اُمدُد إِلَيَّ يَداً يَعتادُها الكَرَمُ

اُمدُد إِلَيَّ يَداً يَعتادُها الكَرَمُ

سَما بِها الماضِيانِ السَيفُ وَالقَلَمُ

سَما بِها الماضِيانِ السَيفُ وَالقَلَمُ

Stretch out to me a hand that generosity frequents;

Extend to me a hand, accustomed to generosity,

The two keen instruments, sword and pen, have raised it high.

By which the past wielded sword and pen.

فَبَطنُها حَجَرُ الأَسباطِ مُنبَجِساً

فَبَطنُها حَجَرُ الأَسباطِ مُنبَجِساً

وَظَهرُها حَجَرُ الإِسلامِ يُستَلَمُ

وَظَهرُها حَجَرُ الإِسلامِ يُستَلَمُ

For its palm is the Tribes' stone, gushing forth,

Its palm is the unyielding rock of the pillars,

And its back is Islam's stone, reverently touched.

And its back, the unyielding rock of Islam.

لِلصاحِبِ ابنِ عَلِيٍّ في العُلا هِمَمٌ

لِلصاحِبِ ابنِ عَلِيٍّ في العُلا هِمَمٌ

لَم يَدنُ مِن شَأوِها عُربٌ وَلا عَجَمُ

لَم يَدنُ مِن شَأوِها عُربٌ وَلا عَجَمُ

The Sahib, Ibn Ali, has ambitions set on glory's heights;

For the companion, the son of Ali, it aspires to the heights,

Neither Arabs nor non-Arabs have come near their reach.

Not equalled by Arabs or non-Arabs in stature.

فَلَو رَآهُ اِبنُ عبّادٍ لَصارَ لَهُ

فَلَو رَآهُ اِبنُ عبّادٍ لَصارَ لَهُ

عَبداً وَزَلَّت بِهِ عَن شَأوِهِ القَدَمُ

عَبداً وَزَلَّت بِهِ عَن شَأوِهِ القَدَمُ

For had Ibn Abbad seen him, he would have become his

Were ibn Abbad to see him, he would become

Slave, and his foot would have slipped from his high station.

His slave, so stunned by his greatness to move a step.

لا اِبنُ العَميدِ وَلا عَبدُ الحَميدِ وَلا ال

لا اِبنُ العَميدِ وَلا عَبدُ الحَميدِ وَلا ال

صابي لَهُم هَذِهِ الأَخلاقُ وَالشِيَمُ

صابي لَهُم هَذِهِ الأَخلاقُ وَالشِيَمُ

Neither Ibn al-Amid nor Abd al-Hamid nor al-

Not ibn al-Amīd, nor Abd al-Hamid, nor yet

Sabi possesses these qualities and virtues.

As-Sābi have his virtues and qualities.

دانَت لَهُ عُلَماءُ الدَهرِ قاطِبَةً

دانَت لَهُ عُلَماءُ الدَهرِ قاطِبَةً

فَهوَ التَقِيُّ النَقِيُّ الطاهِرُ العَلَمُ

فَهوَ التَقِيُّ النَقِيُّ الطاهِرُ العَلَمُ

All the scholars of the age have bowed to him;

The learned ones of the age all bowed down to him,

For he is pious, unblemished, pure, and eminent.

For he is the pure, the immaculate, the learned sage.

فَما لَهُ بِالنَدى يَجتاحُهُ كَرَمٌ

فَما لَهُ بِالنَدى يَجتاحُهُ كَرَمٌ

وَعِرضُهُ مِن أَياديهِ لَهُ حَرَمُ

وَعِرضُهُ مِن أَياديهِ لَهُ حَرَمُ

So generosity sweeps away what he owns through bounty;

So why should he be distressed, enveloped in generosity,

And his honor finds a sanctuary in his benefactions.

While his honor is protected by his sanctity?

بِالسَعدِ وَالأَيدِ وَالكَيدِ اِستَجابَ لَهُ

بِالسَعدِ وَالأَيدِ وَالكَيدِ اِستَجابَ لَهُ

أَعداؤُهُ جَنَحاً لِلسَّلمِ لا سَلِموا

أَعداؤُهُ جَنَحاً لِلسَّلمِ لا سَلِموا

Through good fortune, might, and stratagem, he was answered

By good fortune, support, and cunning, his enemies

By his enemies, inclining toward peace—may they never be safe!

Complied with him, though they were not at peace.

هُم يُنشِدونَ لِبَلواهُم وَراحَتهِ

هُم يُنشِدونَ لِبَلواهُم وَراحَتهِ

وا حَرَّ قَلباهُ مِمَّن قَلبُهُ شَبِمُ

وا حَرَّ قَلباهُ مِمَّن قَلبُهُ شَبِمُ

They recite, prompted by their suffering and his ease:

They recite their troubles and comforts to him,

“Alas, how my heart burns because of one whose heart is cold!”

While his heart burns with those whose hearts are cruel.

قُل لي أَهَذا الَّذي تَسطو بِهِ قَلَمٌ

قُل لي أَهَذا الَّذي تَسطو بِهِ قَلَمٌ

بِهِ المَفاتِحُ لِلأَرزاقِ أَم عَلَمُ

بِهِ المَفاتِحُ لِلأَرزاقِ أَم عَلَمُ

Tell me: is this, with which you strike, a pen,

Tell me - is this, which a pen commands,

Holding the keys to livelihoods—or a banner?

The key to sustenance, or a banner?

فَلِلعُفاةِ بِهِ مُنهَلَّةٌ دِيَمٌ

فَلِلعُفاةِ بِهِ مُنهَلَّةٌ دِيَمٌ

وَلِلعُصاةِ بِحَدَّيهِ يُراقُ دَمُ

وَلِلعُصاةِ بِحَدَّيهِ يُراقُ دَمُ

So for suppliants, steady rains pour down through it;

For gentlefolk, through it flows an eternal spring,

And for rebels, by its two edges, blood is shed.

While for rebels, its sharpness sheds blood.