تجري السوابقُ للغايات مُحْرزةً

تجري السوابقُ للغايات مُحْرزةً

ونُصْرةُ الدين إسماعيلُ واهِبُها

ونُصْرةُ الدين إسماعيلُ واهِبُها

The fleet steeds race to the finish lines, victorious;

The precedents run secured for goals

And Nusrat al-Din Isma'il is their giver.

And religion's triumph, Ismail its granter

تعلَّمتْ سبْقهُ في كلِّ مكْرُمةٍ

تعلَّمتْ سبْقهُ في كلِّ مكْرُمةٍ

فمن ينالُ مَداها أو يُغالبُها

فمن ينالُ مَداها أو يُغالبُها

They learned from him to take the lead in every noble deed;

She learned to precede in every glory

Who, then, can reach as far as they do, or rival them?

So who can attain its extent or surpass it

صفْو المكارمِ وهَّابٌ على عُدُمٍ

صفْو المكارمِ وهَّابٌ على عُدُمٍ

إذا سماءُ النَّدى ضنَّتْ سحائبُها

إذا سماءُ النَّدى ضنَّتْ سحائبُها

The pure essence of nobility, a lavish giver despite scarcity,

The elite of virtues, a giver despite scarcity

When the clouds of bounty's sky are miserly.

When the rain-filled clouds denied their rain

وضاربُ الخيل هَبْراً في جماجمها

وضاربُ الخيل هَبْراً في جماجمها

إذا الصَّوارمُ خانَتْها مَضاربُها

إذا الصَّوارمُ خانَتْها مَضاربُها

And he strikes the horses with cleaving blows to their skulls,

And the horses strike skulls with their hooves

When the keen swords' cutting edges betray them.

When the swords failed them, their wielders

وبين عوْفٍ ووَرَّامٍ مفاخِرُهُ

وبين عوْفٍ ووَرَّامٍ مفاخِرُهُ

وضَّاحةٌ حينما تُتْلى مناسِبُها

وضَّاحةٌ حينما تُتْلى مناسِبُها

And between 'Awf and Warram, his glories

And between Awaf and Warram his prides

Shine brightly when their lineages are recited.

Clearly when its contexts are recited

أرسلْتَها بالنَّدى والجودِ مُبتدئاً

أرسلْتَها بالنَّدى والجودِ مُبتدئاً

حمراءَ يُزْهى على الجوزاء راكبها

حمراءَ يُزْهى على الجوزاء راكبها

You sent her with bounty and generosity, unprompted:

You sent it with dew and generosity initiating

A red mare whose rider glories above the constellation al-Jawza.

Bay over nut-brown, its rider atop

فلم أجدْ من جزاءٍ غيرَ قافيةٍ

فلم أجدْ من جزاءٍ غيرَ قافيةٍ

تَفْنى الليالي ولا تفْنى مناقِبُها

تَفْنى الليالي ولا تفْنى مناقِبُها

So I found no recompense other than a rhymed verse:

So I found no reward but rhymed verse

The nights perish, but its glories never perish.

The nights pass but its virtues stay