1. لك البشر حمداً فالورى لك تَشكُرُ

    ولا زِلتَ بالإقبال والرعب تُنصَرُ

    Glad tidings to you, with praise, for humankind gives you thanks.

    And may good fortune and terror ever bring you victory.

  2. ولا برح الجيش الذي أنت قلبُه

    يكرُّ على الأعداء قهراً ويكسرُ

    And may the army whose heart you are never cease

    charging upon enemies, overpowering and breaking them.

  3. فكم مفخرٍ فُقتَ الملوك به ولم

    يكن مثل هذا المفخر اليوم مفخرُ

    How many a glory has seen you surpass kings! No

    glory today is like this glory.

  4. رقيتَ إلى أوج المعالي بهِمَّةٍ

    تَهُدُّ بها رضوى وإن شئتَ تعمرُ

    You ascended to the summit of noble heights through a resolve

    with which you could raze Radwa and, if you wished, rebuild it.

  5. ويكسر كسرى نفسه عند ذكرها

    ويقصر عن إدراك شأوك قيصرُ

    And Kisra humbles himself at its mention,

    and Caesar falls short of reaching your stature.

  6. فمن يبلغُ الخُنكار أن وزيره

    ظهيرٌ له فيما يروم مُظَفَّرُ

    Who, then, will tell the Khunkar that his vizier

    is his victorious supporter in whatever he seeks?

  7. به حوزة الزوراء تم أمانها

    ولولاه كانت لا تزال تُكدَّرُ

    Through him the domain of al-Zawra has gained complete security;

    without him it would have remained troubled.

  8. فكلُّ وزير في المكارم دونه

    وكل كبيرٍ عند علياه يَصغُرُ

    Every vizier falls below him in noble deeds,

    and every great man grows small beside his lofty rank.

  9. له شيم محمودة فكأنها

    كواكب في برج المكارم تَزهَرُ

    He has praiseworthy traits, as though they were

    stars shining in the constellation of noble virtues.

  10. كريمٌ فلا برق الأماني بخُلَّبٍ

    لديه ولا مُستريح الرِّفدِ يُذكر

    Generous: the lightning of hopes is no rainless flash

    with him; nor is any rest from giving ever spoken of.

  11. كميٌّ إذا ما صالَ يذكرُ رستمٌ

    به إذا ما جالَ يذكر عنترُ

    An armored champion: when he charges, Rustam is recalled

    through him; when he ranges through battle, Antar is recalled.

  12. ويسطو فتلقاه لدى الكَرِّ ناظماً

    عِداه وفي التجوال تلقاه ينثر

    He strikes, and in the charge you find him stringing

    his foes together; as he ranges, you find him scattering them.

  13. فيخضر هندي له وهو أبيض

    ويحمر خطى له وهو أسمر

    His Indian blade turns green, though it is white,

    and his Khatti spear turns red, though it is brown.

  14. ويغرق في بحر القتام مجالداً

    فواعجباً في الكرِّ تغرق أبحرُ

    He is submerged in the sea of battle-dust, fighting—

    what wonder! In the charge, seas themselves drown!

  15. له راحةٌ في السِّلم جنَّةُ مُعدَمٍ

    وفي الحرب نارٌ للعدو تَسَعَّرُ

    His palm in peace is a destitute man's paradise,

    and in war a fire blazing for the enemy.

  16. عصوه بنو ماء السماء وخَيَّلوا

    بأنفسهم نصراً عليه وزوَّروا

    The sons of Ma' al-Sama disobeyed him and imagined

    victory over him for themselves, and fabricated lies.

  17. وقادهم عثمان ظناً بأنه

    برأي سليم لا محالة يُنصَرُ

    Uthman led them, supposing that he

    would surely gain victory through Salim's counsel.

  18. وسار بهم جيشاً يضيق به الفضا

    خميساً عظيماً لا يُعد ويُحصرُ

    He marched with them as an army that made open space seem narrow,

    a mighty host, beyond numbering or reckoning.

  19. ورامَ بهم دار السلام وأنه

    يقاتل مولانا الوزير ويقهرُ

    With them he sought Dar al-Salam, hoping

    to fight our lord the vizier and overcome him.

  20. وعن دولة الإسلام قد حاد عاصياً

    مطيعاً هواه فهو ينهى ويأمرُ

    He strayed from the state of Islam in rebellion,

    obeying his desires; thus he forbids and commands.

  21. وعزَّ بأوباش اللئام وجنده

    وقد ذَلَّ إلا أنّه ليس يشعر

    He took strength from a rabble of scoundrels and his troops,

    though he was abased, yet did not perceive it.

  22. وخان أمين الدين كفراً لحقِّهِ

    وهان وهل من مثله الصِّدقُ يؤثرُ

    He betrayed Amin al-Din, denying his due,

    and was disgraced. Is truthfulness ever reported of his like?

  23. وشَقَّ العصا لما عصى فسليمه

    عليل الحِجى يغزو النواحي وياسر

    He split the staff of concord when he rebelled; his Salim

    is sick in judgment, raiding the regions and taking captives.

  24. ومذ بلغ المغوار اخبار غدره

    نحاه كما ينحو الفريسة قَسوَر

    When news of his treachery reached the daring warrior,

    he went for him as a lion goes for its prey.

  25. وقام إليه مسرعاً من عرينه

    بأشباله والعزم يحدو ويزجر

    He rose swiftly from his lair to confront him,

    with his cubs, while resolve urged them onward and spurred them.

