هُوَ وَفدُهم وهمُ الفريقُ الطَّيِّبُ

هُوَ وَفدُهم وهمُ الفريقُ الطَّيِّبُ

ما فَاتَهم من كلِّ خيرٍ مَطْلَبُ

ما فَاتَهم من كلِّ خيرٍ مَطْلَبُ

It is their delegation, and they are the goodly company.

He is their envoy, and they are the virtuous group,

Of all that is good, no goal has eluded them.

Missing no merit or noble quest,

طابت مَنابِتُهم فطابَ صَنيعُهم

طابت مَنابِتُهم فطابَ صَنيعُهم

إنّ الرجالَ إلى المنابِتِ تُنْسَبُ

إنّ الرجالَ إلى المنابِتِ تُنْسَبُ

Their roots were good, and so were their deeds.

Their deeds prospered, so their work was blessed,

Indeed, men are traced to their origins.

For men are linked to what they manifest.

إلا يُطيعوا خالداً إذ جَاءهم

إلا يُطيعوا خالداً إذ جَاءهم

فلكلِّ أمرٍ مَوعِدٌ يُتَرَقَّبُ

فلكلِّ أمرٍ مَوعِدٌ يُتَرَقَّبُ

If they did not obey Khalid when he came to them,

Though disobeying Khaled when he came,

then every affair has an appointed time to await.

For every matter has its time foreseen.

سَدُّوا السبيل عليه ستة أشهر

سَدُّوا السبيل عليه ستة أشهر

وأتى عليٌّ بالكتاب فرحّبوا

وأتى عليٌّ بالكتاب فرحّبوا

They barred his way for six months,

They closed the road to him for six months,

and Ali came with the letter, so they welcomed him.

But Ali came with the writ, so welcomed in.

همدان أهلٌ للجميلِ وعِندهم

همدان أهلٌ للجميلِ وعِندهم

غَوْثُ الصَّريخِ ونَجدةٌ ما تكذبُ

غَوْثُ الصَّريخِ ونَجدةٌ ما تكذبُ

Hamdan are worthy of noble deeds; theirs are

Hamdan's people merit all that’s good,

succor for those crying out, and aid that never fails,

Succor for those who cry, aid that’s no lie,

نَصرُ الحُماةِ الصَّادِقينَ وصَبْرُهُم

نَصرُ الحُماةِ الصَّادِقينَ وصَبْرُهُم

والحربُ حَرَّى والفوارِسُ هُيَّبُ

والحربُ حَرَّى والفوارِسُ هُيَّبُ

the support of faithful defenders and their steadfastness,

True defenders’ aid, and patience under duress,

while war blazes and the horsemen are afraid.

When war grew hot, fighters stood ready.

شَهِدَ النبيُّ لهم فتلكَ صِفاتُهم

شَهِدَ النبيُّ لهم فتلكَ صِفاتُهم

تُمْلى مَحاسِنُها عَليَّ وأكْتُبُ

تُمْلى مَحاسِنُها عَليَّ وأكْتُبُ

The Prophet bore witness for them; these are their qualities.

The Prophet witnessed thus; such are their traits

Their merits are dictated to me, and I write them down.

Whose beauties I recite and transcribe.

يرضونَ مِلَّتَهُ فيسجدُ شاكراً

يرضونَ مِلَّتَهُ فيسجدُ شاكراً

للهِ جلَّ جلالُه يَتقرَّبُ

للهِ جلَّ جلالُه يَتقرَّبُ

They accept his faith, and he prostrates in gratitude

Pleasing his faith, gratefully bowing down

to God—exalted is His majesty—seeking nearness to Him.

To God, most high, most grand, drawing them nigh.

ويُذِيقُهم بَرْدَ السّلامِ مُردَّداً

ويُذِيقُهم بَرْدَ السّلامِ مُردَّداً

عَذْباً كماءِ المُزْنِ أو هُوَ أعْذَبُ

عَذْباً كماءِ المُزْنِ أو هُوَ أعْذَبُ

And he lets them taste the coolness of peace, again and again,

Granting them cool peace, repeating its balm,

sweet as rain-cloud water, or sweeter still.

Sweet as Muzn’s water, or yet more calm.

