يَسْتَوجِبُdeserves النَّصْرَvictory مَنْwhoever صَحَّتْare firm عَزائِمُهُhis resolves
يَسْتَوجِبُ النَّصْرَ مَنْ صَحَّتْ عَزائِمُهُ
وَيَقْتَنيand earns الشُّكْرَgratitude مَنْwhoever عَمَّتْare all-embracing مَكارِمُهُhis noble deeds
وَيَقْتَني الشُّكْرَ مَنْ عَمَّتْ مَكارِمُهُ
He whose resolves are firm deserves victory.
Victory is deserved by those whose determination is strong,
And he whose noble deeds embrace all earns gratitude.
And gratitude is gained by those whose generosity is wide,
بِالنَّفْسِwith life وَالْمالِand wealth نالَattained المَجْدَglory طالِبُهُits seeker
بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْمالِ نالَ المَجْدَ طالِبُهُ
إِنَّindeed العَظِيمَthe great man لَمَنْsurely he whose هَانَتْbecame easy عَظائِمُهُhis great challenges
إِنَّ العَظِيمَ لَمَنْ هَانَتْ عَظائِمُهُ
Glory's seeker wins it through life and wealth.
With soul and wealth, the seeker of glory attained it,
Truly great is he for whom great challenges are easy.
Indeed the greatest is the one whose ambitions are humble,
فِيin كُلِّevery دَوْرٍage لِهَذَاfor this الدِّينِfaith مُنْتَظَرٌan awaited one
فِي كُلِّ دَوْرٍ لِهَذَا الدِّينِ مُنْتَظَرٌ
يُشِيدُهُraises it up بَعْدَماafter تَخْفَىfade مَعالِمُهُits landmarks
يُشِيدُهُ بَعْدَما تَخْفَى مَعالِمُهُ
In every age, this faith has an awaited one
In every period, this religion awaits
Who raises it up after its landmarks fade.
One who will revive it after its symbols have faded,
فَاليَوْمَso today كُلُّevery إِمَامِيٍّImami believer يُوافقُناagrees with us
فَاليَوْمَ كُلُّ إِمَامِيٍّ يُوافقُنا
بِأنَّthat شاهَthe Shah of ارْمَنَArman المَهْدِيَّthe Mahdi قائِمُهُits rising champion
بِأنَّ شاهَ ارْمَنَ المَهْدِيَّ قائِمُهُ
So today every Imami agrees with us
Today, all believers agree with us
That Shah Arman is its Mahdi, its rising champion,
That the Shah of Armenians is its supporter,
مَنْwho يَمْلأُfills الأَرْضَthe earth عَدْلاًwith justice بَعْدَماafter مُلِئَتْwas filled
مَنْ يَمْلأُ الأَرْضَ عَدْلاً بَعْدَما مُلِئَتْ
جَوْراًwith tyranny وَتَكْشِفُand dispel عمَّاهاits blindness صَوارِمُهُhis keen swords
جَوْراً وَتَكْشِفُ عمَّاها صَوارِمُهُ
Who fills the earth with justice after it was filled
He who will fill the earth with justice after it was
With tyranny, while his keen swords dispel its blindness.
Filled with injustice and his swords reveal what has blinded it,
ياO يَوْمَday of دِمْياطَDamietta ماnot أّبْقَيْتَyou left مِنof شَرَفٍglory
يا يَوْمَ دِمْياطَ ما أّبْقَيْتَ مِن شَرَفٍ
لِمَنْfor those who تَقَدَّمَcame before إلاّexcept أَنْتَyou هادِمُهُits demolisher
لِمَنْ تَقَدَّمَ إلاّ أَنْتَ هادِمُهُ
O day of Damietta, you left no glory
O day of Damietta, you left no honor
To those who came before that you did not demolish.
For those who came before except that you demolished it,
عَذْراءُa virgin نادَتْcried out عَلىfrom بُعْدٍafar فَأنْقَذَهَاso he rescued her
عَذْراءُ نادَتْ عَلى بُعْدٍ فَأنْقَذَهَا
مَلْكٌa king غَيُورٌprotective of honor مَصُونَاتٌsafeguarded كرائِمُهُhis noble ladies
مَلْكٌ غَيُورٌ مَصُونَاتٌ كرائِمُهُ
A virgin cried out from afar, and she was rescued by
A maiden called from afar, so a jealous king saved her,
A king protective of honor, whose noble ladies are safeguarded.
