دَعاها تَشِمْ آثارَ نجْدٍ فَفي نجْدِ

هَوىً هاجَ منْها ذِكْرُهُ كامِنَ الوَجْدِ

He invited her to scent the traces of Najd, so

His passion for it smoldered inside her like hidden love.

ولا تَصْرِفاها عنْ وُرودِ جِمامِهِ

فكَمْ شرِقَتْ بالرّيقِ في موْرِدِ الجُهْدِ

Do not take her away from frequenting its meadows,

For how many times has she glowed with joy in the field of exertion.

يُذيب بُراها الشّوْقُ لوْلا مَدامِعٌ

تَحُلُّ عُراها في المَحاجِرِ والخَدِّ

Yearning melts her constancy, were it not for tears

That dissolve her firmness into her cheeks and neck.

وتصْبو الى عهْدٍ هُنالِكَ سالِفٍ

فتُبْدي منَ الشّوْقِ المبرِّحِ ما تُبْدي

She longs for the past era, gone by,

So her fervent longing makes manifest what it makes manifest.

حمَلْنَ نَشاوَى منْ سُلافِ صُبابَةٍ

تَميلُ بهِمْ ميْلَ المُنعّمَةِ المُلْدِ

They carried the pleasures of early youth,

Inclining with the leaning of blessedness and smoothness.

إذا هبّ هَفّافُ النّسيمِ تَساقَطوا

فكَفٌّ الى قلْبِ وأخْرى على خَدِّ

When the breeze of zephyr blew gently, they fell

A cheek to a heart, the other on a cheek.

نَشَدْتُكُما باللّهِ هلْ تُبْصِرانِها

مَعالِمَ محّتْها الغَمائِمُ منْ بَعْدي

I adjure you by God, do you see her

After the clouds have erased her landmarks from me?

عَفَتْ غيرَ سُفْعٍ كالحَمامِ جَواثِمٍ

وغيْرَ جِدارٍ مثْلِ حاشيَةِ البُرْدِ

She remained chaste, without any blemish, like a turtledove,

And without any wall, like the hem of a cloak.

وموْقِدِ نارٍ يسْتَطيرُ رَمادُهُ

ونُؤْيِ كَما دارَ السِّوارُ على الزَّنْدِ

Like the ashes of a fire rising in the air,

And the fibers of a bracelet turning on the wrist.

وغيْرِ ظِباءٍ في رُباها كَوانِسٍ

تفَيّأْنَ في أفْيائِها دوْحَةَ الرّنْدِ

And without any young gazelles whose friendship is like

Maidens sporting in their playgrounds.

قِفوا نتَشَكّى ما نُلاقي منَ الهَوى

ونُنْحي على يوْمِ الرّحيلِ ونسْتَعْدي

Let us stop to complain of the passion we encounter

And prepare for the day of departure, making amends,

ونُهْدي الى الأجْفانِ إثْمِدَ تُرْبِها

فَما اكْتَحَلَتْ منْ بَعْدِهِ بسِوى السُّهْدِ

And send our tears to the eyelids,

For after it, they are not lined except with wakefulness.

سنَسْألُ عنْ سُكّانِها نَفسَ الصَّبا

لعلّ نسيمَ الرّيحِ يُخْبِرُ عنْ هِنْدِ

We will ask the zephyr about the dwellers,

Perhaps the breeze will inform about India.

إذِ العيْشُ غضٌّ والشّبيبَةُ وارِفٌ

جَناها وشَمْلُ الحَيِّ مُنْتَظِمُ العِقْدِ

For life is green and youth flourishing,

Its prosperity and the gathering of the living secured.

مَفارِقُ ما راعَ البَياضُ سَوادَها

وأفْئِدَةٌ لمْ تَدْرِ ما ألَمُ الصّدِّ

The whiteness has parted from its blackness,

And hearts that do not know the pain of separation.

ووَصْلٍ كأنّا منْهُ في سِنَةِ الكَرى

وعَيْشٍ كأنّا منْهُ في جنّةِ الخُلْدِ

And a union as if we were in the best years,

And a life as if we were in the eternal paradise.

