للهِ دَرّ أبي داود من رجلٍ

للهِ دَرّ أبي داود من رجلٍ

يَسْتَنزل العُصْمَ من مُستَعْصَم القُلَلِ

يَسْتَنزل العُصْمَ من مُستَعْصَم القُلَلِ

God be praised for Abu Dawud—what a man!

Praise be to God for Abu Dawud, a man

He brings the ibex down from the peaks' impregnable refuge.

Who would descend to take refuge in impregnable mountains.

لو رامَ قلع الجبال الشمِّ ما تركت

لو رامَ قلع الجبال الشمِّ ما تركت

عزائمٌ فيه يوم الرَّوع من جَبَل

عزائمٌ فيه يوم الرَّوع من جَبَل

Were he to seek to uproot the lofty mountains, none would be left

If he wanted to uproot the lofty summits, they would not remain,

By the resolves within him on the day of terror—not one mountain.

With his resolute determination on the day of alarm, unmoved by any mountain.

له من الله في سِلْمٍ ومُعْتَرَك

له من الله في سِلْمٍ ومُعْتَرَك

بأسُ الحديد وجُود العارض الهطل

بأسُ الحديد وجُود العارض الهطل

From God he has, in peace and in battle,

He has from God, whether in peace or war,

The might of iron and the bounty of the pouring raincloud.

The might of iron and the generosity of pouring rain.

شيخٌ حماها بفتيان إذا زأروا

شيخٌ حماها بفتيان إذا زأروا

تخوَّفتْهم أُسودُ الغيل بالغِيل

تخوَّفتْهم أُسودُ الغيل بالغِيل

A sheikh who defended her with young men: when they roared,

A venerable elder who protected them, when his young warriors roared,

The lions of the thickets feared them in their thickets.

The fierce lions were frightened by their roar.

حفَّتْ به من بني نجد أُغَيْلِمَةٌ

حفَّتْ به من بني نجد أُغَيْلِمَةٌ

أعدَّهم لنزول الحادث الجلل

أعدَّهم لنزول الحادث الجلل

Young lads from the sons of Najd surrounded him;

The warriors of Bani Najd surrounded him,

He had prepared them for the onset of a grave calamity.

He prepared them for the advent of a momentous event.

إذا دعاهم أبو داود يومئذٍ

إذا دعاهم أبو داود يومئذٍ

جاؤوا إليه بلا مَهلٍ على عجل

جاؤوا إليه بلا مَهلٍ على عجل

When Abu Dawud summoned them that day,

Whenever Abu Dawud called them,

They came to him without delay, in haste.

They came to him without delay or hesitation.

المدْرِكونَ بعون الله ما طلبوا

المدْرِكونَ بعون الله ما طلبوا

والفائزون بما يرجون من أَمل

والفائزون بما يرجون من أَمل

Those who attain, with God's help, whatever they seek,

With God's help they obtained what they sought

And those who gain all they hope for.

And were successful in what they hoped for.

كم فتكةٍ لسليمان بهم فتكَتْ

كم فتكةٍ لسليمان بهم فتكَتْ

وما تقول بفتكِ الفارس البطل

وما تقول بفتكِ الفارس البطل

How many a deadly blow Sulayman has struck through them!

How many vicious attacks by Sulayman were repelled by them!

And what do you say of the heroic horseman's deadly assault?

Need I speak of the warrior's valiant onslaught?

لقد قضى اللهُ بالنصر العزيزِ له

لقد قضى اللهُ بالنصر العزيزِ له

فيما قضاه من التقدير في الأَزل

فيما قضاه من التقدير في الأَزل

Indeed, God decreed glorious victory for him,

Indeed God decreed a mighty victory for him,

In the destiny He ordained from all eternity.

According to His eternal decree.

واللهُ أعطاهُ في خَلْقٍ وفي خُلُقٍ

واللهُ أعطاهُ في خَلْقٍ وفي خُلُقٍ

الصدقَ بالقولِ والإِخلاص بالعمل

الصدقَ بالقولِ والإِخلاص بالعمل

And God granted him, in form and in character,

God granted him in character and conduct

Truthfulness in speech and sincerity in action.

Truthfulness in speech and sincerity in deed.

جاءَ الصريخُ إليه يستجير به

جاءَ الصريخُ إليه يستجير به

مستنجداً منه بالخطّية الذيل

مستنجداً منه بالخطّية الذيل

The caller for help came to him, seeking his protection,

The cry for help came to him,

Seeking his aid with the long Khatti spears.

Seeking his protection from the trailing robe of injustice.

فجهَّز الجيشَ والظلماءُ عاكفةٌ

فجهَّز الجيشَ والظلماءُ عاكفةٌ

والرعد والبرق ذو ومض وذو زجل

والرعد والبرق ذو ومض وذو زجل

So he readied the army while darkness lingered,

So he assembled the army while darkness fell

And thunder rumbled and lightning flashed.

With thunder and lightning, rumbling and flashing.

