اِنزِل لِتَلثِمَ ذا الصَعيدَ مُقَبِّلاً

اِنزِل لِتَلثِمَ ذا الصَعيدَ مُقَبِّلاً

شَرَفاً وَإِجلالاً لِمَولى ذا المَلا

شَرَفاً وَإِجلالاً لِمَولى ذا المَلا

Dismount to kiss this ground, pressing your lips to it,

Descend to kiss this land, bowing down

in honor and reverence for the lord of this multitude.

In honor and reverence of the Lord of Glory

وَقُلِ السَلامُ عَلَيكَ يا مَن لَم يَزَل

وَقُلِ السَلامُ عَلَيكَ يا مَن لَم يَزَل

كَنزاً لِأَبناءِ الهُمومِ وَمَعقِلا

كَنزاً لِأَبناءِ الهُمومِ وَمَعقِلا

And say, "Peace be upon you, O you who have never ceased to be

Say, "Peace be upon you, O eternal treasure

a treasure for the children of sorrow, and a stronghold."

For the afflicted, and their mighty stronghold."

وَاِشكُر أَيادِيَهُ الَّتي أَولاكَها

وَاِشكُر أَيادِيَهُ الَّتي أَولاكَها

فَلَقَد أَطابَ لَكَ العَطاءَ وَأَجزَلا

فَلَقَد أَطابَ لَكَ العَطاءَ وَأَجزَلا

And thank him for the favors he has bestowed upon you,

Thank the hands that endowed you,

for he has made his bounty pleasing and lavish for you.

For he has granted you generous boons.

وَأَشِر إِلَيهِ بَعدَ ذاكَ مُوَدِّعاً

وَأَشِر إِلَيهِ بَعدَ ذاكَ مُوَدِّعاً

تَوديعَ لا مَلَلٍ عَراكَ وَلا قِلى

تَوديعَ لا مَلَلٍ عَراكَ وَلا قِلى

And gesture toward him after that, bidding farewell,

After that, bid him farewell,

a farewell born of neither weariness that overtook you nor aversion.

A farewell without boredom or hardship for you.

أَفديهِ مِن مَلِكٍ لَقَد أَضحى بِهِ

أَفديهِ مِن مَلِكٍ لَقَد أَضحى بِهِ

جَدُّ المَكارِمِ وَالأَكارِمِ مُقبِلا

جَدُّ المَكارِمِ وَالأَكارِمِ مُقبِلا

I would ransom him—what a king! Indeed, through him

I ransom with my life this gracious king;

the fortune of noble deeds and noble men has become auspicious.

He is the epitome of noble ancestry.

ما كُنتُ آمُلُ مِن نَداهُ أَنالَني

ما كُنتُ آمُلُ مِن نَداهُ أَنالَني

فَأَنا لَهُ رَبُّ العُلى ما أَمَّلا

فَأَنا لَهُ رَبُّ العُلى ما أَمَّلا

What I had hoped for from his generosity, he granted me;

He fulfilled my hopes beyond what I wished;

so, for him, the lord of eminence, I am all he hoped for.

Before I met him, my nights were starless.

أَلفا مُصَتَّمَةٍ أَجازَ وَبَغلَةً

أَلفا مُصَتَّمَةٍ أَجازَ وَبَغلَةً

تَشأى النَعامَةَ وَالحَرونَ وَقُرزُلا

تَشأى النَعامَةَ وَالحَرونَ وَقُرزُلا

He awarded two thousand full-weight coins and a mule

A thousand polished horses he bestowed on me,

that outstrips al-Na'amah, al-Harun, and Qurzul.

That vie with ostrich, zebra, and onager.

وَمِنَ المَلابِسِ خِلعَةً لَو قابَلَت

وَمِنَ المَلابِسِ خِلعَةً لَو قابَلَت

رَوضَ الحِمى أُنُفاً لَكانَت أَجمَلا

رَوضَ الحِمى أُنُفاً لَكانَت أَجمَلا

And among garments, a robe of honor that, if set against

And robes that if laid in a garden,

the preserve's fresh, ungrazed meadow, would be lovelier.

