1. أَوائِل فَتْحٍ ما لَهُنَّ أَوَاخِرُ

    تَرَامَتْ بِها جُرْدٌ وَفُلْك مَواخِرُ

    Beginnings of conquest that have no endings,

    borne far by sleek horses and wave-cleaving ships.

  2. فَتِلكَ تُؤَدّيها قِفارٌ بَسابِس

    وَهَذِي تُزَجِّيها بِحارٌ زَواخِرُ

    Those are borne onward by wide, barren deserts,

    and these are driven forward by surging seas.

  3. سَوابِحُ إلا أنَّ بَعْضاً حَوامِلٌ

    وبَعْضاً مِن الرَّكْضِ الحَثيثِ ضَوامِرُ

    Swimmers all, except that some are burden-bearers,

    and some are lean from swift galloping.

  4. يَعُمُّ الذي خُصتْ به منْ تهانِئ

    فَلا بَشرٌ إلا ازْدَهَتْهُ البَشائِرُ

    The congratulations reserved for it extend to all,

    so no mortal is left ungladdened by the good tidings.

  5. وَأسْنَى الفُتُوحِ الطَّالِعاتُ سَوَافِراً

    ولم تَتَلَثَّم بالقَتَامِ العَساكِرُ

    And the most glorious conquests are those that rise unveiled,

    when armies have not veiled themselves in dust,

  6. ولا دَلَفَتْ للحرْبِ أُسدٌ خَوادرٌ

    تَطيرُ بِها في النقعِ فُتخٌ كَواسِرُ

    nor lair-dwelling lions advanced to battle,

    borne flying through the dust by broad-winged, swooping raptors.

  7. يَجودُ بِها المِقْدار دونَ رَويَّةٍ

    وَيَفْتَنُّ سَبْقاً في البَديهَة شاعِرُ

    Fate bestows them without deliberation,

    and a poet excels, taking the lead in improvisation.

  8. وَما الماءُ فَوّاراً بغيْرِ احْتِفارهِ

    كآخرَ تَفْرِي الأرْضَ عنْهُ المَحافرُ

    And water gushing forth without being dug for is not

    like other water for which mattocks cleave the earth.

  9. تَعَوَّدَ يَحْيَى المُرْتَضى دَرَك المُنى

    ولا هُزّ خَطِّيٌّ ولا سُلَّ بَاتِرُ

    Yahya al-Murtada is accustomed to attaining his desires,

    with no Khatti spear shaken and no keen sword drawn.

  10. فَلَوْ شاءَ ما التَفَّتْ عَلَيهِ مَيامِنٌ

    ولَوْ شاءَ ما التَفَّت عَلَيهِ مَياسِرُ

    Had he wished, no right-wing troops would have gathered round him,

    and had he wished, no left-wing troops would have gathered round him.

  11. وَمن حارَبَتْ عنه السُعودُ فَمَا لَهُ

    يُشاوِر آسادَ الوَغَى ويُسَاوِرُ

    For one whose good fortunes fight on his behalf, what need has he

    to consult the lions of battle and launch assaults?

  12. تَظَاهَرَ شَرْعاً بالحُماةِ وإنَّما

    تُظَافِرُه أيّامُه وتُظَاهِرُ

    He takes support from defenders as the Law prescribes, yet

    his days alone aid him and lend him support.

  13. كآرائِهِ رَايَاتُهُ في عُلوُهِّا

    لَها خالِدُ الإقْبالِ إلفٌ مؤَازِرُ

    His banners are as lofty as his judgments,

    with enduring good fortune as their companion and ally.

  14. تُحاذِرُ أَمْلاكُ البَسيطَة صَوْلَهُ

    ويَأمَنُ مِنْ صَوْلاتِها ما تُحاذِرُ

    The kings of the earth dread his assault,

    while he is safe from their assaults, from the danger they dread.

  15. كَفاهُ اتِّصافاً بالْكِفَايَةِ أنّهُ

    مِن اللَّهِ مَنْصورٌ وللَّهِ ناصِرُ

    It is enough to establish his competence that he is

    granted victory by God and is a champion for God.

  16. هُوَ القائِمُ الهادِي بأيْمَنِ طائِر

    فَمَا بِحِمَى الإِسْلام للشرْكِ طائِرُ

    He is the upholder, the guide, with the most auspicious omen,

    so no bird of polytheism remains in Islam's sanctuary.

