1. كَواكبُ عِزٍّ في ذَراكَ حُلولُها

    تَلوحُ ولكِنْ ليسَ يُخْشى أفُولُها

    Stars of glory lodge upon your heights;

    they shine, yet no one fears their setting.

  2. وأنْوارُ هَدْيٍ تُجْتَلى حيثُ للعِدى

    عُيونٌ تَعامَى عنْ سَناها كَليلُها

    And lights of guidance are beheld, while the foes have

    eyes whose dull gaze feigns blindness to their radiance.

  3. وآيات نَصْرٍ ليسَ تخْفَى إياتُها

    وقدْ وضحَتْ للمُهْتَدينَ سَبيلُها

    And signs of victory whose brilliance is not hidden;

    their path has become clear to those who follow guidance.

  4. وآثارُ مُلْكٍ ما دَجى لَيْلُ مُعضِلٍ

    منَ الرّوْعِ إلا والحُسامُ دَليلُها

    And marks of sovereignty: no night of grievous ordeal

    darkens with terror without the keen sword being their guide.

  5. مآثرُ مَن بالوَحْي قد عزّ قومُهُ

    بطَيْبَةَ إذْ آوَى إلَيْها رَسولُها

    The glorious deeds of one whose people revelation exalted

    in Taybah, when its Messenger took refuge there.

  6. إمامٌ لهُ القِدْحُ المُعَلّى إذا ارْتَمَتْ

    قِداحٌ وأعْلامُ المُلوكِ تُجيلُها

    An imam who holds the highest winning arrow whenever

    lot-arrows are cast and the foremost kings set them spinning.

  7. شَفى مُعْضِلَ الأيامِ وهْيَ على شَفاً

    بجَدْواهُ إذْ أعيا الأُساةَ عَليلُها

    He healed the days' grievous malady when they stood on the brink,

    through his bounty, when their patient baffled the healers.

  8. له كيفَ شاءَتْهُ المكارمُ والعُلى

    مآثِرُ في الأمْلاكِ عزّ مَثيلُها

    His are, as noble virtues and eminence would wish for him,

    glorious deeds whose equal among kings is rare.

  9. حَكى يوسُفٌ في الحسْنِ والمُلك يوسُفاً

    فغَرْناطةٌ مِصْرٌ وجَدواهُ نِيلُها

    Yusuf has matched Yusuf in beauty and kingship;

    thus Granada is Egypt, and his bounty its Nile.

  10. فأوْرَثَهُ المُلْكَ المؤثّلَ والعُلى

    وأنجبَهُ صدّيقُها وخَليلُها

    Thus deep-rooted kingship and eminence were bequeathed to him,

    and its man of truth and its intimate friend begot him.

  11. فُروعٌ زكَتْ في دوْحةِ النصْرِ بعْدَما

    نمتْها لأنصارِ الرّسولِ أصولُها

    Branches flourished in the great tree of victory, after

    their roots had traced them to the Messenger's Helpers.

  12. غُيوثٌ إذا ما السُّحْبُ أخْلفَ جَوْدُها

    لُيوثٌ ومُلْتَفُّ الذّوابِلِ غِيلُها

    Life-giving rains when the clouds' bounty fails;

    lions whose lair is a thicket of supple spears.

  13. لقد أنجَبوا مَوْلىً تؤمُّ جَنابَهُ

    أكارِمُ يحْظى بالعُلى مُسْتَنيلُها

    Indeed, they begot a lord whose precinct is sought

    by noble men; whoever seeks eminence attains it.

  14. تُردّدُ أثْناءَ التّرحُّلِ ذِكْرَهُ

    حُداةُ المطايا إذ تهُبُّ قَبولُها

    His name is repeated throughout the journey

    by the drivers of mounts when the east wind stirs.

  15. فما حملَتْ ريحُ الصّبا من ثنائِهِ

    نوافِحَ إلا واسْتَقلّتْ حُمولُها

    Never does the east wind carry any of his praise's

    fragrant wafts without its burdens rising aloft.

