إذا ما الجيادُ الجُرد شدَّتْ لغايةٍ

إذا ما الجيادُ الجُرد شدَّتْ لغايةٍ

ولم يُرْض منها بالوجيف عن الحُضْرِ

ولم يُرْض منها بالوجيف عن الحُضْرِ

When the sleek steeds race toward a finish,

If the steeds, when urged to speed,

and a swift pace is not accepted from them in place of a full gallop,

Were not content with vile provender instead of corn,

وجاءت كهوجاء الربيع إذا جَرتْ

وجاءت كهوجاء الربيع إذا جَرتْ

بمُخْترَقٍ جَمٍّ مَجاهِلُهُ قَفْرِ

بمُخْترَقٍ جَمٍّ مَجاهِلُهُ قَفْرِ

and come like spring's raging gale when it sweeps

And, in springtide, the rain torrents

through a barren expanse whose unknown reaches are many,

Came with driving showers and a darkened horizon,

فهِمَّةُ قُطب الدين أمضى عزيمةً

فهِمَّةُ قُطب الدين أمضى عزيمةً

إذا جَدَّ في كسب المناقب والفَخْرِ

إذا جَدَّ في كسب المناقب والفَخْرِ

then Qutb al-Din's ambition is firmer in resolve,

Then the ambition of the Faith's pole, the mighty warrior,

when he strives to gain noble distinction and glory.

Was fixed on the attainment of glorious feats.

هُمامٌ إذا ما جال في متْنِ سابحٍ

هُمامٌ إذا ما جال في متْنِ سابحٍ

غدا جيشه مستبشراً منه بالنَّصْرِ

غدا جيشه مستبشراً منه بالنَّصْرِ

A valiant man—when he wheels upon a swift steed's back,

A hero, when he plunged into the midst of a surging sea,

his army grows joyful at the prospect of victory through him.

His host on the morrow found presage of victory in him.

وأسرعُ منْ إِقدامهِ يومَ حرْبه

وأسرعُ منْ إِقدامهِ يومَ حرْبه

نَداهُ إلى العافين في الإِزَم الغُبْر

نَداهُ إلى العافين في الإِزَم الغُبْر

And swifter than his bold advance on the day of his battle

Swifter than his onset in battle

is his bounty to supplicants in dust-gray times of hardship.

Was the herald's summons to the beneficent in the dusty fight.

وأحسْنُ من إِقْدامِهِ ونَوالِهِ

وأحسْنُ من إِقْدامِهِ ونَوالِهِ

خُلُوُّ أياديهِ من المَنِّ والكِبْرِ

خُلُوُّ أياديهِ من المَنِّ والكِبْرِ

And finer than his bold advance and his bounty

Better than his onset and award of gifts

is that his favors are free of reproachful reminders and pride.

Was the emptiness of his hands from bribes and pride.

فهُنِّيَ طولُ الدهرِ طُولَ بَقائِهِ

فهُنِّيَ طولُ الدهرِ طُولَ بَقائِهِ

سَجيسَ اللَّيالي للصِّيام وللفطْرِ

سَجيسَ اللَّيالي للصِّيام وللفطْرِ

So may all of time be congratulated on his long life,

So the length of Time congratulated his enduring existence,

as long as nights endure, for fasting and for breaking the fast.

Devoted to fasting by night and to breaking fast by day.