1. مِنْ هَيْبَةٍ يُغضي القريضُ ويُطرِقُ

    وَيميلُ فيكَ إلى السُّكوتِ المنطقُ

    From awe, poetry lowers its gaze and bows its head.

    And speech, when it concerns you, inclines to silence.

  2. إئذنْ يَفِضْ هذا البيانُ فإنّه

    ممّا يُفيضُ بَيانُكَ المُتَدَفِّقُ

    Give leave: let this eloquence flow, for it

    is part of what your overflowing eloquence pours forth.

  3. ما في النّوابِغِ من لبيبٍ حاذقٍ

    إلا وأنتَ ألبُّ منه وأحذقُ

    Among the gifted there is no discerning master

    but you are more discerning and more skillful than he.

  4. إن يَلْبسِ الشعرُ الجمالَ مُنوَّراً

    عَبِقاً فَأنتَ جَمالُهُ والرّونقُ

    If poetry wears beauty, radiant

    and fragrant, you are its beauty and its splendor.

  5. والقولُ مُستلَبُ المحاسنِ عاطلٌ

    حتّى يقولَ العبقريُّ المُفلِقُ

    And speech is stripped of its graces, unadorned,

    until the brilliant, masterful genius speaks.

  6. رُضْتَ الأوابدَ لي أقودُ صِعابَها

    ورضيتني إنّي إذن لَمُوَفَّقُ

    You tamed the wild creatures for me; I lead their unruly ones,

    and you accepted me; then truly I am favored with success.

  7. هي مِدحتي انطلقتْ إليك مَشُوقةً

    والسُّبلُ تَسطعُ والمنازلُ تَعبَقُ

    This is my praise-poem, setting out toward you in longing,

    while the paths shine and the dwellings breathe fragrance.

  8. أنت المجالُ الرَّحبُ تُعتصَرُ القُوَى

    فيه وتُمتَحَنُ العِتاقُ السُّبَّقُ

    You are the spacious arena: strength is strained to its utmost

    within it, and noble, fleet steeds are put to the test.

  9. حسّانُ مُنبَهِرٌ وكعبٌ عاجزٌ

    والشّاعر الجعديُّ عانٍ مُوثَقُ

    Hassān is dazzled, and Kaʿb is powerless,

    and the poet al-Jaʿdī is a captive, bound.

  10. أطمعتَهم فتنازعوا فيك المدى

    وأبَيْتَ فانقلبوا وكلٌّ مُخفِقُ

    You raised their hopes, and they vied to reach your utmost,

    but you would not yield; they turned back, each having failed.

  11. لي عُذرُهم ما أنتَ من عِدَةِ المُنَى

    إلا وراءَ مخيلةٍ ما تَصدُقُ

    Their excuse is mine: in all that longing promises, you lie

    only beyond an imagining that never comes true.

  12. أنتَ احتملتَ الأمرَ تَنصدِعُ القُوى

    ممّا يَشُقُّ على النُّفوسِ وتَصعَقُ

    You shouldered the task; strength shatters

    under what weighs upon souls, and they are struck senseless.

  13. وسننتَ للمُتعسِّفينَ سبيلَهم

    مُتبلِّجاً سمحاً يُضِيءُ ويُشرِقُ

    And you laid out a path for those wandering astray,

    bright and easy, shining and radiant.

  14. يمشي الهُدَى فيه على يَدِكَ التي

    هِيَ للهُدَى عَضُدٌ أبرُّ ومِرفقُ

    Guidance walks along it through your hand, which

    is guidance's most devoted arm and supporting elbow.

  15. ذُعِرَتْ قُريشٌ هل يُبَدِّلُ دينَها

    رَجلٌ ضَعيفٌ في العشيرةِ مُملِقُ

    Quraysh was terrified: could its religion be changed

    by a man weak within his clan, impoverished?

  16. لا المالُ يَنصرُه ولا هُوَ إنْ دعا

    خَفَقَ اللِّواءُ له وخَفَّ الفيلقُ

    No wealth supports him; nor, when he calls,

    does a banner flutter for him or a legion hasten.

  17. ينهَى عن الأصنامِ وَهْي بموضعٍ

    تُمْحَى حَوالَيْهِ النُّفوسُ وتُمحَقُ

    He forbids the idols, while they hold a place

    around which lives are wiped out and annihilated.

