خطبٌ كما شاءت صروفُ الليال

خطبٌ كما شاءت صروفُ الليال

تَرتجُ منه راسيات الجبال

تَرتجُ منه راسيات الجبال

A calamity, as the vicissitudes of the nights willed,

She was engaged as the nights' circumstances changed

at which the firmly rooted mountains tremble.

The mountains' foundations shook because of it

عمَّت وخصَّت فجميعُ الورَى

عمَّت وخصَّت فجميعُ الورَى

ضاقَ بِهِم ذرع وعزّ احتمال

ضاقَ بِهِم ذرع وعزّ احتمال

It struck all and each; all mankind

It spread and specified, so all of humankind

were sorely distressed and found it hard to bear.

Were strained by it, and the tolerance was hard

طارت لها ألبابُنا روعة

طارت لها ألبابُنا روعة

فكلُّ قلبٍ فهو رَهنُ الخَبال

فكلُّ قلبٍ فهو رَهنُ الخَبال

Our wits flew away in terror at it,

Our minds flew to it, startled,

so every heart is captive to mental turmoil.

So each heart was hostage to confusion

وأظلمت آفاقُنا وحشةً

وأظلمت آفاقُنا وحشةً

لحادثٍ ليسَ لَه مِن مِثَال

لحادثٍ ليسَ لَه مِن مِثَال

And our horizons darkened in desolation,

And our horizons darkened, desolated,

at a calamity without parallel.

By an incident that has no parallel

ما للرَّدى لا كان من فاتك

ما للرَّدى لا كان من فاتك

تنبو لديه عزماتُ الرجال

تنبو لديه عزماتُ الرجال

What a slayer death is—may it never be!—

What was the use since your loss happened

before it men's firm resolves recoil.

The determinations of men cannot foretell it

فأي دار لم يَرُع سِربُهَا

فأي دار لم يَرُع سِربُهَا

ولم يَدُسهَا بِخُطاها الثقال

ولم يَدُسهَا بِخُطاها الثقال

So what dwelling's flock has it not terrified,

So which house didn't its flock disturb

and what dwelling has it not trampled with its heavy steps?

And its heavy steps didn't tread on

فلتبكه أندلس إنه

فلتبكه أندلس إنه

أوسعها العدل المديد الظلال

أوسعها العدل المديد الظلال

So let al-Andalus weep for him, for he

Let Andalusia cry for him, for he

lavished on her justice with far-reaching shade.

Shaded it with his lasting, just rule

ولتبكه الخيل العتاق التي

ولتبكه الخيل العتاق التي

أعدِّها ذخراً ليومِ النِزال

أعدِّها ذخراً ليومِ النِزال

And let the noble-bred steeds weep for him, which

And let the free horses that he prepared

he readied as a reserve for the day of combat.

As provision for the battle day cry for him

وليبكه الوفد يرجونه

وليبكه الوفد يرجونه

ولتبكه البيض وسمر العوال

ولتبكه البيض وسمر العوال

And let the delegations weep for him, looking to him in hope,

And let the delegation that hoped in him cry for him

and let the white swords and tall brown spears weep for him.

And let the whites and browns of commoners cry for him

وحسبه من شرف باهر

وحسبه من شرف باهر

مُخلّد الذكر فسيح المجال

مُخلّد الذكر فسيح المجال

And it is dazzling honor enough for him—

And it's enough what an evident glorious honor

immortal in remembrance and vast in scope—

His remembered fame has spread widely

أن أعقب الملك المنيع الحمى

أن أعقب الملك المنيع الحمى

وخلّد العزّ البعيد المنال

وخلّد العزّ البعيد المنال

that he bequeathed a kingdom with an inviolable domain,

That the vehemently protected King left offspring

and made enduring a glory hard to attain.

And immortalized remote unobtainable might

لله منه دوحة أنبتت

لله منه دوحة أنبتت

فرعاً كريماً طاب أصلاً وطال

فرعاً كريماً طاب أصلاً وطال

God be praised for the spreading tree he was, which bore

May God make it an date palm tree that sprouted

a noble branch, sound of root, that grew tall.

A generous branch whose origin prospered and lengthened

ومن كإسماعيل محي الهدى

ومن كإسماعيل محي الهدى

بصادق العزم وحسن القتال

بصادق العزم وحسن القتال

And who is like Isma'il, reviver of right guidance,

And like Ishmael the guide revival

with sincere resolve and excellence in combat?

With truthful determination and good fighting

يا أيها المولى الذي فَضلُهُ

يا أيها المولى الذي فَضلُهُ

أنطَقَنِي رويّة وارتجال

أنطَقَنِي رويّة وارتجال

O lord, whose excellence

O my Master whom excellence

has made me speak, deliberately and spontaneously:

Made me speak prose and poetry

لئن أصبت بالمصاب الذي

لئن أصبت بالمصاب الذي

فاض به للدمع وكف انهمال

فاض به للدمع وكف انهمال

Though you were stricken by the calamity that

If I was afflicted with the affliction

made tears overflow in a streaming downpour,

That overflowed with tears that won't stop flowing

فقد بقيتَ سالماً للوَرى

فقد بقيتَ سالماً للوَرى

في عزّ مُلكٍ واتصالِ اقتِبَال

في عزّ مُلكٍ واتصالِ اقتِبَال

yet you remain safe for all mankind,

You remained safe for all people

in the glory of kingship and continued flourishing.

In the might of an uninterrupted kingdom

وأنت نعم الخلق المرتجى

وأنت نعم الخلق المرتجى

والحمد لله على كلّ حال

والحمد لله على كلّ حال

And what an excellent man you are, in whom hope is placed,

And You are the best of creation hoped for

and praise be to God in every circumstance.

And praise be to God in any case