أَباO father of الشَعبِthe people إِطلَعcome forth مِنfrom حِجابِكَyour veil يَلتَقيwill meet
أَبا الشَعبِ إِطلَع مِن حِجابِكَ يَلتَقي
بِطَرفِكَwith your gaze مِثلُa likeness of العارِضِthe raincloud المُتَدَفِّقِpouring forth
بِطَرفِكَ مِثلُ العارِضِ المُتَدَفِّقِ
Father of the people, emerge from behind your veil, and there will meet
O father of the people, emerge from your veil
O Father of the People, emerge from your veil, so there may meet / Your gaze something akin to a torrential rain-cloud:
your gaze a mass like a raincloud pouring forth:
To meet the gaze of the adoring overflowing with love.
Crowds whose numbers the pen cannot tally; / They are like sands, save that they are unarranged.
جَماهيرُthrongs لاnot يُحصيcounts اليَراعُthe reed pen عَديدَهاtheir number
جَماهيرُ لا يُحصي اليَراعُ عَديدَها
هِيَthey الرَملُsand إِلّاexcept أَنَّهُthat it لَمhas not يُنَسَّقِbeen arranged
هِيَ الرَملُ إِلّا أَنَّهُ لَم يُنَسَّقِ
throngs whose number no pen can reckon.
Crowds that the eye cannot count in number,
It is the people who have come to you like a swelling sea, / And like an army, regiment following upon regiment.
They are sand, only not set in order.
They are the sands except that they are not arranged symmetrically.
Look out and you will find them standing round your palace, / Gazing intently as a lover gazes at the beloved.
هُوَit الشَعبُthe people قَدindeed وافاكَhas come to you كَالبَحرِlike the sea زاخِراًsurging
هُوَ الشَعبُ قَد وافاكَ كَالبَحرِ زاخِراً
وَكَالجَيشِand like an army يَقفوfollows فَيلَقٌa legion إِثرَafter فَيلَقِa legion
وَكَالجَيشِ يَقفو فَيلَقٌ إِثرَ فَيلَقِ
It is the people, come to you surging like the sea,
They are the people who have come to you numerous like the sea
The earth has donned them as an ornament, as though they were / Your favors upon it, which cease not to hold their luster.
and like an army, legion following legion.
And like an army regiment following after regiment.
And the sun cast a glance upon them like a jealous lover, / Which they received with the look of one compassionate.
تَطَلَّعlook out تَجِدهُyou will find them حَولَaround قَصرِكَyour palace واقِفاًstanding
تَطَلَّع تَجِدهُ حَولَ قَصرِكَ واقِفاً
يُحَدِّقُgazes intently تَحديقَthe gaze of المُحِبِّthe lover لِمُوَفَّقِat one blessed with success
يُحَدِّقُ تَحديقَ المُحِبِّ لِمُوَفَّقِ
Look out: you will find them standing around your palace,
Look and you will find them standing around your palace
They rejoice at your handsome countenance, just as / One rejoices at the sight of a brilliant star.
gazing as a lover gazes upon one blessed with success.
Staring longingly like a lover towards the beloved.
They adore in you your might, your clemency, and your grace; / For thus does he who gazes upon beauty fall in love.
لَقَدindeed لَبِسَتهُhas worn them الأَرضُthe earth حِلياًas jewels كَأَنَّهُماas though the two of them
لَقَد لَبِسَتهُ الأَرضُ حِلياً كَأَنَّهُما
أَياديكَyour favors فيهِupon them لَمhave not تَزَلceased ذاتُpossessing رَونَقِluster
أَياديكَ فيهِ لَم تَزَل ذاتُ رَونَقِ
The earth has worn them as jewels, as though both were
The earth has adorned them with jewelry as if
Their longing nearly causes them to ascend to you; / Oh, what a wonder: a sea rising toward the full moon!
your favors upon them, their luster undiminished.
Your hands upon it have never ceased to beautify.
The corrupters have scattered away from you, though long / Did they cast division among the people—a most troubling disturbance.
