للّهِ دَرُّكَ من مُقارنِ هِمَّةٍ

للّهِ دَرُّكَ من مُقارنِ هِمَّةٍ

حَسدْت عَزائمها صدورُ الذبَّلِ

حَسدْت عَزائمها صدورُ الذبَّلِ

God bless you, companion of lofty resolve,

Your worth, what a match for one with high resolve

whose purposes the points of slender spears envied.

Whose strength of purpose broad-chested men envy

مُتَمطِّرٍ في المجدْ يُفَّرعُ نبْعُه

مُتَمطِّرٍ في المجدْ يُفَّرعُ نبْعُه

بمُشمِّرٍ شهْمِ الملامحِ أجْدَلِ

بمُشمِّرٍ شهْمِ الملامحِ أجْدَلِ

One racing through glory, whose bowwood stock branches forth

Watering glory's field, his fount of fame ever flows

in a zealous, valiant-featured falcon of a man,

With sleeves rolled up, handsome of mien, long of shadow

فرعَ الصِّعابَ إِلى المَحامدِ حينما

فرعَ الصِّعابَ إِلى المَحامدِ حينما

زَلَّ المَقامُ الدَّحْضُ بالمُتوقِّلِ

زَلَّ المَقامُ الدَّحْضُ بالمُتوقِّلِ

who surmounted hardships toward praiseworthy deeds, when

He surmounted obstacles to praise when standing was hard

the slippery foothold failed the climber.

When the post toppled the faint-hearted and frail

نظرتْ مَراتبكَ النجومُ ونورها

نظرتْ مَراتبكَ النجومُ ونورها

فغدتْ تعُدُّ نفوسَها في الجنْدلِ

فغدتْ تعُدُّ نفوسَها في الجنْدلِ

The stars and their light beheld your heights,

The stars looked on your ranks, their light

so they began to count themselves among the stones.

Made their souls count themselves in your legions

ودَعا الاِمامُ رجاله حمى العُلى

ودَعا الاِمامُ رجاله حمى العُلى

فأتيتَ توجِفُ في الرَّعيلِ الأولِ

فأتيتَ توجِفُ في الرَّعيلِ الأولِ

And the Imam called his men to the sanctuary of glory,

The Imam called his men, protectors of the sublime

so you came galloping with the foremost troop.

You came charging in the first wave

أثْبَتَّها والسيفُ يُرْعدُ حدُّهُ

أثْبَتَّها والسيفُ يُرْعدُ حدُّهُ

بأناةِ عاديٍّ وهَبَّةِ مِقْصلِ

بأناةِ عاديٍّ وهَبَّةِ مِقْصلِ

You secured it while the sword's edge thundered,

With sword that thunders when sharpened

with an ʿAdite's deliberation and a cleaving blade's rush.

With composure, gift of an open-handed gallant

وجلوْتَ غيْهَبها وكانت بالضحى

وجلوْتَ غيْهَبها وكانت بالضحى

دَهْماءَ دامِسة كليلٍ ألْيَلِ

دَهْماءَ دامِسة كليلٍ ألْيَلِ

And you dispelled its gloom; even at forenoon it had been

You rose above its darkness, and it was at dawn

black and pitch-dark, like the darkest night,

A gloomy gloom, like an intensely dark night

حتى تبلَّجَ جُنْحُها عنْ قانِتٍ

حتى تبلَّجَ جُنْحُها عنْ قانِتٍ

مُستنجدٍ باللّهِ خير مُؤمَّلِ

مُستنجدٍ باللّهِ خير مُؤمَّلِ

until its darkness broke into light, revealing a devout man

Until its wing shone for one crying for help

seeking aid from God, the best in whom to place hope.

To God, the best repository of hope

فحياكَ نُعْماهُ وزادَك بَسْطةً

فحياكَ نُعْماهُ وزادَك بَسْطةً

والذَّمرُ يُكرمُ من محلِّ المُنصل

والذَّمرُ يُكرمُ من محلِّ المُنصل

So he greeted you with his bounty and increased your power,

So He increased you in gifts and largesse

and a brave man's honor comes from his sword's standing.

And Fate honors whom the ready sword honors

ودعاك حين عضدْتَ دينِ محمدٍ

ودعاك حين عضدْتَ دينِ محمدٍ

عَضُداً فَبِتَّ مُغامساً لم ينْكُلِ

عَضُداً فَبِتَّ مُغامساً لم ينْكُلِ

And when you upheld Muhammad's faith, he named you

And when you supported Muhammad’s faith steadfastly

a supporting arm; you plunged into danger and never flinched.

He named you a pillar, dauntless, unbending

يلْقى الوغي والجدبَ بأسُك والندى

يلْقى الوغي والجدبَ بأسُك والندى

في الحالتينِ بوابلٍ وبجَحْفَلِ

في الحالتينِ بوابلٍ وبجَحْفَلِ

Your might and bounty meet battle and drought,

You meet drought and famine with your might, and the dew

in both encounters, with a downpour and a mighty host.

