سَلامٌa greeting كَنَشرِlike the fragrance of المِسكِmusk فُضَّwas broken open خِتامُهُits seal
سَلامٌ كَنَشرِ المِسكِ فُضَّ خِتامُهُ
عَلىupon مَلِكٍa king بالرقَتَينِat the two Raqqas خِيامُهُhis tents
عَلى مَلِكٍ بالرقَتَينِ خِيامُهُ
A greeting like the fragrance of musk whose seal is broken,
His peace spreads like musk when its seal is opened,
to a king whose tents stand at the two Raqqas.
Upon a king whose tents are delicacy,
مُشَيَّعُvaliant ماthat which يُلقىis laid عَلَيهِupon it نِجادُهُhis sword-belt
مُشَيَّعُ ما يُلقى عَلَيهِ نِجادُهُ
مُبارَكُblessed ماthat which يَحوِيencloses عَلَيهِaround it لِثامُهُhis face-veil
مُبارَكُ ما يَحوِي عَلَيهِ لِثامُهُ
Valiant is what his sword-belt rests upon;
Whose mantle contains good whenever it covers something,
blessed is what his face-veil enfolds.
And whatever it drapes is blessed,
كَأَنَّas though الرَدىdeath تَلقىyou meet بِهِin him كُلَّماwhenever التَقَتclashed
كَأَنَّ الرَدى تَلقى بِهِ كُلَّما التَقَت
أَنامِلُهُhis fingers فيin مَعرَكٍa battle أَوor حُسامُهُhis keen sword
أَنامِلُهُ في مَعرَكٍ أَو حُسامُهُ
It is as though you meet death in him whenever
It is as though fate meets him whenever
his fingers or his keen sword clash in battle.
His fingers join battle or his sword,
إِذاif سُمتَهُyou ask him for الغاليwhat is precious عَلَيهِto him سَخاhe gives freely بِهِof it
إِذا سُمتَهُ الغالي عَلَيهِ سَخا بِهِ
وَهانَand is of little account عَلَيهِto him سامُهُhis bullion أَوor سَوامُهُhis grazing herds
وَهانَ عَلَيهِ سامُهُ أَو سَوامُهُ
If you ask him for what he holds dear, he gives it freely,
When his life is too dear to hazard,
and his bullion or his grazing herds are of little account to him.
His price or his equal seem cheap to him,
كَريمُa generous man زَمانٍof an age قَدalready تَقَدَّمَhad passed قَبلَهُbefore him
كَريمُ زَمانٍ قَد تَقَدَّمَ قَبلَهُ
زَمانٌan age فَزادَتand surpassed عَنbeyond نَداهُhis bounty كِرامُهits generous men
زَمانٌ فَزادَت عَن نَداهُ كِرامُه
A generous man of an age: before him there had passed
He is the generous one of an age already past,
an age whose generous men surpassed his bounty.
An age that added to his own generosity,
رَبيعٌa spring يَعُمُّembraces الناسَthe people لَيسَis not بِمُجدِبٍbarren
رَبيعٌ يَعُمُّ الناسَ لَيسَ بِمُجدِبٍ
إِذاwhen الناجِعُthe pasture-seeker المُستافُthe pasture-scout أَجدَبَbecame barren عامُهُhis year
إِذا الناجِعُ المُستافُ أَجدَبَ عامُهُ
A spring embracing all people, never barren,
A spring that sustains all people, not a devourer
when the pasture-seeking scout's year turns barren.
If the barren heights have starved its year,
إِذاwhen حَلَّhe settles in أَرضاًa land حَلَّهاsettles in it الخَيرُgoodness وَاِنجَلىand departs
إِذا حَلَّ أَرضاً حَلَّها الخَيرُ وَاِنجَلى
بِهِthrough him البُؤسُmisery عَنهاfrom it فَرَدُهُits single form وَتُوآمُهُand its twin forms
بِهِ البُؤسُ عَنها فَرَدُهُ وَتُوآمُهُ
When he settles a land, goodness settles there, and
Whenever he lands the goodness unloads
through him misery leaves it, singly and in pairs.
