غَدا المُلكُ مَعمورَ الحِمى وَالمَنازِلِ

غَدا المُلكُ مَعمورَ الحِمى وَالمَنازِلِ

مُنَوِّرَ وَحفِ الرَوضِ عَذبَ المَناهِلِ

مُنَوِّرَ وَحفِ الرَوضِ عَذبَ المَناهِلِ

The realm has grown prosperous in its protected lands and dwellings,

The land flourished with mansions and homes

its lush meadow-growth flowering, its watering places sweet,

Illuminated, its meadows refreshed with sweet springs

بِمُعتَصِمٍ بِاللَهِ أَصبَحَ مَلجَأً

بِمُعتَصِمٍ بِاللَهِ أَصبَحَ مَلجَأً

وَمُعتَصَماً حِرزاً لِكُلِّ مُوائِلِ

وَمُعتَصَماً حِرزاً لِكُلِّ مُوائِلِ

through al-Mu'tasim bi-Allah, who has become a refuge

With al-Mu'tasim Bi'llah it found refuge

and a sanctuary, a safeguard for every seeker of shelter.

And protection, a haven for all seekers

لَقَد أَلبَسَ اللَهُ الإِمامَ فَضائِلاً

لَقَد أَلبَسَ اللَهُ الإِمامَ فَضائِلاً

وَتابَعَ فيها بِاللُهى وَالفَواضِلِ

وَتابَعَ فيها بِاللُهى وَالفَواضِلِ

God has indeed clothed the Imam in virtues,

God adorned the Imam with virtues

and added gifts and generous favors to them in succession.

Continuously granting him glory and grace

فَأَضحَت عَطاياهُ نَوازِعَ شُرَّداً

فَأَضحَت عَطاياهُ نَوازِعَ شُرَّداً

تُسائِلُ في الآفاقِ عَن كُلِّ سائِلِ

تُسائِلُ في الآفاقِ عَن كُلِّ سائِلِ

So his gifts became far-ranging wanderers,

His gifts urged away the ones gone astray

asking across the horizons after every petitioner.

Seeking throughout the horizons every asker

مَواهِبُ جُدنَ الأَرضَ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

مَواهِبُ جُدنَ الأَرضَ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

أَخَذنَ بِآدابِ السَحابِ الهَواطِلِ

أَخَذنَ بِآدابِ السَحابِ الهَواطِلِ

Gifts drenched the earth, until it was as though

Gifts saturating the earth’s expanse as though

they had adopted the ways of rain-pouring clouds.

They had taken to the ways of pouring rainclouds

إِذا كانَ فَخراً لِلمُمَدَّحِ وَصفُهُ

إِذا كانَ فَخراً لِلمُمَدَّحِ وَصفُهُ

بِيَومِ عِقابٍ أَو نَدىً مِنهُ هامِلِ

بِيَومِ عِقابٍ أَو نَدىً مِنهُ هامِلِ

If it brings the much-praised man glory to be described

If his virtues make him proud on a day

for a day of punishment or bounty pouring forth from him,

Of wrath or a downpour of gifts to him inclining

فَكَم لَحظَةٍ أَهدَيتَها لِاِبنِ نَكبَةٍ

فَكَم لَحظَةٍ أَهدَيتَها لِاِبنِ نَكبَةٍ

فَأَصبَحَ مِنها ذا عِقابٍ وَنائِلِ

فَأَصبَحَ مِنها ذا عِقابٍ وَنائِلِ

then how many a glance you have bestowed on a son of misfortune,

How many moments you gifted one fallen from grace

who through it became a dispenser of punishment and bounty!

And he became, due to them, wrathful and attaining

شَهِدتُ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ شَهادَةً

شَهِدتُ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ شَهادَةً

كَثيرٌ ذَوو تَصديقِها في المَحافِلِ

كَثيرٌ ذَوو تَصديقِها في المَحافِلِ

Commander of the Faithful, I have given testimony

I bear witness the Commander of Believers bore witness

that many in the assemblies confirm:

With many others corroborating in gatherings

لَقَد لَبِسَ الأَفشينُ قَسطَلَةَ الوَغى

لَقَد لَبِسَ الأَفشينُ قَسطَلَةَ الوَغى

مِحَشّاً بِنَصلِ السَيفِ غَيرَ مُواكِلِ

مِحَشّاً بِنَصلِ السَيفِ غَيرَ مُواكِلِ

Al-Afshin indeed donned battle's dust-cloud,

The Fearless One wore the coat of turmoil

kindling war with his sword-blade, depending on no other.

