لِمَحَلِّكَfor your station التَرفيعُexaltation وَالتَعظيمُand veneration
لِمَحَلِّكَ التَرفيعُ وَالتَعظيمُ
وَلِوَجهِكَand for your countenance التَقديسُreverence وَالتَكرِيمُand honor
وَلِوَجهِكَ التَقديسُ وَالتَكرِيمُ
Exaltation and veneration are due to your station,
And reverence and honor to your countenance.
وَلِراحَتَيكَand to your two palms الحَمدُpraise فيfor أَرزاقِناour sustenance
وَلِراحَتَيكَ الحَمدُ في أَرزاقِنا
وَالرِزقُand provision أَجمَعُall مِنهُماfrom them both مَقسُومُapportioned
وَالرِزقُ أَجمَعُ مِنهُما مَقسُومُ
To your two palms belongs praise for our sustenance,
For all provision is apportioned from them both.
ياO مُنعِماًbenefactor تَطويtraverse البِلادَthe lands هِباتُهُhis gifts
يا مُنعِماً تَطوي البِلادَ هِباتُهُ
وَمِنَand among الهِباتِthe gifts مُسافِرٌone that travels وَمُقيمُand one that stays
وَمِنَ الهِباتِ مُسافِرٌ وَمُقيمُ
O benefactor whose gifts traverse the lands,
Some of those gifts journey, and some abide.
إيهٍspeak on وَلَوand even if بَعضَsome الحَديثِtalk عَنِabout الَّتيthat which
إيهٍ وَلَو بَعضَ الحَديثِ عَنِ الَّتي
حَيّاgreeted بِهاwith it رَبعيmy dwelling أَجشُّa deep-voiced cloud هَزيمُrumbling
حَيّا بِها رَبعي أَجشُّ هَزيمُ
Speak on, if only a little, of that gift
With which a deep-voiced, rumbling cloud greeted my dwelling.
قَدindeed زارَنيit visited me فَسُقيتُso I was watered مِنby وَسمِيِّهِits early autumn rain
قَد زارَني فَسُقيتُ مِن وَسمِيِّهِ
فَوقَbeyond الَّذيthat which أَروىI am quenched بِهِby it وَأَشيمُand I watch lightning
فَوقَ الَّذي أَروى بِهِ وَأَشيمُ
It visited me, and I was watered by its autumn rain,
Beyond what slakes my thirst and what I watch the lightning for.
سَرَتِtraveled by night الجِيادُthe steeds بِهِwith it إِلَيَّto me وَفِتيَةٌand young men
سَرَتِ الجِيادُ بِهِ إِلَيَّ وَفِتيَةٌ
سَفَرواthey unveiled their faces فَقُلتُso I said أَهِلَّةٌcrescents وَنُجومُand stars
سَفَروا فَقُلتُ أَهِلَّةٌ وَنُجومُ
Steeds bore it to me by night, and young men
Unveiled their faces, and I said, “Crescents and stars!”
نعماءُa blessing جُدتَyou bestowed generously بِهاit وَإِنand although لَمnot نَلتَقِwe met
نعماءُ جُدتَ بِها وَإِن لَم نَلتَقِ
فيمَنamong those who يُدَندِنُmurmur حَولَهاaround it وَيَحومُand hover
فيمَن يُدَندِنُ حَولَها وَيَحومُ
A blessing you bestowed, though we had not met
Among those who murmur about it and hover around.
وَأَعَزُّand more precious مِنthan سُقياthe watering of الحَياthe rain مَنone who لَمnot يَبِتspent the night
وَأَعَزُّ مِن سُقيا الحَيا مَن لَم يَبِت
فيin الحَيِّthe encampment يَرقُبُwatching بَرقَهُits lightning وَيَشيمُand scanning for rain
في الحَيِّ يَرقُبُ بَرقَهُ وَيَشيمُ
And more precious than rain’s bounty is he who has not spent the night
In the camp, watching its lightning and scanning the sky.