In both cases, with copious or little rain

تحمي وما رفعَ الصَّريخُ عَقيرةً

تحمي وما رفعَ الصَّريخُ عَقيرةً

وتجودُ مُبتدئاً وانْ لم تُسْألِ

وتجودُ مُبتدئاً وانْ لم تُسْألِ

You defend before the caller for help has raised his voice,

You protect though no plea is raised in distress

and give unprompted, even when you are not asked.

You give freely, though you are not asked

وتمُرُّ مَرَّ العاصفاتِ اذا جرَتْ

وتمُرُّ مَرَّ العاصفاتِ اذا جرَتْ

وعليك من حِلْمِ سكينةُ يَذْبُلِ

وعليك من حِلْمِ سكينةُ يَذْبُلِ

And you pass like storm winds when they race,

You pass through storms when they blow

while you bear, in forbearance, the stillness of Yadhbul.

While stillness of soul cloaks you

واذا الدجي كتمت تدافُع مُسنتٍ

واذا الدجي كتمت تدافُع مُسنتٍ

يطفو ويرسبُ في البَهيم الأطْولِ

يطفو ويرسبُ في البَهيم الأطْولِ

And when darkness hides a famine-stricken man's struggling advance—

And if gloom conceals clashing swords

he floats and sinks through the longest, pitch-black night,

Surfacing and sinking in the dimness

خَشْيانَ مقْصوبٍ على غَلْوائهِ

خَشْيانَ مقْصوبٍ على غَلْوائهِ

جَمِّ المَحاسب في السُّرى والمنزل

جَمِّ المَحاسب في السُّرى والمنزل

fearful, curbed in his headlong haste,

A fearful miser in luxury and home

full of anxious reckonings on the night journey and at each halt,

Stern at settlement, and overstepping

يتعسَّف الوعْرَ القَصيَّ مخافةً

يتعسَّف الوعْرَ القَصيَّ مخافةً

ويحيدُ عن سَنن الطريقِ الأمْثل

ويحيدُ عن سَنن الطريقِ الأمْثل

blindly crossing remote, rugged ground in fear,

The bumpy path disobeys proper ways

and swerving from the straight course of the best road;

And veers from the smoothest road

عَلِمَتْ مَطيَّتهُ محاذرَ نفسهِ

عَلِمَتْ مَطيَّتهُ محاذرَ نفسهِ

فضُلوعُها ومَسيرها في أفْكَلِ

فضُلوعُها ومَسيرها في أفْكَلِ

his mount has learned his soul's apprehensions,

His mount knows his caution for himself

so its ribs and its gait are a-tremble;

So it is neglectful, walking in no fixed direction

يبغي النَّدى والأمْنَ لما اخلف ال

يبغي النَّدى والأمْنَ لما اخلف ال

رَّعْدانِ من مُتوعدٍ ومُجلْجلِ

رَّعْدانِ من مُتوعدٍ ومُجلْجلِ

he seeks bounty and safety, after being let down by the

Seeking safety and peace as alarm grows less

two thunders, from a threatener and a rumbling cloud—

Of thunderer's threats and tumult

جعلَ ابْن عزِّ الدين موئلَ نفسه

جعلَ ابْن عزِّ الدين موئلَ نفسه

فأناخَ منه بالنَّصيرِ المُفْضِلِ

فأناخَ منه بالنَّصيرِ المُفْضِلِ

he makes Ibn ʿIzz al-Din his soul's refuge,

The son of the pillar of faith made his soul

and brings his mount to kneel by him, a generous protector,

Take rest in the excellent victorious one

مسترصرخاً بن المُظَفَّرُ جَدُّهُ

مسترصرخاً بن المُظَفَّرُ جَدُّهُ

شرفُ الورى صدر الوغى والمحفل

شرفُ الورى صدر الوغى والمحفل

calling for aid from the son whose grandfather was al-Muzaffar,

Crying for help to his grandfather the Conqueror

mankind's pride, foremost in battle and assembly,

Pride of mortals, breast of clamor and greatness

نْجلَ النِّظامِ وكانَ بحر بلاغةٍ

نْجلَ النِّظامِ وكانَ بحر بلاغةٍ

ونَدىً لمحْلٍ عارقٍ ولُمشْكِلِ

ونَدىً لمحْلٍ عارقٍ ولُمشْكِلِ

the son of al-Nizam, who was an ocean of eloquence

Son of Justice, who was an ocean of eloquence

and bounty against gnawing drought and perplexing troubles.

Aid to a flaming, complex, rare ingenuity

نَسبْ يطيبُ له النَّسيمُ كأنهُ

نَسبْ يطيبُ له النَّسيمُ كأنهُ

نشرُ الرياض مع الصباح المُقْبلِ

نشرُ الرياض مع الصباح المُقْبلِ

A lineage for which the breeze grows sweet, as though it were

A lineage whose scent the breeze makes fragrant

the gardens' fragrance with the approaching morning.

