يا خَيرَ مُنتَصِرٍ لِخَيرِ إِمامِ

يا خَيرَ مُنتَصِرٍ لِخَيرِ إِمامِ

حَقّاً دُعيتَ بِناصِرِ الإِسلامِ

حَقّاً دُعيتَ بِناصِرِ الإِسلامِ

O finest champion of the finest Imam!

O best champion of the best imam,

Rightly indeed were you called the champion of Islam.

rightly were you called Defender of Islam.

حَكَّمتَ حَدَّ البيضِ في أَعدائِهِ

حَكَّمتَ حَدَّ البيضِ في أَعدائِهِ

وَالمَشرَفِيَّةُ أَعدَلُ الحُكّامِ

وَالمَشرَفِيَّةُ أَعدَلُ الحُكّامِ

You made the sword’s edge judge rebellion among his enemies,

You made the edge of white swords judge its enemies,

and Mashrafi blades are the most just of judges.

and Mashrafi swords are the fairest judges.

وَنَصَرتَ دينَ اللَهِ نَصرَ مُؤَيَّدِ ال

وَنَصَرتَ دينَ اللَهِ نَصرَ مُؤَيَّدِ ال

آراءِ في نَقضٍ وَفي إِبرامِ

آراءِ في نَقضٍ وَفي إِبرامِ

You championed God’s faith as one divinely guided in his judg—

You championed God's faith as one strengthened in his

—ments, in repeal and ratification.

judgments, in undoing and confirming.

وَوَقَفتَ أَكرَمَ مَوقِفٍ شَهِدَتهُ أَم

وَوَقَفتَ أَكرَمَ مَوقِفٍ شَهِدَتهُ أَم

لاكُ السَماءِ وَقُمتَ خَيرَ مَقامِ

لاكُ السَماءِ وَقُمتَ خَيرَ مَقامِ

You took the noblest stand ever witnessed by heaven’s an—

You took the noblest stand, witnessed by

—gels, and rose to the finest station.

heaven's angels, and held the finest station.

دافَعتَ عَنهُ فَكُنتَ أَملَكَ ذائِدٍ

دافَعتَ عَنهُ فَكُنتَ أَملَكَ ذائِدٍ

يَحمي حَقيقَتَهُ وَخَيرَ مُحامي

يَحمي حَقيقَتَهُ وَخَيرَ مُحامي

You defended it, and thus were its ablest defender,

You defended it, proving the most capable protector,

guarding its true cause—the finest of its champions.

guarding its sanctity, and the finest defender.

رُعتَ العَدُوَّ بِكُلِّ أَسمَرَ راعِفٍ

رُعتَ العَدُوَّ بِكُلِّ أَسمَرَ راعِفٍ

غَلَّ الكُماةَ وَكُلِّ أَبيَضَ دامي

غَلَّ الكُماةَ وَكُلِّ أَبيَضَ دامي

You terrified the enemy with every dusky, blood-dripping spear

You terrified the foe with every blood-dripping brown lance

that shackled champions, and every white sword stained with blood,

that pierced armored champions, and every bloodied white blade.

بِرِقاقِ بيضٍ في الدِماءِ نَواهِلٍ

بِرِقاقِ بيضٍ في الدِماءِ نَواهِلٍ

وَعِتاقِ جُردٍ في الشَكيمِ صِيامِ

وَعِتاقِ جُردٍ في الشَكيمِ صِيامِ

gleaming white, its thirsty edges steeped in blood,

With thin white blades drinking deeply of blood,

and noble, sleek horses unyielding to the bit.

and noble, sleek steeds fasting at their bits.

جَهِلوا القِراعَ لَدى الوَغا فَتَعَلَّموا

جَهِلوا القِراعَ لَدى الوَغا فَتَعَلَّموا

مِن غَربِ سَيفِكَ كَيفَ ضَربُ الهامِ

مِن غَربِ سَيفِكَ كَيفَ ضَربُ الهامِ

They knew nothing of close combat amid war’s press until they learned

They knew nothing of clashing weapons in battle, but learned

from your sword’s edge how heads are struck.

from your sword's edge how heads are struck.

