يا دَهرُ وَيحَكَ ما عَدا مِمّا بَدا

يا دَهرُ وَيحَكَ ما عَدا مِمّا بَدا

أَرسَلتَ سَهمَ الحادِثاتِ فَأَقصَدا

أَرسَلتَ سَهمَ الحادِثاتِ فَأَقصَدا

O Time, woe to you! What has brought this change?

O Time, woe to you for what has passed and what began

You loosed the arrow of calamities, and it struck him dead.

You unleashed the arrows of events and aimed straight

أَغمَدتَ سَيفاً مُرهَفاً شَفَراتُهُ

أَغمَدتَ سَيفاً مُرهَفاً شَفَراتُهُ

قَد كانَ في ذاتِ الإِلهِ مُجَرَّدا

قَد كانَ في ذاتِ الإِلهِ مُجَرَّدا

You sheathed a sword whose edges were honed,

You unsheathed a sharp sword, its blades

that had been drawn for the sake of God.

Were once detached for the sake of God

فَافعَل بِجَهدِكَ ما تَشاءُ فَإِنَّني

فَافعَل بِجَهدِكَ ما تَشاءُ فَإِنَّني

بَعدَ المُعَظَّمِ لا أُبالي بِالرَدى

بَعدَ المُعَظَّمِ لا أُبالي بِالرَدى

So do, with all your might, whatever you wish, for I,

So do what you will with all your might, for after

after al-Mu'azzam, care nothing for death.

The Almighty, I do not care about devastation

ما خِلتُهُ يَفنى وَأَبقى بَعدَهُ

ما خِلتُهُ يَفنى وَأَبقى بَعدَهُ

يا بُؤسَ عَيشي ما أَمَرَّ وَأَنكَدا

يا بُؤسَ عَيشي ما أَمَرَّ وَأَنكَدا

I never thought he would perish and I survive him.

I will leave it to pass and remain after it

O misery of my life—how bitter and wretched it is!

Oh misery of my life, how bitter and woeful

لَهفي عَلى بَدرٍ تَغَيَّبَ في ثَرى

لَهفي عَلى بَدرٍ تَغَيَّبَ في ثَرى

رَمسٍ وَبَحرٍ في ضَريحٍ أُلحِدا

رَمسٍ وَبَحرٍ في ضَريحٍ أُلحِدا

Alas for a full moon vanished into the soil

My longing for a full moon that set in the ground

of a grave, and an ocean interred within a tomb!

Of Rum and a sea in a dug grave

أَبقَيتَ لي يا دَهرُ بَعدَ فِراقِهِ

أَبقَيتَ لي يا دَهرُ بَعدَ فِراقِهِ

كَبِداً مُقَرَّحَةً وَجَفناً أَرمَدا

كَبِداً مُقَرَّحَةً وَجَفناً أَرمَدا

You have left me, O Time, after his departure,

You left me after his departure, O Time

an ulcerated liver and an inflamed eyelid,

With a wounded liver and blinded eyes

وَجَوىً يُؤَجَّجُ بَينَ أَثناءِ الحشا

وَجَوىً يُؤَجَّجُ بَينَ أَثناءِ الحشا

ناراً تَزايَدُ بِالدُموعِ تَوَقُّدا

ناراً تَزايَدُ بِالدُموعِ تَوَقُّدا

and anguish stoked amid the folds of my entrails,

And embers stoked amid the darkness

a fire whose burning grows fiercer with tears.

A fire fueled by tears, burning

لَو كانَ خَلقٌ بِالمَكارِمِ وَالتُقى

لَو كانَ خَلقٌ بِالمَكارِمِ وَالتُقى

يَبقى لَكانَ مَدى الزَمانِ مُخَلَّدا

يَبقى لَكانَ مَدى الزَمانِ مُخَلَّدا

If any creature, through noble virtues and piety,

If there was a people of generosity and piety

could live on, he would have been immortal for all time.

It would last for eternity, immortalized

أَو كانَ شَقُّ الجَيبِ يُنقذُ مِن رَدىً

أَو كانَ شَقُّ الجَيبِ يُنقذُ مِن رَدىً

شَقَّت عَلَيكَ بَنو أَبيكَ الأَكبُدا

شَقَّت عَلَيكَ بَنو أَبيكَ الأَكبُدا

Or if rending one's collar could save from death,

Or ripping open pockets could save from the havoc

your father's sons would have rent their livers in grief for you.

