لَولاكَ يا خَيرَ مَن يَمشي عَلى قَدَمِ

لَولاكَ يا خَيرَ مَن يَمشي عَلى قَدَمِ

خابَ الرَجاءُ وَماتَت سُنَّةُ الكَرَمِ

خابَ الرَجاءُ وَماتَت سُنَّةُ الكَرَمِ

Were it not for you, O best of all who walk on foot,

Without you, O best of those who walk on foot

hope would have failed, and generosity's tradition would have died.

Hope is lost and the tradition of generosity has died

يا مَن رَأَينا عِياناً مِن مَكارِمِهِ

يا مَن رَأَينا عِياناً مِن مَكارِمِهِ

ما حَدَّثَ الناسُ عَن كَعبٍ وَعَن هَرِمِ

ما حَدَّثَ الناسُ عَن كَعبٍ وَعَن هَرِمِ

O you in whose noble deeds we have seen with our own eyes

O you whom we saw clearly through his generosity

what people have recounted of Kaʿb and Harim.

People did not tell of Kaab or Harim

وَمَن إِذا اِستَصرَخَ العافونَ راحَتَهُ

وَمَن إِذا اِستَصرَخَ العافونَ راحَتَهُ

لَبّاهُمُ جودُها المَأمولُ عَن أَمَمِ

لَبّاهُمُ جودُها المَأمولُ عَن أَمَمِ

And you whose palm, when seekers of bounty cry to it for aid,

And he who when the helpless call upon him

has its hoped-for generosity answer them from close at hand.

His generosity satisfies them instead of destinies

إِذا سَمُحتَ لَنا وَالسُحبُ مُخلِفَةٌ

إِذا سَمُحتَ لَنا وَالسُحبُ مُخلِفَةٌ

فَجودُ كَفِّكَ يُغنينا عَنِ الدِيَمِ

فَجودُ كَفِّكَ يُغنينا عَنِ الدِيَمِ

When you are generous to us while the clouds break their promise,

When you are generous to us though the clouds withhold rain

your palm's bounty spares us the need for steady rains.

The palm of your hand suffices us instead of rain

أَعادَ مُلكُكَ لِلدُنيا نَضارَتَها

أَعادَ مُلكُكَ لِلدُنيا نَضارَتَها

وَما تَصَرَّمَ مِن أَيّامِها القُدُمِ

وَما تَصَرَّمَ مِن أَيّامِها القُدُمِ

Your reign restored the world's freshness

Your kingdom restored life to the world

and what had passed of its days of old,

After its days had passed into old age and it had

مِن بَعدِ ما غَبَرَت حيناً وَلَيسَ بِها

مِن بَعدِ ما غَبَرَت حيناً وَلَيسَ بِها

كَهفٌ لِراجٍ وَلا طَودٌ لِمُعتَصِمِ

كَهفٌ لِراجٍ وَلا طَودٌ لِمُعتَصِمِ

after it had spent a time with neither

No cave for a seeker of rest or a hill for one seeking refuge

a cave for the hopeful nor a mountain for one seeking refuge.

So people are in a paradise of your fair conduct

فَالناسُ في جَنَّةٍ مِن عَدلِ سيرَتِكَ ال

فَالناسُ في جَنَّةٍ مِن عَدلِ سيرَتِكَ ال

حُسنى وَمِن بَئسِكَ المَرهوبِ في حَرَمِ

حُسنى وَمِن بَئسِكَ المَرهوبِ في حَرَمِ

Thus people dwell in a garden through the justice of your conduct—

And the feared misery of your torment in the sanctuary

so excellent—and in a sanctuary through your dreaded might.

O you through whom God spread generosity

يامَن بِهِ نَشَرَ اللَهُ السَماحَ وَمَن

يامَن بِهِ نَشَرَ اللَهُ السَماحَ وَمَن

أَحيا بِهِ كَرَمَ الأَخلاقِ وَالشِيَمِ

أَحيا بِهِ كَرَمَ الأَخلاقِ وَالشِيَمِ

O you through whom God spread generosity, and you

And through whom he brought life to noble manners and virtues

through whom He revived noble morals and dispositions.

