تَداعَتhave fallen away خُطوبُcalamities الدَهرِtime عَنaway from جارِprotégé جَعفَرٍJaʿfar
تَداعَت خُطوبُ الدَهرِ عَن جارِ جَعفَرٍ
وَأَمسَكَand took hold of أَنفاسَbreaths الرَغائِبِdesires سائِلُهhis petitioner
وَأَمسَكَ أَنفاسَ الرَغائِبِ سائِلُه
Time's calamities have fallen away from Jaʿfar's protégé.
The hopes of gaining your favor have vanished, though suitors' tongues
And his petitioner has taken hold of the breaths of desire.
Are laden with thanks for your deeds of grace.
هُوَhe البَحرُthe sea يَغشىcovers سُرَّةَnavel الأَرضِthe earth سَيبُهُhis bounty
هُوَ البَحرُ يَغشى سُرَّةَ الأَرضِ سَيبُهُ
وَتُدرِكُand reach أَطرافَedges البِلادِthe lands سَواحِلُهhis shores
وَتُدرِكُ أَطرافَ البِلادِ سَواحِلُه
He is the sea: his bounty covers the earth's navel,
My soul is restless, hoping that your thoughts
And his shores reach the edges of the lands.
Will bring me solace from another place.
تَصَدَّعَتِhave dispersed الآمالُhopes عَنكَfrom you بِأَلسُنٍwith tongues
تَصَدَّعَتِ الآمالُ عَنكَ بِأَلسُنٍ
مُحَمَّلَةٍladen with شُكرَgratitude الَّذيwhat أَنتَyou فاعِلُهits doer
مُحَمَّلَةٍ شُكرَ الَّذي أَنتَ فاعِلُه
Hopes have dispersed from you with tongues
No calamity has bowed to fate humbly,
Laden with gratitude for what you do.
Though storms may buffet it with threats apace.
لَهاجِسُindeed, a passing thought نَفسٍa soul تَرتَجيكَhope in you ظُنونُهاits expectations
لَهاجِسُ نَفسٍ تَرتَجيكَ ظُنونُها
أَرَدُّmore beneficial لَهاfor it مِنthan عُرفِa kindness آخَرَanother بَاذِلُهits giver
أَرَدُّ لَها مِن عُرفِ آخَرَ بَاذِلُه
Indeed, a passing thought in a soul whose hopes are set on you
God wields a blade no earthly sword can match,
Is more beneficial to it than a kindness bestowed by another.
You swing the weapon, He guides its pace.
وَماand not ضَرَعَتhas yielded لِلدَهرِto time مِنكَof yours سَجِيَّةٌa trait
وَما ضَرَعَت لِلدَهرِ مِنكَ سَجِيَّةٌ
وَإِنand even if طَرَقَتcame by night بِالمُفظِعاتِwith horrors بَلابِلُهits troubles
وَإِن طَرَقَت بِالمُفظِعاتِ بَلابِلُه
And no trait of yours has yielded to time,
Even if its troubles come by night bearing horrors.
وَلِلَّهِand to God سَيفٌa sword ماnot عَلىon الأَرضِthe earth مِثلُهُits equal
وَلِلَّهِ سَيفٌ ما عَلى الأَرضِ مِثلُهُ
مَضارِبُهُits striking edges يَحيىYahya وَأَنتَand you مُقاتِلُهits wielder
مَضارِبُهُ يَحيى وَأَنتَ مُقاتِلُه
And God has a sword with no equal on earth:
Its striking edges are Yahya, and you are its wielder.
Partial English translation: 8 of 12 Arabic lines translated.