مَرابِعُ أُلاّفي وعهْدُ أحِبّتي

سَقى اللهُ ذاكَ العهْدَ مُنْسَكِبَ العِهْدِ

My steeds of thousands and era of loved ones

May God water that era of cascading affection.

وجادَ بهِ منْ جُودِ يوسُفَ ساجِمٌ

مُلِثُّ هَمولٌ دونَ برْقٍ ولا رَعْدِ

He brought it with the generosity of a pouring rain,

Without lightening or thunder.

إمامُ هُدىً منْ آلِ سَعْدٍ نِجارُهُ

ونصْرُ الهُدى مِيراثُهُ لبَني سَعْدِ

The Imam of guidance from the family of Saad,

And victory for guidance is his inheritance for the children of Saad.

مآثِرُهُ تلْتاحُ في صُحُفِ العُلَى

وآثارُهُ تسْتَنُّ في سُنَنِ الرُّشْدِ

His virtues shine in the highest domains

And his impact shines in the ways of righteousness.

إذا هَمَّ أمْضى اللهُ في الأرضِ حُكْمَهُ

وما لِقَضاءِ اللهِ في الأرضِ منْ رَدِّ

When he intends, God fulfills his rule in the land,

And there is no repealing God’s decree in the earth.

أقولُ لرَكْبٍ ينْتَحي طُرُقَ السُّرى

ويَخْبِطُ في جُنْحٍ منَ الليْلِ مرْبَدِّ

I say to a caravan heading on the paths of nobility

And groping in an expanse of night and murkiness,

تَهادَى مَطاياهُ التّهائِمُ والرُّبى

ويَرْمي بهِ غوْرَ الفَلاةِ الى نَجْدِ

Their steeds stumbling and frightened,

And it hurls them into the depths of the arid wilderness toward Najd.

وقد أخْلَفَ الغيْثُ السَّكوبُ دِيارَها

وأفْضى بِها هزْلُ السِّنينَ الى جِدِّ

For rain has failed to pour on its dwellings

And the passing of years has led it to ruins.

ولمْ يُبْقِ منْهُ الأزْلُ غيرَ حُشاشَةٍ

تُنازِعُها اللَّأْواءُ في العَظْمِ والجِلْدِ

The time has left of it only traces

Contested by foxes over bone and skin.

أرِيحُوا فقَدْ يمّمْتُمْ حَضْرَةَ النّدى

وأوْرَدْتُمُ في مَوْرِدِ الرِّفْقِ والرِّفْدِ

Take comfort, for you have reached the abode of dew,

And arrived at the station of gentleness and hospitality,

بحيثُ بُلوغُ القَصْدِ ليسَ بنازِحٍ

لراجٍ ولا بابُ الرّجاءِ بمُنْسَدِّ

Where attaining your purpose is not far off

For one seeking or the door of hope shut off.

ولُذْتُمْ منَ الدّهْرِ الظَّلومِ بناصِرٍ

يَرُدُّ شَباةَ الدّهْرِ مَفْلولَةَ الحَدِّ

You have found, in the unjust world, a victorious supporter,

Who repeals the youthfulness of time, fallen into decay.

بهِ جمَعَ اللهُ القُلوبَ على الهُدَى

وأذْهَبَ ما تُخْفي الصّدورُ منَ الحِقْدِ

Through him God united hearts upon guidance

And removed what breasts concealed of resentment.

وأحْيَى رُسومَ الفَضْلِ وهْيَ دَوارِسٌ

وأطْلَعَ منْ نورِ الهِدايَةِ ما يَهْدي

He revived the exemplars of nobility though they were hidden

And brought forth from the light of guidance what provides guidance.

فَما روْضَةٌ بالغَوْرِ عاهَدَها الحَيا

وحُلّتْ حُبا الأنْواءِ في ذلكَ العِقْدِ

So no meadow in the valley covenanted with life

Where the love of variances was gathered in that knot,

وحَجّبَها عنْ ناظِرِ الشّمْسِ فانْثَنَتْ

تسَتّرُ في ظِلٍّ منَ الغَيْمِ مُمْتَدِّ

Which the sun’s sight is veiled from, bending

To take shelter in a cloud’s shade, outstretched.

