بِصِحَّةِ العَزمِ يَعلُو كُلُّ مُعتَزِمِ

بِصِحَّةِ العَزمِ يَعلُو كُلُّ مُعتَزِمِ

وَما جَلا غَمَراتِ الهَمِّ كَالهِمَمِ

وَما جَلا غَمَراتِ الهَمِّ كَالهِمَمِ

With sound resolve, every resolute man rises;

With determination, every determined person rises

and nothing has dispelled the surges of sorrow like lofty resolve.

And no flood of worries is like determination

وَالعِزُّ يُوجَدُ في شَيئَينِ مَوطِنُهُ

وَالعِزُّ يُوجَدُ في شَيئَينِ مَوطِنُهُ

إِمّا شَباةُ حُسامٍ أَو شَبا قَلَمِ

إِمّا شَباةُ حُسامٍ أَو شَبا قَلَمِ

And honor's dwelling is found in two things:

Glory is found in two places:

either the edge of a keen sword or the tip of a pen.

Either the swords of youth or the pens of elders

وَأَعرَفُ الناسِ بِالدُنيا أَخُوفِطَنٍ

وَأَعرَفُ الناسِ بِالدُنيا أَخُوفِطَنٍ

لا يَنظُرُ اليُسرَ إِلّا مَنظَرَ العَدَمِ

لا يَنظُرُ اليُسرَ إِلّا مَنظَرَ العَدَمِ

And the one who knows the world best is a man of insight;

And I know people by how clever they are with worldly matters

he regards prosperity only as he regards destitution.

Who look to comfort except one who looks to oblivion

غِنى اللَئيمِ الَّذي يَشقى بِهِ عَنَتٌ

غِنى اللَئيمِ الَّذي يَشقى بِهِ عَنَتٌ

وَفاقَةُ الحُرِّ مَنجاةٌ مِنَ السَقَمِ

وَفاقَةُ الحُرِّ مَنجاةٌ مِنَ السَقَمِ

A base man's wealth, through which he suffers, is hardship;

The shame of the ignoble whom it makes wretched with hardship

and a noble man's poverty is deliverance from sickness.

And the poverty of the noble is salvation from disease

يَزدادُ ذُو المالِ هَمّاً بِالغِنى وَأَذىً

يَزدادُ ذُو المالِ هَمّاً بِالغِنى وَأَذىً

كَالنَبتِ زادَت أَذاهُ كَثرَةُ الرِهَمِ

كَالنَبتِ زادَت أَذاهُ كَثرَةُ الرِهَمِ

The wealthy man grows more worried and afflicted through riches,

The wealthy man increases in worries and troubles with wealth

like a plant whose injury grows with abundant gentle rains.

Like plants whose numerous spears cause more pain

كُن مَن تَشاءُ وَنَل حَظاً تَعيشُ بِهِ

كُن مَن تَشاءُ وَنَل حَظاً تَعيشُ بِهِ

فَالخِصبُ في الوُهدِ مِثلُ الخِصب في الأَكَمِ

فَالخِصبُ في الوُهدِ مِثلُ الخِصب في الأَكَمِ

Be whom you will, and gain a share by which to live;

Be whoever you want and gain a fortune you can live by

for fertility in the hollows is like fertility on the hills.

For fertility lies in the valley like on the hill

لَيسَ الحُظُوظُ وَإِن كانَت مُقَسَّمَةً

لَيسَ الحُظُوظُ وَإِن كانَت مُقَسَّمَةً

بِناظِراتٍ إِلى جَهلِ وَلا فَهَمِ

بِناظِراتٍ إِلى جَهلِ وَلا فَهَمِ

The shares of fortune, though apportioned, are not

Fortunes are not divided by onlookers lacking wisdom

heedful of ignorance or understanding.

No free man is lessened by what he lacks in means

لا يُنقِصُ الحُرَّ ما يَعدُوهُ مِن جِدَةٍ

لا يُنقِصُ الحُرَّ ما يَعدُوهُ مِن جِدَةٍ

وَلا تَحُطُّ كَريماً قِلَّةُ القِسَمِ

وَلا تَحُطُّ كَريماً قِلَّةُ القِسَمِ

The wealth that passes him by does not diminish a noble man,

Nor does the noble's esteem fall due to meager fortune

nor does a meager allotment abase a noble man.