Would seem more beautiful than the garden.

وَوَراء ذَلِكُمُ اِعتِذارٌ أَنَّهُ

وَوَراء ذَلِكُمُ اِعتِذارٌ أَنَّهُ

لَولا أُمُورٌ جَمَّةٌ ما قَلَّلا

لَولا أُمُورٌ جَمَّةٌ ما قَلَّلا

And beyond all that came an apology: that he,

And after that, apologies that duties

but for many affairs, would not have given so little.

Kept him from granting more, though he wished to give.

وَأَحَبُّ مِن هَذا إِلَيَّ لِقاؤُهُ

وَأَحَبُّ مِن هَذا إِلَيَّ لِقاؤُهُ

لِي مُسفِراً عَن بِشرِهِ مُتَهَلِّلا

لِي مُسفِراً عَن بِشرِهِ مُتَهَلِّلا

And dearer to me than this was his meeting

And what I love more than this is to meet him,

with me, revealing his good cheer and beaming.

His face lit up, grinning ear to ear.

وَسُؤالُهُ لِي كَيفَ أَنتَ وَقَولُهُ

وَسُؤالُهُ لِي كَيفَ أَنتَ وَقَولُهُ

أَهلاً أَتَيتَ وَزالَ نَحسٌ وَاِنجَلى

أَهلاً أَتَيتَ وَزالَ نَحسٌ وَاِنجَلى

And his asking me, "How are you?" and his saying,

And him asking me, "How are you?" and saying,

"Welcome! You have come; ill fortune has vanished and cleared away."

"Welcome! Your bad luck has gone and good fortune come."

فَأَضاءَ في عَيني النَهارَ وَقَبلَ أَن

فَأَضاءَ في عَيني النَهارَ وَقَبلَ أَن

أَلقاهُ كانَ عَلَيَّ لَيلاً أَليَلا

أَلقاهُ كانَ عَلَيَّ لَيلاً أَليَلا

Thus he brightened daylight in my eyes; and before

He made my day as bright as if the night

I met him, it had been a pitch-black night to me.

Had not enveloped me in darkness beforehand.

وَشَكَرتُ حادِثَةً أَرَتني وَجهَهُ

وَشَكَرتُ حادِثَةً أَرَتني وَجهَهُ

لَو كانَ نَزعُ الرُوحِ مِنها أَسهَلا

لَو كانَ نَزعُ الرُوحِ مِنها أَسهَلا

And I thanked a calamity that showed me his face,

I thanked the incident which showed me his face;

even if having my soul torn out were easier than enduring it.

Had death taken me then, it would have been easy.

وَغَفَرتُ زَلَّةَ ظالِمَيَّ لِكَونِها

وَغَفَرتُ زَلَّةَ ظالِمَيَّ لِكَونِها

سَبَبَ اللِقاءِ وقلتُ أَيسَرُ مَحمَلا

سَبَبَ اللِقاءِ وقلتُ أَيسَرُ مَحمَلا

And I forgave my two wrongdoers' misdeed, since it was

I forgave the wrong done me, because it

the cause of our meeting, and said, "It is easier to bear."

Was the cause of this meeting. How simple the burden!

إِن كانَ قَد أَبقى حَسُودي باهِتاً

إِن كانَ قَد أَبقى حَسُودي باهِتاً

فَلَأُبقِيَنَّ حَسُودَهُ مُتَمَلمِلا

فَلَأُبقِيَنَّ حَسُودَهُ مُتَمَلمِلا

If he has left my envier dumbfounded,

If my envier remains confounded,

then I shall surely leave his envier squirming.

I will leave him increasingly confused.

وَلَأَكسُوَنَّ عُلاهُ ما لا يَنطَوي

وَلَأَكسُوَنَّ عُلاهُ ما لا يَنطَوي

أَبَدَ الزَمانِ وَلا يُلِمُّ بِهِ البِلى

أَبَدَ الزَمانِ وَلا يُلِمُّ بِهِ البِلى

And I shall surely clothe his eminence in what will never be folded away

And I will dress his highness in a cloak

for all time, nor will decay touch it.

