أعِيذَتْ بِمَسْرَاكَ النُّجُومُ الغَوَارِبُ

وَهَشَّتْ لِمَرْآكَ النُّجُومُ الثَّوَاقِبُ

The setting stars sought refuge in your abode,

And the piercing stars trembled at the sight of you.

وَهَامَتْ بِذِكْرَى مَجْدِكَ السُّمْرُ وَالظُّبَي

وَسُرَّتْ بِلُقْيَاكَ الحَيَا وَالسَّلاَهِبُ

The wild beasts and the beasts of prey were enamored with the memory of your glory,

And the living creatures and the creeping creatures rejoiced at meeting you.

وَدَانَتْ لَكَ الدُّنْيَا فَعَزَّ مُسَالِمٌ

وَأخْصَبَ مِرْبَاعٌ وَذَلَّ مُحَارِبُ

The world submitted to you, so he who makes peace was honored,

And he who wages war was humiliated and subdued.

لِتَعْلَمَ أنَّ اللَّهَ أنْجَزَ وَعْدَهُ

فَلاَ الْوَعْدُ مَنْقُوصٌ وَلاَ الْقَوْلُ كَاذِبُ

So that you may know that God fulfilled His promise,

For the promise was not diminished, nor was the word a lie.

قَدِمْتَ قُدُومَ اللَّيْثِ وَاللَّيْثُ بَاسِلٌ

وَجِئْتَ مَجِيءَ السَّيْلِ وَالسَّيْلُ حَاطبُ

You came with the coming of a lion, and the lion is mighty,

You approached with the approach of a flood, and the flood is overwhelming.

وَمَا أنْتَ إلاَّ الْوَبْلُ لِيناً وَشِدَّة

لِطَالِبِ سِلْمٍ أوْ لِبَاغٍ يُحَارِبُ

You are gentleness to one who seeks peace, and firmness against one who wages war.

So you do not raise what you have lowered,

فَلاَ تَرْفَعُ الأيَّامُ مَا أنْتَ خَافِضٌ

وَلاَ تَجْزِمُ الأقْوَالُ مَا أنْتَ نَاصِبُ

Nor affirm what you have denied.

You do not take away what you have given,

وَلاَ تَسْلُبُ الأهْوَالُ مَا أنْتَ مَانِحٌ

وَلا تَمْنَعُ الأقْيَالُ مَا أنْتَ طَالِبُ

Nor prevent what you have sought.

Who can confront the lion while it is imposing?

وَمَنْ ذَا يُلاَقِي اللَّيْثَ وَاللَّيْثُ كَاسِرٌ

وَمَنْ ذَا يُنَاوِي الحَقَّ وَالحَقُّ غَالِبُ

And who can oppose the truth while it is dominant?

And who can argue with words and proof

وَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يُدْلِي بِقَوْلٍ وَحُجَّةٍ

وَفَصْلُ خِطَابِ اللَّهِ عَنْكَ مُجَاوِبُ

While God's discourse supports you and responds on your behalf?

You are as you have always been - neither heedless of heart,

فَأنْتَ كَلاَكَ الدَّهْرُ لاَ القَلْبُ غَافِلٌ

وَلاَ الطَّرْفُ مَغْمُوضٌ وَلا الرَّأيُ خائِبُ

Nor bleary-eyed, nor mistaken in judgment.

The most worthy of God's servants to hold authority

وَأوْلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ بِالْمُلْكِ مَنْصِباً

إذَا انْتَصَبَتْ لِلْمُلْكِ تِلْكَ المَنَاصِبُ

Are those who assume those high positions.

The firmest of them in resolve when the fighter attacks,

وَأثْبَتُهُمْ جَأشاً إذَا صَالَ صَائِلٌ

وَأجْوَدُهُمْ كَفّاً إذَا جَادَ وَاهِبُ

The most generous of them in giving when the gracious one bestows,

The most faithful of them in covenant when the betrayer is treacherous,

وَأوْفَاهُمُ عَهْداً إذَا خَانَ نَاكِثٌ

وَأصْوَبُهُمْ رَأياً إذَا ضَلَّ ذَاهِبُ

The soundest of them in judgment when the straying one is lost.

