زَمانُكَyour time أفْراحٌjoys لدَيْناfor us وأعْيادُand festivals
زَمانُكَ أفْراحٌ لدَيْنا وأعْيادُ
فعِيدٌso a feast ونَيْروزٌand Nayruz سَعيدٌhappy وميلادُand a birthday
فعِيدٌ ونَيْروزٌ سَعيدٌ وميلادُ
Your time is joy and festivals for us:
a feast, a happy Nayruz, and a birthday.
تَزورُكَvisit you أثناءَthroughout الزّمانِtime كأنّهاas though they were
تَزورُكَ أثناءَ الزّمانِ كأنّها
عُفاةٌbeggars تُرجّيpinning hopes on راحَتَيْكَyour two palms وقُصّادُand bounty-seekers
عُفاةٌ تُرجّي راحَتَيْكَ وقُصّادُ
They visit you throughout time, as though they were
beggars placing hope in your two palms, and seekers of bounty.
فتُهْديso you offer الىto كُلٍّeach مَقالاًa verse يَخُصُّهُspecific to it
فتُهْدي الى كُلٍّ مَقالاً يَخُصُّهُ
فمِنّاso from us لَهاfor them دُرٌّpearls ومنْهُنّand from them أجْيادُnecks
فمِنّا لَها دُرٌّ ومنْهُنّ أجْيادُ
So you offer each a verse suited to it;
from us come pearls for them, and from them, necks.
لقدْindeed عمّhas encompassed منْكَfrom you الرّفْدُbounty مَنْwhoever جاءَcame قاصِداًseeking
لقدْ عمّ منْكَ الرّفْدُ مَنْ جاءَ قاصِداً
نَوالَكَyour largesse حتّىeven للمَواسِمِfor the festivals إرْفادُgift-giving
نَوالَكَ حتّى للمَواسِمِ إرْفادُ
Your bounty has indeed embraced whoever came seeking
your largesse; even the festivals receive gifts.
غُصونُbranches المُنىof wishes تُدْنيbring near إليْكَto you قِطافَهاtheir harvest
غُصونُ المُنى تُدْني إليْكَ قِطافَها
وللدّهْرِand time has إسْعافٌassistance إليْكَfor you وإسْعادُand good fortune
وللدّهْرِ إسْعافٌ إليْكَ وإسْعادُ
The branches of wishes bring their harvest near to you,
and time offers you aid and good fortune.
تعلّمَhas learned منfrom أخْلاقِكَyour character العدْلَjustice فيamong الوَرىhumankind
تعلّمَ من أخْلاقِكَ العدْلَ في الوَرى
فلِلْعُدْمِso for want إعْدامٌannihilation وللْجودِand for generosity إيجادُcreation
فلِلْعُدْمِ إعْدامٌ وللْجودِ إيجادُ
It has learned justice among humankind from your character,
so want is annihilated, and generosity brought into being.
إذاif رُمْتَyou aim for صَعْباًsomething difficult أوor طَلَبْتَyou seek مُمَنّعاًsomething unassailable
إذا رُمْتَ صَعْباً أو طَلَبْتَ مُمَنّعاً
فجَدُّكَthen your good fortune يدْعوcalls بالصِّعابِfor difficult things فتَنْقادُso they submit
فجَدُّكَ يدْعو بالصِّعابِ فتَنْقادُ
If you aim for something difficult or seek something unassailable,
your good fortune summons difficulties, and they submit.
مَقامُكyour dwelling حيثُwhere السُّحْبُthe clouds هاميةُpouring down النّدىdew
مَقامُك حيثُ السُّحْبُ هاميةُ النّدى
مَقيلٌa midday resting place لإصْباحِfor the dawn السُّرىof night travel فيهِin it إحْمادُcause for praise
مَقيلٌ لإصْباحِ السُّرى فيهِ إحْمادُ
Your dwelling, where the clouds pour down dew,
is a midday refuge when night travel reaches dawn, where one finds cause for praise.
