بَغْدَادُ فَاهْبِطْ أَيُّها النَّسرُ

لاَ زِينةَ اليَوْمَ وَلاَ بِشْرُ

Baghdad, descend O eagle

Today there is no beauty or good news

عُدْتَ بِمَن ضَاقَ رَحِيبُ المَدَى

بِه لِيَسْتَوِدعَهُ قَبْرُ

You have come with one whose spacious horizons grew narrow

So the grave can keep him

فَلْتَسْتَرِحْ مِنْ فَرْطِ مَا جُشِّمَتْ

مِنْ عَزْمه الأَجْنِحَةُ الغُبْرُ

Rest from the exhaustion that dirtied

Your resolute wings with dust

مَا زَالَ جَوَّابَ سَمَاءٍ بِهَا

يَخُطُّ سَطْراً تِلوَهُ سَطْرُ

You kept answering the heavens with glory

Line after line

مُخَلِّداً مَا شاءَ تخْلِيدَهُ

في المَجْدِ حَتَّى خُتِمَ السِّفرُ

Immortalizing what you wanted immortalized

In glory until the book was sealed

آبَ إِيَاباً لَمْ يُتَحْ لامْرِئٍ

أُعْظِمَ فِي الدُّنْيَا لَهُ قدْرُ

You came and went like no other mortal

Was ever so great in this world

فِي الغَرْبِ وَالشَّرْقِ لَهُ مَشْهَدٌ

وَمَرْكَبَاهُ البَحْرُ وَالبَرُّ

In East and West he has a shrine

And the land and sea are his vessels

وَتَارَةً يَحْمِلُهُ طَائِرٌ

بِه ضِرَامٌ وَلَهُ زَفْرُ

At times a bird carries him

With claws and a roar

وَالحَشْدُ لِلتَّشيِيعِ فِي مَوْقِفٍ

ضَنْكٍ كأَنَّ المَوْقِفَ الحَشر

And the crowds for his funeral in a stance

Cramped as if it were the Day of Resurrection

تَكْرِمَةٌ مَا نَالهَا غيْرُهُ

فِي مَا إِلَيْه يَنْتَهِي الذِّكرُ

An honor none other attained

Of what is remembered

وَاحَرَبَا إِنَّ الهُمَامَ الَّذي

أَبْقَى عَليْهِ اللُّجُّ وَالقفْرُ

War took away the resolute one

Whom desolation and ruins embraced

وَخاضَ هَوْلَ الحَرْبِ ثمَّ انْثنى

مُضاحِكاً أَعلاَمَهُ النَّصرُ

And plunged into the horrors of war then withdrew

Laughing as the flags of victory fluttered

وَأَنِسَ الطَّيرُ إِلَى قُرْبِهِ

وَأَلِفَتْ كَرَّاتهِ الزُّهْرُ

And birds grew intimate in his company

And flowers adored his meadows

أَوَى إِلى وَكْرٍ عَلَى شاِمخٍ

فَخانَهُ فِي المَأْمَنِ الوَكْرُ

He took refuge in a lofty den

Yet in safety, the den betrayed him

فجِيعَةٌ فِي نَوْعِهَا فذَّةٌ

كأَنّهَا مِنْ بِدْعِهَا بِكْرُ

A calamity unique in its horror

As if it was the first of its kind

تَصَوَّرَ المَوتُ بِهَا صُورَةً

أَفْحَشَ فِي تَنْكِيرِهَا النُّكرُ

Death imagined in it a repulsive form

In its denial of recognition

فَمَا تَرَى مِنْ هَوْلِهَا صَاحِياً

إِلاَّ كَمَنْ ضَعْضَعَهُ السُّكرُ

You would only see one intoxicated by its horror

As if convulsing with drunkenness

نَاهِيكَ بِالحُزْنِ وَتَبْرِيحِهِ

بِالنَّفسِ إِن خَالَطَهُ الذُّعْرُ

Not to mention the sorrow and desolation

If fear accompanies the soul

ثَوَى المَلِيكُ القُطْبُ فِي حِينِ لاَ

رَبْعٌ خَلاَ مِنْهُ وَلاَ قُطْرُ

The noble pole lies at a time when

No quarter was without him or a speck

إِنْ تبْكِ عَدْنانُ فَأَخْلِقْ بِهَا

هَلْ بَعْدَ مَا حَلَّ بِهَا خُسْرُ

If you cry O Aden weep after

What befell it, is there loss after loss?

