آياتُ سعدٍ توجبُ الإِيمانا

آياتُ سعدٍ توجبُ الإِيمانا

بجميع ما كانت له برهانا

بجميع ما كانت له برهانا

The signs of good fortune compel belief

The verses of Saad compel belief

in all for which they have served as proof.

In all that was proof for him

بات الصباح بها لذي عين ترى

بات الصباح بها لذي عين ترى

وجلا الشكوكَ بها اليقينُ فبانا

وجلا الشكوكَ بها اليقينُ فبانا

Through them, morning abides for anyone with eyes to see,

The morning came with news that delight the eye

and certainty has dispelled doubts through them and stood revealed.

And doubts disappeared, certainty became clear

ما كان هذا الملك إلا أنه

ما كان هذا الملك إلا أنه

للهِ فيك تذكّر الإِنسانا

للهِ فيك تذكّر الإِنسانا

This sovereignty is nothing but a reminder

This rule was only so

of God to mankind through you,

That man remembers God through you

وتريه أن الله يفعل ما يشا

وتريه أن الله يفعل ما يشا

كرهاً على من عزّ أو من هانا

كرهاً على من عزّ أو من هانا

showing him that God does whatever He wills,

And sees that God does as He wills

despite anyone, mighty or lowly.

Whether hated or lowly acquiesced

ملكٌ عقيمٌ جاء ما خطت له

ملكٌ عقيمٌ جاء ما خطت له

حرفاً بذاك ولا ثنيت عنانا

حرفاً بذاك ولا ثنيت عنانا

A barren sovereignty came, though you had not traced for it

A barren rule came, it was not planned

a letter to that end, nor turned a rein.

A letter changed that, the reins were not pulled

هذى السعادةُ لا بلوغ مخاطر

هذى السعادةُ لا بلوغ مخاطر

غرضاً بعذر أو صنيعِ شانا

غرضاً بعذر أو صنيعِ شانا

This is good fortune, not a risk-taker's reaching

This happiness is not by reaching dangerous goals

a goal through a pretext or a deed that brought disgrace.

With excuses or deeds of prestige

فتهنِ ملكاً فيه أصبح ضامناً

فتهنِ ملكاً فيه أصبح ضامناً

لك بالإعانة من رضيت ضمانا

لك بالإعانة من رضيت ضمانا

So rejoice in a kingship where One has become guarantor

So congratulate a rule in which you became guarantor

of help for you—the One whose guarantee you accept.

To you with the help of the one whose guarantee you accepted

ربيتَ في حجرِ الخلافةِ يافعاً

ربيتَ في حجرِ الخلافةِ يافعاً

ورضعت من أثدائها ألبانا

ورضعت من أثدائها ألبانا

You were raised in the lap of the caliphate as a youth,

You were raised young in the lap of the caliphate

and suckled milk from her breasts.

And suckled from its breasts milk

ورأت مخائل فيكَ طفلاً ما ترى

ورأت مخائل فيكَ طفلاً ما ترى

فيمن يكون ولا بمن قد كانا

فيمن يكون ولا بمن قد كانا

As a child, she saw in you portents she sees in none

And it saw in you as a child what is not seen

who are yet to come, nor in any who have been.

In one who will be or who has been

فاستبشرت بالخير فيك وأكثرت

فاستبشرت بالخير فيك وأكثرت

شوقاً إلى أيامك الأحيانا

شوقاً إلى أيامك الأحيانا

She rejoiced in the good in you, and often felt

So it rejoiced in the good in you and increased

a longing for your days, time after time.

Longing for your good days

ظفرَتْ يداها بالمنى فليهنها

ظفرَتْ يداها بالمنى فليهنها

ما قد هناكَ بوصلها وهَنانا

ما قد هناكَ بوصلها وهَنانا

Her hands have won their wishes; may she be gladdened by

Its hands attained the desired so congratulate it

what has gladdened you and us through union with her.

For what pleased it and softened it

قد كنتَ سلطاناً وآدم طينةٌ

قد كنتَ سلطاناً وآدم طينةٌ

يرعاك فيها فاشكر الرحمانا

يرعاك فيها فاشكر الرحمانا

You were already a sultan while Adam was clay;

You were a sultan and Adam is clay

He watched over you within it, so thank the All-Merciful.

