السَّعْدُ جُنْدُكَ وَالْقَضَاءُ دَلِيلُ

السَّعْدُ جُنْدُكَ وَالْقَضَاءُ دَلِيلُ

وَاللهُ بِالنَّصْرِ الْعَزِيِز كَفِيلُ

وَاللهُ بِالنَّصْرِ الْعَزِيِز كَفِيلُ

Good fortune is your army, and destiny your guide.

Good fortune is your army and destiny your guide

And God is guarantor of mighty victory.

And God guarantees you noble victory

فَإذَا هَمَمْتَ بَلَغْتَ كُلَّ مُمَنَّعٍ

فَإذَا هَمَمْتَ بَلَغْتَ كُلَّ مُمَنَّعٍ

وَإذَا رَأَيْتَ الرَّأَيَ لَيْسَ يَفيِلُ

وَإذَا رَأَيْتَ الرَّأَيَ لَيْسَ يَفيِلُ

So when you resolve, you attain all that is impregnable;

So when you are determined, you attain all obstacles

and when you form a judgment, it does not falter.

And when you see the way, no weariness makes you fall

شهِدَتْ لَكَ الْعَلْيَاءُ أَنَّك رَبَّها

شهِدَتْ لَكَ الْعَلْيَاءُ أَنَّك رَبَّها

وَالِّدينُ أَنَّكَ سَيْفهُ الْمسْلُولُ

وَالِّدينُ أَنَّكَ سَيْفهُ الْمسْلُولُ

Eminence bore witness for you that you are its lord;

The High One testified you are its Lord

and the faith, that you are its unsheathed sword;

And the religion that you are its drawn sword

وَالْجُودُ أَنَّكَ غَيْثُهُ الْهَامِي الْحَيَا

وَالْجُودُ أَنَّكَ غَيْثُهُ الْهَامِي الْحَيَا

هَذَا وَكُلَّ شَاهِدٌ مَقْبُولُ

هَذَا وَكُلَّ شَاهِدٌ مَقْبُولُ

and generosity, that you are its pouring, life-giving rain.

And generosity that you are its life-giving rain

Such is their testimony, and each is an accepted witness.

This and every witness is accepted

والْحَقّ يُغْنِي عَنْ شَهَادَةِ شاَهِدٍ

والْحَقّ يُغْنِي عَنْ شَهَادَةِ شاَهِدٍ

أَنَّى يُرَامُ عَلَى الصَّبَاحِ دَلِيلُ

أَنَّى يُرَامُ عَلَى الصَّبَاحِ دَلِيلُ

And truth has no need of a witness's testimony;

The truth makes any witness's testimony redundant

how could proof of the dawn be sought?

How does one seek proof of the dawn?

فَمِن اسْتَجَارَ عُلاَكَ عَزَّ جِوارُهُ

فَمِن اسْتَجَارَ عُلاَكَ عَزَّ جِوارُهُ

وَعَزِيزُ قَوْمٍ لَمْ يُطِعْكَ ذَلِيلُ

وَعَزِيزُ قَوْمٍ لَمْ يُطِعْكَ ذَلِيلُ

So whoever seeks refuge in your eminence has inviolable protection;

Whoever seeks your protection, his refuge grows mighty

and a people's mighty man who has not obeyed you is abased.

And the mighty people who disobeyed you became abased

وَإذَا تَوخَّيْتَ السَياسَة فِي الْوَرَى

وَإذَا تَوخَّيْتَ السَياسَة فِي الْوَرَى

يَوْماً فَمَا للِعَدْلِ عَنْكَ عُدُولُ

يَوْماً فَمَا للِعَدْلِ عَنْكَ عُدُولُ

And whenever you undertake governance among humankind,

And if you applied politics in the lands

on any day, justice cannot turn aside from you.

One day, justice has no deviation from you

وَإذا جَنَبْتَ الْمُقْرَبَاتِ إلَى الْعِدَى

وَإذا جَنَبْتَ الْمُقْرَبَاتِ إلَى الْعِدَى

سِيَّانِ عِنْدَكَ فَرْسَخٌ أَوْ مِيلُ

سِيَّانِ عِنْدَكَ فَرْسَخٌ أَوْ مِيلُ

And when you lead the prized steeds toward the enemy,

And if you avoid favoritism and injustice

a parasang or a mile is all the same to you.

