خَرقَت عوائدَها لكَ الأَقدارُ

خَرقَت عوائدَها لكَ الأَقدارُ

وأَتتك طائعةً لما تختارُ

وأَتتك طائعةً لما تختارُ

Fate’s decrees broke their accustomed ways for you;

The fates broke their customary ways for you,

they came to you obedient, granting what you choose.

and came to you, obedient to whatever you choose.

ونصرتَ بالرعب الذي امتلات به

ونصرتَ بالرعب الذي امتلات به

من خوفِ سطوة بأسك الأَقطارُ

من خوفِ سطوة بأسك الأَقطارُ

You were aided by the terror that filled

You were granted victory through the terror that filled

every land with fear of the onslaught of your might.

the lands, from fear of the onslaught of your might.

فإذا هممتَ بفتحِ مصرٍ واحدٍ

فإذا هممتَ بفتحِ مصرٍ واحدٍ

كشف الغطا وتفتّحت أَمصارُ

كشف الغطا وتفتّحت أَمصارُ

Whenever you resolve to conquer a single city,

Whenever you resolve to conquer a single city,

the veil lifts, and whole cities open.

the veil is lifted, and many cities open.

سعدَّ يحول له الطباع فلو تشا

سعدَّ يحول له الطباع فلو تشا

لقدحتَ واشتعلت من الما النارُ

لقدحتَ واشتعلت من الما النارُ

A fortune for which the natures of things are transformed: if you wished,

A fortune for which nature's ways are changed—if you wished,

you would strike a spark, and fire would blaze from water.

you would strike a spark, and fire would blaze from water.

في كلِّ ما تأتي به فيما نرى

في كلِّ ما تأتي به فيما نرى

عجبٌ تحيرُ دونَه الأفكار

عجبٌ تحيرُ دونَه الأفكار

In everything you bring about, as we behold it,

In everything you accomplish, as we see it,

there is a marvel before which thought stands bewildered.

is a wonder before which thoughts are bewildered.

لكَ كلَّ يوم وقعةٌ في وصفها

لكَ كلَّ يوم وقعةٌ في وصفها

تستغربُ الانباءُ والأخبارُ

تستغربُ الانباءُ والأخبارُ

Each day brings you a battle whose description

Every day you have a battle in whose description

makes reports and tidings seem wondrous.

the tidings and reports are found extraordinary.

وسطاً لها خضع الملوك يرونها

وسطاً لها خضع الملوك يرونها

كالموتِ ما فيه عليهم عارُ

كالموتِ ما فيه عليهم عارُ

Before your onslaught kings submit, regarding it

And assaults before which kings bowed, regarding them

as death itself—in which no shame attaches to them.

as death, which brings them no disgrace.

ساوى العزيز بها الذليل فما بقى

ساوى العزيز بها الذليل فما بقى

منها الفرار ولا ينال الثارُ

منها الفرار ولا ينال الثارُ

It makes the mighty and the lowly equal; nothing remains

Through them the mighty equaled the lowly; no longer

but flight from it, and vengeance cannot be won.

was there escape from them, nor could vengeance be won.

لا ملكَ إلاّ ملك دولةِ أحمدٍ

لا ملكَ إلاّ ملك دولةِ أحمدٍ

والحقُّ ما شهِدَت بهِ الآثارُ

والحقُّ ما شهِدَت بهِ الآثارُ

There is no kingship but the kingship of Ahmad’s realm,

There is no dominion but the dominion of Ahmad's realm,

and truth is what the traces of deeds attest.

and truth is what the traces attest.

يمسي على بعد المدى ولنارهِ

يمسي على بعد المدى ولنارهِ

في كلِّ أرضٍ لذعةٌ وشرَارُ

في كلِّ أرضٍ لذعةٌ وشرَارُ

Though he spend the night at the farthest reach, his fire

He passes the evening far away, yet his fire has

has a sting and sparks in every land.

in every land a sting and sparks.

وتضلُ أمناً بالرباط خيولُه

وتضلُ أمناً بالرباط خيولُه

ولها عجاجٌ بالحجازِ يُثارُ

ولها عجاجٌ بالحجازِ يُثارُ

His horses remain secure at the frontier fortress,

And his horses remain secure at their garrison,

while their dust is stirred up in the Hijaz.

yet their dust-cloud is stirred up in the Hijaz.

