عَن أَيِّ ثَغرٍ تَبتَسِم

عَن أَيِّ ثَغرٍ تَبتَسِم

وَبِأَيِّ طَرفٍ تَحتَكِم

وَبِأَيِّ طَرفٍ تَحتَكِم

With what lips do you smile?

With what smile do your lips part,

And with what gaze do you hold sway?

And by which eyelash do you conquer?

حَسَنٌ يَضِنُّ بِحُسنِهِ

حَسَنٌ يَضِنُّ بِحُسنِهِ

وَالحُسنُ أَشبَهُ بِالكَرَم

وَالحُسنُ أَشبَهُ بِالكَرَم

A handsome one, stingy with his beauty,

Beauty grieves for its beauty,

though beauty is more akin to generosity.

And beauty is most like generosity.

أَفديهِ مِن ظُلمِ الوُشا

أَفديهِ مِن ظُلمِ الوُشا

ةِ وَإِن أَساءَ وَإِن ظَلَم

ةِ وَإِن أَساءَ وَإِن ظَلَم

I would ransom him from the slanderers’ injustice,

I ransom him from the injustice of suspicion,

even if he does wrong, even if he is unjust.

Be he unjust or oppressive.

وَكَأَنَّ في جِسمي الَّذي

وَكَأَنَّ في جِسمي الَّذي

في ناظِرَيهِ مِنَ السَقَم

في ناظِرَيهِ مِنَ السَقَم

And it is as though within my body lies

And it's as if, in my body,

the sickness that is in his eyes.

Is a sickness I see in his eyes.

يَهنيكَ أَنَّكَ لَم تَذُق

يَهنيكَ أَنَّكَ لَم تَذُق

سَهَراً وَأَنّي لَم أَنَم

سَهَراً وَأَنّي لَم أَنَم

May it please you that you have not tasted

May you be congratulated that you've not tasted

sleeplessness, while I have not slept.

Insomnia while I've not slept.

أَقسَمتُ بِالبَيتِ الحَرا

أَقسَمتُ بِالبَيتِ الحَرا

مِ وَحُرمَةِ الشَهرِ الأَصَمّ

مِ وَحُرمَةِ الشَهرِ الأَصَمّ

I have sworn by the Sacred House,

I swear by the inviolable house,

and the sanctity of the Deaf Month,

And the sanctity of the silent month,

وَعُلا أَميرِ المُؤمِني

وَعُلا أَميرِ المُؤمِني

نَ فَإِنَّها حَقُّ القَسَم

نَ فَإِنَّها حَقُّ القَسَم

and the glory of the Commander of the Faithful—

And the most high Commander of the Faithful

for it is worthy of an oath—

That truly it is a solemn oath.

لَقَدِ اِصطَفى رَبُّ السَما

لَقَدِ اِصطَفى رَبُّ السَما

ءِ لَهُ الخَلائِقَ وَالشِيَم

ءِ لَهُ الخَلائِقَ وَالشِيَم

the Lord of Heaven has indeed chosen

God chose for him the best of manners and traits

for him his character and virtues.

From all creations.

مَلِكٌ بَدا وَجَبينُهُ

مَلِكٌ بَدا وَجَبينُهُ

شَمسُ الضُحى بَدرُ الظُلَم

شَمسُ الضُحى بَدرُ الظُلَم

A king has appeared, and his brow is

A King whose forehead

the midmorning sun, the full moon amid darkness.

Is the bright morning sun, the full moon of darkness.

قُل لِلخَليفَةِ جَعفَرِ ال

قُل لِلخَليفَةِ جَعفَرِ ال

مُتَوَكِّلِ بنِ المُعتَصِم

مُتَوَكِّلِ بنِ المُعتَصِم

Say to the caliph Ja‘far al-

Say to Caliph Ja'far al-Mutawakkil

Mutawakkil, son of al-Mu‘tasim,

Son of al-Mu'tasim.

لِلمُرتَضى بنِ المُجتَبى

لِلمُرتَضى بنِ المُجتَبى

وَالمُنعِمِ بنِ المُنتَقِم

وَالمُنعِمِ بنِ المُنتَقِم

to the approved one, son of the chosen one,

To al-Murtada son of the Chosen One

and the benefactor, son of the avenger:

And the Bestower, son of the Avenger.

أَمّا الرَعيَّةُ فَهيَ مِن

أَمّا الرَعيَّةُ فَهيَ مِن

أَمَناتِ عَدلِكَ في حَرَم

أَمَناتِ عَدلِكَ في حَرَم

As for the subjects, they are, through

As for the commoners, they are

the safeguards of your justice, in a sanctuary.

From the safe havens of your justice.

نِعَمٌ عَلَيها في بَقا

نِعَمٌ عَلَيها في بَقا

ئِكَ فَلتَتِمَّ لَها النِعَم

ئِكَ فَلتَتِمَّ لَها النِعَم

Blessings are theirs in your continued life;

It is a blessing upon them that you remain

so may those blessings be complete for them.

So may blessings be completed for them.

يا بانِيَ المَجدِ الَّذي

يا بانِيَ المَجدِ الَّذي

قَد كانَ قُوِّضَ فَاِنهَدَم

قَد كانَ قُوِّضَ فَاِنهَدَم

O builder of the glory that

O you who rebuilt the glory

had been dismantled and then collapsed,

That was once destroyed and collapsed.

اِسلَم لِدينِ مُحَمَّدٍ

اِسلَم لِدينِ مُحَمَّدٍ

فَإِذا سَلِمتَ فَقَد سَلِم

فَإِذا سَلِمتَ فَقَد سَلِم

remain safe for the faith of Muhammad;

Submit to the religion of Muhammad

for when you are safe, it too is safe.

For if you submit, you will be safe.

نِلنا الهُدى بَعدَ العَمى

نِلنا الهُدى بَعدَ العَمى

بِكَ وَالغِنى بَعدَ العَدَم

بِكَ وَالغِنى بَعدَ العَدَم

We attained guidance after blindness

Through you we attained guidance after blindness

through you, and wealth after destitution.

And riches after destitution.