بُشْرَاكَglad tidings to you نَصْرُvictory اللهGod مُقْتَبلُapproaching
بُشْرَاكَ نَصْرُ الله مُقْتَبلُ
وَبراحَتَيْكَand in your two palms السَّهْلُthe plain وَالْجَبَلُand the mountain
وَبراحَتَيْكَ السَّهْلُ وَالْجَبَلُ
Good tidings to you: God's victory draws near;
and in your two palms lie the plain and the mountain.
ولَكَand for you السَّعَادَةُgood fortune جَيْشُهَاits army لَجِبٌclamorous
ولَكَ السَّعَادَةُ جَيْشُهَا لَجِبٌ
كالسَّيْلِlike a torrent ضَاقَbecame too narrow بِمَدِّهِfor its surge السُّبُلُthe paths
كالسَّيْلِ ضَاقَ بِمَدِّهِ السُّبُلُ
And good fortune is yours, its army clamorous,
like a torrent whose surge the paths cannot contain.
ضَمِنَguaranteed الفُتوحَconquests وسَاعَدَتْهُand helped it عَلَىin
ضَمِنَ الفُتوحَ وسَاعَدَتْهُ عَلَى
إيصَالِهَاdelivering them البُكُرَاتُearly mornings والأُصُلُand evenings
إيصَالِهَا البُكُرَاتُ والأُصُلُ
It has guaranteed conquests and has been helped in
delivering them by mornings and evenings.
تَرِدُarrive الرَّسَائِلُthe letters كُلَّevery آوِنَةٍinterval
تَرِدُ الرَّسَائِلُ كُلَّ آوِنَةٍ
قَدْalready فَصَّلَتْdetailed مَاwhat تَحْمِلُcarry الرُّسُلُthe messengers
قَدْ فَصَّلَتْ مَا تَحْمِلُ الرُّسُلُ
Letters arrive time and again,
detailing what the messengers bear.
والْعَضْبُand the keen sword لمdid not يَعْلَقْcling بِهِto it عَلَقٌclotted blood
والْعَضْبُ لم يَعْلَقْ بِهِ عَلَقٌ
حَيْثُwhere العَوامِلُthe spearheads ماnot لَهَاfor them عَمَلُwork
حَيْثُ العَوامِلُ ما لَهَا عَمَلُ
And no blood has clung to the keen sword,
where the spearheads have no work to do.
هَذِيthese المَمالِكُkingdoms وَالمُلُوكُand kings مَعاًtogether
هَذِي المَمالِكُ وَالمُلُوكُ مَعاً
لَكَfor you قاعِداًat rest وَمُجَاهِداًand waging jihad نَفَلُspoils
لَكَ قاعِداً وَمُجَاهِداً نَفَلُ
These kingdoms and kings alike
are your spoils, whether at rest or waging jihad.
رَفِّهْgive respite to جنُودَكَyour troops أوْor بُنُودَكَyour banners عَنْfrom
رَفِّهْ جنُودَكَ أوْ بُنُودَكَ عَنْ
غَزْوِwar against العُدَاةِthe foes لأُمِّهَاfor their mother الهَبَلُbereavement
غَزْوِ العُدَاةِ لأُمِّهَا الهَبَلُ
Give your troops—or your banners—respite from
war against the foes—may their mother be bereft!
فَرِقابُهُمْfor their necks مِنْfrom ذِلَّةٍabasement خُضُعٌbowed
فَرِقابُهُمْ مِنْ ذِلَّةٍ خُضُعٌ
وَصِعَابُهُمْand their unruly ones مِنْfrom خِيفَةٍfear ذُلُلُtame
وَصِعَابُهُمْ مِنْ خِيفَةٍ ذُلُلُ
For their necks bow in abasement,
and their unruly ones are tamed by fear.