وَأَلقَتand cast عَلَيهِupon them الشَمسُthe sun نَظرَةَthe gaze of عاشِقٍa lover
وَأَلقَت عَلَيهِ الشَمسُ نَظرَةَ عاشِقٍ
غَيورٍjealous تَلَقّاهاreceived it بِنَظرَةِwith the gaze of مُشفِقِone tenderly concerned
غَيورٍ تَلَقّاها بِنَظرَةِ مُشفِقِ
And the sun cast upon them the gaze of a lover,
And the sun has cast upon it a glance of a jealous lover
How often they spread unrest in the land, then retreated, / Claiming: "It is a troubling people, oh so troubling!"
a jealous one; they met it with a tender gaze.
That it meets with a caring gaze.
How often they forged rumors against the people and made false claims, / Supported by that "ascetic" and "pious" one of yours.
يَهَشُّrejoices لِمَرآكَat the sight of you الوَسيمِhandsome وَإِنَّماand only
يَهَشُّ لِمَرآكَ الوَسيمِ وَإِنَّما
يَهَشُّrejoices لِمَرأىat the sight of الكَوكَبِthe star المُتَأَلِّقِradiant
يَهَشُّ لِمَرأى الكَوكَبِ المُتَأَلِّقِ
They rejoice at your handsome appearance, yet they are only
They thrill for the sight of your handsome self, and indeed
To whom could they raise their complaint, when such men stood / In ambush at the door? Ask the people, and they shall speak.
rejoicing at the sight of a radiant star.
They thrill for the sight of the shining star.
But now, with neither slanderer nor spy remaining, / They come rushing with the stride of the joyful and yearning.
وَيَعشَقُand loves مِنكَin you البَأسَvalor وَالحِلمَand forbearance وَالنَدىand generosity
وَيَعشَقُ مِنكَ البَأسَ وَالحِلمَ وَالنَدى
كَذَلِكَlikewise مَنwhoever يَنظُرُlooks إِلىat الحُسنِbeauty يَعشَقِfalls in love
كَذَلِكَ مَن يَنظُرُ إِلى الحُسنِ يَعشَقِ
And in you they love valor, forbearance, and generosity;
And they love in you valor, forbearance and softness -
They exchange with you the love of which you are worthy; / Suffice it that you receive from them a love unadorned by falsehood.
so too whoever looks upon beauty falls in love.
Thus is one who looks upon beauty made to love.
And here is your surging army, roaring its acclamations, / For the covenant and binding charter they have obtained from you.
يَكادُalmost بِهِwith them يَرقىascends إِلَيكَto you اِشتِياقُهُtheir longing
يَكادُ بِهِ يَرقى إِلَيكَ اِشتِياقُهُ
فَياso, oh عَجَباًa wonder بَحرٌa sea إِلىto البَدرِthe full moon يَرتَقيascends
فَيا عَجَباً بَحرٌ إِلى البَدرِ يَرتَقي
Their longing almost carries them upward to you:
Their yearning for you almost causes them to ascend to you -
They bow their heads in reverence to your person— / Heads to which every other crown must bow in turn.
what a wonder—a sea ascending to the full moon!
How amazing, a sea rises towards the moon!
Skulls which, if you were to warn Time with them, Time would be thunderstruck; / And if they confronted calamities, the calamities would scatter.
تَفَرَّقَscattered عَنكَaway from you المُفسِدونَthe corrupters وَطالَماand how often
تَفَرَّقَ عَنكَ المُفسِدونَ وَطالَما
رَمواthey accused الشَعبَthe people بَِلتَفريقِof sowing division مُقلِقٌtroublesome أَيُّhow very مُقلِقِtroublesome
رَموا الشَعبَ بَِلتَفريقِ مُقلِقٌ أَيُّ مُقلِقِ
The corrupters have scattered away from you; how often
The mischief-makers have dispersed from you, and for long
They boast of peace amongst armies, yet truly, / They are the fiercest strikers with the sword in every dire strait.
they accused the people of sowing division: “Troublesome—how troublesome!”
They have cast at the people with causing disruption - which disruption!
The bravest of them in heart, the most generous in hand; / When they speak, they leave no room for the fool.
وَكَمand how often أَقلَقواthey caused unrest فيin الأَرضِthe land ثُمَّthen تَراجَعواthey drew back
وَكَم أَقلَقوا في الأَرضِ ثُمَّ تَراجَعوا
يَقولونَthey say شَعبٌa people مُقلِقٌtroublesome أَيُّhow very مُقلِقِtroublesome
يَقولونَ شَعبٌ مُقلِقٌ أَيُّ مُقلِقِ
And how often they stirred unrest in the land, then drew back,
And how much disruption they have caused in the land, then they retreated
O mighty army, show gentleness! / You have possessed the hearts of the people through kindness, so set them free.
saying, “A troublesome people—how troublesome!”
