1. لنا البشرى فأهل الربع عادوا

    فلا يُلقى لهم أبداً بعادُ

    Glad tidings are ours, for the folk of the abode have returned.

    So may separation never befall them.

  2. وولّت دولة الأوباش عنا

    وزال الرّوع واندفع الفساد

    The rabble's rule has passed away from us,

    Terror has vanished, and corruption has been driven away.

  3. وقد دخل السرور بكل قلبٍ

    له بجناب باريه استناد

    Joy has entered every heart

    That finds support at its Maker's side.

  4. وبعد الخوف صار لنا أمان

    فلذَّ لنا ببغداد الرقاد

    After fear, safety has become ours,

    And sleep in Baghdad has grown sweet to us.

  5. وألقينا السلاح ولا نبالي

    لأن عتاة أهل الجور بادوا

    We have laid down our weapons and feel no concern,

    For the tyrants among the unjust have perished.

  6. وقد حييَ الأمان وكان ميتاً

    كما يحيا بوسميٍّ عِراد

    Safety has come back to life, though it was dead,

    As ʿirād shrubs revive with the first seasonal rain.

  7. وكيف وذا أبو حسنٍ عليٌّ

    أتانا والياً وهو المراد

    How could it be otherwise, when here is Abu Hasan, Ali,

    Come to us as governor, the very man desired?

  8. همامٌ باسلٌ ندبٌ مغيثٌ

    شجاعٌ كاملٌ بطلٌ جوادُ

    High-spirited, valiant, ready to serve, a giver of relief,

    Brave, accomplished, heroic, and generous.

  9. كريم النفس محمود السجايا

    وليس لعرفه أبداً نفاد

    Noble of soul and praised for his character,

    His bounty never comes to an end.

  10. أخو هممٍ إذا جاشت أرته

    محيط البحر شيئاً يستفاد

    A man of high ambitions that, when they surge, show him

    The vast ocean as a thing to be gained.

  11. فلو رام السماء بها أتاها

    سريعاً كيف رِيمَت بلاد

    If through them he sought the sky, he would reach it

    Swiftly—how much more so when lands are sought!

  12. وآراءٍ يَقُدّ بها الرواسي

    وتدبير يلازمه الرشاد

    And counsels with which he cleaves the rooted mountains,

    And planning that sound guidance always accompanies.

  13. لقد أغناه قدماً عن جموع

    مضاعفةٍ يضيق بها العداد

    It has long spared him the need for armies

    Multiplied beyond the reach of counting.

  14. فكيف وحوله صفّت أسودٌ

    تهيب الأُسدَ إن حضر الطِّراد

    How much more so, when lions stand arrayed around him,

    Making lions tremble when the clash of battle comes?

  15. وتضبح بالبنادق وهي غرثى

    كأن لها الوغى سنةٌ جماد

    They snort with their muskets, ravenous,

    As though warfare were a year of drought to them.

  16. فتهرب منهم الأبطال ذعراً

    كأن بوجهها نبت الجساد

    So champions flee from them in terror,

    As though saffron had grown upon their faces.

  17. تعلّمتِ الجسارة من جسور

    على الهيجاء إذ حان البداد

    They learned daring from a daring man

    In battle, when the hour of single combat came.

  18. فيا فخر الكرام ولا أحاشي

    ويا نور الأنام به تهادوا

    O pride of the noble—I except no one—

    O light of mankind, by which they guide one another!

  19. وأورث عدلك الأيام نوراً

    فكان شباب مفرقها السواد

    Your justice has bequeathed light to the days,

    So blackness became the youth of their hair-parting.

  20. لقد رضيت شمائلك الليالي

    لذاك يُرى لعاصيها انقياد

    The nights have been pleased with your virtues;

    Thus even their defiant ones are seen to submit.

  21. ومارست الحروب فكل حرب

    عُوان جاءها منك الولاد

    You have practiced warfare, so every war

    Is seasoned, having known childbirth through you.

  22. فكم قطّرتَ في الهيجاء قرماً

    وكم بدّدت جمعاً يستجاد

    How many a champion have you felled in battle,

    And how many a prized host have you scattered!

  23. وحزت على سنام المجد حقاً

    وغيرك قد ترامته الوهاد

    You have truly attained the summit of glory,

    While the lowlands have tossed others to and fro.