That grieved your father’s children, distressing their livers

أَو كانَ يُغني عَنكَ دَفعٌ بِالقَنا الـ

أَو كانَ يُغني عَنكَ دَفعٌ بِالقَنا الـ

ـخَطيِّ غادَرَتِ الوَشيجَ مُقَصّدا

ـخَطيِّ غادَرَتِ الوَشيجَ مُقَصّدا

Or, if defense with lances could have availed you—

Or warding off the treacherous, attacking army

those of al-Khatt—they would have left the shafts shattered.

That betrayed the Washi clan, targeting them

وَلَقَد تَمَنَّت أَن تَكونَ فَوارِسٌ

وَلَقَد تَمَنَّت أَن تَكونَ فَوارِسٌ

مِن آلِ أَيّوبَ الكِرامِ لَكَ الفِدا

مِن آلِ أَيّوبَ الكِرامِ لَكَ الفِدا

And indeed, horsemen have wished that they might be

Many desired to be cavaliers

your ransom—men of the noble house of Ayyub.

From the noble Ayyubid family, sacrificing themselves

أَبكيتَ حَتّى نَثرَةً وَطِمِرَّةً

أَبكيتَ حَتّى نَثرَةً وَطِمِرَّةً

وَحَزَنتَ حَتّى ذابِلاً وَمُهَنَّدا

وَحَزَنتَ حَتّى ذابِلاً وَمُهَنَّدا

You made even a coat of mail and a spirited mare weep,

You wept until spotty and dusty

and saddened even a slender lance and an Indian sword.

And grieved until feeble and exhausted

كَم لَيلَةٍ قَد بِتَّ فيها لا تَرى

كَم لَيلَةٍ قَد بِتَّ فيها لا تَرى

إِلّا ظُهورَ الأَعوجِيَّةِ مَرقَدا

إِلّا ظُهورَ الأَعوجِيَّةِ مَرقَدا

How many a night you spent, seeing no

How many nights have passed where you saw

bed but the backs of A'waji horses!

Only the backs of the curved ones as your bed

تَحمي حِمى الإِسلامِ مُنتَصِراً لَهُ

تَحمي حِمى الإِسلامِ مُنتَصِراً لَهُ

بِعَزائِمٍ تَستَقرِبُ المُستَبعَدا

بِعَزائِمٍ تَستَقرِبُ المُستَبعَدا

Guarding Islam's domain and championing it,

Guarding the bastion of Islam as its champion

with resolves that deem the distant near.

With resolve that seeks the improbable

وَلَرُبَّ مَلهوفٍ دَعاهُ لِحادِثٍ

وَلَرُبَّ مَلهوفٍ دَعاهُ لِحادِثٍ

جَلَلٍ فَكانَ جَوابُهُ قَبلَ الصَدى

جَلَلٍ فَكانَ جَوابُهُ قَبلَ الصَدى

And many a distressed man called upon him in a calamity

And for many an anxious one who called on him for a monumental event

so grave, and his answer came before the echo.

His reply preceded the echo

وَلَطالَما شيمَت بَوارِقُ كَفِّهِ

وَلَطالَما شيمَت بَوارِقُ كَفِّهِ

فَهمَت سَحائِبُها عَلَينا عَسجَدا

فَهمَت سَحائِبُها عَلَينا عَسجَدا

And how often the lightning flashes of his palm were watched,

And often the lightning of his palm flashed

and their clouds poured gold upon us!

Driving its clouds over us, unexpected

ما ضَلَّ غِمرٌ عَن مَحَجَّةِ قَصدِهِ

ما ضَلَّ غِمرٌ عَن مَحَجَّةِ قَصدِهِ

إِلّا وَكانَ لَهُ إِلَيها مُرشِدا

إِلّا وَكانَ لَهُ إِلَيها مُرشِدا

No novice strayed from the clear road to his goal

No lost one strayed from the path of his purpose

but he became his guide back to it.

Except a guide to it was appointed for him

يا مالِكاً مِن بَعدِ فَقدي وَجهَهُ

يا مالِكاً مِن بَعدِ فَقدي وَجهَهُ

جارَ الزَمانُ عَلَيَّ بَعدَكَ وَاِعتَدى

جارَ الزَمانُ عَلَيَّ بَعدَكَ وَاِعتَدى

O king, since I lost sight of his face,

O ruler after I lost sight of your face

Time has wronged me since you left, and overstepped all bounds.

Time has oppressed me after you, trespassing

أَعزِز عَلَيَّ بِأَن يَزورَكَ راثِياً

أَعزِز عَلَيَّ بِأَن يَزورَكَ راثِياً

مَن كانَ زارَكَ بِالمَدائِحِ مُنشِدا

مَن كانَ زارَكَ بِالمَدائِحِ مُنشِدا

How grievous to me that he should visit you in lament

It angers me that your heir should visit you

who once visited you chanting praises!

