قَدِمْتَ قدومَ الغادياتِ السَّواجمِ

قَدِمْتَ قدومَ الغادياتِ السَّواجمِ

فبُرِكْتَ من دانٍ إلَينا وقادم

فبُرِكْتَ من دانٍ إلَينا وقادم

You arrived as the pouring morning rainclouds arrive;

You came like the swift-moving attackers,

Blessed be you, drawing near to us and coming.

So you were blessed from Dan to us and back.

طلعتَ طلوعَ البدرِ في غاسق الدُّجى

طلعتَ طلوعَ البدرِ في غاسق الدُّجى

على حالك من غيهب اللَّيل فاحم

على حالك من غيهب اللَّيل فاحم

You rose as the full moon rises in the dark of night,

You rose like the full moon in the darkness of night

Over the inky blackness of night's coal-dark gloom.

In your condition, from the obscurity of night - so welcome!

وأَقبَلْتَ إقبالَ السَّعادةِ كلّها

وأَقبَلْتَ إقبالَ السَّعادةِ كلّها

بأَبلجَ وضَّاحِ الأَسارير باسم

بأَبلجَ وضَّاحِ الأَسارير باسم

You came as all happiness comes,

And you came like the arrival of all good fortune

With a radiant, bright-featured, smiling face.

With shining white teeth and a smiling mouth.

تحفُّ بك الآمال من كلّ جانب

تحفُّ بك الآمال من كلّ جانب

ويحجُبُك الفرسان من كلّ صارم

ويحجُبُك الفرسان من كلّ صارم

Hopes surround you on every side,

Hopes surround you from every side,

And horsemen shield you from every keen blade.

And horsemen guard you from every sharp sword.

فلم تُبْقِ ريقاً ماحلاً ما سقته

فلم تُبْقِ ريقاً ماحلاً ما سقته

فأَخْصَبَ في خفضٍ من العيش ناعم

فأَخْصَبَ في خفضٍ من العيش ناعم

You left no parched mouth unwatered,

You left no saliva that you didn’t water,

And it flourished in a soft, easy life.

So it became lush in the softness of life.

متى شئتَ غادَرْتَ البلاد كأَنَّما

متى شئتَ غادَرْتَ البلاد كأَنَّما

سَقَتْها الغوادي ساجماً بعد ساجم

سَقَتْها الغوادي ساجماً بعد ساجم

Whenever you wished, you left the lands as though

Whenever you wanted, you left the country as if

Morning rainclouds had watered them, shower after shower.

The attackers had watered it, wave after wave.

وإن قُلتَ لم تترك مقالاً لقائل

وإن قُلتَ لم تترك مقالاً لقائل

ولا تختشي في الله لومة لائم

ولا تختشي في الله لومة لائم

If you spoke, you left no speaker anything to say,

And if you say, you left no speech for the speaker,

Nor do you fear, in God's cause, a faultfinder's blame.

And you don’t fear the blame of any blamer in God.

أتيتَ أَتيَّ الغيثِ والغيثُ دونه

أتيتَ أَتيَّ الغيثِ والغيثُ دونه

إذا انهلَّ في أعلامها والمعالم

إذا انهلَّ في أعلامها والمعالم

You came as a rain-fed torrent, and rain itself falls short of it,

You came like rain and the rain is less than you,

When it pours over the land's peaks and landmarks.

When it flows in its flags and landmarks.

وجئتَ بأَبطال الرِّجال تقودُها

وجئتَ بأَبطال الرِّجال تقودُها

أَماثِيلَ سيل العارض المتراكم

أَماثِيلَ سيل العارض المتراكم

You brought heroic men, leading them,

And you came with the heroes of men leading them,

Like the torrent of a massing raincloud.

Statues of the accumulating, gushing torrent.

إذا ائْتَمَرَتْ يوماً بأَمرِكَ بادَرَتْ

إذا ائْتَمَرَتْ يوماً بأَمرِكَ بادَرَتْ

إلى أَمرك العالي بدار الضراغم

إلى أَمرك العالي بدار الضراغم

If one day they take your command, they hasten

Whenever they took counsel one day at your command,

To your lofty command with the rush of lions.

