بك الدهر يَندَى ظلُّه وَيَطيبُ

بك الدهر يَندَى ظلُّه وَيَطيبُ

ويُقلعُ عما ساءنا وَيَتُوبُ

ويُقلعُ عما ساءنا وَيَتُوبُ

Through you, Time’s shade grows dewy and sweet,

Through you, time's shade grows dewy and sweet,

and Time forsakes what has harmed us, and repents.

and it desists from what has hurt us and repents.

ونَحمَدُ آثارَ الزمان وَرُبَّما

ونَحمَدُ آثارَ الزمان وَرُبَّما

ظللنا وَأَوقاتُ الزَّمان ذُنُوبُ

ظللنا وَأَوقاتُ الزَّمان ذُنُوبُ

We praise the workings of Time, though perhaps

And we praise what time has wrought, though at times

we wrong it, while the seasons of Time are themselves at fault.

we have passed our days while time's hours were sins.

أفي كلِّ يومٍ للمكارمِ روعةٌ

أفي كلِّ يومٍ للمكارمِ روعةٌ

لها في قلوبِ الَمكرُماتِ وَجيبُ

لها في قلوبِ الَمكرُماتِ وَجيبُ

Must noble deeds, every day, endure some terror

Must nobility face a fright each day,

that sets the hearts of noble virtues pounding?

that sets the hearts of noble deeds pounding?

تَقَسَّمتِ العلياءُ جسمَك كُلَّه

تَقَسَّمتِ العلياءُ جسمَك كُلَّه

فمن أين فيه للسَّقام نصيبُ

فمن أين فيه للسَّقام نصيبُ

Lofty virtues have apportioned your whole body among themselves;

Glory has claimed every part of your body;

so where within it could illness have any share?

so where in it is there a share for sickness?

إذا أَلمَت نَفسُ الوزيرِ تألَّمت

إذا أَلمَت نَفسُ الوزيرِ تألَّمت

لها أَنفسٌ تحيا بها وقلوب

لها أَنفسٌ تحيا بها وقلوب

Whenever the vizier’s soul is pained, pained for it are

When the vizier's soul feels pain, pain is felt

souls that live through it, and hearts.

for it by souls and hearts that live through it.

وواللهِ لا لاحظتُ وجهاً أُحبُّهُ

وواللهِ لا لاحظتُ وجهاً أُحبُّهُ

حياتي وفي وجه الوزير شُحُوبُ

حياتي وفي وجه الوزير شُحُوبُ

By God, may I never behold a face I love

And by God, I shall never gaze on a face I love

in my lifetime while pallor lies upon the vizier’s face.

in my lifetime while the vizier's face is pale.

وليس شُحُوباً ما أراه بوجههِ

وليس شُحُوباً ما أراه بوجههِ

ولكنَّهُ في الَمكرُماتِ نُدُوبُ

ولكنَّهُ في الَمكرُماتِ نُدُوبُ

Yet what I see upon his face is not pallor,

And what I see on his face is not pallor,

but scars sustained in the cause of noble deeds.

but scars upon noble deeds.

فلا تَجزَعَنْ تلك السماءُ تَغَيَّمَت

فلا تَجزَعَنْ تلك السماءُ تَغَيَّمَت

فَعَمَّا قليل تَبتَدِي فَتَصُوبُ

فَعَمَّا قليل تَبتَدِي فَتَصُوبُ

Do not be alarmed: that sky has clouded over;

So do not be alarmed: that sky has clouded over;

before long it will begin—and pour down rain.

and before long it will begin to pour down rain.

وقد تَنجلي الشمس بعد استتارها

وقد تَنجلي الشمس بعد استتارها

وَينقُصُ ضَوءُ البدرِ ثم يَثوبُ

وَينقُصُ ضَوءُ البدرِ ثم يَثوبُ

The sun may indeed emerge after its concealment,

And the sun may shine forth after being hidden,

and the full moon’s light may wane, then return.

and the full moon's light diminishes, then returns.

تهلل وجهُ المجدِ وابتسم النَّدى

تهلل وجهُ المجدِ وابتسم النَّدى

وأصبح غُصنُ الفضلِ وهو رَطيبُ

وأصبح غُصنُ الفضلِ وهو رَطيبُ

The face of glory beamed, and generosity smiled,

Glory's face beamed, and generosity smiled,

and virtue’s bough awoke fresh and tender.

and the bough of bounty became fresh and moist.

فلا زَالت الدُّنيا بملكك طلقَةً

فلا زَالت الدُّنيا بملكك طلقَةً

ولا زال فيها من ظلاِلك طيبُ

ولا زال فيها من ظلاِلك طيبُ

May the world ever remain radiant beneath your rule,

May the world always be cheerful under your rule,

and may the sweetness of your shade ever remain within it.

and may the sweetness of your shade always linger in it.

ويا شمس لا تجري على غير مخلص

ويا شمس لا تجري على غير مخلص

بطاعته يدعو بها ويُجيبُ

بطاعته يدعو بها ويُجيبُ

O sun, course over none but one sincerely devoted

And O sun, do not run your course over anyone but one sincere

in obedience to him, who invokes by it and answers.

in obeying him, calling for obedience and answering its call.

ويا دهر لا تهجم بمن لا تودَّه

ويا دهر لا تهجم بمن لا تودَّه

على ساعةٍ يصفو له ويطيبُ

على ساعةٍ يصفو له ويطيبُ

O Time, do not suddenly bring one you do not favor

And O time, do not bring anyone you do not love

upon an hour that grows clear and pleasant for him.

into an hour of serenity and sweetness for him.

فإنَّ دعائي مُستجابٌ لأنَّهُ

فإنَّ دعائي مُستجابٌ لأنَّهُ

سُلالةُ قلبي والقلوب ضُرُوبُ

سُلالةُ قلبي والقلوب ضُرُوبُ

For surely my prayer is answered, since it is

For my prayer is answered, because it is

the offspring of my heart—and hearts are of many kinds.

the essence of my heart, and hearts are of many kinds.