طابَgrew sweet الثَّناءpraise بِمَدحِin praising عَبدAbd القادرِal-Qadir
طابَ الثَّناء بِمَدحِ عَبد القادرِ
عِنديto me وَلَكنand yet ضاقَproved too narrow عَنهُfor him خاطِريmy imagination
عِندي وَلَكن ضاقَ عَنهُ خاطِري
Praise grows sweet in lauding Abd al-Qadir
Praise was sweetened by the eulogy of Abdul Qadir
To me, yet my imagination falls short of him.
In my view, but my mind was too narrow for it
شيِمٌvirtues حَكَتْmirrored زَهرَflowers الرِياضِthe gardens بِحُسنِهاin their beauty
شيِمٌ حَكَتْ زَهرَ الرِياضِ بِحُسنِها
وَبَديعِand exquisite لُطفٍgentleness كَالنَّسيمlike the breeze السّائرِpassing
وَبَديعِ لُطفٍ كَالنَّسيم السّائرِ
His virtues mirrored garden flowers in their beauty,
A nature that adorned the garden's flowers with its beauty
And in exquisite gentleness, like the passing breeze.
And the wonderful gentle breeze that blows
وَمَناقِبٌand merits وُصِفتwere described فَساقطُso the fallen beads عِقدِهاof their necklace
وَمَناقِبٌ وُصِفت فَساقطُ عِقدِها
دُرَراًas pearls تَناوَلَهاgathered them يَراعُthe reed pen الشاعرِof the poet
دُرَراً تَناوَلَها يَراعُ الشاعرِ
And merits were described; the fallen beads of their necklace
Virtues were described and its necklace fell
Were pearls gathered by the poet's reed pen.
As pearls picked up by the poet
أَفديI would give my life for اللَبيبَthe wise man الكاتبَthe writer الفَطنَthe perceptive one الَّذيwho
أَفدي اللَبيبَ الكاتبَ الفَطنَ الَّذي
يَفتنُّdisplays artistry بِالمَعنىwith meaning البَديعِwondrous الساحرِenchanting
يَفتنُّ بِالمَعنى البَديعِ الساحرِ
I would give my life for the wise, perceptive writer who
I ransom the intelligent, the writer, the prudent
Displays his artistry in wondrous, enchanting meanings.
Who is fascinated by the beautiful, magical meaning
الطَرفُthe eye يَخبطُgropes فيin ظَلامِthe darkness مِدادهِof his ink
الطَرفُ يَخبطُ في ظَلامِ مِدادهِ
وَالقَلبُand the heart يَرتَعُrevels فيin صَباحٍa morning باهرِdazzling
وَالقَلبُ يَرتَعُ في صَباحٍ باهرِ
The eye gropes in the darkness of his ink,
The eye stumbles in the darkness of his ink
And the heart revels in a dazzling morning.
While the heart grazes in a dazzling morning
رَيحانُsweet basil حُسنٍbeauty لاحَgleamed فَوقَupon طُرُوسِهِhis pages
رَيحانُ حُسنٍ لاحَ فَوقَ طُرُوسِهِ
لَمّاwhen جلونَthey unveiled جَمالَthe beauty رَوضٍa garden ناضرِflourishing
لَمّا جلونَ جَمالَ رَوضٍ ناضرِ
Beauty's sweet basil gleamed upon his pages
The basil of beauty appeared over his writings
When they unveiled the beauty of a flourishing garden.
When the beauty of a blossoming garden shone
ياO مَنyou who برقَّتهِby his tenderness أُسِرتُI was taken captive وَلطفِهand his grace
يا مَن برقَّتهِ أُسِرتُ وَلطفِه
بِاللَهِby God رِفقاًbe gentle بِالأَسيرِwith the captive القاصرِwho falls short
بِاللَهِ رِفقاً بِالأَسيرِ القاصرِ
O you whose tenderness and grace have taken me captive,
O you whose radiance made me a captive, and whose gentleness
By God, be gentle with this captive who falls short.
For God's sake, be gentle with the helpless prisoner
ماnot كانَwas إِلّاexcept فَرطthe excess of لُطفَكِyour grace مُعجِزيwhat rendered me powerless
ما كانَ إِلّا فَرط لُطفَكِ مُعجِزي
وَلَعَلَّand perhaps لُطفَكyour grace فيin قُصوريmy shortcomings عاذريwhat excuses me
وَلَعَلَّ لُطفَك في قُصوري عاذري
It was only your boundless grace that left me powerless,
It was nothing but an overflow of your miraculous grace
And perhaps your grace will excuse me for my shortcomings.
And perhaps your grace can excuse my shortcomings