الدهرُTime أنتyou ودارُكand your dwelling الدُّنياthe world ومَنand whoever
الدهرُ أنت ودارُك الدُّنيا ومَن
فيin العَدّthe reckoning بعدُbesides you مؤمِّلa hopeful petitioner وحَسُودُand an envier
في العَدّ بعدُ مؤمِّل وحَسُودُ
You are Time, and the world your dwelling; those
Time is your abode, and this world your home,
still counted besides you are hopeful petitioners and enviers.
After counting, there remains an envious delayer.
وأزمَّةُand the reins الأقدارof destinies طَوْعُobedient to يديكyour two hands والand the-
وأزمَّةُ الأقدار طَوْعُ يديك وال
أَيَّامُdays جُنْدُكyour troops والأنامُand humankind عبيدُslaves
أَيَّامُ جُنْدُك والأنامُ عبيدُ
The reins of destiny obey your hands, and the
The crises of fate are subservient to your hands,
days are your troops, and humankind your slaves.
Your days are your troops, mankind your servants.
فُتَّyou surpassed الوَرىhumankind وَعَقَدتand you bound ناصِيَةَthe forelock المَدىof distance
فُتَّ الوَرى وَعَقَدت ناصِيَةَ المَدى
بِمذمّرto the nape الشِّعرىof Sirius فَأَينَso where تريدُdo you wish to go
بِمذمّر الشِّعرى فَأَينَ تريدُ
You have outstripped mankind and tied distance's forelock
You have conquered the earth and grasped the reins of eternity,
to Sirius's nape—where, then, would you go?
With hoary hair tied about your temples, so where are you headed?
تالٍfollowing أَباكَyour father فَهلso is it سليمانٌSolomon يُرَىwho is seen
تالٍ أَباكَ فَهل سليمانٌ يُرَى
فيupon الدَّسْتthe throne مَهَّدprepared مُلْكَهhis kingdom داودُDavid
في الدَّسْت مَهَّد مُلْكَه داودُ
Following your father—is it Solomon we see
Such is your nature! Did Solomon's throne,
upon the throne, his kingdom prepared by David?
Cradled in David's lap, endure?
جَلَّىhe came first وسُدْتَand you ruled مُصَلِّياًcoming second ولاand not يُرْفَعُis exalted الthe-
جَلَّى وسُدْتَ مُصَلِّياً ولا يُرْفَعُ ال
مَعْدُومُdeparted ماas long as لَمnot يَشفَعِintercedes المَوجودُthe living
مَعْدُومُ ما لَم يَشفَعِ المَوجودُ
He came first, and you attained lordship coming second; nor is the
You let shine and shut up the worshiper, and none can intercede for the doomed.
departed exalted unless the living intercedes.
No ancestry or father helped you grow,
لمnot يُختَرَمwas cut off by death جَدٌّa grandfather نَماكَbrought you forth وَلاand no أبٌfather
لم يُختَرَم جَدٌّ نَماكَ وَلا أبٌ
إِنّindeed النّباهَةَdistinction فيin الخليفِthe successor خلودُimmortality
إِنّ النّباهَةَ في الخليفِ خلودُ
No grandfather from whom you sprang, nor father, has perished;
Indeed, wisdom in a successor is eternity.
for distinction in the successor is immortality.
Your minarets loomed high over the horizon, and made motherless
شَمَختtowered مَنارُكَyour beacons فيon اليَفاعthe heights وأمَّهاand he sought them
شَمَخت مَنارُكَ في اليَفاع وأمَّها
منone who لمnot يسُدْhad ruled فأَرَتْهُso they showed him كيفhow يسودُto rule
من لم يسُدْ فأَرَتْهُ كيف يسودُ
Your beacons towered on the heights, and toward them came
One who did not yield, so how can he rule?
one who had never ruled; they showed him how to rule.
You raged for Islam while it called for help,
وَهَبَبْتَand you sprang up لِلإِسلامِfor Islam وَهوَwhile it was مُصوّحwithering
وَهَبَبْتَ لِلإِسلامِ وَهوَ مُصوّح
فَاِهْتَزَّso stirred أَهضابٌhills وَرَقَّand softened نجودُuplands
فَاِهْتَزَّ أَهضابٌ وَرَقَّ نجودُ
And you sprang to Islam's aid when it was withering,
So peaks trembled and stars scattered.
so hills stirred and uplands softened.
You kindled the embers of its Salihs with a flashing blade
وَفَثأتَand you quenched جَمرَةَthe ember صالميهof its mutilators بِصَيْلَمٍwith a crushing battle
وَفَثأتَ جَمرَةَ صالميه بِصَيْلَمٍ
نَصَعَcast out الأجنَّةَthe unborn يومُهَاits day المشهودُwitnessed
نَصَعَ الأجنَّةَ يومُهَا المشهودُ
And you quenched its mutilators' ember with a crushing battle;
Whose edge on its day cleaved the viscera.
its witnessed day cast out the unborn.
They met them above al-Khatim with towering giants
خَطَمَتهُمُmuzzled them فَوقَabove الخَطيمِal-Khatim لَوافِحٌscorching blasts
خَطَمَتهُمُ فَوقَ الخَطيمِ لَوافِحٌ
نَفسُbreath الأَرينِof the lion لِوأرهِنَّbeside their blaze برودُcool
نَفسُ الأَرينِ لِوأرهِنَّ برودُ
Scorching blasts muzzled them above al-Khatim;
Whose souls yearned to be ransomed with refrigeration.
a lion's breath is cool beside their blaze.
