في باطِنِ الغَيبِ ما رلا تُدرِكُ الفِكَرُ

في باطِنِ الغَيبِ ما رلا تُدرِكُ الفِكَرُ

فَذو البَصيرَةِ في الأَحداثِ يَعتَبِرُ

فَذو البَصيرَةِ في الأَحداثِ يَعتَبِرُ

In the depths of the unseen lies what thoughts cannot grasp.

In the unseen inner realm, thought cannot attain,

So one endowed with insight takes heed of events.

So the insightful one considers events.

مالي أَرى مَلِكَ الإِفرِنجَ في قَفَصٍ

مالي أَرى مَلِكَ الإِفرِنجَ في قَفَصٍ

أَيَنَ القَواضِبُ وَالعَسّالَةُ السُمُرُ

أَيَنَ القَواضِبُ وَالعَسّالَةُ السُمُرُ

Why do I see the king of the Franks inside a cage?

Why do I see the king of the Franks in a cage?

Where are the sharp swords and the swaying brown spears?

Where are the galleys and the brave, brown knights?

وَالاِسبِتارُ إِلى الدَوِيَّةِ التَأَموا

وَالاِسبِتارُ إِلى الدَوِيَّةِ التَأَموا

كَأَنَّهُم سَدُّ يَأجوجٍ إِذا اِستَجَروا

كَأَنَّهُم سَدُّ يَأجوجٍ إِذا اِستَجَروا

And the Hospitallers joined together with the Templars,

And the cavalry to the sand dune, when they assemble

As though they were Gog's barrier when they drew together.

As if they were the barrier of Gog and Magog unleashed.

وَالنَفسُ مولَعَةٌ عَجباً بِسيرَتِها

وَالنَفسُ مولَعَةٌ عَجباً بِسيرَتِها

وَفي المَقاديرِ ما تُسلى بِهِ السِيَرُ

وَفي المَقاديرِ ما تُسلى بِهِ السِيَرُ

And the soul is strangely enamored of its own course,

And the soul is strangely infatuated with its conduct,

While destiny holds what makes life's histories forgotten.

Yet in destiny lies that which will console the march.

يا وَقعَةَ التَلِّ ما أَبقَيتِ مِن عَجَبٍ

يا وَقعَةَ التَلِّ ما أَبقَيتِ مِن عَجَبٍ

جَحافِلٌ لَم يَفُت مِن جَمعِها بَشَرُ

جَحافِلٌ لَم يَفُت مِن جَمعِها بَشَرُ

O battle of the hill, what marvel have you left to spare?

O day of defeat, what wonders you have left behind,

Vast armies—not one soul escaped from their ranks.

Armies from which no human escaped.

وَيا ضُحى السَبتِ ما لِلقَومِ قَد سَبَتوا

وَيا ضُحى السَبتِ ما لِلقَومِ قَد سَبَتوا

تَهَوَّدوا أَم بِكَأسِ الطَعنِ قَد سَكِروا

تَهَوَّدوا أَم بِكَأسِ الطَعنِ قَد سَكِروا

And O Saturday morning, why have the people kept Sabbath?

O morn of Saturday, why did they become enraptured?

Have they turned Jewish, or grown drunk on the cup of spear-thrusts?

Did they convert to Judaism or were they drunk on the wine of stabbing?

وَيا ضَريحَ شُعَيبٍ ما لَهُم جَثَموا

وَيا ضَريحَ شُعَيبٍ ما لَهُم جَثَموا

كَمِديَنَ أَم لَقوا رَجفاً بِما كَفَروا

كَمِديَنَ أَم لَقوا رَجفاً بِما كَفَروا

And O tomb of Shuʿayb, why do they lie motionless,

O tomb of Shu'ayb, why did they squat?

Like Midian—or have they met an earthquake for their unbelief?

Like Midian, or did they experience a quake for their disbelief?

حَطّوا بِحِطينَ مِلِكاً كافِياً عَجَباً

حَطّوا بِحِطينَ مِلِكاً كافِياً عَجَباً

في ساعَةٍ زالَ ذاك المَلِكُ وَالقَدَرُ

في ساعَةٍ زالَ ذاك المَلِكُ وَالقَدَرُ

At Hattin they brought down a capable king—what a marvel!

They crowned the King thinking him invincible,

Within an hour, that king and his standing vanished.

