أَلا يا لَقَومي لِلرُّقادِ المُسَهَّدِ

أَلا يا لَقَومي لِلرُّقادِ المُسَهَّدِ

وَلِلماءِ مَمنوعاً إِلى الحائِمِ الصَّدي

وَلِلماءِ مَمنوعاً إِلى الحائِمِ الصَّدي

Ah, my people—alas for sleepless slumber,

O my people! Stop your slumber

And for water denied to the parched one circling it,

And cease denying water to the thirsty pilgrim.

وَللحال بَعد الحالِ يَركَبُها الفَتى

وَللحال بَعد الحالِ يَركَبُها الفَتى

وَللحُبِّ بعد السَّلوَةِ المُتَمَرِّدِ

وَللحُبِّ بعد السَّلوَةِ المُتَمَرِّدِ

And for plight after plight the young man rides into,

One state gives way to another as youth strides on,

And for love rebellious after solace,

And love is followed by detachment's rebellion.

وللمرء لا عَمَّن يُحِبُّ بِمُرعَوٍ

وللمرء لا عَمَّن يُحِبُّ بِمُرعَوٍ

وَلا لِسَبيلِ الرُّشدِ يَوماً بِمُهتَدي

وَلا لِسَبيلِ الرُّشدِ يَوماً بِمُهتَدي

And for the man who will not turn away from the one he loves,

A man lives as he pleases, not as others desire,

Nor ever find the path of sound judgment;

Nor can guidance divert him on an errant day.

وللمرء يُلحى في التصابي وقبلَهُ

وللمرء يُلحى في التصابي وقبلَهُ

صبابا لغواني كُلُّ قرمٍ مُمجَّدِ

صبابا لغواني كُلُّ قرمٍ مُمجَّدِ

And for the man reproached for youthful dalliance, though before him

And a man endures the blows of fate and before them

Every honored chief was smitten with lovely women.

Foolish, boastful youth who think themselves glorious.

وَقَد قالَ أَقوامٌ وَهُم يعذلونَهُ

وَقَد قالَ أَقوامٌ وَهُم يعذلونَهُ

لَقَد طالَ تَعذيبُ الفُؤادِ المصيَّدِ

لَقَد طالَ تَعذيبُ الفُؤادِ المصيَّدِ

And some people have said, as they reproached him,

Some censure his passion, feigning sympathy:

"Long indeed has the ensnared heart been tormented."

"How long will his heart keep suffering this torment?"

وَكَيفَ تَناسى القَلبُ سَلمى وَحُبُّها

وَكَيفَ تَناسى القَلبُ سَلمى وَحُبُّها

كَجَمرِ غَضىً بَينَ الشَّرايفِ موقدِ

كَجَمرِ غَضىً بَينَ الشَّرايفِ موقدِ

And how could the heart pretend to forget Salma, when love for her

But how can a heart forget its Salma, its love,

Is like ghada-wood embers kindled between the ribs?

Like embers that glow between fiery logs?

إِلَيكَ إِمامَ الناس مِن بَطنِ يَثرِبٍ

إِلَيكَ إِمامَ الناس مِن بَطنِ يَثرِبٍ

وَنِعمَ أَخو ذي الحاجَةِ المُتَعَمَّدِ

وَنِعمَ أَخو ذي الحاجَةِ المُتَعَمَّدِ

To you, leader of the people, from the heart of Yathrib,

To you, leader of mankind from Yathrib's valley,

And a fine brother to the needy, the one sought out,

Noble brother, ready to aid the needy, we came

رَحَلنا لِأَنَّ الجودَ مِنكَ خَليقَةٌ

رَحَلنا لِأَنَّ الجودَ مِنكَ خَليقَةٌ

وَأَنَّكَ لَم يَذمُم جَنابَكَ مُجتَدي

وَأَنَّكَ لَم يَذمُم جَنابَكَ مُجتَدي

We journeyed, for generosity is your nature,

Since generosity is your nature,

And no seeker of bounty has ever faulted your court.

And your door has never been closed to the seeker.

مَلَكتَ فَزِدتَ الناسَ ما لَم يَزِدهُمُ

مَلَكتَ فَزِدتَ الناسَ ما لَم يَزِدهُمُ

إِمامٌ مِنَ المَعروفِ غَيرِ المُصَرَّدِ

إِمامٌ مِنَ المَعروفِ غَيرِ المُصَرَّدِ

You took power and gave the people what no

You gave people more than any leader before,

Ruler had given them—bounty without stint.

In righteous deeds, not vainglory's ostentation.

وَقُمتَ وَلَم تَنقُض قَضاءَ خَليفَةٍ

وَقُمتَ وَلَم تَنقُض قَضاءَ خَليفَةٍ

وَلَكِن بِما ساروا مِنَ الفِعلِ تَقتَدي

وَلَكِن بِما ساروا مِنَ الفِعلِ تَقتَدي

You arose, and did not overturn a caliph's ruling;

You rose to lead, but did not countermand

Rather, you follow the course they took in their deeds.

The rule of your predecessor, following his path.

وَلَمّا وليتَ المُلكَ ضارَبتَ دونَهُ

وَلَمّا وليتَ المُلكَ ضارَبتَ دونَهُ

وَأَسنَدتَهُ لا تَأتَلي خَيرَ مُسنَدِ

وَأَسنَدتَهُ لا تَأتَلي خَيرَ مُسنَدِ

And when you assumed kingship, you fought to defend it,

When you assumed command, you shielded it well,

And upheld it, sparing no effort, with the finest support.

Supporting it truly, no weak prop of kingdom.

جَعَلتَ هِشاماً وَالوَليدَ ذَخيرَةً

جَعَلتَ هِشاماً وَالوَليدَ ذَخيرَةً

وَليينِ لِلعَهدِ الوَثيقِ المُؤَكَّدِ

وَليينِ لِلعَهدِ الوَثيقِ المُؤَكَّدِ

You made Hisham and al-Walid a treasure in reserve,

You made Hisham and al-Walid your storehouses,

Two heirs under a firm, confirmed covenant.

Pillars of the covenant, trustworthy and firm.

وَأَمضَيتَ عَزماً في سُلَيمانَ راشِداً

وَأَمضَيتَ عَزماً في سُلَيمانَ راشِداً

وَمَن يَعتَصِم بِاللَّهِ مِثلك يرشدِ

وَمَن يَعتَصِم بِاللَّهِ مِثلك يرشدِ

And, rightly guided, you carried out your resolve concerning Sulayman;

And you resolved that Sulayman rule righteously-

And whoever holds fast to God, like you, finds the right path.

Who holds to God, finds Him his guide.