دِمَنٌ أَلَمَّ بِها فَقالَ سَلامُ

دِمَنٌ أَلَمَّ بِها فَقالَ سَلامُ

كَم حَلَّ عُقدَةَ صَبرِهِ الإِلمامُ

كَم حَلَّ عُقدَةَ صَبرِهِ الإِلمامُ

Ruins he came upon, and said: Peace be upon you.

Ruins he visited, then said, "Peace!"

How often a visit untied the knot of his endurance!

How often a visit undid the knot of his patience!

نُحِرَت رِكابُ القَومِ حَتّى يَغبُروا

نُحِرَت رِكابُ القَومِ حَتّى يَغبُروا

رَجلى لَقَد عَنُفوا عَلَيَّ وَلاموا

رَجلى لَقَد عَنُفوا عَلَيَّ وَلاموا

The people’s mounts were slaughtered, until they left behind

May the company's riding camels be slaughtered, so they remain

A man over whom they had long labored—and laid blame.

On foot! They were harsh with me and reproached me.

عَشِقوا وَلا رُزِقوا أَيُعذَلُ عاشِقٌ

عَشِقوا وَلا رُزِقوا أَيُعذَلُ عاشِقٌ

رُزِقَت هَواهُ مَعالِمٌ وَخِيامُ

رُزِقَت هَواهُ مَعالِمٌ وَخِيامُ

They loved without being granted requital—is a lover to be blamed?

May they love and find no fulfillment! Should a lover be blamed

Landmarks and tents alike were endowed with love for him.

Whose love has been bestowed on landmarks and tents?

وَقَفوا عَلَيَّ اللَومَ حَتّى خَيَّلوا

وَقَفوا عَلَيَّ اللَومَ حَتّى خَيَّلوا

أَنَّ الوُقوفَ عَلى الدِيارِ حَرامُ

أَنَّ الوُقوفَ عَلى الدِيارِ حَرامُ

They heaped all blame upon me, until they made it seem

They reserved their blame for me until they made it seem

That pausing at the dwellings was forbidden.

That standing over old abodes was forbidden.

ما مَرَّ يَومٌ واحِدٌ إِلّا وَفي

ما مَرَّ يَومٌ واحِدٌ إِلّا وَفي

أَحشائِهِ لِمَحِلَّتَيكِ غَمامُ

أَحشائِهِ لِمَحِلَّتَيكِ غَمامُ

Not a single day passed except that within

Not a single day passed without there being, within

Its very depths were clouds for your two encampments.

Its depths, rain clouds for your two encampments,

حَتّى تُعَمَّمَ صُلعُ هاماتِ الرُبا

حَتّى تُعَمَّمَ صُلعُ هاماتِ الرُبا

مِن نَورِهِ وَتَأَزَّرَ الأَهضامُ

مِن نَورِهِ وَتَأَزَّرَ الأَهضامُ

Until the bare crowns of the hilltops were turbaned

Until the bald heads of the hills are turbaned

With their light, and the lowlands girded themselves in it.

With its blossoms, and the lowlands are girdled.

وَلَقَد أَراكِ فَهَل أَراكِ بِغِبطَةٍ

وَلَقَد أَراكِ فَهَل أَراكِ بِغِبطَةٍ

وَالعَيشُ غَضٌّ وَالزَمانُ غُلامُ

وَالعَيشُ غَضٌّ وَالزَمانُ غُلامُ

Once I beheld you—shall I behold you again in happiness,

Indeed, I once saw you—shall I see you again in bliss,

When life was fresh and time itself a boy?

With life fresh and time a young boy?

أَعوامُ وَصلٍ كانَ يُنسي طولَها

أَعوامُ وَصلٍ كانَ يُنسي طولَها

ذِكرُ النَوى فَكَأَنَّها أَيّامُ

ذِكرُ النَوى فَكَأَنَّها أَيّامُ

Years of union whose length would be forgotten

Years of union, whose long span was forgotten

At the thought of parting, so that they seemed mere days.

At the thought of parting, so they seemed mere days.

ثُمَّ اِنبَرَت أَيّامُ هَجرٍ أَردَفَت

ثُمَّ اِنبَرَت أَيّامُ هَجرٍ أَردَفَت

بِجَوىً أَسىً فَكَأَنَّها أَعوامُ

بِجَوىً أَسىً فَكَأَنَّها أَعوامُ

Then the days of your estrangement swept past, followed

Then came days of estrangement, adding

By consuming longing and grief, until they seemed like years.

