فلا تَعجّبُ أنَّ خَدَّيَ مُجدِبٌ

فلا تَعجّبُ أنَّ خَدَّيَ مُجدِبٌ

لِحَرِّ الهَوى أو أنَّ دَمْعِيَ ناضب

لِحَرِّ الهَوى أو أنَّ دَمْعِيَ ناضب

So do not wonder that my cheek is barren

Do not be surprised that my cheeks are withered

from passion's heat, or that my tears have run dry.

From the heat of passion, or that my tears are dried up

فكُليِّ فؤادٌ عند ذِكرِ أحبّتي

فكُليِّ فؤادٌ عند ذِكرِ أحبّتي

من الشوقِ لا ما أودعتْه التّرائب

من الشوقِ لا ما أودعتْه التّرائب

For all of me is a heart at the mention of my loved ones,

For every heart of mine, when my beloved is mentioned

from longing—not merely the one the breastbones enclose.

Is filled with longing, not what the bags contain

كذاك أبو عبد الإلهِ جميعُه

كذاك أبو عبد الإلهِ جميعُه

يَمينٌ إذا جاء للرِفْدِ طالب

يَمينٌ إذا جاء للرِفْدِ طالب

Likewise, Abu Abd al-Ilah is wholly

Such is Abu Abdullah in his entirety

a right hand when a petitioner comes seeking bounty.

A helping hand, when one in need comes requesting

يمينُ مليكٍ تَلمسُ النّجُمَ رِفعةً

يمينُ مليكٍ تَلمسُ النّجُمَ رِفعةً

فما إن له غَيرَ المعالي مَكاسب

فما إن له غَيرَ المعالي مَكاسب

A king's right hand that touches the stars in its loftiness;

The helping hand of a king, reaching for the stars in glory

for he has no gains except lofty honors.

For he has no gains other than the heights

مؤيّدُ دينٍ ينتضِي الدّهرَ دونَه

مؤيّدُ دينٍ ينتضِي الدّهرَ دونَه

له سَيفُ عَزْمٍ لم تَخُنْهُ المَضارب

له سَيفُ عَزْمٍ لم تَخُنْهُ المَضارب

A champion of the faith, he ever draws in its defense

Supporter of a religion, time bows down before it

his sword of resolve, whose striking edges have never failed him.

With a sword of determination, unfailing in battles

أَملْنا إليه الأرحبيّةَ في الفلا

أَملْنا إليه الأرحبيّةَ في الفلا

إلى أن تلقّتْنا يديهِ المراحب

إلى أن تلقّتْنا يديهِ المراحب

We turned the Arhabī camels toward him in the desert wastes,

We hoped for him in the wide open lands

until his welcoming hands received us.

Until we were met by his kind hands