الخصمُthe adversary لَيسَis not لَهُfor him اليكَto you طَريقُa path
الخصمُ لَيسَ لَهُ اليكَ طَريقُ
أَنّىhow يَفوزُcan he prevail وَخصمُهwhile his opponent التَوفيقُgood fortune
أَنّى يَفوزُ وَخصمُه التَوفيقُ
The adversary has no path to you.
The adversary has no way to you
How can he prevail when good fortune is his opponent?
How can he win when success is with you
أَنتَyou العَزيزthe mighty فَمَنso whoever يقاومكَopposes you اغتدىbecomes
أَنتَ العَزيز فَمَن يقاومكَ اغتدى
وهوwhile he is الذَليلُthe abased الهَيِّنُthe contemptible المَخروقُthe broken one
وهو الذَليلُ الهَيِّنُ المَخروقُ
You are mighty; whoever opposes you becomes
You are mighty - who dares resist you transgresses
abased, contemptible, and broken.
While he is abased, submissive and torn
بكthrough you يُحرَمis denied المحرومthe deprived one فيin الديناthe world بماfor what
بك يُحرَم المحروم في الدينا بما
كسبتearned يَداهُhis two hands وَيُرزَقُand is provided for المَرزوقُthe one granted sustenance
كسبت يَداهُ وَيُرزَقُ المَرزوقُ
Through you, the deprived is denied in this world for what
Through you the deprived in faith are denied what
his hands have earned, while the favored receives provision.
their hands have earned, while the graced are granted providence
راقbecame fair الزَمانُTime وقدand indeed اراقshed دِمآءَthe blood of منthose who
راق الزَمانُ وقد اراق دِمآءَ من
قدindeed ناؤوكَopposed you فرائِقٌthus pleasing ومريقُand blood-shedding
قد ناؤوكَ فرائِقٌ ومريقُ
Time has grown fair, having shed the blood of those
Time has passed and shed the blood of those
who opposed you: it both delights and spills blood.
who opposed you - factions and seceders
وافىcame اليكto you كمُرسَلٍlike a messenger فيon مأربٍan errand
وافى اليك كمُرسَلٍ في مأربٍ
لكfor you قدalready قضاهُit fulfilled it كَماjust as اليهِtoward it تَتوقُyou yearn
لك قد قضاهُ كَما اليهِ تَتوقُ
It came to you like a messenger on an errand,
Loyal to you as if sent in Ma’rib
which it fulfilled for you just as you desired.
To you they came as they yearned
فانعَمso rejoice فانَّfor indeed الدهرTime عبدكyour slave طائِعاًobedient
فانعَم فانَّ الدهر عبدك طائِعاً
بَرّاdutiful وبعضand some الخادمينof the servants عَقوقُare disloyal
بَرّا وبعض الخادمين عَقوقُ
So rejoice, for Time is your slave, obedient
So grace us - time is your obedient slave
and dutiful, though some servants are disloyal.
Some servants may be ungrateful
كعِصابَةٍlike a band ثارواthey rebelled عليكagainst you وعندهمand in their view
كعِصابَةٍ ثاروا عليك وعندهم
انَّthat الزَمانTime سهاgrew heedless وليسَand does not يُفيقُawaken
انَّ الزَمان سها وليسَ يُفيقُ
Like a band who rose against you, believing
Like a gang who rose against you thinking
that Time had grown heedless and would not awaken.
time has forgotten them and will not awake
أَغرقَتهمyou drowned them فيin بحرthe sea of جودكyour bounty قبلِهاbefore that
أَغرقَتهم في بحر جودك قبلِها
فاليومso today كلّeach فيin شقاهُhis misery غَريقُis drowned
فاليوم كلّ في شقاهُ غَريقُ
Before then, you drowned them in the sea of your bounty;
You drowned them in your sea of generosity before
today each is drowned in his own misery.