And distress leaves it - his peer and his twin,
دَناhe drew near مِنto مَكانٍa place فَاعتَراهُso overtook it سُرورُهُits joy
دَنا مِن مَكانٍ فَاعتَراهُ سُرورُهُ
وَخَلىand he vacated مَكاناًa place فَاعتَراهُso overtook it عُرامُهُits turmoil
وَخَلى مَكاناً فَاعتَراهُ عُرامُهُ
He drew near a place, and joy overtook it;
He came near a place so his happiness took it over
he left a place, and turmoil overtook it.
And left a place so his column took it over,
فَأَظلَمَso grew dark فيin ذاكَthat المَكانِplace نَهارُهُits daylight
فَأَظلَمَ في ذاكَ المَكانِ نَهارُهُ
وَأَشرَقَand shone فيin ذاكَthat المَكانِplace ظَلامُهُits darkness
وَأَشرَقَ في ذاكَ المَكانِ ظَلامُهُ
So daylight darkened in that place,
So the day there dimmed and its night shone bright
and darkness shone in that place.
If Iraq lies forsaken so Syria cozies up to it
لَئِنeven if باتَhas become مَهجورَforsaken المَحَلِّthe dwelling-place عِراقُهُhis Iraq
لَئِن باتَ مَهجورَ المَحَلِّ عِراقُهُ
فَقَدyet indeed باتَhas become مَأنوسَenlivened by company المَحَلِّthe dwelling-place شآمُهُhis Syria
فَقَد باتَ مَأنوسَ المَحَلِّ شآمُهُ
Though his Iraq has become a forsaken abode,
Can it be other than the rain whose showers
his Syria has become a home enlivened by company.
Saturated a place and missed another?
وَهَلand is هُوَhe إِلّاanything but الغَيثُthe life-giving rain حَلَّتsettled رِهامُهُits gentle showers
وَهَل هُوَ إِلّا الغَيثُ حَلَّت رِهامُهُ
مَكاناًa place وَمالَتand turned away عَنfrom مَكانٍa place رِهامُهُits gentle showers
مَكاناً وَمالَت عَن مَكانٍ رِهامُهُ
What is he but rain, whose gentle showers settle
God does not distance the aspiring for He disappears
in one place, while its gentle showers turn from another?
Yet his concern does not disappear,
فَلاso may not يُبعِدِsend far away اللَهُGod الهُمامَthe noble-hearted lord فَإِنَّهُfor he
فَلا يُبعِدِ اللَهُ الهُمامَ فَإِنَّهُ
يَغِيبُhe is absent وَلَكِنand yet لاnot يَغِيبُis absent اِهتِمامُهُhis care
يَغِيبُ وَلَكِن لا يَغِيبُ اِهتِمامُهُ
So may God not send the noble-hearted lord far away, for he
He quenched every house he entered, each noble one
is absent, yet his care is never absent.
As though his smiling lightning smiles in it,
سَقىmay water كُلَّevery دارٍdwelling حَلَّهاhe settled in it كُلُّevery مُدجِنِdark raincloud
سَقى كُلَّ دارٍ حَلَّها كُلُّ مُدجِنِ
كَأَنَّas though ابتِسامَthe smile البَرقِof lightning فيهاtherein اِبتِسامُهُhis smile
كَأَنَّ ابتِسامَ البَرقِ فيها اِبتِسامُهُ
May every dark raincloud water each dwelling he has settled in,
He rubs the left of the praying one so his behind and front
as though the lightning's smile there were his smile.
