يا واحِداً في الفَضلِ حالَفَني نَدى

يا واحِداً في الفَضلِ حالَفَني نَدى

يَدِهِ مُحالَفَةَ النَدى لِمُحَلِّقِ

يَدِهِ مُحالَفَةَ النَدى لِمُحَلِّقِ

O peerless in excellence, I have been befriended by the bounty

O One unmatched in nobility, the dew's alliance has favored me,

of his hand, as generosity befriended Muhalliq.

His hand allying with the dew to one aspiring,

فازَت مُنايَ بِهِ وَقَرَّت أَضلُعي

فازَت مُنايَ بِهِ وَقَرَّت أَضلُعي

هاتيكَ لَم تُخفَق وَذي لَم تَخفِقِ

هاتيكَ لَم تُخفَق وَذي لَم تَخفِقِ

My hopes were fulfilled through him, and my ribs grew still;

So my wishes have won through him and my ribs have settled,

those were not thwarted, and these did not flutter.

These did not waver, nor did that waver.

فاضَت لُهاهُ وَأَطرَفَت في نَوعِها

فاضَت لُهاهُ وَأَطرَفَت في نَوعِها

أَذَهَبنَ مَذهَبَ مُغرِبٍ أَو مُغرِقِ

أَذَهَبنَ مَذهَبَ مُغرِبٍ أَو مُغرِقِ

His gifts overflowed and proved wondrous in their kind;

So it overflowed in its generosity and was most liberal in its type,

did they follow the path of one devising marvels, or one exceeding bounds?

Whether it goes the way of a setting sun or a rising sun.

إِن يَكسُ عَطفي فَالسَماءُ بِجودِها

إِن يَكسُ عَطفي فَالسَماءُ بِجودِها

تَكسو الرُبى خِلَعَ النَباتِ المونِقِ

تَكسو الرُبى خِلَعَ النَباتِ المونِقِ

If he clothes my shoulder, the sky, through its bounty,

If my shoulder goes bare, the sky will clothe the meadows in its munificence,

clothes the hills in robes of lovely vegetation.

With the raiment of delicate vegetation.

أَمّا نَداهُ فَكَوثَرٌ وَفِناؤُهُ

أَمّا نَداهُ فَكَوثَرٌ وَفِناؤُهُ

عَدنٌ وَهَذا الزِيُّ مِن إِستَبرَقِ

عَدنٌ وَهَذا الزِيُّ مِن إِستَبرَقِ

As for his bounty, it is Kawthar, and his courtyard

As for his dew, it is abundant; and his passing away

is Eden, and this attire is of silk brocade.

Is Eden, and this raiment is of the finest silk brocade.

ما زالَ يُظهِرُ فِيَّ آيَةَ جودِهِ

ما زالَ يُظهِرُ فِيَّ آيَةَ جودِهِ

حَتّى كَساني بِالسَحابِ الأَزرَقِ

حَتّى كَساني بِالسَحابِ الأَزرَقِ

He kept displaying upon me the sign of his generosity,

It continues to show me a sign of its munificence,

until he clothed me in the blue cloud.

Until it has clothed me in greenish clouds.

زارَت سَحائِبُهُ البِقاعَ حَفاوَةً

زارَت سَحائِبُهُ البِقاعَ حَفاوَةً

حَيثُ السَحابُ مَعَ الثَرى لا يَلتَقي

حَيثُ السَحابُ مَعَ الثَرى لا يَلتَقي

His clouds visited the lands in kindness,

Its clouds have visited places thirstily,

whereas clouds do not meet the soil.

Wherever the clouds contact the earth they do not meet.

إِنّي سَجَعتُ حَمامَةً بِمَديحِهِ

إِنّي سَجَعتُ حَمامَةً بِمَديحِهِ

فَأَفادَني لَونَ الحَمامِ الأَورَقِ

فَأَفادَني لَونَ الحَمامِ الأَورَقِ

Indeed, I cooed as a dove in his praise,

I have compared his praise to a gray dove,

so he gave me the hue of blue-gray doves.

So it has lent me the hue of the greenish dove.

وَلَقَد تَمَرَّسَ بي مَلِيّاً بَحرُهُ

وَلَقَد تَمَرَّسَ بي مَلِيّاً بَحرُهُ

حَتّى تَبَيَّنَ دُرُّهُ في مَنطِقي

حَتّى تَبَيَّنَ دُرُّهُ في مَنطِقي

And indeed his sea grappled with me at length,

And its sea has steadfastly equipped me with weapons,

until its pearls became apparent in my speech.

Until its pearls appeared in my speech.