Girt with the sword’s blade, no requiter relenting

وَسارَت بِهِ بَينَ القَنابِلِ وَالقَنا

وَسارَت بِهِ بَينَ القَنابِلِ وَالقَنا

عَزائِمُ كانَت كَالقَنا وَالقَنابِلِ

عَزائِمُ كانَت كَالقَنا وَالقَنابِلِ

And through squadrons and spears he was borne onward

He marched among cannons and cannonballs

by resolves themselves like spears and squadrons.

With resolves like the cannons and cannonballs

وَجَرَّدَ مِن آرائِهِ حينَ أُضرِمَت

وَجَرَّدَ مِن آرائِهِ حينَ أُضرِمَت

بِهِ الحَربُ حَدّاً مِثلَ حَدِّ المَناصِلِ

بِهِ الحَربُ حَدّاً مِثلَ حَدِّ المَناصِلِ

And from his counsels he unsheathed, when there was kindled

He shed from his principles when war

by him the war, an edge like the edge of sword-blades.

Lit against him, blades like unsheathed scimitars

رَأى بابَكٌ مِنهُ الَّتي لا شَوى لَها

رَأى بابَكٌ مِنهُ الَّتي لا شَوى لَها

فَتُرجى سِوى نَزعِ الشَوى وَالمَفاصِلِ

فَتُرجى سِوى نَزعِ الشَوى وَالمَفاصِلِ

Babak saw from him what offered no slight wound

Baghdad saw in him what no cure can mend

to hope for—only the tearing away of limbs and joints.

Save extracting the diseased flesh and joints

تَراهُ إِلى الهَيجاءِ أَوَّلَ راكِبٍ

تَراهُ إِلى الهَيجاءِ أَوَّلَ راكِبٍ

وَتَحتَ صَبيرِ المَوتِ أَوَّلَ نازِلِ

وَتَحتَ صَبيرِ المَوتِ أَوَّلَ نازِلِ

You see him the first to ride into battle,

You see him the first rider to fierce frays

and the first to dismount beneath death's dense cloud.

And the first to descend under death’s threshing sledge

تَسَربَلَ سِربالاً مِنَ الصَبرِ وَاِرتَدى

تَسَربَلَ سِربالاً مِنَ الصَبرِ وَاِرتَدى

عَلَيهِ بعَضبٍ في الكَريهَةِ قاصِلِ

عَلَيهِ بعَضبٍ في الكَريهَةِ قاصِلِ

He donned a tunic of endurance, and took as a mantle

He cloaked himself in the garb of patience and donned

over it a keen sword that severs in grim battle.

Over it coarse wool in detested tribulation

وَقَد ظُلِّلَت عِقبانُ أَعلامِهِ ضُحىً

وَقَد ظُلِّلَت عِقبانُ أَعلامِهِ ضُحىً

بِعِقبانِ طَيرٍ في الدِماءِ نَواهِلِ

بِعِقبانِ طَيرٍ في الدِماءِ نَواهِلِ

And at midmorning the eagles on his standards were shaded

The staves of his standards were shaded at dawn

by eagles of the air, drinking their fill of blood.

By the staves of birds dripping blood, extolling

أَقامَت مَعَ الراياتِ حَتّى كَأَنَّها

أَقامَت مَعَ الراياتِ حَتّى كَأَنَّها

مِنَ الجَيشِ إِلّا أَنَّها لَم تُقاتِلِ

مِنَ الجَيشِ إِلّا أَنَّها لَم تُقاتِلِ

They stayed beside the banners until it seemed they were

The standards remained with the army as though

part of the army, save that they did not fight.