The best of lands is the place you tread

خَيرُ البِلادِ مَكانٌ أَنتَ واطِئُهُ

خَيرُ البِلادِ مَكانٌ أَنتَ واطِئُهُ

وَأُمَّةٌ أَنتَ مِنها أَفضَلُ الأُمَمِ

وَأُمَّةٌ أَنتَ مِنها أَفضَلُ الأُمَمِ

The best of lands is any place your foot treads,

And a nation you are the best of its people

and a nation to which you belong is the finest of nations.

You built a house its horoscope destined happiness

بَنَيتَ داراً قَضى بِالسَعدِ طالِعُها

بَنَيتَ داراً قَضى بِالسَعدِ طالِعُها

قامَت لِهَيبَتِها الدُنيا عَلى قَدَمِ

قامَت لِهَيبَتِها الدُنيا عَلى قَدَمِ

You built a house whose ascendant decreed good fortune;

The world stood on its toes aspiring to its loftiness

the world rose to its feet in awe of it.

It towered over every house in elevation

سَمَت عَلى كُلِّ دارٍ رِفعَةً وَعَلَت

سَمَت عَلى كُلِّ دارٍ رِفعَةً وَعَلَت

عُلُوَّ هِمَّةِ بانيها عَلى الهِمَمِ

عُلُوَّ هِمَّةِ بانيها عَلى الهِمَمِ

It rose in grandeur above every house, and soared

The height of its builder's ambition over aspirations

as its builder's ambition towers above all ambitions.

The stars bow in reverence for its honor

تَعنو الكَواكِبُ إِجلالاً لِعِزَّتِها

تَعنو الكَواكِبُ إِجلالاً لِعِزَّتِها

وَتَستَكينُ لَها الأَفلاكُ مِن عِظَمِ

وَتَستَكينُ لَها الأَفلاكُ مِن عِظَمِ

The stars bow in reverence to its majesty,

And the orbits humble themselves before its greatness

and the celestial spheres submit to it for its greatness.

It wishes that it would become a threshold trodden

تَوَدُّ لَو أَنَّها أَمسَت تُداسُ بِأَق

تَوَدُّ لَو أَنَّها أَمسَت تُداسُ بِأَق

دامِ الوَلائِدِ في ناديكَ وَالخَدَمِ

دامِ الوَلائِدِ في ناديكَ وَالخَدَمِ

They wish they might come to be trodden under the

By the feet of your boon companions and servants

feet of the maidservants and servants in your assembly.

As if it were Iram of the pillars made even more proud

كَأَنَّها إِرَمٌ ذاتُ العِمادِ وَإِن

كَأَنَّها إِرَمٌ ذاتُ العِمادِ وَإِن

زادَت بِمالِكِها فَخراً عَلى إِرَمِ

زادَت بِمالِكِها فَخراً عَلى إِرَمِ

It is like Iram of the pillars, though

By its owner over Iram

through its owner it surpasses Iram in glory.

We circumambulated its corners as pilgrims circumambulate

طُفنا بِأَركانِها طَوفَ الحَجيجِ فَمِن

طُفنا بِأَركانِها طَوفَ الحَجيجِ فَمِن

مُسلِمٍ حَولَها مِنّا وَمُستَلِمِ

مُسلِمٍ حَولَها مِنّا وَمُستَلِمِ

We circled its corners as pilgrims circle, with some

With some of us around it as Muslims and some as submitters

of us offering greetings around it, and others touching it in reverence.

You made it permitted so by God how did it contain

حَلَلتُموها فَيا لِلَّهِ كَيفَ حَوَت

حَلَلتُموها فَيا لِلَّهِ كَيفَ حَوَت

تَيّارَ بَحرٍ بِمَوجِ الجودِ مُلتَطِمِ

تَيّارَ بَحرٍ بِمَوجِ الجودِ مُلتَطِمِ

You settled within it—by God, how could it hold

The tide of an ocean with surging waves of generosity

the torrent of a sea with crashing waves of generosity?

O house you are always filled with joys

يا دارُ لا زِلتِ بِالأَفراحِ آهِلَةَ ال

يا دارُ لا زِلتِ بِالأَفراحِ آهِلَةَ ال

مَغنى وَمُليتِ ما أُلبِستِ مِن نِعَمِ

مَغنى وَمُليتِ ما أُلبِستِ مِن نِعَمِ

O house, may you ever remain a joy-filled

Adorned and clothed with blessings

dwelling, and long enjoy the blessings in which you are clothed.