Cared for by the Merciful so thank Him

ولى الملوكَ ليصلحَ الدينا بهم

ولى الملوكَ ليصلحَ الدينا بهم

وحباك أنت لنفسه سُلطانا

وحباك أنت لنفسه سُلطانا

He appointed kings to set religion right through them,

He appointed rulers to reform religion through them

and favored you yourself as a sultan for Himself,

And He loved you for Himself as a sultan

لتَقيمَ سنتهُ وتحفظَ دينهَ

لتَقيمَ سنتهُ وتحفظَ دينهَ

وتكونَ في إعزازه مِعوانا

وتكونَ في إعزازه مِعوانا

to uphold His way and preserve His faith,

To establish His ways and protect His religion

and be a helper in exalting it,

And be a supporter in honoring Him

من معشر يبغون ذِلةَ أهلهِ

من معشر يبغون ذِلةَ أهلهِ

ويرون ذاك لهلكه عُنوانا

ويرون ذاك لهلكه عُنوانا

against a people who seek to abase its followers

From a group who want humiliation of His people

and see that as a sign of its destruction.

And see that as the sign of their destruction

لله فيك عناية لا تقتضي

لله فيك عناية لا تقتضي

إلا القيام بِنصرك الإِيمانا

إلا القيام بِنصرك الإِيمانا

God has a care for you that requires

God has a care for you that requires

faith to do nothing but rise in your support.

Only aiding you with faith

أَلقت بأيديها البرايا عن يدٍ

أَلقت بأيديها البرايا عن يدٍ

طوعاً إِليك وأَذعنت إذعانا

طوعاً إِليك وأَذعنت إذعانا

All creation has yielded its hands in submission,

It threw down the banners voluntarily

willingly to you, and bowed in utter obedience.

To you and surrendered willingly

إِن السَّعيد إِذا سعى في معجزٍ

إِن السَّعيد إِذا سعى في معجزٍ

كانت موانِعه له أَعوانا

كانت موانِعه له أَعوانا

When a fortunate man strives for an impossible feat,

Indeed when the fortunate strives with miracle

his obstacles become helpers to him.

His obstacles become his aides

وإذا أراد الله أمرا لامرئ

وإذا أراد الله أمرا لامرئ

أعيا فلاناً ردّه وفلانا

أعيا فلاناً ردّه وفلانا

And when God wills something for a man,

And when God wills a matter for a person

this man and that are powerless to thwart it.

He exhausts so and so and so and so

فالسعيَّ يوجب رزقَ محرومٍ ولا

فالسعيَّ يوجب رزقَ محرومٍ ولا

ترك المساعي يوجبُ الحِرمانا

ترك المساعي يوجبُ الحِرمانا

So striving secures sustenance for the deprived, nor

So striving obtains provision for the deprived while

does abandoning one's efforts bring deprivation.

Neglecting striving causes deprivation

ومن العجائب أن تُطاع ويحتوَي

ومن العجائب أن تُطاع ويحتوَي

ملكاً ولم تَعلم بذاك زمانا

ملكاً ولم تَعلم بذاك زمانا

One marvel is that you are obeyed and gain

And of the wonders is that you are obeyed and contained

a kingdom, though for a time you knew nothing of it.

A realm and did not know that time

خطبَ الخطيبُ لكم وضجّ باسمكم

خطبَ الخطيبُ لكم وضجّ باسمكم

جهراً مُصبحهم بلا استيذانا

جهراً مُصبحهم بلا استيذانا

The preacher preached for you, and your name was cried

The preacher proposed to you and bellowed your name

aloud by those greeting the morning, without seeking leave.

Publicly greeting them without permission

كنا نقول وأنت طفل والورى

كنا نقول وأنت طفل والورى

شغفاً بذكرك يكُثر الهذيانا

شغفاً بذكرك يكُثر الهذيانا

We used to say, while you were a child and mankind

We used to say while you were a child and people

babbled endlessly, enthralled by talk of you:

Were zealously mentioning you with madness

والله ما شغفَ الأنام به سدىً

والله ما شغفَ الأنام به سدىً

ولتبصرنَّ غدا لهذا شانا

ولتبصرنَّ غدا لهذا شانا

"By God, mankind's passion for him is not in vain;

By God, people's zeal was not in vain

and tomorrow you will surely see what stature this one has."

And you will see tomorrow the matter of this

حتى رأينا اليومَ سعداً خارقاً

حتى رأينا اليومَ سعداً خارقاً

يعطي الذي لا يمكن الإِمكانا

يعطي الذي لا يمكن الإِمكانا

Until today we saw wonder-working good fortune

Until today we saw fortunate Saad transcending

granting possibility to what cannot be.

