هَنيئاً أَيُّها المَلِكُ المُعَظَّم

هَنيئاً أَيُّها المَلِكُ المُعَظَّم

لَكَ المُلكُ المُؤَثَّلُ وَالمُتَمَّم

لَكَ المُلكُ المُؤَثَّلُ وَالمُتَمَّم

Joy to you, O King al-Mu'azzam!

O mighty majestic King,

Yours is kingship, firmly founded and perfected.

To you belongs consolidated dominion entirely confirmed;

مُلوكُ الأَرضِ كُلُّهُم نِظامُ ال

مُلوكُ الأَرضِ كُلُّهُم نِظامُ ال

فِرِندِ وَأَنتَ واسِطَةُ المُنَظَّم

فِرِندِ وَأَنتَ واسِطَةُ المُنَظَّم

All the kings of the earth are a string of

The monarchs of all earth are systematised through descent from you, while you are the organizer of that which is organised;

gems, and you are the centerpiece of the necklace.

They are the whole poem while you are the glorious verse of the poem, so your known glory cannot be concealed,

وَكُلُّهُمُ القَصيدُ وَأَنتَ بَيتُ ال

وَكُلُّهُمُ القَصيدُ وَأَنتَ بَيتُ ال

قَصيدِ فَعَرفُ عَرفِكَ لَيسَ يُكتَم

قَصيدِ فَعَرفُ عَرفِكَ لَيسَ يُكتَم

They are all the poem, and you are the finest verse of the

You have ruled Damascus - peace be upon You, our Creator -

poem; the fragrance of your bounty cannot be hidden.

So it has cast its staff and set down its purpose like the traveller when he arrives;

مَلَكتَ دِمَشقَ يا عيسى فَصَلّى

مَلَكتَ دِمَشقَ يا عيسى فَصَلّى

عَلَيكَ اللَهُ خالِقُنا وَسَلَّم

عَلَيكَ اللَهُ خالِقُنا وَسَلَّم

You have gained Damascus, O Isa; may blessings

With him who gives thousands yet does not fear thousands your armies teem with numbers;

and peace be upon you from God, our Creator.

Can dominion suffer detriment when it belongs to you - the crowned, honoured and sealed?

فَقَد أَلقَت عَصاها وَاِستَقَرَّت

فَقَد أَلقَت عَصاها وَاِستَقَرَّت

نَواها كَالمُسافِرِ حينَ يَقدَم

نَواها كَالمُسافِرِ حينَ يَقدَم

For she has laid down her staff, and stilled

In peace your are the sun in beauty, and in war your prowess is terrible as Al-Daytham;

her wanderings, like a traveler when he arrives,

You have worn dominion as a most excellent green brocade mantle, figured and stitched;

بِمَن يَهَبُ الأُلوفَ وَما يَهابُ ال

بِمَن يَهَبُ الأُلوفَ وَما يَهابُ ال

أُلوفَ تَجيشُ بِالجَيشِ العَرَمرَم

أُلوفَ تَجيشُ بِالجَيشِ العَرَمرَم

under one who gives thousands, yet fears not the

Among the kings of East and West none has been seen by us more outstanding than you;

thousands surging in a mighty host.

You have conquered the Sacred House, so live long or be escorted there as bridegroom;

وَهَل عُطلٌ بِمُلكٍ وَهوَ مِنكَ ال

وَهَل عُطلٌ بِمُلكٍ وَهوَ مِنكَ ال

مُتَوَّجُ وَالمُسَوَّرُ وَالمُخَتَّم

مُتَوَّجُ وَالمُسَوَّرُ وَالمُخَتَّم

Can a kingdom lack adornment, when through you it is

You are the pouring rain in munificence, none can forbid the rain its downpour;

crowned, bracelet-adorned, and ring-adorned?

You have turned aside for us the calamity of the days with whiteness of flashing sword and coat-of-mail;

فَأَنتَ الشَمسُ عِندَ السِلمِ حُسناً

فَأَنتَ الشَمسُ عِندَ السِلمِ حُسناً

وَعِندَ الحَربِ بَأسُكَ بَأسُ ضَيغَم

وَعِندَ الحَربِ بَأسُكَ بَأسُ ضَيغَم

For in peace you are the sun in beauty,

You plunge into the coats-of-mail til you shed from the foe blood with your straight sword;

and in war your might is the might of a lion.