يا جودَهُ بَلَّغتَني ما أَشتَهي

يا جودَهُ بَلَّغتَني ما أَشتَهي

وَمَلَّكتَني وَكَفَيتَني ما أَتَّقي

وَمَلَّكتَني وَكَفَيتَني ما أَتَّقي

O his bounty, you have brought me what I desire,

O Its generosity, You have conveyed me my desires,

and made me wealthy, and shielded me from what I fear.

And possessed me, and sufficed me what I fear.

كُن مَوسِماً لِمَطامِعي أَو مَيسَماً

كُن مَوسِماً لِمَطامِعي أَو مَيسَماً

في جَبهَتي أَو مِغفَراً في مَفرِقي

في جَبهَتي أَو مِغفَراً في مَفرِقي

Be a festive season for my desires, or a brand

Be a season for my aspirations or a time

on my forehead, or a mail hood on my crown.

On my forehead, or forgiveness at my passing.

يُعطي وَيَحذو حَذوَهُ اِبنٌ ماجِدٌ

يُعطي وَيَحذو حَذوَهُ اِبنٌ ماجِدٌ

أَخذَ الرَبيعِ عَنِ الغَمامِ المُغدِقِ

أَخذَ الرَبيعِ عَنِ الغَمامِ المُغدِقِ

He gives, and a noble son follows his example,

He gives and his noble son emulates his example,

as spring draws from the clouds that pour down rain.

Having taken the spring from the abundant cloud.

ماحيلَتي بِنَداكُما وَقَدِ اِلتَقى

ماحيلَتي بِنَداكُما وَقَدِ اِلتَقى

بَحرا سَماحٍ في مَجالٍ ضَيِّقِ

بَحرا سَماحٍ في مَجالٍ ضَيِّقِ

What can I do with the bounty of you both, now that there have met

I am confounded by both your generosities, though

two seas of generosity in a narrow space?

A spacious sea has met in a narrow scope.

ماذا التَأَنُّقُ في السَماحَةِ خَفِّفوا

ماذا التَأَنُّقُ في السَماحَةِ خَفِّفوا

عَنكُم وَعَن هَذا اللِسانِ المُرهَقِ

عَنكُم وَعَن هَذا اللِسانِ المُرهَقِ

Why such refinement in generosity? Lighten the burden

What is the need for refinement in munificence? Lighten up

on yourselves and on this overburdened tongue.

On yourselves and on this overwhelmed tongue.

ما المُزنُ إِلّا مُحسِنٌ لَكِنَّكُم

ما المُزنُ إِلّا مُحسِنٌ لَكِنَّكُم

حُزتُم شُفوفَ المُحسِنِ المُتَأَنِّقِ

حُزتُم شُفوفَ المُحسِنِ المُتَأَنِّقِ

The raincloud is merely a benefactor, but you

The gloomy is only a benefactor, but you

have attained the superiority of a benefactor exquisite in giving.

Have assumed the character of the refined benefactor.

أَثقَلتُماني إِنَّما بِيَ خَجلَةٌ

أَثقَلتُماني إِنَّما بِيَ خَجلَةٌ

مِن أَن أَقولَ لِهَبَّةِ الجودِ اِرفُقي

مِن أَن أَقولَ لِهَبَّةِ الجودِ اِرفُقي

You two have burdened me; I am only ashamed

You have both burdened me, but in me is only

to say to generosity's gust, 'Be gentle.'

Shyness from saying: “Restrain the gift of generosity.”

قَومٌ إِذا اِرتَجَلوا المَكارِمَ نَمَّقوا

قَومٌ إِذا اِرتَجَلوا المَكارِمَ نَمَّقوا

ما لا تُنَمِّقُهُ رَوِيَّةُ مُلفِقِ

ما لا تُنَمِّقُهُ رَوِيَّةُ مُلفِقِ

A people who, when they improvise noble deeds, embellish

A people, when they spontaneously manifest generosity, excel

what a contriver's deliberation cannot embellish.

What cannot be emulated by an artful composer.

أَعطَيتَها صُفراً كَأَنَّ بَوارِقاً

أَعطَيتَها صُفراً كَأَنَّ بَوارِقاً

زارَت يَدي لَكِنَّها لَم تُقلِقِ

زارَت يَدي لَكِنَّها لَم تُقلِقِ

You gave them as yellow coins, as though flashes of lightning

You have given it to me yellow as if lightning

visited my hand, yet caused no alarm.

Had visited my hand, but it did not startle.

حَيَّيتَ آمالي بِطاقَةِ نَرجِسٍ

حَيَّيتَ آمالي بِطاقَةِ نَرجِسٍ

أَدرَكتُ نَفحَتَها بِغَيرِ تَنَشُّقِ

أَدرَكتُ نَفحَتَها بِغَيرِ تَنَشُّقِ

You greeted my hopes with a bouquet of narcissus;

You have enlivened my hopes with a narcissus bouquet,

I perceived its fragrance without sniffing.