With you, a mile or a league are equal

وَلَوِ اسْتَعَنْتَ الدَّهْرَ وَاسْتَنْجَدْتَهُ

وَلَوِ اسْتَعَنْتَ الدَّهْرَ وَاسْتَنْجَدْتَهُ

لَبَدَتْ لأمْرِكَ طَاعَةٌ وَقَبُولُ

لَبَدَتْ لأمْرِكَ طَاعَةٌ وَقَبُولُ

And were you to seek aid from Time and summon its help,

And if you sought help from fate and implored it

obedience and assent to your command would surely appear.

Obedience and acceptance of your command would appear

وَأَتَى وَمِنْ قِطَعِ الظَّلاَمِ مَوَاكِبٌ

وَأَتَى وَمِنْ قِطَعِ الظَّلاَمِ مَوَاكِبٌ

وَمِنَ الصَّبَاحِ أسِنَّةٌ وَنُصُولُ

وَمِنَ الصَّبَاحِ أسِنَّةٌ وَنُصُولُ

And it would come with processions formed from shreds of darkness,

And squadrons came from the darkness of night

and, from the dawn, spearheads and blades.

And in the morning, spears and warriors

أزْمَعْتَ فِي اللهِ الْجِهَادَ وَطَالَمَا

أزْمَعْتَ فِي اللهِ الْجِهَادَ وَطَالَمَا

أرْضَى الإلاَهَ جِهَادُكَ الْمَقْبُولُ

أرْضَى الإلاَهَ جِهَادُكَ الْمَقْبُولُ

You resolved on warfare in God's cause, and how often

You intended jihad in God and often

your accepted warfare has pleased God.

Your acceptable jihad pleased the God

وَأَنِفْتَ للِدِّينِ الْحَنِيفِ وَأَهْلِهِ

وَأَنِفْتَ للِدِّينِ الْحَنِيفِ وَأَهْلِهِ

مِنْ أَنْ يَطِيحَ نَجِيعُهُ الْمَطْلُولُ

مِنْ أَنْ يَطِيحَ نَجِيعُهُ الْمَطْلُولُ

And for the upright faith and its people, you could not bear

And you disdained for the upright religion and its people

that its unavenged blood should go to waste.

That its entirety should suffer defeat

وَقَدَحْتَ زَنْدَ عَزِيمَةٍ نَصْرِيَّةٍ

وَقَدَحْتَ زَنْدَ عَزِيمَةٍ نَصْرِيَّةٍ

تَرَكَتْ دَيَارَ الْكُفْرِ وَهْيَ طُلُولُ

تَرَكَتْ دَيَارَ الْكُفْرِ وَهْيَ طُلُولُ

And you struck the fire-stick of Nasrid resolve,

And you lit the spark of a victorious resolve

which left the abodes of unbelief in ruins.

Leaving the lands of disbelief while they are desolate

وَسَلَكْتَ للِتَّقْوَى سَبِيلاً سَنَّهَا

وَسَلَكْتَ للِتَّقْوَى سَبِيلاً سَنَّهَا

عَلَمُ الْمُلُوكِ أَبُوكَ إسْمَاعِيلَُ

عَلَمُ الْمُلُوكِ أَبُوكَ إسْمَاعِيلَُ

And you followed a path toward piety, laid down

And you took the path of piety pioneered

by the foremost of kings, your father Ismail.

By the King of Kings, your father Ishmael

وَرَجَعْتَ وَالنَّصْرُ الْعَزِيزُ مُصَاحِبٌ

وَرَجَعْتَ وَالنَّصْرُ الْعَزِيزُ مُصَاحِبٌ

لَكَ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ الْكِرَامُ قَبِيلُ

لَكَ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ الْكِرَامُ قَبِيلُ

And you returned with mighty victory accompanying

And you returned, and noble victory accompanied you

you, and the noble angels as your company.

And the noble angels were your tribe

فِي عَسْكَرٍ لَجِبٍ كَأَنَّ جُمُوعَهُ

فِي عَسْكَرٍ لَجِبٍ كَأَنَّ جُمُوعَهُ

فَوْق الْوِهَادِ إِذَا زَحَفْنَ سُيُولُ

فَوْق الْوِهَادِ إِذَا زَحَفْنَ سُيُولُ

In a clamorous army, as though its masses,

With an army so numerous, it's as if its groups

when advancing over the lowlands, were torrents.

