بَدرٌ فَتىً لَو كانَ مِن سُؤآلِهِ

بَدرٌ فَتىً لَو كانَ مِن سُؤآلِهِ

يَوماً تَوَفَّرَ حَظُّهُ مِن مالِهِ

يَوماً تَوَفَّرَ حَظُّهُ مِن مالِهِ

Badr is a youth: were he among his own petitioners

A full moon is he; were his generosity

Badr is a youth; were his fortune drawn from asking, his share of wealth would be abundant indeed.

for a day, his share of his own wealth would be ample.

One day to abound, all he owns be spent,

Deeds stand bewildered by his deeds, and what fate brings is trifling compared to his own advance.

تَتَحَيَّرُ الأَفعالُ في أَفعالِهِ

تَتَحَيَّرُ الأَفعالُ في أَفعالِهِ

وَيَقِلُّ ما يَأتيهِ في إِقبالِهِ

وَيَقِلُّ ما يَأتيهِ في إِقبالِهِ

Deeds stand bewildered at his deeds,

Deeds would perplexed stand at his precedent,

We witness a moon and two rain-clouds in a single sphere: appearing in his face, his right hand, and his left.

and what he does seems little beside his good fortune.

Scarce would requitals match his affability.

He sheds blood through his bounty, not his wrath; in nobility, for the birds of prey are among his dependants.

قَمَراً نَرى وَسَحابَتَينِ بِمَوضِعٍ

قَمَراً نَرى وَسَحابَتَينِ بِمَوضِعٍ

مِن وَجهِهِ وَيَمينِهِ وَشِمالِهِ

مِن وَجهِهِ وَيَمينِهِ وَشِمالِهِ

We see a moon and two clouds in place

The moon we see; clouds in places three

If he exhausts what he possesses, he preserves thereby a fame; time itself will perish before his memory ends.

of his face, his right hand, and his left.

O'er his face and right and left present.

سَفَكَ الدِماءَ بِجودِهِ لا بَأسِهِ

سَفَكَ الدِماءَ بِجودِهِ لا بَأسِهِ

كَرَماً لِأَنَّ الطَيرَ بَعضُ عِيالِهِ

كَرَماً لِأَنَّ الطَيرَ بَعضُ عِيالِهِ

He shed blood through his bounty, not his valor,

Blood by his bounty flowed, not by malintent;

out of generosity, for birds are among his dependents.

Honor he deemed the birds part of his family.

إِن يُفنِ ما يَحوي فَقَد أَبقى بِهِ

إِن يُفنِ ما يَحوي فَقَد أَبقى بِهِ

ذِكراً يَزولُ الدَهرُ قَبلَ زَوالِهِ

ذِكراً يَزولُ الدَهرُ قَبلَ زَوالِهِ

If he exhausts what he possesses, he has thereby preserved

Should he lose all his riches yet preserve thereby

renown that will outlast Time itself.

Renown that time shall ruin ere its fall.