إلَيْكَ تَباشير البشائِرِ مُقْبِلَهْ

إلَيْكَ تَباشير البشائِرِ مُقْبِلَهْ

تَلوحُ بآفاقِ الهُدَى مُتهَلِّلَهْ

تَلوحُ بآفاقِ الهُدَى مُتهَلِّلَهْ

Toward you come the first signs of glad tidings,

To you come tidings of good news glittering,

gleaming on the horizons of guidance, radiant with joy.

Bearing prospects of guidance waving,

وعنْك أحاديثُ الهِباتِ صحيحةٌ

وعنْك أحاديثُ الهِباتِ صحيحةٌ

عَلَيْكَ غَدَتْ وَقْفاً وفي النّاسِ مُرْسَلَهْ

عَلَيْكَ غَدَتْ وَقْفاً وفي النّاسِ مُرْسَلَهْ

And the accounts of gifts told of you are authentic;

And from you true talks of gifts,

they are credited to you alone, yet circulate among the people.

Becoming trusts in people circulated.

فوجْهُك للشمْسِ المنيرةِ مُخجِلٌ

فوجْهُك للشمْسِ المنيرةِ مُخجِلٌ

وكفُّكَ للغيْثِ الهَتون مُبخِّلَهْ

وكفُّكَ للغيْثِ الهَتون مُبخِّلَهْ

For your face puts the shining sun to shame,

So your face to the shining sun is outshining,

and your palm makes pouring rain seem miserly.

And your palm to the pouring rain is withholding,

وخَيْلُك في أعْرافها لك آيةٌ

وخَيْلُك في أعْرافها لك آيةٌ

مُسوّغةٌ مالَ العِدَى ومُنَفِّلَهْ

مُسوّغةٌ مالَ العِدَى ومُنَفِّلَهْ

And your horses bear, in their manes, a sign for you,

And your steed in its meadows is a sign for you

making the foes' wealth lawful and granting it as booty.

Legitimizing the possessions of enemies and unharnessing.

فهُنِّئتَ ما استَقْبلْتَ يا مَلِكَ الهدى

فهُنِّئتَ ما استَقْبلْتَ يا مَلِكَ الهدى

من العِزّ لا زالتْ سُعودُكَ مُقْبِلَهْ

من العِزّ لا زالتْ سُعودُكَ مُقْبِلَهْ

So may you be blessed in what awaits you, O king of guidance,

So congratulations for what you have been facing, O king of guidance,

of glory; may your good fortunes ever come your way.

Of honor that didn’t stop facing you.

لقد قَلّد الرحْمنُ أمْرَ عبادِه

لقد قَلّد الرحْمنُ أمْرَ عبادِه

إماماً لهُ في العدْلِ أرْفعُ مَنْزِلَهْ

إماماً لهُ في العدْلِ أرْفعُ مَنْزِلَهْ

The Most Merciful has indeed entrusted His servants' affairs

God has appointed you as leader for His servants in justice,

to an imam whose rank in justice is the highest.

A leader of guidance whom the rule was ennobled by his name,

إمامُ هُدىً قد شُرِّف الملكُ باسْمِه

إمامُ هُدىً قد شُرِّف الملكُ باسْمِه

كما شرَّفَ السيفُ اليَمانيُّ مِحْمَلَهْ

كما شرَّفَ السيفُ اليَمانيُّ مِحْمَلَهْ

An imam of guidance: kingship has been honored by his name,

As the Yemeni sword was ennobled by its scabbard.

as the Yemeni sword honors its baldric.

You have become similar in forbearance, determination and bounty,

غَدا مُشْبهاً في الحِلمِ والعزْمِ والنّدى

غَدا مُشْبهاً في الحِلمِ والعزْمِ والنّدى

مؤيَّدَهُ مَنصورَهُ مُتوكِّلَهْ

مؤيَّدَهُ مَنصورَهُ مُتوكِّلَهْ

He has come to resemble, in forbearance, resolve, and bounty,

Supported, victorious and reliant.

his Muʾayyad, his Manṣūr, his Mutawakkil.

