلا رَهَقُ

For you are nothing but a mercy among us that has lifted

You are but a mercy that lifted

Misery from us, so there is no wretchedness or oppression.

Misery from us, so no distress or strain remains.

ما دُونَ فَضلِكَ لا مَطلٌ وَلا عِدَةٌ

ما دُونَ فَضلِكَ لا مَطلٌ وَلا عِدَةٌ

وَلا حِجابٌ وَلا بابٌ وَلا غَلَقُ

وَلا حِجابٌ وَلا بابٌ وَلا غَلَقُ

Nothing stands before your bounty: no delay, no promise,

Without your favor there is no respite or number,

No veil, no door, and no lock.

No veil, or door, or lock.