سرى إلى القوم في ليلٍ يَضِلُّ به

سرى إلى القوم في ليلٍ يَضِلُّ به

سِربُ القطا وجبان القوم في الكلل

سِربُ القطا وجبان القوم في الكلل

He marched by night toward the foe, through a night that bewildered

He marched against the enemy in a night so dark

A flock of sandgrouse, while the tribe's coward stayed behind bed-curtains.

That even the guide lost his way, and the cowardly men shuddered in fear.

بحيث لا يهتدي الهادي بلا سُبُلاً

بحيث لا يهتدي الهادي بلا سُبُلاً

يَهديهم الرأيُ منها أوضحَ السبل

يَهديهم الرأيُ منها أوضحَ السبل

Where no guide could find his way without paths,

When no paths offered guidance,

Judgment led them along the clearest of those paths.

Their wisdom illuminated the clearest path.

فوارسٌ بلَغَتْ مجدٌ بهم شرفاً

فوارسٌ بلَغَتْ مجدٌ بهم شرفاً

يسمو وفي غير طعن الرُّمح لم ينل

يسمو وفي غير طعن الرُّمح لم ينل

Horsemen through whom glory attained honor

Horsemen whose glory brought them honor,

That soars, and was never won except through spear-thrusts.

Triumphing without even wounding with their spears.

فأدْرَكتْ من عِداكم كلَّ ما طلَبَتْ

فأدْرَكتْ من عِداكم كلَّ ما طلَبَتْ

فصار يُضربُ فيها اليوم بالمثل

فصار يُضربُ فيها اليوم بالمثل

So they gained from your enemies all they sought,

They overtook those you opposed, and obtained all they sought,

And today they are held up as an example.

So today they are cited as examples.

وصبَّحتهم ببيض الهند عاديةً

وصبَّحتهم ببيض الهند عاديةً

فأصْبحَتْ وهي حمرُ الحلّ والحلل

فأصْبحَتْ وهي حمرُ الحلّ والحلل

And they raided them at dawn with India's white blades,

They greeted them at dawn with flashing Indian swords,

So morning found them red in camp and robes.

Gleaming red like the bud and the blossom.

قتلٌ وأسرٌ وإطلاقٌ يُمَنُّ به

قتلٌ وأسرٌ وإطلاقٌ يُمَنُّ به

على العدوِّ وإرسال بلا رَسل

على العدوِّ وإرسال بلا رَسل

Killing, capture, and release bestowed as a favor

Killing, capture, and pardon were granted

On the enemy, and sending them away without delay.

To the foe, as well as safe passage without escort.

فكان عيدٌ من الأَعياد سُرَّ به

فكان عيدٌ من الأَعياد سُرَّ به

أهلُ الحفيظة من حافٍ ومنتعل

أهلُ الحفيظة من حافٍ ومنتعل

So it was a festival among festivals, which delighted

It was a celebration, bringing joy

The guardians of honor, barefoot and shod alike.

To the people of Hafeezah, horsemen and infantry alike.

إذ يُحشَرُ الناس في ذاكَ النهار ضحًى

إذ يُحشَرُ الناس في ذاكَ النهار ضحًى

والخيل قد أقْبَلَتْ بالشاء والإِبل

والخيل قد أقْبَلَتْ بالشاء والإِبل

As the people were gathered at midmorning that day,

As throngs gathered that morning,

And the cavalry had arrived with sheep and camels.

With the horses arriving, along with sheep and camels.

هذا هو الفخر لا كأسٌ تُدار على

هذا هو الفخر لا كأسٌ تُدار على

شرب ولا نغمُ الأَوتار بالغزل

شرب ولا نغمُ الأَوتار بالغزل

This is glory—not a cup passed around among

This is true pride, not a goblet passed around

Drinkers, nor the music of strings accompanying love poetry.

For revelry, nor the melody of lyres in amorous verse.

فليهنك الظفرُ العالي الَّذي انقلبت

فليهنك الظفرُ العالي الَّذي انقلبت

به أعاديك بعد الخزي بالفشل

به أعاديك بعد الخزي بالفشل

So may you rejoice in the lofty victory that turned back

So take pride in your lofty victory, by which

Your enemies in failure, after disgrace.

Your enemies were reduced to humiliation and failure.

وقُرَّ عَيناً فدتك الناس في ولد

وقُرَّ عَيناً فدتك الناس في ولد

يحيي المناقب من آبائك الأوَل

يحيي المناقب من آبائك الأوَل

And let your eye be gladdened—may the people be your ransom—by a son

It delighted those who sacrificed themselves for you, that you sired

Who revives the noble deeds of your forefathers of old.

A son who revives the virtues of your noble forefathers.

فأرَّخوه وقالوا يومَ مولده

فأرَّخوه وقالوا يومَ مولده

يَقُرُّ عَينَ سليمان الزهير علي

يَقُرُّ عَينَ سليمان الزهير علي

So they made his chronogram, saying on the day of his birth:

Note his birthdate, and say: the day he was born

Ali gladdens the eye of Sulayman al-Zuhayr.

Brought joy to Sulaiman Zahir’s eyes.