  26. وسار ورايات القبول تؤمّه

    لديها من الأملاك قد صُفَّ عسكر

    He marched, with banners of favor leading him,

    beside which an army of angels stood arrayed.

  27. بجيش قَبولُ النصر صار مُهللاً

    لديه وأرواح السرور تُكَبِّرُ

    With an army: victory's east wind began chanting God's oneness

    before it, while spirits of joy proclaimed, 'God is greatest!'

  28. وأسد عرين في الوغى قد تعودت

    صيالاً إذ جل الكماة تأخروا

    And lions of the lair, accustomed in battle

    to charging when most armored champions fell back.

  29. لديهم صليل السيف نغمة شادنٍ

    وخمر دِما الأعداء في الحرب مُسكِرُ

    For them, the clash of swords is a young gazelle's melody,

    and the wine of enemies' blood in war is intoxicating.

  30. لذاك تراهم يطربون لدى الوغى

    فكلٌ يُرى في رحبها يتبخترُ

    Thus you see them exulting amid battle,

    each seen strutting in its broad expanse.

  31. ويحمي من السرحان شلو قتيلهم

    نصالٌ صحيحٌ مارقٌ ومكسّرُ

    And the remains of their slain are shielded from the wolf by

    blades—whole, protruding, and broken.

  32. فقادهم جيشاً تسيل بمدِّه

    بطاح بني ماء السماء وتَجزر

    He led them as an army whose swelling tide flooded

    the plains of the sons of Ma' al-Sama, then ebbed.

  33. تفرقت الأكراد قبل وصولهم

    ومن ذا على حوض المهالك يَقدِر

    The Kurds scattered before their arrival,

    and who could brave the pool of death?

  34. فولى سليم هارباً لا تلمُّه

    حصونٌ حصيناتٌ له وهو يذعر

    Salim turned and fled, finding no shelter

    in his strong fortresses, as he fled in terror

  35. إلى الجاف خافٍ نفسه خيفة وان

    يراكم بطيفٍ قلبه يتفطر

    to the Jaf, hiding himself in fear; and if

    he sees you even in a dream, his heart splits apart.

  36. فبُعداً له من غادر في غواية

    وسحقاً له من ماكرٍ حيث يمكرُ

    Away with him, a traitor steeped in error!

    And ruin upon him, a schemer wherever he schemes!

  37. وأصبح لا يسطيع مكثاً بأرضه

    فولى فراراً وهو يعدو ويعثر

    He could no longer remain in his own land,

    and turned in flight, running and stumbling.

  38. وقد أدركته في الجلاد سريةٌ

    تهاب المنايا من لِقاها وتذعر

    A detachment overtook him in combat,

    one that Death itself fears to meet and trembles before.

  39. فجالَدَهم بالتابعين له كما

    يجالد عن أنفاسه من سَيُقبَرُ

    He fought them with his followers, as

    one destined for the grave fights to preserve his breath.

  40. فلما رأى أن الجلاد يزيدهم

    ضِراماً وألفى جنده قد تقهقروا

    When he saw that combat increased their

    blazing ardor, and found his troops had fallen back,

  41. تولّى حصاراً مستعيناً بحصنه

    فأصبح محصوراً وقد رام يحصر

    he took to fortified shelter, relying on his fortress;

    and became besieged, though he had meant to besiege.

  42. فجيء به والسيف يلمع فوقه

    أسيراً وأنيابُ المنيّة تكشر

    He was brought forth, a sword gleaming above him,

    a captive, while death bared its fangs.

  43. فلاقى نِكالاً حيث طيَّرَ رأسه

    حسامٌ يريه الموت ساعة يُشهَرُ

    He met exemplary punishment when his head was sent flying by

    a keen sword that showed him death the moment it was drawn.

  44. كذلك قوجٌ حيث حل بإربل

    ورام حصاراً فيه ينجو ويحذر

    Likewise Qoj, when he settled in Erbil,

    sought fortified shelter, to survive there and stay alert.

  45. وقد ظنَّ ينجيه من الحتف معقلٌ

    حصين ويحميه من الفَتكِ عسكر

    He thought a stronghold would save him from death,

    a secure one, and an army would shield him from slaughter.

  46. فلم يُجده نفعاً له كونُ حصينه

    على قُنَّةٍ ملساء لا تُتَسَوَّرُ

    But it did him no good that his fortress stood

    upon a smooth peak that could not be scaled,

  47. تُناجِم أعلى النجم سمكاً ورفعةً

    وتزهو على الشِّعرى العبورِ وتفخرُ

    vying with the highest of the stars in height and elevation,

    and vaunting itself above Sirius, the Crossing Star, and boasting.

  48. فحفوا به والشهب منه تزايدت

    وحاصوا عليه ساعةً فَتَسَوَّروا

    They encircled it, while shooting stars from it multiplied,

    and wheeled around it awhile, then scaled its walls.

  49. وصار رئيس المفسدين مجندلاً

    وجوزي عما كان يعثو ويغدر

    The leader of the corrupters lay felled,

    repaid for the havoc and treachery he had wrought.

  50. وأصبح عيد الفطر أضحى لأنه

    تُضحّى به شوس الفساد وتُنحَر

    Eid al-Fitr became Eid al-Adha, because

    the fierce champions of corruption are sacrificed and slaughtered on it.

  51. فبشرى لنا فالنصر حل مؤرخاً

    بفتح يقول الحرُّ اللَه أكبر

    Glad tidings to us: victory has come, its date recorded

    in a conquest of which the free man says, 'God is greatest!'