اللَّهُGod حَسْبُكَsufficient for you فِيin احْتِسَابِكَyour seeking divine reward لاnot
اللَّهُ حَسْبُكَ فِي احْتِسَابِكَ لا
بِيضٌgleaming swords تَسيلُstream دَماًwith blood ولاnor أُسُلُspears
بِيضٌ تَسيلُ دَماً ولا أُسُلُ
God suffices you as you seek His reward—not
gleaming swords streaming blood, nor spears.
لَمdid not تَشْكُyou complain للرُّحُلِfrom the journeys الطِّوَالِlong أذىًhurt
لَم تَشْكُ للرُّحُلِ الطِّوَالِ أذىً
حتَّىuntil شَكَتْكَcomplained of you الخَيْلُthe horses وَالإبِلُand the camels
حتَّى شَكَتْكَ الخَيْلُ وَالإبِلُ
You never complained of hurt on the long journeys,
until horses and camels complained of you.
وَلَئِنْand even if عَلَتْكَcame upon you منfrom الضَّنَىwasting illness سِمَةٌa mark
وَلَئِنْ عَلَتْكَ من الضَّنَى سِمَةٌ
فَالمَشْرَفِيُّthen the Mashrafi sword يَزِينُهُadorns it الفَلَلُblade-nicks
فَالمَشْرَفِيُّ يَزِينُهُ الفَلَلُ
And though wasting illness has left its mark upon you,
nicks adorn the Mashrafi sword.
بِشِفَائِكَwith your recovery المَيْمُونِauspicious مَطْلَعُهُits dawning
بِشِفَائِكَ المَيْمُونِ مَطْلَعُهُ
نَكَصَتْrecoiled عَلىon أعْقَابِهَاtheir heels العِلَلُthe ailments
نَكَصَتْ عَلى أعْقَابِهَا العِلَلُ
With your recovery, auspicious in its dawning,
ailments have recoiled upon their heels.
وَانْهَلَّتِand poured down الأنْوَاءُthe rains مِنfrom طَرَبٍjoy
وَانْهَلَّتِ الأنْوَاءُ مِن طَرَبٍ
فَتَسَاوَقَso kept pace الإبْلالُrecovery وَالْبَلَلُand rainfall
فَتَسَاوَقَ الإبْلالُ وَالْبَلَلُ
And the rains poured down for joy,
so recovery and rainfall kept pace.
بَعْضَsome اقْتِحامِكَyour plunging into هَوْلهاtheir terror قُحَماًperilous ordeals
بَعْضَ اقْتِحامِكَ هَوْلها قُحَماً
بالْخَافِقَيْنِin East and West لِصَدْمِهَاat their onslaught وَهَلُdread
بالْخَافِقَيْنِ لِصَدْمِهَا وَهَلُ
Show some restraint in your plunging into their dreadful perils;
in East and West, their onslaught is feared.
كُلٌّeach علَىfor التَّوْكِيدِemphasis قَوْلَتُهُhis utterance
كُلٌّ علَى التَّوْكِيدِ قَوْلَتُهُ
مَقْصورَةٌconfined مَاnot أعْوَزَwas lacking الْبَدَلُa substitute
مَقْصورَةٌ مَا أعْوَزَ الْبَدَلُ
Each one's utterance, intended for emphasis,
is confined to it; no substitute is lacking.
ياO صارِمَkeen sword of الإيمانِfaith لاmay not حَجَبَتْveil
يا صارِمَ الإيمانِ لا حَجَبَتْ
حَدَّيْكَyour two edges عَنْfrom أبْصَارِناour sight الخِلَلُthe sheath-coverings
حَدَّيْكَ عَنْ أبْصَارِنا الخِلَلُ
O keen sword of faith, may the sheaths never veil
your two edges from our eyes.
الأَزْرُthe back مَشْدُودٌbraced فَلاso no وَهَنٌweakness
الأَزْرُ مَشْدُودٌ فَلا وَهَنٌ
وَالثَّغْرُand the frontier مَسْدُودٌsealed فَلاso no خَلَلُbreach
وَالثَّغْرُ مَسْدُودٌ فَلا خَلَلُ
The back is braced, so there is no weakness;
and the frontier is sealed, so there is no breach.
