لِلَّهِ ما أَحلى البَشيرَ وَقَولَهُ

لِلَّهِ ما أَحلى البَشيرَ وَقَولَهُ

سَقَطَ الهِلالُ إِلى الحَضيضِ وَدالا

سَقَطَ الهِلالُ إِلى الحَضيضِ وَدالا

By God, how sweet the bearer of glad tidings and his words!

How sweet the herald and his words were,

By God, how sweet is the herald and his words:

The crescent fell to the lowest depths and waned.

The crescent has fallen to the lowest valley.

"The Crescent has fallen to the abyss and waned."

بُشرى نَسَينا كُلَّ شَيءٍ قَبلَها

بُشرى نَسَينا كُلَّ شَيءٍ قَبلَها

الناسَ وَالدَولاتَ وَالأَجيالا

الناسَ وَالدَولاتَ وَالأَجيالا

Glad tidings—we forgot everything that came before them:

Good tidings made us forget all before it,

Good tidings that made us forget everything before them—

Peoples, states, and generations.

People and states and generations.

The people, the empires, and the generations.

رَدَّت عَلى الشَيخِ المُسِنِّ شَبابَهُ

رَدَّت عَلى الشَيخِ المُسِنِّ شَبابَهُ

وَعَلى الحَزينِ اليائِسِ الآمالا

وَعَلى الحَزينِ اليائِسِ الآمالا

They restored to the aged man his youth,

It restored to the aged elder his youth,

They restored youth to the elderly sheikh,

And to the sorrowful, despairing man, hopes;

And to the despairing despondent one hopes.

And gave hope back to the sad and despairing,

وَعَلى الصَديقِ صَدِقُهُ وَعَلَيهِما

وَعَلى الصَديقِ صَدِقُهُ وَعَلَيهِما

أَبَوَيهِما وَعَلى الأَبِ الأَطفالا

أَبَوَيهِما وَعَلى الأَبِ الأَطفالا

And to the friend his true companion, and to them both

And to the friend his friendship and both of them

And returned the friend to his friend, and to both,

Their parents, and to the father his children.

Their parents and to the father children.

Their parents, and restored the children to the father.

لَو ساوَمَ الخَلقَ الَّذي وافى بِها

لَو ساوَمَ الخَلقَ الَّذي وافى بِها

بَذَلوا لَهُ الأَرواحَ وَالأَموالا

بَذَلوا لَهُ الأَرواحَ وَالأَموالا

Had the one who brought them bargained with humankind,

Had people been asked with what it came

Had the one who brought these tidings bargained with creation,

They would have offered him their lives and wealth.

They would have given their souls and wealth.

They would have sacrificed for him their souls and wealth.

مَن مُبلِغُ الأَبطالِ عَنِيَّ أَنَّني

مَن مُبلِغُ الأَبطالِ عَنِيَّ أَنَّني

أَهوى القُرومَ الصيدَ وَالأَبطالا

أَهوى القُرومَ الصيدَ وَالأَبطالا

Who will tell the heroes on my behalf that I

Who will tell the brave about me that

Who will convey to the heroes on my behalf that I

Love the proud chieftains and the heroes?

I love raids, hunting, and the brave.

Love the noble chiefs and the valiant heroes?

بَِلأَمسِ قَطَّعَتِ الجَزيرَةَ قَيدَها

بَِلأَمسِ قَطَّعَتِ الجَزيرَةَ قَيدَها

وَرَمَت بِوَجهِ الغاشِمِ الأَغلالا

وَرَمَت بِوَجهِ الغاشِمِ الأَغلالا

Yesterday the peninsula shattered her fetter,

Yesterday, the peninsula cut its ties

Yesterday, Al-Jazira shattered its shackles,

And flung her shackles in the oppressor's face;

And flung the shackles in the tyrant’s face.

And flung the chains in the face of the oppressor.

وَاليَومَ وَدَّعَتِ المَظالِمَ أُختُها

وَاليَومَ وَدَّعَتِ المَظالِمَ أُختُها

وَمَشَت تَجُرُّ ذُيولُها إِدلالا

وَمَشَت تَجُرُّ ذُيولُها إِدلالا

And today her sister bade injustice farewell,

And today it bade farewell to grievances

And today, its sister bade farewell to injustices,

And walked, trailing her skirts proudly.