Above the valleys, when marching, are floods

كَالْبَحْرِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُنَّ كَتَائِبٌ

كَالْبَحْرِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُنَّ كَتَائِبٌ

وَالرِّيحِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُنَّ خُيُولُ

وَالرِّيحِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُنَّ خُيُولُ

Like the sea, except that they were battalions;

Like the sea, except they are brigades

and like the wind, except that they were horses;

And the wind, except they are horses

والْبَرْقِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُنَّ أَسِنَّةٌ

والْبَرْقِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُنَّ أَسِنَّةٌ

وَالرَّعْدِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُنَّ طُبُولُ

وَالرَّعْدِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُنَّ طُبُولُ

and like lightning, except that they were spearheads;

And lightning, except they are spears

and like thunder, except that they were drums.

And thunder, except they are drums

فَبِكُلِّ بَحْرٍ رَايَةٌ مَنْشُورَةٌ

فَبِكُلِّ بَحْرٍ رَايَةٌ مَنْشُورَةٌ

وَبِكُلِّ غَوْرٍ مقْنَبٌ وَرَعِيلُ

وَبِكُلِّ غَوْرٍ مقْنَبٌ وَرَعِيلُ

Thus in every sea a banner was unfurled,

In every sea, a banner is hoisted

and in every hollow, a cavalry band and a squadron.

And in every valley, a tribe and caravan

كَانَ افْتتَاحُ بَنِي بَشِيرٍ مَبْدَأً

كَانَ افْتتَاحُ بَنِي بَشِيرٍ مَبْدَأً

سَبَبُ الْبِشَارَةِ بَعْدَهُ مَوْصُولُ

سَبَبُ الْبِشَارَةِ بَعْدَهُ مَوْصُولُ

The conquest of Bani Bashir was a beginning;

The opening of the Bani Bishr was the beginning

the thread of glad tidings thereafter remained unbroken.

The cause of good tidings, thereafter, was continual

سُرَّتْ بِمَوْقِعِهِ وَإِنَّهُ

سُرَّتْ بِمَوْقِعِهِ وَإِنَّهُ

نَبَأٌ عَلَى سَمْعِ الْعَدُوِّ ثَقِيلُ

نَبَأٌ عَلَى سَمْعِ الْعَدُوِّ ثَقِيلُ

She was gladdened by its occurrence, though it is

It gladdened with its occurrence, and indeed

news heavy upon the enemy's ear.

It is news heavy on the enemy’s hearing

ثُمَّ ارْتَقَيْتَ ثَنِيَّةَ الثَّغْر الَّتِي

ثُمَّ ارْتَقَيْتَ ثَنِيَّةَ الثَّغْر الَّتِي

هِيَ للِضَّلاَلِ مُعَرَّسٌ وَمَقِيلُ

هِيَ للِضَّلاَلِ مُعَرَّسٌ وَمَقِيلُ

Then you ascended the frontier pass that

Then you climbed the mountain pass which

is a night camp and noonday resting-place for error.

Is a dwelling for misguidance and its convergence

وَرَمَيْتَهَا بِعَزِيمَةٍ نَصْرِيَّةٍ

وَرَمَيْتَهَا بِعَزِيمَةٍ نَصْرِيَّةٍ

كَادَتْ لَهَا شُمّ الْهِضَابِ تَزُولُ

كَادَتْ لَهَا شُمّ الْهِضَابِ تَزُولُ

And you assailed it with Nasrid resolve,

And you threw it with a victorious resolve

before which the lofty hills nearly shifted from their place.

Almost making the peaks of the highlands collapse

خَوْدٌ تَجَلَّتْ فِي مِنَصَّةِ شَاهِقٍ

خَوْدٌ تَجَلَّتْ فِي مِنَصَّةِ شَاهِقٍ

مُخْتَالَةً إِكْلِيلُهُا الإكْلِيلُ

مُخْتَالَةً إِكْلِيلُهُا الإكْلِيلُ

A maiden revealed herself on the bridal dais of a lofty peak,

A citadel appeared on a lofty dais

strutting proudly, her crown the Crown itself.

Arrogantly adorned, its crown the crown

وَمَصَامِ عِزًّ للنُّجُومِ مُزَاحِمٍ

وَمَصَامِ عِزًّ للنُّجُومِ مُزَاحِمٍ

مَا لاِسْتِبَاحةِ مَا حَوَاهُ سَبِيلُ

مَا لاِسْتِبَاحةِ مَا حَوَاهُ سَبِيلُ

And a stronghold of might, jostling with the stars,

And a place of glory, challenging the stars

with no way to plunder what it holds.