هِيَit دَوْلَةٌa reign عُمَرِيَّةٌUmar-like سِيَراًin conduct
هِيَ دَوْلَةٌ عُمَرِيَّةٌ سِيَراً
خَضَعَتْsubmitted لِعِزّةِto the might of أمْرِهَاits command الدُّوَلُthe states
خَضَعَتْ لِعِزّةِ أمْرِهَا الدُّوَلُ
It is a reign Umar-like in its ways;
states have bowed to the might of its command.
يَحْيَىYahya بنُson of عَبْدِAbd (servant of) الوَاحِدِal-Wahid (the One) بْنson of أبِيAbi (father of)
يَحْيَى بنُ عَبْدِ الوَاحِدِ بْن أبِي
حَفْصٍHafs لَهاfor it دُونَto the exclusion of الوَرَىall mankind أَملُhope
حَفْصٍ لَها دُونَ الوَرَى أَملُ
Yahya ibn Abd al-Wahid ibn Abi
Hafs alone, among mankind, is its hope.
ماwhen قَرَّsettled فيin سُلْطَانِهِhis sovereignty جَعَلَتْbegan
ما قَرَّ في سُلْطَانِهِ جَعَلَتْ
حَالُthe condition of العِدَىthe foes بِظُبَاهthrough his sword-edges تَنْتَقِلُchanges
حَالُ العِدَى بِظُبَاه تَنْتَقِلُ
Once he settled into his sovereignty,
the foes' fortunes began shifting beneath his blades.
أبَداًalways يُفَرِّغُdevotes للْهُدَىto right guidance نَظَراًthought
أبَداً يُفَرِّغُ للْهُدَى نَظَراً
لأُليfor the people of الضَّلالِerror بِحُكْمِهِthrough his rule شُغُلُpreoccupation
لأُلي الضَّلالِ بِحُكْمِهِ شُغُلُ
He ever devotes his thought to right guidance;
his rule keeps those astray occupied.
مَلِكٌa king أَبَىspurned الخُيَلاءَarrogance مِنْout of كَرَمٍgenerosity
مَلِكٌ أَبَى الخُيَلاءَ مِنْ كَرَمٍ
وَتُقىًand piety وَأمْلاكُand the kings of الدُّنَىthe worlds خَوَلُservants
وَتُقىً وَأمْلاكُ الدُّنَى خَوَلُ
A king who spurned arrogance out of generosity
and piety, though the world's kings are his servants.
وَتُقَبِّلُand kiss الأَفْوَاهُthe mouths أخْمَصَهُhis foot's arch
وَتُقَبِّلُ الأَفْوَاهُ أخْمَصَهُ
خَدَماًas servants لَهُto him سَدِكَتْclung بهِto it القُبَلُthe kisses
خَدَماً لَهُ سَدِكَتْ بهِ القُبَلُ
And mouths kiss the arch of his foot,
in service to him; kisses have clung to it.
شَمْسُthe sun of النَّهَارِday لِوَجْهِهِbeside his face قَبَسٌa spark
شَمْسُ النَّهَارِ لِوَجْهِهِ قَبَسٌ
مِثْلُjust as البِحَارِthe seas لِكَفِّهِbeside his palm وَشَلُa trickle
مِثْلُ البِحَارِ لِكَفِّهِ وَشَلُ
The sun of day is a spark beside his face,
as the seas are a trickle beside his palm.
مَنْwhoever حَثَّتِurged التَّقْوَىpiety لِطَاعَتِهِto obey him
مَنْ حَثَّتِ التَّقْوَى لِطَاعَتِهِ
لَمdid not يَعْقُبِfollow اسْتِعْجَالَهُhis haste زَلَلُa misstep
لَم يَعْقُبِ اسْتِعْجَالَهُ زَلَلُ
Whoever piety urges to obey him—
no misstep follows his haste.
