روايةٌa play جادَgave generously مَنشيهاits creator اللَّبيبُthe discerning one بِماwith what
روايةٌ جادَ مَنشيها اللَّبيبُ بِما
أَجادَcrafted skillfully مِنof وَشيِembroidery أَلطافٍgraces وَآدابِand refinement
أَجادَ مِن وَشيِ أَلطافٍ وَآدابِ
A play whose discerning creator gave generously of what
A narrative fashioned by an intelligent author with the finest touches and etiquettes
He crafted so finely—an embroidery of graces and refinement.
Its gatherings delighted, captivating minds and hearts
راقَتdelighted مَحاضِرُهاits gatherings أُنساًin fellowship وَقَدand indeed أَخَذَتْit captivated
راقَت مَحاضِرُها أُنساً وَقَد أَخَذَتْ
مِنfrom حاضريهاits attendees بِأَسماعٍby the ears وَأَلبابِand minds
مِن حاضريها بِأَسماعٍ وَأَلبابِ
Its gatherings were delightfully convivial, and it captivated
It cautioned against vice wherever seen, offering wisdom
The ears and minds of those attending it.
Entrancing every ear with its melody
قَدindeed أَنشَأتْit offered لِلنُّهىto discerning minds فيماin what أَرَتit showed عِبَراًlessons
قَد أَنشَأتْ لِلنُّهى فيما أَرَت عِبَراً
وَأَطرَبَتْand thrilled كُلَّevery سَمعear أَيّwhat great إِطرابِrapture
وَأَطرَبَتْ كُلَّ سَمع أَيّ إِطرابِ
It offered discerning minds lessons in what it showed,
Criticism became its critic, judging its owner
And thrilled every ear—what rapture!
The touchstone of morals and accounts
أَمسىbecame بِهاthrough it النَّقدُmoney نَقّاداًa critic لِمالِكِهِof its owner
أَمسى بِها النَّقدُ نَقّاداً لِمالِكِهِ
فَهوَfor it المَحكُّthe touchstone لِأَخلاقٍof character وَأَحسابِand ancestral honor
فَهوَ المَحكُّ لِأَخلاقٍ وَأَحسابِ
Through it, money became a critic of its owner,
It revealed the generosity of noble souls
For it is the touchstone of character and ancestral honor.
Whose praise endures through ages
وَأَظهَرَتand revealed لِمروءاتِfor the magnanimity of الكِرامthe noble يَداًa helping hand
وَأَظهَرَت لِمروءاتِ الكِرام يَداً
يَبقىendures ثَناهاits praise عَلىthrough تِكرارِthe recurrence of أَحقابِages
يَبقى ثَناها عَلى تِكرارِ أَحقابِ
And showed the magnanimity of the noble through a helping hand,
It closed the beaks of the wretched and opened
Whose praise endures through age after age.
For rewards, every door but his own
سَدَّتit met مَفاقرneeds ذيone afflicted with البُؤسىpoverty وَقَدand indeed فَتَحَتit opened
سَدَّت مَفاقر ذي البُؤسى وَقَد فَتَحَت
لِلأَجرِto reward عِندَamong سِواهُthose besides him أَيّماwhat a great بابِdoor
لِلأَجرِ عِندَ سِواهُ أَيّما بابِ
It met the needs of the destitute, and opened
Praise be to its author of sublime ambition
For others, what a door to reward!
Whose hands have grasped both perils and sorrows
لِلّهِto God (in praise) مَنشَئِهاits creator النَّدبِthe gallant one الخَطيرِthe eminent one فَقَدfor indeed
لِلّهِ مَنشَئِها النَّدبِ الخَطيرِ فَقَد
فازَتhave won يَداهhis two hands بِأَخطارٍover eminent men وَأَندابِand gallant men
فازَت يَداه بِأَخطارٍ وَأَندابِ
God bless its gallant, eminent creator, for
A branch that grew in the gardens of knowledge
His two hands have won over eminent and gallant men.
Rising with merit between friends and rivals
غصنٌa bough نمىgrew فيin رِياضِthe gardens of العلمِlearning حَيثُwhere سَماit rose
غصنٌ نمى في رِياضِ العلمِ حَيثُ سَما
بِالفَضلِin excellence ماan emphatic particle بَينَamong أَترابٍcontemporaries وَأَضرابِand peers
بِالفَضلِ ما بَينَ أَترابٍ وَأَضرابِ
A bough that grew in the gardens of learning, where it rose
It still guides us with kindness as we in turn
In excellence among contemporaries and peers.
Praise it in every sanctuary
لاmay not زالَcease يَهديhe brings إِلَيناto us بِالجَميلِwith beauty وَلاand may not
لا زالَ يَهدي إِلَينا بِالجَميلِ وَلا
زِلناwe cease نُقرِّظُهُwe praise him فيin كُلِّevery مِحرابِsanctuary
زِلنا نُقرِّظُهُ في كُلِّ مِحرابِ
May he never cease bringing us beauty, and may we never
Cease praising him in every sanctuary.
Partial English translation: 16 of 18 Arabic lines translated.