آلَيتُ إِلّا أَن تَسيرَ مَعَ الفَضلِ

آلَيتُ إِلّا أَن تَسيرَ مَعَ الفَضلِ

وَأَزمَعتَ إِلّا أَن تَصُمَّ عَنِ العَذلِ

وَأَزمَعتَ إِلّا أَن تَصُمَّ عَنِ العَذلِ

I have sworn that you shall walk only with excellence,

I have resolved to walk with virtue,

and you have resolved only to turn a deaf ear to reproach.

And determined to abstain from blame.

فَنُبتَ مَنابَ البَدرِ في لَيلَةِ السُرى

فَنُبتَ مَنابَ البَدرِ في لَيلَةِ السُرى

وَقُمتَ مَقامَ الوَبلِ في البَلَدِ المَحلِ

وَقُمتَ مَقامَ الوَبلِ في البَلَدِ المَحلِ

So you took the full moon's place on a night of travel,

You rose like the full moon on the night of ascent,

and stood in for a downpour in a drought-stricken land.

And stood like a towering mountain in the settled land.

وَأَضرَمتَ نارَ الطَعنِ في ثَغرَةِ العِدى

وَأَضرَمتَ نارَ الطَعنِ في ثَغرَةِ العِدى

وَأَجرَيتَ ماءَ النَصرِ في صَفحَةِ النَصلِ

وَأَجرَيتَ ماءَ النَصرِ في صَفحَةِ النَصلِ

And you kindled the fire of spear-thrusts in the enemy's breach,

You kindled the fire of piercing in the lips of the foe,

and made victory's water flow across the blade's face.

And caused the water of victory to flow on the blade of the keen sword.

وَسَوَّيتَ بَينَ القَولِ وَالفِعلِ في العُلى

وَسَوَّيتَ بَينَ القَولِ وَالفِعلِ في العُلى

فَمِن مَنطِقٍ جَزمٍ وَمِن نائِلٍ جَزلِ

فَمِن مَنطِقٍ جَزمٍ وَمِن نائِلٍ جَزلِ

And you matched word with deed in greatness,

You leveled words and deeds in the Most High,

in resolute speech and ample bounty alike.

With decisive rhetoric and abundant achievement.

فَحَيَّت أَبا يَحيى ذَراكَ غَمامَةٌ

فَحَيَّت أَبا يَحيى ذَراكَ غَمامَةٌ

صَقيلَةُ ثَغرِ البَرقِ وارِفَةُ الظِلِّ

صَقيلَةُ ثَغرِ البَرقِ وارِفَةُ الظِلِّ

So a cloud greeted your heights, Abu Yahya,

You saluted Abu Yahya, your brilliance a cloud,

its mouth of lightning gleaming, its shade spreading wide,

Polished lip of lightning, spreading shade,

تُجَرِّرُ أَذيالَ الرَبابِ عَلى الرُبى

تُجَرِّرُ أَذيالَ الرَبابِ عَلى الرُبى

وَيَمشي بِها واني النَسيمِ عَلى رِسلِ

وَيَمشي بِها واني النَسيمِ عَلى رِسلِ

trailing the skirts of clouds over the hills,

Dragging the train of the robe on the hill,

while a languid breeze walks with it at an easy pace.

While the gentle breeze walks with it on the smooth road.

وَلَيسَ سِوى تِلكَ الصَرامَةِ صارِمٌ

وَلَيسَ سِوى تِلكَ الصَرامَةِ صارِمٌ

وَلا غَيرَ هاتيكَ البَشاشَةِ مِن صَقلِ

وَلا غَيرَ هاتيكَ البَشاشَةِ مِن صَقلِ

And there is no sword save that stern resolve,

None but that firmness wields a sword,

and no polish other than that cheerfulness.

Nor but that charm possesses a blade's polish.

فَطُل عُمُرَ الدُنيا وَطَأ قِمَمَ العِدى

فَطُل عُمُرَ الدُنيا وَطَأ قِمَمَ العِدى

وَخَيِّم مَعَ العَليا وَحُز قَصَبَ الخَصلِ

وَخَيِّم مَعَ العَليا وَحُز قَصَبَ الخَصلِ

So live as long as the world, and tread upon your foes' heads;

May the life of the world be long, and tread the summits of foes,

and camp with high honor, and claim the reed of victory.

Encamp with the Most High, and harvest the stalks of resolve.

وَمُنَّ بِها أَندى نَسيماً مِنَ الصَبا

وَمُنَّ بِها أَندى نَسيماً مِنَ الصَبا

أَصيلاً وَأَحلى مَوقِعاً مِن جَنى النَحلِ

أَصيلاً وَأَحلى مَوقِعاً مِن جَنى النَحلِ

And bestow it, more dewy of breath than the east wind

Bestow upon it the dewiest breeze from the zephyr,

at evening, and sweeter in effect than the bees' harvest.

Pure and sweetest place from the comb of bees.

وَلا تَحتَقِرها مِن يَدٍ لَكَ بَرَّةٍ

وَلا تَحتَقِرها مِن يَدٍ لَكَ بَرَّةٍ

فَلِلطَلِّ مَعنىً لَيسَ لِلمَطَرِ الوَبلِ

فَلِلطَلِّ مَعنىً لَيسَ لِلمَطَرِ الوَبلِ

And do not scorn it, coming from a hand kind to you,

Do not scorn it from a hand, for you virtuous,

for dew has a significance that torrential rain lacks.

For dripping has a meaning not belonging to pouring rain.