سهرتُ ونام عن سهري رجالٌ

سهرتُ ونام عن سهري رجالٌ

يَروْنَ المجد والعَليْاءَ عابا

يَروْنَ المجد والعَليْاءَ عابا

I kept vigil, while men slept heedless of my wakefulness—

I kept vigil while men slept, heedless of my vigil,

men who deem glory and lofty honor a disgrace.

Who deem glory and high distinction a fault.

أشيمُ بروقَ عقَّاقٍ مُسِفٍّ

أشيمُ بروقَ عقَّاقٍ مُسِفٍّ

من الآراءِ يمْطُرني صَوابا

من الآراءِ يمْطُرني صَوابا

I watch the lightning of a low-sweeping cloud

I watch the lightning of a low-hanging storm cloud,

of thoughts that rains sound judgment down upon me.

Of thoughts, which rains sound judgment upon me.

تألَّق عن حجا صفوٍ وراقَتْ

تألَّق عن حجا صفوٍ وراقَتْ

فصاحتُهُ وحكمتُه فطابا

فصاحتُهُ وحكمتُه فطابا

It flashed from a lucid mind, and pleasing grew

It shone from a lucid mind, and delightful were

its eloquence and wisdom—how sweet they were—

Its eloquence and wisdom; thus both were sweet.

لأبلُغَ مدح أبْلَج سلْجَقيٍّ

لأبلُغَ مدح أبْلَج سلْجَقيٍّ

بنى في المجد أبنيةً رِحابا

بنى في المجد أبنيةً رِحابا

that I might rise to praise a radiant Seljuk lord,

That I may rise to praise a radiant-faced Seljuk,

who built broad edifices in glory:

Who built spacious edifices in glory:

بأكثرهمْ إِذا ركبوا عَجاجاً

بأكثرهمْ إِذا ركبوا عَجاجاً

وأرفعِهمْ إِذا نزلوا قِبابا

وأرفعِهمْ إِذا نزلوا قِبابا

whose host is greatest when they ride through clouds of dust,

With the greatest dust-cloud of all when they ride,

and whose rank is highest when they alight beneath their pavilions;

And the loftiest tents when they encamp;

وأصعبِهمْ إِذا يلقى نِزالاً

وأصعبِهمْ إِذا يلقى نِزالاً

وأسْهلِهمْ إِذا يُغْشى حجابا

وأسْهلِهمْ إِذا يُغْشى حجابا

the most formidable of them when he meets battle,

And the hardest in combat when encountered,

and the most approachable when petitioners seek his curtain;

And the easiest of access when his curtain is sought;

وأوعَرِهمْ إِذا غَضبوا سَجايا

وأوعَرِهمْ إِذا غَضبوا سَجايا

وأمْرَعِهمْ إِذا انتجعوا جنابا

وأمْرَعِهمْ إِذا انتجعوا جنابا

the roughest in temper when they are angered,

And the roughest of temper when they grow angry,

and the most bountiful when they seek refuge at a court.

And the lushest domain when they are sought for bounty.

يلوذُ الشعرُ منه بمضْرحيٍّ

يلوذُ الشعرُ منه بمضْرحيٍّ

يفوقُهمُ إِذا انتسبوا نِصابا

يفوقُهمُ إِذا انتسبوا نِصابا

To praise him, poetry takes shelter in a master poet

Poetry seeks shelter in him, a noble lord,

who surpasses them in pedigree whenever lineage is proclaimed.

Who surpasses them in lineage when they trace their descent.

غياثُ الدين والدُّنيا بِسعْيٍ

غياثُ الدين والدُّنيا بِسعْيٍ

يحوزُ الحمدَ أو يحوي الثَّوابا

يحوزُ الحمدَ أو يحوي الثَّوابا

Ghiyath of Faith and of the World, through endeavors

Succor of faith and the world, through striving

that win all praise—or gather heavenly reward.

That wins praise or secures reward.

