ماذاwhat يُحاوِلُattempts مِثليone like me فيin قَوافيهِhis rhymes
ماذا يُحاوِلُ مِثلي في قَوافيهِ
وَإِنand even if تَكُنit be جَمَعتُI gathered كُلَّall القُوىthe powers فيهِin it
وَإِن تَكُن جَمَعتُ كُلَّ القُوى فيهِ
What can one like me attempt in his rhymes,
What can one like me accomplish in his rhymes
Even if I have gathered all my powers into them,
Even if I gathered all my strength for them
مِنof مَدحٍpraise مِنsince حينِthe time لاحَتbecame apparent ليto me مَكانَتُهُhis station
مِن مَدحٍ مِن حينِ لاحَت لي مَكانَتُهُ
مِنَamong العُلاthe heights لَمnot أَصوبَI deem sound رَأيَthe judgment of مَدحِيهِhis praisers
مِنَ العُلا لَم أَصوبَ رَأيَ مَدحِيهِ
In praise? Ever since his station became apparent to me
To praise him since his stature appeared to me
Among the heights, I have not judged his praisers' appraisals sound.
Though lofty, my praise doesn’t get his worth
تَعنوbow المَعانيthe meanings لَدَيهِbefore him وَهيَand they are صاغِرَةٌhumbled
تَعنو المَعاني لَدَيهِ وَهيَ صاغِرَةٌ
كَأَنَّهاas though they were فيamong البَراياmortals مِنamong جَواريهِhis handmaidens
كَأَنَّها في البَرايا مِن جَواريهِ
Meanings bow before him, humbled,
Meanings seem humble next to him
As though, among mortals, they were his handmaidens.
As if they were concubines in the wilderness compared to him
تَأتيcome to سِواهُothers besides him فَتَسموthen rise فَوقَabove هامِهِمtheir heads
تَأتي سِواهُ فَتَسمو فَوقَ هامِهِم
وَتَنتَحيهِand turn toward him فَلاso do not تَرقىreach مَواطيهِhis footholds
وَتَنتَحيهِ فَلا تَرقى مَواطيهِ
They come to others and rise above their heads,
Others come but they tower over their determination
But turn toward him and cannot reach the ground he treads.
And cannot reach his heights
رَبُّmaster of المَقامِthe station الَّذيwhich باتَتhave come to تَحِفُّsurround بِهِit
رَبُّ المَقامِ الَّذي باتَت تَحِفُّ بِهِ
غُرُّthe radiant ones of الفَضائِلِthe virtues تَعليهِraise him وَتَغليهِand make him precious
غُرُّ الفَضائِلِ تَعليهِ وَتَغليهِ
Master of the station around which have gathered
Lord of the rank which nights vie to adorn
The radiant virtues, exalting him and making him precious.
Pinnacle of merits, most sublime and great
قَدindeed حازَهُhe attained it وَاللَياليand the nights مِنamong مَوانِعِهِhis obstacles
قَد حازَهُ وَاللَيالي مِن مَوانِعِهِ
مِنin دونِهِthe way to it وَالعَواديand calamities مِنamong عَواديهِhis assailants
مِن دونِهِ وَالعَوادي مِن عَواديهِ
He attained it while the nights were among his obstacles,
He attained it while nights posed obstacles
Barring his way to it, and calamities were among his assailants.
Apart from him and fate stood in his way
بِفِكرَةِthrough thought ماnever اِنتَضىhe unsheathed فيin الخَطبِthe crisis صارِمَهاits sharp blade
بِفِكرَةِ ما اِنتَضى في الخَطبِ صارِمَها
إِلّاexcept that تَمَكَّنَhe gained mastery قَطعاًdecisively مِنover هَواديهِits necks
إِلّا تَمَكَّنَ قَطعاً مِن هَواديهِ
Through thought, whose sharp blade he never drew in a crisis
With a decisive idea that triumphed in perilous affairs
Without decisively gaining mastery over its necks.
