اليومَ نادَتْكَ السيادَةُ هَيْتَ لَكْ

اليومَ نادَتْكَ السيادَةُ هَيْتَ لَكْ

فِي مُلْكِ مَنْ حَلّاكَ بَهْجَةَ مَا مَلَكْ

فِي مُلْكِ مَنْ حَلّاكَ بَهْجَةَ مَا مَلَكْ

Today lordship called to you: "Come!"

Today, sovereignty called you, so you came

In the realm of him who adorned you with the splendor of what he possessed.

To the kingdom of one who brought you the joy of what he possessed

ورأى جبينَكَ قَدْ تَلأْلأَ للمُنى

ورأى جبينَكَ قَدْ تَلأْلأَ للمُنى

نُوراً فَتَوَّجَكَ السناءَ وكَلَّلَكْ

نُوراً فَتَوَّجَكَ السناءَ وكَلَّلَكْ

And saw your brow already gleaming for hopes,

And saw your forehead shine brightly for good fortune

As a light; so he crowned you with glory and garlanded you.

A light, so praise crowned you and garlanded you

فلك السيادةُ والقيادَةُ دُونَهُ

فلك السيادةُ والقيادَةُ دُونَهُ

وله الرياسَةُ والسياسَةُ ثُمَّ لَكْ

وله الرياسَةُ والسياسَةُ ثُمَّ لَكْ

Yours are lordship and command beneath him;

So sovereignty and leadership are for you, without rival

And his are supremacy and governance, then yours.

And leadership and governance are for him, then for you

صَدَقَتْ فِرَاسَتُهُ شمائِلَكَ الَّتِي

صَدَقَتْ فِرَاسَتُهُ شمائِلَكَ الَّتِي

منه فأَغْمَدَ سَيْفَهُ واسْتَبْدَلَكْ

منه فأَغْمَدَ سَيْفَهُ واسْتَبْدَلَكْ

His discernment rightly read your qualities, which

His insight was true about your noble traits

Are from him; so he sheathed his sword and chose you instead.

So he sheathed his sword and made you his replacement

وأَخَذْتَ سيفَ النصرِ منه بِحَقِّهِ

وأَخَذْتَ سيفَ النصرِ منه بِحَقِّهِ

وحَمَلْتَ من أَعبائِهِ مَا حَمَّلَكْ

وحَمَلْتَ من أَعبائِهِ مَا حَمَّلَكْ

And you rightfully took from him the sword of victory,

And you took the sword of victory from him by his right

And bore such of his burdens as he laid upon you.

And you took on from his burdens what he had burdened you with

فرمى بكَ الثَّغْرَ القَصِيَّ تَيَقُّناً

فرمى بكَ الثَّغْرَ القَصِيَّ تَيَقُّناً

أَلّا يَرى غيرَ المُهَنَّدِ مَوْئِلَكْ

أَلّا يَرى غيرَ المُهَنَّدِ مَوْئِلَكْ

So he cast you toward the distant frontier, certain

So he threw you into the distant frontier, certain

He would see no refuge for you but the Indian-forged sword.

That he would not see any home but the honored one as your dwelling

والفتحُ مُبْتَهِجٌ إِلَيْكَ كَأَنَّهُ

والفتحُ مُبْتَهِجٌ إِلَيْكَ كَأَنَّهُ

للعُرْفِ والإِكرامِ مِمَّنْ أَمَّلَكْ

للعُرْفِ والإِكرامِ مِمَّنْ أَمَّلَكْ

And conquest approaches you rejoicing, as though it were

And victory comes joyfully to you as if

Among those who looked to you for bounty and honor.

It were to recognize and honor you from one who hoped for you

ولَرُبَّ وجهٍ للمنايا دُونَهُ

ولَرُبَّ وجهٍ للمنايا دُونَهُ

عَمَّمْتَهُ بالسيفِ حِينَ اسْتَقْبَلَكْ

عَمَّمْتَهُ بالسيفِ حِينَ اسْتَقْبَلَكْ

And many a face, with death barring the way to it,

And for the sake of many a face turned to death beneath it

You turbaned with the sword when it faced you.