وَلَقَدand indeed أَضِنُّI begrudge عَلىto الحَياthe rain بِسُؤالِهِthe asking of it
وَلَقَد أَضِنُّ عَلى الحَيا بِسُؤالِهِ
وَالجَوُّand the air أَغبَرُdust-gray وَالمرادُand what is sought هَشيمُwithered stubble
وَالجَوُّ أَغبَرُ وَالمرادُ هَشيمُ
Indeed, I begrudge the rain even the asking,
Though the air is dust-gray and what one seeks is withered stubble.
وَإِنِand if اِستَحَبَّchooses القَطرُthe rain سُقياthe watering of مَوضِعيmy ground
وَإِنِ اِستَحَبَّ القَطرُ سُقيا مَوضِعي
فَمَكانُthen the place of مِثليone like me عِندَهُto it مَعلومُknown
فَمَكانُ مِثلي عِندَهُ مَعلومُ
Yet if the rain should choose to water my ground,
The place of one like me is known to it.
لماwhen أَدَرتُI turned إِلىtoward صَنيعِكَyour kindness ناظِريmy gaze
لما أَدَرتُ إِلى صَنيعِكَ ناظِري
فَرَأَيتُthen I saw ماwhat أَولَيتَyou bestowed فَهوَand it is عَميمُall-embracing
فَرَأَيتُ ما أَولَيتَ فَهوَ عَميمُ
When I turned my gaze toward your kindness
And saw what you had bestowed, so all-embracing,
قَلَّدتُI adorned جيدَthe neck of الشُكرِgratitude مِنwith تِلكَthose الحُلىjewels
قَلَّدتُ جيدَ الشُكرِ مِن تِلكَ الحُلى
ماwhatever شاءَهُdesired it المَنثورُprose وَالمَنظومُand verse
ما شاءَهُ المَنثورُ وَالمَنظومُ
From those jewels I hung upon gratitude’s neck
Whatever prose and verse desired.
وَأَشَرتُand I gestured قُدّاميbefore me كَأَنِّيَas though I لائِمٌwere reproaching
وَأَشَرتُ قُدّامي كَأَنِّيَ لائِمٌ
وَكَأَنَّand as though كَفَّكَyour palm ذلِكَthat المَلثومُwhich was kissed
وَكَأَنَّ كَفَّكَ ذلِكَ المَلثومُ
I gestured before me as though in reproach,
As though your palm were the one being kissed.
ياO مُفضِلاًbenefactor سَدِكَclung السَخاءُgenerosity بِمالِهِto his wealth
يا مُفضِلاً سَدِكَ السَخاءُ بِمالِهِ
حَتّامuntil when تَبذُلُwill you give وَالزَمانُwhile the age لَئيمُis mean
حَتّام تَبذُلُ وَالزَمانُ لَئيمُ
O benefactor, to whose wealth generosity clings,
How long will you keep giving while the age is mean?
تَتَلَوَّنُchanges colors الدُنياthe world وَرَأيُكَand your resolve فيis for العُلاthe heights
تَتَلَوَّنُ الدُنيا وَرَأيُكَ في العُلا
وَالحَمدُand praise دَأبُكَyour constant habit وَالكَريمُand the noble man كَريمُis noble
وَالحَمدُ دَأبُكَ وَالكَريمُ كَريمُ
The world changes colors, but your resolve is for the heights;
Praise is your wont, and the noble remain noble.
وَمَنِand who المُتَمِّمُbrings to completion فيin الزَمانِthe age صَنيعَةًa kindness
وَمَنِ المُتَمِّمُ في الزَمانِ صَنيعَةً
إِلاexcept كَريمٌa generous man شَأنُهُwhose way التَتمِيمُis completion
إِلا كَريمٌ شَأنُهُ التَتمِيمُ
Who in this age brings a kindness to completion
But a generous man whose way is to complete it?
