قل للرّئيسِ أبي نَصْرٍ لقد نُصِرَتْ

قل للرّئيسِ أبي نَصْرٍ لقد نُصِرَتْ

بك المَعالي برَغْمِ المَعشَر الخُذَّلِ

بك المَعالي برَغْمِ المَعشَر الخُذَّلِ

Tell the chief Abu Nasr: indeed, victory has been granted

Tell Abu Nasr the president, you have been victorious

Through you to lofty virtues, despite the band that withholds aid.

Through you, glories despite the cowardly mob

وما دُعِيتَ ضياءَ الدّينِ عن عَبَثٍ

وما دُعِيتَ ضياءَ الدّينِ عن عَبَثٍ

لكنْ لنورٍ على أهليه مُشْتَمِل

لكنْ لنورٍ على أهليه مُشْتَمِل

Nor were you called Diya al-Din, 'Light of the Faith,' in vain,

You were not called "Light of the Religion" out of jest

But for a light that embraces the people of the faith.

But for a light encompassing your family

طلَعْتَ نجماً إذا استَنَّتْ بسِيرتِه

طلَعْتَ نجماً إذا استَنَّتْ بسِيرتِه

بنو الرّئاسةِ لم تَضْلِلْ عن السُّبُل

بنو الرّئاسةِ لم تَضْلِلْ عن السُّبُل

You rose as a star: when its course is followed

You rose like a star, and if the nobles follow your path

By the sons of leadership, they do not stray from the paths.

They will not stray from the right way

كم قد تَطَلّبْتُ في الدّنيا أخا كرَم

كم قد تَطَلّبْتُ في الدّنيا أخا كرَم

مَحْضٍ فلم أَرَ إلاّ أَحمدَ بْنَ عَلي

مَحْضٍ فلم أَرَ إلاّ أَحمدَ بْنَ عَلي

How often I have sought in this world a man of generosity

How much have I sought in this life a generous brother

Unalloyed, yet found none but Ahmad ibn Ali.

Pure, and found none but Ahmad ibn Ali

فتىً إذا جئْتَه تَبْغي فَواضِلَه

فتىً إذا جئْتَه تَبْغي فَواضِلَه

أعطاك كُلَّ الأماني ثُمَّ قال سَل

أعطاك كُلَّ الأماني ثُمَّ قال سَل

A young man: when you come to him seeking his bounty,

A young man, if you come to him seeking his bounty

He grants you every wish, then says, 'Ask.'

He gives you all you wish, then says "ask!"

فَرْدٌ بلا مَثَلٍ في النّاسِ وهْو لهم

فَرْدٌ بلا مَثَلٍ في النّاسِ وهْو لهم

في كُلِّ معنىً حَميدٍ غايةُ المَثَل

في كُلِّ معنىً حَميدٍ غايةُ المَثَل

Unique, without an equal among people, yet for them he is

Unique without peer among people, and to them

In every praiseworthy quality, the supreme exemplar.

He is the epitome of every praiseworthy meaning

تَخالُه رَجُلاً في النّاسِ تُبْصِرُه

تَخالُه رَجُلاً في النّاسِ تُبْصِرُه

إذا بدا لك وهْو النّاسُ في رَجُل

إذا بدا لك وهْو النّاسُ في رَجُل

You think him a man among men, as you behold him

You'd think him a man among people you see

When he appears to you—yet he is all mankind in one man.

Yet with him people are but as one man

لن تَقْدِرَ النّاسُ أن تُحصي مَحاسِنَه

لن تَقْدِرَ النّاسُ أن تُحصي مَحاسِنَه

وإن قَنِعْتَ من التّفْصيلِ بالجُمَل

وإن قَنِعْتَ من التّفْصيلِ بالجُمَل

People will never be able to enumerate his virtues,

People can not enumerate his virtues

Even if you settle for summaries rather than detail.

Even if you limit yourself to the summary

كأنّه البيتُ مَبذولٌ لزائره

كأنّه البيتُ مَبذولٌ لزائره

رُكْناهُ وهْو عزيزٌ غَيرُ مُبتذَل

رُكْناهُ وهْو عزيزٌ غَيرُ مُبتذَل

He is like the House: freely offered to its visitor

He is like a house laid open to visitors

Are its two corners, yet it is revered, never debased.

A pillar yet most noble, not cheapened

لأَشكُرنَّك ما ناحَتْ مُطوَّقةٌ

لأَشكُرنَّك ما ناحَتْ مُطوَّقةٌ

معَ الغُدُوِّ على أَيْكٍ أَوِ الأُصُل

معَ الغُدُوِّ على أَيْكٍ أَوِ الأُصُل

I shall surely thank you as long as a collared dove laments

I will thank you as long as a starry-necked one

At dawn in a grove, or in the evenings.

Sings at dawn or nightfall