وَمُفتَرَّةٍ عَن كَالجُمانِ المُنَظَّمِ

وَمُفتَرَّةٍ عَن كَالجُمانِ المُنَظَّمِ

مُسَلَّمَةً أَحسِن بِها مِن مُسَلِّمِ

مُسَلَّمَةً أَحسِن بِها مِن مُسَلِّمِ

And a smiling woman, revealing teeth like strung pearls,

And a fabricated tale about the well-organized pearls

was greeted—what a lovely greeter she was!

Handed over, so handle it better than the deliverer

أَلَمَّت فَقالَت لِم تَأَخَّرَ عامِداً

أَلَمَّت فَقالَت لِم تَأَخَّرَ عامِداً

وَعِندَكَ آلاتُ الرَئيسِ المُقَدَّمِ

وَعِندَكَ آلاتُ الرَئيسِ المُقَدَّمِ

She visited and said, 'Why this deliberate delay,

She blamed me, and said why did you delay intentionally?

when you possess the gifts of a foremost leader:

While you have the tools of the exalted leader

جَنانٌ جَريءٌ في المَقالِ وَمِقوَلٌ

جَنانٌ جَريءٌ في المَقالِ وَمِقوَلٌ

يُقَصِّرُ عَنهُ مُصلَتاً غَربُ مِخذَمِ

يُقَصِّرُ عَنهُ مُصلَتاً غَربُ مِخذَمِ

a heart bold in speech, and a tongue

A bold, eloquent garden in speech and saying

that the edge of a keen sword, drawn bare, cannot match?

That the sunset prayer of a Western Mikhtham falls short of

وَأَنتَ الَّذي في دَهرِنا كُلُّ فاضِلٍ

وَأَنتَ الَّذي في دَهرِنا كُلُّ فاضِلٍ

إِلَيكَ بِما فيهِ مِنَ الفَضلِ يَنتَمي

إِلَيكَ بِما فيهِ مِنَ الفَضلِ يَنتَمي

And you are the one with whom every man of merit in our age

You are the one whom every virtuous person in our time

claims kinship through whatever excellence he possesses.

Owing to his virtue, identifies with

وَقَد سادَ أَقوامٌ وَلَيسوا بِسادَةٍ

وَقَد سادَ أَقوامٌ وَلَيسوا بِسادَةٍ

وَما العالِمُ المِنطيقُ كَالمُتَعَلِّمِ

وَما العالِمُ المِنطيقُ كَالمُتَعَلِّمِ

Men have risen to lordship, though they are no true lords,

And people have prevailed who are not noble

and the eloquent scholar is not like the learner.

And the studious scholar is not like the student

تَوَصَّل إِلى المَلكِ بنِ أَيّوبَ أَف

تَوَصَّل إِلى المَلكِ بنِ أَيّوبَ أَف

ضَلِ المُلوكِ صَلاحِ الدينِ تَغنَ وَتَغنَمِ

ضَلِ المُلوكِ صَلاحِ الدينِ تَغنَ وَتَغنَمِ

Make your way to the king, son of Ayyub, the finest

My message reached the King Ibn Ayyub, the most

of kings, Salah al-Din; you will grow rich and gain.'

Virtuous of kings, Salah al-Din, it sang and profited

فَقُلتُ لَها كُفّي المَلامَ وَأَقصِري

فَقُلتُ لَها كُفّي المَلامَ وَأَقصِري

كَفانِيَ بَدرُ الدينِ ما قُلتِ فَاِعلَمي

كَفانِيَ بَدرُ الدينِ ما قُلتِ فَاِعلَمي

I said to her, 'Cease your reproach and desist;

So I said to her enough blame and make it short

Badr al-Din has supplied all you spoke of—know this.'

What you said is enough for me, so know

هُوَ المَلكُ فازَ القاصِدونَ بِمَغنَمٍ

هُوَ المَلكُ فازَ القاصِدونَ بِمَغنَمٍ

لَدَيهِ وَباءَ الحاسِدونَ بِمَغرَمِ

لَدَيهِ وَباءَ الحاسِدونَ بِمَغرَمِ

He is the king: those who seek him win gain

He is the king, so seekers have profited with booty through him

in his presence, while his enviers return with loss.

And enviers have incurred loss with him

دَعاني إِلَيهِ جودُهُ فَأَجَبتُهُ

دَعاني إِلَيهِ جودُهُ فَأَجَبتُهُ

يَميناً لَقَد يَمَّمتُ خَيرَ مُيَمَّمِ

يَميناً لَقَد يَمَّمتُ خَيرَ مُيَمَّمِ

His generosity called me to him, and I answered him;

His generosity called me so I answered him

I swear, I headed toward the best one to be sought.