He surely succeeded in reaching his goals
أَذَلَّhe subdued كُلَّevery جِماحٍstubborn defiance لِلزَمانِof time بِهاwith it
أَذَلَّ كُلَّ جِماحٍ لِلزَمانِ بِها
وَلاand no حُسامَsword وَلاand no رُمحَspear يُرَوّيهِhe drenches
وَلا حُسامَ وَلا رُمحَ يُرَوّيهِ
With it he subdued all the stubborn defiance of time,
He subdued every tyrant pride for the times with it
With neither sword nor spear for him to drench.
Neither sword nor spear could match it
وَإِنَّماand only الفِكرُthought إِذاwhen صَحَتare sound مَبادِئُهُits premises
وَإِنَّما الفِكرُ إِذا صَحَت مَبادِئُهُ
عَنِinstead of الجُيوشِarmies غَداcomes to وَاللَهُand, by God يُغنيهِsuffice him
عَنِ الجُيوشِ غَدا وَاللَهُ يُغنيهِ
And thought alone, when its premises are sound,
Verily the idea, when its principles are sound
Comes to spare him the need for armies—by God.
Can do without armies, by God's grace
فَهوَfor he الَّذيis the one whose كُلُّevery رَأيٍopinion مِنهُfrom him مُنبَلِجُshines forth
فَهوَ الَّذي كُلُّ رَأيٍ مِنهُ مُنبَلِجُ
فيamid الرَوعِdread عَنfrom كُلِّevery فَجرٍdawn فيalong حَواشيهِits margins
في الرَوعِ عَن كُلِّ فَجرٍ في حَواشيهِ
For he is the one whose every opinion shines forth
He is the one whom every perspective emanates from
Amid dread, from every dawn along its margins.
Deterring all wickedness on its fringes
مَنone who يَكشِفِuncovers الأَمرَthe matter خافيهِits hidden aspect كَظاهِرِهِlike its visible aspect
مَن يَكشِفِ الأَمرَ خافيهِ كَظاهِرِهِ
وَيَبلُغُand reaches القَصدَthe goal قاصيهِits farthest point كَدانيهِlike its nearest point
وَيَبلُغُ القَصدَ قاصيهِ كَدانيهِ
One who uncovers a matter's hidden aspect as readily as its visible one,
Who reveals the hidden like the evident
And reaches his goal, its farthest point as readily as its nearest.
And attains the far goal as the near one
ماnot إِنat all جَلاshone عِلمُهُhis knowledge فيon مَطلَبِa quest of لُبِّكyour mind
ما إِن جَلا عِلمُهُ في مَطلَبِ لُبِّك
إِلّاexcept وَأَسفَرَand unveiled صُبحاًa dawn عَنfrom دَياجيهِits dark nights
إِلّا وَأَسفَرَ صُبحاً عَن دَياجيهِ
Never does his knowledge illuminate a quest of your mind
When his knowledge becomes clear in your quest
Without unveiling dawn from its dark nights.
Dawn dispels all its darkness
مُجَدِّدَO renewer of روحَthe spirit of هَذاthis الدينِfaith مُنعِشَهاreviving it
مُجَدِّدَ روحَ هَذا الدينِ مُنعِشَها
مِنfrom بَعدِafter ماwhen بَلَغَتit reached مِنهُof it تَراقيهِits collarbones
مِن بَعدِ ما بَلَغَت مِنهُ تَراقيهِ
O renewer of this faith's spirit, reviving it
Reviving the soul of this religion, enlivening it
After it had reached the faith's collarbones.
After it had reached its pinnacle through him
مَنyou who مِنهُthrough him دَهرَكَyour age ماits past (first fragment) ضيهِits past (second fragment) وَحاليهِand its present
مَن مِنهُ دَهرَكَ ما ضيهِ وَحاليهِ
مُقَلِّدَgarlanding جيدِهِits neck بِالفَخرِwith pride حاليهِadorning it
مُقَلِّدَ جيدِهِ بِالفَخرِ حاليهِ
You, through whom your age—its past and its present—
Who made your times, past and present
Has its neck garlanded with pride and adorned.