Yet in an hour that king and his destiny vanished.

أَهوى إِلَيهِم صَلاحُ الدينِ مُفتَرِساً

أَهوى إِلَيهِم صَلاحُ الدينِ مُفتَرِساً

وَهوَ الغَضَنفَرُ عَدّى ظَفرَهُ الظَفَرُ

وَهوَ الغَضَنفَرُ عَدّى ظَفرَهُ الظَفَرُ

Salah al-Din swooped upon them as a predator,

Saladin swooped down on them like a predator,

And he is the mighty lion: victory drove his claw onward.

The undefeated one, whose victory was made victory.

أَملى عَلَيهِم فَصاروا وَسطَ كَفَّتِهِ

أَملى عَلَيهِم فَصاروا وَسطَ كَفَّتِهِ

كَسِربِ طِيرٍ حَواها القانِصُ الذَكَرُ

كَسِربِ طِيرٍ حَواها القانِصُ الذَكَرُ

He dictated to them, and they ended up within his net,

He dictated to them so they ended up in his palm,

Like a flock of birds gathered in by a manly hunter.

Like a flock of birds gathered up by a hunting falcon.

وَأَنجَزَ اللَهُ لِلسُلطانِ مَوعِدَهُ

وَأَنجَزَ اللَهُ لِلسُلطانِ مَوعِدَهُ

وَنَذرَهُ في كَفورٍ دينَهُ البَطَرُ

وَنَذرَهُ في كَفورٍ دينَهُ البَطَرُ

And God fulfilled His promise to the sultan,

And God fulfilled His promise to the Sultan,

And his vow against an ingrate whose creed was insolence.

Who devoted his religion to God through his vow.

وَعايَنَ المَلِكُ الإِبرِنسُ في دَمِهِ

وَعايَنَ المَلِكُ الإِبرِنسُ في دَمِهِ

فَماتَ حَيّاً وَحَيّاً وَهوَ يَعتَذِرُ

فَماتَ حَيّاً وَحَيّاً وَهوَ يَعتَذِرُ

And the king beheld the prince in his blood;

And the King witnessed his own blood,

So he died while living—and living, as he pleaded excuses.

So he died alive, alive while apologizing.

رَأى مَليكاً مُلوكُ الأَرضِ تَتبَعُهُ

رَأى مَليكاً مُلوكُ الأَرضِ تَتبَعُهُ

وَالنَجمُ يَخدِمُهُ وَالشَمسُ وَالقَمَرُ

وَالنَجمُ يَخدِمُهُ وَالشَمسُ وَالقَمَرُ

He saw a sovereign whom the kings of the earth follow,

He saw a king whom the kings of earth follow,

And the star serves him, and the sun and the moon.

With the stars and sun and moon in his service.

إِذا بَدا تَبهَرُ الأَعيانُ هَيبَتَهُ

إِذا بَدا تَبهَرُ الأَعيانُ هَيبَتَهُ

وَيَختَفي وَهوَ في الأَذهانِ مُشتَهَرُ

وَيَختَفي وَهوَ في الأَذهانِ مُشتَهَرُ

When he appears, his majesty dazzles the notables,

When he appears, the nobles are dazzled by his awe,

And when hidden, he remains renowned in people's minds.

Yet he remains obscure while renowned in minds.

تَقَدَّمَ الجيلَ في أُخرى الزَمانِ بِهِ

تَقَدَّمَ الجيلَ في أُخرى الزَمانِ بِهِ

عَلى صُدورِ عُلا مَن قَبلَنا صَدَروا

عَلى صُدورِ عُلا مَن قَبلَنا صَدَروا

Through him, this generation has advanced in time's latter days

The generation has advanced in the latter days through him

Beyond the foremost in glory among those who went before us.

Above the glorious elite of those before us.

أَما رَأَيتُم فُتوحَ القادِسِيَّةِ في

أَما رَأَيتُم فُتوحَ القادِسِيَّةِ في

أَكنافِ لوبِيَّةٍ تُجلى وَذا عُمَرُ

أَكنافِ لوبِيَّةٍ تُجلى وَذا عُمَرُ

Have you not seen the conquests of al-Qadisiyyah in

Have you not seen the conquests of al-Quds at

The environs of Lubiyah displayed—and here is ʿUmar?

The fringes of Lubya, gloriously, in the days of 'Umar?