Sorrow to burning heartache, so they seemed like years.

ثُمَّ اِنقَضَت تِلكَ السُنونُ وَأَهلُها

ثُمَّ اِنقَضَت تِلكَ السُنونُ وَأَهلُها

فَكَأَنَّها وَكَأَنَّهُم أَحلامُ

فَكَأَنَّها وَكَأَنَّهُم أَحلامُ

Then those years and all their people passed away,

Then those years passed away, and their people,

As though both the years and they had been dreams.

As though the years and the people alike were dreams.

أَتَصَعصَعَت عَبَراتُ عَينِكَ أَن دَعَت

أَتَصَعصَعَت عَبَراتُ عَينِكَ أَن دَعَت

وَرقاءُ حينَ تَصَعصَعَ الإِظلامُ

وَرقاءُ حينَ تَصَعصَعَ الإِظلامُ

Have the tears in your eyes begun to show—or did

Did the tears of your eye quiver because there called

A ringdove call when darkness first began to stir?

A gray dove, as the darkness began to break?

لا تَنشِجَنَّ لَها فَإِنَّ بُكاءَها

لا تَنشِجَنَّ لَها فَإِنَّ بُكاءَها

ضَحِكٌ وَإِنَّ بُكاءَكَ اِستِغرامُ

ضَحِكٌ وَإِنَّ بُكاءَكَ اِستِغرامُ

Do not sob for her: her weeping

Do not sob for her, for her weeping

Is laughter, while your tears are consuming passion.

Is laughter, while your weeping is love's torment.

هُنَّ الحَمامُ فَإِن كَسَرتَ عِيافَةً

هُنَّ الحَمامُ فَإِن كَسَرتَ عِيافَةً

مِن حائِهِنَّ فَإِنَّهُنَّ حِمامُ

مِن حائِهِنَّ فَإِنَّهُنَّ حِمامُ

They are doves; but if augury construes their cry

They are ḥamām, doves; if, reading bird omens, you change the vowel

For one doomed, then they are death itself.

Of their ḥāʾ to i, they are ḥimām—death.

اللَهُ أَكبَرُ جاءَ أَكبَرُ مَن جَرَت

اللَهُ أَكبَرُ جاءَ أَكبَرُ مَن جَرَت

فَتَحَيَّرَت في كُنهِهِ الأَوهامُ

فَتَحَيَّرَت في كُنهِهِ الأَوهامُ

God is greatest! One greater than all who came before has arisen—

God is greatest! Here comes the greatest of those whom imaginings pursued,

So great that imagination stands bewildered before his essence:

Only to stand bewildered at his innermost essence.

مَن لا يُحيطُ الواصِفونَ بِقَدرِهِ

مَن لا يُحيطُ الواصِفونَ بِقَدرِهِ

حَتّى يَقولوا قَدرُهُ إِلهامُ

حَتّى يَقولوا قَدرُهُ إِلهامُ

One whose measure no describer can encompass,

One whose worth describers cannot encompass,

Until they say: his measure is inspiration itself;

Until they say, "His worth is inspiration."

مَن شَرَّدَ الإِعدامَ عَن أَوطانِهِ

مَن شَرَّدَ الإِعدامَ عَن أَوطانِهِ

بِالبَذلِ حَتّى اِستُطرِفَ الإِعدامُ

بِالبَذلِ حَتّى اِستُطرِفَ الإِعدامُ

One who drove poverty away from its homeland

One who drove poverty from his lands

By giving, until poverty itself had nowhere left to dwell;

By giving, until poverty became a novelty.

وَتَكَفَّلَ الأَيتامَ عَن آبائِهِم

وَتَكَفَّلَ الأَيتامَ عَن آبائِهِم

حَتّى وَدِدنا أَنَّنا أَيتامُ

حَتّى وَدِدنا أَنَّنا أَيتامُ

Who assumed the care of orphans in place of their fathers,

And cared for orphans in their fathers' stead,

Until we wished that we ourselves were orphans.

Until we wished that we were orphans.

مُستَسلِمٌ لِلَّهِ سائِسُ أُمَّةٍ

مُستَسلِمٌ لِلَّهِ سائِسُ أُمَّةٍ

لِذَوي تَجَهضُمِها لَهُ اِستِسلامُ

لِذَوي تَجَهضُمِها لَهُ اِستِسلامُ

Submitted to God, a governor of the nation,

One who submits to God and governs a nation,

Yet toward all besides Him, all proud strength and refusal.

