ألا هكَذا تَسْتَهِلُّ الْبُدُورُ

ألا هكَذا تَسْتَهِلُّ الْبُدُورُ

مَحَلٌّ عَلِيٌّ وَوَجْهٌ مُنِيرُ

مَحَلٌّ عَلِيٌّ وَوَجْهٌ مُنِيرُ

Behold, this is how full moons rise:

Behold, thus fortunes are inaugurated,

An exalted station and a radiant face,

With glory sublime and countenance radiant,

وَجَدٌّ سَعِيدٌ وَمَجْدٌ مَشِيدٌ

وَجَدٌّ سَعِيدٌ وَمَجْدٌ مَشِيدٌ

وَعِزٌّ جَدِيدٌ وَعَيْشٌ نَضِيرُ

وَعِزٌّ جَدِيدٌ وَعَيْشٌ نَضِيرُ

And happy fortune and firmly built glory,

With happiness fulfilled and glory erected,

And renewed honor and a flourishing life.

With might renewed and life most affluent,

وَيَوْمٌ يَصِحُّ الرَّجاءُ الْعَلِيلُ

وَيَوْمٌ يَصِحُّ الرَّجاءُ الْعَلِيلُ

بِهِ وَيَطُولُ الثَّناءُ الْقَصِيرُ

بِهِ وَيَطُولُ الثَّناءُ الْقَصِيرُ

And a day: ailing hope is healed

When the slender hope will be verified,

By it, and brief praise grows long.

And meager praise amplified,

دَعا شَرَفَ الدَّوْلَةِ الْمَجْدُ فِيهِ

دَعا شَرَفَ الدَّوْلَةِ الْمَجْدُ فِيهِ

فَلَبّاهُ مِنْبَرُهُ وَالسّرِيرُ

فَلَبّاهُ مِنْبَرُهُ وَالسّرِيرُ

On it, glory called Sharaf al-Dawla,

The glory of state did call,

So his pulpit and throne answered him.

So its dais and throne did accede,

مَرامٌ بِكُلِّ فَلاحٍ حَقِيقٌ

مَرامٌ بِكُلِّ فَلاحٍ حَقِيقٌ

وَسَعْيٌ بِكُلِّ نَجاحٍ جَدِيرُ

وَسَعْيٌ بِكُلِّ نَجاحٍ جَدِيرُ

An aim worthy of every success,

With every sound purpose made actual,

And an endeavor deserving every triumph.

And effort, in each success, lauded as merited;

عَلَى الطّالِعِ السَّعْدِ يا بْنَ الْمُلُو

عَلَى الطّالِعِ السَّعْدِ يا بْنَ الْمُلُو

كِ هذا الرُّكُوبُ وَهذا الظُّهُورُ

كِ هذا الرُّكُوبُ وَهذا الظُّهُورُ

Under an auspicious star, O son of kings,

Upon the horizon of fortune, O son of kings,

Are this riding forth and this appearance.

Is this riding forth and this emergence,

طَلَعْتَ تُجَلِّي الدُّجى وَالْخُطُوبَ

طَلَعْتَ تُجَلِّي الدُّجى وَالْخُطُوبَ

بِوَجُهٍ عَلَيْهِ بَهاءٌ وَنُورُ

بِوَجُهٍ عَلَيْهِ بَهاءٌ وَنُورُ

You rose, dispelling darkness and calamities,

You rose to dispel the darkness and sorrows,

With a face bearing splendor and light.

With face upon which beauty and light appear,

تَكَفَّلَ رِيَّ الِّلحاظِ الْعِطا

تَكَفَّلَ رِيَّ الِّلحاظِ الْعِطا

شِ ماءٌ مِنَ الْحُسْنِ فِيهِ نَميرُ

شِ ماءٌ مِنَ الْحُسْنِ فِيهِ نَميرُ

The quenching of thirsty gazes was assured

The rain of glances took charge freely to water

By the pure, sweet water of beauty within it.

From beauty, wherein astonishment flows,

يَتِيهُ بِكَ الْمُلْكُ وَهْوَ الُوَقُورُ

يَتِيهُ بِكَ الْمُلْكُ وَهْوَ الُوَقُورُ

وَيَشْجى بِكَ الْدَّهْرُ وَهْوَ الصَّبُورُ

وَيَشْجى بِكَ الْدَّهْرُ وَهْوَ الصَّبُورُ

Kingship boasts of you, though it is dignified,

Through you, kingdom is bewildered, yet dignified,

And Time is stirred to sorrow by you, though it is patient.

