مَا أَطْبَقَ الهَمُّ إِلّا رَيثَما انْفَرَجَا

مَا أَطْبَقَ الهَمُّ إِلّا رَيثَما انْفَرَجَا

ولا دَجا الخطبُ إِلّا وَشْكَ مَا انْبَلَجا

ولا دَجا الخطبُ إِلّا وَشْكَ مَا انْبَلَجا

Grief closed in only briefly before it lifted,

Dark misfortune loomed until it broke

nor did calamity grow dark without soon breaking into light.

And distress flared until its veil lifted

مَا كادَ يبدو الضُّحى بالحزنِ مُكْتَئِباً

مَا كادَ يبدو الضُّحى بالحزنِ مُكْتَئِباً

حَتَّى رأَيْنا الدُّجى بالنورِ مُنْبَلِجا

حَتَّى رأَيْنا الدُّجى بالنورِ مُنْبَلِجا

Scarcely had the forenoon appeared dejected with sorrow

Scarcely had morn donned the gown of gloom

when we saw the darkness radiant with light.

When we saw eve robed in radiant light

فاليومَ قَدْ لَبِسَ الإِظلامُ ثَوْبَ سَناً

فاليومَ قَدْ لَبِسَ الإِظلامُ ثَوْبَ سَناً

فِي عُقْبِ مَا لَبِسَ الإِصباحُ ثوبَ دُجَى

فِي عُقْبِ مَا لَبِسَ الإِصباحُ ثوبَ دُجَى

So today darkness has donned a robe of radiance,

Now day has worn the gown of evening

after daybreak had donned a robe of darkness.

After morn had worn the robe of dusk

وأورقَتْ شَجَرُ الدنيا لَدُنْ عَرِيتْ

وأورقَتْ شَجَرُ الدنيا لَدُنْ عَرِيتْ

وعادَ يشدو حمامُ الملكِ إِذ نَشَجَا

وعادَ يشدو حمامُ الملكِ إِذ نَشَجَا

And the world's trees put forth leaves just when they had been stripped bare,

And the world's trees turned green again

and the doves of kingship sang again after they had sobbed.

As the king's pigeons trilled with joy renewed

بَشَّر بالشَّمْسِ إِشْراقُ الضُّحى فَشَفَى

بَشَّر بالشَّمْسِ إِشْراقُ الضُّحى فَشَفَى

فِي إِثْرِ ناعٍ نَعَى نجمَ الهُدَى فَشَجا

فِي إِثْرِ ناعٍ نَعَى نجمَ الهُدَى فَشَجا

The forenoon's radiance heralded the sun and brought healing,

The rise of dawn with sunlight brought good cheer

after a herald of death announced the death of guidance's star, bringing grief.

After a star heralding guidance sank in grief

رُزْءٌ حَكَى كَظَمَ الأَرواحِ أَعْقَبَهُ

رُزْءٌ حَكَى كَظَمَ الأَرواحِ أَعْقَبَهُ

صُنْعٌ أَعادَ إِلَى أَوْطانِها المُهَجَا

صُنْعٌ أَعادَ إِلَى أَوْطانِها المُهَجَا

A calamity resembling the stifling of souls was followed

Mischief told of spirits in anguish then

by a gracious act that returned souls to their homes.

A feat restored them to their homes once lost

فأَصْبَحَ المُلْكُ لا رَبْثاً ولا خَلَلاً

فأَصْبَحَ المُلْكُ لا رَبْثاً ولا خَلَلاً

وأَصبحَ الدِّينُ لا أَمْتا ولا عِوَجا

وأَصبحَ الدِّينُ لا أَمْتا ولا عِوَجا

So the kingdom stood free of hindrance and disorder,

Thus rule was set right, untainted and sound

and religion stood free of unevenness and crookedness.

Thus faith was made straight, unerring and true

فَلْتَهْنِنا نِعَمُ الرحمنِ حينَ هَدَى

فَلْتَهْنِنا نِعَمُ الرحمنِ حينَ هَدَى

بِعَبْدِهِ سُبُلَ الحقِّ الَّذِي نَهَجا

بِعَبْدِهِ سُبُلَ الحقِّ الَّذِي نَهَجا

So may the All-Merciful's blessings gladden us, when he guided

So let us rejoice in the favors of the Merciful

through his servant along the paths of truth he laid out,

Who guided us with His upright servant

بِناصِرِ الدِّينِ والإِسلامِ مُفْتَتِحاً

بِناصِرِ الدِّينِ والإِسلامِ مُفْتَتِحاً

بِيُمْنِهِ كُلَّ بابٍ للمُنى ارْتُتِجا

بِيُمْنِهِ كُلَّ بابٍ للمُنى ارْتُتِجا

through the champion of religion and Islam, opening

The champion of faith and Islam threw open

by his good fortune every door to hope that had been shut.

