أرْغَمْتَ آنُفَ حاسدِيكَ بسَفْرةٍ

أرْغَمْتَ آنُفَ حاسدِيكَ بسَفْرةٍ

سفَرتْ فأبدَتْ وجْهَ جَدٍّ مُقْبِلِ

سفَرتْ فأبدَتْ وجْهَ جَدٍّ مُقْبِلِ

You rubbed your enviers' noses in the dust with a journey

You have just silenced your envious detractors with a journey,

that unveiled itself and revealed the face of approaching good fortune.

So it departed and revealed the face of a determined newcomer,

وقَدِمتَ والصّومُ المُبارَكُ قادمٌ

وقَدِمتَ والصّومُ المُبارَكُ قادمٌ

فاسْعَدْ بصَوْمٍ عيدُه في الأوَّل

فاسْعَدْ بصَوْمٍ عيدُه في الأوَّل

And you arrived as the blessed fast was approaching;

And you have arrived while the blessed fast is approaching,

so rejoice in a fast whose feast comes at the beginning.

So rejoice in a fast whose celebration is in the first month.

أضحَى الّذي ما زلْتَ ناصرَ دينِه

أضحَى الّذي ما زلْتَ ناصرَ دينِه

لك ناصراً فأطالَ رَغْمَ الخُذّل

لك ناصراً فأطالَ رَغْمَ الخُذّل

He whose faith you have always defended has become

He who you have never ceased to be the supporter of His religion,

your defender, prolonging the humiliation of those who forsook you.

Has now become your supporter, in spite of the subverters.

والقاهِرُ المُسْمِيكَ فينا عَبْدَهُ

والقاهِرُ المُسْمِيكَ فينا عَبْدَهُ

قَهر العِدا لك قَهْرةً لم تُمْهِل

قَهر العِدا لك قَهْرةً لم تُمْهِل

And the Subduer, who names you His servant among us,

And the Almighty who destined you among us as His servant,

crushed your foes for you with a conquest that gave no respite.

Has subjugated your enemies with a subjugation without respite.

فكفاكَ عاديةَ العَدوِّ المُعْتدي

فكفاكَ عاديةَ العَدوِّ المُعْتدي

ووَقاكَ طارقةَ الخُطوبِ النُّزَّل

ووَقاكَ طارقةَ الخُطوبِ النُّزَّل

Thus He spared you the aggression of the assailing foe,

So suffice you the enmity of the transgressing enemy,

and shielded you from the sudden visitation of descending calamities.

And suffice you the striking of overwhelming afflictions.

فاذْكُرْ إذَنْ خُططاً أظلّتْ وانجلَتْ

فاذْكُرْ إذَنْ خُططاً أظلّتْ وانجلَتْ

واشكُرْ إذَنْ نُعْمَى وَهوبٍ مُجْزِل

واشكُرْ إذَنْ نُعْمَى وَهوبٍ مُجْزِل

So remember, then, the ordeals that loomed and vanished,

Remember then the plans which have overcast and cleared,

and give thanks, then, for the bounty of a lavish, generous Giver:

And thank the abundant, generous bounties.

نُعمىً تُذَلِّلُ كُلَّ مَن عادَيْتَه

نُعمىً تُذَلِّلُ كُلَّ مَن عادَيْتَه

ولكلِّ صَعْبٍ قد رَكبْتَ مُذَلَّل

ولكلِّ صَعْبٍ قد رَكبْتَ مُذَلَّل

a bounty that subdues everyone you have opposed,

Bounties that humble everyone who opposed you,

and every unruly mount you have ridden is made docile.

And everything difficult you have mounted has been subjugated.

نَفْسي فِداؤك من كريمٍ لم يَزَلْ

نَفْسي فِداؤك من كريمٍ لم يَزَلْ

سامي ذُراهُ من النّوائبِ مَعْقِلي

سامي ذُراهُ من النّوائبِ مَعْقِلي

My soul be your ransom, noble man; always have

My soul is your ransom, O generous one who has never ceased

your lofty heights been my refuge from calamities.

To be my lofty refuge, safe from adversities.

قسَماً لقد جاهدْتُ فيك أعادياً

قسَماً لقد جاهدْتُ فيك أعادياً

فكفَيْتُ منهمْ كُلَّ شَكْلٍ مُشْكِل

فكفَيْتُ منهمْ كُلَّ شَكْلٍ مُشْكِل

I swear, I have indeed fought enemies for your sake,

I swear I have struggled against enemies for your sake,

and warded off every troublesome kind among them.

And sufficed from them every intractable creature.

