نَغَماتmelodies الهَناjoy بمثنىin praise of وزيرa minister
نَغَمات الهَنا بمثنى وزير
أَطرَبتناdelighted us بأوبِat the return of نجلthe son of الوزيرِthe minister
أَطرَبتنا بأوبِ نجل الوزيرِ
Melodies of bliss in praise of a vizier
The melodies of joy, in praise of a minister,
have enraptured us at the vizier’s son’s return.
delighted us at the return of the minister's son.
فَأصاخَso listened intently العلىeminence بسمعٍwith an ear طروبٍenraptured
فَأصاخَ العلى بسمعٍ طروبٍ
وَرَناand gazed المجدُglory باللّحاظwith glances الغريرِguileless
وَرَنا المجدُ باللّحاظ الغريرِ
So loftiness inclined an enraptured ear,
So eminence listened with an enraptured ear,
and glory gazed with guileless eyes.
and glory gazed with guileless glances.
بشّرتناbrought us glad tidings بخيرِof the best of مَنthose who يَتهادىwalk with stately grace
بشّرتنا بخيرِ مَن يَتهادى
بَينَbetween كرسيّa seat of مّفخرٍglory وسريرِand a throne
بَينَ كرسيّ مّفخرٍ وسريرِ
They brought us glad tidings of the finest man, advancing with stately grace
They brought us glad tidings of the best of those who walk with grace
between a chair of pride and a throne.
between a seat of glory and a throne.
تَقتفيfollow إِثرهhis footsteps المَعاليhigh honors وتُهدىand are guided
تَقتفي إِثره المَعالي وتُهدى
مِنfrom محيّاهُhis countenance بالسراجِby the lamp المنيرِshining
مِن محيّاهُ بالسراجِ المنيرِ
High honors follow in his wake, taking their guidance
High honors follow his footsteps and are guided
from his countenance as from a shining lamp.
by the shining lamp from his countenance.
ياO! لهwhat a ... he is اللّهGod زائراًa visitor لَحَظَتهُlooked upon him
يا له اللّه زائراً لَحَظَتهُ
أَولياءُthe saints of الإلهGod بالتنويرِwith illumination
أَولياءُ الإله بالتنويرِ
By God, what a visitor—one whom
By God, what a visitor, looked upon
the friends of God have regarded with illumination!
by God's saints with illumination!
ناشئٌraised فيin قرارةِthe heart of المجدِglory منfrom حجlap (first fragment)
ناشئٌ في قرارةِ المجدِ من حج
رٍlap (final fragment) لِصَدرِof the foremost in التوزيرِministership والتأميرِand command
رٍ لِصَدرِ التوزيرِ والتأميرِ
Raised at glory’s very heart, from childhood’s sheltering lap,
Raised in the heart of glory, from the lap
he was destined for the foremost rank in ministry and command.
of the foremost in ministership and command.
تَفخرُboast المعلواتُlofty ranks منهin him بندبٍas a gallant man
تَفخرُ المعلواتُ منه بندبٍ
وَتُباهيand vie in glory بِهthrough him ذويthose possessing التصديرِprecedence
وَتُباهي بِه ذوي التصديرِ
The battlefields boast of him as their champion,
Lofty ranks boast of him as a gallant man,
and men of foremost station vie in boasting of him.
and through him vie with those who hold precedence.
ماجدٌnoble لاnot تَرىsee عيونُthe eyes of اللياليthe nights
ماجدٌ لا تَرى عيونُ الليالي
غيرَother than صِنوانهhis brothers لهto him منany نظيرِequal
غيرَ صِنوانه له من نظيرِ
A noble man—the eyes of the nights behold
A noble man—the eyes of the nights see
no peer for him except his own brothers.
no equal to him except his brothers.
قَدindeed تَسامَواthey rose high بمدّthrough the support of منone who مسمعِthe ear of الآthe horizons (first fragment)
قَد تَسامَوا بمدّ من مسمعِ الآ
فاقِhorizons (final fragment) فعمٌfull مِنof صيتهhis renown المستطيرِfar-spreading
فاقِ فعمٌ مِن صيته المستطيرِ
They have risen high upon a swelling tide from every horizon;
They have risen high through the aid of one—the horizons' ear
far-flying praise of him has spread everywhere.
is full of his far-spreading renown—
الوزيرُthe minister الّذيwho تعاظّمbecame too exalted أنfor ... to يُحbe granted (first fragment)
الوزيرُ الّذي تعاظّم أن يُح
ظىbe granted (final fragment) وزيرٌa minister مِنof مجدهhis glory بنقيرِwith a speck
ظى وزيرٌ مِن مجده بنقيرِ
The peerless vizier has risen too high for any other vizier
the minister, too exalted for
to gain even a date-stone’s groove from his glory.
any minister to gain even a speck of his glory.
ذوpossessor of المَزاياmerits الّتيwhich علَتrose high فَعيونso the eyes of النthe stars (first fragment)
ذو المَزايا الّتي علَت فَعيون الن
نجمstars (final fragment) تَرنواgaze لَهاtoward them بطرفٍwith sight حسيرِweary
نجم تَرنوا لَها بطرفٍ حسيرِ
Possessor of virtues whose reach embraces all—the stars themselves
Endowed with merits so lofty that the stars' eyes
gaze upon them with weary eyes.
gaze toward them with weary sight.
فَليهنّأso let him be congratulated بِهمon their account إلىuntil أَنthat يَراهمhe sees them
فَليهنّأ بِهم إلى أَن يَراهم
وُزراءministers of التصريفِadministration والتدبيرِand governance
وُزراء التصريفِ والتدبيرِ
May he rejoice in his brothers until he sees them
So may he be congratulated on them until he sees them
viziers wielding authority and governance.
as ministers of administration and governance.
إِنّindeed هَذاthis الإقبالَarrival إقبالan arrival of بشرىglad tidings
إِنّ هَذا الإقبالَ إقبال بشرى
بِسرورٍwith joy مواصلٍcontinually joined لسرورِto joy
بِسرورٍ مواصلٍ لسرورِ
Truly, this arrival is an advent of glad tidings,
Indeed, this arrival is an arrival of glad tidings,
with one joy following unbroken upon another.
with joy continually joined to joy.
فَلِذاso for this reason كانَwas قولُthe saying of منthose who أرّخوهthey recorded its date
فَلِذا كانَ قولُ من أرّخوه
عمbe blessed سروراًwith joy إقبالَO arrival of نجلthe son of الوزيرِthe minister
عم سروراً إقبالَ نجل الوزيرِ
Thus spoke those who fashioned its chronogram:
Thus the words of those who recorded its date were:
“The vizier’s son’s arrival spread joy everywhere.”
"Be blessed with joy, O arrival of the minister's son!"