قُذِفوا بِشُهبٍ مِن سُطاكَ ثَواقِبٍ

قُذِفوا بِشُهبٍ مِن سُطاكَ ثَواقِبٍ

شَبَّت عَلَيهِم مِن وَرا وَأَمامِ

شَبَّت عَلَيهِم مِن وَرا وَأَمامِ

They were bombarded by piercing meteors launched by your assault,

They were pelted with piercing meteors of your assaults,

blazing against them from behind and before.

which blazed upon them from behind and before.

فَدِيارُهُم وَقُلوبُهُم لِلنارِ في

فَدِيارُهُم وَقُلوبُهُم لِلنارِ في

أَرجائِها وَالخَوفِ أَيُّ ضِرامِ

أَرجائِها وَالخَوفِ أَيُّ ضِرامِ

Thus their homes and hearts lay amid fire—

Their dwellings and their hearts—with fire

throughout its reaches; and fear—what a conflagration!

throughout their quarters, and with fear—what a blaze!

لَولا عِمادُ الدينِ لَم تَظفَر يَدٌ

لَولا عِمادُ الدينِ لَم تَظفَر يَدٌ

مِن حَربِهِم وَنِزالِهِم بِمَرامِ

مِن حَربِهِم وَنِزالِهِم بِمَرامِ

Were it not for ʿImād al-Dīn, no hand would have attained

But for Imad al-Din, no hand would have attained

any aim by warring and fighting them.

any goal through war and combat against them.

أَضحَوا وَقَد غَدَرَت بِهِم أَيّامُهُم

أَضحَوا وَقَد غَدَرَت بِهِم أَيّامُهُم

غَيراً وَتِلكَ سَجِيَّةُ الأَيّامِ

غَيراً وَتِلكَ سَجِيَّةُ الأَيّامِ

They ended in ruin, their own fortunes having betrayed them,

They awoke, their days having betrayed them,

transformed—for such is fortune’s way.

utterly changed—and such is the nature of days.

فَكَأَنَّما كانوا لِوَشكِ زَوالِها

فَكَأَنَّما كانوا لِوَشكِ زَوالِها

أَضغاثَ أَحلامٍ وَطَيفَ مَنامِ

أَضغاثَ أَحلامٍ وَطَيفَ مَنامِ

Once they passed, it was as though they had been prey for your beasts:

So, with their days so quick to vanish, they seemed

a jumble of dreams, a phantom of sleep.

jumbled dreams and a phantom seen in sleep.

كانوا مُلوكاً بِالعِراقِ فَأَصبَحوا

كانوا مُلوكاً بِالعِراقِ فَأَصبَحوا

لَمّا بَغوا نُزَلاءَ أَهلِ الشامِ

لَمّا بَغوا نُزَلاءَ أَهلِ الشامِ

They had been kings in Iraq, but then they became

They were kings in Iraq, but became,

—when they rebelled—mere lodgers among Syria’s people.

when they transgressed, guests of the people of al-Sham.

غادَرتَهُم مِمّا مَلَأتَ قُلوبَهُم

غادَرتَهُم مِمّا مَلَأتَ قُلوبَهُم

فَرَقاً يَرَونَ ظُباكَ في الأَحلامِ

فَرَقاً يَرَونَ ظُباكَ في الأَحلامِ

You left them, their hearts filled by you

You left them—because you had filled their hearts

with such terror that they see your blades in dreams.

with terror—seeing your sword-edges in their dreams.

طَلَبوا ذِماماً مِنكَ لَمّا سُمتَهُم

طَلَبوا ذِماماً مِنكَ لَمّا سُمتَهُم

سوءَ العَذابِ وَلاتَ حينَ ذِمامِ

سوءَ العَذابِ وَلاتَ حينَ ذِمامِ

They sought safe-conduct from you after you had delivered them

They sought safe conduct from you when you subjected them to

to the worst torment—but it was no time for safe-conduct.

grievous torment—but it was no time for safe conduct.

