ألاAh! ليْتwould that شِعْريmy knowledge أيَّwhich نُعماكَyour favors أشكرُI thank
ألا ليْت شِعْري أيَّ نُعماكَ أشكرُ
وأيَّand which جَزيلlavish bounty منْfrom عَطاياكَyour gifts أذْكُرُI recount
وأيَّ جَزيل منْ عَطاياكَ أذْكُرُ
Ah, would that I knew which of your favors to thank you for,
Oh, if only I knew which of Your blessings to thank
and which lavish gift of yours to recount.
And which of Your abundant gifts to mention
لأوْليتَنيindeed you bestowed on me النعْمَىthe blessing التيwhose جلّwas great قدْرُهاits worth
لأوْليتَني النعْمَى التي جلّ قدْرُها
وأمّنتَنيand you made me safe ممّاfrom what أخافُI fear وأحْذَرُand I dread
وأمّنتَني ممّا أخافُ وأحْذَرُ
Indeed, you bestowed on me a blessing of surpassing worth,
You have granted me great favors beyond worth
and made me safe from what I fear and dread.
And shielded me from what I fear and dread
ومنْand whoever أمّلplaced hope in الموْلىthe lord الخليفةَthe caliph يوسُفاًYusuf
ومنْ أمّل الموْلى الخليفةَ يوسُفاً
فلاthen no مَقْصَدٌgoal ينأىis distant ولاnor يتعذَّرُis unattainable
فلا مَقْصَدٌ ينأى ولا يتعذَّرُ
And whoever places his hopes in the lord, the caliph Yusuf,
He who hopes for caliph Yusuf as a master
finds no goal too distant or unattainable.
Will find no aim too far nor path too difficult
ومثْليand one like me مَمْلوكُa bondservant of ابنِson of نصْرٍNasr حقيقةًtruly
ومثْلي مَمْلوكُ ابنِ نصْرٍ حقيقةً
علىover كُلِّevery منone who ناواهُopposed him فيthroughout الدّهْرِtime يُنْصَرُis granted victory
على كُلِّ من ناواهُ في الدّهْرِ يُنْصَرُ
And one like me, truly a bondservant of Ibn Nasr,
I, a slave of Ibn Nasr in truth
is granted victory over all who oppose him throughout time.
Am aided against all who opposed me in life
كفَفْتُI restrained بكthrough you الأيامَthe days عنfrom أنthat تُضيمَنيthey wrong me
كفَفْتُ بك الأيامَ عن أن تُضيمَني
فجاهُكَfor your prestige فيin كفّيmy hand حُسامٌa sharp sword مُشهَّرُunsheathed
فجاهُكَ في كفّي حُسامٌ مُشهَّرُ
Through you I restrained the days from wronging me;
With you I warded off days that would wrong me
for your prestige is an unsheathed sword in my hand.
So your help in my hands is a drawn sword
وبلّغْتَنيand you brought me to القصْدَthe goal الذيthat كُنتُI was آمِلاًhoping for
وبلّغْتَني القصْدَ الذي كُنتُ آمِلاً
ومثْلُكَand one like you منْone who يوليbestows الجميلَkindness ويقْدِرُand is able
ومثْلُكَ منْ يولي الجميلَ ويقْدِرُ
And you brought me to the goal I had hoped for;
You have granted me the purpose I hoped for
and one like you bestows kindness and has the power to do so.
One like you does good and values
وأحْللتَنيand you lodged me منْfrom حضْرَةthe court of الملْكِkingship منْزلاًa place
وأحْللتَني منْ حضْرَة الملْكِ منْزلاً
بهِin it راقَwas splendid للدنياfor worldly life وللدّينِand for faith مظْهَرُan outward display
بهِ راقَ للدنيا وللدّينِ مظْهَرُ
And you gave me a place in the royal court,
You have given me in the king’s court a dwelling
where worldly life and faith displayed their splendor.
By which the world and faith are delighted
لدَىbeside قبّةٍa dome غرّاءَradiant عزّwas exalted مكانُهاits standing
لدَى قبّةٍ غرّاءَ عزّ مكانُها
بمُلكِكَthrough your reign منهاof it راقَdelighted خُبْرٌexperience ومَخْبَرُand inward worth
بمُلكِكَ منها راقَ خُبْرٌ ومَخْبَرُ
beside a radiant dome whose standing was exalted
Near a dome whose place is most noble
through your reign; experience of it and its inward worth brought delight.
By your rule, news and reports flow from it
يلوحُgleams سريرُthe throne of المُلْكِsovereignty فيهاwithin it كَهالةٍlike a halo
يلوحُ سريرُ المُلْكِ فيها كَهالةٍ
بهاwithin it منكَfrom you فيّاضُoverflowing with الأشعّةِrays نيّرُa luminary
بها منكَ فيّاضُ الأشعّةِ نيّرُ
Within it the royal throne gleams like a halo,
In it appears the throne of the kingdom
with you in its midst, a luminary overflowing with rays.
