إنّما الشّعْرُ رغبةٌ وسُؤالُ

إنّما الشّعْرُ رغبةٌ وسُؤالُ

ورجاءٌ تدْنو بهِ الآمالُ

ورجاءٌ تدْنو بهِ الآمالُ

Poetry is nothing but desire and petition,

Poetry is but a yearning and a question,

And hope through which aspirations draw near.

And a hope to which hopes draw near,

فإذا كنتَ مُسعِفاً كُلَّ قصْدٍ

فإذا كنتَ مُسعِفاً كُلَّ قصْدٍ

ومُنيلاً في الدّهْرِ ما لا يُنالُ

ومُنيلاً في الدّهْرِ ما لا يُنالُ

So if you fulfil every aim,

So if you fulfill every intention,

And grant in this life what cannot be attained,

And attain in life what none can attain,

فلِمَ النّظْمُ يا إمامَ البَرايا

فلِمَ النّظْمُ يا إمامَ البَرايا

أصْمَتَ النُّطْقَ منْ يَدَيْكَ النّوالُ

أصْمَتَ النُّطْقَ منْ يَدَيْكَ النّوالُ

Why compose verse, O leader of humankind?

Why then this verse composition, O leader of mankind,

The bounty from your hands has silenced speech.

Has the flow of words from your hands ceased?

فكلامُ العبيدِ حمْدٌ وشكرٌ

فكلامُ العبيدِ حمْدٌ وشكرٌ

ودُعاءٌ لربِّهِمْ وابْتِهالُ

ودُعاءٌ لربِّهِمْ وابْتِهالُ

So the servants' speech is praise and gratitude,

Thus the words of slaves are praise and gratitude,

And prayer to their Lord and earnest supplication:

And supplication to their Lord, and heartfelt prayer,

أن يُديمَ الإلَهُ منكَ إماماً

أن يُديمَ الإلَهُ منكَ إماماً

راقَ منهُ الجَمالُ والإجْمالُ

راقَ منهُ الجَمالُ والإجْمالُ

That God may preserve in you a leader

That God may make you an Imam enduring,

Whose beauty and graciousness delight.

Of whom beauty and perfection shone forth,

دُمْتَ للدّين ناصِراً منْ عِداهُ

دُمْتَ للدّين ناصِراً منْ عِداهُ

ترْتجيكَ القُصّادُ والأُمّالُ

ترْتجيكَ القُصّادُ والأُمّالُ

May you remain a defender of the faith against its enemies;

You remained the defender of the faith from its enemies,

Seekers and the hopeful place their hopes in you.

Archers and high hopes thrill for you.