أوتادُ هذِي الأرضِ أو أبدالُها

أوتادُ هذِي الأرضِ أو أبدالُها

مِنهم فمشرِقُها لهم والمغرِبُ

مِنهم فمشرِقُها لهم والمغرِبُ

The pillars of this earth, or its guardian saints,

Pillars of earth, its replacements they remain,

are among them; thus its east and west belong to them.

Its east and west flourish through them evermore.

يَمضِي الزمانُ وهم وُلاةُ أمورِها

يَمضِي الزمانُ وهم وُلاةُ أمورِها

في دولةٍ أبديَّةٍ ما تَذْهَبُ

في دولةٍ أبديَّةٍ ما تَذْهَبُ

Time passes, while they govern its affairs,

Time passes, but they steer its affairs,

in an everlasting dominion that never passes away.

In an eternal state, never to fade.

تِلكَ الولايةُ لا ولايةُ معشرٍ

تِلكَ الولايةُ لا ولايةُ معشرٍ

يَبْقَوْنَ ما غَفل الزمانُ القُلَّبُ

يَبْقَوْنَ ما غَفل الزمانُ القُلَّبُ

That is authority, not the rule of a band

That rule no other faction’s rule;

who endure only while fickle time overlooks them.

They remain when errant time forgets and strays.

جاءوا عليهم رونقٌ ونضارةٌ

جاءوا عليهم رونقٌ ونضارةٌ

يَصِفُ النَّعيمَ لباسُهم والمركبُ

يَصِفُ النَّعيمَ لباسُهم والمركبُ

They came clothed in splendor and fresh beauty;

Grace and radiance come their way,

their garments and mounts spoke of luxury.

Their clothes and mounts bespeak their cheer.

صَنَعَ البُرودَ لهم فأحسنَ صُنْعَها

صَنَعَ البُرودَ لهم فأحسنَ صُنْعَها

وأجادَها صَنَعُ اليَدَيْنِ مُدَرَّبُ

وأجادَها صَنَعُ اليَدَيْنِ مُدَرَّبُ

He made the striped cloaks for them, and made them well;

Raiment tailored, excellently done,

and a practiced, deft-handed craftsman perfected them.

The work of trained hands, perfectly.

تَهفُو يمانيةً على أجسادِهم

تَهفُو يمانيةً على أجسادِهم

فَتكادُ حُسْناً بالنواظِرِ تُنْهَبُ

فَتكادُ حُسْناً بالنواظِرِ تُنْهَبُ

They flutter, Yemeni-made, over their bodies,

Yemeni cloth clinging to their forms,

so beautiful they are almost plundered by eyes.

Lovely to beholders’ eyes it seems.

من كلِّ وضّاحِ الجبينِ مُعمَّمٍ

من كلِّ وضّاحِ الجبينِ مُعمَّمٍ

وكأنّه مما يُهابُ مُعصَّبُ

وكأنّه مما يُهابُ مُعصَّبُ

Each one radiant-browed and turbaned,

Turbans wrap each smooth-browed head,

as though his head were bound in what inspires awe.

As if to guard what’s revered lies beneath.

زانوا الرِجالَ بما أفاءتْ مَهْرَةٌ

زانوا الرِجالَ بما أفاءتْ مَهْرَةٌ

من نَسْلِها الغالِي وأنْجَبَ أرْحَبُ

من نَسْلِها الغالِي وأنْجَبَ أرْحَبُ

They adorned the men with what Mahrah had bestowed

They sire men the choice stock has bred,

of its prized stock, and what Arhab had bred.

Got in plenty, of generous blood.

جاءوا بِشاعِرِهم فَمِنْ أنفاسِهِ

جاءوا بِشاعِرِهم فَمِنْ أنفاسِهِ

أرَجٌ كَنَفْحِ الطِّيبِ أو هو أطْيَبُ

أرَجٌ كَنَفْحِ الطِّيبِ أو هو أطْيَبُ

They came with their poet; from his breath

With their poet they came, and from his breath

came fragrance like a waft of perfume—or sweeter still.

A perfume like incense, or yet more sweet.

حيَّا رسولَ اللهِ يُظهِرُ حُبَّهُ

حيَّا رسولَ اللهِ يُظهِرُ حُبَّهُ

إنّ الكريمَ إلى الكريمِ مُحبَّبُ

إنّ الكريمَ إلى الكريمِ مُحبَّبُ

He greeted God's Messenger, showing his love.

