لِلَّهِ في كُلِّ ما يَجري بِهِ القَدَرُ

لُطفٌ تَحارُ بِهِ الأَفهامُ وَالفِكَرُ

In all that Destiny impels occur

To God belongs, in every turn that destiny decrees,

God's gentleness makes reason stunned and thought demur.

A hidden grace that baffles minds and intellects.

إِنَّ الَّذي قَد شَكا عَينُ الزَمانِ لَهُ

شَكا لَهُ المُسلِمونَ البَدوُ وَالخَضَرُ

He whom the days' injustice made complain

Indeed, he to whom the very eye of time complained,

Bedouin and sedentary to him complain,

Received the pleas of all Muslims, the nomad and the settled alike.

وَكَيفَ وَهوَ لَهُم روحٌ تَقومُ بِهِم

وَهُم وَإِن كَثُروا فيما تُرى الصُوَرُ

Though they are many in their semblance vain;

And how could it be otherwise, when he is the spirit by which they stand,

I say, while their complaint fills me with pain:

While they, though many in number, are but the visible forms?

أَقولُ لِلنّاسِ إِذ راعَت شَكِيَّتُهُ

مَهلاً فَلِلَّهِ في أَحوالِنا نَظَرُ

"Gently, for in our state God's eyes remain!"

I say to the people, when his ailment struck them with alarm:

God's most subtle to leave His Creation free

"Have patience, for God watches over our affairs."

لِلَّهُ أَلطَفُ أَن يُخلي بِرِيَّتَهُ

مِن ناصِرٍ لِلهُدى بِالرُشدِ يَأتَمِرُ

Of aiding reason and right-mindedness, maybe,

God is too gracious to leave His creation void

And naught we saw or hearsay makes us see

Of a champion for guidance who commands the right.

وَلَيسَ فيما رَأَينا أَو أَتى خَبَرٌ

غَيرُ الإِمامِ لِدينِ اللَهِ يَنتَصِرُ

Save the Imam God's religion victorie,

And in all we have seen or heard reported,

Abdulaziz, whose rule vivified

There is none but the Imam who triumphs for God's faith.

عَبدُ العَزيزِ الَّذي كانَت وِلايَتُهُ

لِلمُسلِمينَ حَياةً بَعدَ ما قُبِروا

The Moslems after they were mortified.

Abdul-Aziz, whose sovereign rule became

Purity and light he has and healthfulness,

A new life for the Muslims after they had been entombed.

لَهُ طُهورٌ وَنورٌ ثُمَّ عافِيَةٌ

وَزالَ عَنهُ إِلى اَعدائِهِ الضَرَرُ

While from his foes calamity is dialed.

May he have purification, light, and restored health,

So praise be God with praise that will extend

And may all harm pass from him to his foes.

فَالحَمدُ لِلَّهِ حَمداً نَستَمِدُّ بِهِ

لَهُ مِنَ اللَهِ أَن يَنسا لَهُ الأَثَرُ

From God to him the spites of time amend

So praise be to God—a praise by which we seek

And in it good of religion and world lies,

That God may grant him long life and a lasting legacy.

فَفيهِ لِلدّينِ وَالدُنيا الصَلاحُ كَما

فيهِ لِمَن حارَبَ الإِسلامَ مُزدَجَرُ

As for Islam's foes, chastening it supplies.

For in him lies the welfare of faith and world alike,

A hero who glory and piety furled,

Just as he is a deterrent to those who war against Islam.

فَردٌ طَوى المَجدَ وَالتَقوى بِبُردَتِهِ

وَعاشَ في فَضلِهِ قَحطانُ أَو مُضَرُ

And Kahlan or Mudar in his glory curled,

A peerless figure who wrapped glory and piety in his cloak,

I say when woe at his decease was hurled

Under whose bounty all Arabs, of Qahtan and Mudar, thrive.

يا أَفضَلَ الناسِ فيما يُمدَحونَ بِهِ

وَأَوسَعَ الناسِ عَفواً حينَ يَقتَدِرُ

Among the folk: Gently! In our state God's eyes furled!

