منكُمْ إِلَيْكم مَساعِي المجدِ تنصرِفُ

منكُمْ إِلَيْكم مَساعِي المجدِ تنصرِفُ

ونحوَكُمُ عَنْكُمُ الآمالُ تَنْعَطِفُ

ونحوَكُمُ عَنْكُمُ الآمالُ تَنْعَطِفُ

From you to you, the strivings of glory turn.

From you to you the paths of glory turn,

And hopes turn from you toward you.

And hopes towards you incline and inferences make.

ورُبَّ مَكْرُمَةٍ عَيَّ الكِرامُ بِهَا

ورُبَّ مَكْرُمَةٍ عَيَّ الكِرامُ بِهَا

أَضْحَتْ ذَلُولاً عَلَى أَهوائِكُمْ تَقِفُ

أَضْحَتْ ذَلُولاً عَلَى أَهوائِكُمْ تَقِفُ

And many a noble deed that baffled the generous

And many a revered one, whom honor sought,

Has grown docile, abiding by your wishes.

Became submissive to your wills and stopped.

وأَيْنَ بالبحْرِ عن مَثْواهُ مُنْعَرَجٌ

وأَيْنَ بالبحْرِ عن مَثْواهُ مُنْعَرَجٌ

وأَيْنَ بالنَّجْمِ عن مجراهُ مُنْحَرَفُ

وأَيْنَ بالنَّجْمِ عن مجراهُ مُنْحَرَفُ

And where can the sea turn aside from its resting place?

Where in the sea is there a bend from its bed?

And where can the star stray from its course?

Where in a star is there a swerve from its track?

مَنْ ذا ينازِعُكُمْ أَعلامَ مَكْرُمَةٍ

مَنْ ذا ينازِعُكُمْ أَعلامَ مَكْرُمَةٍ

والمجدُ مُتَّلِدٌ فيكم ومُطَّرِفُ

والمجدُ مُتَّلِدٌ فيكم ومُطَّرِفُ

Who can contest with you the banners of nobility,

Who contends with you in signs of honor?

When glory in you is both inherited and newly won?

While glory is born in you and takes from you its wraps.

أم من يُبارِيكُمُ سبقاً إِلَى كَرَمٍ

أم من يُبارِيكُمُ سبقاً إِلَى كَرَمٍ

والبرقُ عن شأْوِكُمْ بالمجدِ مُعْتَرِفُ

والبرقُ عن شأْوِكُمْ بالمجدِ مُعْتَرِفُ

Or who can rival you in racing toward generosity,

Or who rivals you in precedence of generosity?

When even lightning admits it falls short of your reach in glory?

While lightning vies to glorify your munificence and your gifts.

والنصرُ مُنْسِلُكُمْ والحربُ مُرْضِعُكُمْ

والنصرُ مُنْسِلُكُمْ والحربُ مُرْضِعُكُمْ

وشامِخُ العِزِّ والعَلْيا لكمْ كَنَفُ

وشامِخُ العِزِّ والعَلْيا لكمْ كَنَفُ

Victory is your begetter, and war your wet nurse;

Victory is your companion, war your suckling nurse,

And towering might and eminence are your shelter.

The gleaming blade of power and domination your scabbard.

والحمدُ والشكرُ مخلوعٌ عِذارُهُما

والحمدُ والشكرُ مخلوعٌ عِذارُهُما

فيكُمْ وقلبُ العُلا صَبٌّ بكم كَلِفُ

فيكُمْ وقلبُ العُلا صَبٌّ بكم كَلِفُ

Praise and gratitude have cast off their bridles

And praise and gratitude are divested of their cloaks

For you, and the heart of eminence is lovesick, enthralled by you.

In your presence, and the outpourings of generosity clothe you.