وبَثَّ نَسيمُ الرّوضِ فيها تحيّةً

قَريبَةَ عهْدٍ باجْتِيازٍ على الهِنْدِ

The meadow’s breeze greeted it with a scent

Of a near past, crossing over India.

وفَضّ فَتيتَ المِسْكِ في جَنَباتِها

فأرْعَفَ آنافَ الشّقائِقِ والوَرْدِ

The musk’s essence spilled into its sides,

So it perfumed the noses of anemones and roses.

بأعْطَرَ عَرْفاً منْ أريجِ ثَنائِهِ

إذا نشَرَتْ آثارَهُ صُحُفُ الحَمْدِ

With a fragrance more aromatic than the scent of his praise

When the pages of praise spread his traces.

أنَاصِرَ دينِ اللهِ وابْنَ نَصيرِهِ

على حينَ لا يُغْني نَصيرٌ ولا يُجْدي

The supporter of God’s religion and son of its supporter

When no supporter avails or is of use.

طَلَعْتَ على الدّنْيا بأيْمَنِ غُرّةٍ

أضاءَ بها نورُ السّعادَةِ في المَجْدِ

You rose upon the world under auspicious circumstances

By which the light of fortune shone in glory.

وكمْ رصَدَتْ منّا العُيونُ طُلوعَها

فحُقِّقَ نصْرُ اللهِ في ذلِكَ الرّصْدِ

How many eyes anticipated its rising!

So God’s victory was realized in that watch.

ولمّا عرَتْ هَذي الجَزيرَة روْعَةٌ

وأصْبَحَ فِيها الرُّعْبُ مُلْتَهِبَ الوَقْدِ

When terror gripped this peninsula,

And terror took flame within it.

وأوْجَفَ خوْفُ الكُفْرِ شُمَّ هِضابِها

تَدارَكْتَ منْها كُلَّ واهٍ ومُنْهَدِّ

When the disbelief’s fear sniffed its plateaus,

You remedied from it every fallen and collapsed one.

هزَزْتَ الى إعْزازِها كُلَّ ذابِلٍ

وقُدْتَ الى إصْراخِها كُلَّ ذي لِبْدِ

You roused every withered one to its glory

And led every lionhearted one to its roar.

وشِمْتَ سُيوفَ الحقِّ واللهُ ناصِرٌ

وجهّزْتَ قبلَ الجيْشِ جيْشاً منَ السّعْدِ

You unsheathed the swords of truth while God is the helper

And readied an army before the army, from the auspicious.

وقُلْتَ لنَفْسِ العَزْمِ هُبّي وشَمّري

وهَذا أوانُ الشَّدِّ في اللهِ فاشْتَدّي

You said to the soul of resolve: arise and prepare

For this is the time of struggle in God, so be resolute!

ولوْ لمْ تَقُدْ جيْشاً كَفَتْكَ مَهابَةٌ

منَ اللهِ تُغْني عنْ نَصيرٍ وعنْ جُنْدِ

Even if you did not ready an army, awe from God would suffice you,

Doing without a supporter or soldier.

ولكِنْ جَنَبْتَ الجُرْدَ قُبّاً بُطونُها

فأقْبَلْنَ أسْراباً كمِثْلِ القَطا تَرْدي

But you spared the regiments’ brides, their bellies

So they came in droves like locusts pouring forth.

وما راعَ مَلْكَ الرّومِ إلا طُلوعُها

بَوارِقَ تُدْعَى بالمُطهّمَةِ الجُرْدِ

It did not please the kingdom of Rome except their rising

With reflections called the adorned regiments.

وغاباً منَ الخَطّيِّ تحْتَ ظِلالِهِ

أُسودٌ منَ الأنْصارِ تفْتِكُ بالأُسْدِ

A darkness from the helpers under its shadows

Lions rending at lions.

فلمّا اسْتَفَزّ الذُّعْرُ منْكَ فُؤادَهُ

وحقّقَ معْنى الفَضْلِ في ذلِكَ الحَدِّ

When terror provoked its heart from you

And substantiated the meaning of superiority in that limit.