Do the angels take example except from Joseph?

وهَل تقتدي الأملاك إلا بيُوسفٍ

وهَل تقتدي الأملاك إلا بيُوسفٍ

فقدْ عَلِموا إخْباتَهُ وتبتُّلَهْ

فقدْ عَلِموا إخْباتَهُ وتبتُّلَهْ

And do kings follow anyone but Yusuf?

For they knew his suppression and his trials.

For they know his humble submission and his complete devotion.

Do the heroes submit except to Joseph?

وهل تخضَعُ الأبطال إلا لِيوسُفٍ

وهل تخضَعُ الأبطال إلا لِيوسُفٍ

إذا هو يومَ الرّوعِ جرّد مُنصُلَهْ

إذا هو يومَ الرّوعِ جرّد مُنصُلَهْ

And do champions submit to anyone but Yusuf

When on the day of commotion he unsheathed his sword.

when, on the day of terror, he unsheathes his blade?

It is as if I see God’s horses with their neighing,

كأنّي بخيْل اللهِ وهوَ يُجيلها

كأنّي بخيْل اللهِ وهوَ يُجيلها

لفتح بلادِ الكُفْرِ غرّاً محجّلَهْ

لفتح بلادِ الكُفْرِ غرّاً محجّلَهْ

I seem to behold God's horses as he wheels them about,

To open the lands of blasphemy baring their teeth.

to conquer the lands of unbelief, white-blazed and white-stockinged.

And its Indian with correct rumors that its zeal,

وهِندِيُّهُ قد صحّ أنّ هُيامَهُ

وهِندِيُّهُ قد صحّ أنّ هُيامَهُ

بِهامِ العِدَى أنحى عليها وأنْحلَهْ

بِهامِ العِدَى أنحى عليها وأنْحلَهْ

And his Indian blade—it is certain that its passion

Turned away the zeal of enemies and unraveled it.

for the foes' heads has borne down upon them and worn it thin.

And its black engraved by awe struck with it,

وأسْمَرُهُ الخطّيُّ من طرَبٍ بِها

وأسْمَرُهُ الخطّيُّ من طرَبٍ بِها

ترنّحَ في كفّ الكَميِّ فأرْسَلَهْ

ترنّحَ في كفّ الكَميِّ فأرْسَلَهْ

And his brown lance from al-Khatt, in rapture over them,

Swaying in the grip of the warrior so he released it.

swayed in the armored warrior's hand, and he let it fly.

It settled its sword in the necks of enemies,

أقامَ صَغاهُ في نحور عُداته

أقامَ صَغاهُ في نحور عُداته

فللهِ ما أعْداهُ حُكماً وأعْدَلَهْ

فللهِ ما أعْداهُ حُكماً وأعْدَلَهْ

He straightened its bend in his enemies' throats;

By God, how just it deemed them and how it equalized!

God be praised—how fierce his judgment, and how just!

The angels of the seven heavens guard him,

ملائكَةُ السّبعِ الطِّباقِ تَحُفُّهُ

ملائكَةُ السّبعِ الطِّباقِ تَحُفُّهُ

إذا ما غَدا والنّصْر يَقْدُمُ جَحْفَلَهْ

إذا ما غَدا والنّصْر يَقْدُمُ جَحْفَلَهْ

The angels of the seven layered heavens surround him

When he sets forth and victory comes forward its regiments.

when he advances, with victory leading his mighty army.

And how many pursuers of glory seek his door,

وكمْ واردٍ يَبْغي النّدى أمَّ بابَهُ

وكمْ واردٍ يَبْغي النّدى أمَّ بابَهُ

فأورَدَهُ جَدوى يَديهِ وأنْهَلَهْ

فأورَدَهُ جَدوى يَديهِ وأنْهَلَهْ

And how many a water-seeker, seeking bounty, has made for his gate,

So he lets them attain it with the bounty of his hands.

so he brought him to the bounty of his two hands and gave him drink.

