أرىI consider شكرgratitude to أهلpeople of الفضلmerit فرضاًa duty موكداfirmly binding
أرى شكر أهل الفضل فرضاً موكدا
كجودتsuch as Jawdat باشاPasha ذيpossessed of المحامدpraiseworthy qualities أحمداAhmad
كجودت باشا ذي المحامد أحمدا
I deem gratitude to people of merit a binding duty,
Such as Ahmad Jawdat Pasha, possessed of praiseworthy qualities.
هوhe الأكرمthe most generous الدستورvizier آصفthe Asaf of عصرهhis age
هو الأكرم الدستور آصف عصره
سميرevening companion of المعاليlofty virtues ذوpossessor of المعارفlearning والهداand guidance
سمير المعالي ذو المعارف والهدا
He is the most generous vizier, the Asaf of his age,
The evening companion of lofty virtues, endowed with learning and guidance.
وكيلdeputy to أميرthe commander of المؤمنينthe faithful أمينهhis trusted confidant
وكيل أمير المؤمنين أمينه
وذلكand that يكفيهsuffices him فخاراًfor glory وسؤدداand eminence
وذلك يكفيه فخاراً وسؤددا
Deputy to the Commander of the Faithful, his trusted confidant,
And that suffices him for glory and eminence.
وزيرa minister احبloved العلمlearning مذsince كانhe was يافعاًyoung
وزير احب العلم مذ كان يافعاً
فكانso he was لهfor it يسعىstriving دواماًcontinually ليسعداso he might prosper
فكان له يسعى دواماً ليسعدا
A minister who loved learning ever since he was young,
So he strove for it constantly, that he might prosper.
فحازso he gained بجدthrough diligence منهfrom it ماwhat هوis نافعbeneficial
فحاز بجد منه ما هو نافع
فاحرso how worthy بهhe is مولىthe lord of السعادةfelicity أمجداmost glorious
فاحر به مولى السعادة أمجدا
Thus, through diligence, he gained from it what is useful;
How worthy of highest glory is he, the lord of felicity!
ونيلand attaining العلاeminence بالعلمthrough learning حقis right لانهfor it is
ونيل العلا بالعلم حق لانه
طريقa path لمنfor whoever رامseeks السيادةpreeminence والجداand bounty
طريق لمن رام السيادة والجدا
And attaining eminence through learning is right, for it is
A path for whoever seeks preeminence and bounty.
وقدand indeed قلدتهentrusted him with الدولةthe state المنصبthe office الذيwhich
وقد قلدته الدولة المنصب الذي
يليقbefits بهhim فالعدلand justice فيهin it تشيداwas firmly established
يليق به فالعدل فيه تشيدا
And the state has entrusted him with the office that
Befits him, and in it justice has been firmly established.
فاعطىso he gave بماthrough what يدريhe knows السياسةgovernance حقهاits due
فاعطى بما يدري السياسة حقها
فكانتthus became لهfor him فيهاin it الرئاسةleadership مسنداa seat of honor
فكانت له فيها الرئاسة مسندا
So, through his knowledge, he gave governance its due,
Thus leadership within it became his seat of honor.
لدولتهhis state has الغراءillustrious فخرpride بمثلهin one like him
لدولته الغراء فخر بمثله
لانbecause لهhe has فضلاًmerit بهto it تشهدbear witness العداfoes
لان له فضلاً به تشهد العدا
His illustrious state takes pride in one like him,
For he has merit to which even his foes bear witness.
تمرنhe became practiced فيin اعمالهاits affairs فهوand he لمdid not يجئbring forth
تمرن في اعمالها فهو لم يجئ
بماwith anything that فيهin it نقصانdeficiency ولاnor عملworked سداin vain
بما فيه نقصان ولا عمل سدا
He grew practiced in its affairs; he never brought forth
Anything deficient, nor did he work in vain.