They were the army, save they did no fighting

فَلَمّا رَآهُ الخُرَّمِيّونَ وَالقَنا

فَلَمّا رَآهُ الخُرَّمِيّونَ وَالقَنا

بِوَبلٍ أَعاليهِ مُغيثَ الأَسافِلِ

بِوَبلٍ أَعاليهِ مُغيثَ الأَسافِلِ

And when the Khurramites saw him, with the spears

When the Khurramites and the cannons saw

watering their lower shafts with a downpour from their tips,

Him lofty, savior of the lowly ranks

رَأَوا مِنهُ لَيثاً فَاِبذَعَرَّت حُماتُهُم

رَأَوا مِنهُ لَيثاً فَاِبذَعَرَّت حُماتُهُم

وَقَد حَكَمَت فيهِ حُماةُ العَوامِلِ

وَقَد حَكَمَت فيهِ حُماةُ العَوامِلِ

they saw in him a lion, and their defenders scattered in terror,

They saw in him a lion, and so their protective throngs

while the champions of the spears had already judged him.

Fled, while the experienced read well the omens

عَشِيَّةَ صَدَّ البابَكِيُّ عَنِ القَنا

عَشِيَّةَ صَدَّ البابَكِيُّ عَنِ القَنا

صُدودَ المُقالي لا صُدودَ المُجامِلِ

صُدودَ المُقالي لا صُدودَ المُجامِلِ

On the evening when the Babakite turned from the spears,

One evening he turned back the cannons, not with

with a hater's aversion, not a courteous man's withdrawal,

Agreeable repulsions but true repulsions

تَحَدَّرَ مِن لِهبَيهِ يَرجو غَنيمَةً

تَحَدَّرَ مِن لِهبَيهِ يَرجو غَنيمَةً

بِساحَةِ لا الواني وَلا المُتَخاذِلِ

بِساحَةِ لا الواني وَلا المُتَخاذِلِ

he descended from his two ravines, hoping for booty

He descended, desiring spoils, to a field with

in the field of one neither sluggish nor fainthearted.

No flags, no cowardly, no weak submissive

فَكانَ كَشاةِ الرَملِ قَيَّضَهُ الرَدى

فَكانَ كَشاةِ الرَملِ قَيَّضَهُ الرَدى

لِقانِصِهِ مِن قَبلِ نَصبِ الحَبائِلِ

لِقانِصِهِ مِن قَبلِ نَصبِ الحَبائِلِ

So he was like a gazelle of the sands, delivered by doom

So fate made him a victim for his foe

to his hunter before the snares were set.

Before the entanglement could fully entwine him

وَفي سَنَةٍ قَد أَنفَدَ الدَهرُ عُظمَها

وَفي سَنَةٍ قَد أَنفَدَ الدَهرُ عُظمَها

فَلَم يُرجَ مِنها مُفرَجٌ دونَ قابِلِ

فَلَم يُرجَ مِنها مُفرَجٌ دونَ قابِلِ

And in a year whose greater part time had exhausted,

In a year whose importance time had depleted

so no relief was hoped for from it before the next year,

Leaving no solution but what fate dictated

فَكانَت كَنابٍ شارِفِ السِنِّ طَرَّقَت

فَكانَت كَنابٍ شارِفِ السِنِّ طَرَّقَت

بِسَقبٍ وَكانَت في مَخيلَةِ حائِلِ

بِسَقبٍ وَكانَت في مَخيلَةِ حائِلِ

it was like an aged she-camel, far advanced in years, that gave birth

It was like an aged camel, its spine cracked

to a male calf, though she had seemed not to be pregnant.

By burdens, lost to the thoughts of stumblers

وَعاذَ بِإِطرافِ المَعاقِلِ مُعصِماً

وَعاذَ بِإِطرافِ المَعاقِلِ مُعصِماً

وَأُنسِيَ أَنَّ اللَهَ فَوقَ المَعاقِلِ

وَأُنسِيَ أَنَّ اللَهَ فَوقَ المَعاقِلِ

And he took refuge at the outer reaches of strongholds, seeking protection,

He sought refuge in the extremities of citadels

and was made to forget that God is above the strongholds.

