ألا إنني أهدي الثناء مع البشرا

لمن ضاءت الدنيا بدولته الغرا

Behold, I offer praise along with glad tidings

To him through whose splendid reign the world has shone,

لسلطاننا عبد الحميد الذي زكت

محامده الحسنى فلا تقبل الحصرا

To our sultan, Abd al-Hamid, whose flourishing

noble virtues defy all counting.

بآبائه الغر الكرام قد اقتدى

لذاك اهتدى للحق مذ ولي الأمرا

He has followed his illustrious, noble forefathers;

Thus he has followed truth since assuming command.

فهم آل عثمان الخلائف من بهم

ممالكهم تزهو على غيرها فخرا

For they are the House of Osman, the caliphs through whom

their realms proudly surpass all others.

على البر والتقوى تأسس ملكهم

فدام لهم إذ هم به دائماً أحرا

Their sovereignty was founded on goodness and piety;

Thus it has endured for them, for they are ever most worthy of it.

وان أمير المؤمنين أمأمنا

قد اجتمعت فيه مآثرهم طرا

And the Commander of the Faithful, our imam,

has all their noble qualities gathered within him.

وقد زاده الرحمن في الخلق بسطة

وأحسن فيه الخلق والراي والفكرا

And the All-Merciful has endowed him with ample stature,

And made his character, judgment, and thought excellent.

هو الملك العدل المطيع لربه

وأن رعاياه تطيع له الأمرا

He is the just king, obedient to his Lord,

And his subjects obey his command.

لقد سار فيهم سيرة عمرية

وأوسعهم برا فاهدوا له شكرا

He has followed Umar's way among them,

And lavished goodness on them, so they offered him thanks.

على أنهم يرجون طول بقائه

ويدعون مولاهم يطيل له العمرا

While they hope that he will long remain,

And beseech their Lord to prolong his life.

به سعدت أيامه وبلاده

وقامت بها الأفراح والراحة الكبرا

Through him, his days and his lands have known happiness,

And rejoicing and the greatest ease have arisen there.

ونالت به الدنيا بهاءً وبهجة

وزاد لواء العدل في عصره نشرا

And through him the world has gained splendor and delight,

And in his age the banner of justice has unfurled more widely.

ووافقه في عدله وكلاؤه

ولا سيما من منهم اختاره صدرا

And his deputies have matched him in his justice,

Especially the one he chose from among them as grand vizier.

فارضوا رعاياه بخير سياسة

واجروا عليهم أمره احسن الاجرا

So they pleased his subjects with the best governance,

And carried out his command over them in the finest manner.

له همة في كل شان عليه

وعزم شديد لا فتور به يطرا

He has lofty ambition in every matter,

And firm resolve into which no slackness enters.

أجل ملوك الأرض شاناً وهيبةً

وأكبرهم مجداً وأكثرهم برا

The most august of earth's kings in rank and majesty,

The greatest of them in glory and most abundant in goodness,

وأرسخهم حلماً وأجودهم بداً

وأعدلهم حكماً وأعظمهم قدرا

The firmest in forbearance and the most openhanded,

The justest in judgment and the greatest in worth.

فلا زال مسرورا ودام سريره

به ثابتاً ما دامت القبة الخضرا

May he ever be joyful, and may his throne endure,

Steadfast through him as long as the green dome endures.

بذاك آليه استجلبو أحسن الدعا

فزاد لهم مولاهم العز والنصرا

Through this his house has drawn forth the finest prayers,

So their Lord has increased their might and victory.

وصار له فضل على كل حاكم

فما قيصر يحكيه فضلاً ولا كسرا

He has gained superiority over every ruler;

No Caesar matches him in excellence, nor any Kisra.

له رأفةٌ بالعالمين ورحمة

فليس يريد الشر جهراً ولا سرا

He has compassion and mercy for all beings;

So he desires no evil, openly or secretly.

فقد جمعت كل المعالي بذاته

وحيث اكتسى التقوى بها اكتسب الأجرا

For all exalted virtues are gathered in his person,

And since he has clothed himself in piety, through it he has earned reward.

حريص على الجند الغزاة لأنهم

حماة بهم عن ملكه يدفع الغدرا

He cares for the troops who wage war, for they are

protectors through whom he wards treachery away from his realm.