One who used to sing your praises, reciting poems

كَم مَورِدٍ ضَنكٍ وَرَدتَ وَطَعمُهُ

كَم مَورِدٍ ضَنكٍ وَرَدتَ وَطَعمُهُ

مُرٌّ وَقَد عافَ الكُماةُ المَورِدا

مُرٌّ وَقَد عافَ الكُماةُ المَورِدا

How many a perilous watering-place you reached, its taste

How many straits have you entered, their taste

bitter, when champions had shunned that watering-place!

Bitter, though the valiant avoided those straits

وَعَزيزِ قَومٍ مُترَفٍ سَربَلتَهُ

وَعَزيزِ قَومٍ مُترَفٍ سَربَلتَهُ

ذُلّا وَكانَ الطاغِيَ المُتَمَرِّدا

ذُلّا وَكانَ الطاغِيَ المُتَمَرِّدا

And many a pampered man, mighty among his people, you clothed

And the dear people of luxury whose attire

in humiliation, though he had been a rebellious tyrant.

You wore in humility while the tyrant rebelled

أَركَبتَهُ حَلَقاتِ أَدهَمَ قَصَّرَت

أَركَبتَهُ حَلَقاتِ أَدهَمَ قَصَّرَت

مِنهُ الخُطى مِن بَعدِ أَشقَرَ أَجرَدا

مِنهُ الخُطى مِن بَعدِ أَشقَرَ أَجرَدا

You mounted him on a black fetter's rings, which shortened

You mounted the rings of brown horses that

his steps, after he had ridden a sleek chestnut steed.

Shortened their gait after the blond chestnut ones

لَولا دِفاعُكَ بِالصَوارِمِ وَالقَنا

لَولا دِفاعُكَ بِالصَوارِمِ وَالقَنا

عَن حَوزَةِ الإِسلامِ عادَ كَما بَدا

عَن حَوزَةِ الإِسلامِ عادَ كَما بَدا

But for your defense with keen swords and lances

If not for your defense with swords and armaments

of Islam's domain, it would have returned to its first state.

Of the Islamic state, it would revert as it began

وَدِيارُ مِصرٍ لَو وَنَت عَزماتُهُ

وَدِيارُ مِصرٍ لَو وَنَت عَزماتُهُ

عَن نَصرِها لَتَمَكَّنَت فيها العِدى

عَن نَصرِها لَتَمَكَّنَت فيها العِدى

And Egypt's lands—had his resolves grown feeble

And Egypt’s houses, if its resolutions faltered

in defending them, the foes would have gained mastery there.

In aiding it, tyranny would take hold there

وَلَأَمسَتِ البيضُ الحَرائِرُ أَسهُماً

وَلَأَمسَتِ البيضُ الحَرائِرُ أَسهُماً

فيها سَبايا وَالمَوالي أَعبُدا

فيها سَبايا وَالمَوالي أَعبُدا

And fair, freeborn women would have become shares of spoil,

The innocent white women would become

captives there, and masters slaves.

Captives there, and the slaves fully enslaved

وَلَأَصبَحَت خَيلُ الفرنجِ مُغيرَةً

وَلَأَصبَحَت خَيلُ الفرنجِ مُغيرَةً

تَجتابُ ما بَينَ البَقيعِ إِلى كُدى

تَجتابُ ما بَينَ البَقيعِ إِلى كُدى

And the Franks' cavalry would have been raiding,

The Franks’ horses would raid what lies

ranging from al-Baqi' as far as Kuda.

Between Al Baqi’ and Qudud in the morning

وَبِثَغرِ دِمياطٍ فَكَم مِن بيعَةٍ

وَبِثَغرِ دِمياطٍ فَكَم مِن بيعَةٍ

عُبِدَ الصَليبُ بِها وَكانَت مَسجِدا

عُبِدَ الصَليبُ بِها وَكانَت مَسجِدا

And at Damietta's frontier port, how many a church

And at Damietta’s border, how many times

where the cross was worshipped had once been a mosque!

Was the cross worshipped there where a mosque stood

أَنقَذتَها مِن خُطَّةِ الخَسفِ الَّتي

أَنقَذتَها مِن خُطَّةِ الخَسفِ الَّتي

كانَت أَحلَّتها الحَضيضَ الأَوهَدا

كانَت أَحلَّتها الحَضيضَ الأَوهَدا

You rescued it from the state of abasement that

You saved it from the cunning plot

had cast it into the lowest depths.