Now each struggles in their misery
انif انتَyou اكرمتhonored اللَئيمthe ignoble man فَإِنَّماthen indeed
ان انتَ اكرمت اللَئيم فَإِنَّما
للُّومِfor baseness (apparently لؤم) ثَمَّthere مَطالِبٌclaims وَحقوقُand rights
للُّومِ ثَمَّ مَطالِبٌ وَحقوقُ
If you honor the ignoble man, then indeed
If you honour the ignoble, you invite only
baseness has its claims and rights there.
blame and dues
وَكَذاand likewise الكَريمُthe noble man اذاwhen أُهينis insulted فانماthen indeed
وَكَذا الكَريمُ اذا أُهين فانما
هوَhe بالتكرُّمof magnanimity والأَناةِand forbearance حقيقُis worthy
هوَ بالتكرُّم والأَناةِ حقيقُ
Likewise, when the noble man is insulted,
So too the noble - if humiliated, will only
he is worthy of magnanimity and forbearance.
rise higher in nobility and composure
فَلَقَدfor indeed وَهَبتُهُمI granted them الحياةَlife وإِنَّهاand indeed it
فَلَقَد وَهَبتُهُم الحياةَ وإِنَّها
هبةٌa gift بفضلكby your grace فيin السماحgenerosity تليقُbefits
هبةٌ بفضلك في السماح تليقُ
For I have indeed granted them life, and it is
For I granted them life by your grace -
a gift befitting your gracious generosity.
a gift befitting your generosity
أَمقلّديO imitators of كافورَKafur فيin كفرانكمyour ingratitude
أَمقلّدي كافورَ في كفرانكم
نِعَماًfavors بهاwith which لِرقابكمfor your necks تطويقُan encircling
نِعَماً بها لِرقابكم تطويقُ
O imitators of Kafur in your ingratitude
They mimicked Ka’foor in their ingratitude
for favors that have encircled your necks!
adorned by blessings around their necks
قدindeed ضَلَّwent astray جَهدكمُyour efforts واخفَقand failed سَعيكمyour striving
قد ضَلَّ جَهدكمُ واخفَق سَعيكم
فَقلوبكمso your hearts ابداًforever لهنَّthey have خفوقُpalpitations
فَقلوبكم ابداً لهنَّ خفوقُ
Your efforts have gone astray, and your striving has failed;
Their efforts went astray, their endeavours failed
so your hearts are forever aflutter.
their hearts will forever quiver
انَّindeed القضاءَFate حليفthe ally of منthe one whom عاديتُمُyou opposed
انَّ القضاءَ حليف من عاديتُمُ
ومَنand who الَّذيthe one who حربَwar against القضاءFate يُطيقُcan bear
ومَن الَّذي حربَ القضاء يُطيقُ
Fate is the ally of the one you have opposed;
Destiny is ally to those you opposed
and who can bear a war against Fate?
and who can withstand destiny’s adversities
لَوif شئتَyou had wished منذُfrom البدءِthe beginning كنتَyou would have امرتَهُcommanded it
لَو شئتَ منذُ البدءِ كنتَ امرتَهُ
بهمِagainst them ولكنَّand yet الكَريمthe noble man شَفيقُis compassionate
بهمِ ولكنَّ الكَريم شَفيقُ
Had you wished, you would have commanded it from the outset
If you wished you could have from the start commanded
against them; but the noble man is compassionate.
them - but the noble one is merciful
قَومٌa people بَغواsought امراًa goal عليهِaround it تجمَّعواthey gathered
قَومٌ بَغوا امراً عليهِ تجمَّعوا
جهلاًin ignorance وامرهُمُand their enterprise هوَit is التَفريقُdivision
جهلاً وامرهُمُ هوَ التَفريقُ
A people sought a goal and gathered around it
A people who combined seeking a matter in
in ignorance, though their enterprise was division.
ignorance - and their matter caused separation
فَتَفرَّقواso they scattered فَلقواand then suffered بنفسهمِin their own persons الَّذيwhat
فَتَفرَّقوا فَلقوا بنفسهمِ الَّذي
قصدواthey intended كذاكَthus المكرُscheming ليسdoes not يُحيقُtake effect
قصدوا كذاكَ المكرُ ليس يُحيقُ
So they scattered, suffering themselves what
So they separated and met by their own hands what
they had intended: thus scheming does not prevail.