You illuminate its rays and make it brilliant
تحُفّcluster بهاaround it منfrom جُندِthe host of نصْرِكyour victory أنجُمٌstars
تحُفّ بها من جُندِ نصْرِك أنجُمٌ
ووجْهُكand your face وضّاحُradiant in الأسرّةِthe facial lines مُقْمِرُmoon-bright
ووجْهُك وضّاحُ الأسرّةِ مُقْمِرُ
Stars from your victorious host surround it,
Around it are the stars of your soldiers
and your face, radiant in its features, shines like the moon.
Your face makes the veils luminous like the moon
وترتاحُand rejoice قضبٌboughs للقواضِبِat the keen swords عنْدهاbeside it
وترتاحُ قضبٌ للقواضِبِ عنْدها
فهاso behold هيَit روضٌa garden بالغَمائِمِthrough the clouds مُزْهِرُblooming
فها هيَ روضٌ بالغَمائِمِ مُزْهِرُ
And boughs beside it thrill to the keen swords;
By it rest ships for the damsels
so behold it, a garden made to bloom by clouds.
It is a garden amidst the clouds
لكَyours المُلْكُsovereignty أضحىbecame تُبَّعٌTubbaʿ تابعاًa follower لهُof it
لكَ المُلْكُ أضحى تُبَّعٌ تابعاً لهُ
وقصّرand fell short عنهُof it فيin مَدىthe reach of الجودِgenerosity قَيصَرُCaesar
وقصّر عنهُ في مَدى الجودِ قَيصَرُ
Yours is the sovereignty that Tubbaʿ came to follow,
Yours is the kingdom made greater by following it
and Caesar fell short of it in the reach of generosity.
And Caesar’s generosity pales in compare
مُحيّاكَyour countenance عنهُfrom it مطلِعُthe rising of الصّبْحdawn مُشْرقٌradiant
مُحيّاكَ عنهُ مطلِعُ الصّبْح مُشْرقٌ
وكفُّكَand your palm فيهاin it عارضُthe cloud of الجودِgenerosity مُمْطِرُraining
وكفُّكَ فيها عارضُ الجودِ مُمْطِرُ
From your countenance the dawn rises radiant,
Dawn hails you from it, radiant
and in your palm generosity's cloud rains down.
And your palm makes generosity a raining cloud
ومهْماand whatever أفادَoffered الرّوْضُthe garden بالعَرفِin fragrance والجَنىand fruit
ومهْما أفادَ الرّوْضُ بالعَرفِ والجَنى
فمدْحُكَyet praise of you أوor كفّاكَyour two hands أعْطىmore giving وأعْطَرُand more fragrant
فمدْحُكَ أو كفّاكَ أعْطى وأعْطَرُ
And whatever the garden offers in fragrance and fruit,
However much the garden thrives by fragrance and fruits
yet praise of you or your two hands give more and are more fragrant.
Your praise or your palm has given more and made fragrant
وإنand although راقَwas splendid مرْأىthe sight of الشمْسthe sun نوراًin radiance ورفْعَةًand height
وإن راقَ مرْأى الشمْس نوراً ورفْعَةً
فمرْآكَyet the sight of you أوor مرقاكَyour lofty station أبْهَىmore splendid وأبْهَرُand more dazzling
فمرْآكَ أو مرقاكَ أبْهَى وأبْهَرُ
And though the sight of the sun is splendid in radiance and height,
If the sun’s sight is brilliant and lofty
yet the sight of you or your lofty station is more splendid and more dazzling.
Your sight or your ascent is more radiant and gleaming
بمَولايَthrough my lord قدindeed نِلتُI attained المكارِمَnoble honors والعُلَىand high rank
بمَولايَ قد نِلتُ المكارِمَ والعُلَى
فأصبحْتُso I have become فيin أثوابِهاtheir robes أتبختَرُI strut
فأصبحْتُ في أثوابِها أتبختَرُ
Through my lord I have attained noble honors and high rank,
By my master I have attained nobility and heights
so now I strut in their robes.
And donned its splendid robes
هوَhe النّاصرُal-Nasir, the Helper المولَىthe lord الذيwhose جودُthe generosity of كفِّهhis palm
هوَ النّاصرُ المولَى الذي جودُ كفِّه
منthan الغيْثِrain أندَىmore bountiful أوor منthan الشمْسِthe sun أشْهَرُmore renowned
من الغيْثِ أندَى أو من الشمْسِ أشْهَرُ
He is al-Nasir, the lord whose palm's generosity
He is the victorious master whose palm’s generosity
is more bountiful than rain, or more renowned than the sun.
Is fresher than rain or brighter than the sun
إمامٌan imam هُمامٌvaliant خاشعٌreverent متبتِّلٌdevoted to worship
إمامٌ هُمامٌ خاشعٌ متبتِّلٌ
أغَرُّillustrious وَهوبٌlavishly giving واضِحُclear in البِشْرِcheerfulness أزهَرُradiant
أغَرُّ وَهوبٌ واضِحُ البِشْرِ أزهَرُ
An imam, valiant, reverent, devoted to worship,
A determined, reverent, humble imam
illustrious, lavish in gifts, visibly cheerful, radiant.
