مُنْتَابُ مِصْرِكُمَا بالرِّفْدِ مَغْمورُ

مُنْتَابُ مِصْرِكُمَا بالرِّفْدِ مَغْمورُ

وبابُ مِصْرِكُمَا بالوَفْدِ مَعْمُورُ

وبابُ مِصْرِكُمَا بالوَفْدِ مَعْمُورُ

A visitor to your city is immersed in bounty;

The chosen one of your Egypt is flooded with gifts

And your city's gate is thronged with delegations.

And the gate of your Egypt is filled with delegations

وَأَنْتُمَا في أَيادِي المُلْكِ أَسْوِرَةٌ

وَأَنْتُمَا في أَيادِي المُلْكِ أَسْوِرَةٌ

تَزِينُهُ وعلى أَطرافِهِ سُور

تَزِينُهُ وعلى أَطرافِهِ سُور

You two are bracelets on the hands of sovereignty,

While you two are in the hands of the king like bracelets

Adorning it, and a rampart along its borders.

Adorning him, and around him are walls

وفي قلوبِ أُناسٍ من صَفاتِكُما

وفي قلوبِ أُناسٍ من صَفاتِكُما

نارٌ وفي أَعْيُنٍ من مَعْشَرٍ نُورُ

نارٌ وفي أَعْيُنٍ من مَعْشَرٍ نُورُ

And from your qualities, in some people's hearts,

In the hearts of some people from your qualities is fire

There is fire, and in some people's eyes, light.

And in the eyes of a group of people is light

رَقِيتُما أَيها البَدْرَانِ مَنْزِلةً

رَقِيتُما أَيها البَدْرَانِ مَنْزِلةً

يُقَصِّرُ البَدْرُ عنها وَهْوَ مَعْذُورُ

يُقَصِّرُ البَدْرُ عنها وَهْوَ مَعْذُورُ

You two have risen, O two full moons, to a station

You two have risen, O two moons, to a rank

The full moon falls short of—and it is excused.

The moon falls short of, and it is excused

الله أَكبرُ لَمْ أَنْطِقْ بمُبْدَعَةٍ

الله أَكبرُ لَمْ أَنْطِقْ بمُبْدَعَةٍ

فشأْنُ مَنْ نَظَرَ الأَقمارَ تكبيرُ

فشأْنُ مَنْ نَظَرَ الأَقمارَ تكبيرُ

God is greatest! I have said nothing new;

God is Greatest! I have not spoken an original poem

For whoever beholds moons proclaims God's greatness.

So the task of one who saw the moons is to glorify

لا عُذْرَ للشِّعْرِ فَليبلُغْ مبالِغَه

لا عُذْرَ للشِّعْرِ فَليبلُغْ مبالِغَه

هيهاتَ ذا قِصَرٌ فيه وتقصيرُ

هيهاتَ ذا قِصَرٌ فيه وتقصيرُ

Poetry has no excuse: let it reach its utmost bounds.

There is no excuse for poetry, so let it reach its metaphors

Far from it! In this are shortness and shortcoming.

Alas! There is deficiency in it and shortcoming

هذي مآثرُ من أَضْحَى لأَخْمَصِهِ

هذي مآثرُ من أَضْحَى لأَخْمَصِهِ

على الأَثيرِ من الأَفلاكِ تأْثيرُ

على الأَثيرِ من الأَفلاكِ تأْثيرُ

These are the feats of one whose foot's arch now

These are the glorious deeds of one who has made

Leaves its mark on the most exalted of the celestial spheres.

His footsteps have an effect on the ether of the celestial spheres

الحمدُ لله زالَتْ كُلُّ داجِيَةٍ

الحمدُ لله زالَتْ كُلُّ داجِيَةٍ

عَنَّا وبالصُّبحِ تنجابُ الدّياجيرُ

عَنَّا وبالصُّبحِ تنجابُ الدّياجيرُ

Praise be to God! Every gloom has vanished

Thanks be to God, every darkness about us is gone

From us; with dawn, the darknesses disperse.

