حنّتْ لخُضْرِ رُبيً وزُرْقٍ مِياهِ

حنّتْ لخُضْرِ رُبيً وزُرْقٍ مِياهِ

وجآذِرٍ منْ قومِها أشْباهِ

وجآذِرٍ منْ قومِها أشْباهِ

She yearned for green hills and blue waters,

She yearned for the green of her Lord and the blueness of water,

And wild-ox calves, her likenesses among her own kind.

And roots from her people like her.

فتَجاذَبَتْ جُدُلَ الأزمّةِ وانْبَرَتْ

فتَجاذَبَتْ جُدُلَ الأزمّةِ وانْبَرَتْ

تحْكي البَوارِقَ سُرْعَةً وتُضاهِي

تحْكي البَوارِقَ سُرْعَةً وتُضاهِي

So she tugged at the braided reins and sprang forward,

So the arguments of crisis pulled and roared,

Imitating lightning flashes in speed and matching them.

Relating the lightnings' speed and vying.

هلاّ حَنَنْتِ الى مَعاطِنِ أمْنَةٍ

هلاّ حَنَنْتِ الى مَعاطِنِ أمْنَةٍ

ومَقيلِ عِزٍّ تحْتَ سِدْرَةِ جاهِ

ومَقيلِ عِزٍّ تحْتَ سِدْرَةِ جاهِ

Why did you not yearn for watering places of safety,

Why didn't you yearn for the cradles of security

And a midday resting place of honor beneath the lote tree of rank?

And the place of glory under the sidrah tree of glory?

ما بعْدَ جنّاتِ العُلى منْ منْزِلٍ

ما بعْدَ جنّاتِ العُلى منْ منْزِلٍ

إلاّ حِمَى عُمَرَ بنِ عبدِ اللهِ

إلاّ حِمَى عُمَرَ بنِ عبدِ اللهِ

Beyond the gardens of exalted glory there is no abode

Nothing after the gardens of Highness is an abode

But the sanctuary of Umar ibn Abd Allah.

Except the protection of Umar ibn Al Khattab.

في حيثُ فاخَرَ بالوِزارَةِ فاخِرٌ

في حيثُ فاخَرَ بالوِزارَةِ فاخِرٌ

كَلاّ وباهَى بالعَلاءِ مُباهِي

كَلاّ وباهَى بالعَلاءِ مُباهِي

Where a boaster has vaunted the vizierate—

Where the eminent boasts of ministry, another boasts

Nay!—and a vaunter has vaunted exalted rank.

No! And the sublime boasts of highness, a boaster.

الواهِبِ الآلافَ غيْرَ مُعيرِها

الواهِبِ الآلافَ غيْرَ مُعيرِها

طرْفَ الضّنينِ وإنْ تكُنْ هيَ ما هي

طرْفَ الضّنينِ وإنْ تكُنْ هيَ ما هي

The giver of thousands, never lending them

The bestower of thousands without upbraiding her

A miser's glance, whatever they may be.

A glance of intimacy even if she is as she is.

يَرْمي بفِطْنَتِهِ الرِّجالَ ولحْظِهِ

يَرْمي بفِطْنَتِهِ الرِّجالَ ولحْظِهِ

فيَميزُ داهِيَها منَ المُتداهي

فيَميزُ داهِيَها منَ المُتداهي

He takes aim at men with his discernment and his glance,

He hits men with his intelligence and his glance

And distinguishes their shrewd man from the pretender to shrewdness.

So he distinguishes the skillful from the pretentious.

سيفٌ علَى كفِّ الخِلافَةِ صارِمٌ

سيفٌ علَى كفِّ الخِلافَةِ صارِمٌ

علَمٌ على ثوْبِ الجَلالِ الزّاهِي

علَمٌ على ثوْبِ الجَلالِ الزّاهِي

A keen-edged sword upon the caliphate's palm,

A sword in the hand of the caliphate, sharp,

An embroidered stripe upon the resplendent robe of majesty.

A flag on the dress of majesty, shining.

شهِدَ العِيانُ بأنّ عالَمَ مجدِهِ

شهِدَ العِيانُ بأنّ عالَمَ مجدِهِ

والحُسْنَ ليْسَ بعالَمٍ مُتَناهي

والحُسْنَ ليْسَ بعالَمٍ مُتَناهي

Direct sight attests that the world of his glory

The eyewitnesses testified that the world of his glory

And beauty is not a world that has an end.

And beauty is not a world with an end.

أكْرِمْ بهِ منْ مُورِدٍ أو مُصْدِرٍ

أكْرِمْ بهِ منْ مُورِدٍ أو مُصْدِرٍ

أعْظِمْ بهِ منْ آمِرٍ أو ناهِي

أعْظِمْ بهِ منْ آمِرٍ أو ناهِي

How generous he is in bringing in or sending out!