  17. أطَلّ على الآفاقِ وهيَ بَلاِقعٌ

    فعادَتْ مِنَ التّعميرِ وهيَ عَمائِرُ

    He appeared over the horizons when they were barren wastes,

    so, through rebuilding, they became thriving settlements.

  18. وسَاسَ الرّعايا والنفوسُ شَوارِدٌ

    تناكَرُ ضِغْناً والقُلُوبُ نَوافِرُ

    He governed his subjects while souls were wayward,

    rejecting one another in rancor, while hearts recoiled.

  19. فَيَا حُسْنَ ما صاروا إلَيْه بِسعْيِه

    وتَحْسُنُ بالسّعْي الكريمِ المَصائِرُ

    How splendid the state they reached through his striving!

    Through noble striving, outcomes grow fair.

  20. تَصافَى بِما أوْلاه دَانٍ ونازِحٌ

    وأَثَّ على مَسْعاهُ بادٍ وحاضِرُ

    Near and far made peace through the favors he bestowed,

    and nomads and townsfolk flourished through his endeavors.

  21. وحَفَّ بِهِ للسَّعْدِ جُنْدٌ مُجَنَّدٌ

    فَذَلَّتْ أعاريبٌ لَهُ وبَرابِرُ

    For good fortune, a fully mustered host surrounded him,

    so Bedouin Arabs and Berbers submitted to him.

  22. بِحَسْبِكَ في هوَّارَةٍ وزَنَاتَةٍ

    وقائِعُ هابَتْها سُلَيْم وعامِرُ

    Enough for you, against Hawwara and Zanata, are

    battles that Sulaym and Amir dreaded.

  23. تُعادُ إلى النَّحْر الوَحِيَّ قُدومُها

    بِما عَظُمَتْ آثارُها والجَرائِرُ

    Their advance is sent back to swift slaughter,

    because their effects and offenses have grown grave.

  24. سَيَحْمَدُ ما أبْلَى نَداهُ وبَأسُهُ

    صُفوفُ البَرايا يَوْمَ تُبلَى السَّرائِرُ

    What his generosity and valor achieved will be praised

    by the ranks of humankind on the day secrets are tested.

  25. رَبِيعاً ثَنَى الأزْمانَ فالظلُّ سَجْسَجٌ

    يَفيءُ على الضّاحين والرَّوْضِ ناضِرُ

    He turned the seasons into spring; the shade is mild,

    returning over those in the sun, while the meadow is verdant.

  26. لَقَدْ شادَ رُكنَ الحقِّ منه حُلاحِلٌ

    وشَدَّ عُرَى الإيمانِ منْهُ عُراعِرُ

    Truly, the great chief in him raised the pillar of truth,

    and the mighty lord in him tightened the bonds of faith.

  27. تَكفُّ سطاهُ الليثَ والليثُ هاصِرٌ

    وتَكفِي لهاهُ الغَيثَ والغَيثُ هاجِرُ

    His might restrains the lion in all its crushing power,

    and his gifts take the place of rain when rain has departed.

  28. أمدُّ الوَرَى في كلِّ صالِحَةٍ يَداً

    وحَسْبكَ خافٍ مِنْ ثناهُ وظَاهِرُ

    Of all mankind, his hand reaches farthest in every good cause,

    and his praise, hidden and manifest, is enough for you.

  29. تَبَحْبَحَ في العَليا فَطَابَتْ شَمائِلٌ

    مُقَدَّسةٌ مِنْهُ وطَابَتْ عَناصِرُ

    He dwelt at ease in high honor; fine were his qualities,

    hallowed within him, and fine were his origins.

  30. مُكِبٌّ على خوْضِ الخِطارِ وإنَّما

    يَنالُ خَطِيراتِ الأُمورِ المُخاطِرُ

    He is intent on plunging into dangers, for only

    the risk-taker attains momentous things.

  31. يَمِيدُ ارْتِياحاً كلَّما غنّتِ الظُّبى

    ومُدَّتْ مِنَ النّقْع المُثارِ سَتائِرُ

    He sways with joy whenever the sword-edges sing,

    and curtains of stirred-up battle-dust are spread,

  32. كعادَتِه إن قَام يَشْعُرُ نَاظِمٌ

    بِأمْداحِهِ أو قامَ يَخْطُبُ ناثِرُ

    as is his wont when a poet rises to recite

    his praises, or a prose-speaker rises to declaim.