وَرَمَيتَ جَيشَهُمُ اللُهامَ بِعَسكَرٍ

وَرَمَيتَ جَيشَهُمُ اللُهامَ بِعَسكَرٍ

مَجرٍ وَجَيشٍ مِن خُطاكَ لُهامِ

مَجرٍ وَجَيشٍ مِن خُطاكَ لُهامِ

You assailed their ravenous army with an army,

You assailed their overwhelming army with a host,

sweeping, and a host that followed your steps, devouring.

vast, and a mighty army of your Khita warriors.

وَوَسَمتَهُم بِالعارِ يَومَ لَقيتَهُم

وَوَسَمتَهُم بِالعارِ يَومَ لَقيتَهُم

زَحفاً بِشُمسٍ كَالشُموسِ وِسامِ

زَحفاً بِشُمسٍ كَالشُموسِ وِسامِ

You branded them with shame on the day you met them,

You branded them with shame the day you met them,

advancing with a sun, proud and handsome.

advancing with proud warriors handsome as suns.

مِن كُلِّ مَن لَو كانَ يُنصِفُ لَاِكتَفى

مِن كُلِّ مَن لَو كانَ يُنصِفُ لَاِكتَفى

بِلِحاظِهِ مِن ذابِلٍ وَحُسامِ

بِلِحاظِهِ مِن ذابِلٍ وَحُسامِ

With every man who, were justice done him, could dispense

Each one, if he were fair, would be content

with spear and sword, relying on his glances alone—

with his glances instead of lance and sword.

كَالظَبيِ مَصقولِ العِذارِ لَهُ إِذا اِع

كَالظَبيِ مَصقولِ العِذارِ لَهُ إِذا اِع

تَرَكَ الفَوارِسُ وَثبَةُ الضِرغامِ

تَرَكَ الفَوارِسُ وَثبَةُ الضِرغامِ

stout-limbed and smooth of cheek, when horsemen en—

Like a gazelle, smooth of cheek—when

—gage and the lion stands firm.

horsemen clash, his is the leap of a lion.

يُصمي الرَمِيَّةَ راشِقاً مِن كَفِهِ

يُصمي الرَمِيَّةَ راشِقاً مِن كَفِهِ

طَوراً وَمِن أَجفانِهِ بِسِهامِ

طَوراً وَمِن أَجفانِهِ بِسِهامِ

He strikes his quarry dead, shooting now from his palm,

He slays his target, loosing from his hand

and now from his eyelids with arrows.

at times, and from his eyelids, arrows.

قَومٌ إِذا اِعتَقَلوا أَنابيبَ القَنا

قَومٌ إِذا اِعتَقَلوا أَنابيبَ القَنا

لِوَغىً حَسِبتَ الأُسدَ في آجامِ

لِوَغىً حَسِبتَ الأُسدَ في آجامِ

Men who, when they shoulder the hollow shafts of lances

A people who, when they clasp the shafts of spears

for battle, seem to you like lions in their thickets.

for battle, you would think were lions in thickets.

غُلبٌ وَلَكِن في المَغافِرِ مِنهُمُ

غُلبٌ وَلَكِن في المَغافِرِ مِنهُمُ

حَدَقُ المَها وَسَوالِفُ الآرامِ

حَدَقُ المَها وَسَوالِفُ الآرامِ

They prevail, yet beneath their helmets appear among them

Thick-necked, yet beneath their helmets are

the eyes of oryx and the necks of white gazelles.

the eyes of oryx and the necks of white gazelles.

هَذا يَكُرُّ بِذابِلٍ مِن قَدِّهِ

هَذا يَكُرُّ بِذابِلٍ مِن قَدِّهِ

لَدنٍ وَهَذا بِاللَواحِظِ رامِ

لَدنٍ وَهَذا بِاللَواحِظِ رامِ

One wheels with a supple lance, slender as his stature—

One charges with a lance like his own

supple—while another is an archer with glances.

supple form; another shoots with glances.

