بُشْرَى يَقُومُ لَهَا الزَّمَانُ خَطِيباً

بُشْرَى يَقُومُ لَهَا الزَّمَانُ خَطِيباً

وَتَأَرَّجُ الآفَاقُ مِنْهَا طِيبَا

وَتَأَرَّجُ الآفَاقُ مِنْهَا طِيبَا

Glad tidings for which time rises as an orator,

Good tidings, for which time stands up to eulogize

and the horizons grow fragrant with their perfume.

And horizons exude fragrance from it

هَذَا طُلُوعُ فُتُوحِكَ الغُرِّ الَّتِي

هَذَا طُلُوعُ فُتُوحِكَ الغُرِّ الَّتِي

مَا كَانَ طَالِعُ سَعْدِهَا لِيَغِيْبَا

مَا كَانَ طَالِعُ سَعْدِهَا لِيَغِيْبَا

This is the rising of your radiant conquests, whose

This is the rising of your glorious conquests

star of good fortune was never to set.

That were never destined for their good fortune to set

أَظْهَرْتَ دِينَ اللهِ فِي ثَغْرِ العِدَى

أَظْهَرْتَ دِينَ اللهِ فِي ثَغْرِ العِدَى

وَقَهَرْتَ تِمْثالاً بِهِ وَصَلِيْبَا

وَقَهَرْتَ تِمْثالاً بِهِ وَصَلِيْبَا

You made God's faith prevail in the foes' frontier stronghold,

You made God's religion manifest in the land of enemies

and subdued a statue there, and a cross.

And subdued their idols and crosses through it

وَذَعَرْتَ بِالْجَيْشِ اللُّهَامِ بِلاَدَهَا

وَذَعَرْتَ بِالْجَيْشِ اللُّهَامِ بِلاَدَهَا

مك الفضا ملأ القلوب وجيبا

مك الفضا ملأ القلوب وجيبا

And with the vast army you terrified its lands;

With the army you terrified their countries

[Unclear opening word] the open expanse; it filled hearts with pounding.

Filling space, filling hearts and chests

جيش يرى تعب المغاوز راحة

جيش يرى تعب المغاوز راحة

وَالسَّهْلَ صَعْباً والْبَعيدَ قَرِيبا

وَالسَّهْلَ صَعْباً والْبَعيدَ قَرِيبا

An army that sees the toil of wilderness journeys as rest,

An army that sees the toil of invasions as comfort

and the easy as difficult, and the distant as near.

And the plain as difficult and the distant as near

شَرِفَتْ ثُغُور الدِّينِ مِنْهُ بِغُصَّةٍ

شَرِفَتْ ثُغُور الدِّينِ مِنْهُ بِغُصَّةٍ

وَلَقِينَ مِنْهُ حَوَادِثاً وخُطُوبَا

وَلَقِينَ مِنْهُ حَوَادِثاً وخُطُوبَا

The faith's frontier strongholds grew exalted [uncertain wording] through it, with a choking pang,

The frontiers of religion were ennobled by it with pride

and suffered calamities and grievous trials from it.

And faced through it events and calamities

وَمَتَى سَرَتْ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ سَرِيَّةٌ

وَمَتَى سَرَتْ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ سَرِيَّةٌ

أَبْدَى لَهَا التَّحْذِيرَ وَالتَّأْلِيبَا

أَبْدَى لَهَا التَّحْذِيرَ وَالتَّأْلِيبَا

And whenever a Muslim raiding party marched by night,

And whenever an expedition set out for the Muslims

it sounded warnings against the party and rallied opposition.

You showed caution towards it and urged it on

حَتَّى إِذا اسْتَشْرَى وَاَعْضَلَ دَاؤُهُ

حَتَّى إِذا اسْتَشْرَى وَاَعْضَلَ دَاؤُهُ

شَكَتِ الثُّغُورُ بِهِ فكُنْتَ طَبِيبَا

شَكَتِ الثُّغُورُ بِهِ فكُنْتَ طَبِيبَا

until, when its malady spread unchecked and grew intractable,

Until when its illness flared up and festered

the frontier strongholds complained of it, so you became a physician.

The frontiers complained of it, and you were the healer

وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللهُ بُرْءَ زَمَانَةٍ

وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللهُ بُرْءَ زَمَانَةٍ

لَمْ تَعْدُ مِيقَاتاً لَهَا مَكْتُوبَا

لَمْ تَعْدُ مِيقَاتاً لَهَا مَكْتُوبَا

And when God wills the cure of a chronic affliction,

And whenever God wills the recovery of an era

it does not exceed the time decreed for it.

No date has been appointed for it in the books

لِلَّهِ يَوْمُ الفَتْحِ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ

لِلَّهِ يَوْمُ الفَتْحِ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ

يَوْمٌ عَلَى الكُفَّارِ كَانَ عَصِيبَا

يَوْمٌ عَلَى الكُفَّارِ كَانَ عَصِيبَا

God be praised for the day of its conquest, for it

To God belongs the day of the Opening through which

was a grievous day for the unbelievers.