  24. وقد فُقت الملوك الصيد فخراً

    ونُفت على الألى للمجد شادوا

    You have surpassed the proud kings in glory,

    And risen above those who built up glory.

  25. ونلتَ وزارة جاءتك طوعاً

    لها بعليّ جانبك اتحاد

    You attained a vizierate that came to you willingly,

    It is united with your exalted station.

  26. وأنت لها عدا الأقران أهل

    وأنت لبيتِ نجدتها العماد

    You alone among your peers are worthy of it,

    And you are the pillar of its house of valor.

  27. وأنت لكل خطبٍ عونُ صدقٍ

    وأنت لكل فاتحة خماد

    You are a faithful help in every crisis,

    And you quench every outbreak.

  28. وأنت لأهل بغداد حياة

    كما يحيي الربى المطر العهاد

    You are life to the people of Baghdad,

    As recurrent rain revives the hills.

  29. فمرتعنا بعدلك كل خصبٍ

    ومرتع صاحب الجور القتاد

    Through your justice, all our pasture is lush,

    While the oppressor's pasture is thorn trees.

  30. بك الوزراء تمّ لهم فخار

    كما قد تمّ بالعين القلاد

    Through you, the viziers' glory is complete,

    As necklaces are completed by the central gem.

  31. فأنت لمجدهم حصن حصين

    وأنت لرأس عزّهم الضماد

    You are an impregnable fortress for their glory,

    And the binding upon the head of their honor.

  32. وإني قد مدحتك غير غالٍ

    ولا دأبي بمدحي الاقتصاد

    I have praised you without exaggeration,

    Yet restraint in praise is not my habit.

  33. ولكن عُشر عُشر المدح فيما

    يخصك لا يحيط به مداد

    But even a tenth of a tenth of the praise for what

    Pertains to you cannot be encompassed by ink.

  34. أبا حسنٍ لك البشرى وإنّا

    لنا الأفراح أيتها العباد

    Abu Hasan, glad tidings are yours, and as for us—

    Joys are ours, O servants!

  35. أزِل عنا الشقا فرداً وأرّخ

    بسعدك قد تمهّدت البلاد

    Banish misery from us, singly, and record the date:

    Through your good fortune, the lands have grown tranquil.

  36. فلا يُلقى لهم أبداً بعادُ

    وولّت دولة الأوباش عنا

    So may separation never befall them.

    The rabble's rule has passed away from us,

  37. وزال الرّوع واندفع الفساد

    وقد دخل السرور بكل قلبٍ

    Terror has vanished, and corruption has been driven away.

    Joy has entered every heart

  38. له بجناب باريه استناد

    وبعد الخوف صار لنا أمان

    That finds support at its Maker's side.

    After fear, safety has become ours,

  39. فلذَّ لنا ببغداد الرقاد

    وألقينا السلاح ولا نبالي

    And sleep in Baghdad has grown sweet to us.

    We have laid down our weapons and feel no concern,

  40. لأن عتاة أهل الجور بادوا

    وقد حييَ الأمان وكان ميتاً

    For the tyrants among the unjust have perished.

    Safety has come back to life, though it was dead,

  41. كما يحيا بوسميٍّ عِراد

    وكيف وذا أبو حسنٍ عليٌّ

    As ʿirād shrubs revive with the first seasonal rain.

    How could it be otherwise, when here is Abu Hasan, Ali,

  42. أتانا والياً وهو المراد

    همامٌ باسلٌ ندبٌ مغيثٌ

    Come to us as governor, the very man desired?

    High-spirited, valiant, ready to serve, a giver of relief,

  43. شجاعٌ كاملٌ بطلٌ جوادُ

    كريم النفس محمود السجايا

    Brave, accomplished, heroic, and generous.

    Noble of soul and praised for his character,

  44. وليس لعرفه أبداً نفاد

    أخو هممٍ إذا جاشت أرته

    His bounty never comes to an end.

    A man of high ambitions that, when they surge, show him

  45. محيط البحر شيئاً يستفاد

    فلو رام السماء بها أتاها

    The vast ocean as a thing to be gained.

    If through them he sought the sky, he would reach it

  46. سريعاً كيف رِيمَت بلاد

    وآراءٍ يَقُدّ بها الرواسي

    Swiftly—how much more so when lands are sought!

