يا حَبذا زَمَنٌ عَليك سَعيدُ

يا حَبذا زَمَنٌ عَليك سَعيدُ

لَك فيهِ قَد نظر العَزيز سَعيدُ

لَك فيهِ قَد نظر العَزيز سَعيدُ

How lovely is a time auspicious for you!

O what a blessed time upon you, prosperous one

In it, the mighty Sa‘id has shown you favor.

For you the Almighty looked with favor, prosperous one

وَلحفظ قلعته اصطَفاك فَهابَها

وَلحفظ قلعته اصطَفاك فَهابَها

بطلٌ مهول في الحُروب شَديد

بطلٌ مهول في الحُروب شَديد

And he chose you to guard his fortress, so it was feared

To guard his fortress, he chose you, so it was awed

By a formidable warrior, fierce in battle.

A formidable hero in fierce battles, unyielding

لِم لا وَأَنتَ لَها أَجلُّ مهندسٍ

لِم لا وَأَنتَ لَها أَجلُّ مهندسٍ

نالَت بِهِ ما تَشتَهي وتُريد

نالَت بِهِ ما تَشتَهي وتُريد

Why not, when you are its most eminent engineer,

Why not, when you are for it the finest engineer

Through whom it has attained what it longs for and desires?

Through whom it obtained what it desires and wants

وَبَذلت فيها يا محمد همةً

وَبَذلت فيها يا محمد همةً

قَد بان عَنها مِن علاك بَعيد

قَد بان عَنها مِن علاك بَعيد

And you have lavished zeal upon it, O Muhammad;

And you exerted in it, O Muhammad, great effort

Through it, the far reach of your eminence has become clear.

Which has revealed from your elevation distant

نعمَ المحافظ أَنتَ وَالشَهم الَّذي

نعمَ المحافظ أَنتَ وَالشَهم الَّذي

هُوَ في المَعارف وَالفنون فَريد

هُوَ في المَعارف وَالفنون فَريد

What a fine governor you are, and a gallant man who

What an excellent protector you are, and the noble one

Is peerless in learning and the arts.

Who in knowledge and arts is unmatched

فَاركض بِخَيلك في مَيادين الهَنا

فَاركض بِخَيلك في مَيادين الهَنا

وصِلِ المَسرةَ فَالعدوّ طَريد

وصِلِ المَسرةَ فَالعدوّ طَريد

So gallop with your horses through the fields of bliss,

So race with your horses in fields of glory

And keep joy unbroken, for the enemy is driven away.

And join the delight, for the enemy is outcast

وَانصر برأيك أَمر ملكٍ ما لهُ

وَانصر برأيك أَمر ملكٍ ما لهُ

إِلّا امتداح مليكه تَوحيد

إِلّا امتداح مليكه تَوحيد

And with your counsel support the cause of a kingdom

And support with your judgement the command of a king who

Whose unity lies only in praise of its sovereign.

Has none but praise of his majestic lord's oneness

ما قال مَجد علاك يا بشرى فَقَد

ما قال مَجد علاك يا بشرى فَقَد

أَرَّختُهُ حفظ القِلاع مَجيد

أَرَّختُهُ حفظ القِلاع مَجيد

What the glory of your eminence proclaimed—O glad tidings!—

Glory did not say your glory, O good tidings, for

I have dated thus: 'Guarding fortresses is glorious.'

You made guarding fortresses magnificent