وما بَرِحَتْ واللهُ ناصِرُ دينِهِ

قضاياهُ في عَكْسٍ لدَيْكَ وفي طَرْدِ

You did not cease, and God is the helper of His religion,

His affairs counter to you and in repulsion.

رَمى بِيَدِ الإذْعانِ للسِّلْمِ رَهْبَةً

وخاطَبَ يسْتَدْعي رِضاكَ ويسْتَجْدي

It threw with the hand of surrender to peace, frightened,

Appealing for your satisfaction and begging grace.

فرُحْمى لحَيٍّ لمْ تُجِرْهُ فإنّهُ

فَريدٌ وإنْ أضْحى منَ القوْمِ في عَدِّ

So have mercy on a living soul whose ropes you did not pull

For he is unique even if he was among the people in number.

وأصْرَخَ نصْرُ اللهِ دعْوَةَ صارخٍ

طوَيْتَ لهُ تحْتَ الدُّجى شُقّةَ البُعْدِ

He cried out, so God’s victory concealed for him

Under darkness the remoteness of distance.

وبُشْرى لأرْضٍ قد سَلَكْتَ بأهْلِها

منَ السَّنَنِ الأرْضى على واضِحِ القَصْدِ

Good tidings to a land whose people you have led

Among the exemplars, clearly intended.

جمَعْتَ بِها الأهْواءَ بعْدَ افْتِراقِها

فأصْبَحَ فيها الضِدُّ يأنَسُ بالضِّدِ

You united through it disparate passions

So opposites became intimate with opposites in it.

ويَهْديكَ هَذا العِيدُ أسْعَدُ وافِدٍ

أتاكَ معَ النّصْرِ العَزيزِ على وعْدِ

May this holiday lead you, happiest of comers,

Who came to you with mighty victory, true to promise.

طَوى البُعْدَ عنْ شوْقٍ وحطّ رِكابَهُ

بِبابِكَ بابِ الجودِ في جُمْلَةِ الوَفْدِ

It folded the distance from yearning and alighted

At your door, the door of bounty among the delegation.

فأوْلَيْتَنا في ظِلِّه كلَّ نِعْمَةٍ

هيَ القَطْرُ لا يُحْصى بحَصْرٍ ولا عَدِّ

So we have delighted in its shade every blessing,

Which is the rain, beyond enumeration or limit.

وفاضَتْ بهتّانِ النّدى منْكَ راحَةٌ

هيَ البحْرُ لا ينْفَكُّ حِيناً عنِ المَدِّ

By it, the radiance of dew overflowed from you as tranquility

Which is the sea, never ceasing for a time its flow.

ودونَكَها منْ بَحْرِ فِكْري لآلِئا

تُقلِّدُ في نحْرِ وتُنْظَمُ في عِقْدِ

I picked from the sea of my thoughts, pearls for you

To adorn your neck and string on a necklace.

يَسيرُ بِها رَكْبُ النّسيمِ إذا سَرَتْ

سِراعُ المَطايا في ذَميلٍ وفي وَخْدِ

The caravan of breeze travels with it when it departs

At the pace of steeds, gently and smoothly.

تَقومُ بآفاقِ البِلادِ خَطيبَةً

تُتَرْجِمُ عنْ حُبّي وتُخْبِرُ عنْ وُدّي

It stands in the horizons of the countries, speaking

Translating my love and telling of my affection.

كأنّ العِراقِيّينَ عنْدَ سَماعِها

وقدْ غصّ حفْلُ القَوْمِ نحْلٌ على شُهْدِ

It is as if the people of Iraq, upon hearing it,

And their group has plunged into honey and nectar,

يَقولونَ إنْ هبّتْ منَ الَمْدِ نفْحَةٌ

فليْسَ لِهذا النّدِّ في الأرْضِ منْ نِدِّ

Say: If a breeze blows from sweetness,

Then this dew has no equal in the earth!

سَقى اللهُ قُطْراً أطْلَعَتْكَ سَماؤُهُ

وبورِكَ في موْلى كَريمٍ وفي عَبْدِ

May God water a star whose sky shone you forth

And bless a generous master and servant.