Follow his fine precedent in glory
آليhaving sworn عَلىupon نَفسِهِhimself أَلاnot to يُفارِقُهاpart with it
آلي عَلى نَفسِهِ أَلا يُفارِقُها
إِلّاexcept عَلىupon مَبدَأa principle لِلدينِfor the faith حاليهِadorning it
إِلّا عَلى مَبدَأ لِلدينِ حاليهِ
Having sworn to himself never to part with his soul
Binding himself never to abandon it
Except upon a principle that adorns the faith.
Except for a new cause of religion
فَسَلthen ask نُجومَthe stars of العُلاeminence عَنabout شَأوِthe reach of هِمَّتِهِhis aspiration
فَسَل نُجومَ العُلا عَن شَأوِ هِمَّتِهِ
وَالشَرقُand the East وَالغَربُand the West فَاِسأَلthen ask عَنabout مَساعيهِhis endeavors
وَالشَرقُ وَالغَربُ فَاِسأَل عَن مَساعيهِ
Then ask the stars of eminence about the reach of his aspiration,
Ask the stars of glory about his determination
And ask the East and West about his endeavors.
East and west, ask about his efforts
لاnot أَختَشيI fear إِنif أَقُلI say مَنwho ذاis it يُساجِلهُcontends with him
لا أَختَشي إِن أَقُل مَن ذا يُساجِلهُ
مَنwho ذاis it يُساوِرهُchallenges him مَنwho ذاis it يُساويهِequals him
مَن ذا يُساوِرهُ مَن ذا يُساويهِ
I do not fear to say: who can contend with him?
I don't fear, saying who can rival him
Who can challenge him? Who can equal him?
Who can equal him, who can match him
إِذاwhen يَنتَضيhe unsheathes قَلَماًa pen كَالعَضبِlike a keen blade يَظهَرُهُmakes it prevail
إِذا يَنتَضي قَلَماً كَالعَضبِ يَظهَرُهُ
عَلىover حُسامٍa sword صَقيلِpolished in الحَدِّthe edge ماضيهِits keen edge
عَلى حُسامٍ صَقيلِ الحَدِّ ماضيهِ
When he draws a pen like a keen blade, he makes it prevail
When he wields a pen like an unsheathed blade
Over a sword, polished of edge and sharp.
Against polished swords of the past
أَوانٌa time يَقُلhe speaks كُلَّماwhenever تَغدوthey come forth وَقائِلَهاand their speaker
أَوانٌ يَقُل كُلَّما تَغدو وَقائِلَها
ذاthis one البَحرِthe sea يُزريputs to shame وَذيand these تَزريput to shame لِآليهِits pearls
ذا البَحرِ يُزري وَذي تَزري لِآليهِ
[Wording unclear:] a time when he speaks; whenever they and their speaker come forth,
It's time every speaker rises saying
This one puts the sea to shame, and these put its pearls to shame.
This sea mocks and derides that mocker
فَلَيسَso never تَتَلوrecite الوَرىhumankind مِنfrom قَوالِهِhis sayings غُرَراًbrilliant passages
فَلَيسَ تَتَلو الوَرى مِن قَوالِهِ غُرَراً
إِلّاexcept وَنادواand they cry جَميعَهاall of them جَلَّexalted is باريهِhis Creator
إِلّا وَنادوا جَميعَها جَلَّ باريهِ
People never recite brilliant passages from his sayings
So people don’t chant any of his words
Without all crying, 'Exalted is his Creator!'
Without calling the Blessed Creator supreme
نالَتattained فُؤادِيَmy heart رَغباهُits desire فُؤادُهُhis heart
نالَت فُؤادِيَ رَغباهُ فُؤادُهُ
وَبَلَّغتَنيand brought me to آماليmy hopes أَماليهِhis dictated teachings
وَبَلَّغتَني آمالي أَماليهِ
His heart fulfilled my heart's desire,
He won my heart, his heart won me over
And his dictated teachings brought me to my hopes.