The rain-clouds of your bounty give drink to all but me, your sea heaving with bounty still,

لَبِستَ المُلكَ سِربالاً بِحُسنِ ال

لَبِستَ المُلكَ سِربالاً بِحُسنِ ال

طِرازِ الأَخضَرِ المَرقومِ مُعلَم

طِرازِ الأَخضَرِ المَرقومِ مُعلَم

You have donned kingship as a robe, with the beauty of

And one like me - great the reward laid up for him - is left behind, each thing assigned its proper place;

green, patterned embroidery emblazoned upon it.

While all mankind inherit from me and forsake the man who pitied me when you were gracious.

وَلَم يَكُ في مُلوكِ الأَرضِ شَرقاً

وَلَم يَكُ في مُلوكِ الأَرضِ شَرقاً

وَغَرباً مَن نَراهُ مِنكَ أَعلَم

وَغَرباً مَن نَراهُ مِنكَ أَعلَم

And no king of the earth, whether in the east

So may your country remain shining, for without you this age would be darkened,

or the west, do we see as more learned than you.

Live on in your kingdom and drink deep of a noble, sweet-scented wine;

مَلَكتَ المَسجِدَ الأَقصى فَعِش أَو

مَلَكتَ المَسجِدَ الأَقصى فَعِش أَو

يُزَفَّ لِوَصلِهِ البَيتُ المُحَرَّم

يُزَفَّ لِوَصلِهِ البَيتُ المُحَرَّم

You have gained the al-Aqsa Mosque; live on until

With the palm of one gesturing and coquettish, nimble-worded jester,

the Sacred House is led in wedding procession to join it.

Who bites with the sting of his cheekbones, striking slanderously,

وَأَنتَ اليَمُّ في اللَّزَباتِ جوداً

وَأَنتَ اليَمُّ في اللَّزَباتِ جوداً

وَلَيسَ مُيَمِّمٌ لِليَمِّ يُحرَم

وَلَيسَ مُيَمِّمٌ لِليَمِّ يُحرَم

And you are the sea in generosity amid hardships,

And stings poisonously with his glancing coquetry;

and none who makes for that sea goes unrewarded.

Between whose eyelids is the sorcery of Harut

جَلَوتَ سَوادَ صَرفِ الدَهرِ عَنّا

جَلَوتَ سَوادَ صَرفِ الدَهرِ عَنّا

بِزُرقَةِ لَهذَمٍ وَبَياضِ مِخذَم

بِزُرقَةِ لَهذَمٍ وَبَياضِ مِخذَم

You dispelled from us the blackness of time's vicissitudes,

While beneath his figure is the piercing spear made straight.

with the blue of a sharp spear and the white of a keen sword.

His stirrup and slender waist contend together angrily;

وَفي غُدُرِ الدُروعِ تَخوضُ حَتّى

وَفي غُدُرِ الدُروعِ تَخوضُ حَتّى

تُريقَ مِنَ العِدا بِحُسامِكَ الدَّم

تُريقَ مِنَ العِدا بِحُسامِكَ الدَّم

And through pools of armor you wade until

His waist is a disputing adversary complaining bitterly.

with your keen sword you spill the enemies' blood.

I conceal my innocent love for him but his languishing betrayed by his glancing;

سَحابُ نَداكَ أَروى الناسَ غَيري

سَحابُ نَداكَ أَروى الناسَ غَيري

وَبَحرُكَ مُتأَقٌ بِالجودِ مُفعَم

وَبَحرُكَ مُتأَقٌ بِالجودِ مُفعَم

The cloud of your bounty has quenched everyone but me,

He comprises eighty perfections, no reproach on him though he smiles.

and your sea is brimming, filled with generosity.