تهدي الملوك إِليه وهي أتاوة

تهدي الملوك إِليه وهي أتاوة

بقلوبهم بقلوبها استبشار

بقلوبهم بقلوبها استبشار

Kings send him gifts as tribute,

The kings send him gifts, though these are tribute;

their hearts rejoicing when it is accepted.

in their hearts—in their hearts—there is gladness.

هذي صحائفهم بأيدي رُسلهم

هذي صحائفهم بأيدي رُسلهم

بعد العقوبة ملؤها استعفار

بعد العقوبة ملؤها استعفار

Here are their letters in the hands of their envoys,

These are their letters, in their envoys' hands,

after punishment, filled with pleas for forgiveness.

after punishment, filled with pleas for forgiveness.

طلبوا رضى ملكٍ عظيمٍ ملكُهُ

طلبوا رضى ملكٍ عظيمٍ ملكُهُ

يعطي المكارمَ فوق ما يختارُ

يعطي المكارمَ فوق ما يختارُ

They sought a king’s favor; pleas for pardon filled them—

They sought the favor of a king whose dominion is great,

he grants noble favors to whomever he chooses.

who bestows noble gifts beyond whatever one chooses.

متواضعاً لله لا متكبرٌ

متواضعاً لله لا متكبرٌ

يطغى بما اوتي ولا جبّارُ

يطغى بما اوتي ولا جبّارُ

Humble before God, never arrogant,

Humble before God, not an arrogant man

he does not grow overbearing through what he has received, nor act the tyrant.

who transgresses through what he is given, nor a tyrant.

تضحي له في كل دارٍ نعمةٌ

تضحي له في كل دارٍ نعمةٌ

وبكلِّ أرضٍ جحفلٌ جرّارُ

وبكلِّ أرضٍ جحفلٌ جرّارُ

For him, in every abode, a blessing dawns,

By day, his bounty is in every home,

and in every land, a vast, advancing host.

and in every land a vast, marching army.

وافوه خوفاً منغضين رؤوسهم

وافوه خوفاً منغضين رؤوسهم

وعلى الأنوفِ مذلةٌ وصَغارُ

وعلى الأنوفِ مذلةٌ وصَغارُ

They came to him in fear, their heads bowed,

They came to him in fear, bowing their heads,

with humiliation and abasement plain upon their faces.

and upon their noses lay humiliation and abasement.

يدعون أَبلجَ يستجيبُ إِذا دعى

يدعون أَبلجَ يستجيبُ إِذا دعى

كرماً ويُكثرُ حَمدهُ الزّوارُ

كرماً ويُكثرُ حَمدهُ الزّوارُ

They call upon a radiant one who answers when called,

They call upon a bright-browed man who answers when called,

out of generosity; his visitors multiply their praise.

out of generosity, and visitors praise him abundantly.

قبل اعتذارهُم وطابت أنفسٌ

قبل اعتذارهُم وطابت أنفسٌ

وهدَت أراجيفٌ وقرَّ قَرارُ

وهدَت أراجيفٌ وقرَّ قَرارُ

He accepted their apology, and souls grew calm;

He accepted their apologies, and souls grew content;

rumors subsided, and settled order came to rest.

alarming rumors subsided, and calm settled.

أَينَ المفرُّ لمن عصى ووراءه

أَينَ المفرُّ لمن عصى ووراءه

ملك يرى أن البسيطة دارُ

ملك يرى أن البسيطة دارُ

Where can one who disobeys flee, when behind him stands

Where is escape for one who rebels, when behind him stands

a king who sees the whole earth as a single domain?

a king who regards the whole earth as his home?

ملك متى ما ترضهِ فهو الحيا

ملك متى ما ترضهِ فهو الحيا

جوداً وإِن تسخطه فهو النارُ

جوداً وإِن تسخطه فهو النارُ

A king—when you please him, he is life-giving rain

A king who, whenever you please him, is life-giving rain

in generosity; when you anger him, he is fire.

in generosity; but if you anger him, he is fire.