They rushed to carry out your lofty command in Dar Al-Dhiraan.

تَشُكُّ صدور الدَّارعين رماحها

تَشُكُّ صدور الدَّارعين رماحها

فهل كانت الخطيّ سلكاً لناظم

فهل كانت الخطيّ سلكاً لناظم

Their spears pierce the chests of armored men;

The breasts of the armored ones tremble their spears -

Were the Khatt spears a thread for a bead-stringer?

Were the straight ones a path for the composer?

أَعاريبُ ما دانَتْ لسكنى مدينةٍ

أَعاريبُ ما دانَتْ لسكنى مدينةٍ

ولا دَنَّسَتْ أَخلاقَها بالأَعاجم

ولا دَنَّسَتْ أَخلاقَها بالأَعاجم

Desert Arabs who never submitted to dwelling in a city,

Foreigners have settled in the abode of the city,

Nor sullied their character with non-Arabs.

And did not corrupt its morals with foreigners.

مطاعينُ في الهيجا مغاويرُ في الوغى

مطاعينُ في الهيجا مغاويرُ في الوغى

وقائِعُهمْ معلومةٌ في الملاحم

وقائِعُهمْ معلومةٌ في الملاحم

Mighty spear-thrusters in battle, bold raiders in war,

Obedient in the fray, daring in the struggle,

Their encounters are known amid great battles.

And their stances are known in the battles.

ولم يَغْنَموا غير الفخار غَنيمةً

ولم يَغْنَموا غير الفخار غَنيمةً

وما الفخر إلاَّ من أجلِّ المقاسم

وما الفخر إلاَّ من أجلِّ المقاسم

They took no booty but glory,

They gained no booty but pride,

And glory is among the noblest shares of spoil.

And there is no pride but from the equal divider.

لقد زُرْتَ مَنْ لو شكَّ أنْ لا تَزورَهُ

لقد زُرْتَ مَنْ لو شكَّ أنْ لا تَزورَهُ

رأى عزَّه الموجودَ أضغاثَ حالم

رأى عزَّه الموجودَ أضغاثَ حالم

You visited one who, had he suspected you would not visit him,

You visited those who, if it was thought you wouldn't visit them,

Would have thought his present honor a dreamer's tangled dreams.

Saw their existing honor as delusional dreams.

تَشرَّفَ قومٌ أكرَموكَ بِرَغْمهم

تَشرَّفَ قومٌ أكرَموكَ بِرَغْمهم

ومُيِّزتَ فيما بينهم بالعلائم

ومُيِّزتَ فيما بينهم بالعلائم

A people gained honor by honoring you against their will,

A people who honored you despite themselves,

And you were distinguished among them by your insignia.

And you distinguished between them with signs.

لئنْ عدَّدوا تَوفيقَك القومَ نعمةً

لئنْ عدَّدوا تَوفيقَك القومَ نعمةً

فأَنت بحمْد الله فوقَ النعائم

فأَنت بحمْد الله فوقَ النعائم

If they count your bringing the people success a blessing,

If they count your success for the people as a blessing,

You, praise be to God, stand above the Na'a'im stars.

You, praise God, are above blessings.

لهم بك فخرٌ ما بقيتَ لهم به

لهم بك فخرٌ ما بقيتَ لهم به

ولا فخر إلاَّ منك يوماً بدائم

ولا فخر إلاَّ منك يوماً بدائم

Through you they have glory, theirs as long as you remain;

For them in you is pride as long as you remained for them,

No glory but that from you endures even a day.

And no pride but from you always endures.

وقمتَ بأَمرٍ لا يقومُ بمثله

وقمتَ بأَمرٍ لا يقومُ بمثله

سواك وما كلٌّ عليه بقائم

سواك وما كلٌّ عليه بقائم

You undertook a task the like of which cannot be undertaken

And you took on a matter none can take on but you,

By anyone but you; not everyone can perform it.

