راحَbegan ساقيcupbearer of الراحthe wine يَجلوpolishes القَدَحاthe goblet
راحَ ساقي الراح يَجلو القَدَحا
فَاِجتلso savor البكرthe virgin wine وَدَعand leave مَنwhoever قَدحاfound fault
فَاِجتل البكر وَدَع مَن قَدحا
The wine-bearer began to make the goblet gleam.
The cupbearer went to quench thirst with the cup,
So savor the virgin wine, and leave whoever finds fault.
So enjoy life and leave those who find fault.
وَاِنتَهزand seize فُرصَةthe chance of إِسعافfulfillment of المُنىwishes
وَاِنتَهز فُرصَة إِسعاف المُنى
بِالهَناwith joy الدائمlasting وَاِهجرand shun مَنwhoever لَحاreproached
بِالهَنا الدائم وَاِهجر مَن لَحا
And seize the chance for wishes to be granted
Seize the chance to attain your wishes,
With lasting joy, and shun whoever reproaches.
With constant joy, and abandon those who mock.
وَاِغتَنمand seize لَذّةthe delight of عَيشlife طالَماso often
وَاِغتَنم لَذّة عَيش طالَما
نَحوَهاtoward it طَرفthe eye of المَعاليlofty aspirations طَمحاgazed longingly
نَحوَها طَرف المَعالي طَمحا
And seize life's delight; how often
Enjoy the pleasures of life that you've longed for,
The eye of lofty ambition has gazed toward it!
The eyes of the noble have aspired to this goal.
وَإِذاand when دارَتwent round كؤوسthe cups of الأنسِconvivial joy كُنbe
وَإِذا دارَت كؤوس الأنسِ كُن
بَينَamong أَكوابthe goblets of الطلاwine قطبthe pivot of الرَحىthe millstone
بَينَ أَكواب الطلا قطب الرَحى
And when the cups of convivial joy go round, be
When the cups of joy circle around,
Among the goblets of wine, the millstone's pivot.
Be the pole around which the millstone turns.
حَبَّذاhow lovely رَوضةa garden of لَهوpleasure أَينَعَتflourished
حَبَّذا رَوضة لَهو أَينَعَت
وَشَذاand the fragrance of زَهرblossoms of سُرورjoy نَفحاwafted
وَشَذا زَهر سُرور نَفحا
How lovely a garden of pleasure that has flourished,
How lovely is the garden of joy in full bloom!
And the fragrance of joy's blossoms, wafting forth!
The fragrant flower of happiness blows gently.
وَهزارand the nightingale of السَعدgood fortune فيin دَوحthe spreading trees of الهَناbliss
وَهزار السَعد في دَوح الهَنا
صَدعshattered الحاسدthe envious one لَمّاwhen صَدَحاsang
صَدع الحاسد لَمّا صَدَحا
And fortune's nightingale, in the grove of bliss,
The jesting of bliss in the bosom of joy
Shattered the envious one when it sang.
Has cracked open the envious though he made no sound.
وَلَيالٍand nights أَشرَقَتshone أَقمارُهاtheir moons
وَلَيالٍ أَشرَقَت أَقمارُها
نَجحprospered القَلبthe heart لَهاtoward them إِذwhen جَنَحاinclined
نَجح القَلب لَها إِذ جَنَحا
And nights whose moons shone bright—
Nights whose moons have shone brightly
The heart prospered when it inclined toward them.
Bringing joy to the heart when they set out.
بَلَغتattained نَفسthe soul of المعنّىthe tormented one فَرَجاًrelief
بَلَغت نَفس المعنّى فَرَجاً
وَسَقَتand gave drink to روحthe spirit of المهنّىthe one made happy فَرَحاjoy
وَسَقَت روح المهنّى فَرَحا
The tormented one's soul attained relief,
The soul attained the heights of meaning and gave
And gave the happy one's spirit joy to drink.
The spirit of purpose something to celebrate.
صاحِfriend بادرhasten إِنَّindeed طَيرthe bird of الأنسjoy قَدhas
صاحِ بادر إِنَّ طَير الأنس قَد
صاحَcalled out وَالدَهرand Time مِنfrom السُكرdrunkenness صَحاsobered up
صاحَ وَالدَهر مِن السُكر صَحا
Friend, hasten! Indeed, the bird of joy has
Cry out! The bird of joy has trilled!
Called, and Time has sobered from its drunkenness.
The ages are drunk and cry out with elation.
