بصفات مجدك يشرف التمجيد

وبنور وجهك يشرق التوحيد

The qualities of your glory ennoble glorification.

And by your face's light, the proclamation of God's oneness shines.

أمن الهدى أن يستضام وشمله

بالعاضد بن محمد معضود

Guidance is safe from oppression, and its unity

is upheld by al-Adid son of Muhammad.

نزلت ليالي الصوم عندك منزلاً

مازال يعمره التقى والجود

The nights of fasting lodged with you in a dwelling

ever inhabited by piety and generosity.

وترحلت من بعد ما زودتها

بر التهجد والأنام هجود

And they departed after you had provisioned them

with devout night prayer while mankind slept.

ولقيت عيد الفطر منك بغرة

أضحى ببهجتها يهنا العيد

And I greeted Eid al-Fitr with your radiant brow,

whose splendor gladdened the feast itself.

شرفت بك الأيام حين ملكتها

فجميع أوقات الزمان عبيد

The days were ennobled by you when you ruled them;

thus all the hours of time are slaves.

شوال عبدك إن رضيت وإنما

تصحيف عبد في الكتابة عيد

Shawwal is your slave, if you consent; indeed,

'feast' is 'slave' with the letter-dots altered in writing.

في كل شيء من علاك إشارة

تبدي الخلافة سرها وتعيد

In everything about your exalted rank is a sign;

the caliphate reveals its secret and repeats it.

فأفد أمير المؤمنين ولم تزل

لعبيدك المتفهمين تفيد

So enlighten us, Commander of the Faithful; you have always

enlightened your discerning servants.

ما السر في عود المظلة إنه

عود صليب المتن وهو يميد

What is the secret of the parasol's shaft? It is

a shaft of sturdy backbone, yet it sways.

ما ذاك إلا أنه نظر الورى

وهم لوجهك ركع وسجود

That is only because it saw mankind

bowing and prostrating before your face.

فصغى ولكن المهابة والحيا

منعاه مما يشتهي ويريد

So it bent, but awe and modesty

kept it from what it longed for and desired.

حسدت مظلتك النجوم لأنها

فلك على شمس الضحى ممدود

Your parasol envied the stars, for it is

a heaven stretched above the forenoon sun.

وبسطت في طلب السيادة عذرها

ومن العجائب أن يسود حسود

And it offered its excuse for seeking lordship;

it is a marvel for an envier to become lord.

وتشرفت لما غدت ورتاجها

فوق الخلافة دائر مشدود

And it was ennobled when its enclosing cover

circled, drawn taut, above the caliphate.

ما فاز بالتشريف إلا مقلة

مدت إليك لحاظها أو جيد

None gained honor but an eye

that extended its gaze toward you, or a neck.

تومي بطرفك نحوهم فتراهم

كالزرع منه قائم وحصيد

You gesture toward them with your eye, and see them

like crops, some standing and some cut down.

دانوا بحب خليفة ما فوقه

في الأمر إلا الخالق المعبود

They submitted through love of a caliph above whom

in authority stands only the worshipped Creator.

لما برزت غداة فطرك خاشعاً

وشعارك التكبير والتمجيد

When you appeared, humble, on the morning of your breaking the fast,

your watchword was God's greatness and glorification.

وعليك من شيم النبي وحيدر

للناظرين أدلة وشهود

And upon you, from the virtues of the Prophet and Haydar,

were proofs and witnesses for those who looked.

شخصت إليك نواظر الأمم التي

ملكتهم لك بيعة وعهود

The eyes of the peoples were fixed upon you—those

you ruled, who owed you allegiance and covenants.

حتى صعدت على ذؤابة منبر

لو كان عوداً ماس ذاك العود

until you ascended the summit of a pulpit;

had it been a branch, that branch would have swayed in pride.

بشرت بل أنذرت بالحكم التي

فيهن وعد صادق ووعيد

You gave glad tidings—rather, warnings—with wise sayings

containing a true promise and a threat.

لينت قاسية القلوب بخطبة

أصغى إليها المجمع المشهود

You softened hardened hearts with a sermon

to which the gathered congregation listened.

لا منكر أن تستكين جوارح

لسماعها أو تقشعر جلود

No wonder limbs should grow submissive

on hearing it, or skins shiver.

والوحي ينطق عن لسانك بالذي

من دونه يتصدع الجلمود

And revelation speaks through your tongue words

even less than which would shatter solid rock.

يوم جلت فيه الإمامة عزها

ولها الملائكة الكرام جنود

A day on which the imamate displayed its glory,

with the noble angels as its soldiers.

أمنت خلافتك الخلاف وأبرمت

بكفيلها مرر لها وعقود

Your caliphate was safe from discord, and made firm were

its twisted cords and knots through its guardian.

بالعادل بن الصالح انتظمت فهل

وصى سليماناً بها داود

Through al-Adil son of al-Salih it was ordered; did

David entrust it to Solomon?

أغنى عن التقليد نص إمامة

والنص يبطل عنده التقليد

An explicit designation by the imamate made investiture needless,

for before explicit designation, investiture is void.

لا شيء من حل وعقد في الورى

إلا إلى تدبيره مردود

There is no unbinding or binding among mankind

that is not referred back to his governance.