And through you, time is invigorated, though long-suffering;

ظُهُورٌ ظَهِيرٌ عَلَى الْمَطْلَباتِ

ظُهُورٌ ظَهِيرٌ عَلَى الْمَطْلَباتِ

فَكُلُّ عَسِيرٍ لَدَيْها يَسِيرُ

فَكُلُّ عَسِيرٍ لَدَيْها يَسِيرُ

An appearance that supports the pursuit of aims:

An appearance presenting victory in all requests,

Thus every difficulty in pursuing them is easy.

So that each hardship seems thereby effortless;

صَباحٌ صَبِيحٌ بِأَمْثالِهِ

صَباحٌ صَبِيحٌ بِأَمْثالِهِ

تَقَرُّ الْعُيوُنُ وَتَشْفى الصُّدُورُ

تَقَرُّ الْعُيوُنُ وَتَشْفى الصُّدُورُ

A fair morning; on mornings like it,

A morn which by its like, delight is fulfilled,

Eyes find comfort and breasts are healed.

Eyes are solaced, and breasts healed;

شَرِبْنا بِهِ الْغِزِّ صِرْفاً فَمالَ

شَرِبْنا بِهِ الْغِزِّ صِرْفاً فَمالَ

بِنا طَرَباً وَاتَّقَتْنا الْخُمُورُ

بِنا طَرَباً وَاتَّقَتْنا الْخُمُورُ

We drank glory unmixed on it, so it swayed

We partook of it purely, so we were filled with joy,

Us with rapture, while wines grew wary of us.

And preserved from intoxications of wine;

وَما لَذَّةُ السُّكْرِ إِلاّ بِحَيْثُ

وَما لَذَّةُ السُّكْرِ إِلاّ بِحَيْثُ

تُغَنّى الْمُنى وَيَدُور السُّرُورُ

تُغَنّى الْمُنى وَيَدُور السُّرُورُ

And the pleasure of intoxication lies only where

And the pleasure of drunkenness is only where

Wishes are sung and joy goes round.

Wishes are sung, and happiness revolves;

فَيا شَرَفَ الدَّوْلَةِ الْمُستَجارُ

فَيا شَرَفَ الدَّوْلَةِ الْمُستَجارُ

لَكَ اللهُ مِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ مُجِيرُ

لَكَ اللهُ مِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ مُجِيرُ

So, O Sharaf al-Dawla, the One whose refuge is sought

O glory of state, protected and sheltered one,

For you—God—is a protector against every eye.

To you may God, from every eye, grant sanctuary;

لِمِثْلِكَ حَقّاً وَإِنْ قَلَّ عَنْكَ

لِمِثْلِكَ حَقّاً وَإِنْ قَلَّ عَنْكَ

يُرْشَّحُ هذا الْمَحَلُّ الْخَطِيرُ

يُرْشَّحُ هذا الْمَحَلُّ الْخَطِيرُ

For one like you, indeed—though it falls below you—

For the likes of you, verily, though inadequate for you,

This eminent station is designated.

Is this hazardous position indeed endorsed;

فَإِنَّ النُّجُومُ حَرىً بِالسَّماءِ

فَإِنَّ النُّجُومُ حَرىً بِالسَّماءِ

وَأَحْرى بِها الْقَمَرُ الْمُسْتَنِيرُ

وَأَحْرى بِها الْقَمَرُ الْمُسْتَنِيرُ

For the stars belong in the sky,

For the stars are enthralled by the sky,

And still more does the radiant moon.

And the luminous moon is most befitting to it;

لَقَدْ هُزَّ لِلطَّعْنِ رُمْحٌ سَدِيدٌ

لَقَدْ هُزَّ لِلطَّعْنِ رُمْحٌ سَدِيدٌ

وَجُرِّدَ لِلضَّرْبِ نَصْلٌ طَرِيرُ

وَجُرِّدَ لِلضَّرْبِ نَصْلٌ طَرِيرُ

Indeed, a true-aimed spear was brandished for thrusting,

A spear, sharp-bladed, has been cast for defamation,

And a keen blade was unsheathed for striking.