The most piercing of them in thrust when the assailant misses,

وَأطْعَنُهُمْ نَحْراً إذَا خَابَ طَاعِنٌ

وَأْضَربُهُمْ لِلْهَامِ إنْ زَلَّ ضَارِبُ

The surest of them in blow when the striker falters.

So say to the descendants of Al-Farooq: Unsheathe your swords!

فَقُلْ لِبَنِي الفَارُوقِ سُلُّوا سُيُوفَكُمْ

فَإنَّ بهَا المَسْعُود نَاهٍ وَنَاهِبُ

For with them good fortune is made accessible and within reach.

Not everyone who meets the thick of battle is an opponent,

فَمَا كُلُّ مَنْ لاَقَى الكُمَاةَ مُصَادِمٌ

وَلاَ كُل مَنْ سَلَّ السُّيُوفَ مُضَارِبُ

Nor is everyone who wields swords a combatant.

His position is high above the suspicions of critics,

تَرَفَّعَ عَنْ رَيْبِ الظُّنُونِ مَقَامُهُ

كَمَا رُفِّعَتْ فَوْقَ العُيُونِ الحَوَاجِبُ

Just as eyebrows are raised above eyes.

With him is the support of loved ones when an arrogant boaster challenges,

بِهِ نُصْرَةُ الأحْبَابِ إنْ قَامَ مَاجِدٌ

يُفَاخِرُهُ أوْ ذُو لِسَانٍ يُجَاوِبُ

Or when someone with a loose tongue retorts.

He marched on, and behind him and before him marched

وَسَارَ وَسَارَتْ خَلْفَهُ وَأمَامَهُ

نَجَائِبُ تَخْطُو تَحْتَهُنَّ النَّجائِبُ

Companies with lowered banners carried beneath them.

From Tunisia the passion of his steeds reached Constantinople

وَمِنْ تُونِسٍ وَافَتْ قُسَنْطِينَةَ الهَوَى

لِتِسْعِ لَيَالٍ خَيْلُهُ وَالرَّكَائِبُ

In nineteen nights, his horses and carriages.

Each a piercing calamity, not maimed in hoof

وَلاَ صَاحِبٌ إلاَّ كُمَاةٌ غَوَالِبٌ

وَسُمْرٌ مَطَاعِينٌ وَبِيضٌ قَوَاضِبُ

Nor crooked in back, and white as lightning in attack.

Dragging the walls of impregnable citadels

وَجَرُّ قِلاَعٍ مَارِجَاتٍ كَأنَّهَا

نَعَامٌ سَوَامٍ أوْ ظِبَاءٌ رَبَارِبُ

Like ostriches of evenly matched feet or gazelles bounding forward.

They ask not whether the task be difficult or easy,

مِنَ الطَّالِبَاتِ البَرْقَ لاَ الشَّأوُ مُعْجِزٌ

وَلاَ الظَّهْرُ مقسُوم وَلاَ الشاء غَالِبُ

Whether the back be broken or the omen unfavorable.

When the citadels and encampments became visible to them,

وَأمَّ وَبَرْقُ الفَتْحِ يَقْتَادُ جَيْشَهُ

سَحَائِبُ نَصْرٍ تِلْوَهُنَّ سَحَائِبُ

With no fortress save the outstripping gray mares.

You performed the prayer of war in the mosque of turmoil,

بِعَشْرَةِ الآفٍ مُسَوَّمَةٍ لَهَا

مَطَالِعُ فِي أفْقِ العُلَى وَمَغَارِبُ

Your pulpit being the clouds and your sword the preacher.

You turned the soft earth with spears into a meadow

أطَاعَ لَهَا أنَّ الكَمَائِنَ خَلْفَهَا

كَمَا وَقَفَتْ خَلْفَ البَنُودِ المَوَاكِبُ

Studded for the white steeds with places to roam.

You protected every pass from the confuse rabble -

وَأنَّ النُّجُومَ الطَّالِعَاتِ أسِنَّةٌ

وَأنَّ الرِيَاحَ الذَّارِيَاتِ كَتَائِبُ

And who can escape while you pursue?

