سَأُثني عَلى عَهدِ المَطيرَةِ وَالقَصرِ

سَأُثني عَلى عَهدِ المَطيرَةِ وَالقَصرِ

وَأَدعو لَها بِالساكِنينَ وَبِالقَطرِ

وَأَدعو لَها بِالساكِنينَ وَبِالقَطرِ

I shall praise the days of al-Matira and al-Qasr,

I will praise the era of rainfall and the palace,

and pray for it to have inhabitants and rain.

And pray for it and for its inhabitants with rain,

خَليلَينَ لي إِنَّ الدَما تَرَيانِهِ

خَليلَينَ لي إِنَّ الدَما تَرَيانِهِ

فَصَبراً وَإِلّا أَيُّ شَيءٍ سِوى الصَبرِ

فَصَبراً وَإِلّا أَيُّ شَيءٍ سِوى الصَبرِ

O two friends of mine, indeed you both see the blood.

My two friends, you see the blood being shed,

So be patient—otherwise, what is there but patience?

So be patient, for what else is there but patience?

عَسى اللَهُ أَن يُتاحَ لي مِنهُ فَرجَةٌ

عَسى اللَهُ أَن يُتاحَ لي مِنهُ فَرجَةٌ

يَجيءُ بِها مِن حَيثُ أَدري وَلا أَدري

يَجيءُ بِها مِن حَيثُ أَدري وَلا أَدري

May God grant me relief from it,

Perhaps God will make a deliverance possible for me,

bringing it from where I know and where I do not know.

Bringing it from where I know and do not know.

سَأَلتُكُما بِاللَهِ ما تُعلِمانِني

سَأَلتُكُما بِاللَهِ ما تُعلِمانِني

وَلا تَكتُما شَيئاً فَعِندَكُما خُبرِي

وَلا تَكتُما شَيئاً فَعِندَكُما خُبرِي

I ask you both, by God: what can you tell me?

I asked you both for God's sake, do not conceal

And conceal nothing, for you both know my story.

Anything from me, for with you lies my news.

أَأَرفَعُ نيرانَ القِرى لِعُفاتِها

أَأَرفَعُ نيرانَ القِرى لِعُفاتِها

وَأَضرِبُ يَومَ الرَوعِ في ثَغرَةِ الثَغرِ

وَأَضرِبُ يَومَ الرَوعِ في ثَغرَةِ الثَغرِ

Do I raise the fires of hospitality for those who seek it,

Shall I set fire to the quarters of their chastity

and strike on the day of terror at the frontier's breach,

And strike on the day of panic in the mouth of the pass?

وَأَسأَلُ نَيلاً لا يُجادُ بِمِثلِهِ

وَأَسأَلُ نَيلاً لا يُجادُ بِمِثلِهِ

فَيَفتَحُهُ بِشرِي وَيَختُمُهُ عُذرِي

فَيَفتَحُهُ بِشرِي وَيَختُمُهُ عُذرِي

and ask for a bounty whose like is never bestowed,

Shall I ask for a boon the like of which is not granted,

my cheerful welcome opening it and my apology sealing it?

So it opens with good omen and ends with my excuse?

وَيارَبُّ يَومٍ لا تُوَرّى نُجومُهُ

وَيارَبُّ يَومٍ لا تُوَرّى نُجومُهُ

مَدَدتُ إِلى المَظلومِ فيهِ يَدَ النَصرِ

مَدَدتُ إِلى المَظلومِ فيهِ يَدَ النَصرِ

And oh, how many a day whose stars were not veiled,

And O Lord of a day whose stars do not set,

on which I extended a helping hand to the wronged!

On it I stretched out to the oppressed the hand of help.

فَسُبحانَ رَبّي ما لِقَومٍ أَرى لَهُم

فَسُبحانَ رَبّي ما لِقَومٍ أَرى لَهُم

كَوامِنَ أَضغانٍ عَقارِبُها تَسري

كَوامِنَ أَضغانٍ عَقارِبُها تَسري

Glory be to my Lord! What ails a people in whom I see

So glory be to my Lord! What people do I see who have

hidden grudges, whose scorpions creep about?

Hidden scorpions, their stings ready?

إِذا ما اِجتَمَعنا في النَدِيِّ تَضاءَلوا

إِذا ما اِجتَمَعنا في النَدِيِّ تَضاءَلوا

كَما خَفِيَت مَرضى الكَواكِبِ في الفَجرِ

كَما خَفِيَت مَرضى الكَواكِبِ في الفَجرِ

Whenever we gather in the assembly, they shrink,

When we gather in the valley they dwindle away

as the sickly stars fade at dawn.