Become equal in what he rubbed of him
يَسِحُّit pours شِمالِيَّnorth of المُصَلّىthe prayer ground فَيَستَويso become alike
يَسِحُّ شِمالِيَّ المُصَلّى فَيَستَوي
بِماthrough what سَحَّpoured مِنهُfrom it خَلفُهُbehind it وَأَمامُهُand before it
بِما سَحَّ مِنهُ خَلفُهُ وَأَمامُهُ
It pours north of al-Musalla, till all is alike
The gate of Syria races or nestles the alive
behind it and before it in the rain it sheds.
Rabea around it and its guardian
وَيُمرِعُand grows lush بابُthe Gate الشامِof Syria أَوor تَكتَسيare clothed in الحَياrain
وَيُمرِعُ بابُ الشامِ أَو تَكتَسي الحَيا
رُباهُits heights اللَواتيwhich حَولَهُsurround it وَإِكامُهُand its knolls
رُباهُ اللَواتي حَولَهُ وَإِكامُهُ
And Bab al-Sham grows lush, or rain clothes
The field of palaces wakes up composed
its surrounding heights and its knolls.
Its amorous breeze awakens it and its blossom,
وَيُصبِحُand becomes مَيدانُthe square القُصورِof the palaces مُرَوَّضاًmade a garden
وَيُصبِحُ مَيدانُ القُصورِ مُرَوَّضاً
يَضُوعُwaft fragrance نَسيماًa breeze رَندُهُits laurel وَبَشامُهُand its balsam
يَضُوعُ نَسيماً رَندُهُ وَبَشامُهُ
And the Palace Square becomes a garden,
With it the fence of the city wears a necklace
its laurels and balsam wafting fragrant breezes.
None wove of light but its cloud,
وَيُكسىand is clothed بِهِby it سُورُthe wall المَدينَةِof the city مِطرَفاًa bordered cloak
وَيُكسى بِهِ سُورُ المَدينَةِ مِطرَفاً
مِنَof النَورِblossoms لَمdid not يَنسُجهُweave it إِلّاexcept غَمامُهُits clouds
مِنَ النَورِ لَم يَنسُجهُ إِلّا غَمامُهُ
And by it the city's wall is clad in a bordered cloak
When darkness invades a tower it makes you think
of blossoms, woven by its clouds alone.
Its youthful spikes have busied from it
إِذاwhen اعتَمَّis turbaned بِالنَوّارِwith blossoms بُرجٌa tower ظَنَتَهُyou would think it
إِذا اعتَمَّ بِالنَوّارِ بُرجٌ ظَنَتَهُ
مِنَamong البُزلِfull-grown camels عَوداًan aged camel شابَturned gray مِنهُon it سَنامُهُits hump
مِنَ البُزلِ عَوداً شابَ مِنهُ سَنامُهُ
When a tower is turbaned with blossoms, you would think it
He who saw his qualities in that land, al-Mansūr
an aged camel among the full-grown, its hump turned gray.
Would prolong his veneration if he lived
لَقَدindeed حَلَّhas settled in تِلكَthat الأَرضَland مَنone who لَوif رَأَىsaw بِهاthere
لَقَد حَلَّ تِلكَ الأَرضَ مَن لَو رَأَى بِها
مَكارِمَهُhis noble deeds المَنصورُal-Mansur طالَwould be prolonged اِحتِشامُهُhis abashment
مَكارِمَهُ المَنصورُ طالَ اِحتِشامُهُ
Indeed, that land has received one: had al-Mansur seen there
That one built a structure razed after him
his noble deeds, he would long have been abashed.
While this built what will not fear ruin
بَنىbuilt ذاكَthat one بُنياناًa structure تَهَدَّمَcrumbled بَعدَهُafter him
بَنى ذاكَ بُنياناً تَهَدَّمَ بَعدَهُ
وَهَذاand this one بَنىhas built ماthat which لاnot يُخافُis feared اِنهِدامُهُits collapse
وَهَذا بَنى ما لا يُخافُ اِنهِدامُهُ
That one built a structure that crumbled after him;
If al-Maʾmūn glimpsed some of his era
while this one has built what no one fears will crumble.
