رَحَلتُI saddled عَنِfrom الرَبعِthe encampment المُحيلِdesolate قَعوديmy young riding camel
رَحَلتُ عَنِ الرَبعِ المُحيلِ قَعودي
إِلىto ذيone possessing زُحوفٍmarching hosts جَمَّةٍmany وَجُنودِand troops
إِلى ذي زُحوفٍ جَمَّةٍ وَجُنودِ
I saddled my young camel to leave the desolate encampment,
I left behind the unenduring abode to one with armies and hosts,
for a lord of many marching hosts and troops,
A guardian who guards the night to protect a nation,
وَراعٍand a shepherd يُراعِhe watches اللَيلَthe night فيin حِفظِsafeguarding أُمَّةٍa people
وَراعٍ يُراعِ اللَيلَ في حِفظِ أُمَّةٍ
يُدافِعُhe wards off عَنهاfrom them الشَرَّevil غَيرَnot رَقودِsleeping
يُدافِعُ عَنها الشَرَّ غَيرَ رَقودِ
and a shepherd who watches through the night to safeguard a people,
Defending it without sleep from harm,
warding evil off from them, never sleeping,
With Gabriel's banners leading its people,
بِأَلوِيَةٍwith standards جِبريلُGabriel يَقدُمُleads أَهلَهاtheir troops
بِأَلوِيَةٍ جِبريلُ يَقدُمُ أَهلَها
وَراياتِand banners of نَصرٍvictory حَولَهُaround him وَبُنودِand flags
وَراياتِ نَصرٍ حَولَهُ وَبُنودِ
with standards whose troops Gabriel leads,
And victory's flags surrounding him and poles,
and banners of victory around him, and flags.
He shunned the world, certain it was no abode of eternity,
تَجافىhe shunned عَنِfrom الدُنياthe world وَأَيقَنَand became certain أَنَّهاthat it
تَجافى عَنِ الدُنيا وَأَيقَنَ أَنَّها
مُفارِقَةٌpassing away لَيسَتit is not بِدارِan abode of خُلودِeverlasting life
مُفارِقَةٌ لَيسَت بِدارِ خُلودِ
He shunned the world, certain that it
And held fast to the bonds of Islam through youths,
is fleeting, not an abode of everlasting life.
Three princely rulers of dynasties,
وَشَدَّand he strengthened عُرىthe bonds of الإِسلامِIslam مِنهُfrom him بِفِتيَةٍwith young men
وَشَدَّ عُرى الإِسلامِ مِنهُ بِفِتيَةٍ
ثَلاثَةِthree أَملاكٍkings وُلاةِholders of عُهودِsuccession pledges
ثَلاثَةِ أَملاكٍ وُلاةِ عُهودِ
And he strengthened Islam's bonds with young men sprung from him:
The best of sons to the best of fathers,
three kings, appointed heirs to the throne.
To the best of forefathers past and ancestors,
هُمُthey خَيرُthe best of أَولادٍsons لَهُمthey have خَيرُthe best والِدٍfather
هُمُ خَيرُ أَولادٍ لَهُم خَيرُ والِدٍ
لَهُhe has خَيرُthe best of آباءٍfathers مَضَتwho have passed away وَجُدودِand grandfathers
لَهُ خَيرُ آباءٍ مَضَت وَجُدودِ
They are the best of sons; theirs is the best of fathers.
The sons of Mustafa, like Aaron around his throne,
His are the best of bygone fathers and grandfathers.
So the best attendance around him seated and standing,
بَنوsons of المُصطَفىthe chosen one هارونَHarun حَولَaround سَريرِهِhis throne
بَنو المُصطَفى هارونَ حَولَ سَريرِهِ
فَخَيرُthus the best of قِيامٍthose standing حَولَهُaround him وَقُعيدِand one seated
فَخَيرُ قِيامٍ حَولَهُ وَقُعيدِ
The sons of Harun, the chosen one, are around his throne—
Wild gazelles' glances turn among them
the best, then, of those standing around him and those seated.
In the hearts of lions afraid and cautious,
تُقَلِّبُshift أَلحاظَglances of المَهابَةِawe بَينَهُمamong them
تُقَلِّبُ أَلحاظَ المَهابَةِ بَينَهُم
عُيونُeyes of ظِباءٍgazelles فيin قُلوبِhearts of أُسودِlions
عُيونُ ظِباءٍ في قُلوبِ أُسودِ
Casting glances of awe among them are
Their ancestors a sun which rose in a new moon
gazelles' eyes in the hearts of lions.
And appeared to beholders among fortunate stars.
جُدودُهُمُtheir forefathers شَمسٌa sun أَتَتit came فيamong أَهِلَّةٍcrescent moons
جُدودُهُمُ شَمسٌ أَتَت في أَهِلَّةٍ
تَبَدَّتit appeared لِراءٍto an onlooker فيamid نُجومِstars of سُعودِgood fortune
تَبَدَّت لِراءٍ في نُجومِ سُعودِ
Their forefathers are a sun that came among crescent moons,
appearing to an onlooker amid stars of good fortune.
Partial English translation: 16 of 18 Arabic lines translated.