والملكُ ملكُكُمُ غادٍ فمُنْتَظَرٌ

والملكُ ملكُكُمُ غادٍ فمُنْتَظَرٌ

آتٍ فَمُقْتَبَلٌ ماضٍ فَمُؤْتَنَفُ

آتٍ فَمُقْتَبَلٌ ماضٍ فَمُؤْتَنَفُ

And kingship is yours: departing, it is awaited;

The kingdom is your kingdom, departing yet expected,

Coming, it is welcomed; past, it begins anew.

Vanishing yet looked for, passing yet renewable.

من ذا يَعُدُّ كقحطانِ الملوكِ أَباً

من ذا يَعُدُّ كقحطانِ الملوكِ أَباً

والتُّبَّعِينَ إِذَا مَا عُدِّدَ الشَّرفُ

والتُّبَّعِينَ إِذَا مَا عُدِّدَ الشَّرفُ

Who can count a forefather like Qahtan of the kings,

Who reckons Qahtan among the sires of kings,

And the Tubbaʿ kings, when noble descent is reckoned?

When the line of glory is recounted and traced?

أَمْ مَنْ كعمروٍ وعِمْرَانٍ وثَعْلَبةٍ

أَمْ مَنْ كعمروٍ وعِمْرَانٍ وثَعْلَبةٍ

وحاتِمٍ وأَبي ثورٍ لَهُ سَلَفُ

وحاتِمٍ وأَبي ثورٍ لَهُ سَلَفُ

Or who has the likes of ʿAmr, ʿImran, and Thaʿlaba,

Or who is like Amr and Imran and Tha'labah,

And Hatim and Abu Thawr as forebears?

Hatim and Abu Thaur, each of tried repute?

من كُلِّ أبلَجَ كالجوزاءِ مَفْرِقُهُ

من كُلِّ أبلَجَ كالجوزاءِ مَفْرِقُهُ

فِي عَقْدِ تاجٍ بِعِزِّ الملكِ يُكْتَنَفُ

فِي عَقْدِ تاجٍ بِعِزِّ الملكِ يُكْتَنَفُ

Each bright-browed, the crown of his head like al-Jawzaʾ,

Where is one like you, whose every knight

In a crown's circlet, encircled by the might of kingship.

Is like a flashing star in the crown of the king's dominion?

إِنْ يَهَبُوا يُجْزِلُوا أَوْ يقطعُوا يَصِلُوا

إِنْ يَهَبُوا يُجْزِلُوا أَوْ يقطعُوا يَصِلُوا

أَوْ يعقِدُوا عَقْدَ مَحْرُومِ الوفاءِ يَفُوا

أَوْ يعقِدُوا عَقْدَ مَحْرُومِ الوفاءِ يَفُوا

If they give, they give lavishly; if they sever, they join;

Be they harsh or gentle, cut ties or join them,

Or if they make a pact with one bereft of fidelity, they keep it.

Break faith or keep troth, fulfill or falsify.

إِن سالَموا الأَرْضَ كانوا غيثَ أَمْحُلِها

إِن سالَموا الأَرْضَ كانوا غيثَ أَمْحُلِها

أَوْ كَلَّفُوها توالي خَيْلِهِمْ عَنُفُوا

أَوْ كَلَّفُوها توالي خَيْلِهِمْ عَنُفُوا

If they make peace with the earth, they are rain for its driest land;

Did they make peace the lands were as grateful showers;

Or if they burden it with their horses in succession, they act fiercely.

Did they show wrath the lands felt their chargers' hooves.

وإِنْ رَضُوا أَشرقَ الليلُ البهِيمُ بِهِمْ

وإِنْ رَضُوا أَشرقَ الليلُ البهِيمُ بِهِمْ

ويكشِفُ الموتُ عن ساقٍ إِذَا أَنِفُوا

ويكشِفُ الموتُ عن ساقٍ إِذَا أَنِفُوا

And if they are pleased, the pitch-black night shines through them;

Were they glad, the gloomy nights shone bright;

And death bares its shin when they take offense.

Did they frown, death lifted its skirts from those they doomed.