To gain entry to what its path enclosed

سَامِي الذَّرَى مُتَمَنِّعٍ أَرْكَانُهُ

سَامِي الذَّرَى مُتَمَنِّعٍ أَرْكَانُهُ

يَرْتَدَّ عَنْهُ الطَّرْفُ وَهْوَ ذَلُولُ

يَرْتَدَّ عَنْهُ الطَّرْفُ وَهْوَ ذَلُولُ

Lofty in its summits, its foundations unassailable,

Towering, its pillars unassailable

the gaze recoils from it, subdued.

The glance bounces back from it, abased

أَصْمَيْتَ ثُغْرَتَهَا بِسَهْمِ عَزِيمَةٍ

أَصْمَيْتَ ثُغْرَتَهَا بِسَهْمِ عَزِيمَةٍ

تَذَرُ الأبِيَّ الصَّعْبَ وَهْوَ ذَلُولُ

تَذَرُ الأبِيَّ الصَّعْبَ وَهْوَ ذَلُولُ

You struck its weak point a mortal blow with an arrow of resolve,

You deafened its ear with the arrow of resolve

that leaves the defiant, unyielding one subdued.

Leaving the impregnable citadel abased

دَارَتْ عَلَى مُتَدَبِّرِيهَا قَهْوَةٌ

دَارَتْ عَلَى مُتَدَبِّرِيهَا قَهْوَةٌ

لِلْحَتْفِ مُترَعَةُ الْكُؤوسِ شَمُولُ

لِلْحَتْفِ مُترَعَةُ الْكُؤوسِ شَمُولُ

A wine circulated among those directing it,

The last cup of doom circulated upon its supervisors

a wine of death, with cups filled to the brim.

The inebriating cup overflowing with fullness

ثُمَّ انْثَنَيْتَ وَبِالرِّمَاحِ تَقَصَّدٌ

ثُمَّ انْثَنَيْتَ وَبِالرِّمَاحِ تَقَصَّدٌ

مِمَّا غَزَوْتَ ولِلسَّيُوفِ فُلُولُ

مِمَّا غَزَوْتَ ولِلسَّيُوفِ فُلُولُ

Then you turned back, with the spears splintered

Then you turned back, the spears receiving

by your campaigning, and the swords left notched.

Spoils from what you raided, and the swords streaming

وَتَرَكْتَ سُحْبَ النَّقْعِ فِي آفَاقِهَا

وَتَرَكْتَ سُحْبَ النَّقْعِ فِي آفَاقِهَا

تَسْمُو وَأنْهَارُ السَّيُوفِ تَسِيلُ

تَسْمُو وَأنْهَارُ السَّيُوفِ تَسِيلُ

And you left clouds of battle-dust along its horizons

Leaving the clouds of plague in their horizons

rising high, while rivers of swords flowed.

Ascending, and the rivers of swords pouring

لاَ يَغْرُرَنَّ الرَّومَ فِي إِمْلاَئِهَا

لاَ يَغْرُرَنَّ الرَّومَ فِي إِمْلاَئِهَا

قَدَرٌ فأَيَّامُ الْحُرُوبِ تَدُولُ

قَدَرٌ فأَيَّامُ الْحُرُوبِ تَدُولُ

Let the Rum not be deceived during their respite

Let not the Romans be fooled by their filling it

by fate, for the days of war alternate.

Destiny revolves, and the days of war alternate

وَالْعَزْمُ وَارٍ فِي الْحَفِيظَةِ زَنْدُهُ

وَالْعَزْمُ وَارٍ فِي الْحَفِيظَةِ زَنْدُهُ

وَالرَّأَيُ مَشحُوذُ الْغَرِار صَقِيلُ

وَالرَّأَيُ مَشحُوذُ الْغَرِار صَقِيلُ

And resolve's fire-stick is kindled by protective zeal,

And the resolve is burning in its sheath, its blade

and judgment is whetted at the edge and polished.

Sharpened, polished, and bare

وَلَو انَّهُمْ مَلأَوا الْبَسِيطَةَ كَثْرَةً

وَلَو انَّهُمْ مَلأَوا الْبَسِيطَةَ كَثْرَةً

إِنَّ الْكَثِيرَ مَعَ الضَّلاَلِ قَلِيلُ

إِنَّ الْكَثِيرَ مَعَ الضَّلاَلِ قَلِيلُ

And even if they filled the earth in multitudes,

And even if they filled the plain thickly

indeed, the many in error are few.

Indeed, the many with misguidance are few

وَإِذَا امْرُؤَ جَعَلَ الصَّلِيبَ نَصِيرهُ

وَإِذَا امْرُؤَ جَعَلَ الصَّلِيبَ نَصِيرهُ

دُونَ الإِلاَهِ فَإِنَّهُ مَخْذُولُ

دُونَ الإِلاَهِ فَإِنَّهُ مَخْذُولُ

And when a man makes the cross his helper

And if one takes the cross as his ally

instead of God, he is surely forsaken.

