أطوادُ عزّك لا تُرامُ

أطوادُ عزّك لا تُرامُ

ولَصِيقُ بيتك لا يُضامُ

ولَصِيقُ بيتك لا يُضامُ

The mountains of your glory are beyond reach.

Your glory never wanes,

And whoever clings to your house suffers no wrong.

and attachment to your home never fails.

ولك المكارمُ قصّرتْ

ولك المكارمُ قصّرتْ

عن نيل غايتها الكرامُ

عن نيل غايتها الكرامُ

Yours are virtues whose utmost heights

Generosity has fallen short,

the noble fall short of attaining.

of attaining the pinnacle of nobility.

وإذا حللتَ ببلدةٍ

وإذا حللتَ ببلدةٍ

فكأنّما حلَّ الغمامُ

فكأنّما حلَّ الغمامُ

And when you settle in a town,

And when you settle in a land,

it is as though a raincloud has settled there.

it is as though the clouds have arrived.

ولقد درى كلّ الملو

ولقد درى كلّ الملو

كِ بأنّك الملك الهمامُ

كِ بأنّك الملك الهمامُ

And every king has surely learned

All kings are aware,

that you are the valiant king.

that you are the intrepid king.

وإذا هُمُ قِيدوا إلي

وإذا هُمُ قِيدوا إلي

ك فأنت رضوى أو شَمامُ

ك فأنت رضوى أو شَمامُ

And when they are led to

And when they are bound to you,

you, you are Raḍwā or Shamām.

you are either pleasure or decisive.

وكأنّما أنتَ الضّيا

وكأنّما أنتَ الضّيا

ءُ لمبصرٍ وهمُ الظّلامُ

ءُ لمبصرٍ وهمُ الظّلامُ

And you are as though the light

It is as though you are the light,

to one who sees, while they are darkness.

for one who sees while they are darkness.

وَإِذا اِقتَسمتم فالشَّوى

وَإِذا اِقتَسمتم فالشَّوى

لهُمُ وحصّتُك السّنامُ

لهُمُ وحصّتُك السّنامُ

And when you divide the shares, the lesser cuts

And when you share,

are theirs, while your portion is the hump.

theirs is the leftovers while yours is the choice meat.

وسلا الملوكُ عن العَلا

وسلا الملوكُ عن العَلا

ءِ وأنت صبٌّ مستهامُ

ءِ وأنت صبٌّ مستهامُ

And kings have forgotten glory,

Kings have asked about supremacy,

while you are lovesick, lost in longing.

while you are a pouring rain.

فمتى رأوك مشمّراً

فمتى رأوك مشمّراً

لعظيمةٍ قعدوا وقاموا

لعظيمةٍ قعدوا وقاموا

Whenever they see you girding yourself

So when they saw you prepared,

for a great undertaking, they sit and rise.

for a mighty deed, they sat and stood.

ولربّ معضلةٍ يُقَض

ولربّ معضلةٍ يُقَض

ضُ لبُعدِ مطلبها المنامُ

ضُ لبُعدِ مطلبها المنامُ

And many a difficult problem disturbs

And many a perplexity is resolved,

sleep, so far beyond reach is its solution.

due to the loftiness of its aim.

ضاقوا بها ووسعتَها

ضاقوا بها ووسعتَها

ورأوك يقظاناً فناموا

ورأوك يقظاناً فناموا

They had no room for it, but you encompassed it;

They were straitened by it while you gave it expanse,

and seeing you wakeful, they slept.

and saw you vigilant while they slept.

للَّه دَرُّك في مُقا

للَّه دَرُّك في مُقا

مٍ لا يطيب به المقامُ

مٍ لا يطيب به المقامُ

God bless your prowess in a place

God give you goodness in a position,

where it is no pleasure to remain.

that does not allow comfort.

والرّمحُ يَنطُفُ في يمي

والرّمحُ يَنطُفُ في يمي

نِك من نجيعٍ والحسامُ

نِك من نجيعٍ والحسامُ

And the spear drips in your right

The spear drips from your right hand,

hand with gore, and so does the sword.

from the sheath while the sword from the scabbard.

والخيلُ تعثر في الجما

والخيلُ تعثر في الجما

جم والشّفيع لها القَتامُ

جم والشّفيع لها القَتامُ

And the horses stumble among

The horses stumble in the battlefield,

skulls, their intercessor the battle dust.

and the intercessor for them is the darkness.

لم يبقَ فوق جلودها

لم يبقَ فوق جلودها

بالطّعنِ سرجٌ أو لجامُ

بالطّعنِ سرجٌ أو لجامُ

Upon their hides there remains no

No saddle or bridle remains on them,

saddle or bridle, after the spear-thrusts.

from being stabbed.

والدمّ ملءُ فروجها

والدمّ ملءُ فروجها

وإهابُهُ موتٌ زُؤامُ

وإهابُهُ موتٌ زُؤامُ

And blood fills the gaps between them,

Their inner sides filled with blood,

and its hide is a swift, dreadful death.

and their neighing is death and grief.

