أسنى البوارق لاح أم بدرٌ بدا

أسنى البوارق لاح أم بدرٌ بدا

أم ثغرُ من تهواهُ لاح مُنضّدا

أم ثغرُ من تهواهُ لاح مُنضّدا

Has the brightest lightning flashed, or has a full moon appeared?

The ships gleamed, was it the full moon rising?

Or has your beloved's mouth shone, its teeth neatly arrayed?

Or a radiant smile that set my heart ablaze?

أم أسفرت وجناتُه فحسبتها

أم أسفرت وجناتُه فحسبتها

أسنى شهاب في السّماء توقّدا

أسنى شهاب في السّماء توقّدا

Or have his cheeks shone forth, so I took them for

Or did the morning reveal its gardens, which I mistook

The brightest meteor blazing in the sky?

For a shooting star kindling in the heavens?

أم تلك أنوارُ البشائر أشرقت

أم تلك أنوارُ البشائر أشرقت

في أفق ترشيش بمخلص أحمدا

في أفق ترشيش بمخلص أحمدا

Or have those lights of glad tidings shone

Or was it the lights of good tidings shining

On Tarshish's horizon at Ahmad's deliverance—

On the horizon, announcing Ahmad's deliverance?

نجلُ الجليل أبي المكارم مُصطفى

نجلُ الجليل أبي المكارم مُصطفى

من كان فردا في العُلا مُتفرّدا

من كان فردا في العُلا مُتفرّدا

The son of the illustrious Abu al-Makarim Mustafa,

The noble son of the magnanimous Abul Mukarram Mustafa,

Who was peerless in eminence, uniquely distinguished?

Unique in his exaltation, peerless and sublime,

ورث العلا والعزّ عن آبائه

ورث العلا والعزّ عن آبائه

لكن تجاوز قدره وتصعّدا

لكن تجاوز قدره وتصعّدا

He inherited eminence and honor from his forefathers,

Inheriting glory and honor from his forefathers,

Yet he surpassed his rank and rose still higher.

Yet surpassing his destiny, ever rising.

جمع الفصاحة والنّباهة والذّكا

جمع الفصاحة والنّباهة والذّكا

وسما بآداب وطاب تودّدا

وسما بآداب وطاب تودّدا

He united eloquence, distinction, and intelligence,

Eloquence, brilliance, and wisdom he embodied,

And rose through refinement, gracious in his affection.

With refined manners and affection he was graced.

يا أيّها النّجلُ الكريمُ ومن غدا

يا أيّها النّجلُ الكريمُ ومن غدا

يزدادُ فضلا في الأنام وسُؤددا

يزدادُ فضلا في الأنام وسُؤددا

O noble son, and you who have come

O noble son, beneficence will mark your days,

To grow in merit and lordly honor among humankind,

And virtues multiply as time flows on.

لا تأس من أيّام سجنك إنّها

لا تأس من أيّام سجنك إنّها

حكمٌ من الزّمان كان مُؤكّدا

حكمٌ من الزّمان كان مُؤكّدا

Do not grieve over your days in prison; they are

Grieve not for the days of your imprisonment,

A decree of time, firmly ordained.

For such is the caprice of fate, alas.

فلرُبّما لبس الفتى من دهره

فلرُبّما لبس الفتى من دهره

ذنبا وبالنّكبات عنهث تجرّدا

ذنبا وبالنّكبات عنهث تجرّدا

For often a young man, in his lifetime, has donned

Many a youth is clad by time itself in blame,

A sin, and through calamities shed it.

And from calamity finds himself stripped bare.

كم نعمة طُويت على نعم ولو

كم نعمة طُويت على نعم ولو

علم الفتى لسمى لها مُسترشدا

علم الفتى لسمى لها مُسترشدا

How many a blessing is folded around blessings! And if

How many blessings are veiled by blessings! Else

A young man knew, he would aspire to it, seeking guidance.

The youth would name it guidance, if he but knew.

لولا سرارٌ في البدُور لما انجلت

لولا سرارٌ في البدُور لما انجلت

والسّيفُ لولا الغمدُ يركبهُ الصّدا

والسّيفُ لولا الغمدُ يركبهُ الصّدا

Were it not for the full moons' dark phase, they would not shine forth;

Secrets hide in shells until they shine as pearls,

And the sword—without its sheath, rust would ride upon it.

The sword rusts within its sheath when not in use.

والدُّرُّ لولا المكثُ في أصدافه

والدُّرُّ لولا المكثُ في أصدافه

ما كان في جيد الزّمان مُقلّدا

ما كان في جيد الزّمان مُقلّدا

And pearls, but for their stay within their shells,

Had the pearl not dwelt in the shell's embrace

Would not be strung around the neck of time.

It would not have graced the neck of time.

جحدوك لمّا أن رأوك ذخيرة

جحدوك لمّا أن رأوك ذخيرة

إنّ الذّخائر شأنُها أن تُجحدا

إنّ الذّخائر شأنُها أن تُجحدا

They denied you when they saw you were a treasure;

They denied you only when they saw you were

Indeed, treasures are by nature denied.

A treasure, and treasures are often denied.

ولئن خلصت وما اكتملت تخلّصا

ولئن خلصت وما اكتملت تخلّصا

فالتمُّ يُسرع للهلال إذا بدا

فالتمُّ يُسرع للهلال إذا بدا

And even if you are freed but not yet wholly delivered,

Though you are true, perfection still eludes,

Fullness hastens to the crescent when it appears.

Like the crescent moon emerging from darkness.

شرفت مراتبكم فلا ضيّعتها

شرفت مراتبكم فلا ضيّعتها

أرأيت نجما عن عُلاك توهّدا

أرأيت نجما عن عُلاك توهّدا

Your stations are exalted; may you never squander them.

Exalted you are, never let it slip away,

Have you seen a star descend from your heights?

What star ever willingly falls from the heavens?

فاهنأ بمخلصك الجليل فإنّهُ

فاهنأ بمخلصك الجليل فإنّهُ

أضحى من العليا عليك به ردا

أضحى من العليا عليك به ردا

So rejoice in your glorious deliverance, for it

Rejoice in your noble deliverer, for he

Has become a cloak of high honor upon you.

Is your shelter and protection come again.

دُم في مراقي العزّ دهرك آمنا

دُم في مراقي العزّ دهرك آمنا

وابشر بإقبال عليك تجدّدّا

وابشر بإقبال عليك تجدّدّا

Remain secure on the steps of glory all your days,

Live safely by the spring of glory and honor,

And rejoice in good fortune renewed for you.

And hope smiles on you anew, nasal.