The youth takes pride in plenty of spears striking him

فَخرُ الفَتى كَثرَةُ الأَرزاءِ تَطرُقُهُ

فَخرُ الفَتى كَثرَةُ الأَرزاءِ تَطرُقُهُ

وَالسَيفُ يَفخَرُ في حَدَّيهِ بِالثُلَمِ

وَالسَيفُ يَفخَرُ في حَدَّيهِ بِالثُلَمِ

A young man's pride is in the many calamities that assail him;

And the sword takes pride in its sharpness and nicks

and a sword takes pride in the notches along its two edges.

I praise the life I’ve lived and gratitude still stands

مَن ذَمَّ عَيشاً فَإِنّي شاكِرٌ زَمَني

مَن ذَمَّ عَيشاً فَإِنّي شاكِرٌ زَمَني

وَالشُكرُ ما زالَ قَوّاماً عَلى النِعَمِ

وَالشُكرُ ما زالَ قَوّاماً عَلى النِعَمِ

Whoever may condemn life, I am grateful to my time;

On blessings though complaints keep coming in

and gratitude has always been the guardian of blessings.

I sought a generous one I could lean on

طَلَبتُ مِنهُ كَريماً أَستَجِنُّ بِهِ

طَلَبتُ مِنهُ كَريماً أَستَجِنُّ بِهِ

فَخَصَّني بِنَبيِّ الجُودِ وَالكَرَمِ

فَخَصَّني بِنَبيِّ الجُودِ وَالكَرَمِ

I asked it for a generous man in whom I could take shelter,

So he singled me out with the prophet of generosity and nobility

so it favored me with the prophet of bounty and generosity:

With Majid from the Banu Shaddad he strengthened my resolve

بِماجِدٍ مِن بَني الشَدادِ شَدَّ بِهِ

بِماجِدٍ مِن بَني الشَدادِ شَدَّ بِهِ

أَزري وَأَحيا بِهِ ما ماتَ مِن حِكَمي

أَزري وَأَحيا بِهِ ما ماتَ مِن حِكَمي

a noble man of Banu al-Shaddad, through whom it strengthened

And revived my wisdom which had died

my back and through him revived my wise sayings that had died,

He protected my face so I would not have to lower it to anyone

وَصانَ وَجهي فَلَم يُبذَل إِلى أَحَدٍ

وَصانَ وَجهي فَلَم يُبذَل إِلى أَحَدٍ

وَصَونُهُ ماءَ وَجهي مِثلُ صَونِ دَمي

وَصَونُهُ ماءَ وَجهي مِثلُ صَونِ دَمي

and guarded my face, so it was not offered up to anyone;

Protecting my face like protecting my blood

and his guarding the water of my face is like guarding my blood.

A lord who clothes me with his favors

مَولىً بَداني بِنُعماهُ وَأَلبَسَني

مَولىً بَداني بِنُعماهُ وَأَلبَسَني

ثَوبَ الصَنيعَةِ قَبلَ الناسِ كُلِّهِمِ

ثَوبَ الصَنيعَةِ قَبلَ الناسِ كُلِّهِمِ

A patron who first bestowed his favors on me and clothed me

And dressed me in the garb of generosity before all the people

in the robe of beneficence before all other people.

And I was dead yet his gifts kept

وَكُنتُ مَيتاً فَما زالَت مَواهِبُهُ

وَكُنتُ مَيتاً فَما زالَت مَواهِبُهُ

تَرُدُّ حَو بايَ حَتّى أَنشَرَت رَمَمي

تَرُدُّ حَو بايَ حَتّى أَنشَرَت رَمَمي

And I was dead; his gifts never ceased

Coming back to me until they mended my bones

restoring my soul until they resurrected my crumbling bones.

A young man who resents those in need getting from him

فَتَى يَكرُّ عَلى الإِقتارِ نائِلُهُ

فَتَى يَكرُّ عَلى الإِقتارِ نائِلُهُ

وَالكَرُّ في الجُودِ مِثلُ الكَرِّ في البُهَمِ

وَالكَرُّ في الجُودِ مِثلُ الكَرِّ في البُهَمِ

A young man whose bounty charges against poverty;

Resentment in generosity is like blindness in discernment

and charging in generosity is like charging among fierce warriors.

