نهنيك عيدا أنت لا شك عيده

وحليته يوم الفخار وجيده

We congratulate you on an Eid whose Eid you surely are,

and whose ornament and neck you are on the day of glory.

أتاك وشوق من وراء يسوقه

إليك وشوق من أمامٍ يقوده

It came to you, with longing driving it from behind

toward you, and longing ahead leading it.

فانجح لما أن دنامنك سعيه

وأينع مراعه وأورق عوده

So its quest succeeded when it drew near you,

and its pasturage ripened, and its bough put forth leaves.

وعاين ملكا قاهرا وجلالة

وملكا جوادا طبق الأرض جوده

It beheld overpowering sovereignty and majesty,

and a generous king whose bounty covered the earth.

والبسه من رائع الحسن والثنا

لباس جمال ليس يبلى جديده

And from wondrous beauty and praise he clothed it

in a garment of loveliness whose freshness never wears away.

لقد بيضت راياتك البيض وجهه

وأبقت له ذكراً تدوم خلوده

Indeed, your white banners whitened its face,

and left it a remembrance whose immortality endures.

خرجت به نحو المصلى معظما

شعائره كالبدر وافت سعوده

You went out with it toward the prayer ground, honoring

its rites, like the full moon attended by its auspicious stars.

فود المصلى لو يسير بنفسه

ليلقاك أو يدنو إليك بعيده

So the prayer ground wished it could walk by itself

to meet you, or have its distant reaches draw near to you.

مشيت إليه خاشعا متواضعا

لربك ترجو فضله ومزيده

You walked to it reverent and humble

before your Lord, hoping for His bounty and more.

وقمت بأمر الله ترعى عهوده

ومثلك من ترعى بصدق عهوده

And you rose at God's command, safeguarding His covenants;

and one like you is one whose covenants are faithfully kept.

ولم يزهك الملك الذي قد ملكته

ولا الجيش وافي خافقات بنوده

And the sovereignty you possessed did not make you vain,

nor the army, fully mustered with fluttering standards.

ولا ملت للدينا من الدين راغبا

ولا ضاعت الدنيا لدين تشيده

Nor did you turn from faith, longing for this world,

nor was this world neglected for a faith you built up.

ولكن توليت الكفاية فيهما

فكلا توفي حقه وتزيده

But you took full care of both,

so you give each its due and give it more.

ووافيت في ملك عظيم وهيبة

ثنت دونك الأبصار عما تريده

And you arrived in mighty sovereignty and an awe

that turned gazes aside before you, away from what they desired.

وخلفك جيش كالجبال تلاطمت

تلاطم أمواج البحار حديده

Behind you stood an army like mountains; clashing

like the waves of the seas was its steel.

يصاهل في ظل الصفاح جياده

وتزأر في غاب الرماح اسوده

Its steeds neigh in answer in the shade of sword blades,

and its lions roar in the forest of spears.

ولما تجلى وجهك الطلق للورى

وحير أفكارا العقول شهوده

And when your cheerful face appeared to humankind,

and the sight of it bewildered the thoughts of minds,

بدا البشر في تلك الوجوه فاشرقت

ومن سره الأمر استنارت خدوده

joy appeared on those faces, so they shone;

and whoever was gladdened by the occasion had radiant cheeks.

وأعجب منك الناظرون فكلهم

يردد عجبا لحظه ويعيده

And the onlookers marveled at you, so each one

kept returning his gaze in wonder, again and again.

وأقبل هذا عنك يثنى بما رأى

وذا مخبر هذا وذا يستعيده

And this one began praising you for what he saw,

and one tells another, who asks him to repeat it.

لعمري لقد أظهرت لملك عزة

وشأنا عظيما قدما وجوده

By my life, you have indeed revealed kingship's might,

and a mighty standing established of old.

إذا ما الورى كانوا عبيد ملوكهم

فأحمد مولى والملوك عبيده

If humankind are slaves to their kings,

then Ahmad is a master, and kings are his slaves.

هو الناصر الإسلام وهو صلاحه

إذا ما بنا الإسلام مال عموده

He is Islam's defender and its well-being,

if ever the pillar of Islam's edifice leans.

فلا زال للاسلام حصنا وملجأ

يخاف ويرجى وعده ووعيده

So may he always remain a fortress and refuge for Islam,

his threat feared and his promise hoped for.

ولا زال باق والخليقة هكذا

نهنيه بالعيد الذي هو عيده

And may he endure, with humankind remaining thus,

as we congratulate him on the Eid whose Eid he is.