O best of men in all qualities for which men are praised,

None but he for religion and world we pin

And most generous in pardon when holding the power to punish.

لِلَّهِ فيكَ عِناياتٌ سَتَبلُغُها

نِتاجُها شَرَفُ الدارَينِ وَالعُمرُ

On, hoping, as events uncertain spin.

God has bestowed upon you favors you shall surely attain,

Could we have shared his glory, a bargain 'twould win,

Yielding honor in both worlds and a life prolonged.

فَاِجعَل مُشيرَكَ فيما أَنتَ فاعِلُهُ

مُهَذَّبَ الرَأيِ لِلآثارِ يَقتَفِرُ

Profit, where men loss incur!

So let your counselor, in whatever you undertake,

Thou whom God guided this community to tend

Be one of refined judgment who follows wise precedents.

إِنَّ الرُكونَ إِلى مَن لَستَ تَأمَنُهُ

أَو مَن وَتَرتَ لَمَعقودٌ بِهِ الخَطَرُ

Bare, straight, its drinking-cups the wrist adorn

For reliance upon one you do not trust,

Of every knight like a lord strict and stern,

Or one you have antagonized, is bound to peril.

وَالنُصحُ إِن لَم يَكُن بِالدينِ مُرتَبِطاً

فَأَحرِ مِن صَفوِهِ أَن يَحدُث الكَدَرُ

Veiled with the polish of grit and the sheen of pearl,

And counsel, if not anchored in religion,

Almost informing thee what the writ of passion says

Is liable to turn murky after seeming clear.

وَاللَهُ يُبقيكَ لِلإِسلامِ مُدَّرَءاً

تَروحُ بِالعِزِّ مَحروساً وَتَبتَكِرُ

When it flows - "No! Flat and rugged is my way!"

May God preserve you as a mighty shield for Islam,

Thou urgest on a mettlesome steed the neighs

Moving in glory, guarded, from morning until eve.

ظِلّاً لَنا مِن حَرورِ الجَورِ مُنتَعِشاً

لِبائِسٍ مَسَّهُ مِن دَهرِهِ عُسُرُ

Of its longing for war's ardors and affray!

A refreshing shade protecting us from the scorching heat of tyranny,

On how many battlefields hast slain and thrust

For the wretched one touched by time's adversity.

أَجَلتَ أَقداحَ فِكري في الوَرى نَظَراً

أُصَوِّبُ الفِكرَ أَحياناً وَأَنحَدِرُ

Where polished blade and lance the market crust!

I cast the arrows of my thought to contemplate mankind,

Bay steeds whose towering necks and croups adjust

Sometimes aiming high, and sometimes probing deep.

فَلَيسَ إِلّاكَ في الدُنيا نُؤَمِّلُهُ

لِنُصرَةِ الدينِ وَالدُنيا وَنَنتَظِرُ

And the shoulder-breadths make slight the foe unjust!

And there is no one in this world but you in whom we hope,

By them religion's probation all adjusted,

To champion faith and life, and for whom we wait.

لَو اِستَطَعنا لَشاطَرناكَ مُدَّتَنا

وَكانَ بَيعاً بِهِ رِبحٌ وَمُتَّجَرُ

After its barrenness shook now fruits are clustered.

If we could, we would share with you our span of years,

Lances complain of thine undeviating twisted,

A transaction that would bring us profit and gain.

أَنتَ الَّذي قُدتَها جُرداً مُسَوَّمَةً

يوري الحُباحِبُ في أَرساغِها الحَجَرُ

And the baysteeds after war-clouds scattered and flustered!

You are he who led the short-haired, branded steeds,

In a strait that augments the bereaved's repining

Whose hooves strike sparks like fireflies against the stones.

مِن كُلِّ مُقرَبٍَ كَالسيِّدِ مُحكَمَةٍ

خَيفانَةٍ زانَها التَحجيلُ وَالغُرَرُ

For traitor or foeman Fortune is designing.