they intended - thus the scheme failed to mature
لَقَدindeed اِستَطالواthey swaggered بالوَعيدwith threats وقصَّرتbut fell short
لَقَد اِستَطالوا بالوَعيد وقصَّرت
عندat اللِقاءِthe encounter أَكفُهُّمtheir hands والسوقُand shins
عند اللِقاءِ أَكفُهُّم والسوقُ
They swaggered with threats, but fell short
They overreached with threats - but fell short
at the encounter—their hands and shins alike.
when confronted - their palms and markets
وَثبتَّand you stood firm فَرداًalone فيamid الخطوبcalamities كانماas though
وَثبتَّ فَرداً في الخطوب كانما
لكfor you منamong فَريقِthe ranks of النائِباتِmisfortunes رَفيقُa companion
لك من فَريقِ النائِباتِ رَفيقُ
And you stood firm, alone amid calamities, as though
You stood firm in adversities as if
you had a companion among the ranks of misfortunes.
you had a band of aides from the substitutes
قيَّدتَyou bound نفسَكَyourself بالثَباتwith steadfastness شجاعةًout of courage
قيَّدتَ نفسَكَ بالثَبات شجاعةً
انindeed المُقيّدthe bound man نفسُهhimself لَطَليقُis truly free
ان المُقيّد نفسُه لَطَليقُ
You bound yourself with steadfastness out of courage;
You chained yourself in resolve and courage
indeed, the bound man himself is truly free.
for the chained soul is free
فَبَلوتَso you tested ثَمَّتَthere صدقَthe sincerity of مَنthose whom صادقتَهُyou befriended him
فَبَلوتَ ثَمَّتَ صدقَ مَن صادقتَهُ
هَيهاتِfar from it! ماnot كُلُّevery الصديقfriend صدُوقُis truthful
هَيهاتِ ما كُلُّ الصديق صدُوقُ
So there you tested the sincerity of those you befriended:
You tested loyalty - how far from truth
far from it—not every friend is true.
is the claim that all loyal ones are truthful
وَعرفتَand you recognized مَنwho لبِسdonned الولاءَloyalty منamong العدىthe enemies
وَعرفتَ مَن لبِس الولاءَ من العدى
لَمّاwhen أَلَمَّbefell بِسترِهِhis covering التَمزيقُthe rending
لَمّا أَلَمَّ بِسترِهِ التَمزيقُ
And you recognized the foe who had donned loyalty
And you recognised those dressed in false loyalty
when his veil was rent apart.
when their guise was torn
فاهنأso rejoice بماin what لهمthey have العزاءُconsolation بِهِfor it ولاand do not
فاهنأ بما لهم العزاءُ بِهِ ولا
تبرحcease وانتwhile you are الىtoward الفَلاحsuccess سَبوقُforemost
تبرح وانت الى الفَلاح سَبوقُ
So rejoice in what leaves them needing consolation, and never
So delight in that which consoles them - while you
cease to race ahead toward success.
race ahead to prosperity
تَتَهلَّلُbeams الدنياthe world لديكbefore you كانهاas though it
تَتَهلَّلُ الدنيا لديك كانها
صَفحُthe expanse of المُحيّاthe face منكof you وهوwhile it is طَليقُcheerful
صَفحُ المُحيّا منك وهو طَليقُ
The world beams before you, as though it were
The world smiles before you as if
the expanse of your own face, open and smiling.
its flourishing face were free by your grace
وَالنيلُand the Nile بينbetween يديكyour two hands يَلمَعُgleams وجهُهُits face
وَالنيلُ بين يديك يَلمَعُ وجهُهُ
متبسِّماًsmiling ولكفِّهand its palm has تَصفيقُapplause
متبسِّماً ولكفِّه تَصفيقُ
And the Nile's face gleams before you,
The Nile shimmers before you - its face
smiling, while its palm claps.