His doves would not be safe with him
وَلَوand if شاهَدَhad witnessed المَأمُونُal-Ma'mun بَعضَpart of زَمانِهِhis age
وَلَو شاهَدَ المَأمُونُ بَعضَ زَمانِهِ
لَماsurely not كانَwould have been مَأمُوناًsafe عَلَيهِfor him حِمامُهُhis death
لَما كانَ مَأمُوناً عَلَيهِ حِمامُهُ
And had al-Ma'mun witnessed part of his age,
And al-Muʿtaṣim with God - had he lived would depend
he would not have felt safe from his own death.
On nothing but spears in tribulations
وَمُعتَصِمٌand al-Mu'tasim بِاللَهِin God لَوif عاشَhad lived لَمnot يَكُنwould have been
وَمُعتَصِمٌ بِاللَهِ لَو عاشَ لَم يَكُن
بِغَيرِin other than ثِمالٍThimal فيin الخُطوبِcalamities اعتِصامُهُhis refuge
بِغَيرِ ثِمالٍ في الخُطوبِ اعتِصامُهُ
And had al-Mu'tasim bi-llah lived, he would have had
Excellence was attributed to Faḍl bin Yaḥyā bin Khālid
no refuge in calamities but Thimal.
While his servant and his boy exceed him
وَقدand indeed وُصِفَhas been praised الفَضلُal-Fadl بنُson of يَحيىYahya بنson of خالِدِKhalid
وَقد وُصِفَ الفَضلُ بنُ يَحيى بن خالِدِ
وَأَفضَلُand better مِنهُthan him عَبدُهُhis slave وَغُلامُهُand his page
وَأَفضَلُ مِنهُ عَبدُهُ وَغُلامُهُ
And indeed al-Fadl ibn Yahya ibn Khalid has been praised,
A ruler succeeded them while he excels them
yet this king's slave and page are better than he.
An ember’s live coal succeeding its smoke
مَلِيكٌa king تَلاهُمwho followed them وَهوَwhile he is أَفضَلُbetter مِنهُمُthan them
مَلِيكٌ تَلاهُم وَهوَ أَفضَلُ مِنهُمُ
وَجَمرُand the embers الغَضاof ghada wood يَتلُوfollows الدُخانَthe smoke ضِرامُهُtheir blaze
وَجَمرُ الغَضا يَتلُو الدُخانَ ضِرامُهُ
A king who followed them, yet is better than they;
and the blaze of ghada embers follows the smoke.
وَبِالرقَةِand in Raqqa البَيضاءِthe white مِنfrom آلِthe house of صالِحٍSalih
وَبِالرقَةِ البَيضاءِ مِن آلِ صالِحٍ
فَتىًa young man مِثلُlike حَدِّthe edge of المَشرَفِيa Mashrafi sword اعتِزامُهُhis resolve
فَتىً مِثلُ حَدِّ المَشرَفِي اعتِزامُهُ
And in White Raqqa, from the house of Salih,
is a young man whose resolve is like a Mashrafi sword's edge.
يُرَجىّis hoped for كَماjust as تُرجىis hoped for الغَمامَةُa raincloud عَفوُهُhis pardon
يُرَجىّ كَما تُرجى الغَمامَةُ عَفوُهُ
وَيُخشىand is feared كَماjust as يَخشىone fears الحِمامَdeath اِنتِقَمُهُhis vengeance
وَيُخشى كَما يَخشى الحِمامَ اِنتِقَمُهُ
His pardon is hoped for as a raincloud is hoped for,
and his vengeance is feared as one fears death.