والأرضُ حمراءُ القَرا

والأرضُ حمراءُ القَرا

حصباؤها جُثَثٌ وهامُ

حصباؤها جُثَثٌ وهامُ

And the earth's back is red,

The ground is red from the slain,

its pebbles corpses and heads.

their corpses strewn about randomly.

يهتزّ فوقهمُ وقد

يهتزّ فوقهمُ وقد

طُرحوا ثُغامٌ أو بَشامُ

طُرحوا ثُغامٌ أو بَشامُ

Above them sways, now that

They convulse atop one another,

they lie cast down, thughām or bashām.

having been thrown as carrion or cargo.

لهمُ بطونُ الطّير أج

لهمُ بطونُ الطّير أج

داثٌ وأكفانٌ رَغامُ

داثٌ وأكفانٌ رَغامُ

The bellies of birds are their

The bellies of birds are their coffins,

graves, and dust their shrouds.

and their shrouds are down.

لاموك في حسدٍ وكمْ

لاموك في حسدٍ وكمْ

من لائمٍ فيه الملامُ

من لائمٍ فيه الملامُ

They blamed you out of envy—and how many

Do not blame yourself for the envious,

a blamer bears the blame himself!

and the critic full of blame.

ورأوا قعودَك في أمو

ورأوا قعودَك في أمو

رٍ والصّوابُ بها القيامُ

رٍ والصّوابُ بها القيامُ

They saw you seated amid affairs

They saw your sitting in matters,

where the right course was to rise.

while standing is proper in them.

وتوهّموا جهلاً بأن

وتوهّموا جهلاً بأن

نك مغمداً سيفٌ كَهامُ

نك مغمداً سيفٌ كَهامُ

And ignorantly they imagined that

And ignorantly imagined,

you, while sheathed, were a blunt sword,

that you were a sheathed sword.

حتّى رأوك وقد نَهضْ

حتّى رأوك وقد نَهضْ

تَ بِعبْئِها وهمُ رغامُ

تَ بِعبْئِها وهمُ رغامُ

until they saw you rise

Until they saw you rise up,

to shoulder its burden, while they were dust.

with its burden while they lie as carrion.

وركبتها متوفّراً

وركبتها متوفّراً

خرقاءَ ليس لها زِمامُ

خرقاءَ ليس لها زِمامُ

And you rode it with strength undiminished,

And you rode it readily,

wild as it was, without a rein.

bareback with no bridle.

وملكت منها ما وهبْ

وملكت منها ما وهبْ

تَ وفي يديك لها اِنتِقامُ

تَ وفي يديك لها اِنتِقامُ

And of it you possessed what you bestowed,

And you possessed what you granted victory,

with vengeance for it in your hands.

and in your hand is vengeance for it.

لك من إلهكِ والعُلو

لك من إلهكِ والعُلو

قُ بِحَبلِهِ جيشٌ لُهامُ

قُ بِحَبلِهِ جيشٌ لُهامُ

You have from your God—and from clinging

For you from your God,

to His rope—a mighty host.

is an army terrible in battle.

والنّصرُ منه وحده

والنّصرُ منه وحده

إنْ خان نُصَّارٌ وخاموا

إنْ خان نُصَّارٌ وخاموا

And victory comes from Him alone,

And victory is from Him alone,

if helpers prove treacherous and falter.

if supporters disappoint and resign.

كَم أَخرَجَتك عَن المضا

كَم أَخرَجَتك عَن المضا

ئقِ منه أفعالٌ كرامُ

ئقِ منه أفعالٌ كرامُ

How often you have been brought out of straits

How often has He delivered you,

by gracious deeds from Him!

from straits with honorable deeds.

كم ذا أجار ولا مجي

كم ذا أجار ولا مجي

رٌ أو أذمّ ولا ذمامُ

رٌ أو أذمّ ولا ذمامُ

How often He gave refuge, with no protector,

How often one granted asylum yet no grantor,

or pledged protection, with no pledge of safety!

or censured yet no critic.

كم أوْقدوا ناراً لها

كم أوْقدوا ناراً لها

في كلّ ناحيةٍ ضَرامُ

في كلّ ناحيةٍ ضَرامُ

How often they kindled a fire with

How often they ignited a fire,

flames raging on every side!

raging in every direction.

فنجوتَ منها وهي بَرْ

فنجوتَ منها وهي بَرْ

دٌ لا يَضيرك أو سلامُ

دٌ لا يَضيرك أو سلامُ

Yet you escaped it, and it was coolness

Yet you were saved from it,

that did not harm you, or peace.

while it is cold and does not harm.

إنّي أودّك والمود

إنّي أودّك والمود

دَةُ خيرُ ما حُبِيَ الأنامُ

دَةُ خيرُ ما حُبِيَ الأنامُ

Indeed, I love you, and love

I love you while love,

is the finest gift bestowed on humankind.

is the best that people can be loved with.

وولايتي لك عروةٌ

وولايتي لك عروةٌ

وثُقى فليس لها اِنفِصامُ

وثُقى فليس لها اِنفِصامُ

And my allegiance to you is a handhold,

And my loyalty to you is a bond,

most firm, with no break in it.

unbreakable.

