أَتَيتَكَ عَن بُعدِ المَدى أَنشِدُ الحَمدا

أَتَيتَكَ عَن بُعدِ المَدى أَنشِدُ الحَمدا

فَبُشرايَ إِن خَصصتني في المَلا عَبدا

فَبُشرايَ إِن خَصصتني في المَلا عَبدا

I came to you from far away, singing praise.

I came to you from afar, singing praises

Then joy is mine if you single me out before the assembly as your servant.

So rejoice, if you have singled me out among men as a servant

فَدَيتَكَ مِن مَولىً يَعِزُّ رِجالُهُ

فَدَيتَكَ مِن مَولىً يَعِزُّ رِجالُهُ

فَمِثلي مِن يُفدي وَمِثلُكَ مَن يَفدى

فَمِثلي مِن يُفدي وَمِثلُكَ مَن يَفدى

I would give my life for you, a lord whose men are honored;

You have ransomed me from a Lord who honors His men

for one like me offers ransom, and one like you is ransomed.

The likes of me ransom, and the likes of you are ransomed

رَأَيتُكَ جِسماً لِلفَطانَةِ وَالذَكا

رَأَيتُكَ جِسماً لِلفَطانَةِ وَالذَكا

تَكَلل بِالإِجلال وَاِتشَحَ المَجدا

تَكَلل بِالإِجلال وَاِتشَحَ المَجدا

I saw you as the embodiment of discernment and intelligence,

I saw you as a body of wisdom and intellect

crowned with reverence and robed in glory.

Adorned with reverence, cloaked in glory

يُناديكَ هَذا الكَون رُشدي لِأَنَّهُ

يُناديكَ هَذا الكَون رُشدي لِأَنَّهُ

تَلَقَّنَ مِن أَسرار حِكمَتِكَ الرُشدا

تَلَقَّنَ مِن أَسرار حِكمَتِكَ الرُشدا

This universe calls you Rushdi, because it

This universe calls you righteous, for it

has learned sound judgment from the secrets of your wisdom.

Has learned the essence of your wisdom and righteousness

طَلَعت عَلى دار السَعادَةِ كَوكَباً

طَلَعت عَلى دار السَعادَةِ كَوكَباً

بَدا لامِعاً في أُفقِها يَمنَحُ السَعدا

بَدا لامِعاً في أُفقِها يَمنَحُ السَعدا

You rose above the Abode of Felicity as a star,

You rose over the abode of prosperity like a shining star

appearing radiant on its horizon, bestowing good fortune.

Radiant on its horizon, bestowing happiness

سَرى اللُطفُ في الدُنيا يُريدُ لَهُ حِماً

سَرى اللُطفُ في الدُنيا يُريدُ لَهُ حِماً

فَلاحَت لَهُ أَنوار ذاتِكَ فَاِستَهدى

فَلاحَت لَهُ أَنوار ذاتِكَ فَاِستَهدى

Kindness journeyed through the world by night, seeking a refuge for itself;

Kindness flowed in the world, wanting protection for it

then the lights of your being shone before it, and it found its way.

So your light shone for it, and it found guidance

بِعُلياكَ لاذَ الفَخر أَنكَ طالَما

بِعُلياكَ لاذَ الفَخر أَنكَ طالَما

بَذَلتَ عَلى تَشييد أَركانِهِ الجُهدا

بَذَلتَ عَلى تَشييد أَركانِهِ الجُهدا

Pride sought refuge in your eminence, for you have long

In your loftiness, pride found refuge, for you have long

devoted your efforts to raising its pillars.

Exerted yourself to establish its pillars

أَلَستَ الَّذي أَهدى بِأَقلامِهِ الهُدى

أَلَستَ الَّذي أَهدى بِأَقلامِهِ الهُدى

وَعَظَّمَ في أَقدامِهِ السَيفَ وَالجُندا

وَعَظَّمَ في أَقدامِهِ السَيفَ وَالجُندا

Are you not the one who bestowed guidance through his pens,

Are you not the one who guided with his pens of guidance

and in his bold advance exalted the sword and the troops?

And exalted by his feet the sword and the army?

حُسامَكَ نور المَجد يَسطَعُ في العُلى

حُسامَكَ نور المَجد يَسطَعُ في العُلى

يراعكَ سَيف الحَق يَستَأسِرُ الإِعدا

يراعكَ سَيف الحَق يَستَأسِرُ الإِعدا

Your sword is the light of glory, shining in the heights;

The light of glory gleams in the heights in your sword

your reed pen is truth's sword, taking enemies captive.

The sword of truth watches over you, making prisoners of enemies

حَلا يُسكِرُ الأَلباب في حَرَكاتِهِ

حَلا يُسكِرُ الأَلباب في حَرَكاتِهِ

كانَّ عَلى فيهِ السَلافَةَ وَالشَهدا

كانَّ عَلى فيهِ السَلافَةَ وَالشَهدا

It grew sweet, intoxicating minds with its movements,

A state intoxicating minds in its motions

as though choice wine and honey were upon its mouth.

As if, in it, were youth and nectar

دَعاكَ مَليك الأَرض في أُفق مُلكِهِ

دَعاكَ مَليك الأَرض في أُفق مُلكِهِ

فَقُلتُ دَعا في حَزمِهِ الجَوهَرُ الفَردا

فَقُلتُ دَعا في حَزمِهِ الجَوهَرُ الفَردا

The earth's sovereign summoned you into his realm's horizon;

The King of the Earth called you in the expanse of his realm

so I said: in his prudence, he summoned the peerless jewel.

So I said: The unique essence called in His resolve

فَعادَت لِعُلياكَ الصَدارة تَنجَلي

فَعادَت لِعُلياكَ الصَدارة تَنجَلي

فَقُلتُ أَتَت ذات الوَفا تُذكِرُ العَهدا

فَقُلتُ أَتَت ذات الوَفا تُذكِرُ العَهدا

Then the chief ministry returned to your eminence, shining forth;

Thus sovereignty returned to your loftiness, unveiled

so I said: she of fidelity has come, recalling the pledge.

So I said: Loyal company has come to recall the pact

فَقالَ لَنا السُلطان بُشرى لَكُم بِما

فَقالَ لَنا السُلطان بُشرى لَكُم بِما

تَرونَ مِن العَدلِ الَّذي طالَما أَجدى

تَرونَ مِن العَدلِ الَّذي طالَما أَجدى

Then the sultan said to us: glad tidings to you for what

The Sultan gave us good tidings: "Rejoice in what

you see of justice, which has so long brought benefit.

You see of the justice that has long brought goodness"

فَحِلمي يَرويكُم وَظِلي عَلَيكُم

فَحِلمي يَرويكُم وَظِلي عَلَيكُم

يَظَلُّ وَإِحساني يَفيضُ لَكُم رَغدا

يَظَلُّ وَإِحساني يَفيضُ لَكُم رَغدا

For my forbearance quenches your thirst, and my shade over you

"My forbearance quenches you, and my shade covers you

endures, and my bounty flows to you in abundance.

It covers, and my benevolence overflows, providing you tranquility

وَرُشدي بِأُفقِ المُلكِ أَرختهُ بِهِ

وَرُشدي بِأُفقِ المُلكِ أَرختهُ بِهِ

أَناديهِ لي صَدراً وَصَدري حَوى الرُشدا

أَناديهِ لي صَدراً وَصَدري حَوى الرُشدا

And my Rushdi, in the realm's horizon—I marked his date with these words:

And my integrity, I have unfurled it in the expanse of the realm

I call him my chief minister, and my breast holds sound judgment.

I call it to myself as a bosom, and my bosom contains integrity"