Walking trailing its gowns in allure.

And walked, trailing her robes in pride and glory.

أَبَناتِ أورشَليمَ ضَمِّخنَ الثَرى

أَبَناتِ أورشَليمَ ضَمِّخنَ الثَرى

بِالطيبِ وَاِملَأنَ الدُروبَ جَمالا

بِالطيبِ وَاِملَأنَ الدُروبَ جَمالا

O daughters of Jerusalem, perfume the earth

Daughters of Jerusalem soaked the soil

O daughters of Jerusalem, anoint the soil

With fragrance, and fill the streets with beauty,

With perfume and filled the roads with beauty

With perfume, and fill the paths with beauty,

حَتّى يَمُرَّ الفاتِحونَ فَإِنَّهُم

حَتّى يَمُرَّ الفاتِحونَ فَإِنَّهُم

كَشَوا الأَذى عَنكُنَّ وَالإِذلالا

كَشَوا الأَذى عَنكُنَّ وَالإِذلالا

Until the conquerors pass, for they

That the liberators may pass, for they

So the conquerors may pass, for they

Have removed harm and humiliation from you.

Removed harm from you and humiliation.

Have swept away harm and humiliation from you.

فَاِخلَعنَ أَثوابَ الكَآبَةِ وَالأَسى

فَاِخلَعنَ أَثوابَ الكَآبَةِ وَالأَسى

وَاِلبِسنَ مِن نورُ الضُحى سِربالا

وَاِلبِسنَ مِن نورُ الضُحى سِربالا

So cast off the garments of gloom and grief,

So take off the clothes of gloom and sorrow

Cast off the garments of gloom and sorrow,

And don a robe of the midmorning light.

And wear the gowns of dawn’s light.

And don a raiment woven from the morning light.

وَاِنفَحنَ بِالبَسَماتِ كُلَّ شُمَيذَعٍ

وَاِنفَحنَ بِالبَسَماتِ كُلَّ شُمَيذَعٍ

خاضَ العَجاجَ وَوَجهُهُ يَتَلالا

خاضَ العَجاجَ وَوَجهُهُ يَتَلالا

And bestow smiles upon every noble warrior

And smile with each shining sun

And bestow your smiles upon every noble warrior

Who plunged into battle dust with his face shining.

That waded through the tumult, his face gleaming.

Who plunged into the battle dust with a beaming face.

هَذا مَجالٌ لِلفَتى أَن يَزدَهي

هَذا مَجالٌ لِلفَتى أَن يَزدَهي

فيهِ وَلِلحَسناءِ أَن تَختالا

فيهِ وَلِلحَسناءِ أَن تَختالا

This is an occasion for a young man to take pride,

This is a chance for the youth to shine

This is a realm for the young man to boast,

And for a fair woman to walk proudly in it.

And for the beautiful one to sway.

And for the beauty to walk with pride.

يا قائِدَ الصَيدِ الغَطارِفَةِ الأُلى

يا قائِدَ الصَيدِ الغَطارِفَةِ الأُلى

تُحنى الرُؤوسُ لِذِكرِهِم إِجلالا

تُحنى الرُؤوسُ لِذِكرِهِم إِجلالا

O commander of the proud, noble warriors,

O leader of the daring eagle hunt

O leader of the proud, noble chiefs,

At whose mention heads are bowed in reverence,

Heads bow down when you are remembered.

Before whose mention heads bow in reverence,

ظَنَّ المَغولُ جُنودَهُم تَحميهُمُ

ظَنَّ المَغولُ جُنودَهُم تَحميهُمُ

وَالقِردُ يَحسَبُهُ أَبوهُ غَزالا

وَالقِردُ يَحسَبُهُ أَبوهُ غَزالا

The Mongols thought their soldiers would protect them;

The Mongols thought their armies protect them

The Mongols thought their soldiers would protect them,

And a monkey's father thinks it a gazelle.

And the monkey deems its father a gazelle.

Just as the monkey appears a gazelle to his father.