Whose men of towering pride submit to him.

يَتَجَنَّبُ الآثامَ ثُمَّ يَخافُها

يَتَجَنَّبُ الآثامَ ثُمَّ يَخافُها

فَكَأَنَّما حَسَناتُهُ آثامُ

فَكَأَنَّما حَسَناتُهُ آثامُ

He shuns transgressions, then fears even his virtues

He avoids sins, then fears them,

As though his good deeds themselves were sins.

So it is as though his good deeds were sins.

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الهُمامُ وَعَدلُهُ

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الهُمامُ وَعَدلُهُ

مَلِكٌ عَلَيهِ في القَضاءِ هُمامُ

مَلِكٌ عَلَيهِ في القَضاءِ هُمامُ

Not merely a mighty king: his justice too

O resolute king, whose justice

Is a mighty sovereign ruling over him.

Is a resolute king ruling him in judgment!

ما زالَ حُكمُ اللَهِ يُشرِقُ وَجهُهُ

ما زالَ حُكمُ اللَهِ يُشرِقُ وَجهُهُ

في الأَرضِ مُذ نيطَت بِكَ الأَحكامُ

في الأَرضِ مُذ نيطَت بِكَ الأَحكامُ

God’s decree has never ceased to shine upon his face

The face of God's rule has never ceased to shine

Since judgment over the earth was entrusted to your hands.

On earth, since judgments were entrusted to you.

أَسَرَت لَكَ الآفاقُ عَزمَةُ هِمَّةٍ

أَسَرَت لَكَ الآفاقُ عَزمَةُ هِمَّةٍ

جُبِلَت عَلى أَنَّ المَسيرَ مُقامُ

جُبِلَت عَلى أَنَّ المَسيرَ مُقامُ

The horizons have yielded to the resolve of your ambition,

An ambition's firm resolve captured the horizons for you,

Fashioned in the conviction that journeying is repose.

Fashioned to regard marching as staying still.

إِلّا تَكُن أَرواحُها لَكَ سُخِّرَت

إِلّا تَكُن أَرواحُها لَكَ سُخِّرَت

فَالعَزمُ طَوعُ يَدَيكَ وَالإِجذامُ

فَالعَزمُ طَوعُ يَدَيكَ وَالإِجذامُ

Even if their spirits were not subjected to you,

If their winds have not been made to serve you,

Your purpose would make travel itself their settled station.

Resolve and swift advance are at your hands' command.

الشَرقُ غَربٌ حينَ تَلحَظُ قَصدَهُ

الشَرقُ غَربٌ حينَ تَلحَظُ قَصدَهُ

وَمَخالِفُ اليَمَنِ القَصِيِّ شَآمُ

وَمَخالِفُ اليَمَنِ القَصِيِّ شَآمُ

The East becomes West wherever your onward gaze

The East is West when you glance toward it,

Falls; Yemen’s distant marches become Syria.

And the districts of far-off Yemen are al-Sham.

بِالشَدقَمِيّاتِ العِتاقِ كَأَنَّما

بِالشَدقَمِيّاتِ العِتاقِ كَأَنَّما

أَشباحُها بَينَ الإِكامِ إِكامُ

أَشباحُها بَينَ الإِكامِ إِكامُ

Upon noble, full-bodied she-camels, as though

On noble Shadqam-bred camels, as though

Their forms among the hills were hills themselves;

Their shapes among the hills were hills.

وَالأَعوَجِيّاتُ الجِيادِ كَأَنَّها

وَالأَعوَجِيّاتُ الجِيادِ كَأَنَّها

تَهوي وَقَد وَنَتِ الرِياحُ سَمامُ

تَهوي وَقَد وَنَتِ الرِياحُ سَمامُ

And upon swift, well-bred horses, as though

And the noble Aʿwaj-bred horses, as though they were

They played while upright lances turned to arrows.

Swifts swooping while the winds have flagged.

لَمّا رَأَيتَ الدينَ يَخفِقُ قَلبُهُ

لَمّا رَأَيتَ الدينَ يَخفِقُ قَلبُهُ

وَالكُفرُ فيهِ تَغَطرُسٌ وَعُرامُ

وَالكُفرُ فيهِ تَغَطرُسٌ وَعُرامُ

When you saw religion’s heart trembling

When you saw the faith's heart fluttering,

While unbelief strutted in insolent violence,

While unbelief harbored arrogance and ferocity,

لَوَرَيتَ زَندَ عَزائِمٍ تَحتَ الدُجى

لَوَرَيتَ زَندَ عَزائِمٍ تَحتَ الدُجى

أَسرَجنَ فِكرَكَ وَالبِلادُ ظَلامُ

أَسرَجنَ فِكرَكَ وَالبِلادُ ظَلامُ

You struck fire from the flint of your resolve beneath the darkness,

You kindled the firestick of resolves beneath the darkness,

And your thought lit countries submerged in night.