As if the gardens' blossoms burst out at dawn

لكن أقولُ وحُجَّتي وضَّاحَةٌ

لكن أقولُ وحُجَّتي وضَّاحَةٌ

فضلَ الأخيرُ كريمَ مسْعى الأَوّل

فضلَ الأخيرُ كريمَ مسْعى الأَوّل

But I say—and my proof is clear—

But I say, and my proof is clear,

the latter has surpassed the former's noble striving.

The merit of the latter noble effort exceeds the zeal of the former

فاسلمْ وتاجُ الدين ما رُجيَ الحيا

فاسلمْ وتاجُ الدين ما رُجيَ الحيا

من حافلٍ والجودُ من مُتَفضِّل

من حافلٍ والجودُ من مُتَفضِّل

So may you and Taj al-Din live unharmed—as long as rain is hoped for

So greet Shahab al-Din, beyond doubt

from a laden cloud, and generosity from a benefactor—

Clarity like morning's to the reflective

وبهاءُ دينِ اللّهِ اِنَّ لفَضْلهِ

وبهاءُ دينِ اللّهِ اِنَّ لفَضْلهِ

شأناً وعِلْمُ فراستي لم يبطُلِ

شأناً وعِلْمُ فراستي لم يبطُلِ

and Bahaʾ Din Allah—indeed his excellence has

A rain that still competes with

high standing, and my discerning judgment has not proved false—

Might of pounding rains and droplets drifting slowly

وشقيقهُ نَسباً ومجْداً اِنكم

وشقيقهُ نَسباً ومجْداً اِنكم

أهلُ البَقاءِ لخائفٍ ولمُرْمِلِ

أهلُ البَقاءِ لخائفٍ ولمُرْمِلِ

and his full brother in lineage and glory; indeed, you are

Be not fooled that easy pickings have come your way

those who ensure survival for the frightened and the destitute.

Willingly, like readily yielding flow

فعُلى شهاب الدين غيرُ خَفَّيةٍ

فعُلى شهاب الدين غيرُ خَفَّيةٍ

وضّاحَةٌ كالصُّبحِ للمُتَأمِّلِ

وضّاحَةٌ كالصُّبحِ للمُتَأمِّلِ

For Shihab al-Din's glories are not hidden,

Containing for you famous praise What transpired conferred with ringing acclaim

bright as dawn to the thoughtful observer.

He called you to restore a duty-bound right

غيثٌ لا يزالُ مُبارياً

غيثٌ لا يزالُ مُبارياً

بأسَ الهِزَبْرِ وغادياتِ الحُفَّل

بأسَ الهِزَبْرِ وغادياتِ الحُفَّل

He is life-giving rain, ever vying with

Even had an oppressor cried for help, you'd not ignore

the lion's might and the morning showers of laden clouds.

People's eyes are on you, watching

لا تُخْدعنَّ عن الغَنيمةِ انها

لا تُخْدعنَّ عن الغَنيمةِ انها

جاءتْكَ طوْعاً كالذَّلولِ المُعْجل

جاءتْكَ طوْعاً كالذَّلولِ المُعْجل

Do not be duped out of the prize; indeed, it

For the prosperity you confer, and my ode

has come to you willingly, like a docile mount urged forward.

They made their conjectures into true certainty

تحوي لك الحمدَ الشَّهير بمادحٍ

تحوي لك الحمدَ الشَّهير بمادحٍ

أْلقتْ عليه الحادثاتُ بكلْكلِ

أْلقتْ عليه الحادثاتُ بكلْكلِ

It wins you renowned praise through a praising poet

Like rainfall whose stream is hoped for from the Pleiades

on whom calamities have flung their crushing breast.

ناداك في اسْترجاعِ حقٍّ واجبِ

ناداك في اسْترجاعِ حقٍّ واجبِ

ولو استغاثكَ ظالماً لم تجْهلِ

ولو استغاثكَ ظالماً لم تجْهلِ

He called on you to recover a right due to him,

and even had he sought your aid unjustly, you would not act rashly.

والناس أعيُنهم اليكَ نَواظْرٌ

والناس أعيُنهم اليكَ نَواظْرٌ

لتَحبُّرِ النُّعْمى لديك ومِقْولي

لتَحبُّرِ النُّعْمى لديك ومِقْولي

And the people's eyes are fixed on you,

to see bounty and my poetic voice adorned at your hands.

جعلوا ظُنونهمُ يَقيناً صادقاً

جعلوا ظُنونهمُ يَقيناً صادقاً

كالرَّيِّ يرجى من ورود السلسل

كالرَّيِّ يرجى من ورود السلسل

They have made their expectations a true certainty,

like the quenching hoped for on reaching sweet-flowing water.