فَتأَلَّبوا وَتَهَدَّدوا وَتَوَعَّدوا

فَتأَلَّبوا وَتَهَدَّدوا وَتَوَعَّدوا

حَتّى طَلَعتَ فَأَجفَلوا إِجفالا

حَتّى طَلَعتَ فَأَجفَلوا إِجفالا

So they banded together, menaced, and threatened,

They growled and threatened and intimidated

They rallied, they threatened, and they vowed,

Until you appeared, and they scattered in panic,

Until you rose so they cowered in fright.

Until you appeared, and they fled in panic.

ذُعِرَ الطُيورِ سَطا عَليهِم باشِقٌ

ذُعِرَ الطُيورِ سَطا عَليهِم باشِقٌ

وَبَناتِ آوى أَبصَرَت رِئبالا

وَبَناتِ آوى أَبصَرَت رِئبالا

Like birds terrified by a sparrowhawk swooping upon them,

The birds were startled when a falcon pounced,

Like the panic of birds attacked by a hawk,

And jackals that had glimpsed a lion.

And the daughters of caves saw wolves.

Or jackals catching sight of a lion.

كَم جَحفَلٍ بَعَثوا إِلَيكَ مَعَ الدُجى

كَم جَحفَلٍ بَعَثوا إِلَيكَ مَعَ الدُجى

لاقاهُ جَيشُكَ وَالصَباحُ فَزالا

لاقاهُ جَيشُكَ وَالصَباحُ فَزالا

How many a host they sent against you with the darkness,

How many hordes did they send you at night

How many legions did they send against you in the dark?

Your army and the morning met it, and it vanished!

Your army met them and dawn was gone.

Your army met them, along with the morning, and they vanished.

طارَدتَهُم فَوقَ الجِبالِ وَتَحتَها

طارَدتَهُم فَوقَ الجِبالِ وَتَحتَها

كَاللَيثِ يَطرُدُ دونَهُ الأَوعالا

كَاللَيثِ يَطرُدُ دونَهُ الأَوعالا

You pursued them over the mountains and beneath them,

You chased them over and under the mountains

You chased them over the mountains and below,

Like a lion driving ibex before it.

Like a lion chasing his prey.

Like a lion chasing ibexes before him.

فَمَلَأتَ هاتيكَ الأَباطِحِ وَالرُبى

فَمَلَأتَ هاتيكَ الأَباطِحِ وَالرُبى

بِجُسومِهِم وَمَلَأتَهُم أَهوالا

بِجُسومِهِم وَمَلَأتَهُم أَهوالا

So you filled those stony valleys and hills

So you filled those plains and hills

You filled those valleys and hills

With their bodies, and filled them with terror.

With their bodies and filled them with horrors.

With their bodies, and filled their hearts with terror.

وَحَمَيتُ إِلا السُهدَ عَن أَجفانِهِم

وَحَمَيتُ إِلا السُهدَ عَن أَجفانِهِم

وَمَنَعتَ إِلّا عَنهُمُ الأَوجالا

وَمَنَعتَ إِلّا عَنهُمُ الأَوجالا

And I kept all but sleeplessness from their eyelids,

You prevented anything but unconsciousness

You barred everything but insomnia from their eyelids,

And you kept terrors from everyone but them.

And anything but calamities from reaching them.

And kept away everything but fear from their souls.

ساقوا إِلَيكَ مِئنَهُم وَأُلوفَهُم

ساقوا إِلَيكَ مِئنَهُم وَأُلوفَهُم

فِرَقاً وَسُقتَ إِلَيهِمُ الآجالا

فِرَقاً وَسُقتَ إِلَيهِمُ الآجالا

They drove their hundreds and thousands toward you

They were driven to you in groups and thousands

They drove their hundreds and thousands toward you

In bands, while you drove death toward them.

And death was driven to them.

In droves, and you drove their dooms toward them.

وَصَنَعتَ مِن أَسيافِهِم وَدُروعِهِم

وَصَنَعتَ مِن أَسيافِهِم وَدُروعِهِم

لِرِقابِهِم وَزُنودِهِم أَغلالا

لِرِقابِهِم وَزُنودِهِم أَغلالا

And from their swords and armor you made

And you made their swords and armors

You fashioned from their swords and shields

Shackles for their necks and wrists.