And not everyone upon it can remain standing.

وقد نُبتَ فينا بعد عيسى وبندر

وقد نُبتَ فينا بعد عيسى وبندر

منابَ الغوادي واللّيوث الضياغم

منابَ الغوادي واللّيوث الضياغم

And you have succeeded Isa and Bandar among us,

You sprouted among us after Jesus and Bandar,

Taking the place of morning showers and fierce lions.

The shelters of the attackers and fierce lions.

وما هدم الله البناءَ الَّذي بهم

وما هدم الله البناءَ الَّذي بهم

وأنْتَ لهُمْ بَيتٌ رفيع الدعائم

وأنْتَ لهُمْ بَيتٌ رفيع الدعائم

God has not razed the edifice built through them,

And God did not destroy the building that they represent,

And you are their house, with lofty pillars.

And you are for them a lofty, well-founded house.

وما أخْلَفَتْ تلك النجومُ بصيّبٍ

وما أخْلَفَتْ تلك النجومُ بصيّبٍ

من المُزنِ مرجوٍّ بتلك المواسم

من المُزنِ مرجوٍّ بتلك المواسم

Nor have those stars failed to bring a downpour

And those stars did not fail to shower with rain

From the clouds, hoped for in those seasons.

Of desires, hoped for in those seasons.

فقد صُلْتَ حتَّى خافك الحتف نفسُهُ

فقد صُلْتَ حتَّى خافك الحتف نفسُهُ

وما استعْصمَ المفراق منك بعاصم

وما استعْصمَ المفراق منك بعاصم

You charged until Death itself feared you,

So you came until death itself feared you,

Nor did the timid find refuge from you in any protector.

And the parting had no invincible defender against you.

وبارَزْتَ حتَّى لم تجد من مبارزٍ

وبارَزْتَ حتَّى لم تجد من مبارزٍ

وصادَمْتَ حتَّى لم تجد من مصادم

وصادَمْتَ حتَّى لم تجد من مصادم

You fought duels until you found no one to duel you,

And you fought until you found no challenger,

And clashed until you found no one to oppose you.

And collided until you found no collider.

وأَرْغَمْتَ آناف الخطوب فأَدبَرَتْ

وأَرْغَمْتَ آناف الخطوب فأَدبَرَتْ

بذلَّةِ مرغومٍ لعزَّةِ راغم

بذلَّةِ مرغومٍ لعزَّةِ راغم

You rubbed adversity's noses in the dust, and it retreated

You subdued the noses of calamities, so they retreated

In the abasement of the humbled before his humbler's might.

In the humiliation of one suppressed, to the honor of a subduer.

فلم نرَ من صرف الزَّمان محارباً

فلم نرَ من صرف الزَّمان محارباً

تنازله الأَرزاء غير مسالم

تنازله الأَرزاء غير مسالم

We have seen no warrior amid Time's reversals

So we did not see time turn back a warrior

Who, assailed by calamities, does not make peace.

That the cedars conceded to other than peacefully.

إذا كنتَ للمظلوم في الدَّهر ناصراً

إذا كنتَ للمظلوم في الدَّهر ناصراً

فما صالَ هذا الدَّهر صولة ظالم

فما صالَ هذا الدَّهر صولة ظالم

If you are the oppressed one's champion in this age,

If you support the oppressed in the world,

Then Time does not attack with a tyrant's onslaught.

Then this world never raged with injustice.

بَسَطْتُمْ يداً في بطنها نَيْلُ نائل

بَسَطْتُمْ يداً في بطنها نَيْلُ نائل

وفي ظهرها طول المدى لثم لاثم

وفي ظهرها طول المدى لثم لاثم

You stretched out a hand whose palm holds the receiver's gain,

You extended a hand whose attainment was abundant,

And whose back bears a kisser's kiss for all time.

And whose reach in its back was far-extending and adhesive.