You have outstretched it with the sword when you rose to meet it

في غمرةٍ أَعْيا الحِمامَ طريقُها

في غمرةٍ أَعْيا الحِمامَ طريقُها

ففتحتَ فِيهِ للقنا حَتَّى سَلَكْ

ففتحتَ فِيهِ للقنا حَتَّى سَلَكْ

In a tumult whose path baffled Death,

In a squall the pigeons lost their way

So you opened a way there for the lances until they passed through.

So you opened the pass for them until they went through

ونهضتَ والإِسلامُ يَهتِفُ معلناً

ونهضتَ والإِسلامُ يَهتِفُ معلناً

يَا مُنْذِراً قرَّة عينٍ لِي وَلَكْ

يَا مُنْذِراً قرَّة عينٍ لِي وَلَكْ

And you rose, while Islam cried out openly,

And you rose up while Islam hailed you, proclaiming

"O Mundhir, a delight to the eye for me and you!"

O delight of my eye and yours, o warner!

فَسَقَيْتَ ظِمْءَ الغيظِ من مُهَجِ العِدى

فَسَقَيْتَ ظِمْءَ الغيظِ من مُهَجِ العِدى

مَا عَلَّكَ الشَّبِمَ القَرَاحَ وأنْهَلَكْ

مَا عَلَّكَ الشَّبِمَ القَرَاحَ وأنْهَلَكْ

So you slaked wrath's thirst with the enemies' lifeblood,

So you quenched the thirst of rancor from the tender mouths of enemies

Which gave you a second draught of cold, pure water, and a first.

With what made you suffer from wounds and drink from them

أَلفٌ كأُسْدِ الغابِ أُلِّفَ شَمْلُهُمْ

أَلفٌ كأُسْدِ الغابِ أُلِّفَ شَمْلُهُمْ

ليزيدَهُمْ ذو العَرشِ فيما نَفَّلَكْ

ليزيدَهُمْ ذو العَرشِ فيما نَفَّلَكْ

A thousand, like lions of the forest, were gathered together,

A thousand like forest lions, you brought them together

For the Lord of the Throne to add them to the spoils He bestowed on you.

So the Lord of the Throne may increase for you what He has freely given you

فَقَسَمْتَهُمْ بَيْنَ الصَّوارِمِ والقَنا

فَقَسَمْتَهُمْ بَيْنَ الصَّوارِمِ والقَنا

إِلّا الَّذِينَ مَلأْتَ مِنْهُمْ أَحْبُلَكْ

إِلّا الَّذِينَ مَلأْتَ مِنْهُمْ أَحْبُلَكْ

So you divided them between sharp swords and lances,

And you divided them between the swords and the spears

Except those among them with whom you filled your ropes.

Except for those whose ropes you filled with your captives

أُمراءُ أَجنادٍ ونُخْبَةُ دولَةٍ

أُمراءُ أَجنادٍ ونُخْبَةُ دولَةٍ

كانوا ذخيرةَ نُخْبَةِ الأَيّامِ لَكْ

كانوا ذخيرةَ نُخْبَةِ الأَيّامِ لَكْ

Commanders of armies and the elite of a state,

Princes of armies and elite of the state

They were a treasure the choicest days had stored for you.

Who were the treasured elite of the glorious days for you

وحَمى ابْنُ شَنْجٍ منك آجِلَ مِيتَةٍ

وحَمى ابْنُ شَنْجٍ منك آجِلَ مِيتَةٍ

أَلْقَتْ إِلَيْكَ بعُذْرِ مَا قَدْ أَعجلَكْ

أَلْقَتْ إِلَيْكَ بعُذْرِ مَا قَدْ أَعجلَكْ

And Ibn Shanj kept his death deferred beyond your reach,

And the son of Shanj protected himself from you, postponing

Which offered you an excuse for what had hurried you.