ذَرْهَا تُقِمْ مَأْتَمَهَا شامِلاً

كُلَّ بَنِيهَا فَلهَا عُذْرُ

Leave it to complete its mourning encompassing

All its children, it has an excuse

فَارَقَهَا مَنْ يَدُهُ عِنْدَهَا

يَعْجِزُ عَنْ إِيفَائِهَا الشُّكرُ

He who served it left it unable

To repay his gratitude

بِنُوِرهِ شُقَّت دَيَاجِيرُهَا

وَرُدَّ مِنْ ضِلَّتِه الفَجْرُ

With his light its dark nights were split

And the dawn returned from its misguidance

وَجُدِّدَتْ دَوْلَتُهَا بَعْدَ أَنْ

أَنْكَرَ فِيهَا عَيْنَهُ الإِثْرٌ

And its state was renewed after

Eyes had denied recognizing its ruins

يَا ابْنَ حُسَيْنٍ وَحُسَيْنٌ لَهُ

فِي عِزِّهَا المُؤْتَنَفِ الفَخْرُ

O son of Hussein, and Hussein has

Supreme renewed glory through him

وَيَا أَخا الصِّنوَيْنِ مِنْ دَوْحَةٍ

زَكَّى جَنَاهَا العَصْرُ فَالعَصْرُ

And brother of two bright ones from Doha

Whose time honored them one after another

سُلاَلَةٌ مِنْ هَاشِمِ نَجْرُهَا

لِسَادَةِ الشَّرْقِ هُوَ النَّجرُ

A lineage from Hashim whose ringing

Is for the lords of the East to hear

كُنْتَ عَنِ المُنْجِبِ تَأْسَاءَهَا

وَالإِخْوَةُ الصُّيابَة الغُرُّ

You surpassed the one who brought you forth

While the brothers the best of fellows

فَاليَوْمَ ثَنَّى بِكَ عَادِي الرَّدَى

كَأَنَّه يَحْفِزُهُ وِتْرُ

Today fate doubled you with calamity

As if goading it with a bowstring

فِيمَ تَجَنِّيهِ وَمَا وِزْرُكُمْ

أَنَهْضَةُ العُرْبِ هِيَ الوِزْرُ

Why oppose him, you bear no burden

The awakening of the Arabs is the burden

أَيَوْمَ بَلَّغْتَ العِرَاقَ المُنَى

فَالحُكْمُ شورَى وَالحِمَى حُرُّ

O day you gave Iraq its wish

So rule is consultation and freedom guarded

وَيَوْمَ لَمْ يَبْقَ لِمُسْتَعْمِرٍ

فِي أَهْلِهَا نَهْيٌ وَلاَ أَمْرُ

And day when no invader remains

With authority or control over its people

وَيَوْمَ تَرْجُو أُمَمُ الضَّادِ أَنْ

يَضُمُّها المِيثَاقُ وَالأَصْرُ

And day when the nations of "Dhad" hope

To unite them a covenant and bond

يَغُولُكَ البَيْنُ وَلَمْ تَكْتَهِلْ

وَلَمْ يُصَوَّحْ عُودُكَ النَضْرُ

Loss separates you before

Your tender branch grew firm

مَنْ يَبْغِ فِي الدُّنْيَا مِثَالاً لِمَا

يَبْلغ مِنْهَا الفَطِنُ الجَسْرُ

Who seeks an ideal in life for what

The wise can aspire

وَمَا بِهِ يَغْصِبُ مِنْ دَهْرِهِ

مَضَنَّة يَمْنَعُهَا الدَّهْرُ

And through it seize from his fate

What fate refuses to grant

فَدُونَهُ سِيرَةُ قَيْلٍ رَمَى

مَرْمىً وَفِي مَيْسُوِرِه عُسْرُ

None but his path he took aim

At a target though his means were limited

مَنَالُهُ صَعْبٌ وَأَنْصارُهُ

جِدُّ قَلِيلٍ وَالعِدَى كُثْرُ

His goal is difficult and his supporters

Few in number while the enemy plenty

سَمَا إِلى عْرشٍ فَلَما كَبَا

بِه وَلَمْ يَثْبُتْ لَهُ ظَهْرُ

He sought a throne so when

It disappointed him no firm footing

سَمَا إِلى آخَرَ لاَ رُسْغُهُ

وَاهٍ وَلاَ يُرْزِحُهُ الوِقْرُ

He sought the next with no determination

Or weight to steady him

وَأَيُّ مَطْلُوبٍ عَزِيزٍ نَأَى

لَمْ يُدْنِهِ الإِيمَانُ وَالصَّبرُ

What desired goal was hard to attain

That faith and patience did not draw near?

