يا حادِيَ الأَظعانِ أَينَ تُريدُ

يا حادِيَ الأَظعانِ أَينَ تُريدُ

إِنّي بِمَن تَحدو بِهِ لَكَميدُ

إِنّي بِمَن تَحدو بِهِ لَكَميدُ

O driver of the camel litters, where are you bound?

O guide of the camels, where are you heading?

I am indeed heartsick for the one you urge onward.

With whom you spur them on, I will contend

قامَت تُوَدِّعُني كَغُصنٍ ناعِمٍ

قامَت تُوَدِّعُني كَغُصنٍ ناعِمٍ

ضَرَبَتهُ كَفُّ الريحِ فَهوَ يَميدُ

ضَرَبَتهُ كَفُّ الريحِ فَهوَ يَميدُ

She rose to bid me farewell, like a supple bough,

She stood to bid me farewell, like a gentle branch

Struck by the wind's palm, so that it sways.

Struck by the palm of the wind, swaying to and fro

فَوَضَعتُ وَجدي بِالتَنَفُّسِ وَالبُكا

فَوَضَعتُ وَجدي بِالتَنَفُّسِ وَالبُكا

وَرَأَيتُ ماءَ المُزنِ كَيفَ يَجودُ

وَرَأَيتُ ماءَ المُزنِ كَيفَ يَجودُ

So I eased my anguish with sighing and weeping,

I laid bare my anguish in sighs and tears

And saw how generously the rainclouds' water poured.

And saw how freely the spring waters flowed

بِالمُكتَفي كُفِيَ الأَنامُ هُمومَهُم

بِالمُكتَفي كُفِيَ الأَنامُ هُمومَهُم

وَغَدا عَلَيهِم طالِعٌ مَسعودُ

وَغَدا عَلَيهِم طالِعٌ مَسعودُ

Through al-Muktafi, people were spared their cares,

The content live without people's troubles

And a fortunate star rose over them.

And a happy fate dawns upon them

جاؤوكَ يَحشُرُهُم إِلَيكَ حَبَّةٌ

جاؤوكَ يَحشُرُهُم إِلَيكَ حَبَّةٌ

طَوعاً وَسَيفُكَ عَنهُمُ مَغمودُ

طَوعاً وَسَيفُكَ عَنهُمُ مَغمودُ

They came to you, drawn to you by love,

They came to you of their own accord, drawn by love

Willingly, with your sword sheathed and kept from them.

While your sword over them remains sheathed

وَلَطالَما ظَمِأَت إِلَيكَ نُفوسُهُم

وَلَطالَما ظَمِأَت إِلَيكَ نُفوسُهُم

وَطَريقُ بابِكَ عَنهُمُ مَسدودُ

وَطَريقُ بابِكَ عَنهُمُ مَسدودُ

For so long their souls had thirsted for you,

Their souls had long thirsted for you

While the road to your door was barred to them.

And the way to your door was blocked for them

فَالآنَ أَعتَبُهُم بِمُلكِكَ دَهرُهُم

فَالآنَ أَعتَبُهُم بِمُلكِكَ دَهرُهُم

وَحَلا وَلانَ العَيشُ وَهوَ شَديدُ

وَحَلا وَلانَ العَيشُ وَهوَ شَديدُ

So now, through your reign, their age has made amends to them,

Now, I blame them for a lifetime under your rule

And life grew sweet and gentle, though it had been harsh.

Both sweet and bitter is life, and harsh

يَدُ حاتِمٍ كَبَنانِهِ لِشِمالِهِ

يَدُ حاتِمٍ كَبَنانِهِ لِشِمالِهِ

ما حاتِمٌ مَع مِثلِهِ مَعدودُ

ما حاتِمٌ مَع مِثلِهِ مَعدودُ

Hatim's hand is like the fingertips of al-Muktafi's left hand;

Hatim's hand is like a cloud over his left side

Beside one like him, Hatim is not counted.