Like the dimming of sick stars at dawn.

بَنو العَمِّ لا بَل هُم بَنو الغَمِّ وَالأَذى

بَنو العَمِّ لا بَل هُم بَنو الغَمِّ وَالأَذى

وَأَعوانُ دَهري إِن تَظَلَّمتُ مِن دَهري

وَأَعوانُ دَهري إِن تَظَلَّمتُ مِن دَهري

Cousins? No, rather they are sons of grief and harm,

No, they are the sons of sorrow and harm,

and allies of my fate when I complain of my fate.

And helpers of my fate if I complain of my fate.

وَغاظُهُمُ المَجدُ الَّذي لا يَنالُهُ

وَغاظُهُمُ المَجدُ الَّذي لا يَنالُهُ

لَئيمٌ وَلا وانٍ ضَعيفٌ عَنِ الوِترِ

لَئيمٌ وَلا وانٍ ضَعيفٌ عَنِ الوِترِ

And they are enraged by glory that cannot be attained

Their envy is honor which no miserable weakling attains,

by a base man, nor by a sluggard too weak to avenge a wrong.

Nor any debauchee far from the bowstring.

فَدونَكُمُ الفِعلَ الَّذي أَنا فاعِلٌ

فَدونَكُمُ الفِعلَ الَّذي أَنا فاعِلٌ

فَإِنَّكُمُ مِثلي إِذاً وَلَكُم فَخري

فَإِنَّكُمُ مِثلي إِذاً وَلَكُم فَخري

So take on the deed that I perform;

The deed that I will do—you do the like!

then you will be like me, and my glory will be yours.

For you are like me, and to you belongs my pride.

نَمَتني إِلى عَمِّ النَبيِّ خَلائِقٌ

نَمَتني إِلى عَمِّ النَبيِّ خَلائِقٌ

عَلَوا فَوقَ أَفلاكِ الكَواكِبِ وَالبَدرِ

عَلَوا فَوقَ أَفلاكِ الكَواكِبِ وَالبَدرِ

A people traced my lineage to the Prophet's uncle,

Qualities have raised me to the Prophet's uncle

who rose above the spheres of the stars and the full moon:

Soaring above the orbits of the planets and the full moon.

بَنوا الحَبرِ وَالسَجادِ وَالكامِلِ الَّذي

بَنوا الحَبرِ وَالسَجادِ وَالكامِلِ الَّذي

وَفي المُلكَ حَتّى قَرَّ عِندَ ذَوي الأَمرِ

وَفي المُلكَ حَتّى قَرَّ عِندَ ذَوي الأَمرِ

sons of al-Habr, al-Sajjad, and al-Kamil, who

They are the sons of the ink and prayer rug and the Perfect One

gave kingship its due until it settled with those in authority.

Who in kingship continued until settled with the possessors of command.

وَنَحنُ رَفَعنا سَيفَ مَروانَ عَنكُمُ

وَنَحنُ رَفَعنا سَيفَ مَروانَ عَنكُمُ

فَهَل لَكُمُ يا آلَ أَحمَدَ في الشُكرِ

فَهَل لَكُمُ يا آلَ أَحمَدَ في الشُكرِ

And we removed Marwan's sword from over you;

And we raised the sword of Marwan far from you—

so will you offer thanks, O family of Ahmad?

O House of Ahmad, have you any thanks?

أَبو الفَضلِ أَولى الناسِ بِالفَضلِ كُلَّهُم

أَبو الفَضلِ أَولى الناسِ بِالفَضلِ كُلَّهُم

تَعالَوا نُحاكِمكُم إِلى البَيتِ وَالحَجرِ

تَعالَوا نُحاكِمكُم إِلى البَيتِ وَالحَجرِ

Abu al-Fadl is most entitled to distinction among all people.

Abu'l-Fadl, most deserving of all men of all merit—

Come, let us bring our case against you before the House and the Stone.

Come, let us make you judge between us and the House and Stone.

وَيَومَ حَنينٍ حينَ صاحَ وَراءَكُم

وَيَومَ حَنينٍ حينَ صاحَ وَراءَكُم

فَجِئتُم وَكانَ المَوتُ أَقرَبَ مِن شِبرِ

فَجِئتُم وَكانَ المَوتُ أَقرَبَ مِن شِبرِ

And on the day of Hunayn, when he called out behind you,

And on the day of Hunayn when he shouted behind you

you came, though death was nearer than a handspan.