    And counsels with which he cleaves the rooted mountains,

  47. وتدبير يلازمه الرشاد

    لقد أغناه قدماً عن جموع

    And planning that sound guidance always accompanies.

    It has long spared him the need for armies

  48. مضاعفةٍ يضيق بها العداد

    فكيف وحوله صفّت أسودٌ

    Multiplied beyond the reach of counting.

    How much more so, when lions stand arrayed around him,

  49. تهيب الأُسدَ إن حضر الطِّراد

    وتضبح بالبنادق وهي غرثى

    Making lions tremble when the clash of battle comes?

    They snort with their muskets, ravenous,

  50. كأن لها الوغى سنةٌ جماد

    فتهرب منهم الأبطال ذعراً

    As though warfare were a year of drought to them.

    So champions flee from them in terror,

  51. كأن بوجهها نبت الجساد

    تعلّمتِ الجسارة من جسور

    As though saffron had grown upon their faces.

    They learned daring from a daring man

  52. على الهيجاء إذ حان البداد

    فيا فخر الكرام ولا أحاشي

    In battle, when the hour of single combat came.

    O pride of the noble—I except no one—

  53. ويا نور الأنام به تهادوا

    وأورث عدلك الأيام نوراً

    O light of mankind, by which they guide one another!

    Your justice has bequeathed light to the days,

  54. فكان شباب مفرقها السواد

    لقد رضيت شمائلك الليالي

    So blackness became the youth of their hair-parting.

    The nights have been pleased with your virtues;

  55. لذاك يُرى لعاصيها انقياد

    ومارست الحروب فكل حرب

    Thus even their defiant ones are seen to submit.

    You have practiced warfare, so every war

  56. عُوان جاءها منك الولاد

    فكم قطّرتَ في الهيجاء قرماً

    Is seasoned, having known childbirth through you.

    How many a champion have you felled in battle,

  57. وكم بدّدت جمعاً يستجاد

    وحزت على سنام المجد حقاً

    And how many a prized host have you scattered!

    You have truly attained the summit of glory,

  58. وغيرك قد ترامته الوهاد

    وقد فُقت الملوك الصيد فخراً

    While the lowlands have tossed others to and fro.

    You have surpassed the proud kings in glory,

  59. ونُفت على الألى للمجد شادوا

    ونلتَ وزارة جاءتك طوعاً

    And risen above those who built up glory.

    You attained a vizierate that came to you willingly,

  60. لها بعليّ جانبك اتحاد

    وأنت لها عدا الأقران أهل

    It is united with your exalted station.

    You alone among your peers are worthy of it,

  61. وأنت لبيتِ نجدتها العماد

    وأنت لكل خطبٍ عونُ صدقٍ

    And you are the pillar of its house of valor.

    You are a faithful help in every crisis,

  62. وأنت لكل فاتحة خماد

    وأنت لأهل بغداد حياة

    And you quench every outbreak.

    You are life to the people of Baghdad,

  63. كما يحيي الربى المطر العهاد

    فمرتعنا بعدلك كل خصبٍ

    As recurrent rain revives the hills.

    Through your justice, all our pasture is lush,

  64. ومرتع صاحب الجور القتاد

    بك الوزراء تمّ لهم فخار

    While the oppressor's pasture is thorn trees.

    Through you, the viziers' glory is complete,

  65. كما قد تمّ بالعين القلاد

    فأنت لمجدهم حصن حصين

    As necklaces are completed by the central gem.

    You are an impregnable fortress for their glory,

  66. وأنت لرأس عزّهم الضماد

    وإني قد مدحتك غير غالٍ

    And the binding upon the head of their honor.

    I have praised you without exaggeration,

  67. ولا دأبي بمدحي الاقتصاد

    ولكن عُشر عُشر المدح فيما

    Yet restraint in praise is not my habit.

    But even a tenth of a tenth of the praise for what

  68. يخصك لا يحيط به مداد

    أبا حسنٍ لك البشرى وإنّا

    Pertains to you cannot be encompassed by ink.

    Abu Hasan, glad tidings are yours, and as for us—

  69. لنا الأفراح أيتها العباد

    أزِل عنا الشقا فرداً وأرّخ

    Joys are ours, O servants!

    Banish misery from us, singly, and record the date:

  70. بسعدك قد تمهّدت البلاد

    Through your good fortune, the lands have grown tranquil.