smiling - its palms applauding
فيon ضِفَّتَيهِits two banks للاخضِرارfor the greenery زَبَرجَدٌperidot
في ضِفَّتَيهِ للاخضِرار زَبَرجَدٌ
منfrom خِصبهاits fertility وَلَهُand for it العَقيقُthe river channel عَقيقُagate
من خِصبها وَلَهُ العَقيقُ عَقيقُ
Along its two banks, the verdure is peridot
On its banks emeralds for their fertility
from its fertility; its riverbed is agate.
studded with carnelian
لَوif لَمnot يكنwere منهُfrom it التكدُّرُturbidity نافِعاًbeneficial
لَو لَم يكن منهُ التكدُّرُ نافِعاً
وَالنَفعُand benefit ماwhat تَبغيyou seek لكانit would be يَروقُclear
وَالنَفعُ ما تَبغي لكان يَروقُ
If its turbidity were not beneficial—
If its turbulence did not bring benefit
and benefit is what you seek—it would run clear.
and benefit is what you seek - it would please
شربَتdrank بِهِthrough it مَصرٌEgypt بظلكin your shade اكؤُساًcups
شربَت بِهِ مَصرٌ بظلك اكؤُساً
طربتshe rejoiced بهاwith them فكانهنَّand as though they were رَحيقُpure wine
طربت بها فكانهنَّ رَحيقُ
Through it, Egypt in your shade drank cups
Egypt drank from it by your shade goblets
that delighted her, as though they were pure wine.
that intoxicated - as if with pure wine
تَجريflow لدىamong وُرَّادهاtheir drinkers وكأَنَّهاand as though they
تَجري لدى وُرَّادها وكأَنَّها
مآءُthe water of الحياةlife لديهمِbefore them مدفوقُpoured forth
مآءُ الحياة لديهمِ مدفوقُ
They flow among those who come to drink, as though
It flows by those restored and as if
the water of life were poured forth before them.
the water of life flows free before them
وَتشِفُّand they give glimpses عَنأَنوارof the lights of عدلكyour justice دائماًalways
وَتشِفُّ عَنأَنوار عدلك دائماً
فَلهمso they have صَبوحٌa morning draught لاnot يَليهِfollows it غَبوقُan evening draught
فَلهم صَبوحٌ لا يَليهِ غَبوقُ
And they always reveal the lights of your justice;
Unveiling before them everlasting lights of your justice
so theirs is a morning draught with no evening draught to follow.
so their day has no evening
عدلٌa justice اليهِto which بعدafter جَهدهماboth their efforts انتهىreached
عدلٌ اليهِ بعد جَهدهما انتهى
كِسرىKisra أَنوشِروانَAnushirwan وَالفاروقُand al-Faruq
كِسرى أَنوشِروانَ وَالفاروقُ
A justice reached, after their striving,
A justice by which after their efforts concluded
by Kisra Anushirwan and al-Faruq.
Kisra, Anushirwan and Al-Farooq
وَلكand yours are الحِسانُthe beautiful ones منamong الخَلائقqualities of character دونهاbeneath them
وَلك الحِسانُ من الخَلائق دونها
ماwhat is فيin العقودnecklaces زَبَرجَدٌperidot وَعَقيقُand agate
ما في العقود زَبَرجَدٌ وَعَقيقُ
And yours are lovely qualities, inferior to which are
And you have the most beautiful character - unlike
the peridot and agate in necklaces.
that which necklaces of carnelian and agate contain
اخلاقُqualities of لطفٍgentleness كالنَسيمlike the breeze يشوبهُmingles with it
اخلاقُ لطفٍ كالنَسيم يشوبهُ
مسكٌmusk بأَنفاسby the breaths of الصباحmorning فَتيقُreleased
مسكٌ بأَنفاس الصباح فَتيقُ
Traits of gentleness, like a breeze mingled with
A refined nature - like an untainted breeze
musk, released by the breaths of morning.
infused with musk in the breaths of dawn
خُلُقٌa disposition طُبِعتَyou were formed عليهِupon it لاnot متشبِّهاًin imitation
خُلُقٌ طُبِعتَ عليهِ لا متشبِّهاً
وَلأَنتَand indeed you عنbeyond حُكمthe judgment of الشَبيهa likeness تَفوقُrise above
وَلأَنتَ عن حُكم الشَبيه تَفوقُ
A character innate in you, not assumed in imitation;
An essence you were stamped with - not an imitation
indeed, you rise above any judgment by comparison.