Which lit your thoughts like lamps while the lands were dark.

فَنَهَضتَ تَسحَبُ ذَيلَ جَيشٍ ساقَهُ

فَنَهَضتَ تَسحَبُ ذَيلَ جَيشٍ ساقَهُ

حُسنُ اليَقينِ وَقادَهُ الإِقدامُ

حُسنُ اليَقينِ وَقادَهُ الإِقدامُ

You arose, trailing the hem of an army driven

Then you rose, trailing the train of an army driven

By firm conviction and led by daring.

By sound conviction and led by boldness.

مُثعَنجِرٍ لَجِبٍ تَرى سُلّافَهُ

مُثعَنجِرٍ لَجِبٍ تَرى سُلّافَهُ

وَلَهُم بِمُنخَرِقِ الفَضاءِ زِحامُ

وَلَهُم بِمُنخَرِقِ الفَضاءِ زِحامُ

A surging, roaring sea whose forward flood

A surging, clamorous host: you see its vanguard,

Crowded even the vast expanse of open ground.

And they crowd the wide-open expanse of space.

مَلَأَ المَلا عُصباً فَكادَ بِأَن يُرى

مَلَأَ المَلا عُصباً فَكادَ بِأَن يُرى

لا خَلفَ فيهِ وَلا لَهُ قُدّامُ

لا خَلفَ فيهِ وَلا لَهُ قُدّامُ

It filled all space with tumult, until it seemed

It filled the open country in bands, till it almost appeared

To have neither rear behind it nor front before it.

To have neither rear nor front.

بِسَواهِمٍ لُحُقِ الأَياطِلِ شُرَّبٍ

بِسَواهِمٍ لُحُقِ الأَياطِلِ شُرَّبٍ

تَعليقُها الإِسراجُ وَالإِلجامُ

تَعليقُها الإِسراجُ وَالإِلجامُ

With lean, close-flanked horses

With lean steeds, hollow-flanked, drinkers,

Held fast by saddle and bridle;

Whose feeding is saddling and bridling.

وَمُقاتِلينَ إِذا اِنتَمَوا لَم يُخزِهِم

وَمُقاتِلينَ إِذا اِنتَمَوا لَم يُخزِهِم

في نَصرِكَ الأَخوالُ وَالأَعمامُ

في نَصرِكَ الأَخوالُ وَالأَعمامُ

And warriors whose lineage, when they recited it,

And fighters who, when they name their descent, are not shamed

Left maternal and paternal uncles alike unnamed.

By their maternal and paternal uncles in aiding you.

سَفَعَ الدُؤوبُ وُجوهَهُم فَكَأَنَّهُم

سَفَعَ الدُؤوبُ وُجوهَهُم فَكَأَنَّهُم

وَأَبوهُمُ سامٌ أَبوهُم حامُ

وَأَبوهُمُ سامٌ أَبوهُم حامُ

Darkened by tireless campaigning, their faces seemed

Ceaseless toil darkened their faces, so they seem—

To trace their ancestry, like Ham, to Ham.

Though their father is Sam—to have Ham as their father.

تَخِذوا الحَديدَ مِنَ الحَديدِ مَعاقِلاً

تَخِذوا الحَديدَ مِنَ الحَديدِ مَعاقِلاً

سُكّانُها الأَرواحُ وَالأَجسامُ

سُكّانُها الأَرواحُ وَالأَجسامُ

They took iron itself as fortresses of iron,

They made iron into strongholds against iron,

Fortresses inhabited by spirits and bodies.

Whose dwellers are souls and bodies.

مُستَرسِلينَ إِلى الحُتوفِ كَأَنَّما

مُستَرسِلينَ إِلى الحُتوفِ كَأَنَّما

بَينَ الحُتوفِ وَبَينَهُم أَرحامُ

بَينَ الحُتوفِ وَبَينَهُم أَرحامُ

They went freely toward death, as though

Going freely toward death, as though

Death and they were joined by ties of blood.

Death and they shared ties of kinship.