With his right hand each gate of desire

يا ابْنَ الَّذِي قادَ من أَذْواءِ ذي يَمَنٍ

يا ابْنَ الَّذِي قادَ من أَذْواءِ ذي يَمَنٍ

عُرْفاً بعُرْفِ المعالِي والهدى وُشِجا

عُرْفاً بعُرْفِ المعالِي والهدى وُشِجا

O son of him who led, from Yemen's titled lords,

O son of him who led the unblemished creed

a crest entwined with the crest of lofty deeds and guidance.

From the valley of al-Yaman's perils

من ذا يُنازِعُكَ الملكَ الَّذِي عَمَرَتْ

من ذا يُنازِعُكَ الملكَ الَّذِي عَمَرَتْ

بِهِ أَوائِلُكَ الأَحقابَ والحِجَجَا

بِهِ أَوائِلُكَ الأَحقابَ والحِجَجَا

Who can contest with you the kingship with which

Who can contend with you for the reign you adorned

your forebears filled the ages and the years?

In early eras and times gone by

وَفِي جبينِكَ سِيَما المُلْكِ قَدْ بَهَرَتْ

وَفِي جبينِكَ سِيَما المُلْكِ قَدْ بَهَرَتْ

وَفِي يمينِكَ قِدْحُ الحقِّ قَدْ فَلَجا

وَفِي يمينِكَ قِدْحُ الحقِّ قَدْ فَلَجا

And on your brow the mark of kingship has shone brilliantly,

On your brow the mark of rule gleams bright

and in your right hand the lot-arrow of truth has won.

In your right hand the draft of truth gushes clear

ما كَانَ أَوَّلَ كَرْبٍ جَلَّ فادِحُهُ

ما كَانَ أَوَّلَ كَرْبٍ جَلَّ فادِحُهُ

دَجَا فكُنْتَ لَنَا من هَمِّهِ فَرَجَا

دَجَا فكُنْتَ لَنَا من هَمِّهِ فَرَجَا

It was not the first distress whose crushing burden grew great;

Whene'er dire distress flared severe

it darkened, and you became our relief from its grief.

You were our relief from its affliction

فرُبَّ دهياءَ من خَطْبٍ أَضَأْتَ لَنَا

فرُبَّ دهياءَ من خَطْبٍ أَضَأْتَ لَنَا

آراءَكَ الزُّهْرَ فِي آفاقِها سُرُجا

آراءَكَ الزُّهْرَ فِي آفاقِها سُرُجا

For in many a dark calamity you lit for us

Often did your keen strategy reveal to us

your radiant counsels as lamps along its horizons.

Its splendid views on each horizon

ورُبَّ يومٍ وأَيَّامٍ كَشَفْتَ بِهَا

ورُبَّ يومٍ وأَيَّامٍ كَشَفْتَ بِهَا

عَنَّا وعن مَلِكَيْكَ المَأْزِقَ اللَّحِجَا

عَنَّا وعن مَلِكَيْكَ المَأْزِقَ اللَّحِجَا

And on many a day, on many days, you lifted with them

Many a day you warded from us and your lands

from us and your two kings the inextricable strait.

The pressing perils and straits

وَعَزْمَةٍ لَكَ يومَ الرَّوْعِ صادِقَةٍ

وَعَزْمَةٍ لَكَ يومَ الرَّوْعِ صادِقَةٍ

تركْتَ صُمَّ الصَّفا فِي جَوِّها رَهَجَا

تركْتَ صُمَّ الصَّفا فِي جَوِّها رَهَجَا

And with many a true resolve of yours on the day of terror,

With resolve, staunch when disaster loomed

you left unyielding rock as dust within its air.

You left deaf hosts in disarray

ولُجَّةٍ من صَفِيحِ الهندِ خُضْتَ بِهَا

ولُجَّةٍ من صَفِيحِ الهندِ خُضْتَ بِهَا

من المنايا إِلَى نَيْلِ المُنى لُججا

من المنايا إِلَى نَيْلِ المُنى لُججا

And with many a deep sea of Indian blades you waded

With a squadron from India's legions you charged

through deep seas of death to the attainment of hopes.