مِثلُlike الوَزيرِthe vizier الوَقَّشِيِّal-Waqqashi وَمِثلُهُand his equal
مِثلُ الوَزيرِ الوَقَّشِيِّ وَمِثلُهُ
دونَwithout اِمتِراءٍdoubt فيamong الوَرىmankind مَعدومِnonexistent
دونَ اِمتِراءٍ في الوَرى مَعدومِ
Like the vizier al-Waqqashi, whose equal
Is, beyond all doubt, nowhere among mankind.
رَجُلٌa man يَدُوسُwho treads النَيِّراتِthe shining stars بِنَعلِهِwith his sandal
رَجُلٌ يَدُوسُ النَيِّراتِ بِنَعلِهِ
قَدَمٌa foot ثَبُوتٌsteadfast فيin العُلاthe heights وَأَرُومُand roots
قَدَمٌ ثَبُوتٌ في العُلا وَأَرُومُ
A man who treads the shining stars beneath his sandal,
His foot steadfast in the heights, and so too his roots.
وَصَلَhas reached البَيانُeloquence بِهِthrough him المَدىthe utmost limit فَكَلامُهُso his speech
وَصَلَ البَيانُ بِهِ المَدى فَكَلامُهُ
سَهلٌeasy يَشُقُّis challenging وَغامِضٌand obscure مَفهومُunderstood
سَهلٌ يَشُقُّ وَغامِضٌ مَفهومُ
Through him eloquence has reached its utmost; his speech
Is easy yet challenging, obscure yet understood.
مِنfrom مَعشَرٍa people والاهُمُjoined them together فيon سِلكِهِits thread
مِن مَعشَرٍ والاهُمُ في سِلكِهِ
نَسَبٌa lineage صَريحٌpure فيin العَلاءِnobility صَميمُgenuine to the core
نَسَبٌ صَريحٌ في العَلاءِ صَميمُ
From a people strung together on the thread
Of a pure lineage, noble to its core.
قَومٌa people علىupon كَتِفِthe shoulder of الزَمانِtime لَبُوسُهُمtheir raiment
قَومٌ على كَتِفِ الزَمانِ لَبُوسُهُم
ثَوبٌa robe بِحُسنِwith the beauty of فَعالِهِمtheir deeds مَوسومُemblazoned
ثَوبٌ بِحُسنِ فَعالِهِم مَوسومُ
A people whose raiment, on time’s shoulder,
Is a robe emblazoned with the beauty of their deeds.
آثارُهُمtheir legacies فيamong الحادِثينَlater generations حَديثَةٌfresh
آثارُهُم في الحادِثينَ حَديثَةٌ
وَفَخارُهُمand their glory فيamong الأَقدَمينَthe ancients قَديمُancient
وَفَخارُهُم في الأَقدَمينَ قَديمُ
Their legacies are fresh among later generations,
And their glory among the ancients is ancient.
لَوif لَمnot يَعُدّواthey had counted مِنamong دَعائِمِthe pillars of بَيتِهِمtheir house
لَو لَم يَعُدّوا مِن دَعائِمِ بَيتِهِم
رُمحَthe spear of السِماكِal-Simak لَخانَهُwould have failed it التَقويمُuprightness
رُمحَ السِماكِ لَخانَهُ التَقويمُ
Had they not counted among their house’s pillars
The spear of al-Simak, uprightness would have failed it.
ماتواthey died وَلكِنand yet لَمnot يَمُتhas died بِكَthrough you فَخرُهُمtheir glory
ماتوا وَلكِن لَم يَمُت بِكَ فَخرُهُم
فَالمَجدُso glory حَيٌّis alive وَالعِظامُand the bones رَميمُcrumbled
فَالمَجدُ حَيٌّ وَالعِظامُ رَميمُ
They died, but through you their glory has not died;
Glory lives, though the bones have crumbled.