ملك أغاث المسلمين وحاطهم

منه وجود في الزمان وجود

A king who succored the Muslims and protected them;

from him come life in this age and generosity.

ورث الكفالة عن أب لم يفترق

في عصره نصر ولا تأييد

He inherited guardianship from a father; never divided

in his time were victory and support.

قسماً بمجد أبي شجاع إنه

قسم كما لا ينكرن شديد

I swear by the glory of Abu Shuja': it is

a solemn oath, as none can deny.

لقد استقل أبو شجاع بالتي

أثقالها للحاملين تؤود

Abu Shuja' indeed shouldered alone the charge

whose burdens weigh down its bearers.

واختط من شرف المساعي غاية

ما فوقها للطالبين مزيد

And he marked out, in noble endeavors, a summit

beyond which seekers could reach no more.

وتدارك الإسلام حين تمايلت

بالخوف أطناب له وعمود

And he rescued Islam when there swayed

in fear its tent-ropes and central pole.

وأقر طائشة القلوب بعزمة

سكنت بها الأطواد وهي تميد

And he steadied fluttering hearts with a resolve

that stilled the mountains while they swayed.

وأذل عز الناكثين بعسكر

لولا التزاحم لم تسعه البيد

And he humbled the might of oath-breakers with an army

the deserts could not contain, but for its crowded ranks.

قرعت أنابيب القنا فيه القنا

ضيقاً وصل من الحديد حديد

Within it, spear-shafts struck against spears

for lack of space, and iron clanged against iron.

ورأيت فوق السرج منه أجل من

خفقت له في الخافقين بنود

And I saw him in the saddle, the noblest of those

for whom banners fluttered in the East and West.

والشمس قد لبست نقاب عجاجة

ضوء النهار بليلها مطرود

The sun had donned a veil of swirling dust;

daylight was driven out by its night.

لولا ضياء جبينه ما ابيض من

ظلماء مفرقها ذوائب سود

But for his brow's radiance, no whiteness would appear

among the black tresses at its dark hair-parting.

رويت بهيبتها الصدور فاصميت

منها ضغائن أضمرت وحقود

Hearts were drenched in its awe; thus slain were

within them, concealed grudges and hatreds.

حتى استقال من العناد معاند

وأقر بالفضل المبين جحود

Until the obstinate sought release from obstinacy,

and the denier acknowledged manifest excellence.

بأس يهد الراسيات وصولة

تأتي وليس أمامها تهديد

A might that topples the firm mountains, and an onslaught

that comes with no threat preceding it.

شرفاً بني رزيك إن علوكم

أبداً على مر الجديد جديد

Glory to you, sons of Ruzzik! Your eminence

is forever new as new days pass.

لا تفتل الأيام حبل مكيدة

إلا وفيه لأمركم تأكيد

The days twist no cord of intrigue

without its reinforcing your authority.

إن الوزارة لا تليق بغيركم

مادام منكم واحد موجود

The vizierate befits no one but you

as long as a single one of you remains.

جانبتم الإسراف إلا في الندى

فلذاك حسن فعالكم محمود

You shunned extravagance except in generosity,

and thus the beauty of your deeds is praised.

والأمر ليس بنافذ إلا إذا

قامت بحد المرهفات حدود

Authority has no force unless

the law's bounds are upheld by the edge of keen blades.

والناس ليس بمصلح أحوالهم

مع ذاك إلا الرفق والتسديد

And nothing sets the people's affairs aright,

alongside that, except gentleness and sound guidance.

يهنى أمير المؤمنين قيامه

في ثأركم ووفاءه المعهود

May the Commander of the Faithful be congratulated on his action

to avenge you, and on his well-known fidelity.

لم يرض بالأمر الذي رضيت به

في الملك أطراف طغت وعبيد

He did not accept the state of affairs accepted

in the realm by rebellious factions and slaves.

فشقوا بيوم الصالح الهادي كما

شقيت بصالح النبي ثمود

So they suffered on the day of al-Salih the guide, just as

Thamud suffered through Salih the prophet.

وتمزقوا بيد الإمام فهالك

ذاق الردى ومصفد وطريد

And they were shattered by the Imam's hand: one perished,

tasting death; another was shackled, another driven out.

رعت الخلافة حق أروع لم يزل

يحمي العداء عن عزها ويذود

The caliphate upheld the right of a noble man who never ceased

keeping enemies from its glory and driving them back.

شهد الملائكة الكرام بأنه

لبى نداء الله وهو شهيد

The noble angels bore witness that he

answered God's call as a martyr.

كافأته في أهله وجعلتهم

سبباً تفيد به الورى وتبيد

You rewarded him through his family and made them

a means by which you benefit mankind and bring destruction.

وبلوتهم فوجدتهم مامنهم

لعلاك إلا ناصح وودود

You tested them and found that none among them

was other than a sincere counselor and devoted friend to your highness.

وغدا لهم بجميل رأيك فيهم

شرف أناف وعدة رعديد

And through your gracious regard for them, they gained

towering honor and a fearful man's safeguard.

فاشدد عليهم راحتيك فإنما

ينمى ولاؤك عندهم ويزيد

So hold them fast in both your palms, for

devotion to you among them only grows and increases.

وبقيتم للمسلمين ومجدكم

أبداً بأفراد النجوم مشيد

May you remain for the Muslims, and may your glory

be forever built high with the stars, one by one.