That would have made it plummet to the deepest pit

أَجلَيتَ لَيلَ الكُفرِ عَنها فَاِنطَوى

أَجلَيتَ لَيلَ الكُفرِ عَنها فَاِنطَوى

وَأَنَرتَ في عَرَصاتِها فَجرَ الهُدى

وَأَنَرتَ في عَرَصاتِها فَجرَ الهُدى

You drove the night of unbelief from it, and it folded away,

You dispelled from it the night of disbelief so it folded

and lit the dawn of guidance in its squares.

And illuminated its plains with the dawn of guidance

وَلَقَد شَهِدتُكَ يَومَ قَيسارِيَّةٍ

وَلَقَد شَهِدتُكَ يَومَ قَيسارِيَّةٍ

وَالشَمسُ قَد نَسَجَ القَتامُ لَها رِدا

وَالشَمسُ قَد نَسَجَ القَتامُ لَها رِدا

And indeed I witnessed you on the day of Caesarea,

I witnessed you on the day of Qaysariyya

while battle-dust had woven a cloak for the sun,

As the sun wove a cloak of darkness for it

وَالكُفرُ مُعتَصِمٌ بِسورٍ مُشرِفِ الـ

وَالكُفرُ مُعتَصِمٌ بِسورٍ مُشرِفِ الـ

ـأَبراجِ أُحكِمَ بِالصَفيحِ وَشُيِّدا

ـأَبراجِ أُحكِمَ بِالصَفيحِ وَشُيِّدا

and unbelief was entrenched behind a wall with soaring

With disbelief taking refuge behind a wall with elevated

towers, strengthened with stone slabs and raised high.

Towers, fortified with metal and built high

فَجَعَلتَ عاليها مَكانَ أَساسِها

فَجَعَلتَ عاليها مَكانَ أَساسِها

وَأَلَنتَ لِلأَخشابِ فيها الجامِدا

وَأَلَنتَ لِلأَخشابِ فيها الجامِدا

So you put its heights where its foundations lay,

You made its heights the place of its foundations

and made the solid stone there yield to wooden beams.

And subdued for it the rigid timbers

قُل لِلأَعادي إِن فَقَدنا سَيِّداً

قُل لِلأَعادي إِن فَقَدنا سَيِّداً

يَحمي الذِمارَ فَقَد رُزِقنا سَيِّدا

يَحمي الذِمارَ فَقَد رُزِقنا سَيِّدا

Tell the enemies: if we have lost a lord

Say to the enemies: If we lost a master

who guarded our honor, we have now been granted a lord:

Who protected the weak, we were given a master

الناصِرُ الملكُ الَّذي أَضحى بِرو

الناصِرُ الملكُ الَّذي أَضحى بِرو

حِ القُدسِ في كُلِّ الأُمورِ مُؤَيَّدا

حِ القُدسِ في كُلِّ الأُمورِ مُؤَيَّدا

Al-Nasir, the king, who now, by the Spirit

The victorious King who sacrificed the soul

of Holiness, is upheld in every affair.

Of Jerusalem in all matters, supported

أَعلى المُلوكِ مَحَلَّةً وَأسدُّهُم

أَعلى المُلوكِ مَحَلَّةً وَأسدُّهُم

رَأياً وَأَشجَعُهُم وَأَطوَلُهُم يَدا

رَأياً وَأَشجَعُهُم وَأَطوَلُهُم يَدا

The highest of kings in station, and the soundest

The highest of kings in rank, the strongest in

in judgment, the bravest, and the most generous of hand.

Opinion, the bravest, with the longest arm

ماضي العَزيمَةِ لا يُرى في رَأيِهِ

ماضي العَزيمَةِ لا يُرى في رَأيِهِ

يَومَ الكَريهَةِ حائِراً مُتَرَدِّدا

يَومَ الكَريهَةِ حائِراً مُتَرَدِّدا

Firm of resolve, he is never seen in his judgment

Firm in purpose, no hesitation seen in his view

on the day of battle, bewildered or wavering.

On the day of tribulation, deliberating

يَقِظٌ يَكادُ يُريهِ ثاقِبُ فِكرِهِ

يَقِظٌ يَكادُ يُريهِ ثاقِبُ فِكرِهِ

في يَومِهِ ما سَوفَ يَأتيهِ غَدا

في يَومِهِ ما سَوفَ يَأتيهِ غَدا

Vigilant, his penetrating thought all but shows him

Awake, the acuity of his insight nearly shows him

today what will come to him tomorrow.

On his day what will come to him tomorrow