And at dawn the birds start chirping

لِمَ لا أَخِرُّ وهذا الطُّولُ يأْمُرُنِي

لِمَ لا أَخِرُّ وهذا الطُّولُ يأْمُرُنِي

بما تقدَّمَهُ من غيرِيَ الطُّورُ

بما تقدَّمَهُ من غيرِيَ الطُّورُ

Why should I not fall down, when this bounty bids me

Why do I not stop when this length commands me

Do what Mount al-Ṭūr had done before me?

With what others before me have done

أَمرُ الأَميرَيْنِ عندَ الدهرِ مُمْتَثَلٍ

أَمرُ الأَميرَيْنِ عندَ الدهرِ مُمْتَثَلٍ

فالدهرُ كالعبدِ منهيٌّ ومأْمورُ

فالدهرُ كالعبدِ منهيٌّ ومأْمورُ

The two emirs' command is obeyed by time;

The command of the two princes in time is carried out

For time, like a slave, is ruled by prohibitions and commands.

So time is like a slave, forbidden and commanded

الناظمَيْنِ رياضَ المَجْدِ فوق رُباً

الناظمَيْنِ رياضَ المَجْدِ فوق رُباً

نُوَّارُها بنسيم الحَمْدِ منثورُ

نُوَّارُها بنسيم الحَمْدِ منثورُ

The two who array gardens of glory upon hills,

The two arrangers of the gardens of glory above the hills

Their blossoms strewn by the breeze of praise;

Its meadows are brightened by the soft breeze of praise

والمانعينَ سبيلاً عَزَّ مَسْلَكُها

والمانعينَ سبيلاً عَزَّ مَسْلَكُها

وهل يغارُ لها إِلا المَغَاويرُ

وهل يغارُ لها إِلا المَغَاويرُ

And the two who guard a path whose passage is hard to win—

And the obstructers of its path, difficult is their way

Who but valiant warriors jealously defends it?

And who envies it but the deluded?

والمطلقينَ الثَّناءَ الجَمَّ في شِيَمٍ

والمطلقينَ الثَّناءَ الجَمَّ في شِيَمٍ

ببعضِهِنَّ الثَّناءُ الجَمُّ مأْسورُ

ببعضِهِنَّ الثَّناءُ الجَمُّ مأْسورُ

And the two who release lavish praise through virtues

And the releasers of abundant praise in character

By some of which lavish praise is held captive;

Some of the abundant praise is confined in them

والمالكينَ بِيُمْنَى ياسِرٍ دُوَلاً

والمالكينَ بِيُمْنَى ياسِرٍ دُوَلاً

لولاهُ لَمْ يَتَّفِقْ فيهِنَّ تيسيرُ

لولاهُ لَمْ يَتَّفِقْ فيهِنَّ تيسيرُ

And the two who hold realms through Yāsir's right hand,

And the possessors in prosperous right hand of states

Without him, no ease would have been possible within them.

Were it not for Him, facilitation would not have agreed in them

هُوَ الَّذِي حَلَّ أَزرارَ الجماجِمِ عن

هُوَ الَّذِي حَلَّ أَزرارَ الجماجِمِ عن

عُرَى الرّقابِ وجَيْبُ النَّقْعِ مَزرورُ

عُرَى الرّقابِ وجَيْبُ النَّقْعِ مَزرورُ

He is the one who unfastened the skull-buttons from

It is He who untied the knots of the skulls

The loops of necks, while battle-dust's collar was buttoned shut.

From the necks' bondage, and the necklace pocket is adorned

وباتَ ينصِبُ غَرْبَ السيفِ في يَدِهِ

وباتَ ينصِبُ غَرْبَ السيفِ في يَدِهِ

فَيَنْثَنِي وبه مَنْ شاءَ مَجْرُورُ

فَيَنْثَنِي وبه مَنْ شاءَ مَجْرُورُ

And through the night he raised the sword's edge in his hand,

And He remains erecting the west of the sword in His hand

Then turned back, dragging by it whomever he wished.