حَوْلُthe might of الإلَهِGod يَحُفُّsurrounds حَضْرَتَهُhis court
حَوْلُ الإلَهِ يَحُفُّ حَضْرَتَهُ
ماnot إِنْat all (emphasis) لَهُfor it عَنaway from ظِلِّهَاits shade حِوَلُdeparture
ما إِنْ لَهُ عَن ظِلِّهَا حِوَلُ
God's might surrounds his court,
never departing from its shade.
صِيتٌrenown بَعِيدٌfar-reaching وَهْوَyet it is مُقْتَربٌnear
صِيتٌ بَعِيدٌ وَهْوَ مُقْتَربٌ
فَكَأنَّهُso it is as though فيin سَيْرِهِits travels مَثَلُa proverb
فَكَأنَّهُ في سَيْرِهِ مَثَلُ
His renown is far-reaching yet close at hand,
as though it were a proverb in its travels.
رَاقَdelighted الرِّيَاحَthe winds بِذِكْرِهِwith mention of him فَإِذاand when
رَاقَ الرِّيَاحَ بِذِكْرِهِ فَإِذا
نَشَرَتْspread مَحَاسِنَهُhis virtues انْطَوَىwas folded away الغَزَلُlove poetry
نَشَرَتْ مَحَاسِنَهُ انْطَوَى الغَزَلُ
His mention delighted the winds; and when
they spread his virtues, love poetry was folded away.
وَتَوَلَّتِand turned toward الدّنْيَاthe world لأوْبَتِهِat his homecoming
وَتَوَلَّتِ الدّنْيَا لأوْبَتِهِ
والدّينُand faith ماwhile والاهُمَاattended them both الجَذَلُjoy
والدّينُ ما والاهُمَا الجَذَلُ
And the world turned toward his homecoming,
and faith too, while joy attended them both.
بأَبِيmy father as ransom ارْتِياحُthe delight of العَالَمِينَthe worlds لَهاin it
بأَبِي ارْتِياحُ العَالَمِينَ لَها
ولِرَاحَةٍand in a palm أوْدَتperished بِهاthrough it الغُيُلُthe thickets
ولِرَاحَةٍ أوْدَت بِها الغُيُلُ
My father be ransom for the worlds' delight in it,
and in a palm through which the thickets perished.
وَصَفُواthey described الغُصونَthe boughs تَميلُsway ناعِمَةًtenderly
وَصَفُوا الغُصونَ تَميلُ ناعِمَةً
للرّيحِto the wind ناسِمَةblowing gently وَتَعْتَدِلُand stand straight
للرّيحِ ناسِمَة وَتَعْتَدِلُ
They described the boughs swaying tenderly
to a gentle breeze and standing straight.
وَصَفُواthey described ضَمَائِرhearts عَنْapart from مقاوِلَtongues فيfor
وَصَفُوا ضَمَائِر عَنْ مقاوِلَ في
تَخْليدِهِhis everlasting life تَدْعوpray وَتَبْتَهِلُand implore
تَخْليدِهِ تَدْعو وَتَبْتَهِلُ
They described hearts, apart from tongues,
praying and imploring for his everlasting life.
نُعْمَىa blessing جَلَتْunveiled مِنْof حُسْنِهاits beauty بِدَعاًwonders
نُعْمَى جَلَتْ مِنْ حُسْنِها بِدَعاً
نَعِمَتْdelighted بِهَاin it الأَسْمَاعُthe ears وَالمُقَلُand the eyes
نَعِمَتْ بِهَا الأَسْمَاعُ وَالمُقَلُ
A blessing that unveiled wonders of its beauty,
in which ears and eyes have delighted.
ولَوِand if اسْتَطَاعَتْthey were able مِنْout of صَبَابَتِهَاtheir ardent longing
ولَوِ اسْتَطَاعَتْ مِنْ صَبَابَتِهَا
سَارَتْwould journey إليهto him بِأسْرهَاin their entirety الحِلَلُthe encampments
سَارَتْ إليه بِأسْرهَا الحِلَلُ
And were they able, out of their ardent longing,
the encampments would all journey to him.
