أَيا مَرحَباً بِالغَيثِ تَسري بُروقُهُ

أَيا مَرحَباً بِالغَيثِ تَسري بُروقُهُ

تَرَوَّحَ يُندي لا بَكِيّاً وَلا نَزرا

تَرَوَّحَ يُندي لا بَكِيّاً وَلا نَزرا

Oh, welcome to the rain, its lightning coursing through the night—

Ah, welcome to the rain whose lightning courses through the night!

it comes at evening, shedding dew, neither grudging nor scant.

It came at evening, bestowing moisture, neither meager nor scant.

طَلَعتَ عَلى بَغدادَ وَالخَطبُ فاغِرٌ

طَلَعتَ عَلى بَغدادَ وَالخَطبُ فاغِرٌ

فَعادَ ذَميماً يَنزَعُ النابَ وَالظُفرا

فَعادَ ذَميماً يَنزَعُ النابَ وَالظُفرا

You rose over Baghdad while calamity gaped wide-mouthed;

You rose over Baghdad while calamity gaped wide,

then it retreated in disgrace, drawing back fang and claw.

so it retreated disgraced, shedding fang and claw.

أَضاءَت وَعَزَّت بَعدَ ذُلٍّ وَروَّضَت

أَضاءَت وَعَزَّت بَعدَ ذُلٍّ وَروَّضَت

كَأَنَّكَ كُنتَ الغيثَ وَاللَيثَ وَالبَدرا

كَأَنَّكَ كُنتَ الغيثَ وَاللَيثَ وَالبَدرا

Baghdad shone, grew mighty after humiliation, and blossomed,

It shone, grew mighty after humiliation, and became a garden,

as though you were the rain, the lion, and the full moon.

as though you were the rain, the lion, and the full moon.

تُغايِرُ أَقطارَ البِلادِ مَحَبَّةً

تُغايِرُ أَقطارَ البِلادِ مَحَبَّةً

عَلَيكَ فَهَذا القُطرُ يَحسُدُ ذا القُطرا

عَلَيكَ فَهَذا القُطرُ يَحسُدُ ذا القُطرا

The regions of the lands grow jealous of one another in their love

You make the regions of the land vie in love

for you: this province envies that province.

for you; so this region envies that one.

وَقَلَّمتَ أَظفارَ الخُطوبِ فَما اِشتَكى

وَقَلَّمتَ أَظفارَ الخُطوبِ فَما اِشتَكى

نَزيلُكَ كَلماً لِلخُطوبِ وَلا عَقرا

نَزيلُكَ كَلماً لِلخُطوبِ وَلا عَقرا

You pared the claws of calamity, so never did

And you clipped calamities' claws, so never did

your guest complain of a wound from its blows or a crippling hurt.

your guest complain of a wound from calamities or an injury.

وَمَن ذا الَّذي تُمسي مِنَ الدَهرِ جارَهُ

وَمَن ذا الَّذي تُمسي مِنَ الدَهرِ جارَهُ

فَيَقبَلَ لِلمِقدارِ إِن رابَهُ عُذرا

فَيَقبَلَ لِلمِقدارِ إِن رابَهُ عُذرا

Who is there, once you become his protector against Time,

And who, once you become his protector against Time,

who would accept fate’s excuse if fate alarmed him?

would accept fate's excuse if it troubled him?

فَيا واقِفاً دونَ الَّذي تَستَحِقُّهُ

فَيا واقِفاً دونَ الَّذي تَستَحِقُّهُ

لَوَ أَنَّكَ جُزتُ الشَمسَ لَم تَجُزِ القَدرا

لَوَ أَنَّكَ جُزتُ الشَمسَ لَم تَجُزِ القَدرا

O you who stand below the station you deserve—

So, O you who stand below what you deserve,

had you surpassed the sun, you would not have surpassed your destined worth.

even if you passed beyond the sun, you would not surpass your due rank.

فَعَثراً لِأَعداءٍ رَموكَ وَلا لَعاً

فَعَثراً لِأَعداءٍ رَموكَ وَلا لَعاً

وَنَهضاً عَلى رُغمِ العَدوُّ وَلا عَثرا

وَنَهضاً عَلى رُغمِ العَدوُّ وَلا عَثرا

May the enemies who assailed you stumble, never to rise;

So may the enemies who assailed you stumble, with no recovery,

and may you rise, to the enemy’s chagrin, and never stumble.

and may you rise despite the enemy, never stumbling.