Time and wear cannot diminish or consume.

وَلَأعقِدَنَّ عَلى ذُؤابَةِ مَجدِهِ

وَلَأعقِدَنَّ عَلى ذُؤابَةِ مَجدِهِ

تاجاً مِنَ الدُرِّ الثَمينِ مُفَصَّلا

تاجاً مِنَ الدُرِّ الثَمينِ مُفَصَّلا

And I shall surely fasten upon the crest of his glory

And on his brow, glory's diadem

a crown of precious pearls, ornately set.

I will shape with precious, jeweled pearls.

وَلَأَضرِبَنَّ بِجُودِهِ الأَمثالَ كَي

وَلَأَضرِبَنَّ بِجُودِهِ الأَمثالَ كَي

يَشدُو بِها مَن شاءَ أَن يَتَمثّلا

يَشدُو بِها مَن شاءَ أَن يَتَمثّلا

And I shall surely coin proverbs about his generosity, so

And his munificence, I will set as the example

whoever wishes to quote them may sing them.

Which those who wish may sing and chant.

بِأَبي الهُمامِ أَبي الفَضائِلِ ذي العُلى

بِأَبي الهُمامِ أَبي الفَضائِلِ ذي العُلى

وَالمَكرُماتِ فَما أَبَرَّ وَأَفضلا

وَالمَكرُماتِ فَما أَبَرَّ وَأَفضلا

My father be ransom for the gallant Abu al-Fada'il, possessor of eminence

By the magnanimous father of sublime traits,

and noble deeds—how kind and bountiful he is!

Most generous and gracious! None can surpass!

كُن أَيُّها الساعي لِإدراكِ العُلى

كُن أَيُّها الساعي لِإدراكِ العُلى

كَأَبي الفَضائِلِ في النَدى أَو لا فَلا

كَأَبي الفَضائِلِ في النَدى أَو لا فَلا

Be, O striver seeking to attain eminence,

Be, O seeker of greatness, like the father

like Abu al-Fada'il in generosity—or not at all.

Of virtues in bounty, or do not attempt it.

وَأَما لَعَمرُ اللَهِ لَستُ بِمُدرِكٍ

وَأَما لَعَمرُ اللَهِ لَستُ بِمُدرِكٍ

شَأوَ الأَميرِ وَما عَسى أَن تَفعَلا

شَأوَ الأَميرِ وَما عَسى أَن تَفعَلا

And indeed, by God's life, I cannot attain

By God! I cannot attain the prince's glory

the prince's reach—and what could you do?

Or match what he has done.

لِلّهِ بَدرُ الدِينِ مِن مَلِكٍ فَما

لِلّهِ بَدرُ الدِينِ مِن مَلِكٍ فَما

أَوفى وَأكفى لِلخُطُوبِ وَأَحمَلا

أَوفى وَأكفى لِلخُطُوبِ وَأَحمَلا

God be praised for Badr al-Din—what a king! How

By Allah! Bedr al-Din, what a king! None

faithful, how capable in calamities, how enduring!

More faithful or able amidst adversities.

مَلِكٌ أَنَختُ بِهِ الرَجاءَ مُؤَمِّلاً

مَلِكٌ أَنَختُ بِهِ الرَجاءَ مُؤَمِّلاً

فَرَجَعتُ مِن جَدوى يَدَيهِ مُؤَمَّلا

فَرَجَعتُ مِن جَدوى يَدَيهِ مُؤَمَّلا

A king before whom I made hope kneel, full of hope;

A king in whom I placed my hopes, expectant,

so I returned through his hands' bounty, myself a source of hope.

And from his open hands I returned laden.

أَيّامُهُ غُرٌّ مُحَجَّلَةٌ وَقَد

أَيّامُهُ غُرٌّ مُحَجَّلَةٌ وَقَد

ضَمنَ الأَخيرُ بِأَن يَفُوقَ الأَوَّلا

ضَمنَ الأَخيرُ بِأَن يَفُوقَ الأَوَّلا

His days are white-blazed and white-socked, and indeed

His days are successive pearls, and the last

the last has pledged to surpass the first.

