القَصرُ ذو الشُرُفاءِ مِن بَغدادِ

القَصرُ ذو الشُرُفاءِ مِن بَغدادِ

لا القَصرُ ذو الشُرَفاتِ مِن شَدّادِ

لا القَصرُ ذو الشُرَفاتِ مِن شَدّادِ

The palace with noblemen in Baghdad,

The palace of honorable men from Baghdad

not Shaddad’s palace with its battlements.

No, the palace with balconies from Saddad

وَالتاجُ مِن فَوقِ الرِياضِ كَأَنَّهُ

وَالتاجُ مِن فَوقِ الرِياضِ كَأَنَّهُ

عَذراءُ قَد جُلِيَت بِأَعطَرِ نادِ

عَذراءُ قَد جُلِيَت بِأَعطَرِ نادِ

And al-Taj above the gardens seems

And the crown above the gardens as if it were

a maiden unveiled in the most fragrant gathering.

A maiden adorned with the most fragrant perfume

وَالريحُ تَلعَبُ بِالغُصونِ فَتَنثَني

وَالريحُ تَلعَبُ بِالغُصونِ فَتَنثَني

فَكَأَنَّهُ مِنها عَلى ميعادِ

فَكَأَنَّهُ مِنها عَلى ميعادِ

And the wind plays with the branches, so they bend,

The wind plays with the branches and bends them

as though it had a rendezvous with her.

As if it has an appointment with them

وَكَأَنَّ دِجلَةَ سِلكُها ف جيدِها

وَكَأَنَّ دِجلَةَ سِلكُها ف جيدِها

وَالبَعلَ سَيِّدَنا الإِمامُ الهادِي

وَالبَعلَ سَيِّدَنا الإِمامُ الهادِي

And the Tigris seems her necklace-string around her neck,

And as if the Tigris River, its course was in its chest

and her husband is our lord, the guiding imam:

And the Master, our Lord Al-Hadi

الناصِرُ المَنصورُ خَيرُ خَليفَةٍ

الناصِرُ المَنصورُ خَيرُ خَليفَةٍ

لا يَمتَطي في الحَربِ مَتنَ جَوادِ

لا يَمتَطي في الحَربِ مَتنَ جَوادِ

al-Nasir, granted victory, the finest caliph,

Al-Nasir al-Mansour, the best Caliph

who does not mount a steed’s back in battle.

Does not ride in war an untamed steed

صَلّى عَلَيهِ اللَهُ ما صَدَحَت بِهِ

صَلّى عَلَيهِ اللَهُ ما صَدَحَت بِهِ

وَرقا مُطَوَّقَةٌ عَلى مَيّادِ

وَرقا مُطَوَّقَةٌ عَلى مَيّادِ

May God bless him as long as his praises are sung by

May Allah bless him as long as leaves rustled

a ring-necked gray dove upon a swaying bough;

On branches garlanded on banquet tables

وَكَذاكَ ما بَرِقَت بُروقُ مَباسِمٍ

وَكَذاكَ ما بَرِقَت بُروقُ مَباسِمٍ

سَحَّت لَها مِن مُقلَتَيَّ عَوادِ

سَحَّت لَها مِن مُقلَتَيَّ عَوادِ

and likewise, as long as lightning flashes from smiling mouths—

And as long as the flashes of smiling faces gleamed

for which recurring showers pour from my two eyes—

Which were unveiled by the eyelids of visitors

مِن خُرَّدٍ كَالشَمسِ أَقلَعَ غَيثُها

مِن خُرَّدٍ كَالشَمسِ أَقلَعَ غَيثُها

فَبَدَت بِأَنوَرَ مُستَنيرٍ بادي

فَبَدَت بِأَنوَرَ مُستَنيرٍ بادي

of shy maidens, like the sun when its rain has ceased,

From a pearl like the sun, its rain has risen

so it appears more radiant, luminous and clear.

Appearing with the most luminous radiance