Into shackles and neck-irons for them.

Shackles for their necks and wrists.

لَو لَم تُساقِطهُم إِلَيكَ جِبالُهُم

لَو لَم تُساقِطهُم إِلَيكَ جِبالُهُم

عِندَ الضُحى زَلزَلتَها زِلزالا

عِندَ الضُحى زَلزَلتَها زِلزالا

Had their mountains not sent them tumbling toward you

Had their mountains not sent them to you

Had their mountains not cast them down to you,

At midmorning, you would have shaken them with a mighty quake.

At dawn, you would have shaken them with quakes.

By mid-morning, you would have shaken them to rubble.

إِن يَأمَنوا وَجَدوا المَنايا يومنَةً

إِن يَأمَنوا وَجَدوا المَنايا يومنَةً

أَو يَأسِروا وَجَدوا الجُيوشَ شِمالا

أَو يَأسِروا وَجَدوا الجُيوشَ شِمالا

If they [turn right], they find death on the right;

Whether they feel secure, death takes them suddenly,

If they sought safety, they found death on the right,

Or [turn left], they find armies on the left.

Or they are taken captive, armies are merciless.

And if they turned left, they found armies lying in wait.

وَشَكَت خُيولُكَ في المَيادينِ الوَجى

وَشَكَت خُيولُكَ في المَيادينِ الوَجى

فَجَعَلتَ أَرأُسَهُم لَهُنَّ نِعالا

فَجَعَلتَ أَرأُسَهُم لَهُنَّ نِعالا

And your horses complained of sore hooves on the battlefields,

Your horses complained of the heavy burden,

Your horses complained of soreness in the fields,

So you made their heads into shoes for your horses.

So you made their heads shoes for them.

So you made the enemy's heads into horseshoes for them.

وَرَأَوكَ قَد عَرَّضتَ صَدرَكَ لِلظُبى

وَرَأَوكَ قَد عَرَّضتَ صَدرَكَ لِلظُبى

عِندَ الحُصونِ فَعَرَّضوا الأَكفالا

عِندَ الحُصونِ فَعَرَّضوا الأَكفالا

And they saw you bare your breast to blades

And they saw you expose your chest to attacks

They saw you expose your chest to the blades

At the fortresses, so they exposed their rumps.

At the citadels, so they turned their shoulders.

At the forts, so they turned their backs in flight.

هُنِّئتَ بِالنَصرِ المُبينِ فَإِنَّهُ

هُنِّئتَ بِالنَصرِ المُبينِ فَإِنَّهُ

نَصرٌ يَعُزُّ عَلى سِواكَ مَنالا

نَصرٌ يَعُزُّ عَلى سِواكَ مَنالا

Congratulations on the manifest victory, for it is

You were congratulated for the obvious victory,

Congratulations on this clear victory, for it is

A victory hard for anyone but you to attain.

A victory hard for anyone but you to attain.

A triumph that no one but you could attain.

هَذي القُلوبُ نَسَجتُها لَكَ أَحرُفاً

هَذي القُلوبُ نَسَجتُها لَكَ أَحرُفاً

لَو أَستَطيعُ صَنَعتُها تِمثالا

لَو أَستَطيعُ صَنَعتُها تِمثالا

These hearts I have woven into letters for you;

These hearts wove verses for you,

I have woven these hearts into letters for you;

If I could, I would fashion them into a statue.

If I could, I would have made them a statue.

If I could, I would have forged them into a statue.

أَرَضيتَ موسى وَالمَسيحَ وَأَحمَداً

أَرَضيتَ موسى وَالمَسيحَ وَأَحمَداً

وَالناسَ أَجمَعَ وَالإِلَهَ تَعالى

وَالناسَ أَجمَعَ وَالإِلَهَ تَعالى

You have pleased Moses, the Messiah, and Ahmad,

You pleased Moses, Jesus, and Ahmad

You have pleased Moses, Christ, and Muhammad,

And all humankind, and God, exalted is He.

And all people and Exalted God.

And all mankind, and God the Almighty.