فَهُمُ إِذا رَكِبوا أُسودُ خَفِيَّةٍ

فَهُمُ إِذا رَكِبوا أُسودُ خَفِيَّةٍ

وَإِذا اِنتَدوا كانوا بِدورَ تَمامِ

وَإِذا اِنتَدوا كانوا بِدورَ تَمامِ

Mounted, they are lions in hiding;

When mounted, they are lions of Khafiyya;

in council, they are full moons.

when assembled in council, they are full moons.

لَولا التَقِيَّةُ قُلتُ إِنَّ وُجوهَهُم

لَولا التَقِيَّةُ قُلتُ إِنَّ وُجوهَهُم

صُوَرٌ تُبيحُ عِبادَةَ الأَصنامِ

صُوَرٌ تُبيحُ عِبادَةَ الأَصنامِ

Were it not for pious reserve, I would say their faces

Were it not for pious restraint, I would say their faces

were icons that make the worship of idols lawful.

are images that make idol-worship lawful.

راحوا نَشاوى لِلِّقاءِ كَأَنَّهُم

راحوا نَشاوى لِلِّقاءِ كَأَنَّهُم

يَتَعاقَرونَ عَلَيهِ كَأسَ مُدامِ

يَتَعاقَرونَ عَلَيهِ كَأسَ مُدامِ

They rode forth intoxicated by the encounter, as though

They went forth to battle intoxicated, as though

passing round over it a cup of wine.

sharing over it a cup of wine.

وَكَأَنَّما لَمعُ الظُبا بِأَكُفِّهِم

وَكَأَنَّما لَمعُ الظُبا بِأَكُفِّهِم

بَرقٌ تَأَلَّقَ مِن مُتونِ غَمامِ

بَرقٌ تَأَلَّقَ مِن مُتونِ غَمامِ

The gleam of the surging blades within their hands seemed

As though the flash of sword-edges in their palms

lightning flashing from the backs of clouds.

were lightning gleaming from the backs of clouds.

لَبِسوا الحَديدَ عَلى قُلوبٍ مِثلِهِ

لَبِسوا الحَديدَ عَلى قُلوبٍ مِثلِهِ

بَأساً فَشَنّوا اللَّأمَ فَوقَ اللامِ

بَأساً فَشَنّوا اللَّأمَ فَوقَ اللامِ

They clad iron over hearts as hard as iron

They donned iron over hearts like it

in valor, layering coats of mail over armor.

in toughness, heaping armor upon armor.

لِغُلامِهِم في الروعِ عَزمَةُ شائِبٍ

لِغُلامِهِم في الروعِ عَزمَةُ شائِبٍ

وَلِكَهلِهِم فيهِ هُجومُ غُلامِ

وَلِكَهلِهِم فيهِ هُجومُ غُلامِ

Their young men in battle’s terror have an old man’s resolve;

Their youths have, amid terror, an old man's resolve,

their old men there have a young man’s onslaught.

and their mature men, in it, a youth's impetuous charge.

تَبِعوا الأَميرَ أَبا الفَضائِلِ فَاِقتَدوا

تَبِعوا الأَميرَ أَبا الفَضائِلِ فَاِقتَدوا

بِفِعالِهِ في البَأسِ وَالإِقدامِ

بِفِعالِهِ في البَأسِ وَالإِقدامِ

They followed Emir Abū al-Faḍāʾil and emulated him

They followed the emir, Abu al-Fada'il, taking example

in prowess and bold advance.

from his deeds in valor and bold advance.

فَليَهنِكَ الظَفَرُ الَّذي لَولاكَ ما

فَليَهنِكَ الظَفَرُ الَّذي لَولاكَ ما

خَطَرَت بَشائِرُهُ عَلى الأَوهامِ

خَطَرَت بَشائِرُهُ عَلى الأَوهامِ

Rejoice in the victory whose glad tidings, but for you,

May the victory gladden you; without you, never

would never have entered human imaginings—

would its glad tidings have crossed the imagination.