الناصرُ الملكُ الذي عزماته

الناصرُ الملكُ الذي عزماته

عن سعيهن خطا الرياح قصارُ

عن سعيهن خطا الرياح قصارُ

The victorious king, the king whose resolves

Al-Nasir, the king whose resolves

leave the wind’s own strides far behind.

outpace the winds, whose strides fall short.

يطوي البلاد فما يرد جيوشَه

يطوي البلاد فما يرد جيوشَه

بعد المدى عنها ولا الأسفارَ

بعد المدى عنها ولا الأسفارَ

He folds up the lands; neither immense distance

He folds up the lands; nothing turns his armies back,

nor long journeys turn his armies back from them.

neither the distance from them nor the journeys.

فكأنَ ابعدَ كل أرضٍ شقةٌ

فكأنَ ابعدَ كل أرضٍ شقةٌ

لخيولهِ مهما غزا مضمارُ

لخيولهِ مهما غزا مضمارُ

It is as though the farthest reach of every land

As though the farthest reaches of every land

were but a racecourse for his horses whenever he campaigns.

were a racecourse for his horses whenever he campaigns.

يا فارسَ الإِسلامِ قد أرضيَتهُ

يا فارسَ الإِسلامِ قد أرضيَتهُ

وعلته منك سكينةٌ ووقار

وعلته منك سكينةٌ ووقار

O knight of Islam, you have won its contentment,

O knight of Islam, you have pleased it,

and through you calm and dignity have come over it.

and through you tranquility and dignity have settled upon it.

صنتَ الخلافةَ بالقنا وحميتها

صنتَ الخلافةَ بالقنا وحميتها

إِذ جاورتك وكنتَ نِعمَ الجارُ

إِذ جاورتك وكنتَ نِعمَ الجارُ

You guarded the caliphate with lances and protected it

You safeguarded the caliphate with lances and defended it,

when it became your neighbor—and excellent was the neighbor you proved.

when it became your neighbor—and what a fine neighbor you were!

ما مُلككَ الميمونُ إلا آيةٌ

ما مُلككَ الميمونُ إلا آيةٌ

ملئت بها الأسماع والأبصارُ

ملئت بها الأسماع والأبصارُ

Your blessed reign is nothing less than a sign

Your auspicious reign is nothing but a wonder,

with which ears and eyes have been filled.

with which ears and eyes have been filled.

كم مستحيلٍ نيله غادرته

كم مستحيلٍ نيله غادرته

وبه لك الايراد والإِصدارُ

وبه لك الايراد والإِصدارُ

How many a prize deemed impossible to attain have you left behind,

How many a thing impossible to attain have you left

with its coming and going at your command.

under your command, to bring in and send out!

نفسي فداؤك هل يواخذ ناصحٌ

نفسي فداؤك هل يواخذ ناصحٌ

فجعْتُه طرقٌ ما بها آبارُ

فجعْتُه طرقٌ ما بها آبارُ

My soul be your ransom: should a sincere counselor be blamed

May my soul be your ransom! Is a sincere adviser to be blamed

when waterless roads have terrified him?

when roads without wells have distressed him?

وجد الأحبة والنفوسَ كريمة

وجد الأحبة والنفوسَ كريمة

لا تنثنى وأمامهم أخطارُ

لا تنثنى وأمامهم أخطارُ

Love for the beloved, while souls are precious,

He found his loved ones with noble souls,

does not bend, though dangers stand before them.

unyielding, though dangers lay before them.

وبقدر ما يزدادُ في الحبِّ الفتى

وبقدر ما يزدادُ في الحبِّ الفتى

يزدادُ منه على الحبيب حِذارُ

يزدادُ منه على الحبيب حِذارُ

The more a young man grows in love,

And the more a young man grows in love,

the warier he becomes for his beloved.

the more he fears for his beloved.

يمسي الخليُّ وقلبه مستأمنٌ

يمسي الخليُّ وقلبه مستأمنٌ

والخوفُ للقلب الشجيِّ شِعارُ

والخوفُ للقلب الشجيِّ شِعارُ

The carefree man passes the night, his heart secure;

The carefree man spends the evening with his heart secure,

fear is the sorrowing heart’s emblem.

while fear is the inner garment of the sorrowing heart.

