لَكَ الحَمدُ يا مَن حَصَل

لَكَ الحَمدُ يا مَن حَصَل

لَنا لُطفَهُ وَاِتَصَل

لَنا لُطفَهُ وَاِتَصَل

Praise be to You, O You whose kindness came

You deserve all praise, O He who has bestowed

to us and remained unbroken.

Upon us His kindness, and drawn near

بِمثل صَنيع الوَزير

بِمثل صَنيع الوَزير

يُحسن ضَرب المَثَل

يُحسن ضَرب المَثَل

Deeds such as the minister's

With benevolence like that of the minister,

are fit to be cited as an example—

Skillful in setting examples.

سَميّ النَبيّ الَّذي

سَميّ النَبيّ الَّذي

عَلى المُلك كانَ اِشتَمَل

عَلى المُلك كانَ اِشتَمَل

the Prophet's namesake, who

He called the Prophet, the noble one

had taken charge of the realm.

Who bore the burden of leadership,

وَفي مثل أَغداقِهِ

وَفي مثل أَغداقِهِ

يَكادُ يَجور العَذل

يَكادُ يَجور العَذل

And at such lavish giving as his,

And in his overflowing munificence

censure is almost unjust.

He almost went beyond proper bounds.

دَعا الجَفلى لِدَعوَتِهِ

دَعا الجَفلى لِدَعوَتِهِ

فَكادَ القَرى أَن يَمل

فَكادَ القَرى أَن يَمل

He invited everyone to his feast,

He called the uncouth to his invitation

so hospitality itself nearly grew weary.

Until the towns were nearly sated.

ختان جَرى بِالجدى

ختان جَرى بِالجدى

فَعَمَّ الوَرى بِالجَذل

فَعَمَّ الوَرى بِالجَذل

A circumcision celebrated with bounty

A sincere effort was made with determination

spread delight among all people,

And the lands were filled with endeavor.

لِشبلٍ لَهُ في السَنا

لِشبلٍ لَهُ في السَنا

كَشَمس الضُحى في الحَمل

كَشَمس الضُحى في الحَمل

for his lion-cub, radiant

For a cub whose brilliance in the heights

as the midmorning sun in Aries,

Was like the rising sun in Aries,

لِأَحمَدِ أَترابِه

لِأَحمَدِ أَترابِه

بِتَفصيلِهِ وَالجَمَل

بِتَفصيلِهِ وَالجَمَل

for the most praiseworthy of his peers,

For Ahmad and his companions

in detail and as a whole.

In detail and summary.

مُخَيلَتَهُ بَشَرت

مُخَيلَتَهُ بَشَرت

بِمَجد لَهُ مُقتبل

بِمَجد لَهُ مُقتبل

His bearing gave glad tidings

His imagination gave tidings

of glory awaiting him.

Of a glorious future for him,

وَقَد جاءَ تاريخُهُ

وَقَد جاءَ تاريخُهُ

خِتان بِجود كَمل

خِتان بِجود كَمل

And its chronogram read:

And his date came with perfect generosity -

'A circumcision perfected by generosity.'

A sincere effort with complete determination.

فَكانَت لَهُ راعياً

فَكانَت لَهُ راعياً

عِناية مَن لَم يَزَل

عِناية مَن لَم يَزَل

So his guardian was

Divine care was a shepherd for him,

the care of Him who has never ceased to be.

The care of Him who does not cease to be.

إِذا عَمَّ عَدل الرُعا

إِذا عَمَّ عَدل الرُعا

ة صارَ الرَعايا خَول

ة صارَ الرَعايا خَول

When the shepherds' justice embraces all,

When the justice of the shepherd spreads

the subjects become servants.

The flock becomes submissive.

وَيَنقاد لَيث الشَرى

وَيَنقاد لَيث الشَرى

إِلى حاكم إِن عَدَل

إِلى حاكم إِن عَدَل

And the lion of Shara submits

And the lion of evil is led

to a ruler, if he is just.

To a just ruler if he rules justly.

فَكَيفَ الَّذي جودَهُ

فَكَيفَ الَّذي جودَهُ

مَع العَدل أَيضاً شَمل

مَع العَدل أَيضاً شَمل

What, then, of one whose bounty

How then when his generosity

also embraces all, alongside justice?