وَالحَقُّ يَعرُسُ وَالطُغيانُ مُنتَحِبُ

وَالحَقُّ يَعرُسُ وَالطُغيانُ مُنتَحِبُ

وَالكَفرُ يَطمِسُ وَالإيمانُ مُزدَهِرُ

وَالكَفرُ يَطمِسُ وَالإيمانُ مُزدَهِرُ

And truth celebrates its wedding, while tyranny wails;

The truth holds a wedding feast while tyranny grieves,

And unbelief fades away, while faith flourishes.

Disbelief is erased and faith blossoms.

هَذا المَليكُ الَّذي بُشرى النَبِيِّ بِهِ

هَذا المَليكُ الَّذي بُشرى النَبِيِّ بِهِ

في فِتنَةِ البَغيِ لِلإِسلامِ يَنتَصِرُ

في فِتنَةِ البَغيِ لِلإِسلامِ يَنتَصِرُ

This is the sovereign of whom the Prophet gave glad tidings,

This is the king about whom the Prophet gave good tidings

Winning victory for Islam amid the turmoil of oppression.

That he would gain victory for Islam in the strife of wrongdoing.

أَنسى مَلاحِمَ ذي القَرنَينِ وَاِعتَرَفَت

أَنسى مَلاحِمَ ذي القَرنَينِ وَاِعتَرَفَت

لَهُ الرُواةُ بِما لَم يُنمِهِ أَثَرُ

لَهُ الرُواةُ بِما لَم يُنمِهِ أَثَرُ

He has made Dhu al-Qarnayn's great battles forgotten, and

Forget the exploits of Dhu al-Qarnayn? Though renowned,

The narrators credit him with what no record has related.

The storytellers conceded he had no trace.

أُعينُ إِسكَندَرَ بِالخَضرِ وَهَولِهِ

أُعينُ إِسكَندَرَ بِالخَضرِ وَهَولِهِ

عَونٌ مِنَ اللَهِ يَستَغني بِهِ الخَضَرُ

عَونٌ مِنَ اللَهِ يَستَغني بِهِ الخَضَرُ

Alexander was aided by al-Khidr; and his dread might is

The aid of al-Khidr assisted Alexander despite his might—

Aid from God, through which al-Khidr finds sufficiency.

Al-Khidr is helped by none but God.

وَصُنعُ ذي العَرشِ إِبداعٌ بِلا سَبَبٍ

وَصُنعُ ذي العَرشِ إِبداعٌ بِلا سَبَبٍ

فَلا تَقُل كَيفَ هَذا الحادِثُ الخَطِرُ

فَلا تَقُل كَيفَ هَذا الحادِثُ الخَطِرُ

And the work of the Lord of the Throne is creation without a cause;

The work of the Lord of the Throne is pure creation without cause.

So do not ask how this momentous event came to be.

So do not say "How did this grave event occur?"

بَينا سَباياهُ تُجلى في دِمَشقَ إِذا

بَينا سَباياهُ تُجلى في دِمَشقَ إِذا

مَلَكَ الفِرِنجَ مَعَ الأَتراكَ مُحتَجِرُ

مَلَكَ الفِرِنجَ مَعَ الأَتراكَ مُحتَجِرُ

While his captives were being displayed in Damascus, behold:

While his female captives were being paraded in Damascus,

The king of the Franks, confined among the Turks.

The king of the Franks ruled alongside the Turks in bondage.

إِزاءَهُ زُعماءُ الساحِلَينِ مَعاً

إِزاءَهُ زُعماءُ الساحِلَينِ مَعاً

مَصفَدَينِ بِحَبلِ القَهرِ قَد أُسِروا

مَصفَدَينِ بِحَبلِ القَهرِ قَد أُسِروا

Facing him were the leaders of both coasts together,

Facing him, the chieftains of both coasts together,

Shackled with the cord of subjugation, taken captive.

Bound in shackles of subjugation, now captive.

يَتلوهُم صَلبوتٌ سيقَ مُنتَكِساً

يَتلوهُم صَلبوتٌ سيقَ مُنتَكِساً

وَحَولَهُ كُلُّ قَسيسٍ لَهُ زُبُرُ

وَحَولَهُ كُلُّ قَسيسٍ لَهُ زُبُرُ

A cross followed them, borne upside down,

Behind them, the Patriarch being led in humiliation,

And around it, every priest with his sacred books.

