دَعَوناكَ وَالهِجرانُ دونَكَ دَعوَةً

دَعَوناكَ وَالهِجرانُ دونَكَ دَعوَةً

أَتاكَ بِها يَقظانَ فِكرُكَ لا البُردُ

أَتاكَ بِها يَقظانَ فِكرُكَ لا البُردُ

We called to you, though separation stood between us and you—a call

We called to you, though estrangement stood between us,

That came to you through your vigilant thought, not through messengers.

Your wakeful thought brought the call to you, not the couriers.

فَأَصبَحتَ مابَينَ العَدُوِّ وَبَينَنا

فَأَصبَحتَ مابَينَ العَدُوِّ وَبَينَنا

تَجارى بِكَ الخَيلُ المُسَوَّمَةُ الجُردُ

تَجارى بِكَ الخَيلُ المُسَوَّمَةُ الجُردُ

And so you found yourself between the enemy and us,

So you came to be between the enemy and us,

As the branded, sleek-coated horses raced on with you.

The marked, sleek steeds bearing you as they raced.

أَتَيناكَ أَدنى مانُجيبُكَ جُهدَنا

أَتَيناكَ أَدنى مانُجيبُكَ جُهدَنا

فَأَهوَنَ سَيرِ الخَيلِ مِن تَحتِنا الشَدُّ

فَأَهوَنَ سَيرِ الخَيلِ مِن تَحتِنا الشَدُّ

We came to you—the least with which we could answer you was our utmost strength;

We came to you, our utmost effort the least we could offer in answer,

For the easiest gait of the horses beneath us was the headlong gallop—

So the gentlest pace of the horses beneath us was a gallop.

بِكُلِّ نِزارِيٍّ أَتَتكَ بِشَخصِهِ

بِكُلِّ نِزارِيٍّ أَتَتكَ بِشَخصِهِ

عَوائِدُ مِن حالَيكَ لَيسَ لَها رَدُّ

عَوائِدُ مِن حالَيكَ لَيسَ لَها رَدُّ

With every Nizari, brought to you in his own person

With every man of Nizar, brought to you in person

By customary obligations born of your two states—obligations none can refuse.

By customary favors from both your states, which admit no refusal.

نُباعِدُهُم وَقتاً كَما يُبعَدُ العِدى

نُباعِدُهُم وَقتاً كَما يُبعَدُ العِدى

وَنُكرِمُهُم وَقتاً كَما يُكرَمُ الوَفدُ

وَنُكرِمُهُم وَقتاً كَما يُكرَمُ الوَفدُ

At times we keep them distant, as enemies are kept away,

We keep them distant at times, as enemies are kept away,

And at times we honor them, as delegations are honored.

And honor them at times, as envoys are honored.

وَنَدنو دُنُوّاً لا يُوَلَّدُ جُرأَةً

وَنَدنو دُنُوّاً لا يُوَلَّدُ جُرأَةً

وَنَجفو جَفاءً لايُوَلِّدُهُ زُهدُ

وَنَجفو جَفاءً لايُوَلِّدُهُ زُهدُ

We draw near with a nearness that breeds no presumption,

And draw near with a closeness that breeds no presumption,

And keep aloof with an aloofness born of no indifference.

And keep aloof with an aloofness not born of indifference.

أَفضَت عَلَيهِ الجودَ مِن قَبلِ هَذِهِ

أَفضَت عَلَيهِ الجودَ مِن قَبلِ هَذِهِ

وَأَفضَلُ مِنهُ ما يُؤَمِّلُهُ بَعدُ

وَأَفضَلُ مِنهُ ما يُؤَمِّلُهُ بَعدُ

You lavished bounty upon him before this,

You poured generosity upon him before this,

And better than that is what he hopes for afterward—

And better still is what he hopes for hereafter.

وَحُمرِ سُيوفٍ لا تَجِفُّ لَها ظُبىً

وَحُمرِ سُيوفٍ لا تَجِفُّ لَها ظُبىً

بِأَيدي رِجالٍ لا يُحَطُّ لَها لِبدُ

بِأَيدي رِجالٍ لا يُحَطُّ لَها لِبدُ

With crimson swords whose cutting edges never dry,

And red swords whose edges never dry,

In the hands of men whose lion-manes are never brought low;

In the hands of men whose saddle-felts are never taken off;

وَزُرقٍ تَشُقُّ البُردَ عَن مُهَجِ العِدى

وَزُرقٍ تَشُقُّ البُردَ عَن مُهَجِ العِدى

وَتَسكُنُ مِنهُم أَينَما سَكَنَ الحِقدُ

وَتَسكُنُ مِنهُم أَينَما سَكَنَ الحِقدُ

And blue-tipped spears that split through cloaks to the enemies’ very lives

And blue spears that tear cloaks from the enemies' hearts,

And lodge within them wherever hatred lodges;

And lodge within them wherever rancor dwells;

وَمُصطَحَباتٍ قارَبَ الرَكضُ بَينَها

وَمُصطَحَباتٍ قارَبَ الرَكضُ بَينَها

وَلَكِن بِها عَن غَيرِها أَبَداً بُعدُ

وَلَكِن بِها عَن غَيرِها أَبَداً بُعدُ

And companion steeds whose gallop drew them close abreast,

And companion steeds, brought close together by the gallop,

Though through them every other steed is left forever far behind.

Yet between them and all others there is always distance.

نُشَرِّدُهُم ضَرباً كَما شَرَّدَ القَطا

نُشَرِّدُهُم ضَرباً كَما شَرَّدَ القَطا

وَنَنظِمُهُم طَعناً كَما نُظِمَ العِقدُ

وَنَنظِمُهُم طَعناً كَما نُظِمَ العِقدُ

We scatter them with blows as sandgrouse are scattered,

We scatter them with blows as sandgrouse are scattered,

And string them with thrusts as a necklace is strung.

And string them together with spear-thrusts as a necklace is strung.

لَئِن خانَكَ المَقدورُ فيما نَوَيتَهُ

لَئِن خانَكَ المَقدورُ فيما نَوَيتَهُ

فَما خانَكَ الرَكضُ المَواصِلُ وَالجُهدُ

فَما خانَكَ الرَكضُ المَواصِلُ وَالجُهدُ

Though fate betray you in what you intended,

If fate has indeed betrayed you in what you intended,

Neither the unbroken gallop nor the striving betrayed you.

Yet the unceasing gallop and effort have not betrayed you.

تُعادُ كَما عَوَّدتَ وَالهامُ صَخرُها

تُعادُ كَما عَوَّدتَ وَالهامُ صَخرُها

وَيُبنى بِها المَجدُ المُؤَثَّلُ وَالحَمدُ

وَيُبنى بِها المَجدُ المُؤَثَّلُ وَالحَمدُ

The onslaught shall be renewed, as you have made customary, with skulls for its stones;

It is renewed, as you have made customary, with skulls for its stones,

By it, deep-rooted glory and praise are built.

And with it are built deep-rooted glory and praise.

فَفي كَفِّكَ الدُنيا وَشيمَتُكَ العُلا

فَفي كَفِّكَ الدُنيا وَشيمَتُكَ العُلا

وَطائِرُكَ الأَعلى وَكَوكَبَكَ السَعدُ

وَطائِرُكَ الأَعلى وَكَوكَبَكَ السَعدُ

The world lies in your palm, and loftiness is your nature;

For the world is in your palm, and loftiness is your nature,

Your omen is the highest, and your star is auspicious.

And your bird of fortune is highest, and your star is auspicious.