He is the king, the patron, the zealous one who has

هو الملِكُ الموْلى الهمامُ الذي لهُ

هو الملِكُ الموْلى الهمامُ الذي لهُ

مَكارمُ تُزْري بالغمائم مُسْبَلَهْ

مَكارمُ تُزْري بالغمائم مُسْبَلَهْ

He is the king, the lord, the magnanimous one, whose

Generosities that the clouds pour forth their rain.

generous deeds put the pouring rainclouds to shame.

And a judicious view, if his era lasts long,

ورأيٌ رشيدٌ لوْ تقادمَ عهْدُهُ

ورأيٌ رشيدٌ لوْ تقادمَ عهْدُهُ

لأمّلَهُ فيه الرّشيدُ وأمّ لَهْ

لأمّلَهُ فيه الرّشيدُ وأمّ لَهْ

And his judgment is sound; had his era been in the distant past,

The judicious will exemplify it and inspire from it.

al-Rashīd would have hoped to find it in him and made his way to him.

Of the honorable men whose faces,

من النفَرِ الغرّ الذين وُجوهُهُمْ

من النفَرِ الغرّ الذين وُجوهُهُمْ

لإشراقِها تعْنو البُدورُ مُكَمَّلَهْ

لإشراقِها تعْنو البُدورُ مُكَمَّلَهْ

He is of the radiant company whose faces

Due to their glow, enhance the full moons.

are so bright that the full moons bow before them in their fullness.

To you belongs the glory in kingdoms, its narrative quenched,

لك المجْدُ في الأمْلاكِ يُرْوى حَديثُه

لك المجْدُ في الأمْلاكِ يُرْوى حَديثُه

وقَيْسُ بنُ سعْدٍ في القديم تأثّلَهْ

وقَيْسُ بنُ سعْدٍ في القديم تأثّلَهْ

Yours is glory among kings, its story recounted;

And Qais bin Sa`d in old times exemplified it.

and Qays ibn Saʿd established it firmly in days of old.

As for your forefathers, the supporters, their mention came to us

فآباؤك الأنصارُ جاءت بذكْرِهمْ

فآباؤك الأنصارُ جاءت بذكْرِهمْ

لنا سُوَرٌ في مُحْكَمِ الذكر مُنزَلَهْ

لنا سُوَرٌ في مُحْكَمِ الذكر مُنزَلَهْ

For mention of your forefathers, the Anṣār, has come

With verses in the Perfect Scripture revealed.

to us in revealed chapters of the firmly established Qurʾān.

They elucidated the path of guidance for mankind,

هُمُ أوْضحوا نَهْجَ الهِدايةِ للوَرى

هُمُ أوْضحوا نَهْجَ الهِدايةِ للوَرى

وهمْ نصرُوا دينَ الإلهِ ومُرسَلَهْ

وهمْ نصرُوا دينَ الإلهِ ومُرسَلَهْ

They made the path of guidance clear to humankind,

And they supported the religion of God and His Messenger.

and they aided God's religion and His Messenger.

The sharpened sword hastened towards it so it frightened him,

سَعى نحْوَهُ السيفُ الصقيلُ فراعَهُ

سَعى نحْوَهُ السيفُ الصقيلُ فراعَهُ

وجَدّ لهُ الرمحُ الطويل فجدّلَهْ

وجَدّ لهُ الرمحُ الطويل فجدّلَهْ

The polished sword hastened toward him and terrified him,

And the long spear bared itself for it so it straightened it.

and the long lance pressed on against him and laid him low.

With what will the eloquent praise while the verses of Scripture have come

بماذا عَسَى يُثْني البَليغُ وقدْ أتَتْ

بماذا عَسَى يُثْني البَليغُ وقدْ أتَتْ

بذلك آياتُ الكِتابِ مُفَصَّلَهْ

بذلك آياتُ الكِتابِ مُفَصَّلَهْ

What praise could an eloquent speaker offer, when

Detailing that fully?

the Book's verses have already set it forth in detail?