فَتحٌ جَعَلتَ بِهِ العِدى أُحدوثَةً

فَتحٌ جَعَلتَ بِهِ العِدى أُحدوثَةً

تَبقى مَدى الأَحقابِ وَالأَعوامِ

تَبقى مَدى الأَحقابِ وَالأَعوامِ

a conquest by which you made the enemy a tale

A conquest by which you made the foes a tale

enduring through the ages and years.

to endure through ages and years.

إِنّي لَأَعجَبُ وَالكُماةُ عَوابِسٌ

إِنّي لَأَعجَبُ وَالكُماةُ عَوابِسٌ

مِن وَجهِكَ المُتَهَلِّلِ البَسّامِ

مِن وَجهِكَ المُتَهَلِّلِ البَسّامِ

I marvel, while armored champions scowl,

I marvel, while the armored champions frown,

at your radiant, smiling face.

at your radiant, ever-smiling face.

وَإِذا دَجى خَطبٌ فَرَأيُكَ سافِرٌ

وَإِذا دَجى خَطبٌ فَرَأيُكَ سافِرٌ

وَإِذا عَرى جَدبٌ فَبَحرُكَ طامِ

وَإِذا عَرى جَدبٌ فَبَحرُكَ طامِ

Whenever a crisis darkens, your judgment shines clear;

When a crisis darkens, your counsel shines clear;

whenever drought descends, your sea overflows.

when drought strikes, your sea overflows.

فَتَمَلَّ ما أَولاكَ سَيِّدُنا أَميرُ ال

فَتَمَلَّ ما أَولاكَ سَيِّدُنا أَميرُ ال

مُؤمِنينَ بِهِ مِنَ الإِنعامِ

مُؤمِنينَ بِهِ مِنَ الإِنعامِ

Long enjoy what our lord, Commander of the

So enjoy what our lord, the Commander of the

Faithful, has bestowed upon you in bounty.

Faithful, has bestowed upon you in bounty.

وَاِسعَد بِما أوتيتَهُ مِن رُتبَةٍ

وَاِسعَد بِما أوتيتَهُ مِن رُتبَةٍ

خَصَّتكَ بِالتَشريفِ وَالإِكرامِ

خَصَّتكَ بِالتَشريفِ وَالإِكرامِ

Rejoice in the rank you have been granted,

Rejoice in the rank you have been granted,

which singled you out for honor and distinction.

which singles you out for distinction and honor,

وَبِخِلعَةٍ شَهِدَت بِأَنَّكَ حُزتَ مِن

وَبِخِلعَةٍ شَهِدَت بِأَنَّكَ حُزتَ مِن

شَرَفِ الخِلافَةِ أَوفَرَ الأَقسامِ

شَرَفِ الخِلافَةِ أَوفَرَ الأَقسامِ

And an investiture robe testified that you attained

and in a robe of honor, attesting that you have won from

the fullest share of the caliphate’s honor.

the caliphate's glory the most ample share.

لا زِلتَ تَرفُلُ في ثِيابِ سَعادَةٍ

لا زِلتَ تَرفُلُ في ثِيابِ سَعادَةٍ

فَضلاً وَتَسحَبُ ذَيلَ جَدٍّ سامِ

فَضلاً وَتَسحَبُ ذَيلَ جَدٍّ سامِ

May you never cease to walk luxuriantly in robes of happiness,

May you ever walk proudly in robes of happiness,

graciously trailing the hem of exalted glory—

in distinction, and trail the hem of lofty fortune.

تُخشى وَتُرجى سَيفُ بَأسِكَ قاطِعٌ

تُخشى وَتُرجى سَيفُ بَأسِكَ قاطِعٌ

بَينَ الوَرى وَسَحابُ جودِكَ هامِ

بَينَ الوَرى وَسَحابُ جودِكَ هامِ

feared and looked to with hope, your sword of might keen

You inspire fear and hope; your sword of might is keen

among humankind, your cloud of bounty pouring rain.

among mankind, and the cloud of your bounty pours rain.