Protecting the virtuous, his swords are their guardians,
رَأَتْsaw بَنُوthe sons of الأَصْفَرِal-Asfar (the Yellow One) الأَعْلامَthe banners طِالِعَةًrising
رَأَتْ بَنُو الأَصْفَرِ الأَعْلامَ طِالِعَةً
وَالنَّقْعُand the battle-dust يُرْمِدُinflames عَيْنَthe eye of الشَّمْسِthe sun فاحِمُهُits coal-black mass
وَالنَّقْعُ يُرْمِدُ عَيْنَ الشَّمْسِ فاحِمُهُ
The sons of al-Asfar saw the banners rising,
The yellow-skinned people saw the banners raised
While coal-black battle-dust inflames the sun's eye.
While the sun's eye was blinking from the ferocious brightness,
وَالْجَيْشُand the army يَلْتَفُّclose in قُطْراهُits two flanks عَلىaround مَلِكٍa king
وَالْجَيْشُ يَلْتَفُّ قُطْراهُ عَلى مَلِكٍ
كاللَّيْثِlike a lion يَزْأَرُroar حَوْلَيْهِaround him ضَراغِمُهُhis lions
كاللَّيْثِ يَزْأَرُ حَوْلَيْهِ ضَراغِمُهُ
And the army's two flanks close around a king,
And the army gathered around a king
Like a lion, with his lions roaring around him.
Like a roaring lion surrounded by his cubs,
وَالجَوُّand the air يَبْكِيweeps سِهاماًarrows كُلَّماwhenever ضَحِكَتْsmiled
وَالجَوُّ يَبْكِي سِهاماً كُلَّما ضَحِكَتْ
عَنْrevealing كُلِّevery بَرْقٍlightning-flash يَمانِيٍّYemeni غَمائِمُهُits clouds
عَنْ كُلِّ بَرْقٍ يَمانِيٍّ غَمائِمُهُ
And the air weeps arrows whenever a smile breaks
The air was crying arrows whenever
Across its clouds, revealing every Yemeni lightning-flash.
The clouds of a Yemeni lightning bolt smiled,
وَكُلُّand every طِرْفٍsteed إِذْاwhen طالَgrows long الطِّرادُthe pursuit بِهِupon it
وَكُلُّ طِرْفٍ إِذْا طالَ الطِّرادُ بِهِ
يَطِيرُwould fly مِنout of جِلْدِهِits skin لَولاwere it not for شَكائِمُهُits bridle-bits
يَطِيرُ مِن جِلْدِهِ لَولا شَكائِمُهُ
And every steed, when its pursuit is prolonged,
And every eyelid, when the chase grew long,
Would fly out of its skin were it not for its bridle-bits.
Would fly off were it not for its lashes,
وَدُونَand before دِمْياطَDamietta بَحْرٌa sea حالَstood بَيْنَهُماbetween the two
وَدُونَ دِمْياطَ بَحْرٌ حالَ بَيْنَهُما
مِنَof الظُّبَىsword-blades لَيْسَnot يَنْجُوescapes مِنْهُfrom it عائِمُهُits swimmer
مِنَ الظُّبَى لَيْسَ يَنْجُو مِنْهُ عائِمُهُ
And before Damietta, a sea stood between the two,
And before Damietta was a sea between them
A sea of sword-blades, from which no swimmer escapes.
Filled with armored men, none aboard could survive it,
صاحُواthey cried الأَمانَquarter فَلاand no سَيْفٌsword نَضَتْهُunsheathed it يَدٌa hand
صاحُوا الأَمانَ فَلا سَيْفٌ نَضَتْهُ يَدٌ
مِنْهُمْamong them وَلاَnor حَمَلَتْbore طِرْفاًa steed قَوائِمُهُits legs
مِنْهُمْ وَلاَ حَمَلَتْ طِرْفاً قَوائِمُهُ
They cried, 'Quarter!' No hand drew a sword
They cried for safety but no sword in their hands
Among them, nor did any steed's legs carry it.