نشَرتُمْ بها أخبارَ كعب وحاتم

نشَرتُمْ بها أخبارَ كعب وحاتم

وقد طُوِيَتْ أخبارُ كعب وحاتم

وقد طُوِيَتْ أخبارُ كعب وحاتم

Through it you unfolded the tales of Ka'b and Hatim,

You spread by it news of Ka’b and Hatem there,

Though the tales of Ka'b and Hatim had been folded away.

Though the news of Ka’b and Hatem has been folded up.

نزلتم على الشمّ الرعاف منازلاً

نزلتم على الشمّ الرعاف منازلاً

غواربَ أعلام العُلى والمناسم

غواربَ أعلام العُلى والمناسم

You made your dwellings upon the lofty, jutting heights,

You descended, high flags, to Al-Shum the drencher,

At the crests of glory's peaks and summits.

Ships of the highest signs and milestones.

رَقِيتُم بأطراف المعالي معالياً

رَقِيتُم بأطراف المعالي معالياً

من المجد ما لا تُرقى بالسَّلالم

من المجد ما لا تُرقى بالسَّلالم

You climbed along the ridges of excellence to heights

You ascended by way of the summits to yet higher summits,

Of glory that cannot be climbed by ladders.

Of glory, which cannot be ascended by ladders.

مَغانيكُمُ للوافدين مغانمٌ

مَغانيكُمُ للوافدين مغانمٌ

فأَكرِمْ بهاتيك المغاني المغانم

فأَكرِمْ بهاتيك المغاني المغانم

Your abodes are rich gains for those who come;

Your songs are spoils for the visitors -

How noble those abodes, those rich gains!

So reward with those songs the spoils!

أرى النَّاس أَفواجاً إلى ضَوْءِ نارِكم

أرى النَّاس أَفواجاً إلى ضَوْءِ نارِكم

حِثاث المطايا عاليات العزائم

حِثاث المطايا عاليات العزائم

I see people in throngs heading for the light of your fire,

I see the people in droves to the light of your fire,

With swift mounts and lofty resolves.

Riders of mounts, lofty in determination.

فمِنْ مُعْتَفٍ يرجو سماحةَ سيِّدٍ

فمِنْ مُعْتَفٍ يرجو سماحةَ سيِّدٍ

ومن ضارعٍ يرجو تعَطُّفَ راحم

ومن ضارعٍ يرجو تعَطُّفَ راحم

Some are seekers hoping for a lord's generosity,

So from a well-known person hoping for the generosity of a lord,

And some supplicants hoping for a merciful one's compassion.

And from a plaintiff hoping for the compassion of a merciful one.

نَعَمْ هذه للطارقين بيوتكم

نَعَمْ هذه للطارقين بيوتكم

بيوت المعالي والندى والمكارم

بيوت المعالي والندى والمكارم

Yes, these are your houses for those who knock by night,

Yes, your homes are for the comers -

Houses of eminence, bounty, and noble deeds.

Homes of glory, dew, and generosity.

غياثٌ لملهوفٍ وأمنٌ لخائفٍ

غياثٌ لملهوفٍ وأمنٌ لخائفٍ

ومأوًى لمأمونٍ ووِرْدٌ لحائم

ومأوًى لمأمونٍ ووِرْدٌ لحائم

Relief for the distressed, and safety for the fearful,

Rescue for the anguished, and safety for the fearful,

And shelter for the trusted, and a watering place for one circling in thirst.

Refuge for the protected, and meadow for the seeker.

منازل لم ينزل بها غير ماجد

منازل لم ينزل بها غير ماجد

كريم السَّجايا من قروم أكارم

كريم السَّجايا من قروم أكارم

Dwellings where none has lodged but a noble man,

Abodes none has inhabited but the glorious,

Generous in character, from the noblest chiefs.

Noble in nature, from generous clans.

وقد سُدْتُم السَّادات بأساً ونائلاً

وقد سُدْتُم السَّادات بأساً ونائلاً

بفضلٍ وإحسانٍ ورمحٍ وصارم

بفضلٍ وإحسانٍ ورمحٍ وصارم

You have surpassed the lords in valor and bounty,

You closed off the masters with power and attainment

Through merit and kindness, spear and keen blade.

