يالَكَ مِن يَومٍ لَهُ حُرمَةٌ

يالَكَ مِن يَومٍ لَهُ حُرمَةٌ

تُقَصِّرُ الأَلسُنُ عَن شُكرِهِ

تُقَصِّرُ الأَلسُنُ عَن شُكرِهِ

What a day, worthy of reverence,

O what a day of reverence it is

which tongues fall short of thanking,

Tongues fall short of thanking it

بِبُرءِ مَولانا الَّذي اِستُؤصِلَت

بِبُرءِ مَولانا الَّذي اِستُؤصِلَت

شافَةُ أَهلِ الجَورِ في عَصرِهِ

شافَةُ أَهلِ الجَورِ في عَصرِهِ

for the recovery of our lord, under whom was uprooted

With the innocence of our Master in whose era

the very root of the oppressors in his time—

The lips of the unjust were uprooted

لَو لَم يَكُن فيهِ سِوى رَدِّهِ

لَو لَم يَكُن فيهِ سِوى رَدِّهِ

كَيدَ أَبي الرَيّانِ في نَحرِهِ

كَيدَ أَبي الرَيّانِ في نَحرِهِ

even had it brought nothing but his turning

If it only entailed foiling

Abu al-Rayyan's plot back upon his own throat,

The deceit of Abu Al-Rayyan against him

وَأَنَّهُ كَذَّبَ آمالَهُ

وَأَنَّهُ كَذَّبَ آمالَهُ

وَكَسَّرَ الحاجاتِ في صَدرِهِ

وَكَسَّرَ الحاجاتِ في صَدرِهِ

and his having dashed that man's hopes

And proving his hopes false

and shattered the desires within his breast!

And breaking the desires in his chest

أَمَّلَ لا قَدَّرَهُ اللَهُ أَن

أَمَّلَ لا قَدَّرَهُ اللَهُ أَن

يَظهَرَ ما يُبطِنُ في سِرِّهِ

يَظهَرَ ما يُبطِنُ في سِرِّهِ

He hoped—may God never ordain it—that

He wished, but Allah did not destine

what he conceals in his inmost self might become manifest,

That what he hid in secret be exposed

حَتّى اِستَشَفَّ الناسُ مِن وَجهِهِ

حَتّى اِستَشَفَّ الناسُ مِن وَجهِهِ

ما صَوَّرَ الشَيطانُ في فِكرِهِ

ما صَوَّرَ الشَيطانُ في فِكرِهِ

until the people discerned from his face

Until people could see on his face

what Satan had pictured in his mind.

What Satan portrayed in his mind

فَيا أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ اِعتَمِد

فَيا أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ اِعتَمِد

ما يَقتَضيهِ الحَزمُ في أَمرِهِ

ما يَقتَضيهِ الحَزمُ في أَمرِهِ

So, O Commander of the Faithful, act upon

So O Commander of the Faithful

what prudence demands in his case.

Do what wisdom requires in his matter

طَهِّر بِلادَ العَدلِ مِن جَورِهِ

طَهِّر بِلادَ العَدلِ مِن جَورِهِ

وَنَزِّهِ الإِسلامَ مِن كُفرِهِ

وَنَزِّهِ الإِسلامَ مِن كُفرِهِ

Cleanse the lands of justice of his oppression,

Purify the lands of justice from his tyranny

and purify Islam of his unbelief.

And cleanse Islam from his blasphemy

وَاِكشِف عَنِ الدَولَةِ ما رابَها

وَاِكشِف عَنِ الدَولَةِ ما رابَها

مِن عارِهِ المُخزي وَمِن عُسرِهِ

مِن عارِهِ المُخزي وَمِن عُسرِهِ

And remove from the state what has disquieted it:

And uncover from the state what afflicted it

his humiliating disgrace and his intractability.

Of disgraceful shame and hardship

وَاِستَدرِكِ الفارِطَ في حَقِّهِ

وَاِستَدرِكِ الفارِطَ في حَقِّهِ

وَاِخشَ عَلى بَغداذَ مِن مَكرِهِ

وَاِخشَ عَلى بَغداذَ مِن مَكرِهِ

And remedy past neglect in his case,

And make up for negligence in his regard

and fear for Baghdad because of his scheming,

And fear for Baghdad from his plotting

فَرُبَّما أَخرَبَها شُؤمُهُ

فَرُبَّما أَخرَبَها شُؤمُهُ

لا بارَكَ الرَحمَنُ في عُمرِهِ

لا بارَكَ الرَحمَنُ في عُمرِهِ

for the ill luck he brings may lay it waste.

Lest his ill-omen ruins it

May the Most Merciful never bless his life.

As the Merciful did not bless his lifetime