Instead of God, then he is forsaken

مَنْ مِثْلُ يُوسُفَ فِي الْمُلُوكِ إِذَا غَدَتْ

مَنْ مِثْلُ يُوسُفَ فِي الْمُلُوكِ إِذَا غَدَتْ

تُزْهَى بِفَضْلِ قَدِيمِهَا وَتَصُولُ

تُزْهَى بِفَضْلِ قَدِيمِهَا وَتَصُولُ

Who among kings is like Yusuf when they begin

Who is like Joseph among kings when

to boast of the merit of their past and display their might?

Morning comes adorned with its ancient bounty?

طَلْقُ الْمُحَياَّ والْخُطُوبُ عَوابِسٌ

طَلْقُ الْمُحَياَّ والْخُطُوبُ عَوابِسٌ

هَامِي الأَنَامِلِ وَالْغَمَامُ بَخِيلُ

هَامِي الأَنَامِلِ وَالْغَمَامُ بَخِيلُ

Cheerful of face, while calamities scowl;

His face radiant and frown destitute

his fingertips rain bounty while the clouds are miserly.

Large-handed and the clouds being stingy

بَدْرٌ وَلاَ غَيْرَ الْكَتِيبَةِ هَالَةٌ

بَدْرٌ وَلاَ غَيْرَ الْكَتِيبَةِ هَالَةٌ

لَيْثٌ وَلاَ غَيْرَ الأَسِنَّةِ غيِلُ

لَيْثٌ وَلاَ غَيْرَ الأَسِنَّةِ غيِلُ

A full moon, with no halo but the battalion;

A full moon yet no halo except the troop

a lion, with no thicket but the spearheads.

A lion yet no mane except the spears

مِنْ أُسْرَةٍ سَعْدِيةٍ نَصْرِيَّةٍ

مِنْ أُسْرَةٍ سَعْدِيةٍ نَصْرِيَّةٍ

أَثْنَى عَلَيْهَا اللهُ والتَّنْزِيلُ

أَثْنَى عَلَيْهَا اللهُ والتَّنْزِيلُ

From a Sa'di, Nasrid family,

Of a happy, victorious family

God and the Revelation have praised it.

That God and the Revelation extolled

للهِ مِنْ فَتْحٍ جَلِيلٍ قَدْرُهُ

للهِ مِنْ فَتْحٍ جَلِيلٍ قَدْرُهُ

يَنْمِيهِ جَدٌ فِي الْمُلُوكِ جَلِيلُ

يَنْمِيهِ جَدٌ فِي الْمُلُوكِ جَلِيلُ

God be praised—what a conquest, magnificent in worth!

For God, from a great victory its extent

Nurtured by fortune illustrious among kings.

Grown by glorious ancestry among kings

دَيْنٌ عَلَى الزَّمَنِ ابْتَدَرْتَ قَضَاءَهُ

دَيْنٌ عَلَى الزَّمَنِ ابْتَدَرْتَ قَضَاءَهُ

سَهْلُ الْمَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَبَخِيلُ

سَهْلُ الْمَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَبَخِيلُ

A debt owed by Time, whose payment you hastened,

A debt on time you sought to repay

easy to attain, though Time is indeed miserly.

Easy to attain yet it was stingy

لَبِسَتْ بِكَ الأيَّامُ زُخْرُفَ حُسْنِهَا

لَبِسَتْ بِكَ الأيَّامُ زُخْرُفَ حُسْنِهَا

وَزَهَا عَلَى الأَجْيَالِ هَذَا الْجِيلُ

وَزَهَا عَلَى الأَجْيَالِ هَذَا الْجِيلُ

Through you the days have donned their beauty's finery,

The days dressed themselves in the adornment of beauty

and this generation has outshone all generations.

And it embellished upon generations this generation

فَاهْنَأَ بِمَوْصُولِ الْفُتُوحِ فإِنَّمَا

فَاهْنَأَ بِمَوْصُولِ الْفُتُوحِ فإِنَّمَا

هِيَ سُنَّةٌ مَا إِنْ لَهَا تَبْدِيلُ

هِيَ سُنَّةٌ مَا إِنْ لَهَا تَبْدِيلُ

So rejoice in uninterrupted conquests, for indeed

So congratulations on the attached victories, for they

they are simply an established way that admits no change.

Are a tradition that has no change