Neither did its teeming quarters lack my praises

وَلا خَلا رَبعُكِ المَأهولُ مِن مَدحي

وَلا خَلا رَبعُكِ المَأهولُ مِن مَدحي

يَوماً وَلا بابُكِ المَعمورُ مِن خِدمي

يَوماً وَلا بابُكِ المَعمورُ مِن خِدمي

May your inhabited dwelling never lack my praise

Nor its bustling doors lack my poems

for a day, nor your bustling door my service.

The seasons adorned you with necklaces

وَأَلبَسَتكِ التَهاني مِن مَواسِمِها

وَأَلبَسَتكِ التَهاني مِن مَواسِمِها

قَلائِدَ الحَمدِ مِن نَظمي وَمِن كِلَمي

قَلائِدَ الحَمدِ مِن نَظمي وَمِن كِلَمي

And may congratulations from their festive seasons clothe you

Of praise from my rhymes and words

in necklaces of praise from my verse and my words—

Praises of you that will remain immortalized

مَدائِحاً فيكَ لي تَبقى مُخَلَّدَةً

مَدائِحاً فيكَ لي تَبقى مُخَلَّدَةً

بَعدي إِذا بَلِيَت تَحتَ الثَرى رِمَمي

بَعدي إِذا بَلِيَت تَحتَ الثَرى رِمَمي

my praises of you, to remain immortal

After me when my traces decay beneath the soil

after me, when my remains have decayed beneath the soil.

And how can I not fill the world with your praises

وَكَيفَ لا أَملَأُ الدُنيا بِمَدحِكُمُ

وَكَيفَ لا أَملَأُ الدُنيا بِمَدحِكُمُ

وَقَد فَتَقتُم لِساني بِالنَدى وَفَمي

وَقَد فَتَقتُم لِساني بِالنَدى وَفَمي

How could I not fill the world with praise of you,

When you've opened my tongue with dew and my mouth with water

when your bounty has unloosed my tongue and opened my mouth?

My life was a war and turmoil

قَد كانَ دَهري لي حَرباً وَمُنذُدَرى

قَد كانَ دَهري لي حَرباً وَمُنذُدَرى

أَنّي اِنتَصَرتُ بِكُم أَلقى يَدَ السَلَمِ

أَنّي اِنتَصَرتُ بِكُم أَلقى يَدَ السَلَمِ

My fate once warred against me; since it learned

But through you I gained victory and offered the handshake of peace

that I had won victory through you, it has extended the hand of peace.

If I were silent and did not speak of your gratitude

فَلَو سَكَتُّ وَلَم أَنطِق بِشُكرِكُمُ

فَلَو سَكَتُّ وَلَم أَنطِق بِشُكرِكُمُ

أَثنَت عِظامي بِما أَولَيتُمُ وَدَمي

أَثنَت عِظامي بِما أَولَيتُمُ وَدَمي

So, if I fell silent and voiced no thanks to you,

My bones and blood would praise what you have granted me

my bones and blood would praise what you bestowed.

Today my leaves will not return shredded

فَاليَومَ لا عودُ أَوراقي بِمُختَبَطٍ

فَاليَومَ لا عودُ أَوراقي بِمُختَبَطٍ

مِنَ الخُطوبِ وَلا فَضلي بِمُهتَضَمِ

مِنَ الخُطوبِ وَلا فَضلي بِمُهتَضَمِ

Thus today the bough bearing my leaves is not beaten

By tribulations nor will my excellence return diminished

by calamities, nor is my merit slighted.

Without you O sons of Al-Abbas the sun of daytime

لَولاكُمُ يابَني العَباسِ ما طَلَعَت

لَولاكُمُ يابَني العَباسِ ما طَلَعَت

شَمسُ النَهارِ وَلا ضاءَت عَلى الأُمَمِ

شَمسُ النَهارِ وَلا ضاءَت عَلى الأُمَمِ

Without you, O sons of al-ʿAbbas, there would have been no sunrise,

Would not have risen nor shone upon the nations

nor would the daytime sun have shone upon the nations.