while you rise above the judgement of similarity
وَذكاءُand the brilliance of فكرٍa mind ثاقِبٍpenetrating متوقّدٍblazing
وَذكاءُ فكرٍ ثاقِبٍ متوقّدٍ
تَجلوdispel ظَلامَthe darkness of الخَطبcalamity منهُfrom it بروقُlightning flashes
تَجلو ظَلامَ الخَطب منهُ بروقُ
And the brilliance of a penetrating, blazing mind,
And a piercing flame of an ardent intellect
from which lightning flashes dispel calamity's darkness.
whose light dispels the darkness of tribulations
وَيَكادand almost عندكwith you للبَداهةthrough intuition والحِجىand intellect
وَيَكاد عندك للبَداهة والحِجى
قبلbefore النصورconception (apparently التصوّر) يُدرَكis grasped التَصديقُassent
قبل النصور يُدرَك التَصديقُ
And with you, intuition and intellect almost permit
And inspires conviction faster than the visible
assent to be grasped before conception.
proof before the mind can fathom
لِلَّهto God (in praise) أَنتَyou وحبذاand how fine ماwhat نلتَyou attained منof
لِلَّه أَنتَ وحبذا ما نلتَ من
عزٍّglory بِهِof it فيamong الناسpeople انتَyou خَليقُworthy
عزٍّ بِهِ في الناس انتَ خَليقُ
God bless you! How splendid what you have gained of
To God belongs praise - and aptly so for what
glory, which you deserve among men.
you have attained in a might by which people are humbled
فرعُa branch of العليِّthe exalted محمَّدٍMuhammad وَكَذاand likewise الفروthe bran-
فرعُ العليِّ محمَّدٍ وَكَذا الفرو
عُ-ches تطيبflourish انif طابَتflourished لهنَّtheir عروقُroots
عُ تطيب ان طابَت لهنَّ عروقُ
A branch of the exalted Muhammad; likewise the branches
Scion of the Lofty Muhammed and thus
flourish when their roots flourish.
the branches - aromatic if their roots be aromatic
عزٌّglory بناهُhe built it منfrom القديمof old فانهُfor indeed it
عزٌّ بناهُ من القديم فانهُ
بيتٌa house تحجُّmake pilgrimage لَهُto it السعودgood fortunes عَتيقُancient
بيتٌ تحجُّ لَهُ السعود عَتيقُ
A glory he built of old; it is indeed
A might founded of old which
an ancient house to which good fortunes make pilgrimage.
dynasties make pilgrimage to in reverence
أَسستموهُyou founded it علىupon العُلىeminence وَالحمدand praise منsince
أَسستموهُ على العُلى وَالحمد من
قِدَمٍantiquity فذلكthus that فيin الفخارglory عَريقُdeep-rooted
قِدَمٍ فذلك في الفخار عَريقُ
You founded it upon eminence and praise in
You established it aloft in praise and glory
ancient times; thus it is deeply rooted in glory.
of lineage - and that is supreme in honour
بالسعدwith good fortune مقرونٌjoined لفيفكُمُyour company الَّذيwhich
بالسعد مقرونٌ لفيفكُمُ الَّذي
ابداًforever لَفيفُthe company of عدوِّهِits enemy مَفروقُscattered
ابداً لَفيفُ عدوِّهِ مَفروقُ
Bound to good fortune is your company, whose
Fortune bound to you - while troops of your enemies
enemy's company is forever scattered.
are eternally scattered
فاِسلَمso live safely فداكmay they be your ransom المبغضوكthose who hate you برغمهمagainst their will
فاِسلَم فداك المبغضوك برغمهم
وَلطالَماand how often طوعاًwillingly فَداكَhas been your ransom صَديقُa friend
وَلطالَما طوعاً فَداكَ صَديقُ
So live safely; may your haters be your ransom against their will,
So in their spite may those who hate you surrender themselves
and many a friend has willingly been your ransom.
while for so long the loyal one has freely offered himself
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.