وَرُمِيتُ فيك من الجَفاء بأَسْهمٍ

وَرُمِيتُ فيك من الجَفاء بأَسْهمٍ

ولئنْ عَراك الشّكُّ فيه فاسْأل

ولئنْ عَراك الشّكُّ فيه فاسْأل

And for your sake I was struck by arrows of harsh treatment;

And I was struck for you with arrows of estrangement,

and if doubt about it assails you, ask.

And if you doubt it, then ask!

وقُصدْتُ في نَفْسي وفي ابْني بالّتي

وقُصدْتُ في نَفْسي وفي ابْني بالّتي

فَرِحَتْ لها نَفْسُ العَدُوِّ الأرذَل

فَرِحَتْ لها نَفْسُ العَدُوِّ الأرذَل

And I was assailed, in my own person and in my son, by what

And I have been targeted in myself and in my son with slander,

gladdened the soul of the vilest foe.

To the joy of the base enemy’s soul.

والدّهْرُ قد تُنتابُ فيه عَجائبٌ

والدّهْرُ قد تُنتابُ فيه عَجائبٌ

يِكْسِرْنَ رامحَ أهلِه بالأَعْزَل

يِكْسِرْنَ رامحَ أهلِه بالأَعْزَل

And in time strange happenings may be encountered

And time occasionally has within it wonders,

that defeat its people's spearman with an unarmed man.

That break the lance of its people with the unarmed.

فانْظُرْ إليَّ اليومَ نَظْرةَ مُسْعِدٍ

فانْظُرْ إليَّ اليومَ نَظْرةَ مُسْعِدٍ

فعلَى انتصارِك يا كبيرُ مُعوَّلي

فعلَى انتصارِك يا كبيرُ مُعوَّلي

So look upon me today with a helper's gaze,

So look upon me today with a gratifying gaze,

for on your support, great one, I rely.

For in your victory, O Great One, lies my reliance.

فلَطالما من أينَ جِئْتُك راغباً

فلَطالما من أينَ جِئْتُك راغباً

لاقَيْتُ تَطْويلي بفَضْلِ تَطَوُّل

لاقَيْتُ تَطْويلي بفَضْلِ تَطَوُّل

For often, wherever I came to you from, in hope,

For so long, from wherever I came to you eagerly,

I found my long entreaties met with abundant generosity.

I found your generosity reciprocating my yearning.

فمتَى أرَدْتُ الجاه كنتَ مُناولي

فمتَى أرَدْتُ الجاه كنتَ مُناولي

ومتى أردْتُ المالَ كنتَ مُنوِّلي

ومتى أردْتُ المالَ كنتَ مُنوِّلي

For whenever I sought standing, you placed it in my hands;

So whenever I wanted glory, you bestowed it upon me,

and whenever I sought wealth, you bestowed it upon me.

And whenever I wanted wealth, you conferred it upon me.

ومتى اقتبَسْتُ رأيتُ أكبرَ فاضِلٍ

ومتى اقتبَسْتُ رأيتُ أكبرَ فاضِلٍ

وإذا التَمَسْتُ رأيتُ أكبرَ مُفْضِل

وإذا التَمَسْتُ رأيتُ أكبرَ مُفْضِل

And whenever I sought light, I found the greatest man of merit;

And whenever I sought advice I saw the greatest sage,

and whenever I asked, I found the greatest benefactor.

And when I sought judgment I saw the greatest judicious.

وإذا طلَبْتُ النّصرَ يومَ حفيظةٍ

وإذا طلَبْتُ النّصرَ يومَ حفيظةٍ

جَرّدْتَ دوني كُلَّ عَضْبٍ مِفْصَل

جَرّدْتَ دوني كُلَّ عَضْبٍ مِفْصَل

And whenever I sought aid on a day of wrath,

And if I sought victory on a day of wrath,

you unsheathed in my defense every sharp, joint-cleaving sword.

You brandished before me every sharpened blade.

يا باخِلاً بالعِرْضِ من كرَمٍ به

يا باخِلاً بالعِرْضِ من كرَمٍ به

حتّى إذا سُئلَ اللُّها لم يَبْخَل

حتّى إذا سُئلَ اللُّها لم يَبْخَل

O miser with your honor, out of noble regard for it,

O you who are stingy with honor out of generosity,

yet never miserly when asked for gifts!

Until when asked for succor you do not stint.

فلَوَ انّني أوفَيْتُ شَوْقيَ حَقّه

فلَوَ انّني أوفَيْتُ شَوْقيَ حَقّه

لَركبْتُ أجنحةَ الصَّبا والشّمْأل

لَركبْتُ أجنحةَ الصَّبا والشّمْأل

If I gave my longing its full due,

If only I had fulfilled my passion as was its right,

I would ride the wings of the east and north winds.

I would have mounted the wings of the morning breeze and the dusk.