  16. وما جُرّدَتْ أسْيافُهُ يومَ غارةٍ

    وتُغمَدُ إلا في الكُماةِ نُصولُها

    His swords are never drawn on a day of raiding

    but their blades are sheathed in armored warriors.

  17. سيَغْزو أعاديهِ بشُهْبِ كتائِبٍ

    تُطاوِلُها شهْبُ الدُجى فتَطولُها

    He will attack his foes with gleaming battalions;

    the stars of night rival them, but they surpass the stars.

  18. تحُلُّ ديارَ الكُفْرِ منها سوابِقٌ

    تجِلُّ عنِ التّشبيهِ حينَ تَجولُها

    Their swift steeds descend upon the lands of unbelief,

    beyond comparison when they range through those lands.

  19. تخوضُ إلى الأعْداءِ بحْراً من القَنا

    سِراعاً وهَوْلُ الرّوْعِ ليسَ يَهولُها

    They plunge toward the foes through a sea of lances,

    swiftly, and dreadful terror does not appall them.

  20. فترتاحُ خيْلُ اللهِ للمُلْتَقى الذي

    يُجيبُ بهِ داعي الهُدى ويُجيلُها

    Then God's horses rejoice in the encounter where

    he answers guidance's caller and wheels them about.

  21. كأنْ بالجِيادِ الغُرّ ما أصْمتَ العِدَى

    ولا جاوَبَ التّكْبيرَ إلا صَهيلُها

    With the white-blazed steeds, it is as though nothing silences the foes

    or answers the cries of 'God is greatest' but their neighing.

  22. كأنْ بالظُّبا ما أنْطَقَ الهامَ في الوغَى

    ولا أخْرَسَ النّاقوسَ إلا صَليلُها

    With the blades, it is as though nothing makes heads speak in battle

    or silences the church bell but their ringing.

  23. كأنْ بالقَنا الخَطيّ ما قصَرَ العِدى

    ولا قصّر الأعْمارَ إلا طويلُها

    With the Khatt lances, it is as though nothing restrains the foes

    or shortens lives but their long shafts.

  24. كأنْ بالبُنودِ الحُمْرِ تفْتَرِعُ الرُبى

    كما قدْ جَلا حُمْرَ السّحابِ أصيلُها

    As though I see the red banners cresting the hills,

    as late afternoon has unveiled the red clouds.

  25. كأنْ ببلادِ الشِّرْكِ يحْتلُّ أرْضَها

    فيعْتزُّ بالفَتْحِ المُبينِ ذَلولُها

    As though I see him in the lands of polytheism, occupying their soil,

    and their humbled land grows mighty through manifest conquest,

  26. بكُلِّ كَميّ في العَجاجَةِ سيفُهُ

    يُجَلّي دَياجي أفْقِه ويُحيلُها

    with every armored warrior whose sword, amid the battle-dust,

    clears the darkness of his horizon and transforms it.

  27. خَفيفٍ على متْنِ الجَوادِ وعزْمُهُ

    له وطْأةٌ يكْفي العدوَّ ثَقيلُها

    Light upon the back of his steed, while his resolve

    has a tread whose weight suffices against the foe.

  28. وذي قِصَرٍ تُمْسي العوامِلُ دونَهُ

    ويَقْصرُ عن مرْماهُ في الحرْبِ طولُها

    And a short blade beside which spearheads fall short,

    their length falling short of its reach in battle.

  29. وعوْجاءَ مهْما صوّبَتْ فسِهامُها

    ظعائِنُ سَفْرٍ ليسَ يُرْجى قُفولُها

    And a curved bow: whenever it takes aim, its arrows

    are travelers' litters whose return is not expected.

  30. إذا ما ظُبا الأعْرابِ يومَ حليمةٍ

    تَصولُ فأسيافُ الجهادِ تَطولُها

    If the Bedouins' blades on the Day of Halimah

    strike fiercely, the swords of jihad outstrip them.

  31. فهذي التي لا عَيْبَ إلا مضاؤُها

    وتِلكَ التي لا عَيْبَ إلا فُلولُها

    These are the ones with no fault but their keenness,

    and those the ones with no fault but their notches.