From doom to gain the object of hope

وكَرَّةٍ بعدَ أُخرى فِي نَدى ووَغىً

وكَرَّةٍ بعدَ أُخرى فِي نَدى ووَغىً

بَنْيتَها لسماواتِ العُلا دَرَجَا

بَنْيتَها لسماواتِ العُلا دَرَجَا

And charge after charge, in generosity and battle,

Blow by blow, you built for heaven's heights

you built as steps to the heavens of glory.

Step by step, a ladder raised

فما دَعَتْ غَيْرَكَ الآمالُ حينَ دَعَتْ

فما دَعَتْ غَيْرَكَ الآمالُ حينَ دَعَتْ

ولا رَجا غيرَكَ الإِسلامُ حينَ رَجَا

ولا رَجا غيرَكَ الإِسلامُ حينَ رَجَا

So hopes called upon no one but you when they called,

None but you were called by hopes when hopes called

nor did Islam hope in anyone but you when it hoped.

None but you were sought by Islam when sought

ولا أَتَتْكَ وفودُ الحمدِ عامِدَةً

ولا أَتَتْكَ وفودُ الحمدِ عامِدَةً

إِلّا تَلَقَّتْكَ مشغوفاً بِهَا لَهِجا

إِلّا تَلَقَّتْكَ مشغوفاً بِهَا لَهِجا

Nor did delegations of praise come purposefully to you

All who came to you with praise were met

without finding you enamored of them, ever speaking of them.

By your passion for such delegations

ولا تَيَمَّمَكَ التأْميلُ مبتكِراً

ولا تَيَمَّمَكَ التأْميلُ مبتكِراً

إِلّا ووافاكَ بالإِنعامِ مُدَّلِجَا

إِلّا ووافاكَ بالإِنعامِ مُدَّلِجَا

Nor did hope seek you early in the morning

Every bold idea that dreamed of you

without finding you had already set out before dawn with bounty.

Was answered by you with favor and gifts

ولا تَقَلَّبْتَ فِي مثوىً ولا سَفَرٍ

ولا تَقَلَّبْتَ فِي مثوىً ولا سَفَرٍ

إِلّا وذِكْراكَ فِي حَلْقِ الضَّلالِ شَجا

إِلّا وذِكْراكَ فِي حَلْقِ الضَّلالِ شَجا

Nor did you move about at home or on a journey

Wherever you dwelt or voyaged far

without mention of you being a bone lodged in error's throat.

Mentions of you rent the veils of misguidance

ولا نجا منكَ ذو غِلٍّ ولا دَغَلٍ

ولا نجا منكَ ذو غِلٍّ ولا دَغَلٍ

إِلّا إِلَى حُكْمِكَ الماضِي عَلَيْهِ نَجا

إِلّا إِلَى حُكْمِكَ الماضِي عَلَيْهِ نَجا

Nor did anyone bearing rancor or deceit escape you

None you wronged or betrayed could find deliverance

except by fleeing to your judgment, enforced upon him.

Save in your bygone ruling against him

صَبْرٌ كثَهْلانَ يومَ الرَّوْعِ مُتَّئِداً

صَبْرٌ كثَهْلانَ يومَ الرَّوْعِ مُتَّئِداً

جُودٌ كَسَيْحانَ يومَ المَدِّ مُعْتَلِجا

جُودٌ كَسَيْحانَ يومَ المَدِّ مُعْتَلِجا

Patience like Thahlan, calm on the day of terror;

Patience staunch as Thahlan on the day of clamor

generosity like Sayhan, surging on the day of flood.

Bounty ample as Sayhan in days of wrath

فيا مُعَادِيَهُ أَجْفِلْ ولا وَزَراً

فيا مُعَادِيَهُ أَجْفِلْ ولا وَزَراً

ويا مُؤَمِّلَهُ أَسْرِفْ ولا حَرَجا

ويا مُؤَمِّلَهُ أَسْرِفْ ولا حَرَجا

So, O enemy of his, flee—there is no refuge!

So O critic, desist and no blame

And, O you who hope in him, ask without limit—there is no constraint!

O O aspirant strive without qualm

ولا تَزَلْ أَيُّهَا الدَّهْرُ السعيدُ بِهِ

ولا تَزَلْ أَيُّهَا الدَّهْرُ السعيدُ بِهِ

بِوَجْهِهِ بَهِجاً مِنْ ذِكْرِهِ أَرِجَا

بِوَجْهِهِ بَهِجاً مِنْ ذِكْرِهِ أَرِجَا

And never cease, O Time made happy by him,

May you ever remain, O blissful age

to be gladdened by his face, fragrant with his remembrance.

With his face radiant with the light of his memory