آسادُ مَوتٍ مُخدِراتٌ ما لَها

آسادُ مَوتٍ مُخدِراتٌ ما لَها

إِلّا الصَوارِمَ وَالقَنا آجامُ

إِلّا الصَوارِمَ وَالقَنا آجامُ

They led armored companies whose only reins

Den-dwelling lions of death, with no

Were cutting swords and pliant spears.

Thickets but sharp swords and spears.

حَتّى نَقَضتَ الرومَ مِنكَ بِوَقعَةٍ

حَتّى نَقَضتَ الرومَ مِنكَ بِوَقعَةٍ

شَنعاءَ لَيسَ لِنَقضِها إِبرامُ

شَنعاءَ لَيسَ لِنَقضِها إِبرامُ

Until, with a single blow, you broke the host of al-Rum—

Until you unraveled the Romans with a battle you dealt,

A breaking no repair could ever mend.

Dreadful, whose unraveling no rebinding could reverse.

في مَعرَكٍ أَمّا الحِمامُ فَمُفطِرٌ

في مَعرَكٍ أَمّا الحِمامُ فَمُفطِرٌ

في هَبوَتَيهِ وَالكُماةُ صِيامُ

في هَبوَتَيهِ وَالكُماةُ صِيامُ

On a battlefield where death broke its fast

On a battlefield where death was breaking its fast

While the warriors, amid its clouds, kept fasting.

In its two dust-clouds, while the warriors fasted.

وَالضَربُ يُقعِدُ قَرمَ كُلِّ كَتيبَةٍ

وَالضَربُ يُقعِدُ قَرمَ كُلِّ كَتيبَةٍ

شَرِسِ الضَريبَةِ وَالحُتوفُ قِيامُ

شَرِسِ الضَريبَةِ وَالحُتوفُ قِيامُ

There the blow hammered the horn of every battalion,

And blows made every battalion's champion sit,

Savage in assault, while death stood upright.

Fierce of temper, while deaths stood upright.

فَفَصَمتَ عُروَةَ جَمعِهِم فيهِ وَقَد

فَفَصَمتَ عُروَةَ جَمعِهِم فيهِ وَقَد

جَعَلَت تَفَصَّمُ عَن عُراها الهامُ

جَعَلَت تَفَصَّمُ عَن عُراها الهامُ

Their union was shattered there, although

So there you snapped the bond of their host, while

Their severed heads slipped free of every bond.

Heads had begun to break loose from their bonds.

أَلقوا دِلاءً في بُحورِكَ أَسلَمَت

أَلقوا دِلاءً في بُحورِكَ أَسلَمَت

تَرَعاتِها الأَكرابُ وَالأَوذامُ

تَرَعاتِها الأَكرابُ وَالأَوذامُ

They lowered buckets into your seas, letting them run free—

They cast buckets into your seas; these were abandoned

Their bucket ropes and straps paying out behind them.

Brimful, by their bucket-ropes and leather straps.

ما كانَ لِلإِشراكِ فَوزَةُ مَشهَدٍ

ما كانَ لِلإِشراكِ فَوزَةُ مَشهَدٍ

وَاللَهُ فيهِ وَأَنتَ وَالإِسلامُ

وَاللَهُ فيهِ وَأَنتَ وَالإِسلامُ

Polytheism could win no share in such a scene,

There could be no battlefield victory for polytheism

For God was there, and you, and Islam.

With God there, and you, and Islam.

لَمّا رَأَيتَهُمُ تُساقُ مُلوكُهُم

لَمّا رَأَيتَهُمُ تُساقُ مُلوكُهُم

حِزَقاً إِلَيكَ كَأَنَّهُم أَنعامُ

حِزَقاً إِلَيكَ كَأَنَّهُم أَنعامُ

When you saw their dominion falling around them,

When you saw them, their kings being driven

They circled toward wounds like grazing cattle.

In bands toward you as though they were livestock,

جَرحى إِلى جَرحى كَأَنَّ جُلودَهُم

جَرحى إِلى جَرحى كَأَنَّ جُلودَهُم

يُطلى بِها الشَيّانُ وَالعُلّامُ

يُطلى بِها الشَيّانُ وَالعُلّامُ

Wounded men fell upon wounded men, as though their skins

Wounded beside wounded, as though their skins

Were hides with which troughs and standards might be covered.

Were paint for dragon's-blood resin and henna.