Saying "A disruptive people - which disruption!"
And O King, residing in Yildiz, / I see every heart as a throne for you, so ascend!
وَكَمand how often زَوَّرواthey fabricated عَنهُabout them الأَراجيفَfalse rumors وَاِدَّعواand they made claims
وَكَم زَوَّروا عَنهُ الأَراجيفَ وَاِدَّعوا
وَأَيّدَهُمand supported them ذَيّاكُمُthat little fellow (addressing you all) الزاهِدِthe ascetic التَقيthe pious
وَأَيّدَهُم ذَيّاكُمُ الزاهِدِ التَقي
And how often they fabricated false rumors about them and made claims,
And how much slander they have invented about it, and claimed -
How excellent are the soldiers as succor for the fearful! / And how excellent the free men as a watering-place for the thirsty!
and that little pious ascetic supported them.
And their claim was supported by your ascetic men of piety.
And how excellent is this Accession Day, for it is / The most glorious of what has passed, and the fairest of what remains.
لِمَنto whom يَرفَعُdo they raise الشَكوىthe complaint وَقَدand already وَقَفواthey stood لَهُfor them
لِمَن يَرفَعُ الشَكوى وَقَد وَقَفوا لَهُ
عَلىat البابِthe door بِالمِرصادِin ambush فَاِسأَلهُso ask them يَنطُقُthey will speak
عَلى البابِ بِالمِرصادِ فَاِسأَلهُ يَنطُقُ
To whom can they raise their complaint, when those men stand waiting for them
For whoever raises a complaint, though they lie in wait for him at the door
at the door, lying in wait? Ask them, and they will speak.
Ask him, and he will speak out.
وَأَماand as for وَلاand no واشٍinformer وَلاand no مُتَجَسِّسٌspy
وَأَما وَلا واشٍ وَلا مُتَجَسِّسٌ
فَقَدso indeed جاءَhas come يَسعىhastens سَعيَthe haste of جَذلانَone joyful شَيِّقِeager
فَقَد جاءَ يَسعى سَعيَ جَذلانَ شَيِّقِ
As for them—with neither informer nor spy—
As for gossipers and eavesdroppers -
they have come hastening like one joyful and eager,
Indeed, there has come one racing swiftly like a daring horse,
يُطارِحُكَexchanges with you الحُبَّlove الَّذيwhich أَنتَyou أَهلُهُare worthy of it
يُطارِحُكَ الحُبَّ الَّذي أَنتَ أَهلُهُ
وَحَسبُكَand sufficient for you مِنهُfrom them الحُبَّlove غَيرَnot مُزَوَّقِembellished
وَحَسبُكَ مِنهُ الحُبَّ غَيرَ مُزَوَّقِ
exchanging with you the love of which you are worthy;
Casting upon you the love that you deserve,
and their unadorned love is enough for you.
And your due from it is unsullied love.
وَهاand behold جَيشُكَyour army الطاميsurging يَضُجُّclamors مُكَبِّراًproclaiming God's greatness
وَها جَيشُكَ الطامي يَضُجُّ مُكَبِّراً
بِماfor what نالَit has gained مِنof عَهدٍa pledge لَدَيكَwith you وَمَوثِقِand a covenant
بِما نالَ مِن عَهدٍ لَدَيكَ وَمَوثِقِ
And behold your surging army, roaring “God is great!”
And here is your victorious army clamoring
for the pledge and covenant it has secured with you.
With what they have attained of a covenant with you and pact.
يُطَأطِئُbows إِجلالاًin reverence لِشَخصِكَfor your person أَرأُساًheads
يُطَأطِئُ إِجلالاً لِشَخصِكَ أَرأُساً
يُطَأطِئُbows إِجلالاًin reverence لَهاto them كُلُّevery مَفرِقِcrown of a head
يُطَأطِئُ إِجلالاً لَها كُلُّ مَفرِقِ
It bows, in reverence for your person, heads
Bowing down in reverence for your person -
before which every head bows in reverence.
Every individual bowing down in reverence.