ولمand did not يخشhe fear فيin الاحكامjudgments لومةthe blame of لائمa reproacher
ولم يخش في الاحكام لومة لائم
ولكنهbut he يخشىfears الالهGod تعبداin devotion
ولكنه يخشى الاله تعبدا
Nor did he fear a reproacher's blame in his judgments,
But he fears God in devotion.
فسيرتهthus his conduct بينamong الورىhumankind عمريةUmar-like
فسيرته بين الورى عمرية
فبالعمرينfor, on the two Umars العادلينthe just قدindeed اقتداhe modeled himself
فبالعمرين العادلين قد اقتدا
Thus his conduct among humankind is Umar-like,
For he has modeled himself on the two just Umars.
وقدand indeed كانhe was فيin احكامهhis judgments تابعa follower of الهدىright guidance
وقد كان في احكامه تابع الهدى
وماand not لاكتسابto acquiring السحتillicit wealth بالجورthrough injustice اخلداdid he incline
وما لاكتساب السحت بالجور اخلدا
And in his judgments he was a follower of right guidance,
Nor was he drawn to acquiring illicit wealth through injustice.
لهhe has همةresolve فيin كلevery خطبgrave affair عليةlofty
له همة في كل خطب علية
ورأيand judgment سديدsound حيثماwherever مشكلa difficulty بداarose
ورأي سديد حيثما مشكل بدا
His resolve is lofty in every grave affair,
And his judgment sound wherever a difficulty arises.
رحيمmerciful بمنto whoever قداindeed جاءهcame to him بسكينةpeaceably
رحيم بمن قدا جاءه بسكينة
ولكنهbut he قاسstern علىtoward منwhoever تمرداrebelled
ولكنه قاس على من تمردا
He is merciful to whoever comes to him peaceably,
But he is stern toward whoever rebels.
كريمgenerous فلاso do not تشقىsuffer misery بهthrough him جلساؤهhis companions
كريم فلا تشقى به جلساؤه
ولكنbut لهمfor them اضحىhe became معيناًa helper ومسعداand a bringer of happiness
ولكن لهم اضحى معيناً ومسعدا
He is generous, so his companions suffer no misery through him;
Rather, he has become their helper and bringer of happiness.
جليلvenerable جميلfair الذكرrepute فيin كلevery موطنplace
جليل جميل الذكر في كل موطن
خليلa close friend لمنto whoever أمسىhas become إلىto الحقthe truth مرشداa guide
خليل لمن أمسى إلى الحق مرشدا
Venerable, of fair repute in every place,
A close friend to whoever has become a guide to the truth.
فيألفso he befriends اربابpeople of المكارمnoble virtues والتقىand piety
فيألف ارباب المكارم والتقى
ويأنفand recoils منfrom أهلpeople of المكارهhateful deeds والرداand ruin
ويأنف من أهل المكاره والردا
So he befriends those endowed with noble virtues and piety,
And shuns those given to hateful deeds and ruin.
مهابتهthe awe he inspires قدindeed شابهاhe mingled it بتواضعwith humility
مهابته قد شابها بتواضع
وشابand he mingled وقاراًdignity فيهin him بالحلمwith forbearance والنداand generosity
وشاب وقاراً فيه بالحلم والندا
He has mingled the awe he inspires with humility,
And blended his dignity with forbearance and generosity.
فدامso may he remain بأوصافwith the attributes of الكمالperfection مجملاًadorned
فدام بأوصاف الكمال مجملاً
ليبقىso that it may endure لهfor him حسنthe excellence of الثناءpraise مؤبداforever
ليبقى له حسن الثناء مؤبدا
So may he remain adorned with the attributes of perfection,
That fair praise of him may endure forever.
ولاand may not برحتcease to be احبابهhis loved ones
ولا برحت احبابه
بمسرةin joy ولاand may not زالcease to be بالحقby the truth المبينmanifest مؤداupheld
بمسرة ولا زال بالحق المبين مؤدا
And may his loved ones ever remain
In joy; and may he ever be upheld by manifest truth.