مُتَساقِطي وَرَقِ الثِيابِ كَأَنَّهُم

مُتَساقِطي وَرَقِ الثِيابِ كَأَنَّهُم

دانوا فَأُحدِثَ فيهِم الإِحرامُ

دانوا فَأُحدِثَ فيهِم الإِحرامُ

They dropped like the scattered leaves of locusts, as though

Shedding the leaves of their garments, as though they

They had entered consecration when slaughter overtook them.

Had embraced the faith and entered ihram.

أَكرَمتَ سَيفَكَ غَربَهُ وَذُبابَهُ

أَكرَمتَ سَيفَكَ غَربَهُ وَذُبابَهُ

عَنهُم وَحُقَّ لِسَيفِكَ الإِكرامُ

عَنهُم وَحُقَّ لِسَيفِكَ الإِكرامُ

You honored your sword by withholding its edge and point

You honored your sword, its keen edge and its point,

From some of them—and your sword deserved that honor.

By withholding it from them; your sword deserved honor.

فَرَدَدتَ حَدَّ المَوتِ وَهوَ مُرَكَّبٌ

فَرَدَدتَ حَدَّ المَوتِ وَهوَ مُرَكَّبٌ

في حَدِّهِ فَاِرتَدَّ وَهوَ زُؤامُ

في حَدِّهِ فَاِرتَدَّ وَهوَ زُؤامُ

You turned back the edge of death, though death rode

So you repelled death's edge, lodged as it was

Upon its blade; deadly as it was, it recoiled.

In your sword's edge; it recoiled, though swiftly fatal.

أَيقَظتَ هاجِعَهُم وَهَل يُغنيهُم

أَيقَظتَ هاجِعَهُم وَهَل يُغنيهُم

سَهَرُ النَواظِرِ وَالعُقولِ نِيامُ

سَهَرُ النَواظِرِ وَالعُقولِ نِيامُ

You spared their fugitives—but could they be saved

You woke their sleepers; but can it benefit them

By sleepless eyes while their minds lay sleeping?

To keep their eyes awake while their minds are asleep?

جَحَدَتكَ مِنهُم أَلسُنُ لَجلاجَةٌ

جَحَدَتكَ مِنهُم أَلسُنُ لَجلاجَةٌ

أَقرَرنَ أَنَّكَ في القُلوبِ إِمامُ

أَقرَرنَ أَنَّكَ في القُلوبِ إِمامُ

Stammering tongues among them denied your worth,

Stammering tongues among them denied you,

Yet confessed that within their hearts you were the guide.

Yet admitted that in their hearts you are an imam.

اِسلَم أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ لِأُمَّةِ

اِسلَم أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ لِأُمَّةِ

نَتَجَت رَجاءَكَ وَالرَجاءُ عُقامُ

نَتَجَت رَجاءَكَ وَالرَجاءُ عُقامُ

Through peace you secured the believers for a nation

Remain safe, Commander of the Faithful, for a nation

Whose hope in you bore fruit when every other hope was barren.

That bore hope in you while hope was barren.

إِنَّ المَكارِمَ لِلخَليفَةِ لَم تَزَل

إِنَّ المَكارِمَ لِلخَليفَةِ لَم تَزَل

وَاللَهُ يَعلَمُ ذاكَ وَالأَقوامُ

وَاللَهُ يَعلَمُ ذاكَ وَالأَقوامُ

Noble deeds have never ceased to belong to the caliph—

Indeed, the caliph's noble virtues have always been—

God knows this, and so do all peoples.

God knows this, and so do the peoples—

كُتِبَت لَهُ وَلِأَوَّليهِ وِراثَةً

كُتِبَت لَهُ وَلِأَوَّليهِ وِراثَةً

في اللَوحِ حَتّى جَفَّتِ الأَقلامُ

في اللَوحِ حَتّى جَفَّتِ الأَقلامُ

They were inscribed for him, inherited from his earliest forebear,

Inscribed for him and his forebears as an inheritance

Upon the Tablet, until the pens ran dry.

On the Tablet, until the pens dried.

مُتَواطِّئو عَقِبَيكَ في طَلَبِ العُلا

مُتَواطِّئو عَقِبَيكَ في طَلَبِ العُلا

وَالمَجدُ ثُمَّت تَستَوي الأَقدامُ

وَالمَجدُ ثُمَّت تَستَوي الأَقدامُ

You have made the pursuit of exaltation your enduring road,

They tread in your footsteps in pursuit of eminence

And there, at glory, every footstep comes to rest.

And glory; then all feet stand level.