مَضَت أَسابيع للوَعد الَّذي سَبَقا

مَضَت أَسابيع للوَعد الَّذي سَبَقا

وَأَصبَحَ القَلبُ مِن إِنجازِهِ فَرِقا

وَأَصبَحَ القَلبُ مِن إِنجازِهِ فَرِقا

Weeks have passed since the promise made before,

Weeks have passed since the promise made before,

and the heart has grown anxious for its fulfillment.

And the heart has grown anxious about its fulfillment.

فَهَل كِتاب أَبي بشرٍ يُبشِّرُنا

فَهَل كِتاب أَبي بشرٍ يُبشِّرُنا

فَنَقضي القَصدَ مِنهُ كَيفَ ما اِتَفَقا

فَنَقضي القَصدَ مِنهُ كَيفَ ما اِتَفَقا

Will a letter from Abu Bishr bring us good news,

So will Abu Bishr’s book bring us glad tidings,

so that, however things turn out, we may achieve our aim through it?

So we may attain our aim through it, however it comes about?

يا أحسنَ الناسِ في خَلقٍ وفي خُلُقٍ

يا أحسنَ الناسِ في خَلقٍ وفي خُلُقٍ

خصصتَ بِالأحسَنَينِ الخَلقَ والخُلقا

خصصتَ بِالأحسَنَينِ الخَلقَ والخُلقا

O fairest of people in form and in character,

O finest of people in form and in character,

you alone were graced with both beauties: form and character.

You were singled out for the finest of both: form and character.

طلعت بدراً بِآفاقِ السعودِ على

طلعت بدراً بِآفاقِ السعودِ على

هذا الأنام فجلّى نورك الغسقا

هذا الأنام فجلّى نورك الغسقا

You rose like a full moon over horizons of good fortune,

You rose, a full moon on the horizons of good fortune, over

above all humankind, and your light dispelled the darkness.

These people, and your light dispelled the darkness.

وقمتَ بالعَدلِ في وَقتٍ لقد قعدَت

وقمتَ بالعَدلِ في وَقتٍ لقد قعدَت

فيهِ الرجالُ فَأوضَحت الهُدى طُرقا

فيهِ الرجالُ فَأوضَحت الهُدى طُرقا

You upheld justice in a time when

And you stood for justice at a time when there sat idle

men had held back, and you made the paths of guidance clear.

The men; you made the paths of guidance clear.

إنَّ المناصبَ قَد ألقَت مقالِدَها

إنَّ المناصبَ قَد ألقَت مقالِدَها

إِلى عُلاكَ فَلاقَت سَيداً نَطِقا

إِلى عُلاكَ فَلاقَت سَيداً نَطِقا

High offices have indeed cast down their keys

Indeed, the offices have surrendered their keys

before your eminence and found an eloquent master.

To your eminence, and found an eloquent master.

وكلُّ ما صِرتَ فيهِ فَهو دونكم

وكلُّ ما صِرتَ فيهِ فَهو دونكم

ونحن نرجو مزيد الخيرِ مُتَّسِقا

ونحن نرجو مزيد الخيرِ مُتَّسِقا

Every station you have attained is beneath your worth,

And every position you have attained is beneath you;

and we hope for ever-flowing increase in goodness.

And we hope for more goodness in steady succession.

لأنتَ أكرم مَن يُرجى لِمُعضِلَةٍ

لأنتَ أكرم مَن يُرجى لِمُعضِلَةٍ

ما البَحرُ ملتَطِماً ما الغيثُ مندفِقا

ما البَحرُ ملتَطِماً ما الغيثُ مندفِقا

You are surely the most generous one sought in times of hardship,

Truly, you are the most generous one to turn to in a crisis.

as long as the sea surges and the rain pours down.

What is the surging sea? What is the pouring rain?

وَلَيسَ جودك مقصوداً على أحدٍ

وَلَيسَ جودك مقصوداً على أحدٍ

بل أنتَ كالغَيثِ عَمَّ الترب والزَّلَقا

بل أنتَ كالغَيثِ عَمَّ الترب والزَّلَقا

Your generosity is not confined to any one person;

And your generosity is not directed at any one person;

rather, you are like rain that covers soil and slippery rock alike.

Rather, you are like rain, covering soil and smooth rock alike.

إِنَّ الجَميلَ إِذا يُسدى لِشاكرِهِ

إِنَّ الجَميلَ إِذا يُسدى لِشاكرِهِ

يَنمو ثَناءً وَعَرفاً عاطِراً عَبِقا

يَنمو ثَناءً وَعَرفاً عاطِراً عَبِقا

Indeed, when a kindness is rendered to one who is grateful,

Indeed, kindness, when bestowed on one grateful for it,

it grows into praise and a sweet scent, fragrant and lingering.

Grows into praise and a sweet, pervasive fragrance.