لِهامٍa mighty host مَتىwhenever تَنذِرyou threaten بِهِwith it الدَهرَTime يَصعَقُis thunderstruck
لِهامٍ مَتى تَنذِر بِهِ الدَهرَ يَصعَقُ
وَإِنand if يَتَعَرَّضit exposes itself لِلحَوادِثِto calamities تَفَرَّقِthey scatter
وَإِن يَتَعَرَّض لِلحَوادِثِ تَفَرَّقِ
A mighty host: whenever you threaten Time with it, Time is thunderstruck,
For a resolve with which you warn the times causing them to tremble,
and if it confronts calamities, they scatter.
And if faced with events, they disperse.
يُفاخِرُvies in pride with بِالسِلمِin peace الجُيوشَthe armies وَإِنَّهُand indeed it
يُفاخِرُ بِالسِلمِ الجُيوشَ وَإِنَّهُ
لِأَضرِبَهاsurely the hardest-hitting of them بِالسَيفِwith the sword فيin كُلِّevery مَأزَقِcrisis
لِأَضرِبَها بِالسَيفِ في كُلِّ مَأزَقِ
It boasts of peace before other armies, and indeed it is
It prides itself before armies in peace, and indeed
the fiercest of them with the sword in every crisis,
It is the most valiant of them in every quandary.
وَأَشجَعَهاand their bravest قَلباًin heart وَأَكرَمَهاand their most generous يَداًin hand
وَأَشجَعَها قَلباً وَأَكرَمَها يَداً
إِذاwhen قالَit speaks لَمdoes not يَترُكleave مَجالاًroom لِأَحمَقِfor a fool
إِذا قالَ لَم يَترُك مَجالاً لِأَحمَقِ
the bravest of heart and the most generous of hand.
And the most courageous of heart and noblest of hand -
When it speaks, it leaves no room for a fool.
If it speaks it leaves no room for a fool.
أَلاhear this أَيُّهاO you الجَيشُthe army العَظيمُgreat تَرَفُّقاًbe gentle
أَلا أَيُّها الجَيشُ العَظيمُ تَرَفُّقاً
مَلَكتُI have won قُلوبَhearts الناسِthe people بِالعِرفِthrough kindness فَاِعتِقِso set free
مَلَكتُ قُلوبَ الناسِ بِالعِرفِ فَاِعتِقِ
Hear this, O great army: be gentle!
Oh great army, be gentle,
I have won people's hearts through kindness; so set them free.
You have won the hearts of people with nobility, so act nobly!
وَياand O أَيُّهاyou المَلِكُthe king المُقيمُdwelling بِيَلدِزٍin Yıldız
وَيا أَيُّها المَلِكُ المُقيمُ بِيَلدِزٍ
أَرىI see كُلَّevery قَلبٍheart سِدَّةًa throne لَكَfor you فَاِرتِقِso ascend
أَرى كُلَّ قَلبٍ سِدَّةً لَكَ فَاِرتِقِ
And O king who dwells in Yıldız,
And O king residing in Yıldız,
I see every heart as a throne for you; so ascend.
I see every heart a step for you to ascend.
أَلاah حَبَّذاhow fine الأَجنادُthe troops غَوثاًas aid لِخائِفٍfor one afraid
أَلا حَبَّذا الأَجنادُ غَوثاً لِخائِفٍ
وَياand oh حَبَّذاhow fine الأَحرارُthe free men وَرداًas a water source لِمُستَقِfor one seeking water
وَيا حَبَّذا الأَحرارُ وَرداً لِمُستَقِ
Ah, how fine the troops as aid to the fearful!
Oh, the armies have sorely needed a helper for one in fear!
And how fine the free men as a water source for one seeking water!
And oh, the free have sorely needed a relief for one suffering!
وَياand oh حَبَّذاhow fine عيدُthe festival of الجُلوسِaccession فَإِنَّهُfor indeed it
وَيا حَبَّذا عيدُ الجُلوسِ فَإِنَّهُ
أَجَلُّthe most august الَّذيthat which وَلّىhas passed وَأَجمَلُand the most beautiful ماwhat بَقيremains
أَجَلُّ الَّذي وَلّى وَأَجمَلُ ما بَقي
And how fine the accession festival, for it is
And oh, the coronation has been good, for it
the grandest of what has passed, and the fairest of what remains.
Is the most glorious of what has passed and the most beautiful of what remains!
Partial English translation: 24 of 48 Arabic lines translated.