Honor through him from a harbor or source

How great he is in commanding or forbidding!

Glorify through him from a commander or forbidd

كمْ دون موقِفِ بأسِه منْ طاعِنٍ

كمْ دون موقِفِ بأسِه منْ طاعِنٍ

كمْ دونَ منزِلِ ضيْفِهِ منْ طاهي

كمْ دونَ منزِلِ ضيْفِهِ منْ طاهي

How many a spearman stands before his battle station!

How many compared to his firm stand is a dissenter

How many a cook stands before his guest's lodging!

How many compared to his hospitality's place is a vanisher

تتَضاءَلُ الأعْداءُ فوْضَى حوْلَهُ

تتَضاءَلُ الأعْداءُ فوْضَى حوْلَهُ

كاللّيْثِ كَرَّ علَى قَطيعِ شِياهِ

كاللّيْثِ كَرَّ علَى قَطيعِ شِياهِ

The enemies shrink in disarray around him,

The enemies dwindle around him

As when a lion charges a flock of sheep.

Like a lion who growled at a herd of deer

كلِفَتْ نُفوسُ النّاسِ منْهُ بأرْوَعٍ

كلِفَتْ نُفوسُ النّاسِ منْهُ بأرْوَعٍ

جَذْلانَ لا بَطِرٍ ولا تَيّاهِ

جَذْلانَ لا بَطِرٍ ولا تَيّاهِ

People's souls are enamored of him, a splendid man,

People's souls were charged by him with the most wondrous

Joyful, neither insolent nor conceited.

A strong attachment, no boredom or nonsense

مُتَشاغِلٌ بالحَزْمِ يقْدَحُ زَنْدَهُ

مُتَشاغِلٌ بالحَزْمِ يقْدَحُ زَنْدَهُ

لا يُسْتَفَزُّ بعابِثٍ أو لاهِي

لا يُسْتَفَزُّ بعابِثٍ أو لاهِي

Absorbed in prudent resolve, he strikes fire from his fire-stick;

Busy with wisdom, he lights his flint

He is not unsettled by a trifler or an idler.

Not provoked by a frivolous or distracted one

الرّأيُ خَمْرٌ تُسْتَدارُ كؤوسُهُ

الرّأيُ خَمْرٌ تُسْتَدارُ كؤوسُهُ

ومنَ الصّهيلِ مَعازِفٌ ومَلاهي

ومنَ الصّهيلِ مَعازِفٌ ومَلاهي

Counsel is wine whose cups are passed around,

Opinion is wine, its cups are passed around

And from neighing come music and amusements.

And from the neighing, instruments and amusements

أمّا صَلاةُ صِلاتِهِ فهيَ التِي

أمّا صَلاةُ صِلاتِهِ فهيَ التِي

قدْ جلّ فيها عنْ مَقامِ السّاهي

قدْ جلّ فيها عنْ مَقامِ السّاهي

As for the prayer of his gifts, it is the one

As for his prayer's prayer, it is what

In which he has risen far above the station of the heedless.

He surpassed in the position of the elite

إمّا أرادَتْهُ الدّواهي كلّما

إمّا أرادَتْهُ الدّواهي كلّما

شكَتِ المُلوكُ بمُعْضِلاتِ دَواهي

شكَتِ المُلوكُ بمُعْضِلاتِ دَواهي

If calamities seek him out, whenever

Either the afflictions wanted him whenever

Kings complain of intractable calamities,

The kings complained of insoluble afflictions

فتَرى سِياسَة بَرْزُجُمْهِرَ أُحْكِمَتْ

فتَرى سِياسَة بَرْزُجُمْهِرَ أُحْكِمَتْ

أوْضاعُها في بابِ شاهٍ شاهِ

أوْضاعُها في بابِ شاهٍ شاهِ

Then you see the statecraft of Barzujumhir perfected

So you see the politics of Barzakomhor well-regulated

In its arrangements at the gate of a keen-eyed shah.

Its conditions in the court of the Shah of Shahs

يا سيّدَ الوُزَراءِ يا مَنْ ذِكْرُهُ

يا سيّدَ الوُزَراءِ يا مَنْ ذِكْرُهُ

كالشّهْدِ أو أحْلى علَى الأفْواهِ

كالشّهْدِ أو أحْلى علَى الأفْواهِ

O master of viziers, O you whose mention

O minister of ministers, whose mention

Is like honey, or sweeter, in the mouth!

