إذا نِمْتَ نَمْ للأمْنِ فوْقَ مِهادٍ

إذا نِمْتَ نَمْ للأمْنِ فوْقَ مِهادٍ

وإنْ قُمْتَ قُمْ للعِزِّ تحْتَ عِمادِ

وإنْ قُمْتَ قُمْ للعِزِّ تحْتَ عِمادِ

When you sleep, sleep in safety upon a bed,

If you sleep, sleep safely upon your bed

And if you rise, rise for honor beneath a pillar.

And if you rise, rise with honor, supported by pillars

وجُلْ فوْقَ سَرْجي واجْعَلِ الوَصْلَ

وجُلْ فوْقَ سَرْجي واجْعَلِ الوَصْلَ

غايَتي فإنّي للّذّاتِ خيْرُ جَوادِ

غايَتي فإنّي للّذّاتِ خيْرُ جَوادِ

Roam upon my saddle, and make union

Urge my steed on, and let attaining you

My goal, for I am the finest steed for pleasures.

Be my goal, for with you I am the best rider

حُجِبْتُ بحُجْبِ الصّوْنِ عنْ كلِّ ناظِرٍ

حُجِبْتُ بحُجْبِ الصّوْنِ عنْ كلِّ ناظِرٍ

وأُسْكِنْتُ للتّرْحيبِ أرْفَعَ نادي

وأُسْكِنْتُ للتّرْحيبِ أرْفَعَ نادي

I was screened by veils of protection from every onlooker,

I am veiled in modesty from every onlooker

And housed for welcome in the loftiest hall.

And I dwell in the highest abode to receive guests

وحَفَّ بيَ الغيدُ الحِسانُ لخِدْمَتي

وحَفَّ بيَ الغيدُ الحِسانُ لخِدْمَتي

فسِرّيَ مكْتومٌ وحُسْنيَ بادي

فسِرّيَ مكْتومٌ وحُسْنيَ بادي

Graceful, beautiful women surrounded me to serve me,

Youth has surrounded me, for my service

So my secret is concealed, and my beauty is manifest.

My hidden secret is delightful, and my beauty manifest

ويُسِّرَ للتّوْفيقِ والسّعْدِ مرْكَبي

ويُسِّرَ للتّوْفيقِ والسّعْدِ مرْكَبي

وذُلِّلَ للوَصْلِ الهَنيِّ قِيادي

وذُلِّلَ للوَصْلِ الهَنيِّ قِيادي

And my mount was made easy to ride for success and good fortune,

Good fortune and happiness prepare my ship

And my reins were made pliant for delightful union.

And the gentle path to union is smoothed for my guide

أوَصِّلُ في حالِ الإقامَةِ للمُنى

أوَصِّلُ في حالِ الإقامَةِ للمُنى

وأضْمَنُ للرُّكّابِ كلَّ مُرادِ

وأضْمَنُ للرُّكّابِ كلَّ مُرادِ

I carry you to your desires while remaining still,

I arrive my goal in this abode

And I guarantee riders all they desire.

And for all riders, I ensure every wish

إذا قلْتُ روْضاً فالوُجوهُ أزاهِرٌ

إذا قلْتُ روْضاً فالوُجوهُ أزاهِرٌ

سَقاها الصِّبا والدّلُّ صوْب غَوادي

سَقاها الصِّبا والدّلُّ صوْب غَوادي

If I say 'a garden,' then the faces are blossoms,

When I say a garden, the faces are flowers

Youth and coquetry watered them with morning showers.

Watered by the breeze and the rain towards the valleys

وإنْ قلْتُ للأقْمارِ أسْعَدُ مَطْلَعٍ

وإنْ قلْتُ للأقْمارِ أسْعَدُ مَطْلَعٍ

صَدَعْتُ بمَحْضِ الحقِّ دونَ عِنادِ

صَدَعْتُ بمَحْضِ الحقِّ دونَ عِنادِ

And if I say, 'The most auspicious rising-place for the moons,'

And if I say to the moons you have the happiest rising

I have proclaimed the pure truth, without obstinacy.

I speak with sheer truth, without stubbornness

تُقِرُّ مُلوكُ الصّينِ بالفَخْرِ كلّما

تُقِرُّ مُلوكُ الصّينِ بالفَخْرِ كلّما

فخَرْتُ بفَضْلٍ حُزْتُهُ لتِلادِ

فخَرْتُ بفَضْلٍ حُزْتُهُ لتِلادِ

The kings of China acknowledge my glory whenever

The kings of China admit pride whenever

I boast of excellence I have gained for ancestral heritage.

I take pride in merit I have gained for my country

وثامِنُ أمْلاكِ الجِهادِ أقامَني

وثامِنُ أمْلاكِ الجِهادِ أقامَني

مطيَّةَ سِلْمٍ في مَحَلِّ جِهادِ

مطيَّةَ سِلْمٍ في مَحَلِّ جِهادِ

And the eighth of the kings of holy war established me

And the eighth domain of holy war established me

As a mount of peace in a place of holy war.

As a docile steed in the station of holy war

وأبْرَزَني كرْسيَّ سعْدٍ ومُلْتَقى

وأبْرَزَني كرْسيَّ سعْدٍ ومُلْتَقى

بُدورٍ ومَيْداناً لكُلِّ وِدادِ

بُدورٍ ومَيْداناً لكُلِّ وِدادِ

And he brought me forth as a seat of good fortune and a meeting-place

And it brought me out to the throne of good fortune and the meeting place

Of full moons, and an arena for every affection.

Of periods, and an arena for all affection

وكمْ حِكْمَةٍ أبْدى وكمْ ظُلْمَةٍ جَلا

وكمْ حِكْمَةٍ أبْدى وكمْ ظُلْمَةٍ جَلا

بنُورِ هُدىً منْ رأيِهِ ورَشادِ

بنُورِ هُدىً منْ رأيِهِ ورَشادِ

And how much wisdom he revealed, and how much darkness he dispelled

And how much wisdom I have shown and how much darkness

With the light of guidance from his judgment and rectitude.

I have illuminated with the light of his opinion and guidance

فدامَ عَزيزَ الأمْرِ مُنْفَسِحَ المَدى

فدامَ عَزيزَ الأمْرِ مُنْفَسِحَ المَدى

يُسالِمُ في ذاتِ الهُدَى ويُعادي

يُسالِمُ في ذاتِ الهُدَى ويُعادي

So may he remain mighty in command, wide in reach,

May the mighty ruler live long, with vast horizons

Making peace and showing enmity in the cause of guidance,

Making peace with the essence of guidance yet opposing

ويَبْلُغُ غاياتِ المُنى وهْوَ وادِعٌ

ويَبْلُغُ غاياتِ المُنى وهْوَ وادِعٌ

ويعْقِدُ في الأعْناقِ بيضَ أيادي

ويعْقِدُ في الأعْناقِ بيضَ أيادي

And attain the utmost goals of desire while at ease,

And reaching the limits of wishes calmly

And fasten white hands of kindness around necks.

And binding white hands about necks

مَحاسِنُهُ كُحْلٌ الى كلِّ ناظِرٍ

مَحاسِنُهُ كُحْلٌ الى كلِّ ناظِرٍ

وطاعَتُهُ نورٌ بكلِّ فؤادِ

وطاعَتُهُ نورٌ بكلِّ فؤادِ

His virtues are kohl for every eye,

His virtues are kohl to every beholder’s eye

And obedience to him is light in every heart.

And obeying him is light within every heart