شمِّري نحو العطاءِ المُنتَجَعْ

شمِّري نحو العطاءِ المُنتَجَعْ

واستدلِّي بالثناء المستمَعْ

واستدلِّي بالثناء المستمَعْ

Gird yourself for the bounty sought,

Roll up your sleeves for productive giving,

And be guided by the praise you hear.

And be guided by praise from attentive listening,

رجع الملكُ جديداً كالذي

رجع الملكُ جديداً كالذي

كان في بدْأته حين طلعْ

كان في بدْأته حين طلعْ

Kingship has returned anew, as it

The king has returned renewed like he was,

Was at its beginning, when it arose:

In the beginning when he rose up.

دولةٌ سبَّبها ذو كنيةٍ

دولةٌ سبَّبها ذو كنيةٍ

وسم الملك بها وهو جذعْ

وسم الملك بها وهو جذعْ

A dynasty founded by a bearer of an epithet,

A state started by one with a nickname,

Who branded kingship with it while it was still young.

And the king was branded with it while still a sapling.

كنيةُ السَّفاح أهداها له

كنيةُ السَّفاح أهداها له

مع ميراثِ النبيّ المتَّبَعْ

مع ميراثِ النبيّ المتَّبَعْ

The epithet al-Saffah—he bestowed it upon kingship,

The nickname "The Bloodletter" he bestowed upon him,

Along with the legacy of the Prophet whom people follow.

Along with the inheritance of the exemplary prophet.

ولقد كُنِّيَها من بعده

ولقد كُنِّيَها من بعده

معشرٌ لم يلبسوا تلك الخلع

معشرٌ لم يلبسوا تلك الخلع

And indeed, after him that epithet was given

And indeed after him it was nicknamed,

To men who did not wear those robes of honor,

By a group who did not wear those honored robes,

أو كُسُوها فأساءوا لُبْسَها

أو كُسُوها فأساءوا لُبْسَها

بالتَّعرِّي من سرابيل الورع

بالتَّعرِّي من سرابيل الورع

Or were clothed in them and wore them ill,

Or donned them and wore them badly,

By stripping themselves of the garments of piety.

Stripping off the pants of piety.