تُؤمِّلُهُhope for it الرُّوَادُthe pasture scouts إنْif أخْلَفَfails الحَياthe rain
تُؤمِّلُهُ الرُّوَادُ إنْ أخْلَفَ الحَيا
وتَنْجَعُهُand seek it for sustenance الرُّكْبانُthe riders إنْif نَفِدَruns out الزّادُthe provisions
وتَنْجَعُهُ الرُّكْبانُ إنْ نَفِدَ الزّادُ
Pasture-seekers put their hopes in it when the rain fails,
and riders seek it out when provisions run out.
وتَهْوىand yearn قُلوبُthe hearts المُعْتَفينَof gift-seekers لظِلِّهfor its shade
وتَهْوى قُلوبُ المُعْتَفينَ لظِلِّه
فتُعْمَلُso are put to use أقْتابٌcamel saddles إلَيْهِtoward it وأقْتادُand saddle-frames
فتُعْمَلُ أقْتابٌ إلَيْهِ وأقْتادُ
And gift-seekers' hearts long for its shade;
so camel saddles and saddle-frames are put to use to reach it.
سَلَلْتَyou drew حُسامَthe keen sword of العَضْدِthe arm; strength والقُطْرُwhile the land راجِفٌtrembling
سَلَلْتَ حُسامَ العَضْدِ والقُطْرُ راجِفٌ
وللرّوْعِand terror has إنبْراقٌlightning flashes علَيْهِover it وإرْعادُand thunder
وللرّوْعِ إنبْراقٌ علَيْهِ وإرْعادُ
You drew your arm's keen sword while the land trembled,
and terror flashed lightning and thundered over it.
وقُدْتَand you led إلَيْهِtoward it الُرْدَthe steeds (text unclear) والنصْرُwhile victory خافِقٌfluttering
وقُدْتَ إلَيْهِ الُرْدَ والنصْرُ خافِقٌ
يَرِفُّflutters علَيْهاover them والملائِكُand the angels أعْدادُhosts
يَرِفُّ علَيْها والملائِكُ أعْدادُ
You led the [steeds] toward it, while victory fluttered,
fluttering above them, with the angels in hosts.
فَماso not عاقَهاhindered them عنْfrom نَيْلِهاtheir attaining القَصْدَthe goal عائِقٌan obstacle
فَما عاقَها عنْ نَيْلِها القَصْدَ عائِقٌ
ولاnor عَزّهاeluded them يوْماًever منَfrom اللهِGod إمْدادُreinforcement
ولا عَزّها يوْماً منَ اللهِ إمْدادُ
So no obstacle kept them from attaining their goal,
nor did reinforcement from God ever elude them.
وجاهَدْتَand you fought أحْزابَthe factions of الضّلالةِerror جاهِداًstriving hard
وجاهَدْتَ أحْزابَ الضّلالةِ جاهِداً
فلَمْso did not يُغْنِهِمْprotect them منْfrom حَدِّthe edge of سيْفِكَyour sword ماwhat كادواthey plotted
فلَمْ يُغْنِهِمْ منْ حَدِّ سيْفِكَ ما كادوا
And you fought the factions of error, striving hard,
so their plotting did not save them from your sword's edge.
ولاذواand they sought refuge الىto السِّلْمِpeace اسْتِلاماًin surrender ورَهْبَةًand fear
ولاذوا الى السِّلْمِ اسْتِلاماً ورَهْبَةً
وقدand already شارَفواthey approached وِرْدَthe watering place of المنيّةِdeath أوor كادُواthey almost did
وقد شارَفوا وِرْدَ المنيّةِ أو كادُوا
And they sought refuge in peace, in surrender and fear,
having neared death's watering place—or nearly so.
فألّفْتَso you reunited ماwhat lies بيْنَbetween الظُّبىthe sword-blades وجُفونِهاand their scabbards
فألّفْتَ ما بيْنَ الظُّبى وجُفونِها
وقدand already أوْحَشَتْhad grown desolate مِنْهُمْwithout them جُفونٌscabbards وأغْمادُand sheaths
وقد أوْحَشَتْ مِنْهُمْ جُفونٌ وأغْمادُ
So you reunited the sword-blades with their scabbards,
after scabbards and sheaths had grown lonely without them.