Is like honey or sweeter on mouths

يا مَنْ إذا ما قِيلَ أيّةُ غِبْطَةٍ

يا مَنْ إذا ما قِيلَ أيّةُ غِبْطَةٍ

وسَعادَةٍ للمُلْكِ قال أنا هِي

وسَعادَةٍ للمُلْكِ قال أنا هِي

O you who, when asked, 'What joy

O you who, whenever any felicity is said

And good fortune has the kingdom?' says, 'I am that.'

And prosperity for the kingdom, say it's me

سُسْتَ الأمورَ وبَيْتُ مُلْكِكَ قدْ غَدا

سُسْتَ الأمورَ وبَيْتُ مُلْكِكَ قدْ غَدا

صِفْراً وتاهَ الخَلْقُ أيَّ مَتاهِ

صِفْراً وتاهَ الخَلْقُ أيَّ مَتاهِ

You governed affairs when the house of your kingdom had become

You regulated affairs and your royal house has become

Empty, and people wandered in utter bewilderment.

Empty, and people lost in what aberrance

فقَهَرْتَ كلَّ مُعانِدٍ وسلَكْتَ طُرْ

فقَهَرْتَ كلَّ مُعانِدٍ وسلَكْتَ طُرْ

قَ العدْلِ بيْنَ أوامِرٍ ونَواهي

قَ العدْلِ بيْنَ أوامِرٍ ونَواهي

So you subdued every opponent and followed the paths

You overpowered every opponent and took the path

Of justice, amid commands and prohibitions.

Of justice between commands and prohibitions

ما إنْ رأيتُ ولا سمِعْتُ بسُفْرَةٍ

ما إنْ رأيتُ ولا سمِعْتُ بسُفْرَةٍ

فِرْزانُها نابَتْ مَنابَ الشّاهِ

فِرْزانُها نابَتْ مَنابَ الشّاهِ

I have never seen or heard of a chessboard

I have neither seen nor heard of an ambassador

Whose vizier-piece has taken the king's place.

Whose eloquence sprouted like the Shah

أنا مَنْ علِمْتَ وفاءَهُ وثَناءَهُ

أنا مَنْ علِمْتَ وفاءَهُ وثَناءَهُ

عِلْمَ اليَقينِ المحْضِ دونَ مُضاهي

عِلْمَ اليَقينِ المحْضِ دونَ مُضاهي

I am the one whose loyalty and praise you know

I am who you knew his loyalty and praise

With the knowledge of pure certainty, without an equal.

The knowledge of certainty without equal

لمّا عرَفْتُكَ ما شككْتُ بأنّهُ

لمّا عرَفْتُكَ ما شككْتُ بأنّهُ

تَثْرَى يَدا أمَلي ويُعْظَمُ جاهِي

تَثْرَى يَدا أمَلي ويُعْظَمُ جاهِي

When I came to know you, I did not doubt that

When I recognized you I did not doubt that

My hope's two hands would grow rich, and my standing be exalted.

My hopes will thrive and my status will be great

أقْبَلْتُ في وفْدِ الهَناءِ مُبادِراً

أقْبَلْتُ في وفْدِ الهَناءِ مُبادِراً

ولِيَ الهَنا شُكْراً لفَضْلِ إلاهِي

ولِيَ الهَنا شُكْراً لفَضْلِ إلاهِي

I came hastening with the congratulatory delegation,

I came in the delegation of glad tidings, taking the initiative

And joy was mine, in gratitude for my God's favor.

And for me glad tidings, thanks to the Grace of my God

جعلَ الإلاهُ ثَناكَ في الدُنْيا لهُ

جعلَ الإلاهُ ثَناكَ في الدُنْيا لهُ

مُتَردّداً فِي ألْسُنٍ وشِفاهِ

مُتَردّداً فِي ألْسُنٍ وشِفاهِ

May God make your praise for Him in this world

May God make your praise in the world for Him

Echo upon tongues and lips,

Echoing on tongues and lips

ويَمينَكَ السّمْحاءَ مُسْتَلَمَ الوَرى

ويَمينَكَ السّمْحاءَ مُسْتَلَمَ الوَرى

وحِماكَ مَبْرَكَ آنفٍ وجَباهِ

وحِماكَ مَبْرَكَ آنفٍ وجَباهِ

And your generous right hand be touched by all mankind,

And your generous right hand taking responsibility for people

And your sanctuary a kneeling-place for noses and foreheads.

And your protector blessed, highborn and dignified

وهَمَتْ علَى مثْواكَ إنْ ضنّ الحَيا

وهَمَتْ علَى مثْواكَ إنْ ضنّ الحَيا

سُحْبٌ مُبارَكةٌ بفضْلِ اللهِ

سُحْبٌ مُبارَكةٌ بفضْلِ اللهِ

And may there pour upon your dwelling, if rain is grudging,

And clouds of blessing descended upon your dwelling if life was stingy

Blessed clouds, by God's grace.

By the Grace of Allah