You made it for them, in the abode of war, a decorated house

وَأنَّ الرُّعُودَ القَاصِفَاتِ صَوَاعِقٌ

وَأنَّ البُرُوقَ الخَاطِفَاتِ قَوَاضِبُ

With its sides adorned for their arrival with brown steeds.

They have no food but their swords, no drink but blood.

وَمَا رَاعَ عُرْبَ الغَرْبِ إلاَّ اطِّلاَعُهَا

وَرَايَاتُهَا تَرْفَضُّ مِنْهَا المَصَائِبُ

So every land, however vast, was straitened for them,

And no fugitive escaped what God had decreed.

وَبِيضُ ظُبىً تَسْوَدُّ مِنْهَا وُجوهُهمْ

وَسُمْرُ قَناً تَصْفَرُّ مِنْهَا العَقَارِبُ

Is there in God's lands, apart from you, any refuge

For an offender when asked: where are the places of refuge?

وَحِينَ تَرَاءَى نَجْعُهُمْ وَخِيَامُهُمْ

وَلاَ حِصْنَ إلاَّ السَّابِقَاتُ السَّوَارِبُ

And when they saw that nothing could protect them

Save the cave of clemency erected by divine gifts.

أقَمْتَ صَلاَةَ الحَرْبِ في مَسْجِدِ الوَغَى

وَمِنْبَرُكَ الهَامَاتُ وَالسَّيْفُ خَاطِبُ

They came to you submissively, hoping for pardon and favor,

Their tears flowing upon their cheeks.

وَصَيَّرْتَ بِالأرْمَاحِ في النَّقْعِ رَوْضَةً

مُفَوَّقَةً لِلْبِيضِ فِيهَا مَذَاهِبُ

So you pardoned their grave sins,

And one like you does not strike one who repents.

وَصُنْتَ عَنِ الهُرَّابِ كُلَّ ثَنِيَّةٍ

وَمَنْ ذَا الذِي يَنْجُو وَأنْتَ المُطَالِبُ

You granted them clemency and saturated their land

With clouds of gifts and kindnesses.

وَصَنَّعْتَهُمْ فِي دَارِ حَرْبِ تَزَخْرَفَتْ

لِمَقْدَمِهمْ بالسُّمْرِ منْهَا الجَوَانبُ

You entrusted the Lord of Authority, the expected High One,

With aiding them, and He is the prevailing Imam.

فَلَيْسَ لَهُمْ إلاّ الحُسَامُ مُطَاعمٌ

وَلَيْسَ لَهُمْ إلاَّ الحِمَامُ مُشَارِبُ

So magnify through him a glory as great as his glory,

Around which hopes revolve or to which lofty aspirations descend.

فَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهمْ كُلُّ أرْضٍ برحْبهَا

وَلَمْ يَنْجُ مِمَّا قَدْ قَضَى اللَّهُ هَارِبُ

Among a people who are the knights of eloquence and valor,

Truly men of prowess and imposing power.

وَهَلْ فِي بِلاَدِ اللَّهِ دُونَكَ مَذْهَبٌ

لِبَاغٍ إذَا مَا قِيلَ أيْنَ المَذَاهِبُ

When they shine their light we say: ascending suns,

And when they hide we say: piercing stars.

وَلَمَّا رَأوْا أنْ لَيْسَ يُنْجِس حِمَاهُمُ

سِوَى كَهْف حِلْمٍ شَيَّدَتْهُ المَوَاهِبُ

When they favor we say: abundant rains,

And when they punish we say: fierce lions.

أتَوْكَ عُفَاةً تَرْتَجِي العَفْوَ وَالرّضَى

وَأدْمُعُهُمْ فَوْقَ الخُدُودِ سَوَاكِبُ

Theirs are the plains of life and the quintessence of humanity,

The aspirations of nobility, the high and the low.

فَجُدْتَ بِعَفْوٍ عَنْ عَظِيمِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ

وَمِثْلُكَ لاَ يَغْتَالُ مَنْ هُوَ تَائِبُ

O you who possess what is beautiful and preserve what is sublime,

To whose perfection the lofty enterprises aspire.