بَغْدَادُ عَادَ العِزُّ فِيهَا عَلَى

بدْءٍ وَلأْياً قُضِيَ الثَّأرُ

Baghdad, glory has returned as it began

And for a start vengeance was attained

بُلِّغَ فِيهَا فَيصلٌ سُؤلَهُ

واعْتَذَرَتْ أَيَّامُهُ الكُدْرُ

In it Faisal was asked his wish

And his dark days apologized

بَايَعَهُ القَوْمُ وَمَا أَخْطَأُوا

فِي شَأْنِهِ الحَزْمَ وَمَا اغْتَرُّوا

The people pledged allegiance, not wrong

In their judgment or blind in passion

وَأَكَّدَ البَيْعَةَ إِيمَانُهُمْ

بِأَنَّه العُدَّةُ وَالذُّخْرُ

And their faith affirmed the pledge

That he is the armor and treasure

مُعْجِزَةٌ جَاءَ بِهَا مُقْدِمٌ

لاَ فَائِلُ الرَّأْيِ وَلاَ غِمْرُ

A miracle came with the new arrival

No expert advisor or cultivator

يَخَالُ مَنْ يَقْرَأُ أَنْبَاءَهَا

أَنَّ الَّذِي يَقْرُؤُهُ شعْرُ

Who reads the news would imagine

That what he reads is poetry

أَجَلْ هُوَ الشِّعرُ وَلَكِنَّهُ

حَقِيقَةٌ تُلمَسُ لاَ سِحْرُ

Yes, it is poetry but it is

Reality, felt, not sorcery

مَا جَهِلَتْ خَيْلُ العِدَى فيْصَلاً

وَالطَّعنُ فِي لَبَّاتِهَا هَبْرُ

The enemy horses did not know Faisal

And spears only shine bared in their flesh

وَمَا بَدَتْ فِي النَّقعِ أَسْيَافُهُ

إِلاَّ وَقدْ بَشَّ بِهَا ثَغرُ

Stands he alone attained with which

No great army could contend

مَوَاقِفٌ نالَ بِهَا وَحْدَهُ

مَا لاَ يُنِيلُ العسْكرُ المَجْرُ

Fortune favored him where neither

White nor brown foretold fortune

أَسْعَدَهُ الرَّأْيُ بِهَا حَيْثُ لاَ

تُسْعِدُهُ بِيضٌ وَلاَ سُمْرُ

He deemed the East's treasures worthless to himself

And his palm spared from a silver coin

أَغْلَى كُنُوزِ الشَّرْقِ فِي نَفْسِهِ

وَكَفُّه مِنْ دِرْهَمٍ صِفْرُ

But his greatest conquest was not

What the enemy snatched or pried loose

لَكِنَّ أَسْمَى فتْحِهِ لمْ يَكنْ

مَا غَصَبَ الكَرُّ أَوِ الفَرُّ

Rather what his wisdom prepared

And his staunch well-considered soul

بَلْ هُوَ مَا هَيَّأهُ حَزْمُهُ

وَجَأْشُهُ الرَّابِطُ وَالفِكْرُ

Say what you will of Faisal, he is

An ocean from which pearls are extracted

مَا شِئْتَ قُلْ فِي فَيْصَلٍ إِنَّهُ

بَحْرٌ وَمِنْهُ يُؤْخَذُ الدُّرُّ

Ask those who know him if excellence

Flows from him or is concealed

سَلْ عَارِفِيهِ تَدْرِ مَا شَأْنُه

إِنْ يُرْجَ فَضْلٌ أَوْ يُخَفْ ضُرُّ

Chivalry complete so it is no wonder

That the sweet and the bitter are sampled

رُجُولَةٌ تَمَّت فَلاَ بِدْعَ أَنْ

يُورَدَ مِنْهَا الحُلوُ وَالمُرُّ

Mild manners found in their time

While coarse manners call for coarseness

أَلخُلُقُ اللَّيِّن يُلْفَى بِهِ

فِي حِينِهِ وَالخُلُقُ الوَعْرُ

Obliging in good its nature still

Obliging if evil imposed

يَكْلَفُ بِالخَيْرِ وَفِي طَبْعِهِ

تَكَلُّفٌ إِنْ يُحْتَمِ الشَّرُّ

For the enemies is his harshness

And for the loyal his gentleness

وَلِلعُداةِ الغَمْرُ مِنْ بَأْسِهِ

وَلِلوُلاَةِ النَّائِلُ الغمْرُ

This to a lofty mind, to a

Great heart not one for conceit

هَذَا إِلى عَقْلٍ رَفِيعٍ إِلى

قَلْبٍ كَبِيرٍ مَا بِهِ كِبْرُ

To qualities without corruption marring

Their purity by any misdeed or betrayal

إِلى سَجَايَا لَمْ يَشُبْ صَفْوَهَا

فِي حادِثٍ خَبٌّ وَلاَ غَدْرُ

To rare loyalty, rarely fulfilled

In a ruler experienced

إِلى وَفَاءٍ نَادِرٍ قَلَّمَا

حَقَّقهُ فِي عَاهِلٍ خُبْرُ

To generosity, neither posture nor

Subtlety lessened by frowns or welcomes

إِلى سَخَاءٍ لَمْ يَضِرْ ظَرْفَهُ

أَوْ لُطْفَهُ مَنٌّ وَلاَ جَهْرُ

To sincerity amid attractions in it

Is mystery above the flowers' secrets

إِلى خُلُوصٍ فِي الطَّوَايَا بِهِ

مِمَّا بِأَزْهَارِ الرُّبَى سِرُّ

It refreshes the soul everlasting not

Fading though perfume fades

تَنْشَقُهُ النَّفسُ ذكِياً وَمَا

يَفْنى إِذَا مَا فَنِيَ العِطْرُ

In God's mercy the king who passed

Before his time was complete

فِي رَحْمَةِ اللّهِ المَلِيكُ الَّذِي

ولَّى وَلَمْ يَكْتَمِلِ العُمْرُ

His memory remains, a solace for those

Who lost him before dawn rose

ذِكْرَاهُ تَبْقَى وَهْيَ سَلَوَى لِمَنْ

فَارَقَهُمْ مَا طَلَعَ البَدْرُ