مع أَنه ذنبُ إِذا ناقشتني

مع أَنه ذنبُ إِذا ناقشتني

حاججت فيه وقامت الأعَذارُ

حاججت فيه وقامت الأعَذارُ

Though it be a fault, if you press me over it,

Though it is a fault, if you call me to account,

I will argue its case, and excuses will arise.

I would argue my case, and excuses would stand.

أعلى من اعتبر الأمور بمثلها

أعلى من اعتبر الأمور بمثلها

لوم إذا ما أبطل المِعيارُ

لوم إذا ما أبطل المِعيارُ

Is one who measures matters by their analogues to be blamed

Is one who judges matters by their like

when the very standard has been overturned?

to blame when the standard has been overturned?

ما حدت عن سنن القياسِ وإِنما

ما حدت عن سنن القياسِ وإِنما

عكس القياس لسعدك المقدارُ

عكس القياس لسعدك المقدارُ

I did not stray from the established path of analogy;

I did not stray from the path of analogy; rather,

it was destiny that reversed analogy for your good fortune.

fate reversed analogy in favor of your good fortune.

من جرع الأملاك ما جرّعتهم

من جرع الأملاك ما جرّعتهم

كاساتِ غيظٍ كالعِقار تُدارُ

كاساتِ غيظٍ كالعِقار تُدارُ

You made kings swallow what you made them swallow—

Who has made kings swallow what you made them swallow—

cups of rage passed around like wine.

cups of fury, passed around like wine?

لو كان غيرُك ما أتوه لما يشا

لو كان غيرُك ما أتوه لما يشا

عجلين لا غزٌّ ولا استكبارُ

عجلين لا غزٌّ ولا استكبارُ

Had it been anyone but you, they would not have come to him at his wish,

Had it been anyone but you, they would not have come at his bidding,

hurrying, without disgrace or arrogance.

hastening, with neither pride nor arrogance.

إن كان مثلُك في السعادةِ قد جرى

إن كان مثلُك في السعادةِ قد جرى

فعلىَّ فيما خِفتُه الإِنكارَ

فعلىَّ فيما خِفتُه الإِنكارَ

If ever your equal has appeared in such good fortune,

If one like you has ever run such a course of good fortune,

then let him condemn me for what I feared.

then I deserve rebuke for what I feared.

قَدرتَ ما يأتي ومثلك ما أتى

قَدرتَ ما يأتي ومثلك ما أتى

ما كلُّ ريحٍ عاصف إِعصارُ

ما كلُّ ريحٍ عاصف إِعصارُ

I judged by what might come—but none like you has ever come;

You reckoned what was to come; none like you has come before.

not every raging wind is a hurricane.

Not every tempestuous wind is a whirlwind.

من كان نصرُ الله قائدُ جيشهِ

من كان نصرُ الله قائدُ جيشهِ

فلقاؤه لمحاربيه دمارُ

فلقاؤه لمحاربيه دمارُ

When God’s victory leads a man’s army,

Whoever has God's aid as commander of his army—

meeting him is destruction for his foes.

meeting him means ruin for those who fight him.

يا فارسَ الفرسانِ يا ليثُ الشَّرى

يا فارسَ الفرسانِ يا ليثُ الشَّرى

يا صارماً قُطِعَتْ به الأَعمارُ

يا صارماً قُطِعَتْ به الأَعمارُ

O knight of knights, O lion of the thickets,

O knight of knights, O lion of al-Shara,

O sharp sword by which lifespans are cut short:

O sharp sword by which lives have been cut short,

اغمدْ سيوفك فالملوك رعيةٌ

اغمدْ سيوفك فالملوك رعيةٌ

والأسْدُ شاو والزبير خوارُ

والأسْدُ شاو والزبير خوارُ

Sheathe your swords—the kings are subjects now;

sheathe your swords, for the kings are your subjects.

the Lion is the one far outstripping, and al-Zubayr is faint-hearted.

And the lions are [sheep], and their [roaring] is lowing.

وأحمد إِلهك دائماً واشكرْ فقد

وأحمد إِلهك دائماً واشكرْ فقد

وجب الرضا وتقضّت الأوطار

وجب الرضا وتقضّت الأوطار

Praise your God always, and thank Him, for

And praise your God always, and give thanks, for

contentment is now due, and all desires are fulfilled.

contentment is due, and wishes have been fulfilled.