  33. تَقَاصَرَ عَنْهُ مَنْ تَطاوَلَ قَبْلَهُ

    وأينَ مِن الشمسِ النجومُ الزَّواهِرُ

    Those who stood tall before him fall short of him;

    how can shining stars compare with the sun?

  34. خِلافَتُهُ أوْدَت بِكُلِّ مُخالِفٍ

    فَلا ثائِرٌ إِلا غَدا وهو بائِرُ

    His caliphate destroyed every opponent,

    so every rebel ended in ruin.

  35. كأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ لِلْمقادِر رَغْبَةً

    فَما قامَ إلا أقْعَدَتْهُ المَقَادرُ

    As though fate's decrees had designs against him,

    he never rose without fate's decrees forcing him down.

  36. بِها نَسَخَ الرُّشْدُ الضَّلالَةَ ماحِياً

    وَهلْ تَثْبُتُ الظَّلماءُ والصُّبحُ باهرُ

    Through it, right guidance superseded error, erasing it;

    and can darkness endure when dawn is radiant?

  37. تَحَرَّى وَلِيُّ العَهْد فِيه سَبيلَهُ

    يُقَاسِمُه أعبَاءَها ويُشَاطِرُ

    The heir apparent has looked to him for the path to follow,

    sharing its burdens with him and taking an equal share.

  38. لئِن ظلَّ يوْمَ الحرْبِ للسيْفِ شَاهِراً

    لَقَدْ بَاتَ لَيْل السلم والطّرْفُ سَاهِرُ

    If he spent the day of battle with his sword drawn,

    he surely passed the night of peace with a sleepless eye.

  39. أبَى سُؤْدَداً إلا الحَزَامةَ سِيرَةً

    يُرَاوِحُها ثَبْتَ الحِجى وَيُباكِرُ

    Out of nobility, he would have no conduct but prudence,

    attending to it evening and morning, steadfast in judgment.

  40. سَجَايَا كِرامٍ أوْرَثوه كِرامَها

    فبَعْضُ مَساعيهِ العُلى والمَآثِرُ

    Traits of noble men, who bequeathed their noblest traits to him;

    so high honors and glorious deeds are but some of his endeavors.

  41. لَكَ الخَيْرُ أنْ شَرَّفتَهُ بولادَةٍ

    فَما تَلِدُ الأخيارَ إلا الأخايِرُ

    Blessings upon you for ennobling him by begetting him,

    for only the best beget the good.

  42. وإنْ تَتَعَهَّدْ بالخِلافَة ناظِراً

    إليهِ فقَدْ قرّتْ بذاكَ النَّواظِرُ

    And if you tend to the caliphate, looking

    toward him, then eyes have indeed been gladdened by that.

  43. هُوَ النُّور حَقاً والهُدى شدّ ما اقْتدَى

    بِها حَائِدٌ ضَلَّ السبيلَ وحَائِرُ

    He truly is light and guidance; how often have

    those who lost the path and the bewildered followed it!

  44. حَبَتْ وَسْمَها دُونَ الأئِمة واسمَها

    إمَاماً إذا سَمّتْهُ تُزْهَى المَنابِرُ

    It bestowed its insignia and name, in preference to other imams,

    on an imam the pulpits exult to name.

  45. تَحَلَّى منَ الإخْباتِ أزْينَ حِلْيَةٍ

    لِتَنْعَم أبْصارٌ لها وبَصائِرُ

    He adorned himself with the fairest ornament of humble devotion,

    so that eyes and inner vision might delight in it.

  46. فلا جامحٌ إلا لِعَلْياه جَانِحٌ

    ولا صَائِلٌ إلا لِمَثْواه صَائِرُ

    So no headstrong one fails to incline toward his high station,

    nor any assailant to make his way to his abode.

  47. هَنيئاً مَريئاً لِلْمرِيَّة أنْ أَوَتْ

    إلَى مَظْهَر تَنْحَطُّ عنْهُ المَظاهِرُ

    Joy and wellbeing to Almería, for it has taken refuge

    in a glorious presence beneath which all other presences fall.