So it bends, and by it whoever He wills is vanquished

أَدارَ فوقَ الحصونِ الشُمِّ كَأْسَ وغًى

أَدارَ فوقَ الحصونِ الشُمِّ كَأْسَ وغًى

بِخَمْرِها كُلُّ مَنْ فيهِنَّ مخمورُ

بِخَمْرِها كُلُّ مَنْ فيهِنَّ مخمورُ

He passed a cup of battle over the lofty fortresses;

He circulated above the citadels the cup of annihilation

With its wine, everyone within them was drunk.

With its wine intoxicated are all those inside them

وظنَّ أَملاكُها منها لهم وَزَراً

وظنَّ أَملاكُها منها لهم وَزَراً

فقال فَتْكُ ظُباهُ ظَنُّكُمْ زورُ

فقال فَتْكُ ظُباهُ ظَنُّكُمْ زورُ

And their kings thought to find a refuge in them;

And the owners of them thought from it a burden for themselves

Then his blades' havoc said, 'Your belief is false.'

So the violence of its destruction said: your assumption is false

وكم أَخافَ وما الصَّمْصامُ مُنْثِلمٌ

وكم أَخافَ وما الصَّمْصامُ مُنْثِلمٌ

في راحَتَيْهِ ولا الخَطِّيُّ مأْطورُ

في راحَتَيْهِ ولا الخَطِّيُّ مأْطورُ

And how often he struck fear, his keen sword unchipped

And how much He frightens, yet the swords are not loosened

In his palms, and his Khaṭṭī spear unbent!

In their sheaths, nor are the lances erected

أَذا سجا بَحْرُ ذاكَ الفَتْكِ من يدِهِ

أَذا سجا بَحْرُ ذاكَ الفَتْكِ من يدِهِ

فلا تقُلْ إِنه بالعفو مسجورُ

فلا تقُلْ إِنه بالعفو مسجورُ

If the sea of that deadly force from his hand grows still,

When the sea of that destruction frees its hand

Do not say it is brimming with forgiveness.

Do not say that it is confined by pardon

كم غُرَّ قومٌ إِلى أَن غَرَّروا سَفَهاً

كم غُرَّ قومٌ إِلى أَن غَرَّروا سَفَهاً

وربما ركِبَ التَّغْريرَ مَغْرورُ

وربما ركِبَ التَّغْريرَ مَغْرورُ

How many people were deceived, until they foolishly risked themselves!

How many people deluded until they deluded foolishly

And often a deluded man ventures into peril.

And sometimes the deluded one deludes

ومَعْرَكٍ لا حِمَى الإِسلامِ مُنْكَشِفٌ

ومَعْرَكٍ لا حِمَى الإِسلامِ مُنْكَشِفٌ

منه ولا جانبُ المُرَّاقِ مَسْتُورُ

منه ولا جانبُ المُرَّاقِ مَسْتُورُ

And many a battlefield—Islam's sanctuary was not left exposed

And a battle in which the sanctity of Islam is unveiled

By it, nor the renegades' flank kept concealed—

Neither its dresses are covered nor its flanks concealed

أَجالَ جَهْمَ المُحَيَّا من قساطِلِهِ

أَجالَ جَهْمَ المُحَيَّا من قساطِلِهِ

بمُرْهَفَاتٍ لها فيه أَساريرُ

بمُرْهَفَاتٍ لها فيه أَساريرُ

He stirred its face, grim with its clouds of dust,

He revealed the ignorance of the misguided from his citadels

With keen blades that traced bright lines upon it.

