أَلاَbehold هَكَذَاthus تُبْنَىare built الْمَدَارِسُthe schools لِلْعِلْمِfor learning
أَلاَ هَكَذَا تُبْنَى الْمَدَارِسُ لِلْعِلْمِ
وَتَبْقَىand endure عُهُودُthe covenants الْمَجْدِof glory ثَابِتَةُfirm الرَّسْمِin imprint
وَتَبْقَى عُهُودُ الْمَجْدِ ثَابِتَةُ الرَّسْمِ
Behold, this is how schools are built for learning,
And the covenants of glory endure, their imprint firm.
وَيُقْصَدُand is sought وَجْهُthe countenance اللَّهِof God بِالْعَمَلِthrough deeds الرّضَىpleasing
وَيُقْصَدُ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ بِالْعَمَلِ الرّضَى
وَتُجْنَىand are reaped ثِمَارُthe fruits الْعِزِّof honor مِنْfrom شَجَرِthe trees الْعَزْمِof resolve
وَتُجْنَى ثِمَارُ الْعِزِّ مِنْ شَجَرِ الْعَزْمِ
And God's countenance is sought through pleasing deeds,
And the fruits of honor are reaped from the trees of resolve.
تُفَاخُرِvies in boasting مِنِّيof me حَضْرَةَthe court الْمُلْكِof kingship كُلَّمَاwhenever
تُفَاخُرِ مِنِّي حَضْرَةَ الْمُلْكِ كُلَّمَا
تَقَدَّمَsteps forward خَصمٌa rival فِيin الْفَخَارِvaunting إِلَىagainst خَصْمِa rival
تَقَدَّمَ خَصمٌ فِي الْفَخَارِ إِلَى خَصْمِ
The royal court boasts of me whenever
A rival confronts a rival in vaunting:
بِأَجْدَىas more bountiful إِذَاwhen ضَنَّwithholds الْغَمَامُthe clouds مِنَthan الْحَيَاrain
بِأَجْدَى إِذَا ضَنَّ الْغَمَامُ مِنَ الْحَيَا
وَأَهْدَىand a surer guide إِذَاwhen جَنَّfalls الظَّلاَمُdarkness مِنَthan النَّجْمِthe star
وَأَهْدَى إِذَا جَنَّ الظَّلاَمُ مِنَ النَّجْمِ
More bountiful than rain when the clouds withhold it,
And a surer guide than a star when darkness falls.
فَيَاso, O ظَاعِناًtraveler لِلْعِلْمِfor learning يَطْلُبُseeking رِحْلَةًa journey
فَيَا ظَاعِناً لِلْعِلْمِ يَطْلُبُ رِحْلَةً
كُفِيتَyou are spared اعْتَرِاضَcrossing الْبِيدِthe deserts أَوْor لُجَجَthe deep waters الْيَمِّof the sea
كُفِيتَ اعْتَرِاضَ الْبِيدِ أَوْ لُجَجَ الْيَمِّ
So, O traveler seeking a journey for learning,
You are spared crossing deserts or the sea's deep waters.
بِبَابِيَat my gate حُطَّset down الرَّحْلَthe saddle لاَdo not تَنْوِintend وِجْهةًa destination
بِبَابِيَ حُطَّ الرَّحْلَ لاَ تَنْوِ وِجْهةً
فَقَدْfor indeed فُزْتَyou have succeeded فِيin حَالِthe state الإِقَامَةِof staying بِالْغُنْمِwith gain
فَقَدْ فُزْتَ فِي حَالِ الإِقَامَةِ بِالْغُنْمِ
At my gate set down your saddle; plan no further destination,
For by remaining here you have secured your gain.
فَكَمْfor how many مِنْof شَهَابٍa meteor فِيin سَمَائِيmy sky ثَاقِبpiercing
فَكَمْ مِنْ شَهَابٍ فِي سَمَائِي ثَاقِب
وَمِنْand of هَالَةٍa halo دَارَتْhas circled عَلَىaround قَمَرٍa moon تِمٍّfull
وَمِنْ هَالَةٍ دَارَتْ عَلَى قَمَرٍ تِمٍّ
For many a piercing meteor is in my sky,
And many a halo has circled a full moon.
يُفِيضُونَthey pour forth مِنْof نُورٍlight مُبِينٍclear إِلىto هُدىًguidance
يُفِيضُونَ مِنْ نُورٍ مُبِينٍ إِلى هُدىً
وَمِنْand of حِكْمَةٍwisdom تَجْلُوthat polishes الْقُلُوبَthe hearts إِلَىto حُكْمِjudgment
وَمِنْ حِكْمَةٍ تَجْلُو الْقُلُوبَ إِلَى حُكْمِ
They pour forth clear light leading to guidance,
And wisdom that polishes hearts, leading to judgment.
جَزَىmay reward اللَّهُGod يُوسُفاًYusuf خَيْرَthe best مَاthat جَزَىHe has rewarded
جَزَى اللَّهُ يُوسُفاً خَيْرَ مَا جَزَى
مُلُوكَthe kings بَنِيthe sons of نَصْرٍNasr عَنِfor الدِّينِreligion وِالْعِلْمِand learning
مُلُوكَ بَنِي نَصْرٍ عَنِ الدِّينِ وِالْعِلْمِ
May God reward Yusuf with the best reward He has bestowed
On the kings of Banu Nasr for their service to religion and learning.