1. بقيتَ في الَّعْدِ موصولاً مدى الزَّمَنِ

    ودُمْتَ للمجدِ أَهلاً يا أَبا الحَسَنِ

    May you remain counted, without interruption, for all time,

    and ever be worthy of glory, O Abu al-Hasan.

  2. ولا بَرِحْتَ سعيد الجَدِّ مُتَّصلاًّ

    بما يَسُرُّ من الأَوطارِ في الوَطَنِ

    And may you ever be fortunate in your lot, joined

    to all the joys you desire in your homeland.

  3. ولْيَهْنِكَ الشمسُ يا بَدْرَ الكمالِ فَقَدْ

    تَأَلَّقَ المجدُ من نُوَرَيْكُما الحَسَنِ

    And may the sun delight you, O full moon of perfection, for

    glory has shone forth from your two beautiful lights.

  4. للّه يَوْمُ سرورٍ قد جَلَوْتَ بِهِ

    على الورى غُرَّةً في أَوْجُهِ الزَّمَنِ

    God's is this day of joy, on which you unveiled

    to humankind a bright blaze upon the faces of time!

  5. يومٌ تأَرَّجَ جَنْبَ الرْيحِ من طَرَبٍ

    بِنَشْرِهِ وتَغَنَّى الطيرُ في الغُصُنِ

    A day when the wind's flank grew fragrant in rapture

    with its perfume, and birds sang among the boughs.

  6. هل مثلُ خلقِكَ زَهْرُ الروضِ مبتسماً

    أَو مثلُ جودِكَ جُودُ العارِضِ الهَتِنِ

    Can the garden's smiling blossoms match your character,

    or the downpouring cloud's bounty match your generosity?

  7. أَصبَحْتَ يا بْنَ خُلَيْفٍ خَيْرَ من قَصَدَتْ

    نوالَهُ الناسُ من قَيْسٍ ومن يَمَنِ

    You have become, O son of Khulayf, the best of those whose

    bounty people from Qays and Yemen have sought.

  8. وَقَفْتُ منكَ على عَدْنٍ فزِدْتُ على

    من راحَ يطلبُ فضلَ الطِّيبِ في عَدَنِ

    In you I found an Eden, and so surpassed

    those who set out seeking the finest perfume in Aden.

  9. وشمتُ منك نُجُومَ اليُمْنِ طالعةً

    فلم أُعرَّجْ على ما قيل في اليَمَنِ

    And in you I beheld the stars of good fortune rising,

    so I paid no heed to what was said about Yemen.

  10. يا بْنَ الأَكارِمِ تَنْمِيهِمْ إِلى يَمَنٍ

    فضائلٌ قُرِنَتْ بالعِزِّ واليُمُنِ

    O son of noble men, traced back to Yemen

    by virtues linked with honor and good fortune,

  11. وعَزْمَةٍ قد جَرَتْ في أَصلِ مجدِهِمُ

    على التعاقُبِ مَجْرَى الرّوحِ في البَدَنِ

    and with resolve that has coursed through the root of their glory,

    generation after generation, as the spirit courses through the body.

  12. وما جُذامٌ سوى أُسْدٍ براثِنُها

    يفنى بهنَّ أَديمُ الهمِّ والحَزَنِ

    And Judham are nothing but lions, whose claws

    destroy the very hide of care and sorrow.

  13. هُمُ حماةُ عَدِيٍّ في شدائِدِها

    وهم أُولُو الحِلْمِ وقتَ الحِلْمِ والضَّغَنِ

    They are the defenders of 'Adi in its hardships,

    and are forbearing in times of forbearance and rancor.

  14. وحسبُهُمْ أَنَّ منهمْ حين تنسبُهُمْ

    بني خُلَيْفٍ سَرَاةَ الأَمْنِ والمِنَنِ

    And it suffices them that among them, when you trace their lineage,

    are the sons of Khulayf, lords of safety and beneficence.

  15. قومٌ هُمُ البيتُ بيتُ الفضلِ مشتهراً

    فطُفْ بِهِ واستَجِرْ إِنْ طُفْتَ بالرُّكُنِ

    A people who are the House—the renowned House of excellence;

    so circle it and seek refuge, if you circle the Corner.

  16. ومِنْ أَبِيهِمْ أَفادُوا كُلَّ مَكْرُمَةٍ

    فهُمْ إِلى المجدِ قد ساروا على السَّنَنِ

    And from their father they gained every noble quality;

    so they have journeyed toward glory along the straight path.

  17. يُرِيكَ من وَجْهِهِ الأَسْنَى ومنطِقِهِ

    محاسِناً هي مِلْءُ العَيْنِ والأُذُنِ

    He shows you, in his radiant face and in his speech,

    beauties that fill both eye and ear.

  18. ولابسٍ ثَوْبَ عِرْضٍ قد ضَفَا وَصَفَا

    فليسَ تبصُر فيه العينُ من دَرَنِ

    And he wears a robe of honor, grown ample and pure,

    so the eye sees no stain upon it.

  19. إِنْ لم يكُنْ هو أَهْلَ الفضلِ أَجْمَعِهِ

    والمكرماتِ على أَجناسِها فَمَنِ

    If he is not the possessor of all excellence

    and noble qualities of every kind, then who is?

  20. لا زالَ في عِيشةٍ خضراءَ ناضرةٍ

    ما رجَّعَ الطيرُ تغريداً على فَنَنِ

    May he ever enjoy a life green and flourishing,

    as long as birds repeat their songs upon a bough—

  21. أَحلى على الفمِ من شُهْدِ المُنَى وعلى

    إِنسانِ عينِ أَخِي السَّلْوَى منَ الوًَسَنِ

    sweeter to the mouth than the honey of wishes, and to

    the pupil of a carefree man's eye than drowsiness.