وَاِركَبand mount الحَزمprudence إِلىtoward نَيلattaining المُنىwishes
وَاِركَب الحَزم إِلى نَيل المُنى
وَرُضِand tame العَزمresolve إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle جَمَحاran wild
وَرُضِ العَزم إِذا ما جَمَحا
And mount prudence to attain your wishes,
Take hold of resolve and attain your wishes,
And tame your resolve whenever it runs wild.
Submit to determination if difficulties arise.
وَإِذاand when ماemphatic particle سَمحwas generous الدَهرTime بِهاwith them
وَإِذا ما سَمح الدَهر بِها
فَاِقتنصthen catch مِنfrom صَيدِهاtheir quarry ماwhatever سَنَحاappeared
فَاِقتنص مِن صَيدِها ما سَنَحا
And whenever Time is generous with them,
And if time allows,
Then catch whatever of their quarry comes within reach.
Seize the opportunity to hunt whatever presents itself.
وَلِراياتand for the banners of التَهانيcongratulation اِنشُرunfurl عَلىabove
وَلِرايات التَهاني اِنشُر عَلى
هامةthe crown of المَجدglory إِذاwhen نادىcalled الوَحىhaste
هامة المَجد إِذا نادى الوَحى
And unfurl the banners of congratulation above
Unfurl the flags of celebration over
The crown of glory, when haste calls.
The noble party when destiny calls.
وَاِهدand offer أَبكارvirgin tributes of التَهانيcongratulations لحمىto the sanctuary of
وَاِهد أَبكار التَهاني لحمى
سادةlords نَحوهمُtoward them المَجدglory نَحاturned
سادة نَحوهمُ المَجد نَحا
And offer virgin congratulations to the sanctuary of
Bestow the first fruits of celebration on the protector
Lords toward whom glory has turned.
Of the nobles, glory moves towards them.
هُمthey بَنوsons of الغندورal-Ghandour أَربابmasters of التُقىpiety
هُم بَنو الغندور أَرباب التُقى
آلthe house of فتحِFath (opening) اللَهAllah (God) نَسلdescendants of الصُلحاthe righteous
آل فتحِ اللَه نَسل الصُلحا
They are the sons of al-Ghandour, masters of piety,
They are the Ghandur family, patrons of piety,
The house of Fath Allah, descendants of the righteous.
The house of Fathallah, progeny of reconciliation.
سيماespecially ساميlofty in السَجاياcharacter مُصطَفىMustafa
سيما سامي السَجايا مُصطَفى
مَجدهمtheir glory ذاكthat الهمامhigh-minded man المُنتَحىthe one sought out
مَجدهم ذاك الهمام المُنتَحى
Especially Mustafa, lofty in character,
Especially the sublime chief Mostafa,
Their glory—that high-minded man to whom one turns.
Their glory, that respected leader.
ماجدa noble man فاقَexcelled عَلىabove أَقرانهhis peers
ماجد فاقَ عَلى أَقرانه
بِمَزاياthrough merits فَضلهاtheir excellence قَدindeed وَضحاbecame clear
بِمَزايا فَضلها قَد وَضحا
A noble man who surpassed his peers
Majid who surpassed his peers
Through merits whose excellence has become plain.
In superior qualities, clearly apparent.
قامَstood firm بِالتَقوىin piety بِهاwith it متَّزراgirded
قامَ بِالتَقوى بِها متَّزرا
وَحَوىand possessed اللطفَgentleness بِهِwith it مُتَّشِحاcloaked
وَحَوى اللطفَ بِهِ مُتَّشِحا
He stood firm in piety, girded with it,
He was clothed in piety, wrapped in kindness,
And possessed gentleness, cloaked in it.
Each of his descendants emulated him and succeeded.
وَاِقتَفىand followed أَنجالهُhis sons آثارهhis footsteps
وَاِقتَفى أَنجالهُ آثاره
وَبِذاكand with that القَصدِpurpose كُلٌّeach one نَجحاsucceeded
وَبِذاك القَصدِ كُلٌّ نَجحا
And his sons followed in his footsteps,
The beauty of his deeds ascended
And with that purpose each one succeeded.
To a nobility that defied those who praised him.
وَتَسامىand rose high حسنnoble in الأَفعالdeeds فيin
وَتَسامى حسن الأَفعال في
شَرفٍhonor عزَّwas beyond reach عَلىfor منwhoever مَدحاpraised
شَرفٍ عزَّ عَلى من مَدحا
And he of noble deeds rose to
O what a Majid, honouring the exalted
An honor beyond the reach of those who praise.
With justice in the scales, outweighing all.