I sensed its fragrance without it being plucked.

نَوَّرتَ مِنّي حالَةً دَهماءَ لَو

نَوَّرتَ مِنّي حالَةً دَهماءَ لَو

مَسَحَ الصَباحُ أَديمَها لَم تُشرِقِ

مَسَحَ الصَباحُ أَديمَها لَم تُشرِقِ

You illumined a dark plight of mine; even if

You have illuminated a gloomy state of mine which if

dawn had stroked its skin, it would not have shone.

Dawn had stroked its surface, it would not have shone.

بَيَّضتَ عُمري كُلَّهُ وَأَعَدتَهُ

بَيَّضتَ عُمري كُلَّهُ وَأَعَدتَهُ

بَرّاً فَما هُوَ بِالعَقوقِ الأَبلَقِ

بَرّاً فَما هُوَ بِالعَقوقِ الأَبلَقِ

You whitened my whole life and made it again

You have whitened all my life and made it

dutiful, no longer a piebald ingrate.

Innocent, for it is not stubbornly disobedient.

أَذهَبتَ عَنّي الجَدبَ حَتّى خِفتُ أَن

أَذهَبتَ عَنّي الجَدبَ حَتّى خِفتُ أَن

أُنمى إِلى الأَدَبِ اِنتِماءَ المُلصَقِ

أُنمى إِلى الأَدَبِ اِنتِماءَ المُلصَقِ

You banished drought from me, until I feared I might

You have removed my barrenness from me, until I feared

be affiliated with literature as a mere interloper.

That I would devote myself to literature like one attached.

وَلَّيتَ إِحلالي لَواحِظَ نائِمٍ

وَلَّيتَ إِحلالي لَواحِظَ نائِمٍ

وَرَأَيتَ خَلّاتي بِلَحظِ مُؤَرِّقِ

وَرَأَيتَ خَلّاتي بِلَحظِ مُؤَرِّقِ

You entrusted my lodging to a sleeper's glances,

And you have replaced my lethargy with an alert watcher

and regarded my needs with a vigilant gaze.

And seen my worries with a disturbing gaze.

وَرَأَيتَ بي ضَنكاً وَهونَ بِضاعَةٍ

وَرَأَيتَ بي ضَنكاً وَهونَ بِضاعَةٍ

فَهَزَزتَ عِطفَ مُنَفِّسٍ وَمُنَفِّقِ

فَهَزَزتَ عِطفَ مُنَفِّسٍ وَمُنَفِّقِ

And you saw in me distress and wares of little worth,

And you have seen me in hardship and insignificant wares,

so you stirred your shoulder as one who relieves distress and makes wares sell.

So you have shaken the compassion of one who vents and grants access.

اِستَخلَصَ اِبنُ خَلاصٍ الهِمَمَ الَّتي

اِستَخلَصَ اِبنُ خَلاصٍ الهِمَمَ الَّتي

فُتنَ النُجومَ بِأَسعُدٍ وَتَأَلُّقِ

فُتنَ النُجومَ بِأَسعُدٍ وَتَأَلُّقِ

Ibn Khalas reserved for himself the aspirations that

The son of deliverance has extracted the resolves that

surpassed the stars in good fortune and brilliance.

Dazzled the stars with good fortune and brilliance.

صَدَقَت مَخايِلُ جودِهِ وَنَشَت كَما

صَدَقَت مَخايِلُ جودِهِ وَنَشَت كَما

تَبدو تَباشيرُ الصَباحِ المُشرِقِ

تَبدو تَباشيرُ الصَباحِ المُشرِقِ

The signs of his bounty proved true and arose, as

The imaginations of his generosity have proven true and sprouted as

the heralds of radiant morning appear.

The first tokens of dawn appear radiant.

لا مِثلُ جودٍ يَضمَحِلُّ كَأَنَّهُ

لا مِثلُ جودٍ يَضمَحِلُّ كَأَنَّهُ

بُشرى هِلالِ الفِطرِ غَيرَ مُحَقَّقِ

بُشرى هِلالِ الفِطرِ غَيرَ مُحَقَّقِ

Not like bounty that fades away, as though it were

There is no likeness to a generosity that decays as if

glad tidings of an unconfirmed crescent for Eid al-Fitr.

It is the tidings of the crescent of Eid without being realized.

كَالطَودِ لَكِن فيهِ هِزَّةُ عاطِفٍ

كَالطَودِ لَكِن فيهِ هِزَّةُ عاطِفٍ

كَاللَيثِ لَكِن فيهِ شيمَةُ مُشفِقِ

كَاللَيثِ لَكِن فيهِ شيمَةُ مُشفِقِ

Like a mountain, but in him is a compassionate man's stirring;

Like an immense mountain, but in it is the throbbing of a compassionate one,

like a lion, but in him is a tender-hearted man's nature;

Like a lion, but in it is the quality of a gentle one.