My patron, no poet can describe you,

أموْلايَ لا يأتي بوَصفك شاعرٌ

أموْلايَ لا يأتي بوَصفك شاعرٌ

ولوْ أنّ قُسّاً فيه أعْمل مِقْوَلَهْ

ولوْ أنّ قُسّاً فيه أعْمل مِقْوَلَهْ

O my lord, no poet can describe you,

Even if a measure in it he Sally worked.

even were Quss to put his tongue to work at it.

But with praises I come, for they are

ولكنّ بالأمْداحِ آتي فإنّها

ولكنّ بالأمْداحِ آتي فإنّها

بأغراضِ من يأتي بها مُتكفّلَهْ

بأغراضِ من يأتي بها مُتكفّلَهْ

But I come with praises, for they

With purposes of whoever comes with them obliged.

secure the aims of whoever brings them.

So your slave presents them to you causes,

فعبْدُكَ يُهْديها إليك وسائِلاً

فعبْدُكَ يُهْديها إليك وسائِلاً

أبى اللهُ أنْ تُلفَى بجودك مُهْمَلَهْ

أبى اللهُ أنْ تُلفَى بجودك مُهْمَلَهْ

So your servant offers them to you as pleas;

God refused they be found with your generosity neglected.

God forbids that your generosity leave them unheeded.

Make them less, bestow them, fulfill what you have promised him long ago,

أقِلْهُ أنِلْهُ وفِّ ما قدْ وعَدتَهُ

أقِلْهُ أنِلْهُ وفِّ ما قدْ وعَدتَهُ

قديماً وبلّغْهُ الذي منكَ أمّلَهْ

قديماً وبلّغْهُ الذي منكَ أمّلَهْ

Pardon him, bestow on him, fulfill what you promised him

And convey him that which from you he hopes for.

long ago, and let him attain what he hoped for from you.

Your Qataar is a cloud and the system a verdant garden,

نَداكَ غَمامٌ والنّظامُ حديقةٌ

نَداكَ غَمامٌ والنّظامُ حديقةٌ

بهِ قدْ غدتْ أدْواحُها مُتهدِّلَهْ

بهِ قدْ غدتْ أدْواحُها مُتهدِّلَهْ

Your bounty is a raincloud, and verse a garden;

In it its vessels have become dripping.

through it, the garden's great trees have grown drooping boughs.

Is it anything but the meadow whose beauty is blossoming

وهل هُوَ إلا الروضُ باكرهُ الحَيا

وهل هُوَ إلا الروضُ باكرهُ الحَيا

فأوْدَعَ ريّاهُ صَباهُ وشَمْألَهْ

فأوْدَعَ ريّاهُ صَباهُ وشَمْألَهْ

And what is it but a garden visited at dawn by rain,

So it deposited in it his youthfulness and his plumpness?

whose fragrance was then entrusted to its east wind and its north wind?

So it takes from the hefty system necklaces

فتأخُذُ من جَزْل النّظام قلائِداً

فتأخُذُ من جَزْل النّظام قلائِداً

وتعطي جَزيلَ المالِ من غيْر مسألَهْ

وتعطي جَزيلَ المالِ من غيْر مسألَهْ

So you take necklaces of rich verse,

And gives generous wealth without being asked.

and give abundant wealth without being asked.

So it is the supporter of the religion of Hanif, and its shelter

فدُمْ ناصِرَ الدّين الحنيفِ وكهْفَهُ

فدُمْ ناصِرَ الدّين الحنيفِ وكهْفَهُ

ومَلجأهُ في الحادثاتِ وموئِلَهْ

ومَلجأهُ في الحادثاتِ وموئِلَهْ

So remain the champion of the upright faith and its shelter,

In afflictions, and its sanctuary and refuge.

and its refuge amid calamities and its haven.