A death which hastened you with the excuse of what hurried you

فالحَيْنُ يُدْنِيهِ إِلَيْكَ لِتقتَضِي

فالحَيْنُ يُدْنِيهِ إِلَيْكَ لِتقتَضِي

عبداً يُهَيِّئُ وجْنَتَيْهِ ليُنعِلَكْ

عبداً يُهَيِّئُ وجْنَتَيْهِ ليُنعِلَكْ

So doom draws him nearer to you, that you may claim

So now he comes nearer to you for you to demand

A slave preparing his cheeks to serve as your sandals.

A slave preparing his two gardens to entertain you

قلِقاً تناهى فِي البلادِ فِرارُهُ

قلِقاً تناهى فِي البلادِ فِرارُهُ

ونَهى ضميرَ النفسِ أَنْ يَتَمَثَّلَكْ

ونَهى ضميرَ النفسِ أَنْ يَتَمَثَّلَكْ

Anxious, his flight reached the farthest limits of the lands,

Restless, his fleeing has reached the ends of the lands

And he forbade his innermost self to picture you.

And the conscience of his soul refused to imagine you

ويذودُ عن أجفانِهِ سِنَةَ الكَرى

ويذودُ عن أجفانِهِ سِنَةَ الكَرى

كَيْ لا يُرِيهِ الحُلْمُ أن يَتَأَوَّلَكْ

كَيْ لا يُرِيهِ الحُلْمُ أن يَتَأَوَّلَكْ

And he wards off sleep's drowsiness from his eyelids,

And he wards off from his eyelids the years of misery

Lest a dream show him a vision he would interpret as you.

Lest dreams show him interpreting you

ويحيدُ عن جَوِّ السَّماءِ بطَرْفِهِ

ويحيدُ عن جَوِّ السَّماءِ بطَرْفِهِ

أَلّا يَرى بَيْنَ الكواكِبِ مَنْزِلَكْ

أَلّا يَرى بَيْنَ الكواكِبِ مَنْزِلَكْ

And he turns his gaze away from the expanse of heaven,

And he veers his gaze from the atmosphere of the sky

Lest he see your dwelling among the stars.

Lest he see your dwelling place among the planets

ولكم أَراهُ البَدْرُ حَيْنَ حِمامِهِ

ولكم أَراهُ البَدْرُ حَيْنَ حِمامِهِ

لما اسْتَبَدَّ بِهِ الكمالُ فَخَيَّلَكْ

لما اسْتَبَدَّ بِهِ الكمالُ فَخَيَّلَكْ

And often the full moon showed him his mortal doom,

And how often the full moon seemed to him in his defeat

When perfection possessed it wholly and it conjured your image.

When perfection prevailed over him, making you his illusion

ودَوِيُّ سيفِكَ فِي رقابِ حُماتِهِ

ودَوِيُّ سيفِكَ فِي رقابِ حُماتِهِ

عَجِلٌ إِلَيْكَ برِقِّهِ ويَقِلُّ لَكْ

عَجِلٌ إِلَيْكَ برِقِّهِ ويَقِلُّ لَكْ

And the ringing of your sword upon his defenders' necks

And the echo of your sword in the necks of his protectors

Hastens to bring you his bondage, though that is too little for you.

Comes quickly to you with its lightning and lessens for you

ولقد تفَهَّمَ فِيهِ لَفْظَ مُخاطِبٍ

ولقد تفَهَّمَ فِيهِ لَفْظَ مُخاطِبٍ

خَلِّ البلادَ لأَهلِها لا أُمَّ لَكْ

خَلِّ البلادَ لأَهلِها لا أُمَّ لَكْ

And indeed he understood in it the words of a speaker:

And in it he certainly understood the words of one addressing him

"Leave the lands to their people—may you be motherless!

Empty the lands for their people, no mother to you!