  32. لقد كلِفَتْ بالدّارِعينَ فأصْبَحتْ

    يَروعُ جَواها أو يَروقُ نُحولُها

    Indeed, they fell in love with armored men, and now

    their burning passion frightens, or their slenderness delights.

  33. وهامَتْ بحُبِّ الهامِ فهْيَ بُثَيْنةٌ

    ولَيْلى تَفانَى قيْسُها وجَميلُها

    They are madly in love with heads, so they are Buthaynah

    and Layla; their Qays and their Jamil have perished.

  34. لَئن صدِئَتْ بالأمْنِ أفْئِدَةُ العِدى

    فهذِي التي يجْلو صَداها صَقيلُها

    If the foes' hearts have rusted through security,

    these polished blades clear away their rust.

  35. تَرومُ عُداةُ الدّينِ شأواً ممَنّعاً

    وقدْ عزّ مرْماها وأخْفقَ سُولُها

    The enemies of the faith seek an unassailable goal,

    yet their target is unreachable and their desire has failed.

  36. سَتُلْفي القَنا الخطّيَّ في كفِّ يوسُفٍ

    تُقيمُ صَغا الهَيْجاءِ حينَ يُميلُها

    They will find the Khatt lances in Yusuf's hand

    righting the battle's tilt when he inclines them.

  37. تَرى كُثُبَ الأعْداءِ يُسْفَى لدَى الوَغى

    بريحٍ من النّصْرِ العزيزِ مَهيلُها

    You see the foes' dunes swept away in battle,

    their loose sand scattered by a wind of mighty victory.

  38. يُبينُ مَصوناتِ العَقائِلِ في ذَرى

    مَعاقِلَ أضْحَتْ لا يَبينُ مُحيلُها

    He reveals the guarded noblewomen on the heights

    of fortresses whose inhabitants are now unseen.

  39. ويُرْسِلُ للنصْرِ العَزيزِ كتائِباً

    خِلالَ دِيارِ الكُفْرِ جاسَتْ خُيولُها

    And he sends battalions to win mighty victory,

    whose horses have scoured through the lands of unbelief.

  40. عَمائِمُها الأزْهارُ تحْتَدِمُ الوغَى

    علَيْها ولكِن لا يُخافُ ذُبولُها

    Their turbans are blossoms; battle rages

    over them, yet no one fears their withering.

  41. وقدْ حَكتِ البيضُ الرّقاقُ جَداوِلاً

    بدَوْحٍ منَ السُمْرِ العَوالي مَسيلُها

    And the slender white swords have resembled streams,

    their course through a grove of tall, brown lances.

  42. وجاءَتْ مَرينٌ من أقاصي بِلادِها

    فكانَ لدى موْلَى المُلوكِ حُلولُها

    Marin came from the farthest reaches of its lands,

    and its lodging was with the lord of kings.

  43. تحُلُّ مَطاياها بها من جنابِهِ

    مَنازِلَ عِزٍّ ليسَ يشْقَى نَزيلُها

    Its mounts settle with it, within his precinct, in

    lodgings of glory whose guest knows no misery.

  44. فَيا موضحاً معْنَى المكارِمِ والعُلى

    وقِدْماً لوَى دَيْن الزمانِ مَطولُها

    O you who makes plain the meaning of noble virtues and eminence,

    long had their tardy debtor evaded payment of Time's debt.

  45. ندى يَدِك العُليا رَجَتْ حينَ أقْبلَتْ

    فحيّا وأحْيا بِشْرُها وقَبولُها

    It hoped for your exalted hand's bounty when it arrived,

    and that hand's warmth and welcome greeted it and gave it life.

  46. فجلَّى دُجاها من مُحيّاكَ بِشْرُهُ

    وحيّا حِماها من جَداكَ هَمولُها

    The cheerfulness of your face thus cleared its darkness,

    and the downpour of your bounty revived its protected lands.

  47. وإنّ العُلى والأمْنَ والحِلْمَ والهُدى

    وبذْلَ النّدى والفضْلَ ممّا تُنيلُها

    And indeed, eminence, security, forbearance, and guidance,

    the bestowal of bounty and favor, are among what you grant it.