Giving what is impossible to give

إِن السعادةَ حين تنهض بالفتى

إِن السعادةَ حين تنهض بالفتى

تدني البعيد وتلقبُ الأعيانا

تدني البعيد وتلقبُ الأعيانا

When good fortune lifts a young man up,

Indeed when fortune rises with a youth

it brings the distant near and bestows titles on the notables.

It brings near the distant and ennobles the prominent

فاضرب بسيفك فالحديدَ لمن بغى

فاضرب بسيفك فالحديدَ لمن بغى

جهراً وسقف السعدِ فيمن خانا

جهراً وسقف السعدِ فيمن خانا

So strike with your sword: iron is for those who rebel

So strike with your sword, iron is for the transgressor

openly, and fortune's roof is over those who betray.

Publicly, and roof the good fortune of the traitor

فليهنَ عبدُ الله إنَّ سيوفه

فليهنَ عبدُ الله إنَّ سيوفه

يفتكنَ سراً فتكها إِعلانا

يفتكنَ سراً فتكها إِعلانا

May Abd Allah rejoice, for his swords

So let the slave of God be congratulated, his swords

kill in secret as they kill openly.

Secretly decimate with public decimation

الأبلحُ المنصور نجل الناصر ب

الأبلحُ المنصور نجل الناصر ب

ن الأشرف بن الأفضلِ السلطانا

ن الأشرف بن الأفضلِ السلطانا

Al-Ablaḥ, al-Manṣūr, son of al-Nāṣir, son—

Al-Ablah al-Mansur son of al-Nasir

—of al-Ashraf, son of al-Afḍal, the sultan,

Bin al-Ashraf bin al-Afdal the Sultan

وابن المجاهد والمؤيد والمظف

وابن المجاهد والمؤيد والمظف

ر والشهيد ابن السخيّ بَنانا

ر والشهيد ابن السخيّ بَنانا

and son of al-Mujāhid, al-Muʾayyad, and al-Muẓaf—

And son of the fighter and supporter and victorious

—far, and al-Shahīd, son of the generous-handed one.

And the martyr son of the generous, two constructions

أعني الرسول المنتقى السامي ابن من

أعني الرسول المنتقى السامي ابن من

ملكوا الملوك ودوخوا البلدانا

ملكوا الملوك ودوخوا البلدانا

I mean al-Rasūl, the chosen, exalted one, son of those

I mean the chosen noble messenger, son of those

who ruled kings and subdued the lands,

Who ruled over kings and vanquished lands

وتوارثوا الملك العقيم اباً اباً

وتوارثوا الملك العقيم اباً اباً

لا عمَّ يعطاه ولا إخوانا

لا عمَّ يعطاه ولا إخوانا

and inherited barren sovereignty, father after father:

And inherited barren rule, father from father

no uncle was given it, nor any brothers.

No paternal uncle gave it or brothers

ليثٌ إذا فاجا العداة تصايحوا

ليثٌ إذا فاجا العداة تصايحوا

فترى عصافيرا رأت ثَعبانا

فترى عصافيرا رأت ثَعبانا

A lion: when he surprises his enemies, they cry out,

A lion, when he surprises the enemies they shriek

and you see sparrows that have seen a serpent.

So you see sparrows who saw a snake

من كانَ يعقل فَليقيدْ نعمةً

من كانَ يعقل فَليقيدْ نعمةً

بالشكر واليسأل إليه أمانا

بالشكر واليسأل إليه أمانا

Let anyone with sense bind a blessing

Whoever reasons should thank a blessing

with gratitude, and ask him for protection.

And not ask safety from Him

يا نقمةً إن حاربوك ونعمةٍ

يا نقمةً إن حاربوك ونعمةٍ

إِن سالموك وجنة ومكانا

إِن سالموك وجنة ومكانا

O scourge if they wage war on you, and blessing

O wrath if they fight you, and blessing

if they make peace with you—a paradise and a refuge!

If they make peace, and paradise and position

اشددْ يديك بحبل ربك واثقاً

اشددْ يديك بحبل ربك واثقاً

بضمانِه فهو الوفيُّ ضَمانا

بضمانِه فهو الوفيُّ ضَمانا

Grip your Lord's rope tightly with both hands, trusting

Strengthen your hands with your Lord's rope, trusting

in His pledge, for He is faithful in His guarantees.

His guarantee for He is the faithful guarantor

فليحمد الله الجميع فإِنه

فليحمد الله الجميع فإِنه

أرضاك بالملك الذي أرضانا

أرضاك بالملك الذي أرضانا

Let everyone praise God, for He

So let all praise God, for He

has pleased you with the sovereignty that has pleased us.

Pleased you with the rule that pleased us