إِنّي لِفِعلِكَ يا مُحَمَّدُ حامِدُ

إِنّي لِفِعلِكَ يا مُحَمَّدُ حامِدُ

وَإِلَيكَ بِالأَمَلِ المُصَدَّقِ قاصِدُ

وَإِلَيكَ بِالأَمَلِ المُصَدَّقِ قاصِدُ

I am indeed grateful for your deed, O Muhammad.

Indeed for your act, O Muhammad, I give praise

And to you I turn with hope confirmed.

And to you in aspiration and hope I solicit

توصيكَ بي عَطفُ القَريبِ وَمَذهَبٌ

توصيكَ بي عَطفُ القَريبِ وَمَذهَبٌ

في الرُشدِ سَهَّلَهُ أَمامَكَ راشِدُ

في الرُشدِ سَهَّلَهُ أَمامَكَ راشِدُ

A kinsman's affection commends me to your care, and a path

Your care exhorts me, a close relative, in right guidance

Of right guidance, made easy before you by a rightly guided man.

Which you've eased before yourself, an upright guide

وَلَقَد هُزِزتَ فَكُنتَ أَحمَدَ مُنصُلٍ

وَلَقَد هُزِزتَ فَكُنتَ أَحمَدَ مُنصُلٍ

غَمَدَتهُ لَخمُكَ في العُلا أَو غامِدِ

غَمَدَتهُ لَخمُكَ في العُلا أَو غامِدِ

Indeed, you were brandished and proved the most praiseworthy blade

You were shaken yet you stayed resolutely steadfast

That your Lakhm, or Ghamid, has sheathed in the heights of glory.

Your scabbard hid your sword, aloft or sheathed

أَدعوكَ بِالرَحِمِ القَريبَةِ إِنها

أَدعوكَ بِالرَحِمِ القَريبَةِ إِنها

وَلهى تَحِنُّ كَما تَحِنُّ الفاقِدِ

وَلهى تَحِنُّ كَما تَحِنُّ الفاقِدِ

I appeal to you by close kinship, for it is

I call you by the womb’s bond for it

Distraught with longing, yearning as one bereaved yearns;

Yearns just as one deprived yearns

وَبِحُرمَةِ الأَدَبِ المُقَرِّبِ بَينَنا

وَبِحُرمَةِ الأَدَبِ المُقَرِّبِ بَينَنا

وَالناسُ فيهِ أَقارِبٌ وَأَباعِدُ

وَالناسُ فيهِ أَقارِبٌ وَأَباعِدُ

And by the sanctity of literature, which draws us together,

And by the sanctity of refined culture between us

And within it people are close kin and distant strangers;

Where people are either relatives or strangers

وَقِيامِنا بِالاِعتِقادِ وَنَصرِنا

وَقِيامِنا بِالاِعتِقادِ وَنَصرِنا

لِلحَقِّ إِن نَصَرَ الضَلالَ مُعانِدُ

لِلحَقِّ إِن نَصَرَ الضَلالَ مُعانِدُ

And by our standing firm in belief, and our defense

And our creed’s advocacy and our support

Of truth, if a stubborn opponent champions error.

Of the truth if one supporting falsehood contends

إِنَّ الأَميرَ وَإِن تَدَفَّقَ جودُهُ

إِنَّ الأَميرَ وَإِن تَدَفَّقَ جودُهُ

فَجَنابُ جودَكَ كَيفَ شاءَ الرائِدُ

فَجَنابُ جودَكَ كَيفَ شاءَ الرائِدُ

Indeed, though the prince's bounty pours forth,

Though the prince’s munificence pours forth

Yet the domain of your bounty is as the scout would wish.

By your munificence’s bounty whatever the guide dictated

أَو كانَ في كَرَمِ السَماحَةِ واحِداً

أَو كانَ في كَرَمِ السَماحَةِ واحِداً

فَلَأَنتَ في كَرَمِ العِنايَةِ واحِدُ

فَلَأَنتَ في كَرَمِ العِنايَةِ واحِدُ

Or if he is peerless in the nobility of giving,

Or if he equaled generosity’s oneness

Then you are surely peerless in the nobility of care.

You’re singular in care’s generosity

وَلَقَد غَدَوتَ أَخاً وَرُحتَ بِرَأفَةٍ

وَلَقَد غَدَوتَ أَخاً وَرُحتَ بِرَأفَةٍ

وَحِياطَةٍ حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ والِدُ

وَحِياطَةٍ حَتّى كَأَنَّكَ والِدُ

Indeed, you were a brother in the morning, and by evening, through compassion

And you started forth as brother, with tenderness,

And protective care, had come to seem a father.

And heed so it’s as though you're a father

وَبَدَأتَ في أَمرٍ فَعُد إِنَّ الفَتى

وَبَدَأتَ في أَمرٍ فَعُد إِنَّ الفَتى

بادٍ لِما جَلَبَ الثَناءَ وَعائِدُ

بادٍ لِما جَلَبَ الثَناءَ وَعائِدُ

And you have begun a task, so return to it; for a young man

You began a matter—so repeat—the lad

Begins what wins praise, and returns to it.

Brings what lauds him while consequences ensue

لَم أَنأَ عَمّا كُنتُ فيهِ وَلَم أَغِب

لَم أَنأَ عَمّا كُنتُ فيهِ وَلَم أَغِب

عَن حَظِّ مَكرُمَةٍ وَرَأيُكَ شاهِدُ

عَن حَظِّ مَكرُمَةٍ وَرَأيُكَ شاهِدُ

I have not strayed from my former standing, nor been absent

I haven't digressed from what I was in

From a share of generous favor; your judgment bears witness.

Nor been absent from a share of honor and your witnessing