يا حُسنَ مَبدى الخَيلِ في بُكورِها
تَلوحُ كَالأَنجُمِ في دَيجورِها
O, the beauty of the horses as they emerge at dawn!
O beauty of horses in their early gallop
They gleam like stars in the darkness about them,
Shining like stars in their darkness
كَأَنَّما أَبدَعَ في تَشحيرِها
مُصَوِّرٌ حَسَّنَ مِن تَصويرِها
as though their coloring had been masterfully wrought
As if an artist perfected their adornment
by a painter who perfected their portrayal.
Beautifying them with his painting
تَحمِلُ غِربَناً عَلى ظُهورِها
في السَرَقِ المَنقوشِ مِن حَريرِها
They carry ravens upon their backs,
Bearing ornaments on their backs
in patterned fabrics of their silk.
On the embroidered saddles of silk
إِن حاذَروا النَبوَةَ مِن نُفورِها
أَهوَوا بِأَيدِهِم إِلى نُحورِها
If they fear being unseated when the horses shy,
If they shun inspiration in their aloofness
they reach down with their hands toward the horses' throats.
Their hands lead them to their demise
كَأَنَّها وَالحَبلُ في صُدورِها
أَجادِلٌ تَنهَضُ في سُيُرِها
They seem, with the rope across their breasts, like
As if the rope were in their chests
falcons rising in their jesses.
Arguing, rising up in their walk
مَرَّت تُباري الريحَ في مُرورِها
وَالشَمسُ قَد غابَ ضِياءُ نورِها
They sped past, racing the wind as they went,
Passing, vying with the wind in their striding
while the sun's radiant light had vanished
While the sun's light has disappeared
في الرَهَجِ الساطِعِ مِن تَنويرِها
حَطّى إِذا أَصغَت إِلى مُديرِها
in the dust shining with its illumination.
In the radiant dusk of their pacing
Until, when they heeded their guide
Stepping softly when harkening to their driver
وَاِنقَلَبَت تَهبِطُ في حُدورِها
تَصَوّبَ الطَيرِ إِلى وكورِها
and turned back, plunging in their descent,
Then turning to descend to their enclosures
like birds swooping down toward their nests,
Heading home the birds in their flocks
في حَلبَةٍ تَضحَكُ عَن بُدورِها
صارَ الرِجالُ شُرُفاً لِسورِها
on a racecourse smiling to reveal its full moons,
In an arena laughing beyond their tents
where men became battlements for its wall,
The men became honor to its walls
أُعطِيَ فَضلَ السَبقِ مِن جُمهورِها
مَن فَضَلَ الأومَّةَ في أُمورِها
the honor of first place among their throng was granted
Given precedence in the race by the crowds
to him who surpassed the nation in its affairs,
He who excelled the nation in its affairs
في فَضلِها وَبَذلِها وَخَيرِها
جَعفَرٌ الذائِدُ عَن ثُغورِها
in its excellence, its generosity, and its goodness:
In its merit, generosity, and goodness
Ja'far, the defender of its frontiers.
Ja'far, who warded off from its borders
تَبهى بِهِ وَهوَ عَلى سَريرِها
خِلافَةٌ وُفِّقَ في تَدبيرِها
Resplendent in him, as he sits upon its throne,
It glories in him while he is on its throne
is a caliphate he has been granted success in governing.
A caliphate ordained in its management
Sol 6.1