To match the roses of his cheeks - a cheek smooth as glass,

وَفي مِثلي جَزيلُ الأَجرِ يُحوى

وَفي مِثلي جَزيلُ الأَجرِ يُحوى

وَوَضعُ الشَيءِ مَوضِعَهُ يُقَدَّم

وَوَضعُ الشَيءِ مَوضِعَهُ يُقَدَّم

And through one like me a rich reward is gained,

A mouth like globules of ambergris when he smiles.

and putting a thing in its proper place takes precedence.

If the noble Joseph gazed on his beauty he would submit and salute.

وَكُلُّ الناسِ راثٍ لي وَداعٍ

وَكُلُّ الناسِ راثٍ لي وَداعٍ

لِمَن يَحنو عَلَيَّ إِذا تَكَرَّم

لِمَن يَحنو عَلَيَّ إِذا تَكَرَّم

And all people pity me and pray

None says, 'would that!' when any critic beholds and examines him.

for whoever cares for me when giving generously.

Every king seems diminished beside the exalted one,

فَلا زالَت بِلادُكَ مُشرِقاتٍ

فَلا زالَت بِلادُكَ مُشرِقاتٍ

فَلَولا أَنتَ في ذا الدَهرِ أَظلَم

فَلَولا أَنتَ في ذا الدَهرِ أَظلَم

So may your lands never cease to shine,

O glory of God's religion - may its consolidated glory endure!

for without you this age would grow dark.

Has anyone like your superlative pride of ancestry?

وَدُم في المُلكِ وَاِشرَب بِنتَ كَرمٍ

وَدُم في المُلكِ وَاِشرَب بِنتَ كَرمٍ

لَها عَرفٌ كَعَرفِ المِسكِ يَفغَم

لَها عَرفٌ كَعَرفِ المِسكِ يَفغَم

And remain in kingship, and drink the daughter of the vine,

You have built a kingdom of protection, opening, suppression and firmness that cannot be demolished;

whose scent, like musk's, fills the nostrils,

Protection of loved ones; opening of frontiers, breaking of foes; andFIRMNESS. It is decisive.

بِكَفِّ مُهَفهَفٍ نَشوانَ أَلمى

بِكَفِّ مُهَفهَفٍ نَشوانَ أَلمى

خَطائِيِّ النِّجارِ إِذا تَكَلَّم

خَطائِيِّ النِّجارِ إِذا تَكَلَّم

from the hand of a slender, tipsy, dark-lipped youth,

None but you merits interpretation, O you who teach us eloquence yet stands in no need of being taught!

of Khitayan stock, as his speech reveals.

يَصولُ بِعَقرَبَي صُدغَيهِ لَسباً

يَصولُ بِعَقرَبَي صُدغَيهِ لَسباً

وَيَلسَعُ بِالذُؤابَةِ لَسعَ أَرقَم

وَيَلسَعُ بِالذُؤابَةِ لَسعَ أَرقَم

He lunges, stinging with the two scorpions of his temple-locks,

and with his forelock stings as a spotted serpent stings.

وَبَينَ جُفونِهِ هاروتُ سِحراً

وَبَينَ جُفونِهِ هاروتُ سِحراً

وَدونَ قَوامِهِ الرُّمحُ المُقَوَّمُ

وَدونَ قَوامِهِ الرُّمحُ المُقَوَّمُ

Between his eyelids is Harut in his sorcery,

and the straightened lance falls short of his stature.

يُجاذِبُ رِدفُهُ خَصراً دَقيقاً

يُجاذِبُ رِدفُهُ خَصراً دَقيقاً

فَمِنهُ خَصرُهُ خَصمٌ تَظَلَّم

فَمِنهُ خَصرُهُ خَصمٌ تَظَلَّم

His hips tug against a slender waist,

so his waist is their adversary, complaining of injustice.

أُكَتِّمُ حُبَّهُ العُذرِيَّ لَكِن

أُكَتِّمُ حُبَّهُ العُذرِيَّ لَكِن

يَنِمُّ بِهِ عُذَيِّرُهُ المُنَمنَم

يَنِمُّ بِهِ عُذَيِّرُهُ المُنَمنَم

I hide my chaste love for him, but

his finely patterned cheek-down betrays it.