  18. المالُ والعِرضُ المُمنَّع سُورُه

    والمجدُ والشَّرف الصَّميمُ المُعرِقُ

    Wealth and inviolable honor are its rampart,

    and glory and pure, deep-rooted nobility.

  19. مِنْ وَصْفِه الأُسْدُ الضَّوارِي تَدَّعي

    والخيلُ تَصْهَلُ والقواضِبُ تَبْرُقُ

    At its description, ravening lions call to one another,

    and horses neigh, and cutting swords flash.

  20. الحقُّ أقبلَ في لواءِ إمامهِ

    والحقُّ أوْلىَ أن يسودَ وأَخْلَقُ

    Truth came forward beneath its leader's banner,

    and truth is worthier and better fitted to reign.

  21. يرمِي به سُودَ الغياهبِ ساطعاً

    تَنْجَابُ حول سَناهُ أو تَتشقَّقُ

    He hurls it, blazing, at darkness's black depths,

    which disperse around its radiance or split apart.

  22. حَارَ الظّلامُ فما يلوذُ بجانبٍ

    إلا يُحِيطُ به الضّياءُ ويُحدِقُ

    Darkness was bewildered; it takes refuge in no quarter

    without light encircling and surrounding it.

  23. الوحيُ مُطَّرِدٌ وبأسُ مُحمَّدٍ

    جارٍ إلى غاياتهِ لا يُلحَقُ

    Revelation flows unceasingly, and Muhammad's might

    advances toward its goals, never to be overtaken.

  24. لا الضّعفُ يأخذُ مِنْ قُواه ولا الوَنَى

    بِأولئكَ الهِمَمِ الدَّوائبِ يَعْلَقُ

    No weakness diminishes his strength, nor does weariness

    cling to those tireless resolves.

  25. بَغْيُ الأُلىَ خَذَلُوه مِن أنصارِه

    والبَغيُ نَصرٌ للهُداةِ مُحقَّقُ

    The oppression of those who forsook him is among his helpers,

    and oppression is assured victory for those who guide.

  26. زَعَموا الأذَى مّما يَفُلُّ مَضاءَه

    فمضى البلاءُ بهِ وجَدَّ المَصْدَقُ

    They thought harm would blunt his resolve;

    but ordeal bore him onward, and his true courage grew keener.

  27. يأوِي إلى النَّفَرِ الضّعافِ وإنّه

    لأشدُّ منهم في النِّضالِ وأوثقُ

    He takes refuge with the weak few, though he

    is mightier in struggle and more steadfast than they.

  28. هُمْ في حِمَى الوَحْيِ المُنزَّلِ صخرةٌ

    تُعيي الدُّهاةَ وجذوةٌ تتحرَّقُ

    In the shelter of revelation sent down, they are a rock

    that defeats the cunning, and an ember blazing fiercely.

  29. وَهَبوا لربِّهمُ النُّفوسَ كريمةً

    لا تُفتدَى منه ولا هي تُعتَقُ

    They gave their noble souls to their Lord,

    not to be ransomed from Him, nor set free.

  30. المؤمنون الثّابتون على الهُدَى

    والأرضُ ترجُفُ والشّوامخُ تَخفِقُ

    The believers stand steadfast upon guidance,

    while the earth shakes and towering heights tremble.

  31. رُزِقُوا اليقينَ فلا ذليلٌ ضارعٌ

    يَطوِي الجناحَ ولا جَبانٌ مُشفِقُ

    They were granted certainty: no abject supplicant

    folds his wing, nor is there a frightened coward.

  32. جُندُ النبيِّ إذا تقدَّمَ أقبلوا

    والموتُ يَفزَعُ والمصارعُ تَفْرُقُ

    The Prophet's troops, when he advances, surge forward,

    while death takes fright and the places of slaughter quake.

  33. صدعوا بِناءَ الشركِ تحت لوائهِ

    فَهَوى وطار لِواؤُه يتمزَّقُ

    They shattered the structure of idolatry beneath his banner;

    it fell, and its banner flew off, torn to shreds.

  34. إنّ الذي جَعلَ الرّسالةَ رحمةً

    لم يَرْحَمِ الدَّمَ في الغَواية يُهرَقُ

    He who made the message a mercy

    did not spare the blood shed in error.