Gentle, generous, bright of face and flowering
يُطاوِلُvies in greatness with أمْلاكَthe kings of الزّمانِthe age إذاwhen انتَمىtraced descent
يُطاوِلُ أمْلاكَ الزّمانِ إذا انتَمى
قَبيلٌa tribe إلىto صَحْبِthe Companions of النّبيِّthe Prophet ومعْشَرُand a clan
قَبيلٌ إلى صَحْبِ النّبيِّ ومعْشَرُ
He vies in greatness with the kings of the age, when descent is traced
He extends his rule over the eras whenever
by his tribe and clan to the Prophet's Companions.
A tribe traces lineage to the Prophet and his companions
وفيand in حرْبِهِhis war يرْتاحُrejoices سيفٌa sword وذابِلٌand a slender lance
وفي حرْبِهِ يرْتاحُ سيفٌ وذابِلٌ
وفيand in سَلمِهhis peace يُزهَىtakes pride سريرٌa throne ومنْبَرُand a pulpit
وفي سَلمِه يُزهَى سريرٌ ومنْبَرُ
And in his war, sword and slender lance rejoice;
In his war, a sword rests and wanes
and in his peace, throne and pulpit take pride.
In his peace, a pulpit and throne are adorned
ويُطْلِعُand shines forth منهُfrom him الوجْهُthe face أزْهَرَradiant باسِماًsmiling
ويُطْلِعُ منهُ الوجْهُ أزْهَرَ باسِماً
وللأفْقِand the horizon's وجْهٌface بالعجاجَةِwith dust أغْبَرُdust-grey
وللأفْقِ وجْهٌ بالعجاجَةِ أغْبَرُ
And his face emerges radiant and smiling,
His face appears from it brighter with a mark
while the horizon's face is grey with dust.
And the horizon has a face dusted with kohl
سيعْمُرُhe will fill with life بالتّوحيدِwith belief in God's oneness كلَّevery ثنيّةٍmountain pass
سيعْمُرُ بالتّوحيدِ كلَّ ثنيّةٍ
ورَبْعُand the abode of العِدَىthe foes منof آهِلadherents of الشِّرْكِpolytheism مُقْفِرُdeserted
ورَبْعُ العِدَى من آهِل الشِّرْكِ مُقْفِرُ
He will make every mountain pass flourish with belief in God's oneness,
He will make every idol flourish with monotheism
while the foes' abode is empty of polytheism's adherents.
And the lands of enmity will be folded while your standards spread
أمَوْلايَO my lord أماas for الوصْفُdescription منكَof you فمُعْجِزٌthus beyond one's powers
أمَوْلايَ أما الوصْفُ منكَ فمُعْجِزٌ
فسيّانِso equal فيهِin it مُطْنِبٌan expansive speaker أوor مُقَصِّرُone who falls short
فسيّانِ فيهِ مُطْنِبٌ أو مُقَصِّرُ
O my lord, describing you is beyond one's powers;
My master, praising you is beyond me
so whether expansive or sparing, a praiser fares the same.
One who tries will falter or fall short
لسانيَmy tongue عنْof شكْرِgiving thanks for الذيwhat نِلْتُI received قاصِرٌfalls short
لسانيَ عنْ شكْرِ الذي نِلْتُ قاصِرٌ
نعَمْyes باذِلُone who expends المَجْهودِthe utmost effort فيin الشكْرِgratitude يُعْذَرُis excused
نعَمْ باذِلُ المَجْهودِ في الشكْرِ يُعْذَرُ
My tongue falls short of giving thanks for what I have received;
My tongue falls short thanking for what I attained
yes, whoever gives his utmost in thanks is excused.
But one who makes the effort to thank is excused
ومالِيand I have nothing إلاexcept أنto أُرَىI am seen الدّهْرَfor all time مادِحاًpraising
ومالِي إلا أن أُرَى الدّهْرَ مادِحاً
أنَمِّقُI embellish أوْصافَdescriptions of العُلَىeminence وأحَبِّرُand I adorn
أنَمِّقُ أوْصافَ العُلَى وأحَبِّرُ
And I have no recourse but to be seen praising you for all time,
I have only to show the days praising
embellishing descriptions of eminence and adorning them.
I intricately describe the heights and esteem
فلاso may you never زِلتَcease to be للدّينfor the faith الحَنيفيّupright ناصِراًa champion
فلا زِلتَ للدّين الحَنيفيّ ناصِراً
بلادُthe lands of العِدَىthe foes تُطْوَىare folded up وبَندُكَand your banner يُنْشَرُis unfurled
بلادُ العِدَى تُطْوَى وبَندُكَ يُنْشَرُ
So may you ever remain a champion of the upright faith,
You have always been the defender of the Hanifi faith
as the foes' lands are folded up and your banner unfurled.
The lands of enmity vanish and your standard rises