وَمِن عَشرِ الثَمانينَ اِحتَواهُ

وَمِن عَشرِ الثَمانينَ اِحتَواهُ

فَلا يعتَب عَلَيهِ إِذا تَبَرسَم

فَلا يعتَب عَلَيهِ إِذا تَبَرسَم

And it has encircled him with a tenth of eighty;

so he is not to be blamed if he grows delirious.

يُقابِلُ وَردَ خَدَّيهِ أَقاحٌ

يُقابِلُ وَردَ خَدَّيهِ أَقاحٌ

وَمَنظومُ الحَبابِ إِذا تَبَسَّم

وَمَنظومُ الحَبابِ إِذا تَبَسَّم

Opposite the roses of his cheeks are daisies

and strung bubbles whenever he smiles.

فَلَو في الحُسنِ ناظَرَهُ العَزيز ب

فَلَو في الحُسنِ ناظَرَهُ العَزيز ب

نُ يَعقوبَ اِستَكانَ لَهُ وَسَلَّم

نُ يَعقوبَ اِستَكانَ لَهُ وَسَلَّم

Were al-'Aziz to vie with him in beauty—the son

of Jacob—he would yield to him and concede.

فَلَيسَ يُقالُ فيهِ لَو إِذا ما

فَلَيسَ يُقالُ فيهِ لَو إِذا ما

رَآهُ كُلُّ مُنتَقِدٍ تَوَسَّم

رَآهُ كُلُّ مُنتَقِدٍ تَوَسَّم

For no 'if only' is said of him; whenever

any critic sees him, he studies him discerningly.

كَذَلِكَ كُلُّ مَلكٍ في البَرايا

كَذَلِكَ كُلُّ مَلكٍ في البَرايا

نَراهُ مُصَغَّراً عِندَ المُعَظَّم

نَراهُ مُصَغَّراً عِندَ المُعَظَّم

Likewise, every king among mankind

we see diminished beside al-Mu'azzam.

فَيا شَرَفاً لِدينِ اللَهِ يا مَن

فَيا شَرَفاً لِدينِ اللَهِ يا مَن

لَهُ المَجدُ المُؤَثَّلُ حيثُ يَمَّم

لَهُ المَجدُ المُؤَثَّلُ حيثُ يَمَّم

So, O honor to God's faith, O you who

have firmly rooted glory wherever you turn!

وَهَل أَحَدٌ لَهُ في المُلكِ فَخرٌ

وَهَل أَحَدٌ لَهُ في المُلكِ فَخرٌ

كَفَخرِكَ بِالأَبِ الأَعلى وَبِالعَم

كَفَخرِكَ بِالأَبِ الأَعلى وَبِالعَم

And does anyone have pride in kingship

like your pride in your exalted father and your uncle?

بَنَيتَ المُلكَ في ضَمٍّ وَفَتحٍ

بَنَيتَ المُلكَ في ضَمٍّ وَفَتحٍ

وَكَسرٍ ثُمَّ وَقفٍ لَيسَ يُهدَم

وَكَسرٍ ثُمَّ وَقفٍ لَيسَ يُهدَم

You built kingship through joining and opening,

and breaking, then an endowment none can demolish:

بِضَمِّ أَحِبَّةٍ وَبِفَتحِ ثَغرٍ

بِضَمِّ أَحِبَّةٍ وَبِفَتحِ ثَغرٍ

وَكَسرِ عِدىً وَوَقفٍ فَهوَ مُحكَم

وَكَسرِ عِدىً وَوَقفٍ فَهوَ مُحكَم

by uniting loved ones and conquering a frontier stronghold,

and crushing foes, and making an endowment: thus it is secure.

لِغَيرِكَ لا لَكَ التَفسيرُ يا مَن

لِغَيرِكَ لا لَكَ التَفسيرُ يا مَن

يُعَلِّمُنا البَيانَ وَلا يُعَلَّم

يُعَلِّمُنا البَيانَ وَلا يُعَلَّم

The explanation is for others, not you, O you who

teach us eloquence and are not taught.