وَأوْسَتْعَهُمْ حِلْماً وَأمْطَرْتَ أرْضَهُمْ

بِسُحْبِ هِبَاتٍ وَبْلُهُنَّ الرَّغَائِبُ

I congratulate you on the blessed Eid, and indeed

I congratulate it because it has received your kindness.

وَأوْصَيْتَ رَبَّ الأمْرِ مُنْتَظَرَ العُلَى

بِإسْعَافِهِمْ وَهْوَ الإمَامُ المُغَالِبُ

So you have congratulated it a thousandfold and more,

Until you are called to rest or the reckoning is forgotten.

فَأعْظِمْ بِهِ مَجْداً بِكَعْبَةِ مَجْدِهِ

تَطُوفُ الأمَانِي أوْ تَحُطُّ الرَّكَائِبُ

The servant has brought to your door eulogy like

A sky adorned in its lofty heights with stars.

مِنَ القَوْمِ فُرْسَانِ البَلاَغَةِ وَالْوَغَى

عَلَى أنَّهُم صِيدٌ رِجَالٌ أغَالِبُ

For if the poets are counted, I am counted among the poets,

And if the writers are counted, I am counted among the writers.

إذَا أوَّبُوا قُلْنَا شُمُوسٌ طَوَالِعٌ

وَإنْ أدْلَجُوا قُلْنَا نُجُومٌ ثَوَاقِبُ

It is you who have helped me, enabling me to do it,

For without guidance the difficult paths would not be clear.

وَإنْ أنْعَمُوا قُلْنَا غُيُوثٌ هَوَاطِلٌ

وَإنْ نَقِمُوا قُلْنَا لُيُوثٌ غَوَالِبُ

Grant me then a boon whose clouds have gathered,

So that mounted and on foot may envy me.

لَهُمْ وَاضِحُ الدُّنْيَا وَإنْسَانُ عَيْنِهَا

وَهَامُ المَعَالِي وَالذُّرَى وَالغَوَارِبُ

You remain forever, however much the doves may sing,

The breezes blow, and the clouds pour down.

فَيَا مَالِكَ الحُسْنَى وَيَا شَائِدَ النُّهَى

وَيَا مَنْ إلَى جَدْوَاهُ تُحْدَى الرَّكَائِبُ

That the world may thrive through you and the heights prosper through you,

That you may be guided to what is beautiful and what is demanded turned away.

أهَنِّيكَ بِالْعِيدِ السَّعِيدِ وَإنَّمَا

أهَنِّيهِ إذْ وَافَتْهُ مِنْكَ الرَّغَائِبُ

فَهُنِّئْتَهُ ألْفاً وَأمْثَالَ مِثْلهَا

إلَى أنْ تُوَفَّي أوْ يَضِلَّ المُحَاسِبُ

لِبَابِكَ أهْدَى العَبْدُ مَدْحاً كَأنَّهُ

سَمَاءٌ تَجَلَّتْ فِي عُلاَهَا الكَوَاكِبُ

فَإنِّي إذَا الشُّعَرَاءُ عُدَّتْ لَشَاعِرٌ

وَإنِّي إذَا الكُتَّابُ عُدَّتْ لَكَاتِبُ

وَأنْتَ الَّذِي أسْعَفْتَنِي فَصَنَعْتُهُ

وَلَوْلاَ الْهَوَادِي مَا تَبِينُ السَّبَاسِبُ

فَجُدْ لِي بِإنْعَامٍ تَبَارَتْ غُيُومُهُ

لِيَحْسُدَنِي مَاشٍ عَلَيْهِ وَرَاكِبُ

فَلاَ زِلْتَ تَبْقَى مَا تَغَنَّتْ حَمَائِمٌ

وَهَبَّتْ نُسَيْمَاتٌ وَهَلَّتْ سَحَائِبُ

لِتَزْهُو بِكَ الدُّنْيَا وَتَسْمُو بِكَ العُلَى

وَتُهْدَي بِكَ الحُسْنَى وَتُولَى المَطَالِبُ