With glimpses that have in them storing places

وجاءَ بالأَمنِ حيثُ النجمُ ناظرُهُ

وجاءَ بالأَمنِ حيثُ النجمُ ناظرُهُ

مُسَهَّدٌ وفؤادُ البرقِ مذعورُ

مُسَهَّدٌ وفؤادُ البرقِ مذعورُ

And he brought safety where the star's eye

And he brought security where the star its watcher

Was sleepless, and the lightning's heart terrified.

Is prostrated, and the heart of lightning is frightened

لِتَطْوِ من دونِهِ الأَخبارُ طائِفَةً

لِتَطْوِ من دونِهِ الأَخبارُ طائِفَةً

حديثُها دونَهُ في الكُتْبِ منشورُ

حديثُها دونَهُ في الكُتْبِ منشورُ

Let the chronicles fold away a company beneath him,

So the news circulates without him as a band

Whose story, lesser than his, is spread out in books.

Its talk compared to him in books is transcribed

راموا مَدَاهُ وخانَتْهُمْ عزائِمُهُمْ

راموا مَدَاهُ وخانَتْهُمْ عزائِمُهُمْ

وهل ينالُ مَطَارَ النَّسْرِ غُصْفُورُ

وهل ينالُ مَطَارَ النَّسْرِ غُصْفُورُ

They sought his reach, but their resolves betrayed them;

They aspired for his extent but their determination betrayed them

Can a sparrow attain the eagle's flight?

And can a sparrow attain the flight of an eagle?

آلُ الزُّرَيْعِ وما أَدراكَ مَنْ زَرَعُوا

آلُ الزُّرَيْعِ وما أَدراكَ مَنْ زَرَعُوا

ذا الروضُ من مثلِ ذاكَ الغيثِ ممطورُ

ذا الروضُ من مثلِ ذاكَ الغيثِ ممطورُ

The house of al-Zurayʿ—and what do you know of those they have sown?

Family of Zureiq, and what do you know of who planted

This garden is watered by rain such as that.

This garden from the like of that pouring rain?

هُم الذين لهُمْ في كلِّ مَكْرُمةٍ

هُم الذين لهُمْ في كلِّ مَكْرُمةٍ

دِكْرٌ على أَلسُنِ الأَيامِ مذكورُ

دِكْرٌ على أَلسُنِ الأَيامِ مذكورُ

They are those who, in every noble deed, have

They are those who for every glory

A remembrance voiced upon the tongues of days.

Have a mention on the tongues of days remembered

هُم البدورُ ومن أَيْمانِهِمْ بِدَرٌ

هُم البدورُ ومن أَيْمانِهِمْ بِدَرٌ

ما شئتَ مِنْ ذَيْنِ قُلْ فيهِ دَنَانيرُ

ما شئتَ مِنْ ذَيْنِ قُلْ فيهِ دَنَانيرُ

They are full moons, and from their right hands come money-purses;

They are full moons, and in their right hand is a moon

Whichever of those two you choose, say, 'In it are dinars.'

Whatever you wish of the two, say therein dinars

المَدْحُ منهم بما أَبْدَتْ محاسِنُهُمْ

المَدْحُ منهم بما أَبْدَتْ محاسِنُهُمْ

مُخَبِّرٌ ومُجيدُ المدح مخبورُ

مُخَبِّرٌ ومُجيدُ المدح مخبورُ

Praise of them, based on what their virtues have revealed,

Praise of them for what their virtues have manifested

Is a reporter; the master of praise is himself tested.

Is informing, and praiser of praise is rewarded

تحيى أَساطيرَ ما أَملَى الوَرَى ولَهُمْ

تحيى أَساطيرَ ما أَملَى الوَرَى ولَهُمْ

مَجْدٌ على جِبْهَةِ التخليدِ مسطورُ

مَجْدٌ على جِبْهَةِ التخليدِ مسطورُ

The records of what humankind dictated are revived; and theirs is

They give life to legends of what time has dictated, and for them

A glory inscribed upon the brow of immortality.

Is glory transcribed on the forehead of eternity