With favor, benevolence, spears, and swords.

فلا تحفِلُوا من بعد هذا بقاعدٍ

فلا تحفِلُوا من بعد هذا بقاعدٍ

كما لم تبالوا إنْ قَعَدْتُم بقائم

كما لم تبالوا إنْ قَعَدْتُم بقائم

So, after this, heed no man who sits idle,

So do not care after this for one who sits back

Just as, when you sat, you cared nothing for one who stood.

As you did not care if you yourselves sat back.

فلا يَحْسَبَنْ من لم ترعه سيوفكم

فلا يَحْسَبَنْ من لم ترعه سيوفكم

إطاعتكم عن ريبةٍ حكمَ حاكم

إطاعتكم عن ريبةٍ حكمَ حاكم

Let no one whom your swords did not frighten mistake

And let not one whose blood your swords did not spill

Your obedience, out of suspicion, for a ruler's decree.

Think your obedience was out of fear of a ruler.

فلم تكُ إلاَّ طاعةً وتَفَضُّلاً

فلم تكُ إلاَّ طاعةً وتَفَضُّلاً

على من لكم من مثله ألف خادم

على من لكم من مثله ألف خادم

It was nothing but obedience and gracious favor

For it was nothing but obedience and favor

Toward one like whom you have a thousand servants.

Upon one for whom you have a thousand servants.

فكان رضاه ما رضيتم لحزمه

فكان رضاه ما رضيتم لحزمه

وليس الَّذي يأبى رضاكم بحازم

وليس الَّذي يأبى رضاكم بحازم

In his prudence, he approved whatever you approved,

So his pleasure was what pleased you for his decisiveness,

And he who rejects your approval is not prudent.

And one who rejects your pleasure cannot decide.

فلو قارعتكم منه يوماً قوارعٌ

فلو قارعتكم منه يوماً قوارعٌ

لأَصبَحَ منكم قارعاً سنَّ نادم

لأَصبَحَ منكم قارعاً سنَّ نادم

Had his blows ever clashed with you,

If calamities from him one day collided with you,

He would, because of you, have been tapping his tooth in regret.

He would wake to be a collider full of regret.

رَأَتْ عينُه من بأسكم بعض رؤية

رَأَتْ عينُه من بأسكم بعض رؤية

فكانت له إذ ذاك إيقاظ نائم

فكانت له إذ ذاك إيقاظ نائم

His eye caught but a glimpse of your might,

His eye saw some of your might

And that was for him the waking of a sleeper,

And it was for him then an awakening of a sleeper.

إذ استعظمت ما قد رأت وأراعها

إذ استعظمت ما قد رأت وأراعها

جلال عظيم في الأُمور العظائم

جلال عظيم في الأُمور العظائم

As it found what it had seen immense and was struck with fear

For it saw as momentous what it had seen and startled it

By great majesty amid mighty affairs.

The majesty of tremendous things in tremendous affairs.

وما قد رأى الرَّاؤون آل محمَّد

وما قد رأى الرَّاؤون آل محمَّد

نظيراً لكم في عصرها المتقادم

نظيراً لكم في عصرها المتقادم

Never have observers seen, O house of Muhammad,

And nothing the beholders from Muhammad’s family saw

An equal to you in its long-past age.

Resembled you in its elapsed ages.

وجوهٌ كما لاحَ الصَّباحُ مضيئة

وجوهٌ كما لاحَ الصَّباحُ مضيئة

وأيدٍ ولكن فوقَ أيدي الغمائم

وأيدٍ ولكن فوقَ أيدي الغمائم

Faces shining as dawn shines forth,

Faces shining like the dawn when it gleamed,

And hands—but higher than the hands of rainclouds.

And hands - but above the hands of clouds.

وبيضٌ حِدادٌ جُرِّدَتْ بأكُفِّكم

وبيضٌ حِدادٌ جُرِّدَتْ بأكُفِّكم

فأَغْمَدْتُموها في الحشا والجماجم

فأَغْمَدْتُموها في الحشا والجماجم

And sharp white blades, drawn by your hands,

And a white-hot iron unsheathed by your palms

Then you sheathed them in entrails and skulls.

