يأيها المَلِك الْمُصَفَّى جوهراً

يأيها المَلِك الْمُصَفَّى جوهراً

والممطِرُ الإنعامَ والإفضالا

والممطِرُ الإنعامَ والإفضالا

O king, refined in your very essence,

O king, refined in essence,

you who rain down favors and largesse,

and showering favors and bounty,

صلَّى عليكَ اللّهُ مِن مُتَأَمِّرٍ

صلَّى عليكَ اللّهُ مِن مُتَأَمِّرٍ

ملأَ المعالِي حِكمةً وفَعَالاَ

ملأَ المعالِي حِكمةً وفَعَالاَ

may God bless you, sovereign that you are,

may God bless you—a ruler

who filled the heights of glory with wisdom and deeds.

who filled the heights of honor with wisdom and deeds,

حتى لقد طُلْتَ النجومَ تَسامِيا

حتى لقد طُلْتَ النجومَ تَسامِيا

وفضحتَ أَبكارَ السحابِ نَوالا

وفضحتَ أَبكارَ السحابِ نَوالا

Soaring high, you have outstripped the stars

so much so that you have indeed surpassed the stars in loftiness,

and shamed the virgin clouds in bounty.

and put the virgin clouds to shame with your bounty.

ولقد نهضتَ إلى العلا فحويتَ ما

ولقد نهضتَ إلى العلا فحويتَ ما

قد كان أَعيا معشرا ورِجالا

قد كان أَعيا معشرا ورِجالا

You rose toward the heights and gathered all

And indeed you rose to the heights and attained what

that had defeated companies and men.

had already baffled a host and many men.

وطلعتَ مَعْ شمسِ الضحى لعيوننا

وطلعتَ مَعْ شمسِ الضحى لعيوننا

شمساً ولُحْت مع الهلالِ هِلالا

شمساً ولُحْت مع الهلالِ هِلالا

You rose beside the morning sun, and to our eyes

And you rose with the midmorning sun before our eyes,

were a sun; beside the crescent, you gleamed a crescent.

as a sun, and appeared with the crescent as a crescent.

حاشاكَ مِن وعدٍ يَمُدُّك نحوَه

حاشاكَ مِن وعدٍ يَمُدُّك نحوَه

كرمُ الطباعِ فيْستردُّ مِطالا

كرمُ الطباعِ فيْستردُّ مِطالا

Far be it from you to make a promise toward which

Far be it from you to make a promise toward which you are drawn

your native generosity draws you, then retract it through delay.

by your generous nature, only for it to be withdrawn through delay.

فالجُود ليس بمستطاب طعمُه

فالجُود ليس بمستطاب طعمُه

إلا إذا لم يُتعب السُّؤَّالا

إلا إذا لم يُتعب السُّؤَّالا

For generosity’s taste is not sweet

For generosity's taste is not pleasing

unless it leaves petitioners unwearied.

unless it spares petitioners weariness.

إني سأَشغَل بالمَناقبِ فِكْرتي

إني سأَشغَل بالمَناقبِ فِكْرتي

حتى أَمدَّ لها عليك ظِلالا

حتى أَمدَّ لها عليك ظِلالا

I shall occupy my thought with your virtues

Indeed, I shall occupy my thoughts with your virtues,

until I spread their shadows over you.

until I spread their shade over you.

تحسِينُ حالِكَ بالقوافي همّتي

تحسِينُ حالِكَ بالقوافي همّتي

ما عشتُ فاغْدُ مُحَسِّناً لي حالا

ما عشتُ فاغْدُ مُحَسِّناً لي حالا

To improve your standing through rhymed verse is my concern;

Improving your standing with rhymes is my aim

so while I live, be one who improves my condition.

as long as I live; so be one who improves my lot.