And conveyed my hopes through his hopes
ياO لَيتَif only مَقدِرَتيmy ability فيin وَصفِdescribing حِكمَتِهِhis wisdom
يا لَيتَ مَقدِرَتي في وَصفِ حِكمَتِهِ
كانَتwere تُعادِلُequal to بَينَamong الناسِpeople حَبيهِmy love for him
كانَت تُعادِلُ بَينَ الناسِ حَبيهِ
If only my ability to describe his wisdom
Oh would that my ability in describing his wisdom
Matched, among people, my love for him!
Equalled people's love for him universally
فَكُنتُthen I would be أَشعُرُthe most poetic أَهلَthe people of الأَرضِthe earth قاطِبَةًall together
فَكُنتُ أَشعُرُ أَهلَ الأَرضِ قاطِبَةً
أَذsince بِتُّI have become أَهيمُهُمtheir most enamored مِنfrom فِطرَتيmy innate nature فيهِwith him
أَذ بِتُّ أَهيمُهُم مِن فِطرَتي فيهِ
Then I would be the most poetic of all people on earth,
Then I'd make all people feel
For by my nature I have become the most enamored of them with him.
My innate fervor for him
لَكِنَّنيbut I دونَshort of ذاthis مَعَdespite ذاكَthat مُعتَمِدٌrely
لَكِنَّني دونَ ذا مَعَ ذاكَ مُعتَمِدٌ
عَلىon مَقالَةٍa saying أَنَّthat الفِعلَthe deed أَنويهِI intend it
عَلى مَقالَةٍ أَنَّ الفِعلَ أَنويهِ
But I fall short of this; nevertheless I rely
But I'm incapable so I depend
On the assertion that I intend the deed:
On my intention being considered as action
أَنّيthat I اِمرُؤٌam a man لَمnot تَكُنwere تَحصيcounting مَطامِعَهُhis ambitions
أَنّي اِمرُؤٌ لَم تَكُن تَحصي مَطامِعَهُ
وَلَمand not يَخلُhe deemed فيamong الوَرىhumankind شَيئاًanything لِيَكفيهِto satisfy him
وَلَم يَخلُ في الوَرى شَيئاً لِيَكفيهِ
That I am a man whose ambitions could not be counted,
I'm a man whose ambitions can't be measured
And who deemed nothing among mortals sufficient to satisfy him,
And nothing in this world could satisfy him
حَتّىuntil رَآهُhe saw him فَأَمسَتthen became دونَbelow مُبلِغُهُhis attainment
حَتّى رَآهُ فَأَمسَت دونَ مُبلِغُهُ
مِنof كُلِّevery مَأثَرِةِnoble achievement صَرعىslain أَمانيهِhis ambitions
مِن كُلِّ مَأثَرِةِ صَرعى أَمانيهِ
Until he saw him; then, beneath that man's attainment
Until he saw him, so telling his merits
In every noble achievement, his ambitions lay slain.
Fell short of my hopes for him
وَإِنَّهُand indeed he وَالَّذيby the One who سَوّىfashioned مُحَمَّدَMuhammad مِنone whom (reading uncertain)
وَإِنَّهُ وَالَّذي سَوّى مُحَمَّدَ مِن
لَمnot أَرضَI was content عَنwith ناظِريmy eye حَتّىuntil أَرانيهِit showed him to me
لَم أَرضَ عَن ناظِري حَتّى أَرانيهِ
And he—by the One who fashioned Muhammad—is the one
By He who perfected Muhammad
Whom my eye had to show me before I could be content with it.