ياoh لَهُfor him مِنof ماجدa noble man زانَadorned العُلىthe heights of glory
يا لَهُ مِن ماجد زانَ العُلى
بنهىًwith wisdom قسطاسهاits balance قَدindeed رَجَحاoutweighed
بنهىً قسطاسها قَد رَجَحا
What a noble man, adorning the heights of glory
Noble qualities that no one attained,
With wisdom whose balance has proved weightier!
By God, except as profit.
شيمvirtues طابَتwere fine وَماand not مِنany أَحَدٍperson
شيم طابَت وَما مِن أَحَدٍ
نالَهاattained them وَاللَهby God إِلّاexcept ربحاprofited
نالَها وَاللَه إِلّا ربحا
Virtues so fine, and no one
How often their call removed our troubles,
Has attained them, by God, without profiting.
Banishing affliction and relieving hardship.
كَمhow often بِناديهمin their assembly لَناto us نادىcalled الهَناjoy
كَم بِناديهم لَنا نادى الهَنا
فَنَفىso banished عَنّاfrom us العَناhardship وَالتَرَحاand sorrow
فَنَفى عَنّا العَنا وَالتَرَحا
How often joy has called to us in their assembly,
At their noble door how often we recited
Thus driving hardship and sorrow from us!
The verse of victory, an auspicious opening.
وَعَلىand at بابthe door of عُلاهُمtheir eminence كَمhow often تَلاrecited
وَعَلى باب عُلاهُم كَم تَلا
آيةthe verse of الفَتحvictory لَناfor us مفتتحاmaking an opening
آية الفَتح لَنا مفتتحا
And at the door of their eminence, how often it has recited
O honoured ones, congratulations!
The verse of victory for us, by way of an opening!
God has granted you that which He has granted.
أَيُّهاO السادَةlords هنّئتمmay you be congratulated فَلقَدfor indeed
أَيُّها السادَة هنّئتم فَلقَد
منحَbestowed اللَهGod لَكُمupon you ماwhat مَنَحاbestowed
منحَ اللَه لَكُم ما مَنَحا
O lords, may you be congratulated, for indeed
With the marriage of the brilliant moon
God has bestowed upon you what He has bestowed,
Whose beauty eclipsed the moons.
بِزَفافthrough the wedding of القَمرthe moon الزاهيradiant الَّذيwho
بِزَفاف القَمر الزاهي الَّذي
حُسنthe beauty of أَقمارthe moons of الدَياجيdark nights فَضَحاput to shame
حُسن أَقمار الدَياجي فَضَحا
Through the wedding of the radiant moon, who
A moon, if the full moon glimpsed
Has put the beauty of dark nights' moons to shame.
Its face one dark night, it would shine brightly.
قَمرa moon لَوif لَمحglimpsed البَدرthe full moon سَناthe radiance of
قَمر لَو لَمح البَدر سَنا
وَجههhis face لَيلَةَon a night of تمٍّfullness لَمَحاwould fade away
وَجهه لَيلَةَ تمٍّ لَمَحا
A moon—if the full moon glimpsed the radiance of
That is Saad al-Din, and the world with him too,
His face on a night of fullness, it would fade away.
His name has proven true to its meaning.
ذاكَthat is سَعدSa'd (good fortune) الدينal-Din (faith) وَالدُنياand the world مَعاtogether
ذاكَ سَعد الدين وَالدُنيا مَعا
وَالمُسمّىand the named one لاِسمهfor his name قَدindeed صَلحاwas worthy
وَالمُسمّى لاِسمه قَد صَلحا
That is Sa'd al-Din, good fortune of faith and world alike,
Send him our eternal congratulations,
And the man so named is indeed worthy of his name.
And may he always have cause for joy.
فَاِهدهِso offer him مِنّاfrom us التَهانيcongratulations سرمداًforever
فَاِهدهِ مِنّا التَهاني سرمداً
وَليكنand may he be دَوماًalways بِهاby them مُنشَرِحاgladdened
وَليكن دَوماً بِها مُنشَرِحا
So offer him congratulations from us forever,
May this marriage be the best of unions,
And may he always be gladdened by them.
With doors of blessings opened by God.
وَليَكُنand may it be خَيرthe best of زَفافweddings بِالمُنىwith wishes fulfilled
وَليَكُن خَير زَفاف بِالمُنى
بابهits door اللَهGod عَلَيهِto him فَتحاopened
بابه اللَه عَلَيهِ فَتحا
And may it be the finest wedding, with wishes fulfilled,
Its door opened to him by God.
Partial English translation: 56 of 58 Arabic lines translated.