ما بالُ مَجرى دمعِكَ الساجِمِ

ما بالُ مَجرى دمعِكَ الساجِمِ

أَمن قذىً باتَ بها لازمِ

أَمن قذىً باتَ بها لازمِ

What ails the flow of your streaming tears?

What ails the flowing stream of your falling tears?

Is it from a mote that stayed lodged there through the night,

Is it from an ember that settled, holding fast?

أم من هوىً أنت له ساهرٌ

أم من هوىً أنت له ساهرٌ

صبابةً من قلبِكَ الهائمِ

صبابةً من قلبِكَ الهائمِ

or from a passion for which you lie awake,

Or from a passion you have, sleepless for it,

in yearning from your love-bewildered heart?

Pouring from your restless heart?

آليتُ لا أمدحُ ذا نائلٍ

آليتُ لا أمدحُ ذا نائلٍ

من معشرٍ غير بني هاشمِ

من معشرٍ غير بني هاشمِ

I have sworn not to praise a man of bounty

I have resolved not to praise one who gains

from any people other than the sons of Hashim.

From a people other than Hashim's clan.

أولَتهم عندي يدُ المصطفى

أولَتهم عندي يدُ المصطفى

ذي الفضل والمنِّ أبي القاسمِ

ذي الفضل والمنِّ أبي القاسمِ

The Chosen One’s beneficent hand has won them favor in my eyes,

I place them first, by the hand of Mustafa,

he of bounty and beneficence, Abu al-Qasim.

The blessed, of bounty and grace, Abu Al-Qasim.

فإنّها بيضاءُ محمودةٌ

فإنّها بيضاءُ محمودةٌ

جَزاؤها الشكرُ على العالمِ

جَزاؤها الشكرُ على العالمِ

For it is bright and praiseworthy;

For it is white, praiseworthy,

its recompense is gratitude, incumbent on the world.

Its reward being thanks from all the world.

جزاؤها حفظُ أبي جعفرٍ

جزاؤها حفظُ أبي جعفرٍ

خليفةِ الرحمن والقائمِ

خليفةِ الرحمن والقائمِ

Its recompense is safeguarding Abu Ja‘far,

Its reward being safeguarding Abu Ja'far,

the All-Merciful’s caliph and the upholder,

Caliph of the Merciful, the Riser.

وطاعةُ المَهديِّ ثم ابنِه

وطاعةُ المَهديِّ ثم ابنِه

موسى على ذي الإربة الحازمِ

موسى على ذي الإربة الحازمِ

and obedience to al-Mahdi, then his son,

And obeying Al-Mahdi, then his son

Musa—incumbent on the prudent man of understanding.

Musa, resolute, a clamp on disorder.

وللرشيد الرابعِ المُرتضى

وللرشيد الرابعِ المُرتضى

مُفْتَرَضٌ من حقِّهِ اللازمِ

مُفْتَرَضٌ من حقِّهِ اللازمِ

And obedience to al-Rashid, the fourth, the chosen one,

And for Al-Rashid the fourth, the Chosen,

is prescribed as part of his binding right.

What he claims is binding duty.

مُلكهمُ خمسونَ معدودةُ

مُلكهمُ خمسونَ معدودةُ

برغمِ أنف الحاسدِ الراغمِ

برغمِ أنف الحاسدِ الراغمِ

Their reign is fifty years, duly counted,

Their rule lasts fifty counted years

despite the envier, whose nose is rubbed in dust.

Despite the spleen of hostile blamers.

ليس علينا ما بَقوا غيرَهم

ليس علينا ما بَقوا غيرَهم

في هذه الأُمَة من حاكمِ

في هذه الأُمَة من حاكمِ

So long as they remain, none but they shall be over us

We have no rulers in this nation but them,

as rulers in this community,

Until one returns, descended from them,

حتى يردّوها إلى هابطٍ

حتى يردّوها إلى هابطٍ

عليه عيسى منهمُ ناجمِ

عليه عيسى منهمُ ناجمِ

until they return it to one upon whom shall descend

Upon whom ‘Isa will descend from Heaven.

Jesus; that ruler will arise from among them.