لم يحمِلُوا عَيْبَ ذي قالٍ يَعِيبُهُمُ

لم يحمِلُوا عَيْبَ ذي قالٍ يَعِيبُهُمُ

فِي الجودِ والبأْسِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ سَرَفُ

فِي الجودِ والبأْسِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ سَرَفُ

They bear no fault that a critic can find in them

No slanderer could fault them for stinting generosity,

In generosity and valor, except that they go to excess.

Or valor - save that they lavished without stint.

هُمُ الَّذِينَ هُمُ آوَوا وهُمْ نَصَرُوا

هُمُ الَّذِينَ هُمُ آوَوا وهُمْ نَصَرُوا

لما أَتاهُمْ مِنَ الرحمنِ مَا عَرَفُوا

لما أَتاهُمْ مِنَ الرحمنِ مَا عَرَفُوا

They are the ones: they gave shelter, and they gave aid,

They who gave shelter, they who gave victory,

When what they recognized came to them from the All-Merciful.

To the Message their Lord revealed, that they might know.

وثَبَّتُوا وَطْأَةَ الإِسلامِ حِينَ هَوى

وثَبَّتُوا وَطْأَةَ الإِسلامِ حِينَ هَوى

والظَّنُّ يُخْلِفُ والأَهواءُ تَخْتَلِفُ

والظَّنُّ يُخْلِفُ والأَهواءُ تَخْتَلِفُ

And they steadied Islam's footing when it fell,

They who knit fast the ties the Faith had loosed,

While expectations failed and desires diverged.

When fancies failed and hearts were prone to doubt.

هُمُ الَّذِينَ وُقُوا شُحَّ النفوسِ عَلَى

هُمُ الَّذِينَ وُقُوا شُحَّ النفوسِ عَلَى

عِلّاتِ مَا جَشِمُوا بَذْلاً وَمَا كَلِفُوا

عِلّاتِ مَا جَشِمُوا بَذْلاً وَمَا كَلِفُوا

They are those shielded from the souls' avarice, despite

They who throttled the necks of greed, disdaining

The hardships of what they undertook to give and what they cherished.

To hoard, lavishing wealth without demand.

الحاكمونَ بحُكْمِ الله إِن حَكَمُوا

الحاكمونَ بحُكْمِ الله إِن حَكَمُوا

والمؤثَرُونَ بسيفِ اللهِ إِنْ زَحَفُوا

والمؤثَرُونَ بسيفِ اللهِ إِنْ زَحَفُوا

Who judge by God's judgment whenever they judge,

Rulers by God's command, victorious by God's aid,

And are favored with God's sword when they advance;

Shakers of earth when mounted, charging to the fray.

والمُوجِبُونَ اهْتِزازَ العرشِ حِينَ ثَوَوا

والمُوجِبُونَ اهْتِزازَ العرشِ حِينَ ثَوَوا

والمُبْتَنَى لَهُمُ فِي الجنَّةِ الغُرَفُ

والمُبْتَنَى لَهُمُ فِي الجنَّةِ الغُرَفُ

And who made the Throne tremble when they lay at rest,

For them in Paradise are castles built,

And for whom chambers are built in Paradise.

Decked and adorned, pure, and facing one another.

هُمُ الأُلى رَضِيَ الرحمنُ بَيْعَتَهُمْ

هُمُ الأُلى رَضِيَ الرحمنُ بَيْعَتَهُمْ

للموتِ فِي حُرُماتِ الحَجِّ إِذ صُرِفُوا

للموتِ فِي حُرُماتِ الحَجِّ إِذ صُرِفُوا

They are those whose pledge the All-Merciful approved,

They are the loyal band God chose to pledge Him

Unto death amid pilgrimage's sanctities, when they were turned away.

Their lives, defending the House of God from sacrilege.

فإنْ غَدَتْ منهُمُ الأَيامُ مُوحِشَةً

فإنْ غَدَتْ منهُمُ الأَيامُ مُوحِشَةً

فالحاجِبُ القائِدُ الأَعلى لَهَا خَلَفُ

فالحاجِبُ القائِدُ الأَعلى لَهَا خَلَفُ

And if the days have grown desolate without them,

Then even if days without them seem gloomy,

Then the chamberlain, the supreme commander, is their successor for the age.