وإذا ذكرتُك عرّجتْ

وإذا ذكرتُك عرّجتْ

عن ساحتي الخططُ العظامُ

عن ساحتي الخططُ العظامُ

And whenever I mention you, they turn aside

And when I mention you,

from my courtyard—the gravest trials.

great inspirations turn away from my mind.

وقصائدٌ لِي في أبي

وقصائدٌ لِي في أبي

ك وفيك زين بها الكلامُ

ك وفيك زين بها الكلامُ

And I have poems about your father

And I have poems about your father and you,

and you, with which speech is adorned.

that adorn speech.

راقتْ فجُنّ بها رُوا

راقتْ فجُنّ بها رُوا

ةُ الشّعر أوْ غنّى الحَمامُ

ةُ الشّعر أوْ غنّى الحَمامُ

They delighted, enrapturing the reciters

The pinnacle of poetry has sung with it,

of verse—or making the doves sing.

or the doves have cooed.

فكأنّما هي روضةٌ

فكأنّما هي روضةٌ

بالحَزْنِ جاد بها غَمامُ

بالحَزْنِ جاد بها غَمامُ

It is as though they were a meadow

It is as though it is a meadow,

on rugged heights, generously watered by a cloud,

that grief has generous rain upon.

أو دِيمةٌ وطْفاءُ ضا

أو دِيمةٌ وطْفاءُ ضا

حكها نسيمٌ مُستهامُ

حكها نسيمٌ مُستهامُ

or a dense, steady rain, smiled on

Or a settlement on which,

by a breeze lost in love.

the blowing of a gentle breeze spreads fragrance.

ولها بكلّ مفازةٍ

ولها بكلّ مفازةٍ

رَتَكٌ كما رَتَكَ النّعامُ

رَتَكٌ كما رَتَكَ النّعامُ

And through every desert they have

And it has burdens like the ostrich,

a quick trot, as ostriches trot.

just as the ostrich carries burdens.

وصحائحٌ وَلَرُبَّ شِع

وصحائحٌ وَلَرُبَّ شِع

رٍ لا يفارقه السَّقامُ

رٍ لا يفارقه السَّقامُ

And sound they are—yet many a poem

And noble pages that illness,

is never free of sickness.

does not depart from.

فاِفطرْ فَقد أثني بما

فاِفطرْ فَقد أثني بما

أوْلَيْتَه ذاك الصّيامُ

أوْلَيْتَه ذاك الصّيامُ

So break your fast: that fasting has praised you

So have your meal for you have fasted,

for what you bestowed upon it.

what that day requires.

شهرٌ يمرّ وليس في

شهرٌ يمرّ وليس في

ه نزاهةً فعلٌ حرامُ

ه نزاهةً فعلٌ حرامُ

A month passes, with no

A month passes with no integrity,

forbidden deed within it, such is its purity.

of forbidden deeds.

وصحائفٌ يرفعنها ال

وصحائفٌ يرفعنها ال

أملاك ليس بها أَثامُ

أملاك ليس بها أَثامُ

And scrolls borne aloft by

And pages raised by angels,

the angels, with no sin upon them.

with no sins.

وكأنّما أَرَجُ الجمي

وكأنّما أَرَجُ الجمي

لِ بها عَبيرٌ أو مُدامُ

لِ بها عَبيرٌ أو مُدامُ

And it is as though the fragrance of goodness

As though the beautiful houris,

in them were perfume or wine.

have perfumed it with scent or wine.

فدُمِ الدّهورَ فبعض ما

فدُمِ الدّهورَ فبعض ما

ذخر الإلهُ لك الدّوامُ

ذخر الإلهُ لك الدّوامُ

So endure through the ages, for among what

So continue the ages,

God has stored for you is permanence.

with some of what God has stored for you forever.

وبناؤك المرفوع في ال

وبناؤك المرفوع في ال

عَيّوق ليس له اِنهِدامُ

عَيّوق ليس له اِنهِدامُ

And your edifice, raised to the height of

And your towering building in loftiness,

ʿAyyūq, shall never fall.

will never collapse.

وعليك تجتاز الشُّؤو

وعليك تجتاز الشُّؤو

نُ مخلّداً عامٌ فعامُ

نُ مخلّداً عامٌ فعامُ

And events pass over you,

And you will pass through tribulations,

you remaining immortal, year after year.

eternally honored year after year.

وإذا ألمَّ ردىً فلي

وإذا ألمَّ ردىً فلي

س له لداركُم لِمامُ

س له لداركُم لِمامُ

And when death comes near, it has no

And if an abject person imagines,

passing visit to your house.

there is no protector of your homes.

وَكَفى به اللَّه الكفا

وَكَفى به اللَّه الكفا

يةَ كلّما فَغَرَ الحَمامُ

يةَ كلّما فَغَرَ الحَمامُ

And through him God has given full protection

God suffices you whenever,

whenever Death gapes its jaws.

the dove coos.