أَيُّ شراعٍ لأَيِّ بحرِ

أَيُّ شراعٍ لأَيِّ بحرِ

وأَيُّ كِسْفٍ لأَيِّ بَدْرِ

وأَيُّ كِسْفٍ لأَيِّ بَدْرِ

What a sail for what a sea!

What sail for what sea,

And what a cloud-fragment for what a full moon!

What full moon for what sky,

وأَيُّ شمسٍ تجلَّلَتْها

وأَيُّ شمسٍ تجلَّلَتْها

طُرَّةُ صُبْحٍ سَعَتْ بفجرِ

طُرَّةُ صُبْحٍ سَعَتْ بفجرِ

And what a sun, enveloped

What sun dawned and shone,

By morning’s fringe, hastening with dawn!

In the light of early morn.

ظِلّاً لمن مَدَّ ظلَّ أَمْنٍ

ظِلّاً لمن مَدَّ ظلَّ أَمْنٍ

فِي كل أَرضٍ وكل ثغرِ

فِي كل أَرضٍ وكل ثغرِ

A shade for him who spread the shade of safety

Providing shade for one who spread shade

In every land and every frontier;

Of safety in every land and every border,

وسِتْرَ صَوْنٍ لوجهِ مولىً

وسِتْرَ صَوْنٍ لوجهِ مولىً

بِهِ رعى اللهُ كلَّ سِتْرِ

بِهِ رعى اللهُ كلَّ سِتْرِ

And a protective veil for a lord’s face,

A veil of protection for the face of a master,

Through whom God has guarded every veil.

With whom God tended to every veil.

تُشرقُ منه بنورِ هَدْيٍ

تُشرقُ منه بنورِ هَدْيٍ

وبرقِ غيثٍ وسيفِ نَصْرِ

وبرقِ غيثٍ وسيفِ نَصْرِ

It shines from him with the light of guidance,

Shining from him the light of guidance,

And rain’s lightning and a sword of victory.

And the lightning of rain and sword of victory,

كَأَنَّما ظَلَّلَتْ عَلَيْهِ

كَأَنَّما ظَلَّلَتْ عَلَيْهِ

سحابَةٌ مَدَّها بقطرِ

سحابَةٌ مَدَّها بقطرِ

As though he were shaded

As though a cloud had shaded over him

By a cloud he had supplied with rain;

Extending with its rain.

أَو روضَةٌ في الهواءِ حُفَّتْ

أَو روضَةٌ في الهواءِ حُفَّتْ

من طِيبِ أخلاقه بزَهْرِ

من طِيبِ أخلاقه بزَهْرِ

Or a garden in the air, wreathed

Or a garden in the air enclosed

With blossoms from the fragrance of his character.

With the fragrance of his virtuous traits,

كأَنما الريحُ فِي ذُرَاها

كأَنما الريحُ فِي ذُرَاها

راحٌ تُريهِ انثناءَ سُكْرِ

راحٌ تُريهِ انثناءَ سُكْرِ

As though the wind amid its heights

As though the breeze in its flowing

Were wine, showing him a drunken sway;

Were a loving voice singing his praise,

أَوْ كَيْفَ يَهْتَزُّ إِنْ دَعاهُ

أَوْ كَيْفَ يَهْتَزُّ إِنْ دَعاهُ

صوتُ وغىً أَوْ لسانُ شُكرِ

صوتُ وغىً أَوْ لسانُ شُكرِ

Or how he sways if summoned

Or how it trembles if called

By the din of battle or a tongue of thanks.

By the voice of clamor or tongue of thanks,

مُظَفَّرٌ حازَ تاجَ مُلْكٍ

مُظَفَّرٌ حازَ تاجَ مُلْكٍ

كُلِّلَ من نظمِ كلِّ فخْرِ

كُلِّلَ من نظمِ كلِّ فخْرِ

Victorious, he has won a crown of kingship,

Victorious, having won the crown of kingship,

Wreathed with every glory strung together.

Crowned with the prose of every glory.

فالله يُمْلي له الليالي

فالله يُمْلي له الليالي

فِي عزِّ ملكٍ وطولِ عُمرِ

فِي عزِّ ملكٍ وطولِ عُمرِ

So may God prolong the nights for him

So may God grant him nights

In the glory of kingship and long life.

In the honor of a lasting reign.