Vowed to surpass the excellence of the first.

زَهَت البِلادُ بِهِ فَما مِن بَلدَةٍ

زَهَت البِلادُ بِهِ فَما مِن بَلدَةٍ

إِلّا تَمَنَّت أَن تَكُونَ المَوصِلا

إِلّا تَمَنَّت أَن تَكُونَ المَوصِلا

The lands grew splendid through him; there is not a town

The lands flourished through him. Every domain

but has wished that it were Mosul.

Wished it could be the Abode of Peace.

مَن مُبلغ ساداتِ قَومي أَنَّني

مَن مُبلغ ساداتِ قَومي أَنَّني

لاقَيتُ بَعدَهُم الجَوادَ المُفضِلا

لاقَيتُ بَعدَهُم الجَوادَ المُفضِلا

Who will tell the chiefs of my people that I

You who reach the nobles of my people, tell them

have met, after them, the generous benefactor?

I met the most generous and noble afterwards.

وَنَزَلتُ حَيثُ المَكرُماتُ وَقُمتُ في

وَنَزَلتُ حَيثُ المَكرُماتُ وَقُمتُ في

حَيثُ اِبتَنى المَجدَ المُؤَثَّلَ وَالعُلى

حَيثُ اِبتَنى المَجدَ المُؤَثَّلَ وَالعُلى

And I alighted where noble deeds dwell, and took my stand in

I stayed where bounties reside, I stood where

the place where he built well-founded glory and eminence.

Glory established its towering edifice.

يَفديكَ بَدرَ الدِينِ كُلُّ مُسَربَلٍ

يَفديكَ بَدرَ الدِينِ كُلُّ مُسَربَلٍ

بِاللُؤمِ غايَةُ حَزمِهِ أَن يَبخَلا

بِاللُؤمِ غايَةُ حَزمِهِ أَن يَبخَلا

May you be ransomed, Badr al-Din, by every man clad

They ransom you with their disreputable selves,

in baseness, whose utmost prudence is to be miserly.

Badr al-Din! The height of their wisdom was to withhold.

حَفِظَ الحُطامَ وَسَلَّ سَيفاً دُونَهُ

حَفِظَ الحُطامَ وَسَلَّ سَيفاً دُونَهُ

وَأَضاعَ مِنهُ العِرضَ تَضيِيعَ السَلا

وَأَضاعَ مِنهُ العِرضَ تَضيِيعَ السَلا

He guarded worldly dross and drew a sword to defend it,

They preserved their broken blades but wasted

and cast away his own honor as one discards an afterbirth.

Honor, throwing it away like old shoes.

فَغَدَت تُمزِّقُهُ الرِجالُ وَتَختَطي

فَغَدَت تُمزِّقُهُ الرِجالُ وَتَختَطي

لُجَجَ البِحارِ بِهِ وَأَجوَازَ الفَلا

لُجَجَ البِحارِ بِهِ وَأَجوَازَ الفَلا

So men began tearing it apart and striding across

So men tear them apart and traverse

the seas' deep waters with it, and the deserts' broad expanses.

The seas' expanses and deserts' emptiness.

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي في كَفِّهِ

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي في كَفِّهِ

بَحرٌ أَرانا كُلَّ بَحرٍ جَدولا

بَحرٌ أَرانا كُلَّ بَحرٍ جَدولا

O king, in whose palm lies

O King who holds the ocean in his palm,

a sea that makes every sea look like a brook to us.

We have seen every sea as a brook through you.

لا تَحسَبَنَّ ثَنايَ لِلمالِ الَّذي

لا تَحسَبَنَّ ثَنايَ لِلمالِ الَّذي

خَوَّلتَنيهِ فَلَم أَزَل مُتَمَوِّلا

خَوَّلتَنيهِ فَلَم أَزَل مُتَمَوِّلا

Do not think my praise is for the wealth which

Think not my lyrics praise the wealth

you bestowed on me, for I have always possessed wealth.