Hatim's equal is not to be found

لَو ظَلَّ يَملِكُ حاتَماً أَعطاكَهُ

لَو ظَلَّ يَملِكُ حاتَماً أَعطاكَهُ

هِبَةً وَلَم يَرَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ جودُ

هِبَةً وَلَم يَرَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ جودُ

If he had Hatim in his possession, he would give him to you

If he continued to rule, he would have granted you

As a gift, and would not consider that generosity.

A gift, not deeming that generosity

في كُلِّ كَفٍّ مِنهُ خَمسَةُ أَبحُرٍ

في كُلِّ كَفٍّ مِنهُ خَمسَةُ أَبحُرٍ

يَسقي الحَوائِمَ مائُها المَورودُ

يَسقي الحَوائِمَ مائُها المَورودُ

In each of his palms are five seas,

In each palm he has five seas

Their water, sought for drinking, gives drink to those circling in thirst.

Their flowing waters quench the thirsty beasts

سُرَّت بِوَطأَتِهِ المَنابِرُ إِذ عَلا

سُرَّت بِوَطأَتِهِ المَنابِرُ إِذ عَلا

دَرَجاتِها وَاِخضَرَّ مِنها العودُ

دَرَجاتِها وَاِخضَرَّ مِنها العودُ

The pulpits rejoiced at his tread when he climbed

The platforms rejoiced at his ascent

Their steps, and their wood grew green.

Their steps turned green at his touch

فَكَأَنَّهُ قَمَرٌ سَرى في لَيلَةٍ

فَكَأَنَّهُ قَمَرٌ سَرى في لَيلَةٍ

فَظَلامُها عَن نورِها مَردودُ

فَظَلامُها عَن نورِها مَردودُ

So he was like a moon traveling through a night,

As if he were a moon sailing in the night

Its darkness driven back from its light.

And its darkness receded before his light

ماضٍ عَلى العَزَماتِ يَنصُرُ رَأيَهُ

ماضٍ عَلى العَزَماتِ يَنصُرُ رَأيَهُ

مِن رَبِهِ التَوفيقُ وَالتَسديدُ

مِن رَبِهِ التَوفيقُ وَالتَسديدُ

He presses on with firm resolve; his judgment is upheld

Resolute in purpose, he champions his cause

By success and right guidance from his Lord.

Divinely guided and supported

لَمّا رَأوا أَسَدَ الحُروبِ وَفَوقَهُم

لَمّا رَأوا أَسَدَ الحُروبِ وَفَوقَهُم

شَجَرُ القَنا وَثِمارُهُنَّ حَديدُ

شَجَرُ القَنا وَثِمارُهُنَّ حَديدُ

When they saw the lion of battles, while above them stood

When they saw the lion of war above them

Trees of lances, their fruits of iron,

The date palms bearing fruits of iron

وَقَدِ اِنتَضَوا هِندِيَّةً مَصقولَةً

وَقَدِ اِنتَضَوا هِندِيَّةً مَصقولَةً

بيضاً وُجوهُ المَوتِ فيها سودُ

بيضاً وُجوهُ المَوتِ فيها سودُ

And they had drawn polished Indian swords—

Girded with shining Indian swords -

White, though the faces of death within them were black—

Pale before them the faces of death

أَخفَوا نَدامَتَهُم وَعَجَّلَ حينَهُم

أَخفَوا نَدامَتَهُم وَعَجَّلَ حينَهُم

ضَربٌ وَطَعنٌ لَيسَ عَنهُ مَحيدُ

ضَربٌ وَطَعنٌ لَيسَ عَنهُ مَحيدُ

They hid their remorse, and their doom was hastened

They hid their regret and hastened their demise

By blows and thrusts from which there was no escape.

With blows and stabs none could avoid

فَشدُد يَديكَ عَلى عِنانِ خِلافَةٍ

فَشدُد يَديكَ عَلى عِنانِ خِلافَةٍ

لَكَ إِرثُها وَبَقائُها المَمدودُ

لَكَ إِرثُها وَبَقائُها المَمدودُ

So grip with both your hands the reins of a caliphate:

Strengthen your grip on the reins of the caliphate

Its inheritance and long continuance are yours.

Yours is its legacy and enduring duration