يَا مَنْ زَهَا بِسَنَاهُ صَدْرُ النَّادِي

يَا مَنْ زَهَا بِسَنَاهُ صَدْرُ النَّادِي

وَهَوَاهُ فِي المُهَجَاتِ وَالأكْبَادِ

وَهَوَاهُ فِي المُهَجَاتِ وَالأكْبَادِ

O you whose radiance lit the assembly's place of honor,

O you whose youth adorned the heart of the club,

And love for whom dwells in hearts and livers,

And whose love was in lyrics and hearts,

حَفَلَ الرِّجَالُ يُوَدِّعُونَكَ رَاحِلاً

حَفَلَ الرِّجَالُ يُوَدِّعُونَكَ رَاحِلاً

عَنْهُمْ وَذِكْرُكَ مِلْءُ كُلِّ فُؤَاد

عَنْهُمْ وَذِكْرُكَ مِلْءُ كُلِّ فُؤَاد

The men have gathered to bid you farewell as you depart

The men gathered to bid you farewell traveling,

From them, while your memory fills every heart.

Away from them, and your mention fills every heart,

حَكَمُوا لِقَاضِيهِمْ وَزَكُّوا حُكْمَهُم

حَكَمُوا لِقَاضِيهِمْ وَزَكُّوا حُكْمَهُم

فَزَكَا بِإِجْمَاعٍ مِنَ الأَشْهَاد

فَزَكَا بِإِجْمَاعٍ مِنَ الأَشْهَاد

They ruled in their judge's favor and affirmed their judgment,

They appointed you as their judge and deemed your rule good,

And so it was vindicated by the witnesses' unanimous consent.

So it was deemed good by the consensus of witnesses,

فِي زِينَةٍ نَظَمَ الوَفَاءُ جَمَالَهَا

فِي زِينَةٍ نَظَمَ الوَفَاءُ جَمَالَهَا

وَمُرَادُهُ مِنْهَا أَجلُّ مُرَاد

وَمُرَادُهُ مِنْهَا أَجلُّ مُرَاد

Amid adornment whose beauty loyalty arranged,

In an adornment loyalty composed its beauty,

And its aim therein is the noblest of aims:

And its purpose from it is the greatest purpose,

شَرَفاً فَمَا هَذَا وَدَاعٌ إِنَّهُ

شَرَفاً فَمَا هَذَا وَدَاعٌ إِنَّهُ

عِيْدُ النَّزَاهَة أَكْرَمُ الأعْياد

عِيْدُ النَّزَاهَة أَكْرَمُ الأعْياد

Honor—for this is no farewell; it is

With honor, so this is no farewell, it is

The festival of integrity, the noblest of festivals.

The feast of integrity, the most generous feasts,

عِيدٌ إِلَى سَعْدِ ارْتِقَائِكَ جَامِعٌ

عِيدٌ إِلَى سَعْدِ ارْتِقَائِكَ جَامِعٌ

كَبْتَ العُداةِ وَخَجْلَةَ الحُسَّاد

كَبْتَ العُداةِ وَخَجْلَةَ الحُسَّاد

A festival adding to the joy of your ascent

A feast uniting the ascent of your happiness,

The humiliation of foes and the shame of the envious.

You subjugated the enemies and the shame of enviers,

نِعْمَ الجَزَاءُ لِمَنْ وَفَى بِعُهُوده

نِعْمَ الجَزَاءُ لِمَنْ وَفَى بِعُهُوده

وَرَعَى مَوَاثِقَ أُمةٍ وَبِلاَد

وَرَعَى مَوَاثِقَ أُمةٍ وَبِلاَد

Fine is the reward for one who kept his pledges

Good is the reward for one who kept his covenants,

And honored the covenants of a nation and a land.

And observed the nation’s pacts and countries,

نِعْمَ الْجَّزَاءُ لِمَنْ تَرقَّب رَبَّهُ

نِعْمَ الْجَّزَاءُ لِمَنْ تَرقَّب رَبَّهُ

فِي صَوْنِ أَعْرَاض وَأَمْنِ عِبَاد

فِي صَوْنِ أَعْرَاض وَأَمْنِ عِبَاد

Fine is the reward for one who was mindful of his Lord

Good is the reward for one who awaited his Lord,

In safeguarding honor and the safety of His servants.