The masters of Mecca and its nobles from Mudar

ساداتُ مَكَّةَ وَالأَشرافُ مِن مُضَرٍ

ساداتُ مَكَّةَ وَالأَشرافُ مِن مُضَرٍ

أَنتُم وَجيرانُ بَيتِ اللَهِ وَالحَرَمِ

أَنتُم وَجيرانُ بَيتِ اللَهِ وَالحَرَمِ

The lords of Mecca and the nobles of Mudar

You are, and the neighbors of God's house and sanctuary

are you, and neighbors of God's House and the Sacred Precinct.

The protectors of a neighbor's sanctuary if

المانِعونَ حَريمَ الجارِ إِن نَزَلَت

المانِعونَ حَريمَ الجارِ إِن نَزَلَت

بِهِ الحَوادِثُ وَالوافونَ بِالذِمَمِ

بِهِ الحَوادِثُ وَالوافونَ بِالذِمَمِ

You guard a neighbor's inviolable household when

Misfortunes befall him and the fulfillers of covenants

calamities befall him, and you keep your pledges.

So may a second nobility make you delighted after

فَليَهنِكُم شَرَفٌ ثانٍ إِلى شَرَفٍ

فَليَهنِكُم شَرَفٌ ثانٍ إِلى شَرَفٍ

طُلتُم بِهِ الناسَ مِن عُربٍ وَمِن عَجَمِ

طُلتُم بِهِ الناسَ مِن عُربٍ وَمِن عَجَمِ

May a second honor gladden you, added to the honor

A nobility through which you surpassed mankind, Arabs and non-Arabs

by which you surpassed all people, Arab and non-Arab,

By the riser whose light you rise through and are illuminated by

بِالقائِمِ المُستَضيءِ المُستَضاءِ بِهِ

بِالقائِمِ المُستَضيءِ المُستَضاءِ بِهِ

إِذا اِدلَهَمَّت دِياجي الظُلمِ وَالظُلَمِ

إِذا اِدلَهَمَّت دِياجي الظُلمِ وَالظُلَمِ

through the reigning al-Mustadiʾ, by whose light others are illumined,

When the darkness of my night overwhelms me with gloom and darkness

when the dark nights of injustice and gloom grow black.

The caliph of God on earth whom

خَليفَةِ اللَهِ في الدُنيا وَمَن خَضَعَت

خَليفَةِ اللَهِ في الدُنيا وَمَن خَضَعَت

لَهُ أَقاليمُها بِالسَيفِ وَالقَلَمِ

لَهُ أَقاليمُها بِالسَيفِ وَالقَلَمِ

God's caliph in this world, and he before whom

Its regions have submitted to by the sword and pen

its realms have bowed, through the sword and the pen.

You remain in eternal bliss never ending

بَقيتُمُ في نَعيمٍ لا اِنقِضاءَ لَهُ

بَقيتُمُ في نَعيمٍ لا اِنقِضاءَ لَهُ

عُمرَ الزَمانِ وَمُلكٍ غَيرَ مُنصَرِمِ

عُمرَ الزَمانِ وَمُلكٍ غَيرَ مُنصَرِمِ

May you remain in bliss that knows no end

For as long as time and a kingdom that will never pass

for all time, and in dominion that never ends,

Congratulations on an unsevered union

مُهَنَّئينَ بِشَملٍ غَيرِ مُنصَدِعٍ

مُهَنَّئينَ بِشَملٍ غَيرِ مُنصَدِعٍ

في خَفضِ عَيشٍ وَحَبلٍ غَيرَ مُنفَصِمِ

في خَفضِ عَيشٍ وَحَبلٍ غَيرَ مُنفَصِمِ

blessed with a union that never fractures,

In easy living and an unbroken rope

in ease of life, with a cord that never breaks,

No gleam of lightning smiled in the darkness

ما أَومَضَت بِاِبتِسامِ البَرقِ سارِيَةٌ

ما أَومَضَت بِاِبتِسامِ البَرقِ سارِيَةٌ

تَحتَ الدُجا وَبَدَت نارٌ عَلى عَلَمِ

تَحتَ الدُجا وَبَدَت نارٌ عَلى عَلَمِ

as long as a night-traveling cloud flashes with lightning's smile

And showed fire upon a flag

beneath the darkness, and a fire appears upon a mountain.