إِذا ما أوسعَ الاسلامَ نَصْراً

إِذا ما أوسعَ الاسلامَ نَصْراً

غدا يحمي من الخطْبِ الصِّحابا

غدا يحمي من الخطْبِ الصِّحابا

Whenever he lavishes victory upon Islam,

When he lavishes aid upon Islam,

he shields his companions from calamity.

He goes forth to shield his companions from calamity.

فتى السُّمْرِ الذوابلِ والمَذاكي

فتى السُّمْرِ الذوابلِ والمَذاكي

إِذا ما الشمسُ أغْدفتِ النِّقابا

إِذا ما الشمسُ أغْدفتِ النِّقابا

A champion of slender brown spears and fleet steeds,

Champion of brown, slender lances and seasoned steeds,

whenever the sun lets fall its veil.

When the sun draws down its veil.

تَعافُ جيادُه غُدْرَ الفيافي

تَعافُ جيادُه غُدْرَ الفيافي

فيوردها الجماجمَ والرِّقابا

فيوردها الجماجمَ والرِّقابا

His horses disdain the treachery of the deserts,

His steeds disdain the pools of the deserts,

so he leads them to drink at skulls and necks.

So he brings them to skulls and necks to drink.

وتكرهُ بيضُه الأجْفانَ عِزّاً

وتكرهُ بيضُه الأجْفانَ عِزّاً

فيجعلُ كلَّ ذي تاجٍ قِرابا

فيجعلُ كلَّ ذي تاجٍ قِرابا

His white swords proudly disdain their scabbards,

And his bright swords scorn their scabbards in pride,

so he makes every crowned head a sheath.

So he makes every crown-wearer a sheath.

ويختارُ الصَّوارمَ والعَوالي

ويختارُ الصَّوارمَ والعَوالي

فيُتلفُها طِعاناً أو ضِرابا

فيُتلفُها طِعاناً أو ضِرابا

He chooses keen swords and towering lances,

And he chooses keen swords and tall spears,

then wears them out in thrusting and in blows.

So he wears them out with thrusting or striking.

إِذا ما رأسُ مملكةٍ مُطاعٌ

إِذا ما رأسُ مملكةٍ مُطاعٌ

عصى سلطانه أضحى ذُنابى

عصى سلطانه أضحى ذُنابى

Whenever the obeyed head of a kingdom

If a kingdom's head, whose word is obeyed,

defies his rule, it is reduced to a tail.

Defies his sultan, he becomes a mere tail.

يُبيحُ قصورَه صُمَّ الحَوامي

يُبيحُ قصورَه صُمَّ الحَوامي

فتجْعلُ كلَّ شامخةٍ تُرابا

فتجْعلُ كلَّ شامخةٍ تُرابا

He lays its palaces open to his unyielding defenders,

He throws that ruler's palaces open to hard-hoofed steeds,

and turns every lofty structure into dust.

So they turn every lofty structure to dust.

غمامٌ صَيِّبٌ والبِشْرُ بَرْقٌ

غمامٌ صَيِّبٌ والبِشْرُ بَرْقٌ

يعُمُّ الأرض سَحّاً وانْسكابا

يعُمُّ الأرض سَحّاً وانْسكابا

A pouring cloud, with gladness for its lightning,

He is a pouring raincloud, and his cheer is lightning,

drenching all the earth in torrents and downpour:

Drenching all the earth in torrents and outpouring.

دماءُ حُروبه وندَى يَديهِ

دماءُ حُروبه وندَى يَديهِ

يُسيلانِ المَذانبَ والشِّعابا

يُسيلانِ المَذانبَ والشِّعابا

the blood of his wars and the dew of his hands

The blood of his wars and the dew of his hands

make gutters and ravines alike run full.

Set the watercourses and ravines flowing.

فلا طاشتْ لرائعةٍ حُباهُ

فلا طاشتْ لرائعةٍ حُباهُ

ولا زالتْ معاجِمُه صِلابا

ولا زالتْ معاجِمُه صِلابا

May his largesse never fail one struck with dread,

So may his knee-bands never fly loose in alarm,

and may his weapon-shafts remain forever hard.

And may his tested mettle ever remain firm.