1. لقد حكمتَ بأمرٍ فيه بعدُ

    مقادير قضاها لا يردُّ

    You have decreed a matter strange indeed—

    destinies whose decree cannot be reversed.

  2. عقابٌ من كريمِ الصفحِ برٌّ

    لعبدِ ما له ذنبٌ يعدُّ

    Punishment from one generous in pardon is kindness

    to a servant with no sin to count.

  3. وهجرٌ من وصولٍ غيرِ جافٍ

    لمن لم يحك وداً منه ودُّ

    And estrangement from one affectionate, never harsh,

    toward one whose love no other love has matched.

  4. وما هو مَن تعمدُه ولكن

    قضآءٌ والقضا ما منهُ بدُّ

    It is not his deliberate doing, but

    a decree—and from decree there is no escape.

  5. أَليس تيممي وحدي عجيبٌ

    وكلُّ يُستقي والمآء عدُّ

    Is it not strange that I alone cleanse myself with dust,

    while everyone draws water and the supply is inexhaustible?

  6. أَما بعرفهِ كفّي فتثني

    وأسقيه تروح ملا وتغدو

    Does my hand not turn back before his bounty,

    while waterskins go brimming, evening and morning?

  7. وما لكرامةِ هاتيك تملا

    ولا لهوانها هذي تردُّ

    Those are not filled because of their worth,

    nor is this turned away because of its lowliness.

  8. ولكن حكمةٌ للهِ فيها

    عناياتٌ سرُّ ليس يبدو

    Rather, God has wisdom in this,

    providential care whose secret is unseen.

  9. وما يخشى تطاولَ عمر صدٍّ

    تكلفهُ كريمُ لا يصدُّ

    Nor need one fear that a refusal will last long

    when a generous man, who never refuses, forces himself to it.

  10. فاعصى من دعى ليجيبَ طبعٌ

    له وصفٌ يحاولُ منه صدُّ

    For the most resistant thing called upon to yield is an innate nature

    whose own trait one tries to turn aside.

  11. فأغل الماءَ جهدكَ ثم دعهُ

    يبيتُ به على الأحشاء بردُ

    So boil the water with all your effort, then leave it:

    by night, it brings coolness to the inward parts.

  12. سيأتي بعد هذا العسر يسرٌ

    يهوّنه فللمكروِه حدُّ

    After this hardship, ease will come

    to lighten it, for adversity has a limit.

  13. فكم فرج على قرب تأَتّى

    وكانَ عَلى قياسكِ فيه بعدُ

    How often has relief arrived close at hand,

    though in your reckoning it seemed far away!

  14. فأَجمل في الطِلابَ فليس يأتي

    بما لم تؤتِه كدحٌ وكدُّ

    So seek with moderation, for there cannot come,

    through toil and strain, what was not allotted you.

  15. وسلّم للقضاء فما لساعٍ

    سعى في الدفعِ للمقدورِ جهدُ

    Submit to destiny, for no striver

    can, by his effort, avert what is decreed.

  16. فإِنَّ الرزقَ مقسومٌ وكلٌّ

    على مقدارِ قسمتِهِ يمدُّ

    Livelihood is apportioned, and everyone

    is supplied according to the measure of his share.

  17. وأحوالُ الزمانِ رخاً وضيقٌ

    فذ ابابٌ يعد ولا يسدُّ

    The conditions of time are ease and hardship;

    so this is a door kept ready, never closed.

  18. فكنِ بقضِاء ربِك فيك راضٍ

    وخلِّ الاعتراضَ فأنت عبدُ

    Be content with your Lord's decree concerning you,

    and leave objection aside, for you are a servant.

  19. وعُدَّ لديك انعمَهُ تعالى

    تجد ما لا يعدُّ ولا يحدُّ

    Count the blessings you have from Him, exalted is He:

    you will find what cannot be counted or bounded.

  20. فمنها ملك عبدالله فينا

    أَيجزيه به شكرٌ وحمدُ

    Among them is Abdullah's reign among us:

    can gratitude and praise repay him for it?

  21. مليكٌ تسندُ الحسناتُ عنهُ

    وينجزُ عندَه للدينِ وعدُ

    A king from whom good deeds are reported,

    and with whom religion's promise is fulfilled.

  22. متينٌ قويُّ العزيمة لا يجاري

    إلى كرم الفِعال ولا يردُّ

    Steadfast and strong in resolve, none can match him

    in noble deeds, nor can he be turned back.

