وَصَلَتْ رُقْعَةُ الأَمِيرِ الرَّئِيسِ

وَصَلَتْ رُقْعَةُ الأَمِيرِ الرَّئِيسِ

غُرَّةِ الدَّهْرِ وَالخَطِيرِ النَّفِيسِ

غُرَّةِ الدَّهْرِ وَالخَطِيرِ النَّفِيسِ

The letter arrived from the prince, the chief,

The letter of the eminent Chief reached me

the radiant brow of the age, eminent and precious.

At the dawn of life, that precious rarity

فَأَزَالَتْ مَا كُنْتُ أَشْكُو وَأَهْدَتْ

فَأَزَالَتْ مَا كُنْتُ أَشْكُو وَأَهْدَتْ

لِي نَعِيماً وَأَذْهَبَتْ كُلَّ بُوسِ

لِي نَعِيماً وَأَذْهَبَتْ كُلَّ بُوسِ

So it banished what I had been lamenting and bestowed

It removed all my complaints and granted me

bliss upon me, and dispelled all misery.

Bliss, taking away every sorrow

وَأَتى الشِّعْرُ مُبْرئاً وَشِفَاءً

وَأَتى الشِّعْرُ مُبْرئاً وَشِفَاءً

وَأَنِيساً يَفُوقُ كُلَّ أَنِيسِ

وَأَنِيساً يَفُوقُ كُلَّ أَنِيسِ

And the verse came as a healer and a cure,

And poetry came to me, healing and remedy

and as a companion surpassing every companion.

A joy superior to any other joy

حَسَنَ اللَّفظ مُطْرباً كُلَّ من يَسْ

حَسَنَ اللَّفظ مُطْرباً كُلَّ من يَسْ

مَعُ إِطْرَابَ زَابَدات الْكُؤُوسِ

مَعُ إِطْرَابَ زَابَدات الْكُؤُوسِ

Beautifully worded, delighting everyone who

Of eloquent expression, pleasing to those who hear

hears it, as foaming goblets bring delight.

Together with the rapture of the tipsy cups

قَدْ جَلاَهُ الطَّبْعُ الْمُغَاثُ بِحِذْقٍ

قَدْ جَلاَهُ الطَّبْعُ الْمُغَاثُ بِحِذْقٍ

لِعُقُولِ الْوَرَى جِلاَءَ الْعَرُوسِ

لِعُقُولِ الْوَرَى جِلاَءَ الْعَرُوسِ

Innate talent, aided by skill, has unveiled it

Nature endowed it with skill and finesse

to the minds of humankind, as a bride is unveiled.

To enlighten minds, like a radiant bride

أضْحَكَ اللهُ بِالأَمِيرِ زَمَانِي

أضْحَكَ اللهُ بِالأَمِيرِ زَمَانِي

وَلَقَدْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ ذَا عُبُوسِ

وَلَقَدْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ ذَا عُبُوسِ

God made my days laugh through the prince,

God has brought laughter to my life through the Chief

and before him they had indeed worn a frown.

Though before him it was ever gloomy

صِرْتُ مُذْ قَدَّرَ الإِلَهُ جُلُوسي

صِرْتُ مُذْ قَدَّرَ الإِلَهُ جُلُوسي

مَعَهُ سَيِّداً لِكُلِّ جَليسِ

مَعَهُ سَيِّداً لِكُلِّ جَليسِ

I have become—since God ordained my sitting

Since God ordained that I sit beside him

with him—a lord over every companion.

As master of every companion

ضَاقَ شُكْرُ الْعُبَيْدِ عَنْ برِّ مَوْلىً

ضَاقَ شُكْرُ الْعُبَيْدِ عَنْ برِّ مَوْلىً

مِثْلَ ضِيقِ الغُفْرَانِ عَنْ إبْلِيسِ

مِثْلَ ضِيقِ الغُفْرَانِ عَنْ إبْلِيسِ

The humble servant's gratitude cannot encompass a master's kindness,

Good servants' gratitude falls short of a master’s benevolence

just as forgiveness has no room for Iblis.

As forgiveness falls short of absolving Iblis