نُصِرتَ عَلى الأَعداءِ فَليَهنِكَ النَصرُ

نُصِرتَ عَلى الأَعداءِ فَليَهنِكَ النَصرُ

وَدانَت لَكَ الدُنيا وَذَلَّ لَكَ الدَهرُ

وَدانَت لَكَ الدُنيا وَذَلَّ لَكَ الدَهرُ

You were granted victory over the foes—may that victory bring you joy!

You were granted victory over the enemies; may victory gladden you.

The world has submitted to you, and time itself is humbled before you.

And the world has yielded to you, and time has humbled itself before you.

فَأَنتَ كَإِقبالِ الشَبيبَةِ وَالصِبا

فَأَنتَ كَإِقبالِ الشَبيبَةِ وَالصِبا

تَطيبُ بِكَ الدُنيا وَيَنعَمِرُ العُمرُ

تَطيبُ بِكَ الدُنيا وَيَنعَمِرُ العُمرُ

For you are like the advent of youth and its first bloom:

So you are like the coming of youth and boyhood:

through you the world grows sweet, and life flourishes.

Through you the world grows sweet, and life flourishes.

وَلَيسَ كِرامُ الناسِ إِلّا كَواكِباً

وَلَيسَ كِرامُ الناسِ إِلّا كَواكِباً

عَلى صَفحَتَي لَيلٍ وَأَنتَ لَهُم بَدرُ

عَلى صَفحَتَي لَيلٍ وَأَنتَ لَهُم بَدرُ

The noble among men are nothing but stars

And noble people are nothing but stars

upon the twofold face of night, while you are their full moon.

on the two pages of night, and you are their full moon.

وَفي الناسِ أَجوادٌ كَثيرٌ وَإِنَّما

وَفي الناسِ أَجوادٌ كَثيرٌ وَإِنَّما

أُولَئِكَ أَثمادٌ وَأَنتَ لَهُم بَحرُ

أُولَئِكَ أَثمادٌ وَأَنتَ لَهُم بَحرُ

Among men are many who are generous, yet

And among people are many generous men, yet

those are but scant pools, while you are their sea.

those are mere shallow pools, and you are their sea.

فَإِن أَظلَمَ الأَحداثُ وَاِسوَدَّ لَونُها

فَإِن أَظلَمَ الأَحداثُ وَاِسوَدَّ لَونُها

فَهُم شَفَقٌ فيها وَأَنتَ بِها فَجرُ

فَهُم شَفَقٌ فيها وَأَنتَ بِها فَجرُ

If events grow dark and their hue turns black,

So if misfortunes darken and their color turns black,

they are twilight amid them, while you are the dawn.

then they are twilight's glow amid them, and you are dawn there.

أَبا قاسِمٍ فَخراً عَلى المَجدِ وَالعُلا

أَبا قاسِمٍ فَخراً عَلى المَجدِ وَالعُلا

فَإِنَّ العُلا رَوضٌ وَأَنتَ بِهِ زَهرُ

فَإِنَّ العُلا رَوضٌ وَأَنتَ بِهِ زَهرُ

O Abu Qasim, a glory surpassing glory and lofty rank—

O Abu Qasim, take pride in surpassing glory and eminence;

for loftiness is a garden, and you are its blossom.

for eminence is a garden, and you are its bloom.

غَدَت أَرضُنا مِنكُم سَماءً مُظِلَّةً

غَدَت أَرضُنا مِنكُم سَماءً مُظِلَّةً

لَها أَنجُمٌ مِن زُهرِ أَخلاقِكُم زُهرُ

لَها أَنجُمٌ مِن زُهرِ أَخلاقِكُم زُهرُ

Through you, our earth has become an overarching sky,

Through you, our earth has become a sky that casts shade;

with radiant stars sprung from the blossoms of your virtues.

it has shining stars drawn from your radiant virtues.

كَأَنَّكَ في خَدِّ الزَمانِ تَوَرُّدٌ

كَأَنَّكَ في خَدِّ الزَمانِ تَوَرُّدٌ

وَفي فَمِهِ ضِحكٌ وَفي وَجهِهِ بِشرُ

وَفي فَمِهِ ضِحكٌ وَفي وَجهِهِ بِشرُ

It is as though you were the blush upon the cheek of time,

It is as though you are a rosy blush on time's cheek,

laughter in its mouth and gladness upon its face.

and laughter in its mouth, and gladness on its face.

فَمَن يَكُ مَمدوحاً بِنَظمٍ نَصوغُهُ

فَمَن يَكُ مَمدوحاً بِنَظمٍ نَصوغُهُ

فَإِنَّكَ مَمدوحٌ بِكَ النَظمُ وَالنَثرُ

فَإِنَّكَ مَمدوحٌ بِكَ النَظمُ وَالنَثرُ

Whoever else is praised through verse that we fashion,

So if anyone is praised in verse we fashion,

you are the one through whom both verse and prose are praised.

you are one through whom verse and prose are praised.

وَإِن يَكُ بَعضُ الأَكرَمينَ يَعُقُّني

وَإِن يَكُ بَعضُ الأَكرَمينَ يَعُقُّني

فَإِنَّكَ مَدُّ البَحرِ إِن أَخلَفَ القَطرُ

فَإِنَّكَ مَدُّ البَحرِ إِن أَخلَفَ القَطرُ

And if some of the noblest should treat me unkindly,

And if some of the most generous men treat me ungratefully,

you are the sea’s swelling tide when the rain fails.

then you are the sea's rising tide if the rain fails.