Every noble mount, lordly and strongly built,

How oft a folk believing, when their spite designing

Swift and lean, adorned with white blazes and socks.

تَكادُ تُعطيكَ عَن لَوحِ الهَوى خَبَراً

إِذا جَرَت قُلتَ لا سَهلٌ وَلا وَعِرُ

Hurt thee, from thee some dreadful risk combining,

She nearly speaks to you from the tablet of the wind;

Discovered thee regardful of plain-dealing,

When she runs, you perceive neither plain nor rugged terrain.

تَعدو بِشُعثِ مَساعيرٍ تَقودُهُم

يا مِسعَرَ الحَربِ حَيثُ الحَربُ تَستَعِرُ

When thou didst bounty and they plotting and stealing!

Charging with disheveled warriors whom you command—

Thou hast clad with pardon, the negligent way concealing,

O kindler of battle when the flames of war rage high.

فَكَم مَلاعِبِ أَرماحٍ أَقَمتَ بِها

سوقاً يُغَشَّمُ فيهِ الصارِمُ الذَكَرُ

Their shoulders thick with fortune's perfect healing,

How many fields of lance-play have you established there,

Wherefore excuse they made, or if thou hadst taken vengeance,

A market where the sharp, masculine sword deals heavy blows.

بيضٌ تُباعِدُ هاماً عَن مَنابِتِها

وَتَستَذِلُّ الَّذي في خَدِّهِ صَعرُ

Unheard of we or our forebears' cognizance

White blades that sever heads from their roots,

Is any clemency equal to thy grievance.

And humble the arrogant who turn their cheeks in pride.

أَضحَت بِها عَذاباتُ الدينِ بارِضَةً

بَعدَ القُحولَةِ مُهتَزّاً بِها الثَمَرُ

Thy view regarding wealth to hoard abstinence

Through them, the meadows of faith have sprouted green again,

Not as the miser hides it with his gluttonous insistence,

Bearing shaking fruit after the season of drought.

تَشكو الرِماحُ العَوالي مِن تَقَصُّدِها

وَالبيضُ بَعدَ فُلولِ الحَد تَنبَتِرُ

But for fair deeds thou spendest it in beneficence.

The high lances complain of shattering in the fray,

Far be it thou shouldst ally with vain extravagance!

And the white swords snap after their edges are notched.

في مَأزِقٍ يُكثِرُ الثَكلى تَأَجُّجُهُ

مِن ناكِثٍ أَو عَدُوٍّ حانَهُ قَدَرُ

Thy virtues shall be told of to our descendants,

In a crush of battle whose blaze multiplies bereaved mothers,

And after us be scriptures' word and sentence!

Among oath-breakers or foes whose destiny has arrived.

كَم ظَنَّ قَومٌ إِذا حَقَّت شَقاوَتُهُم

بِأَن لَهُم عَنكَ إِمّا أَبعَدوا وَزَرُ

A folk who see no merit save in opulence,

How many tribes imagined, when their wretchedness was sealed,

To them the Koran's vicegerents are offense;

That they had a refuge from you if they but fled afar.

فَكانَ مَحرَزُهُم لِلبَينِ يُبرِزُهُم

إِذ قَد وَفَيتَ لَهُم فَضلاً وَهُم غَدَروا

For heavenly degrees they have nor recompense.

Yet their very sanctuary exposed them to ruin,

Kings seek but worldly aims for recompense,

For you kept faith with bounty, while they played the traitor.

جَلَّلتَ فَضفاضَةَ النُعمى مَناكِبَهُم

عَفواً وَجوداً وَلَو عاقَبتَهُم عَذَروا

While thou art zealous only good deeds recommence.

You robed their shoulders in ample blessings,

Reward thee Heaven's rewards sent down from Providence

With pardon and grace—though had you punished, they would have no plea.

فَما سَمِعنا وَلَم تَسمَع أَوائِلُنا

بِمِثلِ حِلمِكَ فيما ضَمَّتِ السِيَرُ

To spread justice among the confluence!