You granted me. I have not ceased being wealthy.

وَالمالُ عِندَكَ كَالتُرابِ مَحَلُّهُ

وَالمالُ عِندَكَ كَالتُرابِ مَحَلُّهُ

تَحبُو بِهِ مَن هانَ قَدراً أَو عَلا

تَحبُو بِهِ مَن هانَ قَدراً أَو عَلا

And wealth has the standing of dust in your eyes;

For wealth to you is like dust; you sift it

you give it to whoever is low in rank or high.

To those high or lowly, as you see fit.

لَكِن رَأَيتُ خَلائِقاً ما خِلتُني

لَكِن رَأَيتُ خَلائِقاً ما خِلتُني

أَحظى بِرُؤيَةِ مِثلِها في ذا المَلا

أَحظى بِرُؤيَةِ مِثلِها في ذا المَلا

But I saw qualities I had never imagined I

Rather, I saw morals the likes of which

would be fortunate enough to see matched among this multitude.

I have never witnessed in this kingdom before.

لَولا النُبُوَّةُ بِالنَبِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

لَولا النُبُوَّةُ بِالنَبِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

خُتِمَت لَقُلتُ أَرى نَبِيّاً مُرسَلا

خُتِمَت لَقُلتُ أَرى نَبِيّاً مُرسَلا

Had prophethood not, with the Prophet Muhammad,

If not for prophethood in Muhammad

been sealed, I would have said, "I see a prophet sent forth."

The sealed prophet, I would call you a prophet sent.

قُل لِي أَمَلكٌ أَنتَ أَم مَلكٌ فَمَن

قُل لِي أَمَلكٌ أَنتَ أَم مَلكٌ فَمَن

نَظَرَ العُجابَ فَحَقُّهُ أَن يَسأَلا

نَظَرَ العُجابَ فَحَقُّهُ أَن يَسأَلا

Tell me: are you an angel or a king? For whoever

Tell me, are you angel or mortal king? For he

beholds such wonders has every right to ask.

Who observes this marvel is right to ask.

ما هَذِهِ الأَخلاقُ في بَشَرٍ وَلا

ما هَذِهِ الأَخلاقُ في بَشَرٍ وَلا

هَذا السَماحُ إِذا اللَبِيبُ تَأَمَّلا

هَذا السَماحُ إِذا اللَبِيبُ تَأَمَّلا

These virtues are not found in a mortal, nor

What is this character in a mortal? What

is this generosity, when a discerning man reflects.

Is this generosity, if the wise contemplate?

فَبَقيتَ ما بَقِيَ الزَمانُ لِذا الوَرى

فَبَقيتَ ما بَقِيَ الزَمانُ لِذا الوَرى

كَهفاً نَلُوذُ بِهِ وَسِتراً مُسبَلا

كَهفاً نَلُوذُ بِهِ وَسِتراً مُسبَلا

So may you remain, as long as time remains, for these mortals,

You remain as long as the world remains, for people

a cave where we take refuge, and a curtain let down.

A cave where we take refuge and covered passage.

وَبَقيتَ لِلمَعرُوفِ أَيضاً وَالعُلا

وَبَقيتَ لِلمَعرُوفِ أَيضاً وَالعُلا

أَبَداً بَقاءَهُما ثَبيرَ وَيَذبُلا

أَبَداً بَقاءَهُما ثَبيرَ وَيَذبُلا

And may you remain for good deeds also, and for eminence,

And you remain forever bounty and nobility,

forever, as long as Thabir and Yadhbul endure.

Lasting as long as they last, before they wither and fade.

وَأَراكَ رَبُّكَ ما تُحِبُّ وَعاشَ مَن

وَأَراكَ رَبُّكَ ما تُحِبُّ وَعاشَ مَن

يَشناكَ يَهوى المَوتَ مِن جَهدِ البَلا

يَشناكَ يَهوى المَوتَ مِن جَهدِ البَلا

And may your Lord show you what you love, and may whoever

May your Lord show you what you love, and give long life

hates you live yearning for death from affliction's torment.

To those who hate you until death cuts short their misery.