The trusted Chamberlain rules, Guide Supreme is he.

سهمُ الخلافَةِ إِلّا أَنَّ راحَتَهُ

سهمُ الخلافَةِ إِلّا أَنَّ راحَتَهُ

وإِنْ نأَتْ أَوْ تَدانَتْ للمُنى هَدَفُ

وإِنْ نأَتْ أَوْ تَدانَتْ للمُنى هَدَفُ

He is the caliphate's arrow—yet his palm,

The arrow of succession none shall bend

Even when far away or drawing near, is a target for wishes.

Save at its notch, or swerve from destiny's decree.

جَارٍ إِلَى أَمَدِ المنصورِ لا حَيَدٌ

جَارٍ إِلَى أَمَدِ المنصورِ لا حَيَدٌ

فِيهِ عن السَّنَنِ الأَهْدى ولا جَنَفُ

فِيهِ عن السَّنَنِ الأَهْدى ولا جَنَفُ

Running toward al-Mansur's goal, with no deviation

Steering its course is he who gives Mansur's reign

From the most rightly guided course, nor any crookedness in him.

Enduring fame; from straightness it shall never stray.

تِلْكَ الحجابَةُ لا مطلوبُها عَوَزٌ

تِلْكَ الحجابَةُ لا مطلوبُها عَوَزٌ

فيما لَدَيْهِ ولا مَوْعُودُها خُلُفُ

فيما لَدَيْهِ ولا مَوْعُودُها خُلُفُ

That chamberlainship: what it seeks is not lacking

That Chamberlain, whose rule is free of want,

In what he has, nor is its promise broken.

Of all he promises or hopes for, none shall be denied.

عِلقٌ من المجدِ لاقى كُفْوَهُ فَزَهَا

عِلقٌ من المجدِ لاقى كُفْوَهُ فَزَهَا

بمأْلَفِ الشَّكْلِ والأَشكالُ تَأْتَلِفُ

بمأْلَفِ الشَّكْلِ والأَشكالُ تَأْتَلِفُ

A treasure of glory met its equal and shone

A lofty soul that found its like and merged with it,

In the company of its like, and like things unite.

Congenial in its ways, and ways adjust themselves thereto.

وافَتْهُ فِي الرَّوْعِ مملوءاً جوانِحُهُ

وافَتْهُ فِي الرَّوْعِ مملوءاً جوانِحُهُ

صبراً عَلَى الهَوْلِ والأَبطالُ تَنْتَزِفُ

صبراً عَلَى الهَوْلِ والأَبطالُ تَنْتَزِفُ

It came to him amid terror, his breast filled

It met on the field of awe, steeled 'gainst dismay,

With patience before horror, while heroes were drained.

While heroes bit the dust, and curtains fell away.

واسأَلْ بِقَبْرَةَ واللائي أَطَفْنَ بِهَا

واسأَلْ بِقَبْرَةَ واللائي أَطَفْنَ بِهَا

عن عَزَمَاتٍ لَهُ فِيهِنَّ تُرْتَدَفُ

عن عَزَمَاتٍ لَهُ فِيهِنَّ تُرْتَدَفُ

And ask at Qabra and the places encircling it

Ask Qabra and the dames who sheltered there

Of his resolute deeds there, following one upon another.

About his resolves; how they trembled and were sore afraid.

في فيلَقٍ كعُمومِ الليلِ لا أَمَمٌ

في فيلَقٍ كعُمومِ الليلِ لا أَمَمٌ

لناظِرٍ أَوَّلٍ منهُ ولا طَرَفُ

لناظِرٍ أَوَّلٍ منهُ ولا طَرَفُ

In a host like night's all-enveloping spread, nowhere close

A troop, like the night's expanse, no end in sight

To the onlooker lies its beginning, nor its edge.

For him who strives to plumb its depths or penetrate its shades.