A blessed oath, I have determined the best determination

أَوى لي فَآواني يَفاعاً مُمَنَّعاً

أَوى لي فَآواني يَفاعاً مُمَنَّعاً

حَمِيّاً حَميدَ الفِعلِ غَيرَ مُذَمَّمِ

حَمِيّاً حَميدَ الفِعلِ غَيرَ مُذَمَّمِ

He pitied me and sheltered me—a lofty, impregnable height,

He sheltered me so he sheltered me generously without refusal

a staunch protector, praiseworthy in deed, beyond reproach.

Protective and praiseworthy in deed, flawless

أَقولُ وَقَد وَلّانِيَ الضَّيمُ ظَهرَهُ

أَقولُ وَقَد وَلّانِيَ الضَّيمُ ظَهرَهُ

لَدى حَيثُ أَلقَت رَحلَها أُمُّ قَشعَمِ

لَدى حَيثُ أَلقَت رَحلَها أُمُّ قَشعَمِ

I say, now that oppression has turned its back on me,

I say, and hardship has turned its back on me

at the place where Umm Qash'am laid down her saddle:

Where it pitched its tent, Umm Qasha’am

أَلا إِنَّ بَدرَ الدينِ لَولا ضِياؤُهُ

أَلا إِنَّ بَدرَ الدينِ لَولا ضِياؤُهُ

لَصِرنا إِلى لَيلٍ مِنَ الظُلمِ مُظلِمِ

لَصِرنا إِلى لَيلٍ مِنَ الظُلمِ مُظلِمِ

Indeed, were it not for Badr al-Din's radiance,

If not for the light of Badr al-Din

we would have entered a night dark with oppression.

We would have been left in a pitch black night

يُقَوِّمُ مُعوَجَّ الأُمورِ بِرَأيِهِ

يُقَوِّمُ مُعوَجَّ الأُمورِ بِرَأيِهِ

وَما كانَ لَولا رايُهُ بِالمُقَوَّمِ

وَما كانَ لَولا رايُهُ بِالمُقَوَّمِ

He straightens crooked affairs with his judgment,

He straightens bent matters with his opinion

and without his judgment they would not be set straight.

And were it not for his opinion, it would not be upright

فَآراؤُهُ لِلثَغرِ كانَت مَفاتِحاً

فَآراؤُهُ لِلثَغرِ كانَت مَفاتِحاً

فَصِرنَ لَهُ الأَقفالَ مِن كُلِّ صَيلَمِ

فَصِرنَ لَهُ الأَقفالَ مِن كُلِّ صَيلَمِ

Thus his counsels were keys to the frontier,

So his opinions were keys for the border

then became its locks against every devastating army.

And locks from every stubborn one submitted to him

فَمُلكُ صَلاحِ الدينِ وارٍ زِنادُهُ

فَمُلكُ صَلاحِ الدينِ وارٍ زِنادُهُ

بِهِ مُستَتِبّاً في سَحيلٍ وَمُبرَمِ

بِهِ مُستَتِبّاً في سَحيلٍ وَمُبرَمِ

Thus Salah al-Din's realm has its fire-sticks kindled,

The kingdom of Salah al-Din, its fuel is his determination

through him made firm, in matters loose-spun and tightly twisted.

Through which it remains stable, knotted and tied

يُرى خَيرَ والٍ غَيرَ آلٍ عَنِ العُلى

يُرى خَيرَ والٍ غَيرَ آلٍ عَنِ العُلى

لأَشرَفِ آلٍ مَن إِلى المُلكِ يَنتَمي

لأَشرَفِ آلٍ مَن إِلى المُلكِ يَنتَمي

He is deemed the finest governor, tireless in pursuing glory,

The best governor, not of a family that shirks from nobility

serving the noblest house among those of royal lineage.

Of the noblest family to which kingship is attributed

غَدا نَحر عادٍ صَدرَ نادٍ نَدى النَّدى

غَدا نَحر عادٍ صَدرَ نادٍ نَدى النَّدى

سَنامَ العُلى قَلبَ الخَميسِ العَرَمرَمِ

سَنامَ العُلى قَلبَ الخَميسِ العَرَمرَمِ

He became death to aggressors, the breast of assemblies, generosity's dew,

It attacked the chests of the elevated, called the called

the hump of glory, the heart of the vast host.

It ripped open the fifth of the speckled highlands

مَتى ما أَتاهُ قِرنُهُ مُتَخَمِّطاً

مَتى ما أَتاهُ قِرنُهُ مُتَخَمِّطاً

ثَناهُ صَريعاً لِليَدَينِ وَلِلفَمِ

ثَناهُ صَريعاً لِليَدَينِ وَلِلفَمِ

Whenever his opponent comes to him raging,

Whenever its match approached all disheveled

he turns him back, felled onto his hands and mouth.