Which you sheathed in skulls and bodies.

تنوح على القتلى غداة صليلها

تنوح على القتلى غداة صليلها

نواحَ حِمامٍ لا نواح الحمائم

نواحَ حِمامٍ لا نواح الحمائم

They lament over the slain when their clang rings out,

It laments the dead the morning after its clash

With Death's lament, not the lament of doves.

With the laments of a dove - not the laments of doves.

إذا ابتَسَمَتْ والقرمُ تدمى كلومُهُ

إذا ابتَسَمَتْ والقرمُ تدمى كلومُهُ

بكَتْ بدمٍ قانٍ بتلك المباسم

بكَتْ بدمٍ قانٍ بتلك المباسم

When they smile while the champion's wounds bleed,

When it smiled as it bloodied the polytheists’ wounds,

They weep deep-red blood through those smiling mouths.

It wept with sincere blood by those smiles.

حَمَيْتَ بها أرضَ العراق وأهلَهُ

حَمَيْتَ بها أرضَ العراق وأهلَهُ

وسوَّرْتُموها بالقنا والصَّوارم

وسوَّرْتُموها بالقنا والصَّوارم

With them you defended Iraq's land and its people,

With it you protected Iraq’s land and its people,

And walled it round with spears and keen swords.

And fortified them with spears and swords.

فَدَتْكَ ملوكٌ لا يُرَجّى نوالها

فَدَتْكَ ملوكٌ لا يُرَجّى نوالها

وما لاحَ منها برق جود لشايم

وما لاحَ منها برق جود لشايم

May kings whose gifts no one hopes for be your ransom,

Kings ransom themselves, whose attainment is not hoped for,

Nor has lightning of generosity flashed from them for a watcher.

And from which no flash of generosity appeared for the reprehensible.

قد اجتنبت هذي الملوك الَّتي ترى

قد اجتنبت هذي الملوك الَّتي ترى

مطامع راجيها اجتناب المحارم

مطامع راجيها اجتناب المحارم

These kings whom you see have indeed shunned

You avoided those kings which you see

Their petitioners' hopes as one shuns forbidden things.

Avoid the ambition of those who seek them improperly.

أما والَّذي أعطاكَ ما أنتَ أَهْلُهُ

أما والَّذي أعطاكَ ما أنتَ أَهْلُهُ

وولاّك في الدُّنيا رقاب العوالم

وولاّك في الدُّنيا رقاب العوالم

Indeed, by Him who gave you what you deserve

By the One who gave you what you deserve,

And gave you rule in this world over the necks of all peoples,

And made you sovereign over the worlds!

لوَ انِّي اسْتَغْنَيْتُ عن سائر الورى

لوَ انِّي اسْتَغْنَيْتُ عن سائر الورى

فَوِرْدي إذَنْ من بحريَ المتلاطم

فَوِرْدي إذَنْ من بحريَ المتلاطم

Were I to need none of the rest of humankind,

If I could do without the rest of creation,

My draught would then be from my own surging sea.

My meadow then would be from my surging sea.

فما قلتُ بيتاً في سواك ولا جرى

فما قلتُ بيتاً في سواك ولا جرى

به قلمي يوماً بمدح ابن آدم

به قلمي يوماً بمدح ابن آدم

I have composed no verse about anyone but you, nor has

So I have not said a verse but about you alone,

My pen ever run with a verse in praise of a son of Adam.

Nor did my pen one day flow with praise of a human.

فعش سالماً واسلمْ لنا ولغيرنا

فعش سالماً واسلمْ لنا ولغيرنا

فما المجد إلاَّ ما سَلِمتَ بسالم

فما المجد إلاَّ ما سَلِمتَ بسالم

So live unharmed, and stay safe for us and for others;

So live in peace and submit to us and others,

For glory itself is safe only while you are safe.

For glory is nothing but what you attained safely.