In protecting honors and safety of servants,

نِعْمَ الْجزَاءُ لِمَنْ أَضاءَ بِرَأْيِه

نِعْمَ الْجزَاءُ لِمَنْ أَضاءَ بِرَأْيِه

فَجْرُ الصَّلاَحِ عَشِيَّة الإِفْسَاد

فَجْرُ الصَّلاَحِ عَشِيَّة الإِفْسَاد

Fine is the reward for one through whose counsel shone

Good is the reward for one whose opinion illuminated,

The dawn of righteousness in the twilight of corruption.

The dawn of reform at the eve of corruption,

نِعَمَ الْجزَاءُ لِجَاعِلٍ تَصْرِيفُهُ

نِعَمَ الْجزَاءُ لِجَاعِلٍ تَصْرِيفُهُ

فِي الْحَقِّ فَوْقَ الوَعْدِ وَالإِيعَاد

فِي الْحَقِّ فَوْقَ الوَعْدِ وَالإِيعَاد

Fine is the reward for one who sets his conduct

Good is the reward for one whose regulation,

In matters of justice above promises and threats.

Is in truth, above promise and appointment,

يَا جَامِعَ الأضْدَادِ أَبْدَعَ مَا الْتَقَتْ

يَا جَامِعَ الأضْدَادِ أَبْدَعَ مَا الْتَقَتْ

أَكَذَا يَكُونُ الْجَمْعُ لِلأضْدَادِ

أَكَذَا يَكُونُ الْجَمْعُ لِلأضْدَادِ

O uniter of opposites in their most wondrous meeting,

O gatherer of opposites, the most wondrous is how,

Is this how opposites are brought together?

Can the gathering of opposites be thus?

أَكَذَا يَكُونُ الْحُكمُ فِي سَادَاتِهِ

أَكَذَا يَكُونُ الْحُكمُ فِي سَادَاتِهِ

أَكَذَا يَكُونُ البَأْسُ فِي الآسَادِ

أَكَذَا يَكُونُ البَأْسُ فِي الآسَادِ

Is this how the masters render judgment?

Can the rule in its masters be thus?

Is this how lions show their might?

Can valor in lions be thus?

أَكَذَا نَدَى الْيَدِ وَهْوَ شَافٍ كَالنَّدَى

أَكَذَا نَدَى الْيَدِ وَهْوَ شَافٍ كَالنَّدَى

أَكَذَا الْعَزِيمَةُ وَهْيَ قَدْحُ زِنَادِ

أَكَذَا الْعَزِيمَةُ وَهْيَ قَدْحُ زِنَادِ

Is this the hand's bounty, healing like dew?

Can the hand’s help while being curative as the dew,

Is this resolve, the striking of flints?

Can determination while being a flint for kindling be thus?

أَكَذَا القَضَاءُ فَمَا تَكَبُّرُ شَامِخٍ

أَكَذَا القَضَاءُ فَمَا تَكَبُّرُ شَامِخٍ

مُغْنٍ لَدَيْهِ وَلاَ تَطَامُنُ وَادِ

مُغْنٍ لَدَيْهِ وَلاَ تَطَامُنُ وَادِ

Is this justice, where a lofty peak's arrogance

Can the judgment thus, no towering of the proud,

Avails nothing before it, nor a valley's lowliness?

Suffices it, nor reassurance of the submissive,

أَكَذَا الإِدَالَةُ فِي سَبِيلِ العَدْلِ مِنْ

أَكَذَا الإِدَالَةُ فِي سَبِيلِ العَدْلِ مِنْ

سَيْفِ الأميرِ لِمِنْجَلِ الحصَّادِ

سَيْفِ الأميرِ لِمِنْجَلِ الحصَّادِ

Is this how power shifts, in the cause of justice, from

Can the evidence in the path of justice from,

The prince's sword to the reaper's sickle?

The sword of the prince to the sickle of the harvester be thus?

بَالغْتَ فِي حُبِّ الْفَقِيرِ مَبَرَّةً

بَالغْتَ فِي حُبِّ الْفَقِيرِ مَبَرَّةً

بِأَخِي الشَّقاءِ رَقيقِ الاسْتِبْدَادِ

بِأَخِي الشَّقاءِ رَقيقِ الاسْتِبْدَادِ

You went to great lengths in loving the poor, showing kindness

You were extreme in your love of the poor commendably,

To misery's brother, the slave of tyranny.