My eyes weren't pleased until they saw him
فَهوَfor he الهُمامُthe noble champion الَّذيwho فَخَرَtook pride القُلوبَthe hearts بِهِin him
فَهوَ الهُمامُ الَّذي فَخَرَ القُلوبَ بِهِ
إِذاwhen اِبتَداbegins اللُبَّthe mind يَرويrecounting عَنof مَعانيهِhis meanings
إِذا اِبتَدا اللُبَّ يَروي عَن مَعانيهِ
For he is the noble champion in whom hearts take pride
He is the hero whose words steal hearts
When the mind begins to recount his meanings.
When he speaks, none can resist his valleys
المُستَرِقُّenslaving قُلوبَthe hearts of الخَلقِhumankind مَنطِقُهُhis speech
المُستَرِقُّ قُلوبَ الخَلقِ مَنطِقُهُ
إِذاwhen أَفاضَit pours forth فَلاthen no حَرَّfree person بَواديهِin his valley
إِذا أَفاضَ فَلا حَرَّ بَواديهِ
His speech takes the hearts of humankind captive;
Seeking empowerment through righteousness
When it pours forth, none in his valley remain free.
And the free man's virtues accept none but the worthy
وَقَدand indeed غَداhe has become طالِبُa seeker of التَأهيلِmarriage عَنfrom رُشدٍsound judgment
وَقَد غَدا طالِبُ التَأهيلِ عَن رُشدٍ
وَشيمَةِand the nature of الحُرِّthe freeborn man تَأبىrejects غَيرَany but أَهليهِhis own people
وَشيمَةِ الحُرِّ تَأبى غَيرَ أَهليهِ
And he has become a seeker of marriage through sound judgment,
My Lord endowed him generously with bounty
And a freeborn man's nature accepts none but his own people.
When granting merit, my Lord favors the deserving
آتاهُmay He grant him رَبّيmy Lord مِنَof النُعمىblessings موفِرُهاtheir bountiful giver
آتاهُ رَبّي مِنَ النُعمى موفِرُها
إِذfor يَمنَحِgrants الفَضلَbounty رَبّيmy Lord مُستَحَقّيهِthose deserving it
إِذ يَمنَحِ الفَضلَ رَبّي مُستَحَقّيهِ
May my Lord, their bountiful giver, grant him blessings,
I see him become a father, bringing joy
For my Lord grants bounty to those deserving it.
Blessed with a lofty, sublime livelihood
أَراهُmay He show him اِنجالَoffspring اِنجابَnoble ones وَأَسعَدَهُand make him happy
أَراهُ اِنجالَ اِنجابَ وَأَسعَدَهُ
بِخَفضِwith ease of عَيشٍliving رَفيعِhigh in الشانِrank ساميهِlofty in it
بِخَفضِ عَيشٍ رَفيعِ الشانِ ساميهِ
May He show him noble offspring and make him happy
And length of life, reserve for his nation
With ease of living, high and exalted in rank.
To defend the sanctity of Islam, fulfilling it
وَمَدَّand may He prolong فيin عُمرِهِhis life ذُخراًas a treasure لَملَتهُfor his religious community
وَمَدَّ في عُمرِهِ ذُخراً لَملَتهُ
بِالذَودِby defending عَنagainst threats to حُرمِthe sanctities of الإِسلامِIslam يَقضيهِhe spends it
بِالذَودِ عَن حُرمِ الإِسلامِ يَقضيهِ
And prolong his life as a treasure for his religious community,
He is the one whose favors in the world
A life he spends defending the sanctities of Islam.
Have inspired me to spontaneously congratulate him
فَهوَfor he الَّذيthe one whose فيamong الوَرىhumankind غَرّانَradiant (unclear form) أَنعُمِهِhis favors
فَهوَ الَّذي في الوَرى غَرّانَ أَنعُمِهِ
قَدindeed أَنَطَقَتنيmade me speak اِرتِجالاًimpromptu فيin تَهانيهِcongratulations to him
قَد أَنَطَقَتني اِرتِجالاً في تَهانيهِ
For he is the one whose radiant favors among mortals
Have prompted me to offer impromptu congratulations to him.
Partial English translation: 66 of 68 Arabic lines translated.