مَا أَطْبَقَ الهَمُّ إِلّا رَيثَما انْفَرَجَا
ولا دَجا الخطبُ إِلّا وَشْكَ مَا انْبَلَجا
Dark misfortune loomed until it broke
And distress flared until its veil lifted
مَا كادَ يبدو الضُّحى بالحزنِ مُكْتَئِباً
حَتَّى رأَيْنا الدُّجى بالنورِ مُنْبَلِجا
Scarcely had morn donned the gown of gloom
When we saw eve robed in radiant light
فاليومَ قَدْ لَبِسَ الإِظلامُ ثَوْبَ سَناً
فِي عُقْبِ مَا لَبِسَ الإِصباحُ ثوبَ دُجَى
Now day has worn the gown of evening
After morn had worn the robe of dusk
وأورقَتْ شَجَرُ الدنيا لَدُنْ عَرِيتْ
وعادَ يشدو حمامُ الملكِ إِذ نَشَجَا
And the world's trees turned green again
As the king's pigeons trilled with joy renewed
بَشَّر بالشَّمْسِ إِشْراقُ الضُّحى فَشَفَى
فِي إِثْرِ ناعٍ نَعَى نجمَ الهُدَى فَشَجا
The rise of dawn with sunlight brought good cheer
After a star heralding guidance sank in grief
رُزْءٌ حَكَى كَظَمَ الأَرواحِ أَعْقَبَهُ
صُنْعٌ أَعادَ إِلَى أَوْطانِها المُهَجَا
Mischief told of spirits in anguish then
A feat restored them to their homes once lost
فأَصْبَحَ المُلْكُ لا رَبْثاً ولا خَلَلاً
وأَصبحَ الدِّينُ لا أَمْتا ولا عِوَجا
Thus rule was set right, untainted and sound
Thus faith was made straight, unerring and true
فَلْتَهْنِنا نِعَمُ الرحمنِ حينَ هَدَى
بِعَبْدِهِ سُبُلَ الحقِّ الَّذِي نَهَجا
So let us rejoice in the favors of the Merciful
Who guided us with His upright servant
بِناصِرِ الدِّينِ والإِسلامِ مُفْتَتِحاً
بِيُمْنِهِ كُلَّ بابٍ للمُنى ارْتُتِجا
The champion of faith and Islam threw open
With his right hand each gate of desire
يا ابْنَ الَّذِي قادَ من أَذْواءِ ذي يَمَنٍ
عُرْفاً بعُرْفِ المعالِي والهدى وُشِجا
O son of him who led the unblemished creed
From the valley of al-Yaman's perils
من ذا يُنازِعُكَ الملكَ الَّذِي عَمَرَتْ
بِهِ أَوائِلُكَ الأَحقابَ والحِجَجَا
Who can contend with you for the reign you adorned
In early eras and times gone by
وَفِي جبينِكَ سِيَما المُلْكِ قَدْ بَهَرَتْ
وَفِي يمينِكَ قِدْحُ الحقِّ قَدْ فَلَجا
On your brow the mark of rule gleams bright
In your right hand the draft of truth gushes clear
ما كَانَ أَوَّلَ كَرْبٍ جَلَّ فادِحُهُ
دَجَا فكُنْتَ لَنَا من هَمِّهِ فَرَجَا
Whene'er dire distress flared severe
You were our relief from its affliction
فرُبَّ دهياءَ من خَطْبٍ أَضَأْتَ لَنَا
آراءَكَ الزُّهْرَ فِي آفاقِها سُرُجا
Often did your keen strategy reveal to us
Its splendid views on each horizon
ورُبَّ يومٍ وأَيَّامٍ كَشَفْتَ بِهَا
عَنَّا وعن مَلِكَيْكَ المَأْزِقَ اللَّحِجَا
Many a day you warded from us and your lands
The pressing perils and straits
وَعَزْمَةٍ لَكَ يومَ الرَّوْعِ صادِقَةٍ
تركْتَ صُمَّ الصَّفا فِي جَوِّها رَهَجَا
With resolve, staunch when disaster loomed
You left deaf hosts in disarray
ولُجَّةٍ من صَفِيحِ الهندِ خُضْتَ بِهَا
من المنايا إِلَى نَيْلِ المُنى لُججا
With a squadron from India's legions you charged
From doom to gain the object of hope
وكَرَّةٍ بعدَ أُخرى فِي نَدى ووَغىً
بَنْيتَها لسماواتِ العُلا دَرَجَا
Blow by blow, you built for heaven's heights
Step by step, a ladder raised
فما دَعَتْ غَيْرَكَ الآمالُ حينَ دَعَتْ
ولا رَجا غيرَكَ الإِسلامُ حينَ رَجَا
None but you were called by hopes when hopes called
None but you were sought by Islam when sought
ولا أَتَتْكَ وفودُ الحمدِ عامِدَةً
إِلّا تَلَقَّتْكَ مشغوفاً بِهَا لَهِجا
All who came to you with praise were met
By your passion for such delegations
ولا تَيَمَّمَكَ التأْميلُ مبتكِراً
إِلّا ووافاكَ بالإِنعامِ مُدَّلِجَا
Every bold idea that dreamed of you
Was answered by you with favor and gifts
ولا تَقَلَّبْتَ فِي مثوىً ولا سَفَرٍ
إِلّا وذِكْراكَ فِي حَلْقِ الضَّلالِ شَجا
Wherever you dwelt or voyaged far
Mentions of you rent the veils of misguidance
ولا نجا منكَ ذو غِلٍّ ولا دَغَلٍ
إِلّا إِلَى حُكْمِكَ الماضِي عَلَيْهِ نَجا
None you wronged or betrayed could find deliverance
Save in your bygone ruling against him
صَبْرٌ كثَهْلانَ يومَ الرَّوْعِ مُتَّئِداً
جُودٌ كَسَيْحانَ يومَ المَدِّ مُعْتَلِجا
Patience staunch as Thahlan on the day of clamor
Bounty ample as Sayhan in days of wrath
فيا مُعَادِيَهُ أَجْفِلْ ولا وَزَراً
ويا مُؤَمِّلَهُ أَسْرِفْ ولا حَرَجا
So O critic, desist and no blame
O O aspirant strive without qualm
ولا تَزَلْ أَيُّهَا الدَّهْرُ السعيدُ بِهِ
بِوَجْهِهِ بَهِجاً مِنْ ذِكْرِهِ أَرِجَا
May you ever remain, O blissful age
With his face radiant with the light of his memory
