أقولُ وقد تَولَّى الأمْرَ حَبْرٌ

أقولُ وقد تَولَّى الأمْرَ حَبْرٌ

وَليٌّ لم يَزلْ بَرّاً تَقِيَّا

وَليٌّ لم يَزلْ بَرّاً تَقِيَّا

I say, now that a learned sage has assumed the rule—

I say, now that a learned man has taken charge—

A ruler who has never ceased to be righteous and devout.

a saint, ever righteous and devout—

وقد كُشِفَ الظَّلامُ بمسْتضيءٍ

وقد كُشِفَ الظَّلامُ بمسْتضيءٍ

غَدا بالنَّاسِ كُلِّهُمُ حَفيَّا

غَدا بالنَّاسِ كُلِّهُمُ حَفيَّا

And darkness has been dispelled by al-Mustaḍīʾ—the Illumined One,

and darkness has been dispelled by an illumined one,

Who has become solicitous for all the people.

who has become gracious toward all the people;

وفاضَ الجودُ والمَعْروفُ حتَّى

وفاضَ الجودُ والمَعْروفُ حتَّى

حَسِبْتُهُما عُباباً أو أتِيَّا

حَسِبْتُهُما عُباباً أو أتِيَّا

Generosity and kindness overflowed until

and generosity and benevolence have overflowed, until

I took them for a surging flood or a rushing torrent.

I thought them both a surging sea or a rushing flood.

بلغْنا فوْقَ ما كُنَّا نُرَجِّي

بلغْنا فوْقَ ما كُنَّا نُرَجِّي

هَنيئاً يابني الدُّنيا هَنِيَّا

هَنيئاً يابني الدُّنيا هَنِيَّا

We have attained more than we had hoped for.

We have attained more than we ever hoped for.

Joy to you, O children of this world—joy!

May you enjoy it, O sons of this world—may you enjoy it!

سألْتُ اللّهَ يَرْزُقُنا إِماماً

سألْتُ اللّهَ يَرْزُقُنا إِماماً

نُسَرُّ بهِ فأعْطانا نَبِيَّا

نُسَرُّ بهِ فأعْطانا نَبِيَّا

I asked God to grant us an imam

I asked God to grant us an imam

In whom we might rejoice; so He gave us a prophet.

in whom we might rejoice; so He gave us a prophet.