قِيلَ لي أنت في مديحك تَغْلُو

قِيلَ لي أنت في مديحك تَغْلُو

قلتُ كلا مع أُولى الفضل يَغْلُو

قلتُ كلا مع أُولى الفضل يَغْلُو

I was told, "You go too far in your praise."

They told me you exceed in your praise

I said, "No; with men of merit, praise runs high."

I said no, praise is due to the virtuous

وَغُسلوىّ في مدح مَنْ يتَعالى

وَغُسلوىّ في مدح مَنْ يتَعالى

قدرهُ فوق ما أقولُ ويعْلُو

قدرهُ فوق ما أقولُ ويعْلُو

And my excess [uncertain reading] is in praising one who is exalted,

And they chided me for praising the Exalted One

whose rank is above what I say and rises higher.

Whose worth transcends what I say and excels

هو غيثٌ ونحنُ نشكرُه كا

هو غيثٌ ونحنُ نشكرُه كا

لرَّوْضِ يُنْمِى الأزهار لا نحن نَعْلُو

لرَّوْضِ يُنْمِى الأزهار لا نحن نَعْلُو

He is rain, and we thank him as

He is a rain and we thank Him as

the garden brings forth flowers; we ourselves do not soar.

A garden that brings forth flowers, we do not excel

لم تَزَلْ في ظِل ظليلٍ من العَدْ

لم تَزَلْ في ظِل ظليلٍ من العَدْ

لِ وفي ذِرْوةِ من العزّ يَعْلُو

لِ وفي ذِرْوةِ من العزّ يَعْلُو

You have ever remained beneath the sheltering shade of justice,

You have not ceased being in the shade of a protector

and upon a summit of glory that rises high.

And at the peak of glory that excels

زانَ شعرى بمدحي لابن سلطا

زانَ شعرى بمدحي لابن سلطا

ن كما زانَ بالمهنّدِ نَصْلُ

ن كما زانَ بالمهنّدِ نَصْلُ

My verse is adorned through my praise of the son of Sultan,

My poetry was adorned by my praise of the son of the Sultan

as a blade graces an Indian-steel sword.

As the spear was adorned by its smooth blade

ومحالٌ بأنْ يساميه خَلْقٌ

ومحالٌ بأنْ يساميه خَلْقٌ

وأديمُ الشِّعْرى لرجليه نَعْلُ

وأديمُ الشِّعْرى لرجليه نَعْلُ

And no creature can possibly rival him,

And it is impossible for creation to rival Him

and the hide of Sirius is a sandal for his feet.

My poetry is but sandals on His feet

قلْ لمن رامَ أن يباريه خُلُقا

قلْ لمن رامَ أن يباريه خُلُقا

أيُبارِى سوابقَ الخيل بغلُ

أيُبارِى سوابقَ الخيل بغلُ

Tell whoever would rival him in character:

Say to those who aspire to compete with Him in character

"Can a mule race the fleetest horses?"

Can racers compete with steeds?

أَوَ هَلْ يستوى الخضمُّ ومَن لا

أَوَ هَلْ يستوى الخضمُّ ومَن لا

يُمْتَرى مِن يمينه قطُّ نَهْلُ

يُمْتَرى مِن يمينه قطُّ نَهْلُ

Or can the vast ocean equal one from whose

Or can the unproven equal those whose right hand is never faulted?

right hand no draught is ever drawn?

He is a true king while others are but shadows

هوَ ملكٌ على الحقيقةِ صِدْقاً

هوَ ملكٌ على الحقيقةِ صِدْقاً

وسِوَاه من الخلائق ظل

وسِوَاه من الخلائق ظل

He is a king in reality, truly,

O Imam of guidance, descendant of the pleased Sultans

and the rest of creation is but a shadow.

You are for all creation a spouse

يا إمامَ الهدى سلالة سلطا

يا إمامَ الهدى سلالة سلطا

نِ الرضى أنتَ للخلائقِ بَعْلُ

نِ الرضى أنتَ للخلائقِ بَعْلُ

O imam of guidance, scion of Sultan,

So by the Lord of the heavens, the epitome of righteousness

the well-pleasing, you are lord of humankind.

No man can rival you as a spouse

فوربِّ السماء حِلقةِ بَرٍّ

فوربِّ السماء حِلقةِ بَرٍّ

لا يضامُ امرؤ له أنت بَعْلُ

لا يضامُ امرؤ له أنت بَعْلُ

So, by the Lord of heaven—an upright man's oath [uncertain reading]—

Who has no spouse but you

no man whose lord you are is wronged.

No mouth with eloquence has comprehended one like her

هاكَ منّي عذراءَ بنت قؤولٍ

هاكَ منّي عذراءَ بنت قؤولٍ

ما لهَا في الأنام إلاّكَ بَعْلُ

ما لهَا في الأنام إلاّكَ بَعْلُ

Take from me a virgin, daughter of an eloquent speaker;

You have adorned her with saying and deed

among humankind she has no husband but you.

She cares not for those who roam the earth

لم يَفُهْ مثلَها فمٌ بقوافٍ

لم يَفُهْ مثلَها فمٌ بقوافٍ

زانَها من لدبك قولٌ وفعْلٌ

زانَها من لدبك قولٌ وفعْلٌ

No mouth has uttered her equal in rhymes;

For you rightfully deserve glory, so act!

words and deeds from you [uncertain reading] have adorned her.

لا تبالِي بمنْ يَدبُّ على الأرْ

لا تبالِي بمنْ يَدبُّ على الأرْ

ض فأنتَ المُحق بالمجْدِ فَاعْلُ

ض فأنتَ المُحق بالمجْدِ فَاعْلُ

Pay no heed to those who creep upon the earth,

for you are rightly entitled to glory—so rise!