كَالظِلِّ إِلّا نورُهُ وَثُبوتُهُ

كَالظِلِّ إِلّا نورُهُ وَثُبوتُهُ

كَالشَمسِ إِلّا في لَظاها المُحرِقِ

كَالشَمسِ إِلّا في لَظاها المُحرِقِ

like shade, save for his radiance and constancy;

Like shade, except its light and permanence,

like the sun, except in its scorching flame.

Like the sun, except in its burning heat.

أَحيا الصَحابَةَ وَالهِدايَةَ عَصرُهُ

أَحيا الصَحابَةَ وَالهِدايَةَ عَصرُهُ

وَأَماتَ مَغرِبُهُ حَديثَ المَشرِقِ

وَأَماتَ مَغرِبُهُ حَديثَ المَشرِقِ

His age revived the Companions and guidance,

Its era revived the Companions and guidance,

and his West put talk of the East to death.

And its sunset killed the news of the east.

يا أَهلَ سَبتَةَ هَذِهِ السِيَرُ الَّتي

يا أَهلَ سَبتَةَ هَذِهِ السِيَرُ الَّتي

أَبدَت فَضائِلَ مَن مَضى في مَن بَقي

أَبدَت فَضائِلَ مَن مَضى في مَن بَقي

O people of Ceuta, these are the ways of life that

O people of Ceuta! These are the biographies that

revealed the virtues of those gone in those who remain.

Clarified the virtues of those past and those present.

وَضَحَت وَلَم تَعثَر يَدا مُتَتَبِّعٍ

وَضَحَت وَلَم تَعثَر يَدا مُتَتَبِّعٍ

مِثلَ الحُروفِ لَمَسنَ فَوقَ المَهرِقِ

مِثلَ الحُروفِ لَمَسنَ فَوقَ المَهرِقِ

They became clear, and a seeker's two hands did not stumble,

And they became clear and no hand of a researcher stumbled,

like letters touched upon parchment.

Like letters it touched atop the parchment.

يَلقاكَ بَينَ وَزارَتَيهِ وَبِشرِهِ

يَلقاكَ بَينَ وَزارَتَيهِ وَبِشرِهِ

كَالسَيفِ راعَ بِمَضرِبَينِ وَرَونَقِ

كَالسَيفِ راعَ بِمَضرِبَينِ وَرَونَقِ

He meets you amid his two vizierates and his cheerful mien,

May you meet him between his two ministries and good news,

like a sword awing with two striking edges and a sheen.

Like the sword, overseeing with two edges and grace.

تَجني المَعالي مِن رُسومِ عُلاهُ ما

تَجني المَعالي مِن رُسومِ عُلاهُ ما

تَجني الصَنائِعُ مِن حُدودِ المَنطِقِ

تَجني الصَنائِعُ مِن حُدودِ المَنطِقِ

Lofty achievements reap from the outlines of his eminence what

You reap glories from the features of his ascent such as

the arts reap from the definitions of logic.

The arts reap from the confines of reason.

وَإِذا تَعَرَّضَهُ الحَسودُ فَمِثلَنا

وَإِذا تَعَرَّضَهُ الحَسودُ فَمِثلَنا

يَتَعَرَّضُ البُرهانَ قَولُ مُلَفِّقِ

يَتَعَرَّضُ البُرهانَ قَولُ مُلَفِّقِ

And when the envious man confronts him, our comparison is:

And if the envious target him, then we, like

a fabricator's assertion confronting a proof.

Reason’s proof, address the talk of a fabricator.

أَدرَكتُ سُؤلي مِن نَداكَ شَهامَةً

أَدرَكتُ سُؤلي مِن نَداكَ شَهامَةً

وَمَدائِحي في نَجدِ مَجدِكَ تَرتَقي

وَمَدائِحي في نَجدِ مَجدِكَ تَرتَقي

I attained my wish from your bounty through magnanimity,

I have attained my request from your dew boldly,

and my praises climb the highland of your glory.

And my praises of your glory in Najd ascend.

ما لاحَ سِرُّ الدَهرِ قَبلَكَ إِنَّما

ما لاحَ سِرُّ الدَهرِ قَبلَكَ إِنَّما

كانَ الزَمانُ كَمامَةً لَم تُفتَقِ

كانَ الزَمانُ كَمامَةً لَم تُفتَقِ

Time's secret did not shine forth before you; rather,

No secret of fate has appeared before you, rather

time was a flower-sheath not yet split open.

The times were like a veil that was not lifted.