  23. قويٌّ لا يخادع في اعتقادٍ

    يدين به الإِله ولا يصدُّ

    Strong, not deceived concerning the belief

    through which he worships God, nor turned aside.

  24. أَلا لا خيرَ في الدنيا إذا لم

    يرح في الله مالِكُها ويغدو

    Indeed, there is no good in this world if

    its ruler does not go evening and morning in God's service.

  25. هنيئاً للشرائعِ والرعايا

    مليكٌ خيره لهما معدُّ

    Joy to the sacred laws and the subjects:

    a king whose bounty is ready for them both!

  26. حمي الدينَ الحنيف وذبّ عنهُ

    وحقّقَ أنه لله عبدُ

    He protected the upright faith and defended it,

    and proved himself a servant of God.

  27. وإنَّ الاسمَ منهُ هو المسمّى

    فقل للأشعريِّ اختل حدُّ

    In him, the name is the very thing named;

    so tell al-Ash'ari: a definition has failed.

  28. وليس لمسلمٍ عذرٌ إِذا لم

    يتيّمهُ بهِ حبٌّ وودٌّ

    No Muslim has an excuse if

    love and affection for him do not enthrall him.

  29. فمن لعداه أَن يرضى عليهم

    وأَنهمُ له خَدَمٌ وجُندُ

    It is a favor to his foes that he is pleased with them,

    and that they are his servants and soldiers.

  30. وأَسعد جند ذى ملك جنودٌ

    كفاهم منهُ أمرُ الحربِ سعدُ

    The most fortunate troops of any king are soldiers

    whom his good fortune spares the business of war.

  31. فناموا والعدى طمعاً وخوفاً

    على أَبوابهِ خول ووفدُ

    So they sleep, while the enemies, in hope and fear,

    are retainers and delegations at his gates.

  32. تحاولُ صفحةُ عنها فتضحي

    تملقُّ كالثعالبِ وهي أُسدُ

    They seek his pardon for themselves, and become

    flatterers like foxes, though they are lions.

  33. وقد نسي القتالَ فلا قتالٌ

    يسلُّ ظِباً ولا خيلٌ تشدُّ

    Combat is forgotten: no fighting

    draws blades, and no horses charge.

  34. فها هي في الرباط مسوماتٌ

    وليس على الطرادِ لهنَّ عهدُ

    There they are, marked steeds at their tethers,

    with no memory of the chase.

  35. وبالأجفانِ بيضُ ظِبا نيامٌ

    فما سيفٌ يجردُ عنه غِمدُ

    In scabbards, bright blades lie asleep;

    no sword has its sheath stripped away.

  36. وأما العدلُ فانظركم أكفٍ

    لدينا بالدعاءِ له تمدُّ

    As for justice, see how many hands

    among us are stretched out in prayer for him.

  37. زمانُك روضةٌ نفحت بروحٍ

    غذاءَ الروح منه مستمدُّ

    Your age is a garden breathing a refreshing breeze;

    from it the soul draws its nourishment.

  38. به انتعش الهدى حياً وأدّى

    بجعلان الضلالةِ منه وردُ

    Through it, guidance sprang alive again, and

    its roses brought ruin to the dung beetles of error.

  39. بنفسي أنت كنتَ عقدت عقداً

    ومثلُك ليس يخلفُ منه عقدُ

    May my life ransom you! You had made a covenant,

    and one like you never breaks a covenant.

  40. هممتَ به ولم تفعل فصمم

    على عزمِ الوفا فالأَمرُ جدُّ

    You intended it but did not act; so be resolute

    in your resolve to fulfill it, for the matter is serious.

  41. وهمك وحدَه قد كان يجدي

    ولكنَّ الوفا عملٌ وقصدُ

    Your resolve alone had indeed availed,

    but fulfillment is deed and intention.

  42. لربكَ منك ميعادٌ بنصرِ

    به لك عندَهُ بالنصرِ وعدُ

    You have pledged your Lord your support;

    for that, you have His promise of victory.

  43. وهذا يومَ تهنيةٍ وبشرى

    أتاك بجملةٍ مما يودُّ

    This is a day of felicitation and good tidings:

    it has brought you a host of things desired,

  44. وجآء مبشراً بصنوف نعما

    تقدمهنَّ وهي إليك بعدُ

    and come heralding blessings of many kinds.

    It has preceded them; they are still to come to you.

  45. تَهنَّ به وأفضل ما تهنا

    به عملٌ به تقوىً ورشدُ

    Take delight in it; the best thing to take delight

    in is a deed of piety and right guidance.