ياO أَحمَدَAhmad (most praiseworthy) الدُنياthe world وَقَدand perhaps يَغنىsuffices بِهاthrough it
يا أَحمَدَ الدُنيا وَقَد يَغنى بِها
عَنin place of كُنيَةٍa parental byname واسِمُand the name العَظيمِof the great man عَظيمُis great
عَن كُنيَةٍ واسِمُ العَظيمِ عَظيمُ
O Ahmad of the world—this may well suffice
In place of a byname; the great man’s name is great.
أُجريI set flowing حَديثكَtalk of you ثُمَّthen أَعجَبُI marvel أَنَّهُthat it is
أُجري حَديثكَ ثُمَّ أَعجَبُ أَنَّهُ
قَولٌspeech يُقالُuttered وَعَرفُهُand its fragrance مَشمُومُsmelled
قَولٌ يُقالُ وَعَرفُهُ مَشمُومُ
I let talk of you flow, then marvel that it
Is speech uttered, yet its fragrance is smelled.
فَبِكُلِّso in every أَرضٍland مِنof ثَنائِكَyour praise شائِعٌwidely spread
فَبِكُلِّ أَرضٍ مِن ثَنائِكَ شائِعٌ
عَبقٌfragrant كَماas when وَلَجَentered الرِياضَthe gardens نَسيمُa breeze
عَبقٌ كَما وَلَجَ الرِياضَ نَسيمُ
For through every land your praise is spread,
Fragrant as when a breeze enters gardens.
يَجريit flows فَلاso not يَخفىis hidden عَلىfrom مُستَنشِقٍone who inhales
يَجري فَلا يَخفى عَلى مُستَنشِقٍ
لَوeven if أَنَّهُit is عَنfrom أُذنِهِhis ear مَكتومُconcealed
لَو أَنَّهُ عَن أُذنِهِ مَكتومُ
It flows, escaping no one who breathes it in,
Even if it is concealed from his ear.
يُطوىit is folded away فَيَنشُرُهُthen unfolds it الثَناءُpraise لِطيبِهِfor its fragrance
يُطوى فَيَنشُرُهُ الثَناءُ لِطيبِهِ
ذِكرُthe memory of الكَريمِthe generous man بِعَنبَرٍwith ambergris مَختومُsealed
ذِكرُ الكَريمِ بِعَنبَرٍ مَختومُ
It is folded away, but praise unfolds it for its fragrance;
The memory of the generous is sealed with ambergris.
صَحِبَتكَmay it accompany you خالِدَةُeverlasting الحَياةِlife وَكُلُّand all ماthat
صَحِبَتكَ خالِدَةُ الحَياةِ وَكُلُّ ما
يَحتازُencloses بابكَyour gate جَنَّةٌparadise وَنَعيمُand bliss
يَحتازُ بابكَ جَنَّةٌ وَنَعيمُ
May everlasting life attend you, and may all that
Your gate encloses be paradise and bliss,
فيin ظِلِّthe shade of عِزٍّmight دائِمٍlasting وَكَرامَةٍand honor
في ظِلِّ عِزٍّ دائِمٍ وَكَرامَةٍ
وَفَناءُand the courtyard of دارِكَyour house بِالوُفودِwith delegations زَحيمُthronged
وَفَناءُ دارِكَ بِالوُفودِ زَحيمُ
In the shade of lasting might and honor,
With your courtyard thronged with delegations,
مِنfrom كُلِّevery ذيpossessor of تاجٍa crown تَعِلَّةُthe pretext قَصدِهِfor his coming
مِن كُلِّ ذي تاجٍ تَعِلَّةُ قَصدِهِ
مَرآكَseeing you وَالإِلمامُand visiting وَالتَسليمُand offering greetings
مَرآكَ وَالإِلمامُ وَالتَسليمُ
From every crowned man, whose pretext for coming
Is to see you, to visit, and to offer greetings.
Translation model: Sol 6.1