Struck nor did their feet carry them away,
ذَلُّواthey submitted لِمُلْكٍto a kingdom أَعَزَّexalted اللَّهُGod صاحِبَهُits ruler
ذَلُّوا لِمُلْكٍ أَعَزَّ اللَّهُ صاحِبَهُ
موسىMusa سُلَيْمانُهُits Solomon وَالسَّيْفُand the sword خاتَمُهُhis seal-ring
موسى سُلَيْمانُهُ وَالسَّيْفُ خاتَمُهُ
They submitted to a kingdom whose ruler God exalted;
They submitted to a king whom God honored,
Musa is its Solomon, and the sword his seal-ring.
Moses his Solomon and the sword his seal,
وَسَلَّمُوهَاand they surrendered her وَرَدُّواand restored أَهْلَهاher people وَمَضَواand departed
وَسَلَّمُوهَا وَرَدُّوا أَهْلَها وَمَضَوا
وَالثَّغْرُand the frontier city مِنْwith فَرَحٍjoy يَفْتَرُّparts باسِمُهُits smiling mouth
وَالثَّغْرُ مِنْ فَرَحٍ يَفْتَرُّ باسِمُهُ
And they surrendered her, restored her people, and departed,
They surrendered it and returned its people and left
And the frontier city's smiling mouth parts with joy.
While the border from joy was bursting with his name,
كَأَنَّهُمْas though they أَبْصَرُواsaw ماwhat قَدalready مَضَىhad passed زَمَناًfor a time
كَأَنَّهُمْ أَبْصَرُوا ما قَد مَضَى زَمَناً
كَماas يَرَىsees مُزْعِجَthe frightening part of الأَحْلامِdreams نائِمُهُits sleeper
كَما يَرَى مُزْعِجَ الأَحْلامِ نائِمُهُ
As though they saw that stretch of time gone by
As if they had seen what had passed long ago
As a sleeper sees the terror of dreams.
Like one who sees his disturbing dreams while asleep,
طَهَّرْتَyou purified مِحْرابَهاher prayer niche العالِيlofty وَمِنْبَرَهاand her pulpit
طَهَّرْتَ مِحْرابَها العالِي وَمِنْبَرَها
مِنْof رِجْسِهِمْtheir defilement بَعْدَماafter ارْتَجَّتtrembled قَوائِمُهُits supports
مِنْ رِجْسِهِمْ بَعْدَما ارْتَجَّت قَوائِمُهُ
You purified her lofty prayer niche and her pulpit
You purified its high prayer niche and its pulpit
Of their defilement, after its supports had trembled.
From their filth after their pillars had shaken,
وَقُمْتَand you rose تَكْسِرُbreaking تِمْثالَthe image of المَسِيحِChrist بِهِin it
وَقُمْتَ تَكْسِرُ تِمْثالَ المَسِيحِ بِهِ
بِرَغْمِin defiance of مَنwhoever هُوَhe بِالَّلاهُوتِas divine لاثِمُهُone who kisses it
بِرَغْمِ مَن هُوَ بِالَّلاهُوتِ لاثِمُهُ
And you rose to shatter the image of Christ within it,
And you stood breaking the statue of Christ with it
In defiance of whoever kisses it as divine.
Despite those whose belief in divinity was deficient,
أَشْبَهْتَyou resembled جَدَّكَyour forefather إبْراهِيمَIbrahim وَاتَّفَقَتْand accorded
أَشْبَهْتَ جَدَّكَ إبْراهِيمَ وَاتَّفَقَتْ
عَلىwith عَزائِمِكَyour resolves العُلْياlofty عَزائِمُهُhis resolves
عَلى عَزائِمِكَ العُلْيا عَزائِمُهُ
You resembled your forefather Ibrahim, and in harmony
You resembled your ancestor Abraham and his determination
With your lofty resolves were his own resolves.
Matched your highest resolves,
قُلْsay لِلْكُماةِto the warriors وَسَرَّتُهُand delighted him سَلامَتُهُhis survival
قُلْ لِلْكُماةِ وَسَرَّتُهُ سَلامَتُهُ
أَشَدُّthe harshest مَوْتِdeath of الفَتَىa youth عارٌdisgrace يُلائِمُهُbefits him
أَشَدُّ مَوْتِ الفَتَى عارٌ يُلائِمُهُ
Tell the warriors, each delighted by his survival:
Tell the coward whose wellbeing is his survival
A youth's harshest death is disgrace that befits him.