  48. تَعِزُّ وقدْ هانَتْ لدَيْها خُطوبُها

    وتعْلو وقد حُطّتْ لدَيْكَ حمولُها

    It grows mighty, its trials having become light,

    and rises high, its loads having been set down before you.

  49. فكمْ وارِدٍ منهُمْ على بابِكَ الذي

    مُعرَّسُها في ربْعِهِ ومَقيلُها

    How many of them come to your gate, whose

    court is their night's encampment and midday resting-place!

  50. فتَهْديهِ آمالٌ إليْكَ مآلها

    وتُهْديهِ أظْعانٌ إلَيْكَ رَحيلُها

    So hopes whose destination is you guide him,

    and caravans journeying to you bring him as a gift.

  51. وللهِ منهُمْ بعْدَ حادثةِ النّوى

    أماثِلُ قد أضْحى لدَيْكَ مُثولُها

    And to God belong those among them, after separation's ordeal—

    the eminent men who now stand before you.

  52. لئن هاجَها بُعْدُ المَزارِ تشوُّقاً

    كما قد شَجى وُرْقَ الحَمامِ هَديلُها

    If distance to your dwelling stirred their yearning,

    as their own cooing has saddened the gray doves,

  53. فما لحِمَى موْلَى الخلائِفِ يوسُفٍ

    عَديلٌ ولا عنْهُ يُرامُ عُدولُها

    then the sanctuary of Yusuf, lord of caliphs, has

    no equal, nor do they seek to turn away from it.

  54. فَيا ناصِرَ الدّين الذي ورِثَ العُلى

    عنِ الصَّحْبِ منهُ سِبْطُها وسَليلُها

    O champion of the faith, who inherited eminence

    from the Companions—its grandson and scion, descended from him!

  55. خِلافتكَ العُليا استَقَلّ عِمادُها

    فذلَّ مُناوِيها وعزَّ قَبيلُها

    The pillar of your exalted caliphate has risen,

    so its adversary is abased and its clan exalted.

  56. تُجاريكَ أمْلاكُ الزّمانِ فيَنْثَني

    حَليفَ قُصورٍ نصُّها وذَميلُها

    The kings of the age race you, but back they fall,

    their gallop and trot alike bound to fall short.

  57. ومَنْ للدّياجى أنْ تُنيرَ وأنْ يُرى

    يُقاوِمُ أنوار الضُحى مُسْتَحيلُها

    And who could make the darkness shine, or see

    its transformed form rival the lights of morning?

  58. لقد جهِلوا ما حُزْتَ من شِيَمِ العُلى

    فهانُوا وأشْقَى العالَمينَ جَهولُها

    They did not know the qualities of eminence you possessed,

    so they were abased; most wretched of all is one ignorant of them.

  59. وهُنّئْتَها طوْعَ السُّعودِ مَواسِماً

    هوَ الصُّنْعُ بالنّصْرِ العزيزِ كَفيلُها

    And may you be felicitated on it at festivals, with auspicious stars obedient,

    for Providence guarantees them mighty victory.

  60. وتستَقْبِلُ الدنْيا أوامِرَك التي

    نُطيعُكَ في إصدارِها وتُطيلُها

    The world receives your commands, which

    we obey as you issue them, and which it perpetuates.

  61. وبُشْراكَ بالأضْحى ومُتّعْتَ بعْدَهُ

    بألْفٍ لكَ الصنْعُ الجميلُ مُديلُها

    Glad tidings of al-Adha to you; may you enjoy after it

    a thousand more, which gracious Providence brings round for you.

  62. طَلَعْتَ بأفْقِ المُلْكِ صُبْحَ هِدايةٍ

    يُزيحُ الدّياجي نورُهُ ويُزيلُها

    You rose on the horizon of kingship as a dawn of guidance,

    whose light drives off the darkness and dispels it.

  63. مدَدتَ إلى التّقْبيلِ كفّاً كريمةً

    تُقيمُ صَغا قُصّادِها وتُقيلُها

    You extended a generous hand to be kissed,

    which steadies those who seek it and pardons their slips.

