صدوقُ الشَّيْمِ مُنْهلُّ العَطايا

صدوقُ الشَّيْمِ مُنْهلُّ العَطايا

اذا ما اخْلفَ الجوُّ المُغيِمُ

اذا ما اخْلفَ الجوُّ المُغيِمُ

True in character, a wellspring of gifts,

True in character, pouring forth gifts,

whenever the cloud-laden sky fails its promise;

when the clouded sky fails its promise.

هَزيما جودهِ والوجْهِ منهُ

هَزيما جودهِ والوجْهِ منهُ

ظِلامُ الحَظِّ والليلُ البَهيمُ

ظِلامُ الحَظِّ والليلُ البَهيمُ

his bounty pours down thunderously, while from his face

Vanquished by his generosity and his face are

the gloom of ill fortune and the pitch-black night are driven away.

fortune's darkness and the pitch-black night.

اذا خَذَلَ الجحافلُ فهو حامٍ

اذا خَذَلَ الجحافلُ فهو حامٍ

واِنْ بَخِلَ الحَيا فهو الكريمُ

واِنْ بَخِلَ الحَيا فهو الكريمُ

When massed armies fail, he stands protector;

When armies fail, he is a defender,

and when the life-giving rain withholds, he is the generous one.

and if the rain is miserly, he is the generous one.

يزيد به ضياءُ الصُّبحِ حُسْناً

يزيد به ضياءُ الصُّبحِ حُسْناً

ويحْلو في شمائلهِ النَّعيمُ

ويحْلو في شمائلهِ النَّعيمُ

Morning’s radiance grows lovelier through him,

Through him the light of dawn grows in beauty,

and amid his noble traits, bliss grows sweet.

and bliss grows sweeter in his character.

وتشكو النِّيبُ والأبْطالُ منهُ

وتشكو النِّيبُ والأبْطالُ منهُ

ويٌثْني الضَّيْفُ والجارُ المُقيمُ

ويٌثْني الضَّيْفُ والجارُ المُقيمُ

The aged she-camels and the champions complain of him,

And the aged she-camels and the heroes complain of him,

while guest and settled neighbor speak his praise.

while the guest and the resident neighbor praise him.

هو القاسي اذا اشْتَجرَ العَوالي

هو القاسي اذا اشْتَجرَ العَوالي

وعند السَّلْمِ ذو لُطْفٍ رَحيمُ

وعند السَّلْمِ ذو لُطْفٍ رَحيمُ

He is stern when lofty spears clash,

He is stern when the long spears clash,

but in peace, a man of gentle mercy.

and in peace he is gentle and merciful.

يمينُ الدولةِ الطُّولى ببطْشٍ

يمينُ الدولةِ الطُّولى ببطْشٍ

اذا ما أقْدمَ الخطْبُ الغَشومُ

اذا ما أقْدمَ الخطْبُ الغَشومُ

The supreme state’s right hand, mighty in his stroke,

The state's far-reaching right hand, mighty in assault,

when brutal calamity presses forward.

when ruthless calamity advances.

طليقُ الوجهِ بَسَّامٌ ومنهُ

طليقُ الوجهِ بَسَّامٌ ومنهُ

عن العوْراءِ اِنْ خَطَرتْ وجوم

عن العوْراءِ اِنْ خَطَرتْ وجوم

Open-faced and ever smiling—yet from him

Cheerful-faced and ever smiling, yet from him comes

comes grave silence whenever an ugly word is uttered.

a somber silence at a foul word, should it arise.