لِمَنِ اسْتَرَدَّ حياةَ نفسِكَ عَفْوُهُ

لِمَنِ اسْتَرَدَّ حياةَ نفسِكَ عَفْوُهُ

وقدِ انْتَحى سهمُ المَنِيَّةِ مَقْتَلَكْ

وقدِ انْتَحى سهمُ المَنِيَّةِ مَقْتَلَكْ

To him whose pardon restored your very life,

To whom his pardon restored your life

When death's arrow had already aimed at your vital spot;

When the arrow of death took your life

ولمن تُلَبِّيهِ السماءُ وأَرضُها

ولمن تُلَبِّيهِ السماءُ وأَرضُها

مدداً إِلَيْكَ لَهُ مَلِيكاً أَوْ مَلَكْ

مدداً إِلَيْكَ لَهُ مَلِيكاً أَوْ مَلَكْ

And to him whose call heaven and its earth answer,

And for whom the heavens and earth are at his service

With aid for him against you, whether king or angel;

Assisting you, whether he possesses kingdoms or owns property

ولِمُقْحِمٍ عينَيْكَ فِي رَهَجِ الوغى

ولِمُقْحِمٍ عينَيْكَ فِي رَهَجِ الوغى

خيلاً تَغصُّ بِهِنَّ أَقطارُ الفَلَكْ

خيلاً تَغصُّ بِهِنَّ أَقطارُ الفَلَكْ

And to him who thrusts before your eyes, amid battle's dust,

And for one who plunges your eyes into the confusion of the fray

Horses that choke the reaches of the firmament."

Horses filling the corners of the universe for you

فَلْيَهْنِ سَعْيُكَ يَا مُظَفَّرُ أُمَّةً

فَلْيَهْنِ سَعْيُكَ يَا مُظَفَّرُ أُمَّةً

جاهَدْتَ عنها مَنْ بَغى حَتَّى هلَكْ

جاهَدْتَ عنها مَنْ بَغى حَتَّى هلَكْ

So may your striving gladden a nation, O Muzaffar,

So let your effort cease, o victorious one, for a nation

For which you fought the aggressor until he perished.

You struggled for against whoever rebelled until he perished

ورَمَيْتَ دونَ ثغورِها ونُحُورِها

ورَمَيْتَ دونَ ثغورِها ونُحُورِها

من لَمْ يَدِنْ بالحَقِّ حَتَّى دانَ لَكْ

من لَمْ يَدِنْ بالحَقِّ حَتَّى دانَ لَكْ

And in defense of its frontiers and its throats, you struck at

And you cast before its borders and breasts

Whoever would not submit to truth, until he submitted to you.

Whoever did not come near in truth until he surrendered to you

ولئن شَكَرْتُ اللهَ فِيكَ جزاءَ مَا

ولئن شَكَرْتُ اللهَ فِيكَ جزاءَ مَا

قسَمَ الفضائِلَ فِي الملوكِ فَفَضَّلَكْ

قسَمَ الفضائِلَ فِي الملوكِ فَفَضَّلَكْ

And if I have thanked God for you, in return for how

And if I thank God for you as reward for

He apportioned virtues among kings and favored you above them,

How He divided virtue among kings and privileged you

فلَقَدْ بَلا شُكْرِي بِما خُوِّلْتُهُ

فلَقَدْ بَلا شُكْرِي بِما خُوِّلْتُهُ

أَنِّي وَرِقَّ بَنيَّ مِمّا خَوَّلَكْ

أَنِّي وَرِقَّ بَنيَّ مِمّا خَوَّلَكْ

Then He has indeed tested my gratitude through what I was granted:

Then without my thanks, for what I have been granted to serve you

That I and my sons' bondage are among what He granted you.

My being honored stems from what empowered you

فلَئِنْ لَبسْتُ بكَ الثناءَ فَحَقَّ لي

فلَئِنْ لَبسْتُ بكَ الثناءَ فَحَقَّ لي

ولَئِنْ لَبسْتَ بيَ الثناءَ فحَقَّ لَكْ

ولَئِنْ لَبسْتَ بيَ الثناءَ فحَقَّ لَكْ

So if through you I have clothed myself in praise, it is my due;

So if I wear praise of you, I have the right

And if through me you have clothed yourself in praise, it is your due.

And if you wear my praise, the right is yours