That death is far more shameful than what befits him,
عادُواthey returned بِخِزْيٍin disgrace إلَىto أَوْطانِهِمْtheir homelands وَمَضَوْاand went away
عادُوا بِخِزْيٍ إلَى أَوْطانِهِمْ وَمَضَوْا
فَكُلُّso every بَيْتٍhouse تَلَقَّاهُمْreceived them مَآتِمُهُits mourning gatherings
فَكُلُّ بَيْتٍ تَلَقَّاهُمْ مَآتِمُهُ
They returned in disgrace to their homelands and went their way;
They returned in disgrace to their homelands and left
So every home's mourning gatherings received them.
While each house that received them was in mourning,
تَبْكِيweep القُسوسُthe priests عَلىover أَسْرىthe captive ones of مُلوكِهِمُtheir kings
تَبْكِي القُسوسُ عَلى أَسْرى مُلوكِهِمُ
وَذاكَand that ذُلٌّhumiliation قَضىdecreed بِالعَدْلِwith justice ظالِمُهُits oppressor
وَذاكَ ذُلٌّ قَضى بِالعَدْلِ ظالِمُهُ
The priests weep over their captive kings,
The priests weep for the captive kings
And that humiliation was decreed justly by its oppressor.
While the just ruler judged their oppressor,
ياO بإِذْلاًone who offers فِيin سَبِيلِthe path of اللَّهِGod مُهْجَتَهُhis life's blood
يا بإِذْلاً فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مُهْجَتَهُ
لِلّهِfor God لاَnot لِلَّذِيfor that which حازَتْcontained مَغانِمُهُhis spoils
لِلّهِ لاَ لِلَّذِي حازَتْ مَغانِمُهُ
O you who offer your life's blood in God's path,
With humiliation in the path of God alone, not for the one
For God, not for what your spoils contain,
Whose spoils of war he attained,
لَولاَكَwere it not for you زُلْزِلَwould have shaken قَبْرُthe tomb of المُصْطَفىthe Chosen One وَوَهىand weakened
لَولاَكَ زُلْزِلَ قَبْرُ المُصْطَفى وَوَهى
وَأَصْبَحَand would have become البَيْتُthe House قَدalready حَلَّتْbecame violable مَحارِمُهُits sanctities
وَأَصْبَحَ البَيْتُ قَد حَلَّتْ مَحارِمُهُ
Were it not for you, the Chosen One's tomb would have quaked and weakened,
Were it not for you, the tomb of the Chosen One would have shaken
And the House would have had its sanctities violated.
And the House become one whose sanctities had been violated,
قَضَيْتَyou fulfilled فِيin الغَرْبِthe West مَفْرُوضَthe prescribed duty of الجِهادِjihad وَلَوand if
قَضَيْتَ فِي الغَرْبِ مَفْرُوضَ الجِهادِ وَلَو
فَرَغْتَyou had been free لِلشَّرْقِfor the East ماnot قَامَتْwould have stood أَعَاجِمُهُits non-Arabs
فَرَغْتَ لِلشَّرْقِ ما قَامَتْ أَعَاجِمُهُ
You fulfilled the duty of jihad in the West, and had you
In the West you carried out the duty of jihad but had
Been free to face the East, its non-Arabs would not have stood.
You turned east, their non-Arabs would not have stood,
أَنْسَيْتَyou made forgotten مِنof فَتْحِthe conquest of عَمُّورِيَّةٍAmorium شَرَفاًglory
أَنْسَيْتَ مِن فَتْحِ عَمُّورِيَّةٍ شَرَفاً
وَماتَand died دُونَshort of أَبِيAbu تَمَّامَTammam ناظِمُهُits versifier
وَماتَ دُونَ أَبِي تَمَّامَ ناظِمُهُ
You made men forget the glory of the conquest of Amorium,
You forgot the honor of conquering Amorium
And its poet died, falling short of Abu Tammam.
While the one who composed it died before Abu Tammam,
أَقُولُI say لِلْحاسِدِto the envier المَحْزُونِsorrowful ذاthis مَلِكٌa king
أَقُولُ لِلْحاسِدِ المَحْزُونِ ذا مَلِكٌ
نالَattained السَّعادَةَgood fortune مُذْsince مُدَّتْwere hung تَمائِمُهُhis amulets
نالَ السَّعادَةَ مُذْ مُدَّتْ تَمائِمُهُ
I say to the sorrowful envier: this is a king
I say to the envious grieving opponent: Here is a king
Who won good fortune from the moment his amulets were hung.
