شمت الظبى وسللت كل صحيفة

شمت الظبى وسللت كل صحيفة

هي في عداك صحيفة بيضاء

هي في عداك صحيفة بيضاء

You drew the swords and unsheathed every blade,

The antelope were joyful and every page dripped,

each a white page in your record against your foes.

Except for you, it is a blank white page,

ملغيد لو تسطع عند جلائها

ملغيد لو تسطع عند جلائها

نثرت عليك عقودها الخضراء

نثرت عليك عقودها الخضراء

They are like fair maidens [probable reading]; if it could, at their unveiling,

If the full moon shone during its appearance,

the green sky would scatter its necklaces upon you.

It would rain its green beads upon you,

زهدتنا في المال حتى أنه

زهدتنا في المال حتى أنه

لا تطلب البيضاء والصفراء

لا تطلب البيضاء والصفراء

You made us indifferent to wealth, so much so

You made us indifferent to money until it,

that neither silver nor gold is sought.

Seeks neither the white nor the yellow,

لو لم يقلعنك الثناء وأهله

لو لم يقلعنك الثناء وأهله

لتحدثت عن جودك الغبراء

لتحدثت عن جودك الغبراء

Had praise and those who voice it not spoken of you,

If praise and its people did not divert you,

the dusty earth would have spoken of your generosity.

You would have spoken of your dusty generosity,

منح حكاها الغيث لو لا رعده

منح حكاها الغيث لو لا رعده

شهدت بذاك الأزمة الشهباء

شهدت بذاك الأزمة الشهباء

Gifts the rain would emulate, but for its thunder;

If the rain did not thunder as it told its narrative,

the ashen famine bore witness to that.

The grey evening stars would have testified to that,

أسلفتني أملا هو الشمس المنيـ

أسلفتني أملا هو الشمس المنيـ

ـرة والزمان دجنه سوادء

ـرة والزمان دجنه سوادء

You gave me hope in advance—a radiant sun—

You loaned me a hope that is the shining sun,

while time’s gloom is black.

While time darkened its gloom,

وقضاؤه يقضي بأن المدحة الـ

وقضاؤه يقضي بأن المدحة الـ

ـغراء عنها المنحة الغراء

ـغراء عنها المنحة الغراء

And its decree ordains that radiant praise

And its decree decrees that the splendid praise,

be repaid with a radiant gift.

Is nothing compared to the splendid gift,

والخال ليس بذي جمال وحده

والخال ليس بذي جمال وحده

ما لم تحزه وجنة حمراء

ما لم تحزه وجنة حمراء

A beauty mark has no beauty on its own,

A uncle is not inherently beautiful,

unless a red cheek holds it.

Unless adorned by a red rose,

شرفت بك الدنيا وسكانها فلا

شرفت بك الدنيا وسكانها فلا

دهمت بخطب فرقك الدهماء

دهمت بخطب فرقك الدهماء

Through you the world and its people are ennobled; may

You have honored the world and its inhabitants, so

the multitude never be struck by the calamity of parting from you.

No sorrows have darkened your bright horizons.