Surrounded by every priest carrying his Gospel.

وَنَحنُ في ذا وَذا طَيرٌ صَحيفَتُهُ

وَنَحنُ في ذا وَذا طَيرٌ صَحيفَتُهُ

بِفَتحِ عَكا الَّتي سَدَّت بِها الثَغرُ

بِفَتحِ عَكا الَّتي سَدَّت بِها الثَغرُ

And while we were amid this, here was a bird whose letter

While we were a bird whose good tidings were

Told of the conquest of Acre, by which the frontier was secured.

The conquest of Acre which blocked the mountain pass.

تَغزو أَساطيلُنا مِنها صَقيلَةً

تَغزو أَساطيلُنا مِنها صَقيلَةً

فَتَذعَرَ الرومُ وَالصِقلابَ وَالخَزَرُ

فَتَذعَرَ الرومُ وَالصِقلابَ وَالخَزَرُ

From there our fleets raid Sicily,

Our fleets set out to raid Sicily,

Terrifying the Byzantines, the Slavs, and the Khazars.

So the Byzantines, Sicilians and Khazars fled in panic.

مَن ذا يَقولُ لَعَلَّ القُدسُ مُنفَتِحٌ

مَن ذا يَقولُ لَعَلَّ القُدسُ مُنفَتِحٌ

إِلَيكَ بَلِ سَفرُ يَعقوبَ لَهُ السَفَرُ

إِلَيكَ بَلِ سَفرُ يَعقوبَ لَهُ السَفَرُ

Who is it that says, “Perhaps Jerusalem will open

Who would say Jerusalem is likely to be conquered by you?

To you”? Rather, Jacob's book holds the disclosure.

Nay, the journey of Jacob is the one to undertake.

أَبو المُظَفَّرِ يَنويها فَخُذ سُفُناً

أَبو المُظَفَّرِ يَنويها فَخُذ سُفُناً

مِن بابِ عَكّا إِلى طَرطوسَ تَنتَشِرُ

مِن بابِ عَكّا إِلى طَرطوسَ تَنتَشِرُ

Abu al-Muzaffar intends it; so behold ships

Abu al-Muzaffar intends it, so take our ships

Spreading from Acre's gate to Tartus.

From Acre's gate to spread out to Tarsus.

يَسبي فِرِنجَةَ مِن أَقطارِها وَلَهُ

يَسبي فِرِنجَةَ مِن أَقطارِها وَلَهُ

مِعَ المَجوسِ حُروبٌ قَدَحُها سُعُرُ

مِعَ المَجوسِ حُروبٌ قَدَحُها سُعُرُ

He takes Franks captive from their regions, and he has

He captures Franks from their far-flung lands.

Wars with the Magians whose sparks are raging fire.

He has wars with the Magians which his blaze ignited.

وَبَعضُ أَبنائِهِ بِالقُدسِ مُنتَدِبٌ

وَبَعضُ أَبنائِهِ بِالقُدسِ مُنتَدِبٌ

وَبَعضُها رومَةُ الكُبرى لَهُ وَطَرُ

وَبَعضُها رومَةُ الكُبرى لَهُ وَطَرُ

And some of his sons are commissioned in Jerusalem,

Some of his sons lament in Jerusalem

While another has Rome the Great as his goal,

While others Rome the Great is his target.

بِرايَةٍ تَخرَقُ الأَرضَ الكَبيرَةَ في

بِرايَةٍ تَخرَقُ الأَرضَ الكَبيرَةَ في

جَمعٍ تَقولُ لَهُ الأَجسامُ لا وَزَرُ

جَمعٍ تَقولُ لَهُ الأَجسامُ لا وَزَرُ

With a banner that cleaves the vast earth, amid

With a banner that rends the vast earth

A host to which bodies cry, “There is no refuge!”

In a mass that tells bodies, "No burden!"

قالوا أَطَلتَ مَديحاً قُلتُ كَما

قالوا أَطَلتَ مَديحاً قُلتُ كَما

بَدا فَالصُبُّ لِلمَحبوبِ مُدَّكِرُ

بَدا فَالصُبُّ لِلمَحبوبِ مُدَّكِرُ

They said, “You have prolonged your praise.” I said, “Just as

They said, "You have prolonged the praise." I said, "As

He appeared—for the ardent lover remembers the beloved.”

It appeared, for pouring for the beloved is habitual."