لِعُفاتِهِ وَعِداتِهِ مِن جودِهِ

لِعُفاتِهِ وَعِداتِهِ مِن جودِهِ

وَجُنودِهِ السَرّاءُ وَالضَرّاءُ

وَجُنودِهِ السَرّاءُ وَالضَرّاءُ

For his petitioners and his foes, from his bounty

For his generosity and his promises of generosity,

And his troops, come prosperity and adversity.

The prosperous and the miserable are his armies,

وَلَدَيهِ كُلُّ عَجاجَةٍ سَوداءَ في

وَلَدَيهِ كُلُّ عَجاجَةٍ سَوداءَ في

يَومِ الكَريهَةِ رَوضَةٌ خَضراءُ

يَومِ الكَريهَةِ رَوضَةٌ خَضراءُ

And to him, every black cloud of dust on

And before him every dark tribulation

The day of battle is a green garden.

On an odious day is a verdant garden.

في الرَوعِ يَقتَحِمُ الغُبارَ بِسَيفِهِ

في الرَوعِ يَقتَحِمُ الغُبارَ بِسَيفِهِ

وَبِسَيفِهِ نارُ الفِرِندِ دِماءُ

وَبِسَيفِهِ نارُ الفِرِندِ دِماءُ

Amid battle's terror, he plunges into the dust with his sword;

In the heat of battle he charges into the dust with his sword

And on his sword, the damask pattern's fire is blood.

And with his sword the fires of war are blood.

يَضَعُ السِنانَ بِحَيثُ شاءَ مِنَ العِدا

يَضَعُ السِنانَ بِحَيثُ شاءَ مِنَ العِدا

فَلِخَوفِهِ شُجعانُهُم جُبَناءُ

فَلِخَوفِهِ شُجعانُهُم جُبَناءُ

He places the spearhead wherever he wills among his foes;

He places the lances wherever he wishes to place them against the foe,

So, for fear of him, their brave men become cowards.

And because of fear of him even the brave are cowards.

إِبداؤُهُ بِالجودِ يُلفى ماهِراً

إِبداؤُهُ بِالجودِ يُلفى ماهِراً

وَالعَودُ مِنهُ يخجلُ الإِبداءُ

وَالعَودُ مِنهُ يخجلُ الإِبداءُ

His first act of generosity proves masterful,

His generosity is concealed, appearing masterful,

And his renewed giving puts the first to shame.

And after him generosity feels shame.

عايَنتُ مِنهُ طَلعَةً مَلَكِيَّةً

عايَنتُ مِنهُ طَلعَةً مَلَكِيَّةً

مِنها عَلى وَجهِ الزَمانِ بَهاءُ

مِنها عَلى وَجهِ الزَمانِ بَهاءُ

I beheld in him a regal countenance,

I have seen in him an angelic dawn,

From it comes splendor upon the face of time.

From it the times have splendor on their face.

فَلِبُعدِهِ عَنّي وَفَدتُ بِشِقوَةٍ

فَلِبُعدِهِ عَنّي وَفَدتُ بِشِقوَةٍ

فَدَنا الشِفاءُ بِهِ وَزالَ شَقاءُ

فَدَنا الشِفاءُ بِهِ وَزالَ شَقاءُ

So, because he was far from me, I arrived in misery;

Because he is far from me I have come in misery,

Then healing drew near through him, and misery vanished.

But through him recovery has come near and misery departed.

قَد كانَ حُسّادي عَلَيهِ كَثيرَةً

قَد كانَ حُسّادي عَلَيهِ كَثيرَةً

وَلِبُعدِهِ كَثُرَت لِيَ الرُحَماءُ

وَلِبُعدِهِ كَثُرَت لِيَ الرُحَماءُ

Indeed, those who envied me on his account were many,

My enviers of him were many,

And because he was far away, those who pitied me grew in number.

But in his absence many pitied me.

وَهوَ الَّذي أَرجو نَداهُ وَعِندَهُ

وَهوَ الَّذي أَرجو نَداهُ وَعِندَهُ

لِمُؤَمِّليهِ لَن يَخيبَ رَجاءُ

لِمُؤَمِّليهِ لَن يَخيبَ رَجاءُ

And he is the one whose bounty I hope for, and with him

He is the one whose aid I hope for, and with him

The hopes of those who look to him will never fail.

For those who place their hopes in him, hopes will not fail.

فَعَلَيهِ مِن بَعدِ الإِلَهِ مُعَوَّلي

فَعَلَيهِ مِن بَعدِ الإِلَهِ مُعَوَّلي

وَغِنايَ مِنهُ لَم يَشُبهُ عَناءُ

وَغِنايَ مِنهُ لَم يَشُبهُ عَناءُ

So, after God, it is on him that I rely,

After God, he is the one I depend upon,

And my wealth from him was untainted by hardship.

And my wealth from him has not resembled toil.

لَمّا غَدا المَنصورُ أَفضَلَ سَيِّدٍ

لَمّا غَدا المَنصورُ أَفضَلَ سَيِّدٍ

في فَضلِهِ نالَ المُنى الفُضَلاءُ

في فَضلِهِ نالَ المُنى الفُضَلاءُ

When al-Mansur became the noblest lord,

When al-Mansur went forth the superior of all lords

Through his bounty, the worthy attained their wishes.

In his superiority the meritorious attained wishes.

وَهوَ الَّذي ضاعَت بِكُلِّ وِلايَةٍ

وَهوَ الَّذي ضاعَت بِكُلِّ وِلايَةٍ

في الناسِ إِلا عِندَهُ الأُدَباءُ

في الناسِ إِلا عِندَهُ الأُدَباءُ

And he is the one—neglected in every province

He is the one with whom in every province

Among people, save with him, are men of letters.

Only the literati remained among the people.

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي أَوصافهُ

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي أَوصافهُ

تَعلو عَلى ما قالَتِ الشُعَراءُ

تَعلو عَلى ما قالَتِ الشُعَراءُ

O king, whose qualities

O king whose attributes

Rise above what the poets have said,

Rise above what the poets have said,

لا زِلتَ ما دامَ الزَمانُ مُمَتَّعاً

لا زِلتَ ما دامَ الزَمانُ مُمَتَّعاً

في المُلكِ دائِمَةً لَكَ النَعماءُ

في المُلكِ دائِمَةً لَكَ النَعماءُ

May you never cease, as long as time endures, to find joy

You remain, as long as time is enjoyable,

In kingship, with blessings forever yours.

In eternal sovereignty, for you blessings.