ليهنِك حقٌّ ردَّه اللَه منعِماً

ليهنِك حقٌّ ردَّه اللَه منعِماً

عليك به لا بل على الناس أجمعا

عليك به لا بل على الناس أجمعا

May a right God has restored gladden you, as He bestows favor

You have a right that Allah has restored to you as a blessing

Upon you through it—no, rather upon all the people:

Upon you and not on the people altogether

ولايةُ بغداذَ التي بك أذْعَنَتْ

ولايةُ بغداذَ التي بك أذْعَنَتْ

لراكبها حتى أخبَّ وأوضعا

لراكبها حتى أخبَّ وأوضعا

The governorship of Baghdad, which through you yielded

The leadership of Baghdad which bowed down to you

To its rider, until he made it trot and gallop.

For its rider until it was humbled and submissive

ولو لم تُذلِّلها له وهي صعبةٌ

ولو لم تُذلِّلها له وهي صعبةٌ

تشمَّس منها ظهرُها وتمنَّعا

تشمَّس منها ظهرُها وتمنَّعا

And had you not tamed it for him while it was unruly,

Had it not submitted it to him while difficult

Its back would have grown restive and resisted.

Its back would have roasted in the sun and refused

وليتَ فوليت البلادَ وأهلها

وليتَ فوليت البلادَ وأهلها

صنائعَ لم ترك لغيرك مَصْنعا

صنائعَ لم ترك لغيرك مَصْنعا

You assumed office, then bestowed upon the land and its people

If only you ruled the lands and its people

Favors that left no kindness for anyone else to bestow.

Undertakings you did not leave for others to accomplish

فعش سامي العِرنين عيشَ محسَّدٍ

فعش سامي العِرنين عيشَ محسَّدٍ

ولا عطس الحساد إلّا بأجدعا

ولا عطس الحساد إلّا بأجدعا

So live with your nose held high, the life of one much envied,

So live sublime towering over envious people

And may the envious sneeze only through a mutilated nose.

Except the sneezes of enviers without noses

وعذري من التقصير في القول أنني

وعذري من التقصير في القول أنني

حسيرُ سقام عضَّ جسمي فأوجعا

حسيرُ سقام عضَّ جسمي فأوجعا

And my excuse for falling short in verse is that I am

My excuse for falling short in speech is that I am

Worn out by sickness that bit my body and caused pain.

A sickly feeble one whose body is gripped with pain

وإني لبالمرصاد للقول بعدها

وإني لبالمرصاد للقول بعدها

إن اللَه عافاني وما زلتُ مِصْقعا

إن اللَه عافاني وما زلتُ مِصْقعا

And I am indeed lying in wait for verse after this,

And I lie in wait for speech after this

If God restores my health—and I have always been an eloquent speaker.

If Allah grants me wellness and I cease being tearful