And a sword, quick-slicing, unsheathed for assault;

وَسُوِّمَ لِلسَّبْقِ يَوْمَ الرِّهانِ

وَسُوِّمَ لِلسَّبْقِ يَوْمَ الرِّهانِ

جَوادٌ بِطُولِ الْمَدى لا يَخُورُ

جَوادٌ بِطُولِ الْمَدى لا يَخُورُ

And sent forth to win on the day of the wager

And for precedency on the day of the race,

Was a noble steed that never flags over the long course.

A steed has been harnessed, unfailing in lengthy strides;

فَتىً سادَ فِي مَهْدِهِ الْعالَمِينَ

فَتىً سادَ فِي مَهْدِهِ الْعالَمِينَ

وَشادَ الْعلُى وَهْوَ طِفْلٌ صَغِيرُ

وَشادَ الْعلُى وَهْوَ طِفْلٌ صَغِيرُ

A youth who ruled the worlds in his cradle,

A youth who ruled the world whilst a babe,

And built the heights of glory while still a little child.

And built high whilst a small boy;

غَنِيٌّ مِنَ الْمَجْدِ وَالْمَكْرُماتِ

غَنِيٌّ مِنَ الْمَجْدِ وَالْمَكْرُماتِ

وَلكِنَّهُ مِنْ نَظِيرٍ فَقِيرُ

وَلكِنَّهُ مِنْ نَظِيرٍ فَقِيرُ

Rich in glory and noble deeds,

Wealthy in glory and favors,

Yet poor in peers.

Yet impoverished of any peer;

فَلا زالَ ذا السَّعْدُ مُسْتَوْطِناً

فَلا زالَ ذا السَّعْدُ مُسْتَوْطِناً

مَحَلَّكَ ما حَلَّ قَلْباً ضَمِيرُ

مَحَلَّكَ ما حَلَّ قَلْباً ضَمِيرُ

So may this good fortune remain settled

So this fortune persists established

In your abode, as long as a thought inhabits a heart.

In your position, for as long as a conscience remains;

وَلا بَرِحَ الْمُلْكُ يا فَخْرَهُ

وَلا بَرِحَ الْمُلْكُ يا فَخْرَهُ

وَمَجْدُكَ قُطْبٌ عَلَيْهِ يَدُورُ

وَمَجْدُكَ قُطْبٌ عَلَيْهِ يَدُورُ

And may kingship ever remain, O its pride,

And your kingdom, O its pride,

Your glory the axis around which it turns.

Continues, its axis being your glory;

وَأُعْطِيتَ فِي شَرَفِ الدَّوْلُةِ الْ

وَأُعْطِيتَ فِي شَرَفِ الدَّوْلُةِ الْ

بَقاءِ الَّذِي تَتَمَنّى الدُّهُورُ

بَقاءِ الَّذِي تَتَمَنّى الدُّهُورُ

And may you, as Sharaf al-Dawla, be granted the

And you have been granted, in the nobility of state,

Long life that the ages desire.

Eternity, that which eras wish for;

وَلا زالَ حَمْدِيَ وَقْفاً عَلَيْكَ

وَلا زالَ حَمْدِيَ وَقْفاً عَلَيْكَ

إِلَيْكَ رَواحِي بِهِ وَالْبُكُورُ

إِلَيْكَ رَواحِي بِهِ وَالْبُكُورُ

And may my praise remain dedicated to you,

And my praise remains consecrated to you,

To you I go with it, at evening and at dawn.

To you my spirit moves with it, and with dawn’s first light;

ثَناءٌ كَما هَبَّ غِبَّ الْحيَا

ثَناءٌ كَما هَبَّ غِبَّ الْحيَا

بِنَشْرِ الرِّياضِ نَسِيمُ عَطِيرُ

بِنَشْرِ الرِّياضِ نَسِيمُ عَطِيرُ

Praise, as when after rain there blows

A eulogy which, when the thickets of life were joyous,

A fragrant breeze with the gardens' scent.

Did waft like the fragrant breeze spreading the gardens;

مُقِيمٌ لَدَيْكَ وَلكِنَّهُ

مُقِيمٌ لَدَيْكَ وَلكِنَّهُ

بِمَدْحِكَ في كُلِّ فَجٍّ يَسِيرُ

بِمَدْحِكَ في كُلِّ فَجٍّ يَسِيرُ

It dwells with you, yet it

It remains devoted to you, but

Travels with your praise through every mountain pass.

It roams in every expanse, singing your praise;