With my brother hardship, weak in oppression,

مَا كَانَ أَجْدَرَهُ بِرَاعٍ مُنْصِفٍ

مَا كَانَ أَجْدَرَهُ بِرَاعٍ مُنْصِفٍ

يَرْعَى خُطَاهُ بِرَأْفَةٍ وَسَدَادِ

يَرْعَى خُطَاهُ بِرَأْفَةٍ وَسَدَادِ

How deserving he was of a just shepherd

None deserved more than an equitable carer,

To watch over his steps with compassion and sound judgment!

Who guards his steps with kindness and integrity,

رِفْقاً بِهِ وَتَذَكُّراً لِجَمِيلِهِ

رِفْقاً بِهِ وَتَذَكُّراً لِجَمِيلِهِ

أَوْ رَحْمَةً لِشَقَائِهِ المُتمَادِي

أَوْ رَحْمَةً لِشَقَائِهِ المُتمَادِي

Out of gentleness toward him, remembering his good deeds,

Be gentle with him and remembering his favor,

Or compassion for his enduring misery.

Or mercy for his relentless misery,

وَهْوَ الَّذِي فَتَحَ الْمُلوكُ فُتُوحَهُمْ

وَهْوَ الَّذِي فَتَحَ الْمُلوكُ فُتُوحَهُمْ

بِهَدِيَّتيْهِ أَلْمَالِ وَالأوْلاَدِ

بِهَدِيَّتيْهِ أَلْمَالِ وَالأوْلاَدِ

And it is he through whom kings won their conquests

He who opened conquests for kings,

With his two gifts: wealth and children.

With his gifts of money and children,

وَهْوَ الَّذِي لَمْ تَسْتَقِلَّ أَرِيكَةٌ

وَهْوَ الَّذِي لَمْ تَسْتَقِلَّ أَرِيكَةٌ

إِلاَّ عَلَى حَقْوَيْهِ والاعْضَادِ

إِلاَّ عَلَى حَقْوَيْهِ والاعْضَادِ

And he it is: no throne ever stood

He upon whose shoulders no throne stood,

Except upon his loins and arms.

Except by his strength and pillars,

وَهْوَ الَّذِي لَمْ تُبْنَ رِفْعَةُ أُمةٍ

وَهْوَ الَّذِي لَمْ تُبْنَ رِفْعَةُ أُمةٍ

إِلاَّ عَلَى أَيّدٍ لَهُ وَأَيَادِ

إِلاَّ عَلَى أَيّدٍ لَهُ وَأَيَادِ

And he it is: no nation's eminence was built

He upon whose hands no glory of a nation,

Except upon his strength and his benefactions.

Was built except by his hands and arms,

لَكِنَّه قَلَّ الشَّكورُ وَلَمْ تَزَلْ

لَكِنَّه قَلَّ الشَّكورُ وَلَمْ تَزَلْ

لِلْمَرءِ هذِي الدَّارُ دَارَ عِنَاد

لِلْمَرءِ هذِي الدَّارُ دَارَ عِنَاد

Yet few are the grateful, and ever

But the grateful are few, and for man,

This world remains for man a house of defiance.

This abode remains the abode of hostility,

مَنْ لَيْسَ يَعْرِفُ مَا عَلَيْهِ وَمَالَهُ

مَنْ لَيْسَ يَعْرِفُ مَا عَلَيْهِ وَمَالَهُ

فَصَفِيُّه ظُلْماً لَهْ كَالعادِي

فَصَفِيُّه ظُلْماً لَهْ كَالعادِي

For one who knows neither his duties nor his rights,

One who knows not what is for him and against him,

Even his closest friend is, unjustly, like an aggressor.

His protector wrongs him like a transgressor,

وَالحَقُّ لاَ يَعْلُو بِغَيْرِ خُصُومَةٍ

وَالحَقُّ لاَ يَعْلُو بِغَيْرِ خُصُومَةٍ

مَسْمُوعَةِ الإِتْهَامِ وَالإِسْنَادِ

مَسْمُوعَةِ الإِتْهَامِ وَالإِسْنَادِ

And right cannot prevail without a dispute

And truth rises not without disputed,

Where accusation and supporting evidence are heard.

Accusation and attribution,

إِنْ يَرْكَبِ الْبَاغِي هَوَاةُ مَطِيَّةً

إِنْ يَرْكَبِ الْبَاغِي هَوَاةُ مَطِيَّةً

فَأْشدُّ بَغْياً خُضَّع الاجْيَادِ

فَأْشدُّ بَغْياً خُضَّع الاجْيَادِ

If the oppressor rides his desire as a mount,

If the unjust rides the steed of desire,

Then those with bowed necks are more oppressive still.