وأجْمَمْتَand you gave rest to حدّthe edge of السّيفِthe sword عنْfrom مُهَجاتِهِمْtheir lifeblood
وأجْمَمْتَ حدّ السّيفِ عنْ مُهَجاتِهِمْ
وقدand already طالَhad grown long منْهُمْfrom them فيin سُؤالِكَpetitioning you تَرْدادُrepetition
وقد طالَ منْهُمْ في سُؤالِكَ تَرْدادُ
And you gave the sword's edge rest from their lifeblood,
after they had long repeated their pleas to you.
وأحْصَنُand the strongest دِرْعٍarmor أيْقَنواthey were certain بدِفاعِهِof its protection
وأحْصَنُ دِرْعٍ أيْقَنوا بدِفاعِهِ
لِبأسِكَagainst your might إذْعانٌsubmission إلَيْهِto it وإخْلادُand acquiescence
لِبأسِكَ إذْعانٌ إلَيْهِ وإخْلادُ
And the strongest armor whose protection they trusted
against your might was submission to it and acquiescence.
فمهّدْتَso you settled بالسِّلْمِthrough peace البِلادَthe lands لأهْلِهاfor their people
فمهّدْتَ بالسِّلْمِ البِلادَ لأهْلِها
فللأمْنِso for security إصْدارٌsending forth علَيْكَupon you وإيرادُand bringing in
فللأمْنِ إصْدارٌ علَيْكَ وإيرادُ
So through peace you made the lands secure for their people;
so security's going forth and coming in depend on you.
وأصْبَحَتِand became الأدْراعُthe coats of armor وهْيَwhile they are مَدارعٌtunics
وأصْبَحَتِ الأدْراعُ وهْيَ مَدارعٌ
وأزْرادُand the mail-links of أوْزارِthe armaments of الوَغَىbattle وهْيَwhile they are أبْرادُcloaks
وأزْرادُ أوْزارِ الوَغَى وهْيَ أبْرادُ
And coats of armor became tunics,
and the mail-links of battle's armaments became cloaks.
أَيوسُفُO Yusuf حسْبُthe utmost of القوْلِspeech فيكَabout you وإنْeven if عَلاit rises high
أَيوسُفُ حسْبُ القوْلِ فيكَ وإنْ عَلا
قُصورٌinadequacy فماfor not إنْemphatic particle يَحصُرُcan encompass القَطْرَthe rain تَعْدادُcounting
قُصورٌ فما إنْ يَحصُرُ القَطْرَ تَعْدادُ
O Yusuf, the utmost that words about you can achieve, however lofty,
falls short: no tally can number the raindrops.
توَقّلْتَyou scaled أهْضابَthe heights of الجَلالِmajesty وأحْرَزْتَand secured (contextual reading)
توَقّلْتَ أهْضابَ الجَلالِ وأحْرَزْتَ
لكَfor you الحمْدَpraise آباءٌfathers كِرامٌnoble وأجْدادُand grandfathers
لكَ الحمْدَ آباءٌ كِرامٌ وأجْدادُ
You scaled the heights of majesty; and those who secured
praise for you were noble fathers and grandfathers,
وأمْلاكُand kings of صِدْقٍtrue worth إنْif عَراbefell الناسَthe people رائِعٌa terror
وأمْلاكُ صِدْقٍ إنْ عَرا الناسَ رائِعٌ
منَfrom الخطْبِcalamity جَدّواthey acted earnestly أوor عَرَتْbefell أزْمَةٌa hardship جادُواthey gave generously
منَ الخطْبِ جَدّوا أو عَرَتْ أزْمَةٌ جادُوا
and kings of true worth: when some terror befell the people
from calamity, they strove; or if hardship struck, they gave generously.
مَقاماتُهُمْtheir deeds بِيضٌwhite وحُمْرُand red قِبابِهِمْtheir pavilions
مَقاماتُهُمْ بِيضٌ وحُمْرُ قِبابِهِمْ
يَرِفُّflutters بِهاwithin them هَدْيٌguidance ويَشْرُقُand shines إرْشادُright counsel
يَرِفُّ بِها هَدْيٌ ويَشْرُقُ إرْشادُ
Their deeds are white, and their pavilions red;
guidance flutters within them, and right counsel shines.