سَاوىmatched الجِهَادُjihad الحَيّthe clan فيهfor him هَوىًin love
سَاوى الجِهَادُ الحَيّ فيه هَوىً
مِنْof عُرْفِهِits custom أنْthat يُنْكَرَbe rejected العَذَلُreproach
مِنْ عُرْفِهِ أنْ يُنْكَرَ العَذَلُ
Jihad has matched the clan in love for him,
a love whose way is to reject reproach.
ياO حادِيَcaravan-guide of الخُلَفَاءِthe caliphs مَعْذِرَةًpardon
يا حادِيَ الخُلَفَاءِ مَعْذِرَةً
إنَّindeed الأَيادِيَthe favors مَاnot بهَاfor them قِبَلُcapacity
إنَّ الأَيادِيَ مَا بهَا قِبَلُ
O caravan-guide of the caliphs, pardon me;
for your favors are beyond my power to repay.
وَعَسَىand perhaps قَبُولُكَyour acceptance أنْthat تَجُودَyou generously grant بِهit
وَعَسَى قَبُولُكَ أنْ تَجُودَ بِه
حَلْياًas an ornament لِحَالٍto a state شَانَهَاmarred it العَطَلُlack of adornment
حَلْياً لِحَالٍ شَانَهَا العَطَلُ
And may you graciously bestow your acceptance
as an ornament to a state marred by bareness.
أمَلِيmy hope إلىtoward عَلْيَاكَyour eminence مُنْقَطِعٌexclusively devoted
أمَلِي إلى عَلْيَاكَ مُنْقَطِعٌ
وَتَوَسُّليand my entreaty لِرِضَاكَfor your favor مُتَّصِلُunbroken
وَتَوَسُّلي لِرِضَاكَ مُتَّصِلُ
My hope is devoted only to your eminence,
and my appeal for your favor is unbroken.
أَكِلُI entrust اخْتِيَاريَmy choice لاخْتِيَارِكَto your choice ليfor me
أَكِلُ اخْتِيَاريَ لاخْتِيَارِكَ لي
وَعَلىand upon وَليِّthe heir to العَهْدِthe succession أتَّكِلُI rely
وَعَلى وَليِّ العَهْدِ أتَّكِلُ
I entrust my choice to your choice for me,
and I rely upon the heir apparent.
حَسْبِيenough for me الأمِيرُthe prince مُحَمَّدMuhammad سَنَداًas support
حَسْبِي الأمِيرُ مُحَمَّد سَنَداً
بِجَلالِهِby his grandeur يُسْتَدْفَعُis warded off الجَلَلُgrave calamity
بِجَلالِهِ يُسْتَدْفَعُ الجَلَلُ
Prince Muhammad is support enough for me;
by his grandeur, grave calamity is warded off.
بَدْرٌa full moon سَنىًin radiance بَحْرٌa sea نَدىًin generosity غَدَقاًcopiously
بَدْرٌ سَنىً بَحْرٌ نَدىً غَدَقاً
رَوْضُthe garden of العُلَىglory خَضِرٌgreen بهِthrough him خَضِلُdewy
رَوْضُ العُلَى خَضِرٌ بهِ خَضِلُ
A full moon in radiance, a sea of abundant bounty;
the garden of glory is green and dewy through him.
تَمْحُوerase لُهَاهُhis gifts الأزْلَhardship هامِلَةًpouring down
تَمْحُو لُهَاهُ الأزْلَ هامِلَةً
لاmay not زَالَcease مَرْعِيّاًbeing sustained بِهِthrough him الهَتَلُthe downpour
لا زَالَ مَرْعِيّاً بِهِ الهَتَلُ
His gifts, streaming down, wipe away hardship;
may the downpour ever be sustained through him.