More unjust is the tamed steed,

عَجبٌ لعَمرُكَ أَنْ تُصادفَ رَاجِلاً

عَجبٌ لعَمرُكَ أَنْ تُصادفَ رَاجِلاً

يَمْشِي فَيَتْعَبُ وَهْوَ رَبُّ جَوَاد

يَمْشِي فَيَتْعَبُ وَهْوَ رَبُّ جَوَاد

Strange, by your life, to meet a man on foot

Wondrous is that you meet a man walking,

Walking till he tires, though he owns a steed.

Who tires while he is the Lord of steeds,

وَأَشَدُّ بِدْعاً عِزُّ فَرْدٍ جَاهِلٍ

وَأَشَدُّ بِدْعاً عِزُّ فَرْدٍ جَاهِلٍ

أَوْ مُرْتَقَى جمَع قُوَاهُ بَدَاد

أَوْ مُرْتَقَى جمَع قُوَاهُ بَدَاد

And stranger still is an ignorant individual's glory,

And more wondrous is the claim to the glory of an ignorant individual,

Or the rise of a group whose forces are scattered.

Or one carried by a group whose power combined,

كُلُّ السَّلاَمَة آيةٌ مَأْخوذَةٌ

كُلُّ السَّلاَمَة آيةٌ مَأْخوذَةٌ

عَنْ خِبْرَة الآباءِ وَالأجْدَاد

عَنْ خِبْرَة الآباءِ وَالأجْدَاد

Complete safety is a lesson drawn

All well-being is a lesson taken,

From the experience of fathers and forefathers.

From the experience of forefathers and ancestors,

أُلْقُوا إلى النُّخَبِ الْكِرامِ قِيَادَكُمْ

أُلْقُوا إلى النُّخَبِ الْكِرامِ قِيَادَكُمْ

لَكِنْ خُذُوا غُلَوَاءَهُمْ بِقِيَاد

لَكِنْ خُذُوا غُلَوَاءَهُمْ بِقِيَاد

Entrust your reins to the noble chosen few,

Cast your leadership to the honored elite,

But keep a rein on their excesses.

But take their extremists with leadership,

يَا خَادماً أَوْطَانَهُ بِحَصَافَةٍ

يَا خَادماً أَوْطَانَهُ بِحَصَافَةٍ

آثارُهَا تَبْقَى عَلَى الآبَاد

آثارُهَا تَبْقَى عَلَى الآبَاد

O you who serve your homelands with sound judgment,

O server of his nations with wisdom,

Whose traces endure through the ages,

Whose traces remain on settlements,

كَمْ فِي الجُمُوعِ يُرَى ذَكَاءٌ شَائِ

كَمْ فِي الجُمُوعِ يُرَى ذَكَاءٌ شَائِ

عٌ لَكِنْ تَرَى الأخْلاقَ فِي أَفْرَاد

عٌ لَكِنْ تَرَى الأخْلاقَ فِي أَفْرَاد

How often in crowds one sees intelligence wide-

How much brilliance in groups appears wandering, but you see morals in individuals,

spread; yet you see moral character in individuals.

Judge with your opinion initiating traditions,

أَحْكِمْ بِرَأْيِكَ مُبْديءِ السُّنَنِ الَّتي

أَحْكِمْ بِرَأْيِكَ مُبْديءِ السُّنَنِ الَّتي

هِيَ فِي الخِلاَفِ مَنَائِرُ الرُّوَّاد

هِيَ فِي الخِلاَفِ مَنَائِرُ الرُّوَّاد

Decide soundly with your judgment, establishing precedents that

Which in disagreement are lighthouses for pioneers,

Are beacons for pathfinders amid disputes.

One who emulates them will say this rule,

سَيَقُولُ مَنْ يَسْتَنُّها فَصْلا بِهَا

سَيَقُولُ مَنْ يَسْتَنُّها فَصْلا بِهَا

هَذَا القَضَاءُ قَضَاهُ عَبْدُ الْهادي

هَذَا القَضَاءُ قَضَاهُ عَبْدُ الْهادي

Whoever follows them, deciding by them, will say:

Ruled it the servant of the Guide.

This judgment was rendered by Abd al-Hadi.