كَأَنَّما الشمسُ فِي أَثناءِ هبوتِهِ

كَأَنَّما الشمسُ فِي أَثناءِ هبوتِهِ

سارٍ تَدَرَّعَ جنحَ الليلِ مُعْتَسِفُ

سارٍ تَدَرَّعَ جنحَ الليلِ مُعْتَسِفُ

As though the sun amid its dust cloud

As though the sun, mid the confusion of their march,

Were a night-traveler armored in night's gloom, crossing trackless ground.

Donned the night's cloaks, veiled in its darkest shades.

ضاءَتْ كواكِبُهُ والْتَجَّ عِثْيَرُهُ

ضاءَتْ كواكِبُهُ والْتَجَّ عِثْيَرُهُ

فالليلُ منهُ ضِياءٌ والضُّحى سُدَفُ

فالليلُ منهُ ضِياءٌ والضُّحى سُدَفُ

Its stars shone and its dust surged,

Its stars grew pale, its Pleiades lost their cluster;

So through it night was radiance, and forenoon gloom.

The night shone bright from it; the dawn mantled by its shades.

والخيلُ لاحِقَةُ الآطالِ ساهِمَةٌ

والخيلُ لاحِقَةُ الآطالِ ساهِمَةٌ

فِي مَعْرَكٍ عَدْوُها فِي ضَنْكِهِ رَسَفُ

فِي مَعْرَكٍ عَدْوُها فِي ضَنْكِهِ رَسَفُ

And the horses were lean-flanked and gaunt,

The horses, gray-white of brow, surged onward

In a battlefield where their gallop, amid its crush, was a fettered shuffle.

To race the lightning sparks, plunged in the foe's depths.

مُسْتَشْرِفاتٌ إِلَى تَدبيرِ مُتَّئِدٍ

مُسْتَشْرِفاتٌ إِلَى تَدبيرِ مُتَّئِدٍ

عن رأْيهِ ظُلَمُ الغَمَّاءِ تنكَسِفُ

عن رأْيهِ ظُلَمُ الغَمَّاءِ تنكَسِفُ

Looking expectantly to the guidance of a deliberate leader,

They spied the moves of the sly and cautious ones

Through whose judgment the darkness of calamity clears.

Though darkness hid their plans from all but God and them.

مُشَيَّعِ العزمِ بالإِقدامِ مُقْتَحِمٍ

مُشَيَّعِ العزمِ بالإِقدامِ مُقْتَحِمٍ

لغَمرَةِ الموتِ والهاماتُ تُخْتَطَفُ

لغَمرَةِ الموتِ والهاماتُ تُخْتَطَفُ

His resolve strengthened by daring, he plunges

Stalwart in their resolve, daring all, rushing in

Into the depths of death, while heads are snatched away.

Where death's tumultuous waves crashed mountain-high.

لا يَقْرَعُ السِّنَّ فِي ضَنْكِ المَكَرِّ إِذَا

لا يَقْرَعُ السِّنَّ فِي ضَنْكِ المَكَرِّ إِذَا

تقارَعَتْ فِيهِ بِيضُ الهِنْدِ والحَجَفُ

تقارَعَتْ فِيهِ بِيضُ الهِنْدِ والحَجَفُ

He does not gnash his teeth in the crush of a charge, when

No tapping of white Indian steel disturbs their cool,

India's gleaming blades and leather shields clash there,

When flashing blades cross in the fray and wildly strike.

وأَبْرَزَ الموتُ عن مُسْوَدِّ أَوْجُهِهِ

وأَبْرَزَ الموتُ عن مُسْوَدِّ أَوْجُهِهِ

فالصبرُ يَبْعُدُ والأَقرانُ تَزْدَلِفُ

فالصبرُ يَبْعُدُ والأَقرانُ تَزْدَلِفُ

And death lays bare its darkened faces,

Though death bares its visage, dark before their eyes,

As patience recedes and adversaries close in.

Patience retreats, and comrades waver and draw back.