Sheltering, reminded God rules o’er citadels

فَوَلّى وَما أَبقى الرَدى مِن حُماتِهِ

فَوَلّى وَما أَبقى الرَدى مِن حُماتِهِ

لَهُ غَيرَ أَسآرِ الرِماحِ الذَوابِلِ

لَهُ غَيرَ أَسآرِ الرِماحِ الذَوابِلِ

So he fled, and doom had left of his defenders

He retreated, leaving the foe no remnant of his legions

for him nothing but the leavings of slender spears.

Save the tips of spears, slender, finely tapered

أَما وَأَبيهِ وَهوَ مَن لا أَبا لَهُ

أَما وَأَبيهِ وَهوَ مَن لا أَبا لَهُ

يُعَدُّ لَقَد أَمسى مُضيءَ المَقاتِلِ

يُعَدُّ لَقَد أَمسى مُضيءَ المَقاتِلِ

Indeed, by his father—though he has no father

But by his life, and he's one whose life is peerless!

to be reckoned—his vital spots now lie in the light.

He remains, in fact, illumined in battles

فُتوحُ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ تَفَتَّحَت

فُتوحُ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ تَفَتَّحَت

لَهُنَّ أَزاهيرُ الرُبا وَالخَمائِلِ

لَهُنَّ أَزاهيرُ الرُبا وَالخَمائِلِ

The victories of the Commander of the Faithful—there have opened

The conquests of the Commander shine as flowers

for them the blossoms of hills and thickets.

Of meadows and gardens begin to bloom and unfurl

وَعاداتُ نَصرٍ لَم تَزَل تَستَعيدُها

وَعاداتُ نَصرٍ لَم تَزَل تَستَعيدُها

عِصابَةُ حَقٍّ في عِصابَةِ باطِلِ

عِصابَةُ حَقٍّ في عِصابَةِ باطِلِ

And recurring triumphs, ever won anew

And ways of aid cease not to be restored

by a band of truth against a band of falsehood.

By the party of truth against the party of falsehood

وَما هُوَ إِلّا الوَحيُ أَو حَدُّ مُرهَفٍ

وَما هُوَ إِلّا الوَحيُ أَو حَدُّ مُرهَفٍ

تُميلُ ظُباهُ أَخدَعَي كُلِّ مائِلِ

تُميلُ ظُباهُ أَخدَعَي كُلِّ مائِلِ

And it is nothing but revelation or a sharpened blade's edge,

It is either revelation or the edge of a piercing wit

whose edges bend the two neck-veins of everyone who strays.

Whose subtlety sways those tilted in their leaning

فَهَذا دَواءُ الداءِ مِن كُلِّ عالِمٍ

فَهَذا دَواءُ الداءِ مِن كُلِّ عالِمٍ

وَهَذا دَواءُ الداءِ مِن كُلِّ جاهِلِ

وَهَذا دَواءُ الداءِ مِن كُلِّ جاهِلِ

So this is the cure for every learned person's disease,

And here is the cure for the disease, from every fool

and this is the cure for every ignorant person's disease.

O you slumbering, ignoring guidance’s path

فَيَأَيُّها النُوّامُ عَن رَيِّقِ الهُدى

فَيَأَيُّها النُوّامُ عَن رَيِّقِ الهُدى

وَقَد جادَكُم مِن ديمَةٍ بَعدَ وابِلِ

وَقَد جادَكُم مِن ديمَةٍ بَعدَ وابِلِ

So, O sleepers heedless of the purest guidance,

After a downpour, will you not rouse from sleep?

though it has drenched you with steady rain after a downpour,

It is truth! If you wake you gain, but if unaware,

هُوَ الحَقُّ إِن تَستَيقِظوا فيهِ تَغنَموا

هُوَ الحَقُّ إِن تَستَيقِظوا فيهِ تَغنَموا

وَإِن تَغفُلوا فَالسَيفُ لَيسَ بِغافِلِ

وَإِن تَغفُلوا فَالسَيفُ لَيسَ بِغافِلِ

it is the truth: if you awaken to it, you will gain;

The sword will not be unaware, nor be sleeping

and if you are heedless, the sword is not heedless.