  64. وأرْسلْتَ من جَدْواكَ صوْبَ غمامةٍ

    يُرَوّي على حُكْمِ النّدى سَلْسَبيلُها

    And from your bounty you sent a cloud's downpour,

    whose sweet-flowing waters quench thirst at generosity's command.

  65. ووافَتْك أعلامُ الجِهادِ فراقَها

    حدائِقُ رِفْقٍ ليسَ يُخْشى مُحولُها

    The banners of jihad came to you, delighted by

    gardens of kindness whose barrenness is never feared.

  66. لقد يمّمَتْ مَثْوى العُلى فأفادَها

    صنائِعَ يُرْضي الآمِلينَ جَميلُها

    They sought the dwelling of eminence, which granted them

    favors whose beauty pleases hopeful seekers.

  67. وحلّتْ بمغْنى العِزِّ أزْكى خَميلةٍ

    من الجودِ لا يُخْشى لدَيْها خُمولُها

    They settled at glory's abode in the lushest grove

    of generosity, where they need not fear obscurity.

  68. لدى ملِكٍ تغْدو ظِلالُ أمانِهِ

    وقد فاءَ فوقَ العالمينَ ظَليلُها

    With a king whose shades of protection spread,

    their deep shade having extended over all the world.

  69. حَبا بالعَطايا فاسْتقلّ كثيرَها

    لها وعَلى الآمالِ زادَ قَليلُها

    He lavished gifts, yet thought their abundance little

    for them, though even the least exceeded their hopes.

  70. فَما منهُمُ إلا لنعْماكَ شاكِرٌ

    مُطيبُ أحاديثِ الثّناءِ مُطيلُها

    Not one among them but thanks you for your favor,

    sweetening tales of praise and prolonging them.

  71. وما منهُمْ إلا وَليُّ مَجادَةٍ

    يُطاوِلْ شهبانَ السّماءِ أثيلُها

    Nor is any of them without a noble glory

    whose ancient nobility vies with the stars of heaven.

  72. وخُذْها لحُسْنِ الوصْفِ تُبْدي شمائِلاً

    تَروقُ فتسْتَهْوي العُقولَ شمولُها

    And take this poem: its fine description reveals qualities

    that delight; its wine then captivates minds.

  73. تُريك مَعانيها جيادَ بَلاغَةٍ

    نداكَ بمَيْدانِ البيانِ مُجيلُها

    It shows you, in its meanings, steeds of eloquence,

    which your bounty wheels about in the arena of expression.

  74. تُقِرُّ ليَ الآدابُ أنّي زعيمُها

    وتعْجزُ عن إدْراكِ شأوي فحولُها

    The literary arts concede to me that I am their leader,

    and their masters cannot reach my mark.

  75. وتَقْصُرُ عن مرْمَى حُلاها عقائِلٌ

    جلَتْها على صَفْحِ الزّمانِ عُقولُها

    And prized poems fall short of the reach of its adornments,

    poems their authors' minds unveiled upon the page of time.

  76. ولِمْ لا ومِن آثارِكَ الغُرّ أنجُمٌ

    ثَوابتُ لا يُخْشى عليْها أُفولُها

    And why not? Among your radiant deeds are stars,

    fixed, whose setting none need fear.

  77. وجَدْواكَ للأفْكارِ معْنى وجودِها

    فيَهْدي إلى جزْلِ النّظامِ جَزيلُها

    Your bounty gives thoughts the very meaning of their existence,

    so its abundance guides them toward vigorous verse.

  78. ووصْفُك آتيها بكُلِّ غريبَةٍ

    وجودُك إن ضلّتْ سبيلاً دَليلُها

    And describing you brings them every rare marvel,

    and your generosity guides them if they lose their way.

  79. فلا زِلْتَ للأمْلاكِ وِجْهةَ قصْدِها

    تُبلّغُها أقْصى المُنى وتُنيلُها

    May you never cease to be the kings' intended destination,

    bringing them to the utmost of their hopes and granting them gifts.