Who attained joy since his symbols were raised,
مإِذْاthis is not عَطِيَّةُa gift from نَجْمٍa star دارrevolved فِيin فَلَكٍa sphere
مإِذْا عَطِيَّةُ نَجْمٍ دار فِي فَلَكٍ
النَّجْمُthe star وَالفَلَكُand the sphere الدَّوَّارُrevolving خادِمُهُhis servant
النَّجْمُ وَالفَلَكُ الدَّوَّارُ خادِمُهُ
This is no gift of a star revolving in a sphere;
When the gift of a star revolves in its orbit
The star and the revolving sphere are his servants.
The star and its revolving orbit are its servants,
هذَاthis اخْتِصاصٌa special favor إلهِيٌّdivine وَمَرْتَبَةٌand a rank
هذَا اخْتِصاصٌ إلهِيٌّ وَمَرْتَبَةٌ
ماnot فِيamong المُلُوكِthe kings عَلَيْهاfor it مَنanyone who يُزاحِمُهُrivals him
ما فِي المُلُوكِ عَلَيْها مَن يُزاحِمُهُ
This is divine favor and a rank
This is a divine specialization and position
For which no king rivals him.
None of the kings can compete for it,
مَوْلاَيَmy lord عُذْرِيَmy excuse سُقْمٌillness قَدindeed بَرَىhas wasted جَسَدِيmy body
مَوْلاَيَ عُذْرِيَ سُقْمٌ قَد بَرَى جَسَدِي
وَكَيْفَand how يَنْهَضُrises مَنْone whose قُصَّتْwere clipped قَوادِمُهُhis primary feathers
وَكَيْفَ يَنْهَضُ مَنْ قُصَّتْ قَوادِمُهُ
My lord, my excuse is illness that has wasted my body;
My lord, my illness has made my body weak
And how can one rise whose flight-feathers have been clipped?
And how can one whose pillars are cut stand?
قَالواthey said تَأخَّرْتَyou were late وَالتَّأْخِيرُand delay يُنْقِصُنِيdiminishes my share
قَالوا تَأخَّرْتَ وَالتَّأْخِيرُ يُنْقِصُنِي
مِنْof جُودِthe bounty of مَنْone whose عَمَّتِencompassed الدُّنْياthe world مَكارِمُهُhis noble deeds
مِنْ جُودِ مَنْ عَمَّتِ الدُّنْيا مَكارِمُهُ
They said, 'You are late,' and delay lessens my share
They said you were late and being late diminishes
Of the bounty of him whose noble deeds encompass the world.
The generosity of one whose nobilities have spread,
لاnot أَرْهَبُI fear الدَّهْرَTime أَنْthat يَثْنِيit doubles مَؤُوْنَتَهُits burden
لا أَرْهَبُ الدَّهْرَ أَنْ يَثْنِي مَؤُوْنَتَهُ
لاnot أَخْتَشِيI fear قَطْعَthe cutting off of رِزْقِيmy sustenance وَهُوَand he قاسِمُهُits dispenser
لا أَخْتَشِي قَطْعَ رِزْقِي وَهُوَ قاسِمُهُ
I do not fear Time, should it double its burden;
I do not fear time twisting its burdens,
I do not fear my livelihood being cut off, for he apportions it.
I do not dread the cutting off of my provision, He is its disburser,
لاmay not فارَقَتْleave أَلْسُنُthe tongues of المُدَّاحِpanegyrists دَوْلَتَهُhis reign
لا فارَقَتْ أَلْسُنُ المُدَّاحِ دَوْلَتَهُ
فَأحْسَنُfor the fairest الرَّوْضِgarden ماthat which غَنَّتْsing حَمائِمُهُits doves
فَأحْسَنُ الرَّوْضِ ما غَنَّتْ حَمائِمُهُ
May the tongues of panegyrists never forsake his reign,
The tongues of eulogizers will never leave his state
For the fairest garden is the one whose doves sing.
So the best meadow is what its doves have sung.
Sol 6.1