And you came though death was nearer than a span—

وَيا مَعشَرَ الأَنصارِ مَن كانَ عاقِداً

وَيا مَعشَرَ الأَنصارِ مَن كانَ عاقِداً

بِبَيعَتِكِم وَالدينُ في قَبضَةِ الكُفرِ

بِبَيعَتِكِم وَالدينُ في قَبضَةِ الكُفرِ

And O company of the Ansar, who was it who concluded

And O community of Helpers, whoever was bound

your pledge of allegiance, while faith was in unbelief's grasp?

By your oath of allegiance, while the religion was in the grasp of unbelief—

لَولاهُ ما قَرَّت بِطَيبَةَ هِجرَةٌ

لَولاهُ ما قَرَّت بِطَيبَةَ هِجرَةٌ

وَلَولاهُ لَم تَجرِ الجِيادُ عَلى بَدرِ

وَلَولاهُ لَم تَجرِ الجِيادُ عَلى بَدرِ

Without him, no migration would have taken root in Tayba,

But for him no emigration would have alighted in al-Ta'if,

and without him, the steeds would not have raced across Badr.

And but for him the steeds would not have charged at Badr—

أَقامَ بِدارِ الكِفرِ عَيناً عَلى العِدى

أَقامَ بِدارِ الكِفرِ عَيناً عَلى العِدى

يُنَبّي نَبيَّ اللَهِ بِالكَيدِ وَالغَدرِ

يُنَبّي نَبيَّ اللَهِ بِالكَيدِ وَالغَدرِ

He stayed in the abode of unbelief, an eye upon the foes,

He kept an eye on the enemies in the abode of unbelief,

informing God's Prophet of plotting and treachery.

Warning the Prophet of God about plots and treachery.

لِذَلِكَ لَم تَرقُد جُفونُ مُحَمَّدٍ

لِذَلِكَ لَم تَرقُد جُفونُ مُحَمَّدٍ

نَبِيِّ الهُدى حَتّى أُريحَ مِنَ الأَسرِ

نَبِيِّ الهُدى حَتّى أُريحَ مِنَ الأَسرِ

For that reason Muhammad's eyelids did not close in sleep,

Therefore the eyelids of Muhammad the Guide did not sleep

the Prophet of guidance, until he was released from captivity.

Until he was relieved of captivity.

وَرَدَّ عَلَيهِ ما لَهُ دونَ غَيرِهِ

وَرَدَّ عَلَيهِ ما لَهُ دونَ غَيرِهِ

فَإِن كُنتَ ذا جَهلٍ فَسَل كُلَّ ذي خُبرِ

فَإِن كُنتَ ذا جَهلٍ فَسَل كُلَّ ذي خُبرِ

And he restored to him what was his, to the exclusion of others;

And he turned back to him what was his right, not another's;

if you do not know, ask anyone who knows.

So if you are ignorant, ask any man of knowledge.

وَلَولا بُلوغُ السِنِّ مِنها وَكَفُّها

وَلَولا بُلوغُ السِنِّ مِنها وَكَفُّها

سَراجِيَهُ لَمّا أَتى آخِرُ العُمرِ

سَراجِيَهُ لَمّا أَتى آخِرُ العُمرِ

Were it not for advancing age and its dimming

And but for her reaching maturity and holding back,

his two lamps when the end of life came,

Sirajiyya, the last of life would not have come.

لَأَعطى أَبا حَفصٍ يُديرُ عِنانَها

لَأَعطى أَبا حَفصٍ يُديرُ عِنانَها

وَما شَكَّ فيهِ وَالأُمورُ إِلى قَدرِ

وَما شَكَّ فيهِ وَالأُمورُ إِلى قَدرِ

he would have given Abu Hafs charge of its reins,

He would have given Abu Hafs the reins to control her

and would not have doubted him; affairs are subject to destiny.

And did not doubt him, for matters are subject to destiny.

أَلَم تَرَهُ مِن قَبلُ حينَ أَقامَهُ

أَلَم تَرَهُ مِن قَبلُ حينَ أَقامَهُ

شَفيعاً لِأَصحابِ النَبيِّ إِلى القُطرِ

شَفيعاً لِأَصحابِ النَبيِّ إِلى القُطرِ

Did you not see him before, when he appointed him

Did you not see him before when he appointed him

as an intercessor for the Prophet's companions in seeking rain?

Intercessor for the Prophet's Companions to the rulers?