غَدا بِأِميرِ المُؤمِنينَ وَيُمنِهِ

غَدا بِأِميرِ المُؤمِنينَ وَيُمنِهِ

أَبو غانِمٍ غضدوَ النَدى وَالسَحائِبِ

أَبو غانِمٍ غضدوَ النَدى وَالسَحائِبِ

At dawn, with the Commander of the Faithful and his good fortune, went forth

Tomorrow the Commander of the Faithful will come

Abu Ghanim, as bounty and rain clouds go forth.

With Abu Ghanim, who pours forth bounty and clouds.

وَضاقَت فَجاجُ الأَرضِ عَن كُلِّ مَوكِبٍ

وَضاقَت فَجاجُ الأَرضِ عَن كُلِّ مَوكِبٍ

أَحاطَ بِهِ مُستَعلِياً لِلمَواكِبِ

أَحاطَ بِهِ مُستَعلِياً لِلمَواكِبِ

The earth's broad passes grew too narrow for every procession

The paths of the earth are too narrow for every procession—

That surrounded him, towering above other processions.

He is surrounded, towering above the processions,

كَأَنَّ سُمُوَّ النَقعِ وَالبيضُ تَحتَهُ

كَأَنَّ سُمُوَّ النَقعِ وَالبيضُ تَحتَهُ

سَماواتُ لَيلٍ أَسفَرَت عَن كَواكِبِ

سَماواتُ لَيلٍ أَسفَرَت عَن كَواكِبِ

As though the rising dust, with gleaming swords beneath it,

As though the towering camels and white steeds beneath him

Were night skies unveiling stars.

Are night skies unveiled to reveal the stars.

فَكانَ لِأَهلِ العيدِ عيدٌ بِنُسكِهِم

فَكانَ لِأَهلِ العيدِ عيدٌ بِنُسكِهِم

وَكانَ حُمَيدٌ عيدَهُم بِالمَواهِبِ

وَكانَ حُمَيدٌ عيدَهُم بِالمَواهِبِ

So those keeping the feast had a feast through their rites,

So it was a feast day for the pilgrims in their ritual,

And Humayd was their feast through his gifts.

And Humayd made it their feast day with gifts.

وَلَولا حُمَيدٌ لَم تَبَلَّج عَن النَدى

وَلَولا حُمَيدٌ لَم تَبَلَّج عَن النَدى

يَمينٌ وَلَم يدرِك غِنىً كَسبُ كاسِبِ

يَمينٌ وَلَم يدرِك غِنىً كَسبُ كاسِبِ

But for Humayd, no bounty would have shone forth

Without Humayd, no hand would be soaked by clouds of plenty,

From a right hand, nor would any earner's earnings have brought wealth.

No wealth sought would fulfil any seeker's needs.

وَلَو مَلَكَ الدُنيا لَما كانَ سائِلٌ

وَلَو مَلَكَ الدُنيا لَما كانَ سائِلٌ

وَلا اِعتامَ فيها صاحِبُ فَضل صاحِبِ

وَلا اِعتامَ فيها صاحِبُ فَضل صاحِبِ

And if he owned the world, there would be no beggar,

Were he to own the world, no beggar would remain,

Nor would any companion there seek another companion's bounty.

No favour-seeker there would envy another's favour.

لَهُ ضَحكَةٌ تَستَغرِقُ المالَ بِالنَدى

لَهُ ضَحكَةٌ تَستَغرِقُ المالَ بِالنَدى

عَلى عَبسَة تُشجى القَنا بِالتَرائِبِ

عَلى عَبسَة تُشجى القَنا بِالتَرائِبِ

He has a laugh that exhausts wealth through generosity,

His laughter calls wealth forth with plenteous rain,

Alongside a frown that chokes spears with chest bones.

While frowns make the fat turn lean amid the dearth.

ذَهَبتَ بِأَيّامِ النَدى فارِداً بِها

ذَهَبتَ بِأَيّامِ النَدى فارِداً بِها

وَصَرَّمتَ عَن مَسعاكَ شَأوَ المُطالِبِ

وَصَرَّمتَ عَن مَسعاكَ شَأوَ المُطالِبِ

You have carried off the days of bounty, alone in possessing them,

You carried off the days of plenty, spending them freely,

And left every contender's reach short of your striving.

While deaf to those who begged beyond their means.

وَعَدَّلتَ مَيلَ الأَرضِ حَتّى تَعَدَّلَت

وَعَدَّلتَ مَيلَ الأَرضِ حَتّى تَعَدَّلَت

فَلَم يَنأَ مِنها جانِبٌ فَوقَ جانِبِ

فَلَم يَنأَ مِنها جانِبٌ فَوقَ جانِبِ

And you righted the earth's tilt until it stood level,

You made straight the tilt of the earth until it straightened,

So no part of it stood far above another.

No side above the other, no slope or slant.

بَلَغتَ بِأَدنى الحَزمِ أَبعَدَ قُطرِها

بَلَغتَ بِأَدنى الحَزمِ أَبعَدَ قُطرِها

كَأَنَّكَ مِنها شاهِدٌ كُلَّ غائِبِ

كَأَنَّكَ مِنها شاهِدٌ كُلَّ غائِبِ

You reached its farthest region with the slightest resolve,

With the slightest wisdom you reached the ends of earth—

As though you witnessed all that lay unseen within it.

As if you saw each absent one, each hidden thing.