A day agonizing for the unbelievers it was

فَتْحٌ تَفَتَّحَتِ المُنَى عَنْ زَهْرِهِ

فَتْحٌ تَفَتَّحَتِ المُنَى عَنْ زَهْرِهِ

وَافْتَرَّ الدَّهْرُ عَنْهُ شَنِيبَا

وَافْتَرَّ الدَّهْرُ عَنْهُ شَنِيبَا

A conquest: hopes opened to reveal its blossom,

An opening where wishes blossomed from their buds

and time smiled upon it with pearly teeth.

And time showed its white hair through it

حَفَّتْ بِهِ رَايَاتُكَ الحُمْرُ الَّتِي

حَفَّتْ بِهِ رَايَاتُكَ الحُمْرُ الَّتِي

قَادَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَبَائِلاً وَشُعُوبَا

قَادَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَبَائِلاً وَشُعُوبَا

Your red banners surrounded it, those banners that

Your red banners encircled it, which

led tribes and peoples toward it.

Led to it tribes and nations

وَتَعَلَّقَتْ بُهْمُ الرِّجَالِ بِسُوْرِهِ

وَتَعَلَّقَتْ بُهْمُ الرِّجَالِ بِسُوْرِهِ

فَتُخَالُ فِي شُرُفَاتِهِ يَعْسُوبَا

فَتُخَالُ فِي شُرُفَاتِهِ يَعْسُوبَا

And fearless men clung to its wall,

And through it men clung to its walls

so on its battlements you would fancy a king bee.

Crowding its balconies like lions

وَحَنَتْ بِهِ عُوجُ الْقِسِيِّ ضُلُوعَهَا

وَحَنَتْ بِهِ عُوجُ الْقِسِيِّ ضُلُوعَهَا

تَغْتَالُ فِيهِ جَوَانحاً وَقُلُوبَا

تَغْتَالُ فِيهِ جَوَانحاً وَقُلُوبَا

And there the curved bows bent their ribs,

And the curved ribs of the fort bent with it

stealthily slaying ribs and hearts within it.

To ambush in it souls and hearts

فَكَأّنَّمَا قُزَحٌ حَنَتْ أَقْوَاسَهُ

فَكَأّنَّمَا قُزَحٌ حَنَتْ أَقْوَاسَهُ

أَيْدِي الغَمَامِ وَأَمْطَرَتْ شُؤْبُوبَا

أَيْدِي الغَمَامِ وَأَمْطَرَتْ شُؤْبُوبَا

As though Quzah's bows had been bent

As if it were the rainbow whose arcs bent

by the clouds' hands, which poured down a sudden shower.

By the hands of clouds and poured down torrents

وَرَأَى المَنِيَّةَ رَبُّهُ وَهَفَا إِلَى

وَرَأَى المَنِيَّةَ رَبُّهُ وَهَفَا إِلَى

طَلَبِ الأَمَانِ فَقِيلَ لاَ تَثْرِيبَا

طَلَبِ الأَمَانِ فَقِيلَ لاَ تَثْرِيبَا

And its lord saw death and hastened to

And its Lord saw death and leaned toward

seek safe-conduct; so he was told, 'No reproach.'

Seeking safety, and it was said "No reproach"

وَإِذَا امْرُؤٌ أَلْقَى إِلَيْكَ قِيَادَهُ

وَإِذَا امْرُؤٌ أَلْقَى إِلَيْكَ قِيَادَهُ

وَرَجَاكَ أَدْرَكَ حِلْمَكَ المَوْهُوبَا

وَرَجَاكَ أَدْرَكَ حِلْمَكَ المَوْهُوبَا

And whenever a man gives his reins to you,

And when a man entrusts his leadership to you

and puts his hope in you, he finds your freely bestowed forbearance.

And hopes for your God-given clemency

مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا قَعَدَتْ بِهِ أَنْصَارُهُ

مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا قَعَدَتْ بِهِ أَنْصَارُهُ

رَهَباً وَأَبْصَرَ وَعْدَهُمْ مَكْذُوبَا

رَهَباً وَأَبْصَرَ وَعْدَهُمْ مَكْذُوبَا

After his supporters had failed him

After his supporters had abandoned him

out of fear, and he saw their promise proven false,

In terror, and seen their promises false

وَتَبَلْبَلَتْ بِاللَّيْلِ أَلْسُنُ نَارِهِ

وَتَبَلْبَلَتْ بِاللَّيْلِ أَلْسُنُ نَارِهِ

تَصِلُ الصُّرَاخَ فَمَا لَقِينَ مُجيبَا

تَصِلُ الصُّرَاخَ فَمَا لَقِينَ مُجيبَا

his fire's tongues quivered in the night,

And at night the tongues of its fire blazed

joining the cries, yet finding no one to answer.