تَحُفُّcluster بِهاaround them الجُرْدُthe sleek steeds العِتاقُthe thoroughbred ودونَهاand before them
تَحُفُّ بِها الجُرْدُ العِتاقُ ودونَها
لِباغِيfor the seeker of القِرىhospitality نارٌa fire تُشِبُّis kindled وإيقادُand stoking
لِباغِي القِرى نارٌ تُشِبُّ وإيقادُ
Sleek, thoroughbred steeds surround them; and before them,
for the seeker of hospitality, a fire is lit and stoked.
وأنْديَةٌand assemblies يَنْتابُهاfrequent them البأسُvalor والنَّدىand generosity
وأنْديَةٌ يَنْتابُها البأسُ والنَّدى
فيُخْلَفُso goes unfulfilled إيعادٌa threat ويُنْجَزُand is fulfilled مِيعادُa promise
فيُخْلَفُ إيعادٌ ويُنْجَزُ مِيعادُ
And there are assemblies frequented by valor and generosity,
so a threat goes unfulfilled, and a promise is kept.
ولَمْand did not تأْلُyou stint سَبْقاًin excelling فيin اقْتِفاءِfollowing سَبيلِهِمْtheir path
ولَمْ تأْلُ سَبْقاً في اقْتِفاءِ سَبيلِهِمْ
فصُلْتَso you charged كَماas صالُواthey charged وسُدْتَand you ruled كَماas سادُواthey ruled
فصُلْتَ كَما صالُوا وسُدْتَ كَما سادُوا
And you spared no effort to excel in following their path;
so you charged as they charged, and ruled as they ruled.
حَديثٌa tale لهُit has فيin المَشْرَفيِّthe Mashrafi sword رِوايَةٌa narration
حَديثٌ لهُ في المَشْرَفيِّ رِوايَةٌ
وعنْدَand with العَواليthe tall spears السّمْهَريّةِSamhari إسْنادُa chain of transmission
وعنْدَ العَوالي السّمْهَريّةِ إسْنادُ
A tale narrated by the Mashrafi sword,
with its chain of transmission among the tall Samhari spears.
فَدُمْso continue تُذْعِرُyou terrify الأعْداءَthe enemies فيon شَعَفاتِهاtheir mountain peaks
فَدُمْ تُذْعِرُ الأعْداءَ في شَعَفاتِها
وتَنْقُضُand you undo ماwhat شَدّواthey made firm وتَعْمُرُand you inhabit ماwhat شادُواthey built
وتَنْقُضُ ما شَدّوا وتَعْمُرُ ما شادُوا
So keep terrifying enemies upon their mountain peaks,
and undo what they made firm, and inhabit what they built.
ويَهْنِيكَand may it gladden you نَيْروزٌa Nayruz سَعيدٌhappy قدِalready انْقَضىhas ended
ويَهْنِيكَ نَيْروزٌ سَعيدٌ قدِ انْقَضى
أتَتْكَmay they come to you علىon آثارِهِits tracks منْهُof its kind أعْدادُmultitudes
أتَتْكَ على آثارِهِ منْهُ أعْدادُ
And may the happy Nayruz now past gladden you;
may many more of its kind come to you in its footsteps.
أتاكَit came to you علىwith عِلْمٍknowledge بجُودِكَof your generosity فيamong الوَرىhumankind
أتاكَ على عِلْمٍ بجُودِكَ في الوَرى
فأمّلَso it hoped منْfrom جَدْواكَyour bounty ماwhat هوَit يَعْتادُis accustomed to
فأمّلَ منْ جَدْواكَ ما هوَ يَعْتادُ
It came to you knowing your generosity among humankind,
so it hoped from your bounty for what it customarily receives.
وماand not هوَit إلاexcept رائِدٌa scout لبَشائرٍfor glad tidings
وما هوَ إلا رائِدٌ لبَشائرٍ
فلازالَso may it never cease يَحْدوهاdriving them with song إليْكَtoward you ويَقْتادُand leading them
فلازالَ يَحْدوها إليْكَ ويَقْتادُ
And it is only a scout for glad tidings;
so may it ever drive them to you with song and lead them onward.