أَبا سَعيدٍ وَفي الأَيّامِ مُعتَبَرُ

أَبا سَعيدٍ وَفي الأَيّامِ مُعتَبَرُ

وَالدَهرُ في حالَتَيهِ الصَفوُ وَالكَدَرُ

وَالدَهرُ في حالَتَيهِ الصَفوُ وَالكَدَرُ

O Abu Sa'id, in the days there is a lesson;

O Abu Sa'id, in days full of lessons

And time has its two states: serenity and trouble.

While time flows between calm and distress

ما لِلحَوادِثِ لا كانَت غَوائِلُها

ما لِلحَوادِثِ لا كانَت غَوائِلُها

وَلا أَصابَ لَها نابٌ وَلا ظُفُرُ

وَلا أَصابَ لَها نابٌ وَلا ظُفُرُ

What is it with calamities? May their ravages never be,

No events persist; they are fleeting

And may no fang or claw of theirs ever strike.

Leaving behind neither harm nor gain

تَعَزَّ بِالصَبرِ وَاِستَبدِل إِسىً بِأَسىً

تَعَزَّ بِالصَبرِ وَاِستَبدِل إِسىً بِأَسىً

فَالشَمسُ طالِعَةٌ إِن غُيِّبَ القَمَرُ

فَالشَمسُ طالِعَةٌ إِن غُيِّبَ القَمَرُ

Take comfort in patience, and exchange sorrow for solace;

Be patient, replacing sorrow with hope

For the sun is rising, even if the moon has been hidden.

Though the moon is darkened, sunlight remains

وَهَل خَلا الدَهرُ أولاهُ وَآخِرُهُ

وَهَل خَلا الدَهرُ أولاهُ وَآخِرُهُ

مِن قائِمٍ بِهُدىً مُذ كُوِّنَ البَشَرُ

مِن قائِمٍ بِهُدىً مُذ كُوِّنَ البَشَرُ

And has time, from its beginning to its end, ever been empty

Has time since mankind's birth e'er lacked

Of one upholding guidance, since humankind was created?

One guided to walk in truth's terrain?

إيهاً عَزاءَكَ لا تُغلَب عَلَيهِ فَما

إيهاً عَزاءَكَ لا تُغلَب عَلَيهِ فَما

يَستَعذِبُ الصَبرَ إِلّا الحَيَّةُ الذَكَرُ

يَستَعذِبُ الصَبرَ إِلّا الحَيَّةُ الذَكَرُ

Enough! Hold fast to your consolation; do not be robbed of it, for none

Take heart, let not sadness defeat you

Finds patience sweet except the male serpent.

Only the wise man finds comfort in pain

فَلَم يَمُت مَن أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ لَهُ

فَلَم يَمُت مَن أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ لَهُ

بَقِيَّةٌ وَإِنِ اِستَولى بِهِ القَدَرُ

بَقِيَّةٌ وَإِنِ اِستَولى بِهِ القَدَرُ

For he has not died who has, in the Commander of the Faithful,

The Master of Faithful's not fully gone

A surviving remnant, even if fate has overcome him.

Though taken by fate, his spirit remains

مَضى الإِمامُ وَأَضحى في رَعِيَّتِهِ

مَضى الإِمامُ وَأَضحى في رَعِيَّتِهِ

إِمامُ عَدلٍ بِهِ يُستَنزَلُ المَطَرُ

إِمامُ عَدلٍ بِهِ يُستَنزَلُ المَطَرُ

The imam has passed away, and among his subjects there now stands

The Imam passed, but as his successor

An imam of justice, through whom rain is called down.

Rules an Imam of justice who brings rain

إِنَّ الخَليفَةَ هارونَ الَّذي وَقَفَت

إِنَّ الخَليفَةَ هارونَ الَّذي وَقَفَت

في كُنهِ آلائِهِ الأَوهامُ وَالفِكَرُ

في كُنهِ آلائِهِ الأَوهامُ وَالفِكَرُ

Indeed, the caliph Harun, for whom came to a halt

The Caliph is Harun, whose qualities

At the depths of his blessings, imaginings and thoughts,

Stump minds and thoughts, however adept

أَلفاكَ في نَصرِهِ صُبحاً أَضاءَ لَهُ

أَلفاكَ في نَصرِهِ صُبحاً أَضاءَ لَهُ

لَيلٌ مِنَ الفِتنَةِ الطَخياءِ مُعتَكِرُ

لَيلٌ مِنَ الفِتنَةِ الطَخياءِ مُعتَكِرُ

Found you, in aiding him, a dawn by which grew bright

You found him at dawn, dispelling the night

A murky night of pitch-dark strife.

Of turmoil and chaos in which he was kept

سَكَّنتَ حَدَّ أُناسٍ فَلَّ حَدَّهُمُ

سَكَّنتَ حَدَّ أُناسٍ فَلَّ حَدَّهُمُ

حَدٌّ مِنَ السَيفِ لا يُبقي وَلا يَذَرُ

حَدٌّ مِنَ السَيفِ لا يُبقي وَلا يَذَرُ

You quelled the sharpness of men whose edge was blunted

Your sword silenced rebels, lethally sharp

By a sword's edge that spares nothing and leaves nothing.

Annihilating foes without relent

كُنتَ المُسارِعَ في تَوكيدِ بَيعَتِهِ

كُنتَ المُسارِعَ في تَوكيدِ بَيعَتِهِ

حَتّى تَأَكَّدَ مِنها العَقدُ وَالمِرَرُ

حَتّى تَأَكَّدَ مِنها العَقدُ وَالمِرَرُ

You were swift to confirm the pledge of allegiance to him,

You rushed to cement his allegiance

Until its bond and twisted strands were secure.

Till secure were its ties and extent

وَدَعوَةٍ لِأَصَمِّ القَومِ مُسمِعَةٍ

وَدَعوَةٍ لِأَصَمِّ القَومِ مُسمِعَةٍ

يُصغي إِلَيها الهُدى وَالنَصرُ وَالظَفَرُ

يُصغي إِلَيها الهُدى وَالنَصرُ وَالظَفَرُ

And many a call, making the deaf among the people hear,

Summoning the deaf to hear guidance, triumph,

To which guidance, victory, and triumph lend an ear,

Victory-your call when news came of it

أَقَمتَها لِأَميرِ المُؤمِنينِ بِما

أَقَمتَها لِأَميرِ المُؤمِنينِ بِما

في نَصلِ سَيفِكَ إِذ جاءَت بِها البُشُرُ

في نَصلِ سَيفِكَ إِذ جاءَت بِها البُشُرُ

You raised for the Commander of the Faithful with what

For the Master of Faithfuls you tabled it

Lies in your sword's blade, when the bearers of glad tidings brought it.

With your blade, when told of his warrant

فَاِسلَم جُزيتَ عَنِ الإِسلامِ مِن مَلِكٍ

فَاِسلَم جُزيتَ عَنِ الإِسلامِ مِن مَلِكٍ

خَيراً فَأَنتَ لَهُ عِزٌّ وَمُفتَخَرُ

خَيراً فَأَنتَ لَهُ عِزٌّ وَمُفتَخَرُ

So live in safety; may you, as a king, be rewarded on Islam's behalf

You served Islam's cause, and your King

With good, for you are its might and pride.

Rewards you with honor and pride as recompense