إِذا ما رَأَينا حُسنَ وَجهِ أَبي الفَتحِ

إِذا ما رَأَينا حُسنَ وَجهِ أَبي الفَتحِ

تَباشَرَتِ الأَرواحُ بِالنَصرِ وَالفَتحِ

تَباشَرَتِ الأَرواحُ بِالنَصرِ وَالفَتحِ

Whenever we see the beauty of Abu al-Fath’s face,

When we behold Abu al-Fath's beautiful face

the souls rejoice at victory and conquest.

The spirits are filled with triumph and conquest

وَأبدى مِجَنَّ الشَمسِ وَاللَحظُ سَيفُهُ

وَأبدى مِجَنَّ الشَمسِ وَاللَحظُ سَيفُهُ

وَأَسهُمُهُ وَالقَدُّ يَهتَزُّ كَالرُمحِ

وَأَسهُمُهُ وَالقَدُّ يَهتَزُّ كَالرُمحِ

And he reveals the sun’s shield; his glance is his sword

And the sun reveals its swords and its arrows

and his arrows, while his figure sways like a spear.

While its glances and spearpoints quiver

وَإِن جَنَحَت لِلسِلمِ وَالصُلحِ نَفسُهُ

وَإِن جَنَحَت لِلسِلمِ وَالصُلحِ نَفسُهُ

أَبى لَحظُهُ مَيلاً إِلى السِلمِ وَالصُلحِ

أَبى لَحظُهُ مَيلاً إِلى السِلمِ وَالصُلحِ

And even if his soul inclines toward peace and reconciliation,

And if his soul inclines toward peace and truce

his glance refuses any inclination toward peace and reconciliation.

His glances refuse any leaning to peace and truce

فَواعَجَباً مِن سامِرِيٍّ يُعامِلُ ال

فَواعَجَباً مِن سامِرِيٍّ يُعامِلُ ال

كُماةَ بِخُسرانٍ وَيَظفَرُ بِالرِّبحِ

كُماةَ بِخُسرانٍ وَيَظفَرُ بِالرِّبحِ

So what a marvel—a Samaritan who deals with the

How amazing is a Samaritan who cheats the sluggish

warriors at a loss, yet secures a profit,

With loss while profiting with gain

وَمن دينُهُ أَن لا مَساسَ وَإِنّهُ

وَمن دينُهُ أَن لا مَساسَ وَإِنّهُ

لَيَقتُلُ مَن يَهواهُ بِالجِدِّ في المَزحِ

لَيَقتُلُ مَن يَهواهُ بِالجِدِّ في المَزحِ

and whose creed is “No touching,” though he

And whose faith says "No touching" yet

surely kills whoever loves him, in earnest amid jest.

He kills those he loves in jest in earnest

وَلَمّا سَعى في الخَدِّ نَملُ عِذارِهِ

وَلَمّا سَعى في الخَدِّ نَملُ عِذارِهِ

تعوَّضَ حَبّاتِ القُلوبِ عَنِ القَمحِ

تعوَّضَ حَبّاتِ القُلوبِ عَنِ القَمحِ

And when the ants of his cheek-down crept across his cheek,

And when the ants of his cheek wandered

they took the kernels of hearts instead of wheat.

He substituted beans for the hearts of grain

مَتى فَتَّشَت أَبصارُنا ماءَ خَدِّهِ

مَتى فَتَّشَت أَبصارُنا ماءَ خَدِّهِ

قَبَسنا لَهيبَ النارِ في الماءِ بِالقَدحِ

قَبَسنا لَهيبَ النارِ في الماءِ بِالقَدحِ

Whenever our eyes probe the water of his cheek,

When our eyes examined the water of his cheek

we draw fire’s flame from within the water by striking sparks.

We drew the flame of fire in water with a ladle