Barefoot he mounts, his clothes hitched up

مُجَرِّدٌ لِلهَوادي مُرهَفاً خَذِماً

مُجَرِّدٌ لِلهَوادي مُرهَفاً خَذِماً

وَبَينَ جَنبَيهِ مِثلُ المُرهَفِ الخَذِمِ

وَبَينَ جَنبَيهِ مِثلُ المُرهَفِ الخَذِمِ

He bares against necks a finely honed, keen-cutting blade,

Between his sides like a barefoot man with clothes hitched

and between his sides lies the like of that honed, keen-cutting blade,

Where the mounts are red, their tongues

حَيثُ الذوابِلُ مُحمَرٌّ أَسِنَّتُها

حَيثُ الذوابِلُ مُحمَرٌّ أَسِنَّتُها

كَأَنَّما صَبَغُوا الخُرصانَ بِالعَنَمِ

كَأَنَّما صَبَغُوا الخُرصانَ بِالعَنَمِ

where the slender spears' points are red,

Dyed as if the saddlebags were dipped in cochineal

as though they had dyed the lances with the red ʿanam plant.

A king mounts the throne so he rises above all others

يَعلو السَريرَ فَيَعلُو ظَهرَهُ مَلِكٌ

يَعلو السَريرَ فَيَعلُو ظَهرَهُ مَلِكٌ

يَداهُ أَنفَعُ في الدُنيا مِنَ الدِيَمِ

يَداهُ أَنفَعُ في الدُنيا مِنَ الدِيَمِ

He ascends the throne, and on its back rises a king

His hands more beneficial in this world than blood money

whose two hands are more beneficial in this world than steady rains.

Smell his palm which gained him palms that grasped

شِم كَفُّهُ فَهِيَ كَفٌّ كَفَّ نائِلُها

شِم كَفُّهُ فَهِيَ كَفٌّ كَفَّ نائِلُها

بَوائِقَ السَنواتِ الغُبرِ وَالقُحَمِ

بَوائِقَ السَنواتِ الغُبرِ وَالقُحَمِ

Watch his hand: it is a hand whose bounty has checked

Through the long years, remoteness, and estrangement

the calamities of dust-laden years and harsh ordeals.

The veil from which a moon appears

إِنَّ اللِثامَ الَّذي مِن تَحتِهِ قَمَرٌ

إِنَّ اللِثامَ الَّذي مِن تَحتِهِ قَمَرٌ

عَلى فَتىً خَيرِ مُعتَمٍّ وَمُلتَثِمِ

عَلى فَتىً خَيرِ مُعتَمٍّ وَمُلتَثِمِ

Indeed, the face-veil beneath which there is a moon

Is better wrapped around a young man, concealed and veiled

is on a young man, the best of turbaned and veiled men.

His blessed face from which rain is sought when seen

مُبارَكُ الوَجهِ يُستَسقى بِرُؤيَتِهِ

مُبارَكُ الوَجهِ يُستَسقى بِرُؤيَتِهِ

وَيَهتَدي بِسَناهُ الرَكبُ في الظُلَمِ

وَيَهتَدي بِسَناهُ الرَكبُ في الظُلَمِ

Blessed of face, through the sight of him rain is sought,

And by his brilliance caravans are guided in the darkness

and by his radiance the riders find their way in darkness.

He protected the lands with his ink, so they became impregnable

حَمى العَواصِمَ بِالخَطِّيِّ فَامتَنَعَت

حَمى العَواصِمَ بِالخَطِّيِّ فَامتَنَعَت

وَالأُسدُ تَمنَعُ ما تَأوي مِنَ الأَجَمِ

وَالأُسدُ تَمنَعُ ما تَأوي مِنَ الأَجَمِ

He guarded al-Awasim with the Khatti spear, and it became impregnable;

And lions are impregnable wherever they lair

and lions defend the thickets in which they shelter.

