أنا عبْدُ مَوْلايَ الخليفَة يوسُفِ

أنا عبْدُ مَوْلايَ الخليفَة يوسُفِ

خبرٌ به رسْمي يصحُّ ويكْتفي

خبرٌ به رسْمي يصحُّ ويكْتفي

I am the servant of my lord, the Caliph Yusuf.

I am the servant of my master the Caliph Yusuf

A statement by which my designation is confirmed and needs nothing more.

With him I have a formal relationship that is sound and sufficient

هذا هو العزّ الذي أحْرَزْتُهُ

هذا هو العزّ الذي أحْرَزْتُهُ

وبه رَقَيْتُ إلى المحلِّ الأشرَفِ

وبه رَقَيْتُ إلى المحلِّ الأشرَفِ

This is the glory that I have attained,

This is the honor that I have attained

And through it I have risen to the noblest station.

And with it I have risen to the most noble position

لوْلا سَحابٌ جاءَني من جودِه

لوْلا سَحابٌ جاءَني من جودِه

ما كان رَيْبُ الحادِثاتِ بمنصِفِ

ما كان رَيْبُ الحادِثاتِ بمنصِفِ

But for a cloud that came to me from his generosity,

Were it not for a cloud that came to me from his generosity

The turns of calamity would not have dealt justly with me.

The oppression of events would not have been fair

لا أرْتَجي إلا نَداهُ فَرِفْدُهُ

لا أرْتَجي إلا نَداهُ فَرِفْدُهُ

لوْلاهُ ما كان الزّمانُ بمُسْعِفِ

لوْلاهُ ما كان الزّمانُ بمُسْعِفِ

I hope for nothing but his bounty; for his largesse—

I hope for nothing but his calls to provide for me

Without it, time would not have come to my aid.

Without him time would not have been favorable

موْلايَ إنّي عبْدُ نعْمَتِكَ التي

موْلايَ إنّي عبْدُ نعْمَتِكَ التي

وكَفَتْ لديْهِ فكُلُّ مُعضلةٍ كُفِي

وكَفَتْ لديْهِ فكُلُّ مُعضلةٍ كُفِي

My lord, I am the servant of your favor, which

My master, I am the servant of your blessing

Has rained down upon him, so every difficulty is taken care of.

Which has sufficed for my religion, so every dilemma was remedied

ولديّ مولودٌ يُرجّى عادةً

ولديّ مولودٌ يُرجّى عادةً

عوّدتَها لمؤمِّلٍ مُسْتَعطِفِ

عوّدتَها لمؤمِّلٍ مُسْتَعطِفِ

And I have a newborn, given hope of a customary favor

And I have a newborn who is usually hoped for

You have made customary for a hopeful seeker of kindness.

You have accustomed him to beseech the hopeful

وقّعْ لعبدِكَ باسمِهِ فالقَصْدُ أنْ

وقّعْ لعبدِكَ باسمِهِ فالقَصْدُ أنْ

تتجدّد النُعْمى بكتْبِ الأحْرُفِ

تتجدّد النُعْمى بكتْبِ الأحْرُفِ

Sign for your servant in his name, for the aim is that

Sign for your servant with his name, for the intention is

The favor be renewed by the writing of the letters.

That blessings be renewed with the writing of letters

لا أقتَضي طلَباً سوى هذا الذي

لا أقتَضي طلَباً سوى هذا الذي

هوَ عزّتي وعِنايتي وتشرُّفي

هوَ عزّتي وعِنايتي وتشرُّفي

I ask for nothing beyond this, which

I seek no request but this which

Is my glory, my concern, and my honor.

Is my honor, care, and ennoblement

لا أرتجي عَرَضاً فكمْ من نعمةٍ

لا أرتجي عَرَضاً فكمْ من نعمةٍ

أوْلَيْتَها بتلطُّفٍ وتعطُّفِ

أوْلَيْتَها بتلطُّفٍ وتعطُّفِ

I hope for no worldly gain, for many are the favors

I hope for no promotion, for how many a blessing

You have bestowed with gentleness and compassion.

You have conferred with kindness and favor

لا أبتَغي أرَباً فكم من مقصَدٍ

لا أبتَغي أرَباً فكم من مقصَدٍ

أسْعَفْتَ من قبل السّؤالِ المُعْتَفي

أسْعَفْتَ من قبل السّؤالِ المُعْتَفي

I seek no boon, for many a wish

I seek no profit, for how many a purpose

You have fulfilled for the supplicant before he asked.

You have facilitated before the request could be expressed

ومتى بقيتُ ونعمةُ الموْلى على

ومتى بقيتُ ونعمةُ الموْلى على

مملوكِهِ فبواحِدٍ لا أكْتَفي

مملوكِهِ فبواحِدٍ لا أكْتَفي

And as long as I live, with the lord's favor upon

And whenever I remain, and the blessing of the Master on

His slave, I shall not be content with one,

His subject, with one I cannot be satisfied

لكنْ بثانٍ بعدَهُ وبثالِثٍ

لكنْ بثانٍ بعدَهُ وبثالِثٍ

لهُما على نسَقٍ بغيْرِ توقّفِ

لهُما على نسَقٍ بغيْرِ توقّفِ

But with a second after the first, and with a third

But with a second after him, and with a third

Added to those two in succession, without pause.

For both of them on par without stopping

هذا يطولُ فأيُّ مالٍ طائِلٍ

هذا يطولُ فأيُّ مالٍ طائِلٍ

بصِلاتِ عبدِكَ أو عوائِدِه يَفي

بصِلاتِ عبدِكَ أو عوائِدِه يَفي

This would go on at length; so what vast wealth

This goes on, so what availed wealth

Could suffice for gifts to your servant or his customary grants?

Suffices with the prayers of your servant or his returns

عُد باسْمِهِ متألّماً من منْعِهِ

عُد باسْمِهِ متألّماً من منْعِهِ

يُشْفى بما منهُ منَحْتَ ويكْتَفي

يُشْفى بما منهُ منَحْتَ ويكْتَفي

Tend, with his name, one pained by its withholding;

Return with his name, grieving from his prevention

He will be healed by what you bestow of it, and be content.

He will be healed by what you have given him and be satisfied

ما عُذْرُه إنْ عابَه إخوانُهُ

ما عُذْرُه إنْ عابَه إخوانُهُ

أو فاخَروا بالعُرْفِ مَنْ لم يُعْرفِ

أو فاخَروا بالعُرْفِ مَنْ لم يُعْرفِ

What excuse has he if his brothers reproach him,

What is his fault if his brothers rebuked him

Or boast of favors over one who has not been favored?

Or boasted of prestige he who did not have it