أَبوAbu (father of) طالبTalib عمُّpaternal uncle of النَبيِّthe Prophet محمَّدٍMuhammad
أَبو طالب عمُّ النَبيِّ محمَّدٍ
بهthrough him قامstood firm أَزرُthe back of الدينthe faith واِشتدَّand grew strong كاهلُهits shoulders
به قام أَزرُ الدين واِشتدَّ كاهلُه
Abu Talib, uncle of the Prophet Muhammad:
Through him the faith's back stood firm and its shoulders grew strong.
وَيَكفيهِand it suffices him فخراًas glory فيamong المَفاخرglories أَنَّهthat he
وَيَكفيهِ فخراً في المَفاخر أَنَّه
مؤازرُهhis supporter دونَto the exclusion of الأَنامhumankind وكافلُهand his guardian
مؤازرُه دونَ الأَنام وكافلُه
And among all glories, it is glory enough for him that he
alone among mankind was his supporter and guardian.
لئنeven if جهِلَتfailed to recognize قَومٌsome people عظيمَexalted مقامِهhis station
لئن جهِلَت قَومٌ عظيمَ مقامِه
فَماso not ضرَّharmed ضوءَthe light of الصُبحdawn منone who هوhe جاهلُهignorant of it
فَما ضرَّ ضوءَ الصُبح من هو جاهلُه
Even if some people failed to recognize his exalted station,
one ignorant of dawn's light does it no harm.
وَلَولاهand but for him ماnot قامَتarose لأَحمدَfor Ahmad دعوةٌa call
وَلَولاه ما قامَت لأَحمدَ دعوةٌ
ولاnor اِنجابَlifted لَيلُthe night of الغيِّerror واِنزاحand receded باطلُهits falsehood
ولا اِنجابَ لَيلُ الغيِّ واِنزاح باطلُه
And but for him, no call of Ahmad's would have arisen,
nor would the night of error have lifted or its falsehood receded.
أَقرَّacknowledged بدينin the faith of اللَهGod ستراًin secret لحكمةٍfor a wise purpose
أَقرَّ بدين اللَه ستراً لحكمةٍ
فَقالso said عدوُّthe enemy of الحقِّtruth ماwhat هوhe قائلُهsaying it
فَقال عدوُّ الحقِّ ما هو قائلُه
He professed God's faith in secret, for a wise purpose,
so the enemy of truth said what he said.
وَماذاand what عليهupon him وهوwhile he is فيin الدينthe faith هضبةٌa rocky mountain
وَماذا عليه وهو في الدين هضبةٌ
إِذاwhen عصفتblew violently منfrom ذيone possessed of العِنادobstinacy أَباطلُهhis falsehoods
إِذا عصفت من ذي العِناد أَباطلُه
And what harm is that to him, a mountain in the faith,
when the obstinate one's falsehoods rage like a storm?
وكيفand how يحلُّsettles in الذمُّblame ساحةَthe courtyard of ماجِدٍa noble man
وكيف يحلُّ الذمُّ ساحةَ ماجِدٍ
أَواخرهhis endings مَحمودةٌpraiseworthy وأَوائلُهand his beginnings
أَواخره مَحمودةٌ وأَوائلُه
And how can blame settle in the courtyard of a noble man
whose endings and beginnings alike are praiseworthy?
عليهupon him سَلامُthe peace of اللَهGod ماas long as ذرَّrises شارقٌa rising sun
عليه سَلامُ اللَه ما ذرَّ شارقٌ
وَماand as long as تُليتare recited أَخبارُهaccounts of him وَفضائِلُهand his virtues
وَما تُليت أَخبارُه وَفضائِلُه
May God's peace be upon him as long as the sun rises,
and as long as accounts of him and his virtues are recited.