لقدindeed رفَّعhas exalted اللهGod قَدرَthe rank of القريضِpoetry
لقد رفَّع الله قَدرَ القريضِ
وشأنand the standing of حُماةthe guardians of المعانيmeanings الحِسَانbeautiful
وشأن حُماة المعاني الحِسَان
Indeed, God has exalted poetry's rank
And the standing of the guardians of beautiful meanings:
ملوكُkings of الكلامَِspeech دُعاةُheralds of الغرامِpassionate love
ملوكُ الكلامَِ دُعاةُ الغرامِ
هُدَاةُguides of الانامِhumankind دُهَاةُthe shrewd men of الزمانthe age
هُدَاةُ الانامِ دُهَاةُ الزمان
Kings of speech, heralds of passionate love,
Guides of humankind, the shrewd men of the age.
هوit الشعرُpoetry سلوانُsolace قلبthe heart of الحزينthe grieving one
هو الشعرُ سلوانُ قلب الحزين
وبهجةُand joy روحthe soul of غريبa stranger to المكانthe place
وبهجةُ روح غريب المكان
It is poetry—the solace of the grieving heart,
And joy for the soul of a stranger in a foreign land,
وجلوةُand a brightening صَدرِthe breast of الشريدthe wanderer الطريدthe outcast
وجلوةُ صَدرِ الشريد الطريد
وعزَّةُand dignity نفسِthe soul of الذليلthe abased المُهانthe humiliated
وعزَّةُ نفسِ الذليل المُهان
And brightness in the breast of the wandering outcast,
And dignity for the soul of the abased and humiliated,
ونزهةُand diversion فكرthe mind of أسيرone captive to الغوانيbeautiful women
ونزهةُ فكر أسير الغواني
وقرَّةand delight احداقِthe eyes of حُورthe houris of الجنانParadise
وقرَّة احداقِ حُور الجنان
And diversion for the mind of one captive to beautiful women,
And delight to the eyes of the houris of Paradise.
فتلهوبهِso they frolic with it الغِيدُthe graceful maidens فيin صَرحِهاtheir palace
فتلهوبهِ الغِيدُ في صَرحِها
ويزهوand exult ذووthe possessors of العَرشthe throne والصولجانand the sceptre
ويزهو ذوو العَرش والصولجان
So the graceful maidens frolic with it in their palace,
And those who hold throne and sceptre exult.
ولوand if لمnot يكُwere الشِعرُpoetry انسَthe solace of الوجوexistence (first part)
ولو لم يكُ الشِعرُ انسَ الوجو
دcompletion of 'existence' ماnot كانwould be يوجدُfound فيat كلّevery آنmoment
د ما كان يوجدُ في كلّ آن
And were poetry not the solace of existence,
It would not be found at every moment,
وفيand in كلّevery جيلٍgeneration مذsince اللهُGod قالsaid
وفي كلّ جيلٍ مذ اللهُ قال
لذيto the one endowed with النطقspeech كُنbe ياO مثاليmy likeness فكانand so he came to be
لذي النطق كُن يا مثالي فكان
And in every generation since God said
To the one endowed with speech, 'Be, O my likeness!'—and he came to be.
فَنَفثُfor the breath of اللسانِthe tongue بشَدوِthrough the singing of القياthe songstresses (first part)
فَنَفثُ اللسانِ بشَدوِ القيا
نِcompletion of 'songstresses' يُعيدrestores الصفاءَserenity رَخِيَّslack العنانthe reins
نِ يُعيد الصفاءَ رَخِيَّ العنان
For the tongue's breath, through the songstresses' singing,
Restores serenity, with slackened reins;
وسِحرand the magic of البيانِeloquence غداةَon the morning of الطَعاspear-fighting (first part)
وسِحر البيانِ غداةَ الطَعا
نِcompletion of 'spear-fighting' يردًّmakes الجبانَthe coward قويَّstrong of الجنانheart
نِ يردًّ الجبانَ قويَّ الجنان
And eloquence's magic, on the morning of clashing spears,
Makes the coward stout of heart.