حَوىhe possessed الفَضلَexcellence طِفلاًas a child وَهوَwhile he was فيin المَهدِthe cradle وَالتَقىand came together
حَوى الفَضلَ طِفلاً وَهوَ في المَهدِ وَالتَقى
عَلىwith غَيرِno طَيشٍrashness حِلمُهُhis forbearance وَاحتِلامُهُand his coming of age
عَلى غَيرِ طَيشٍ حِلمُهُ وَاحتِلامُهُ
He possessed excellence as a child still in the cradle; together came
his forbearance and his manhood, untouched by rashness,
بِصِحَّةِwith firmness of عَزمٍresolve لاnot تُفَلُّare blunted غُروبُهُits edges
بِصِحَّةِ عَزمٍ لا تُفَلُّ غُروبُهُ
وَثاقِبِand piercing رَأيٍjudgment لاnot تَطيشُmiss سِهامُهُits arrows
وَثاقِبِ رَأيٍ لا تَطيشُ سِهامُهُ
with firm resolve whose edges are never blunted,
and piercing judgment whose arrows never miss.
إِذاwhen داسَhe treads وَجهَthe face of الأَرضِthe earth أَصبَحَbecomes لُؤلُؤَاًpearls
إِذا داسَ وَجهَ الأَرضِ أَصبَحَ لُؤلُؤَاً
حَصاهُits pebbles وَمِسكاًand musk تُبَّتِيّاًTibetan رُغامُهُits dust
حَصاهُ وَمِسكاً تُبَّتِيّاً رُغامُهُ
When he treads the face of the earth, turned to pearls are
its pebbles, and to Tibetan musk its dust.
هَنيئاًmay it bring joy لَهُto him الشَهرُthe month الَّذيwhich بُرَّwas accepted سَعيُهُhis striving
هَنيئاً لَهُ الشَهرُ الَّذي بُرَّ سَعيُهُ
بِهِin it وَزَكاand was pure عِندَbefore الإِلهGod صِيامُهُhis fasting
بِهِ وَزَكا عِندَ الإِله صِيامُهُ
May he rejoice in the month in which his striving was accepted,
and his fasting deemed pure in the sight of God.
إِذاwhen قامَhe rises فيهِin it لِلصَلاةِfor prayer وَلِلنَدىand for generosity
إِذا قامَ فيهِ لِلصَلاةِ وَلِلنَدى
حَوىearned الأَجرَthe reward وَالذِكرَand renown الجَميلَfair قِيامُهُhis rising
حَوى الأَجرَ وَالذِكرَ الجَميلَ قِيامُهُ
When he rises in it for prayer and generosity,
his rising wins reward and fair renown.
وَلَيلٍand many a night وَهَبتُI gave up النَومَsleep فيهِin it لِماجِدٍfor a noble man
وَلَيلٍ وَهَبتُ النَومَ فيهِ لِماجِدٍ
قَليلٍlittle عَلىin the face of ضَيمِoppression العَدُوِّof the enemy مَنامُهُhis sleep
قَليلٍ عَلى ضَيمِ العَدُوِّ مَنامُهُ
And many a night I gave up sleep for a noble man
who sleeps little in the face of the enemy's oppression.
وَنظَّمتُand I strung دُرّاًpearls فيin praise of عُلاهُhis glory وَإِنَّهُand indeed it
وَنظَّمتُ دُرّاً في عُلاهُ وَإِنَّهُ
لَأَسنىis surely more splendid مِنَthan الدُرِّpearls الثَمينِprecious نِظامُهُits stringing
لَأَسنى مِنَ الدُرِّ الثَمينِ نِظامُهُ
And I strung pearls in praise of his glory; indeed,
their stringing is more splendid than precious pearls.
يَدُومُit endures عَلىthrough مَرِّthe passing of اللَياليthe nights وَإِنَّماand indeed only
يَدُومُ عَلى مَرِّ اللَيالي وَإِنَّما
يُرادُis desired مِنَfrom الشَيءِthe thing النَفِيسِprecious دَوامُهُits endurance
يُرادُ مِنَ الشَيءِ النَفِيسِ دَوامُهُ
It endures through the passing nights, for all
one seeks in a precious thing is its endurance.
Partial English translation: 46 of 68 Arabic lines translated.