  35. بعث الرَّسُولَ مُعَلِّماً ومُهذِّباً

    يبنِي الحياةَ جَديدةً يتأنَّقُ

    He sent the Messenger as a teacher and refiner,

    to build life anew with exquisite care.

  36. يَتَخيّرُ الأخلاقَ يَنظمُ حُسْنَها

    في كلِّ رُكنٍ قائمٍ ويُنَسِّقُ

    He selects virtues and arranges their beauty

    in every upright pillar, setting them in order.

  37. عَفَتِ الرُّسومُ وأخلَقتْ فأقامها

    شمّاءَ لا تعفو ولا هيَ تَخْلُقُ

    The traces had faded and worn away; he raised them

    lofty, never to fade or wear out.

  38. قُدسِيَّةَ الأرجاءِ ما بِرحابِها

    عَنَتٌ ولا فيها مكانٌ ضَيِّقُ

    Holy throughout its precincts, in its broad spaces there is no

    hardship, nor anywhere within it a cramped place.

  39. تَسَعُ الممالِكَ والشُّعوبَ بأسرها

    وتفيضُ خيراً ما بَقِينَ وما بَقُوا

    It embraces kingdoms and peoples in their entirety,

    and pours forth goodness as long as both endure.

  40. عَرفتْ لحاجاتِ العُصورِ مَكانَها

    فَلِكُلِّ عَصرٍ سُؤلُه والمَرْفِقُ

    It knew the proper place for each age's needs,

    so every age has its wish and its provision.

  41. مَنَعتْ مَغالِقُها الشرُّورَ وما بها

    للخيرِ والمعروفِ بابٌ مُغلَقُ

    Its locks barred evils, and within it

    no door is shut to goodness and kindness.

  42. فيها لِدُنيا العالمين مَثابةٌ

    لولا التَّباعدُ والهوى المُتفرِّقُ

    In it, the world's peoples have a refuge,

    were it not for estrangement and divergent desires.

  43. المُصلِحُ الأعلى أتمَّ نِظامَها

    فانْظُرْ أَينقُضُهُ الغبيُّ الأَخرقُ

    The supreme reformer perfected its order;

    so look: will the foolish bungler undo it?

  44. أَوْفىَ على الدُّنيا وملءُ فِجاجِها

    بَغيٌ يُزلزِلُها وظُلمٌ مُوبِقُ

    He surveyed the world, whose broad passes were filled with

    oppression that shook it, and ruinous injustice.

  45. والنّاسُ فوضَى في البلادِ يغرُّهم

    دِينٌ من الخَبلِ المُضِلِّ مُلفَّقُ

    People were in chaos throughout the lands, deceived by

    a religion cobbled together from misleading madness.

  46. النّفسُ مُغلقَةٌ على أوهامِها

    والعقلُ مُضطَهدٌ يُضامُ ويُرهقُ

    The soul was sealed within its delusions,

    and reason persecuted, wronged, and overburdened.

  47. سَجَدوا لما صَنعوا فأين حُلومُهم

    ولِمَنْ جِباةٌ بالمهانةِ تُلصَقُ

    They bowed to what they had made—where were their minds?

    And to whom were their foreheads pressed in humiliation?

  48. أهيَ التي رَفعوا وظنّوا أنّهم

    قومٌ لهم فوق السِّماكِ مُحلَّقُ

    Were these the foreheads they held high, imagining they were

    a people whose soaring height was above al-Simāk?

  49. مَن يَدَّعِي شرفَ الحياةِ لمعشرٍ

    كَفَروا بمن يَهبُ الحياةَ ويَخلُقُ

    Who claims life's honor for a people

    who disbelieve in Him who grants life and creates?

  50. إن تَنْبُ مكّةُ بالرسول فما نبا

    عَزْمٌ تُهَدُّ به الصِّعابُ وتُسحَقُ

    If Mecca turns hostile to the Messenger, still unshaken is

    the resolve by which hardships are broken down and crushed.

  51. كذبَ الطُّغاةُ أَيُرجفون بقتلهِ

    والوَحْيُ سُورٌ والملائكُ خَنْدقُ

    The tyrants lied! Do they spread alarm about killing him,

    when revelation is a wall and the angels a moat?

  52. وَرَدَ المدينةَ زاخراً فجرى بها

    آذِيُّةُ وطما العُبابُ المُغْرِقُ

    He entered Medina, surging full, and through it flowed

    mighty waves, and the drowning flood rose high.