Greeting Allah’s Messenger, disclosing love,

Indeed, the noble are dear to the noble.

For the noble by the noble are belov’d.

حيَّا الشَّمائِلَ كالخمائِلِ فالرُّبَى

حيَّا الشَّمائِلَ كالخمائِلِ فالرُّبَى

تُبدِي البشاشةَ والخمائلُ تطربُ

تُبدِي البشاشةَ والخمائلُ تطربُ

He saluted virtues like leafy groves; the hills

Praising his traits, like the sandal’s scent,

display their cheer, and the groves rejoice.

Comrades display joy, and sandalwood is glad.

حَيَّاهُ مُرْتَجِزاً وإنَّ لمالكٍ

حَيَّاهُ مُرْتَجِزاً وإنَّ لمالكٍ

لأَعَزَّ ما مَلَكَ البَيَانُ المُعْجِبُ

لأَعَزَّ ما مَلَكَ البَيَانُ المُعْجِبُ

He greeted him in rajaz verse; and Malik indeed possesses

With pride for Malik he hailed, whose speech

the most precious thing that wondrous eloquence has possessed.

Is most precious of all eloquence esteemed.

قُلْ يا أخا هَمْدانَ واشْهَدْ أنّه

قُلْ يا أخا هَمْدانَ واشْهَدْ أنّه

لَلحقُّ مالَكَ دُونَهُ مُتَنَكَّبُ

لَلحقُّ مالَكَ دُونَهُ مُتَنَكَّبُ

Speak, brother of Hamdan, and testify that he

Say, O brother of Hamdan, witness unopposed,

is indeed the truth; you have no way to turn aside from him.

None merits Malik’s mantle but he who dons it.

هُوَ ذلكم ما مِنْ رسولٍ غيره

هُوَ ذلكم ما مِنْ رسولٍ غيره

فَيميلُ عنه أخو الرَّشادِ ويَرْغَبُ

فَيميلُ عنه أخو الرَّشادِ ويَرْغَبُ

He is that one; there is no other messenger

He is the one no messenger but he,

for whom a rightly guided man would turn from him and forsake him.

From whom a rightly-guided brother would not stray.

ما فيه من شكٍّ وليس كمثلِهِ

ما فيه من شكٍّ وليس كمثلِهِ

لِلعالَمينَ مُعلِّمٌ ومُهَذِّبُ

لِلعالَمينَ مُعلِّمٌ ومُهَذِّبُ

There is no doubt about him, nor is there anyone like him

No doubt clouds him; none can compare,

as a teacher and moral guide to all the worlds.

Teacher and mentor to all peoples.

أنتَ الأميرُ على الأُلى اتّبعوا الهُدَى

أنتَ الأميرُ على الأُلى اتّبعوا الهُدَى

والحقَّ من هَمْدانَ أو أنتَ الأبُ

والحقَّ من هَمْدانَ أو أنتَ الأبُ

You are the chief of those who followed guidance

O Prince of the Exalted, follow guidance,

and truth among Hamdan—or you are their father.

And truth, from Hamdan, or you its heir.

خُذْهم بآدابِ الكتابِ وَكُنْ لهم

خُذْهم بآدابِ الكتابِ وَكُنْ لهم

مَثَلاً من الشِّيَمِ الرَّضِيَّةِ يُضْرَبُ

مَثَلاً من الشِّيَمِ الرَّضِيَّةِ يُضْرَبُ

Hold them to the precepts of the Book, and be for them

Take them by the Book’s manners, be for them

an example of worthy character to be held up.

An example of praiseworthy traits oft-cited.

وَاعْمَلْ لربِّكَ جَاهِداً لا تَأْلُهُ

وَاعْمَلْ لربِّكَ جَاهِداً لا تَأْلُهُ

دَأَباً فليس يفوزُ من لا يَدْأبُ

دَأَباً فليس يفوزُ من لا يَدْأبُ

And labor earnestly for your Lord, sparing no effort for Him,

And work hard for your Lord, tireless in zeal,

unceasingly, for none succeeds who does not persevere.

For no one succeeds who does not toil.