Also encompasses justice?

عَن البَحر سَلني أَجب

عَن البَحر سَلني أَجب

وَعَن صَدرِهِ لا تَسَل

وَعَن صَدرِهِ لا تَسَل

Ask me about the sea—I shall answer;

Ask the sea about him, and answer,

but do not ask about his breast.

But do not ask about his chest.

فَما وَصفَهُ بِالَّذي

فَما وَصفَهُ بِالَّذي

أَذا رُمتَ حَداً حَصَل

أَذا رُمتَ حَداً حَصَل

For his description is not of the kind

For who can describe Him who,

whose limit can be reached if you seek it.

If you shoot an arrow, it reaches Him?

تَملك رق الوَرى

تَملك رق الوَرى

بِبشر يَروق المُقل

بِبشر يَروق المُقل

He held all mankind in thrall

You possess the hearts of mankind

with cheerfulness that delights the eyes;

With a face that comforts the oppressed,

وَحُلم تَصفو العُلا

وَحُلم تَصفو العُلا

وَبِالعَدل تَبقى الدُوَل

وَبِالعَدل تَبقى الدُوَل

and through forbearance, lofty honor shines,

And clemency by which exalted lineage is purified,

and through justice, states endure.

And justice by which states endure.

أَرى الحُلم مثل الحَيا

أَرى الحُلم مثل الحَيا

يزان بِهِ مِن عَقل

يزان بِهِ مِن عَقل

I see forbearance as like modesty:

I see clemency as the scales

whoever is wise is adorned by it.

Of reason by which to weigh.

وَما راقَ وَرد الخُدو

وَما راقَ وَرد الخُدو

د إِلّا بِصَبغ الخَجَل

د إِلّا بِصَبغ الخَجَل

And the roses of cheeks have no charm

And nothing has delighted the buds of youth

except in the tint of bashfulness.

Except the dye of shyness.

وَسَل عَنهُ يَوم الوَغى

وَسَل عَنهُ يَوم الوَغى

مَواضي الظَبي وَالأَسَل

مَواضي الظَبي وَالأَسَل

And on battle's day, ask about him—

Ask about him the meadows of gazelle and ibex

ask the keen sword-edges and the spears.

When in fear the heart of the hero flew

إِذا طارَ مِن خيفَةٍ

إِذا طارَ مِن خيفَةٍ

شُعاعاً فُؤاد البَطَل

شُعاعاً فُؤاد البَطَل

When, from fear, it flew

You would think the sword of his assault

in fragments—the hero's heart—

Raced with the specter of death.

ظَنَنت شبا سَيفِهِ

ظَنَنت شبا سَيفِهِ

يُسابق وَشك الأَجَل

يُسابق وَشك الأَجَل

you would think his sword's edge

He went on offering lives in sacrifice

raced death's swift approach.

When the encounter brought them together like kisses.

وَراحَ يَعدّ الجِرا

وَراحَ يَعدّ الجِرا

ح عِندَ اللُقا كَالقُبَل

ح عِندَ اللُقا كَالقُبَل

And he came to regard wounds

The zealous defender almost died

in battle as kisses.

From his might and seriousness.

فَكادَ يَموت الحَما

فَكادَ يَموت الحَما

م مِن بَأسِهِ لِلوَجل

م مِن بَأسِهِ لِلوَجل

So death itself nearly died

His own banner deserted it.

of fear at his might.

Not one of his banners failed

يَهنا عَدوٌّ رَأى

يَهنا عَدوٌّ رَأى

لَهُ راية فَاِنخَذَل

لَهُ راية فَاِنخَذَل

Fortunate is the foe who saw

To attain the hoped for goal.

a banner of his and lost heart.

With an opening followed by comfort

فَلا فاتَ راياتِهِ

فَلا فاتَ راياتِهِ

بُلوغ المُنى وَالأَمَل

بُلوغ المُنى وَالأَمَل

May his banners never be denied

And victory when the time was right.

the fulfillment of wishes and hope,

بِفَتح يَلي راحة

بِفَتح يَلي راحة

وَنَصر إِذا حَلَّ جَل

وَنَصر إِذا حَلَّ جَل

with conquest following repose,

and victory, mighty whenever it arrives.