And he secured Syria until people were at peace

وَأَمَّنَ الشامَ حَتّى الناسُ في دَعَةٍ

وَأَمَّنَ الشامَ حَتّى الناسُ في دَعَةٍ

كَأَنَّهُم مِن صُروفِ الدَهرِ في حَرَمِ

كَأَنَّهُم مِن صُروفِ الدَهرِ في حَرَمِ

He made al-Sham secure, so its people live at ease,

As if safe from the world's turmoil in a sanctuary

as though in a sanctuary against the vicissitudes of time.

Praise of him echoes in nomad camps and cities

مُرَدَّدُ الحَمدِ في بَدوٍ وَفي حَضَرٍ

مُرَدَّدُ الحَمدِ في بَدوٍ وَفي حَضَرٍ

كَما تَرَدَّدَتِ الأَسماءُ في الأُمَمِ

كَما تَرَدَّدَتِ الأَسماءُ في الأُمَمِ

His praise is repeated among nomads and townsfolk,

As names echoed among nations in generations past

as names are repeated among the nations.

From a people whose honor remained unsullied and whose

مِن مَعشَرٍ خَلُصَت أَعراضُهُم وَزَكَت

مِن مَعشَرٍ خَلُصَت أَعراضُهُم وَزَكَت

أُصُولُهُم مِن قَبيحِ الظَنِّ وَالتُهَمِ

أُصُولُهُم مِن قَبيحِ الظَنِّ وَالتُهَمِ

From a people whose honor is pure, and pure too are

Roots were unsullied by foul suspicions

their roots, free of vile suspicion and accusations.

Smell the steeds of devoted heroes who gained

شُمِّ العَرانينِ وَهّابينَ ما كَسَبُوا

شُمِّ العَرانينِ وَهّابينَ ما كَسَبُوا

مِنَ الصَوارِمِ ضَرّابينَ لِلقِمَمِ

مِنَ الصَوارِمِ ضَرّابينَ لِلقِمَمِ

With lofty noses, lavishly giving what they have won

From swords striking the high points

through keen swords, dealing mighty blows to heads.

The prince built them a glory not to be undone

بَنى الأَميرُ لَهُم عِزّاً إِذا اِنهَدَمَت

بَنى الأَميرُ لَهُم عِزّاً إِذا اِنهَدَمَت

قَواعِدُ الدَهرِ أَمسى غَيرَ مُنهَدِمِ

قَواعِدُ الدَهرِ أَمسى غَيرَ مُنهَدِمِ

The emir built them a glory that, even when

When the foundations of time crumble and slide

the foundations of time crumble, remains unfallen.

Kings slept forgetting high ambitions while he, a youth,

نامَ المُلوكُ عَنِ العَلياءِ وَهوَ فَتىً

نامَ المُلوكُ عَنِ العَلياءِ وَهوَ فَتىً

مُذ هَمَّهُ طَلَبُ العَلياءِ لَم يَنَمِ

مُذ هَمَّهُ طَلَبُ العَلياءِ لَم يَنَمِ

Kings slept heedless of high glory, while he, a young man,

Since having high ambitions, has not slept

has not slept since the pursuit of high glory became his concern.

Had I been fair, I'd not have come to praise him,

لَو كُنتُ أَنصَفتُ لَمّا جِئتُ مادِحَهُ

لَو كُنتُ أَنصَفتُ لَمّا جِئتُ مادِحَهُ

لَكانَ خَدّي مَشى بِالطِرسِ لاقَدَمي

لَكانَ خَدّي مَشى بِالطِرسِ لاقَدَمي

If I had done him justice when I came to praise him,

My cheek would have walked on cobblestones, not my feet

my cheek, not my foot, would have walked bearing the parchment.

I was ignorant of the right way to approach sublimity

جَهِلتُ حَقَّ المَعالي أَن أَقُومَ بِها

جَهِلتُ حَقَّ المَعالي أَن أَقُومَ بِها

لَدى الأَمِيرِ وَلَيسَ الجَهلُ مِن شِيَمي

لَدى الأَمِيرِ وَلَيسَ الجَهلُ مِن شِيَمي

I failed to know the honor due to lofty deeds by standing to proclaim them

Before the prince, and ignorance is not my trait

before the emir, though ignorance is not among my traits.