  53. بَطلٌ تَوسّعَ في ميادينِ الوغَى

    لمّا تضايقَ عن مَداهُ المأزِقُ

    A hero, he ranged freely over the fields of battle

    when the narrow pass grew too cramped for his reach.

  54. ساسَ الحوادثَ والنُّفوسَ فتارةً

    يَقِصُ الرقابَ وتارةً يترفَّقُ

    He governed events and souls: at times

    he severs necks, and at times deals gently.

  55. يدعو إلى الحُسنَى فإن جَمَع الهوَى

    فالسّيفُ مَسنونُ الغِرارِ مُذَلَّقُ

    He calls to goodness; but if passion runs wild,

    the sword is honed along its edges, sharpened keenly.

  56. يَرمِي العوانَ بكلِّ أغلبَ باسلٍ

    يهفو إلى غَمَراتِها يَتشوَّقُ

    He hurls every mighty, valiant warrior into renewed battle,

    who hastens to its engulfing depths, full of longing.

  57. لمسَ العُروشَ فما يزال يَهزُّها

    ذُعرٌ يطوفُ بها وهَمٌّ مُقلِقُ

    He touched the thrones, and still they are shaken by

    terror circling them and troubling care.

  58. صَدعتْ قُوى الإسلامِ شامخَ عِزِّها

    فإذا المُلوكُ أذلّةٌ تَتملَّقُ

    The forces of Islam shattered their towering might,

    and suddenly the kings were abject, fawning.

  59. وإذا الممالكُ ما يُهلِّلُ مَغرِبٌ

    إلا استجاب له وكبَّر مَشرِقُ

    And throughout the kingdoms, no west proclaims God's oneness

    without an east answering it and proclaiming God's greatness.

  60. هذا تُراثُ المسلمينَ فبعضُه

    يُزجَى علانيةً وبعضٌ يُسرَقُ

    This is the Muslims' inheritance: some of it

    is handed over openly, and some is stolen.

  61. عَجزَ الحماةُ فنائمٌ مُتقلِّبٌ

    فوق الحشيّةِ أو مَغيظٌ مُحنَقُ

    The defenders have failed: either a sleeper tossing

    upon a mattress, or someone angered and enraged.

  62. القومُ صُمٌّ في السّلاحِ وَقومُنا

    مُستصرخٌ يَعوِي وآخرُ ينعقُ

    The others are deaf within their armor, while our people:

    one howls for help, and another caws.

  63. إن كنتَ ذا حقٍّ فَخُذْهُ بِقوَّةٍ

    الحقُّ يخذلُهُ الضَّعيفُ فَيزهَقُ

    If you possess a right, take it by force;

    the weak forsake their right, and it perishes.

  64. لغةُ السُّيوفِ تَحُلُّ كلَّ قضيّةٍ

    فَدَعِ الكلامَ لجاهلٍ يتشدَّقُ

    The language of swords settles every dispute,

    so leave talk to an ignorant man who mouths grand words.

  65. وكُنِ اللّبيبَ فليس من كَلِماتِها

    شَرْعٌ يُداسُ ولا نِظامٌ يُخْرَقُ

    And be discerning: among its words there is no

    law trampled underfoot, nor order violated.

  66. الخيلُ والرَّهَجُ المُثارُ حُروفُها

    والنّارُ والدّمُ والبلاءُ المُطبِقُ

    Horses and clouds of stirred-up dust are its letters,

    and fire, blood, and all-encompassing affliction.

  67. فَتّشتُ ما بين السُّطورِ فلم أَجِدْ

    أنّ الأُسودَ بِصَيْدِها تتصدَّقُ

    I searched between the lines, but did not find

    that lions give their prey away in charity.

  68. أرأيتَ أبطالَ الكِفاحِ وما جَنَى

    أملٌ بأجنحةِ الرّياحِ مُعلَّقُ

    Have you seen the heroes of struggle, and what was reaped by

    a hope suspended on the wings of the winds?

  69. لا يَأْسَ من نَفحاتِ ربّكَ إنّني

    لأرى السّنا خَلَلَ الدُّجَى يتألَّقُ

    Do not despair of your Lord's breaths of grace; indeed, I

    surely see radiance gleaming through the darkness.