We have not heard, nor did our ancients hear,

My loyalty to thee no lapse of time convince

Of forbearance like yours in all the chronicles of old.

وَلَيسَ رَأيُكَ في مالٍ تُجَمِّعُهُ

كَنزاً إِذا جَمَّعَ الخُزّانُ وَاِدَّخَروا

To change, though far and journey make pretense.

Your purpose lies not in the wealth you might amass

How forget thee who lived in thy safe precincts

As treasure, while hoarders gather and store away.

بَل لِلمَكارِمِ تَبنيها وَتَعمُرُها

حاشا يُخالِطُها زَهوٌ وَلا بَطَرُ

While people thy beneficence and bounty mince?

But rather in noble deeds you build and cultivate,

Take it, thought's daughter, whose eloquence convinces,

Untouched—God forbid—by vanity or arrogance.

مَآثِرٌ لَكَ تُتلى بَينَ أَظهُرِنا

وَبَعدَنا هُنَّ في صُحفِ العُلى سُوَرُ

Praise on thee show'ring muskiers' redolence,

Glorious feats of yours are recited in our midst,

Yet how should eulogy of thee attain eminence,

And after us, they shall be chapters in the scrolls of fame.

يَفديكَ قَومٌ يَرَونَ الكَنزَ مَكرُمَةً

وَما لَهُم في العُلى وِردٌ وَلا صَدرُ

When loftier than all encomiasts' eloquence

May you be ransomed by those who deem hoarding a virtue,

Thou stand'st? God bless (as He did prophets' eloquence)

Yet have no share nor standing in the heights of glory.

تَسعى مُلوكُ بَني الدُنيا لِأَنفُسِهِم

وَأَنتَ تَسعى لِكَيما يَصلُحَ البَشَرُ

The Intercessor, if excuse the penitence

The kings of this worldly race strive for themselves,

Of prophets, and his Household's innocence,

While you strive only that mankind may be reformed.

جَزَتكَ عَنّا جَوازي الخَيرِ مِن مَلِكٍ

عَمَّ الرَعِيَّةَ عَدلٌ مِنهُ فَاِنتَشَروا

And Companions sun and moon and radiance!

May the King of Kings reward you with good on our behalf,

For a justice that embraced the flock and made them thrive.

لي فيكَ صِدقُ وَلاءٍ لا يُغَيِّرُهُ

نَأيُ المَزارِ وَلَو يَخرَوِّطُ السَفَرُ

I hold for you a true loyalty, unaltered

By distance of abode, however long the journey proves.

وَكَيفَ أَنساكَ يا مَن عِشتُ في كَنَفٍ

مِن ظِلِّ إِحسانِهِ وَالناسُ قَد خَبَروا

How could I forget you, O you in whose protecting shadow

I have lived, amidst a benevolence known to all?

خُذها اِبنَةَ الفِكرِ يَجلو حُسنُ مَنطِقِها

عَلَيكَ مِنها ثَناءً نَشرُهُ عَطِرُ

Accept this daughter of my thought, whose eloquence shines clear,

Bestowing upon you praise with a fragrant scent.

وَما عَسى يَبلُغُ المُثني عَلَيكَ وَقَد

جاوَزتَ ما نَظَمَ المُدّاحُ أَو نَثَروا

Yet what can a eulogist achieve in praising you,

When you have surpassed all that poets verse or scribes compose?

ثُمَّ الصَلاةُ وَتَسليمُ الإِلهِ مَعاً

عَلى الشَفيعِ إِذا ما الأَنبِيا اِعتَذَروا

Then, may the prayers and peace of God together be

Upon the Intercessor, when other prophets plead excuse.

وَآلهِ الغُرِّ وَالأَصحابِ ما طَلَعَت

شَمسٌ وَما لاحَ نَجمٌ أَو بَدا قَمَرُ

And upon his noble kin and friends, as long as suns may rise,

Or stars may sparkle, or the moon ascend the sky.