ففازَ قِدحُكَ بالفتحِ المُبِينِ ضُحىً

ففازَ قِدحُكَ بالفتحِ المُبِينِ ضُحىً

والكُفْرُ مُنْتَهَبُ الأَقطارِ مُنتَسفُ

والكُفْرُ مُنْتَهَبُ الأَقطارِ مُنتَسفُ

So your lot-arrow won clear victory at midmorning,

Your troop by victory's light succeeded at the height of morn

While unbelief was plundered throughout its lands and uprooted.

While disbelief, its streams blocked, retired, cast down.

وأُبْتَ بالمفخَرِ الأَسْنى يُشَيِّدُهُ

وأُبْتَ بالمفخَرِ الأَسْنى يُشَيِّدُهُ

حَقٌّ بسيفِكَ للإِسلامِ مُعْتَرِفُ

حَقٌّ بسيفِكَ للإِسلامِ مُعْتَرِفُ

And you returned with the loftiest glory, upheld by

Good news: the Foe, its bastions crushed by your sword's might

Truth that, through your sword, acknowledges Islam.

- As justice owes - abased; the Faith exalted high!

أَمكَنْتَ من رِقِّهِ الإِسلامَ مُحْتَكِماً

أَمكَنْتَ من رِقِّهِ الإِسلامَ مُحْتَكِماً

فِيهَا وأَسْلَمَها حَرَّانُ مُلْتَهِفُ

فِيهَا وأَسْلَمَها حَرَّانُ مُلْتَهِفُ

You enabled Islam to enslave him, exercising authority

You held its neck beneath the Yoke of Islam, judging it,

There, while one burning with grief and anguish surrendered it,

While, humbled and submissive, the two Harrs bowed and bent.

مُخَدَّعٌ بأَمانِي الغَدْرِ مُكْتَئِبٌ

مُخَدَّعٌ بأَمانِي الغَدْرِ مُكْتَئِبٌ

بالخِزْيِ مُشْتَمِلٌ بالذُّلِّ مُلْتَحِفُ

بالخِزْيِ مُشْتَمِلٌ بالذُّلِّ مُلْتَحِفُ

Deluded by hopes of treachery, dejected,

A foe deceived in plots, distraught,

Wrapped in disgrace, cloaked in humiliation.

Disgraced, afflicted, steeped in misery, misfortune-rent.

فاتَ السيوفَ بِشِلوٍ حائِنٍ وَمَضى

فاتَ السيوفَ بِشِلوٍ حائِنٍ وَمَضى

أَمْضى من السيفِ فِي أَحشائِهِ الأَسَفُ

أَمْضى من السيفِ فِي أَحشائِهِ الأَسَفُ

He eluded the swords with a doomed carcass, and there coursed

Swift swords slid smoothly through their necks, and it passed on

Through his entrails a grief sharper than the sword.

More penetrating than a sword through their vitals' depths.

فالفخر منتظِمٌ والملك منتقمٌ

فالفخر منتظِمٌ والملك منتقمٌ

والحقُّ منتصِرٌ والدينُ مُنْتَصِفُ

والحقُّ منتصِرٌ والدينُ مُنْتَصِفُ

So glory is arrayed in order, and kingship takes vengeance;

So glory is entwined and sovereignty avenged,

And truth triumphs, and religion obtains redress

Truth victorious, religion's cause upheld!

فِي شِيعَةٍ بَيَّنَ الخزيُ المحيطُ بهم

فِي شِيعَةٍ بَيَّنَ الخزيُ المحيطُ بهم

عن غِبِّ مَا اجْتَرَحُوا غَدْراً وَمَا اقْتَرَفُوا

عن غِبِّ مَا اجْتَرَحُوا غَدْراً وَمَا اقْتَرَفُوا

Against a faction whose encompassing disgrace revealed

Among a horde whom encircling shame proclaimed

The aftermath of the treachery they wrought and the wrongs they committed.

Evil dishonorable deeds they had designed and dangers dared.