ولئن شفَيْتُ العَينَ منك بنَظْرةٍ

ولئن شفَيْتُ العَينَ منك بنَظْرةٍ

تَسمو بطَرْفِ النّاظرِ المُتأَمِّل

تَسمو بطَرْفِ النّاظرِ المُتأَمِّل

And if I soothe my eye with a glimpse of you,

And if my eyes were sated of you with a glance,

one that uplifts the gaze of the thoughtful beholder,

It would transport the beholder’s gaze to the heights.

فلأصفحَنَّ عنِ الزّمانِ وما جنَى

فلأصفحَنَّ عنِ الزّمانِ وما جنَى

إذْ عاد عَودةَ نادمٍ مُتنَصِّل

إذْ عاد عَودةَ نادمٍ مُتنَصِّل

then I shall surely forgive time and the wrong it wrought,

So I will pardon the times and what it reaped,

since it has returned like one remorseful, pleading to be excused.

When it returns apologetically disengaging.

وبغَيْرِ شُكْري نِعمةً بك جُدِّدَتْ

وبغَيْرِ شُكْري نِعمةً بك جُدِّدَتْ

سِرّي وجَهْري بعدَها لم أَشغَل

سِرّي وجَهْري بعدَها لم أَشغَل

And nothing but thanks for a blessing renewed through you

And without my gratitude a blessing through you was renewed,

has since occupied my private thoughts and public words.

My secret and open self thereafter did not busy me.

رجَع الزّمانُ إلى الرِّضا فارْجِعْ له

رجَع الزّمانُ إلى الرِّضا فارْجِعْ له

وإذا صُروفُ الدَّهْرِ نابَتْ فاقْبل

وإذا صُروفُ الدَّهْرِ نابَتْ فاقْبل

Time has returned to goodwill; return to it in kind,

Time has returned to concord so return to it,

and when time's reversals befall, come forward.

And when the turns of fate come around accept them.

فكما إليك اللهُ أحْسَنَ مَعْقَباً

فكما إليك اللهُ أحْسَنَ مَعْقَباً

نَصْراً فأَحسِنْ يا هُمامُ وأَجْمِل

نَصْراً فأَحسِنْ يا هُمامُ وأَجْمِل

So, just as God has granted you a good outcome—

Just as God made your outcome favorable with victory,

victory—do good, noble champion, and act graciously.

O gallant one make good and beautify.

وأَعِد إليّ بعَيْنِ لُطْفِك نَظْرةً

وأَعِد إليّ بعَيْنِ لُطْفِك نَظْرةً

واحْكُمْ على زَمني المُعانِدِ واعْدِل

واحْكُمْ على زَمني المُعانِدِ واعْدِل

And grant me anew a glance from your kindly eye,

And return to me with your kind eye a glance,

and pass judgment on my defiant time, and be just.

And judge my defiant times and be equitable.

ولقَدْرِ مِثْلي فَضْلُ مِثْلِك عارِفٌ

ولقَدْرِ مِثْلي فَضْلُ مِثْلِك عارِفٌ

فابْرُزْ فقد خِفْتُ الخُطوبَ وعَجِّل

فابْرُزْ فقد خِفْتُ الخُطوبَ وعَجِّل

And the excellence of one like you recognizes the worth of one like me.

And to one like me the merit of one like you is known,

So come forth, for I fear calamities, and hasten.

So come forth, for I have feared the afflictions and hasten!

مات الخواطِرُ في الزّمانِ فأَحْيِها

مات الخواطِرُ في الزّمانِ فأَحْيِها

وبدا النّقائصُ في القضاء فكَمِّل

وبدا النّقائصُ في القضاء فكَمِّل

Thoughts have died in this age; bring them to life,

Inspirations have died in time so revive them,

and flaws have appeared in fate's decree; set them right,

And deficiencies emerged in fate so perfect them.

حتّى أُشهِّرَ فيك كلَّ بديعةٍ

حتّى أُشهِّرَ فيك كلَّ بديعةٍ

تَثْني زمامَ الرّاكبِ المُستَعْجِل

تَثْني زمامَ الرّاكبِ المُستَعْجِل

so that I may make known in your praise every wondrous poem

Until every marvel is flaunted through you,

that turns back the reins of the rider in haste:

Restraining the rein of the hastening rider.

غَرّاءُ يَحسُدُك الملوكُ بغُرِّها

غَرّاءُ يَحسُدُك الملوكُ بغُرِّها

حُسْناً إذا جُلِيَتْ لعَينِ المُجْتَلي

حُسْناً إذا جُلِيَتْ لعَينِ المُجْتَلي

radiant, whose shining verses make kings envy you

Of overweening pride, which makes kings envy you,

for their beauty, when it is unveiled to the beholder's eye.

A beauty, when uncovered to the beholder’s eye.