It threw it slain, to the hands and mouth

هَنيئاً لِدُنيانا وَبُشرى لِدينِنا

هَنيئاً لِدُنيانا وَبُشرى لِدينِنا

قُدومُكَ بَدرَ الدينِ أَيمَنَ مَقدَمِ

قُدومُكَ بَدرَ الدينِ أَيمَنَ مَقدَمِ

Joy to our world, and glad tidings to our faith,

Congratulations to our world, and good tidings to our religion

at your coming, Badr al-Din, the most auspicious of arrivals.

Your arrival, Badr al-Din, is the most auspicious arrival

قَدِمتَ وَقَد أَروَيتَ مِن مُهَجِ العِدا

قَدِمتَ وَقَد أَروَيتَ مِن مُهَجِ العِدا

شَبا صارِمٍ لَم يُروَ إِلّا مِنَ الدَمِ

شَبا صارِمٍ لَم يُروَ إِلّا مِنَ الدَمِ

You arrived, having slaked with the enemies' lifeblood

You came and you quenched from the passions of the enemies

the edges of a keen sword, quenched only with blood.

A slicing sword that was not quenched except by blood

مَهيبٌ وَقورٌ في سِياسَتِهِ فَما

مَهيبٌ وَقورٌ في سِياسَتِهِ فَما

يُخاطَبُ إِلّا عِندَ بِشرِ التَبَسُّمِ

يُخاطَبُ إِلّا عِندَ بِشرِ التَبَسُّمِ

Awe-inspiring and dignified in his governance, he is not

Majestic, dignified in his rule, so he does not

addressed except when his smile shows good cheer.

Speak except with a smiling face

وَأَخلاقُهُ أَحلى مِنَ الشَهدِ مَطعَماً

وَأَخلاقُهُ أَحلى مِنَ الشَهدِ مَطعَماً

وَأَحلى مِنَ القُطرُبُّلِبِيّ المُفَدَّمِ

وَأَحلى مِنَ القُطرُبُّلِبِيّ المُفَدَّمِ

And his character is sweeter to taste than honey,

And his manners are sweeter than honey in flavor

and sweeter than deep-red Qutrubbulibi wine.

And sweeter than the reddened ruby

فَلِلسِّلمِ مِنهُ صورَةُ البَدرِ كامِلاً

فَلِلسِّلمِ مِنهُ صورَةُ البَدرِ كامِلاً

وَلَكِن لَهُ في الحَربِ سَورَةُ ضَيغَمِ

وَلَكِن لَهُ في الحَربِ سَورَةُ ضَيغَمِ

Thus in peace he shows the image of the moon at its full,

For peace, he has the image of a full moon

but in war his is the fury of a lion.

But in war, he has the image of a formidable warrior

هَصورُ العِدا شاكي السِلاحِ فَقِرنُهُ

هَصورُ العِدا شاكي السِلاحِ فَقِرنُهُ

لَدى أَسَدٍ أَظفارُهُ لَم تُقَلَّمِ

لَدى أَسَدٍ أَظفارُهُ لَم تُقَلَّمِ

Crusher of foes, fully armed—his opponent

The form of the enemy shaking arms, so his opponent

stands before a lion whose claws have never been clipped.

Is before a lion whose claws are unsheathed

إِذا أُطلِقَت غُرُّ المَدائِحِ في الوَرى

إِذا أُطلِقَت غُرُّ المَدائِحِ في الوَرى

فَهُنَّ وَبَدرَ الدينِ كَاليَدِ لِلفَمِ

فَهُنَّ وَبَدرَ الدينِ كَاليَدِ لِلفَمِ

When radiant praises are sent forth among humankind,

If the strings of praise are released in the land

they are to Badr al-Din as the hand is to the mouth.

Then they and Badr al-Din are like the hand to mouth

بِسيرَتِهِ أَمسَت رَعِيَّتُهُ تَرى الد

بِسيرَتِهِ أَمسَت رَعِيَّتُهُ تَرى الد

دُعاءَ لَهُ فَرضاً عَلى كُلِّ مُسلِمِ

دُعاءَ لَهُ فَرضاً عَلى كُلِّ مُسلِمِ

Through his conduct, his subjects have come to regard

Through his conduct, his subjects have come to see

prayer for him as a duty upon every Muslim.

Prayer for him an obligation on every Muslim

فَكُن جارَهُ يا رَبِّ لا تُسلِمَنَّهُ

فَكُن جارَهُ يا رَبِّ لا تُسلِمَنَّهُ

فَما جارُهُ لِلنائِباتِ بِمُسلَمِ

فَما جارُهُ لِلنائِباتِ بِمُسلَمِ

Be his protector, O Lord; never abandon him,

So be his neighbor, O Lord, do not deliver him

for no one under his protection is surrendered to calamities.

For his neighbor is not safe from adversities