With screams reaching out but meeting no answer

لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ جَاشوا إِلَيْكَ وَجَمَّعُوا

لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ جَاشوا إِلَيْكَ وَجَمَّعُوا

أَقْصَى تُخُومِهِمُ صَباً وَجَنُوبَا

أَقْصَى تُخُومِهِمُ صَباً وَجَنُوبَا

Had they surged against you and mustered

If only they had surged toward you and gathered

their farthest frontiers, eastward and southward,

The outskirts of their lands, young and old

غَادَرْتَهُمْ صَرْعَى عَلَى عَفْرِ الثَّرَى

غَادَرْتَهُمْ صَرْعَى عَلَى عَفْرِ الثَّرَى

وَمَلأْتَ أَرْضَهُمُ بُكاً وَنَحِيبَا

وَمَلأْتَ أَرْضَهُمُ بُكاً وَنَحِيبَا

you would have left them slain upon the earth's dust,

You would have left them slain on the dust of the earth

and filled their land with weeping and wailing,

And filled their lands with weeping and wailing

وَتَرَكْتَ كُلَّ مُثَقَّفٍ مُتَقَصِّداً

وَتَرَكْتَ كُلَّ مُثَقَّفٍ مُتَقَصِّداً

فِيهِمْ وَكُلَّ مُهَنَّدٍ مَخْضُوبَا

فِيهِمْ وَكُلَّ مُهَنَّدٍ مَخْضُوبَا

and left every straightened spear shattered

And left every cultivated one among them targeted

among them, and every Indian-forged sword bloodstained,

And every bedecked one among them stained

بِعِصَابَةٍ يَمَنِيَّةٍ مَهْمَا انْتَمَتْ

بِعِصَابَةٍ يَمَنِيَّةٍ مَهْمَا انْتَمَتْ

فِي العُرْبِ كَانَ لَهَا الحُسَامُ نَسِيبَا

فِي العُرْبِ كَانَ لَهَا الحُسَامُ نَسِيبَا

with a Yemeni band: however it traced its descent

By a Yemeni band, for whenever it was affiliated

among the Arabs, the keen sword was its kinsman.

With the Arabs, it made the swords relatives

ألْبَسْتَ مَلْكَ الرُّوْمِ عَاراً بَاقِياً

ألْبَسْتَ مَلْكَ الرُّوْمِ عَاراً بَاقِياً

وَكَسَوْتَ غَمّاً وَجْهَهُ وَقُطُوبَا

وَكَسَوْتَ غَمّاً وَجْهَهُ وَقُطُوبَا

You clothed the king of the Rūm in enduring shame,

You clothed the kingdom of Rome with lasting disgrace

and covered his face with grief and frowns.

And covered its face with worry and frowns

فَاسْتَقْبِلِ المُلْكَ المُؤَيَّدَ خَالِداً

فَاسْتَقْبِلِ المُلْكَ المُؤَيَّدَ خَالِداً

والدَّهْرَ غَضَّاً والزَّمَانَ قَشِيْبَا

والدَّهْرَ غَضَّاً والزَّمَانَ قَشِيْبَا

So welcome everlasting, divinely aided kingship,

So meet the eternal, victorious kingdom

and a fresh young age, and time newly arrayed.

And time green and the era grey-haired

وَاهْنَأْ أَبَا الحَجَّاجِ بِالْفَتْحِ الَّذِي

وَاهْنَأْ أَبَا الحَجَّاجِ بِالْفَتْحِ الَّذِي

يُهْدِي إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الفُتُوحِ ضُرُوبَا

يُهْدِي إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الفُتُوحِ ضُرُوبَا

And rejoice, Abu al-Hajjaj, in the conquest that

And congratulate Abu Al-Hajjaj on the Opening through which

brings you conquests of many kinds.

He sends you diverse conquests from the conquests

وَانْعَمْ بِمَوْقِعِهِ الجَمِيلِ فَإِنَّهُ

وَانْعَمْ بِمَوْقِعِهِ الجَمِيلِ فَإِنَّهُ

يُشْجِي عَدُوّاً أَوْ يَسُرُّ حَبِيْبَا

يُشْجِي عَدُوّاً أَوْ يَسُرُّ حَبِيْبَا

And delight in its splendid effect, for it

And enjoy its beautiful location, for it

saddens an enemy or gladdens a loved one.

either embitters a foe or gladdens a beloved

وَالدَّهْرُ مُحْتَفِلٌ لِمُلْكِكَ مُحْتَفٍ

وَالدَّهْرُ مُحْتَفِلٌ لِمُلْكِكَ مُحْتَفٍ

يُبْدِي عَلَى أَثَرِ العَجِيبِ عَجِيبَا

يُبْدِي عَلَى أَثَرِ العَجِيبِ عَجِيبَا

And time celebrates your reign, paying it honor,

And time celebrates your kingdom, celebrating

bringing forth marvel after marvel.

Revealing wonder after wonder