And they hurled themselves into Golan by your rage
وَرُمُواand they were struck عَلىon الجَوْلانِthe Golan مِنكَfrom you بِجَولَةٍby a charge
وَرُمُوا عَلى الجَوْلانِ مِنكَ بِجَولَةٍ
تَوئيدُهاits measured advance نَسرُthe eagle الضَلالِof error وَئيدُburied alive
تَوئيدُها نَسرُ الضَلالِ وَئيدُ
And on the Golan they were struck by a charge from you,
Which whelped the eagle of misguidance and its whelp.
whose measured advance left error's eagle buried alive.
And a flaming meteor singed their bones,
وَلَحَاand scraped bare عِظامَهمُtheir bones بعَرْقَةat Arqa عارِقٌa flesh-stripper
وَلَحَا عِظامَهمُ بعَرْقَة عارِقٌ
مازِلتَyou kept تَمحضُmaking pure جَوّهُits air فَتَجودُand pouring forth bounty
مازِلتَ تَمحضُ جَوّهُ فَتَجودُ
And at Arqa a flesh-stripper scraped their bones bare;
You continue purifying its air, so you dwell in bounty.
you kept purifying its air and pouring forth bounty.
You flogged the ghosts with the soulful spear, and above it
وَشَلَلتand you drove off بِالرّوحat al-Ruh السّروجthe saddles وَفَوقهاand above them
وَشَلَلت بِالرّوح السّروج وَفَوقها
زرعٌa crop تحصِّدُهreap it الرِّماحthe lances حصيدُmown down
زرعٌ تحصِّدُه الرِّماح حصيدُ
And at al-Ruh you drove off the saddles, with above them
Crops the spears would reap at harvest time.
a crop reaped by lances, laid low.
And over Azaz you toppled their lofty nests,
وَعَلىand at عَزازAzaz عَنَوْاthey submitted وَثَلّand toppled عُروشَهُمtheir thrones
وَعَلى عَزاز عَنَوْا وَثَلّ عُروشَهُم
مَلكٌa king مُقيّدُa fetterer مَنwhoever عَصاهُdisobeyed him مَقيدُfettered
مَلكٌ مُقيّدُ مَن عَصاهُ مَقيدُ
And at Azaz they submitted, and their thrones were toppled
A captive king is one who disobeys his binder.
by a fettering king; whoever disobeyed him was fettered.
So with striking they struck you, and were struck down,
وبِتَلِّand at Tall باشِرَBashir باشَروكَthey confronted you فَعافَسواso they grappled with
وبِتَلِّ باشِرَ باشَروكَ فَعافَسوا
أُهبَthe hides الأَساوِدِof black serpents حَشوُهُنَّtheir stuffing أسودُlions
أُهبَ الأَساوِدِ حَشوُهُنَّ أسودُ
And at Tall Bashir they confronted you and grappled with
The innards of the black lionesses are blackest.
the hides of black serpents, with lions packed inside.
They perished as perished Aad led astray by its she-camel,
أَوْدَواthey perished كَماas أَوْدَىbrought destruction بعادٍupon 'Ad غَيُّهاits waywardness
أَوْدَوا كَما أَوْدَى بعادٍ غَيُّها
وَعَقواand rebelled كَماas اِستَغوىbrought to ruin الفَصيلَthe camel-calf ثَمودُThamud
وَعَقوا كَما اِستَغوى الفَصيلَ ثَمودُ
They perished as 'Ad was destroyed by its waywardness,
And rebelled like Thamud's calf-worshipping clan.
and rebelled as Thamud brought the camel-calf to ruin.
If they hurt, then you are righteous,
إِنْif آلَمواthey caused pain عَقراًby hamstringing فَإِنَّكَthen you are صالحٌSalih
إِنْ آلَموا عَقراً فَإِنَّكَ صالحٌ
أَوor آلَمواthey caused pain غَدراًthrough treachery فَإِنَّكَthen you are هودُHud
أَو آلَموا غَدراً فَإِنَّكَ هودُ
If they cause pain by hamstringing, you are Salih;
Or if betrayed, then you are judicious.
or if they cause pain through treachery, you are Hud.
You scattered them, so at every steep descent
وَزَّعتَهمand you scattered them فَبِكُلِّso at every مهبطِdescent تَلْعَةٍof a ravine
وَزَّعتَهم فَبِكُلِّ مهبطِ تَلْعَةٍ
خَدٌّa cheek بِهِin it مِنfrom وازعٍa restraining blow أُخْدُودُa furrow
خَدٌّ بِهِ مِن وازعٍ أُخْدُودُ
And you scattered them; at every ravine's downward slope
Lies a cheek rubbed bare by a reprimanding patron.
a cheek bears a furrow from a restraining blow.
And you fettered them with shackles filling the expanse
وَعَصَبتَهمand you encircled them بِعَصائِبٍwith bands of troops مِلءfilling المَلاthe open plain
وَعَصَبتَهم بِعَصائِبٍ مِلء المَلا
شَتَّىdiverse وَإِنْand though خلَّpinned together البَسالَةvalor عودُa wooden shaft
شَتَّى وَإِنْ خلَّ البَسالَة عودُ
And you encircled them with bands filling the open plain,
Dispersed, though the gallantry of their spears is intact.
diverse, though a shaft pins valor together.
Its traces are praiseworthy, and its traces
آثارُهاtheir deeds مَحمودَةٌpraiseworthy وَآثارهاand their traces
آثارُها مَحمودَةٌ وَآثارها
مشهودةٌwitnessed وشعارهاand their watchword محمودُMahmud
مشهودةٌ وشعارها محمودُ
Their deeds are praiseworthy, and their traces
Witnessed, its motto praiseworthy.
are witnessed, and their watchword is Mahmud.
It wore your name in hardship like a garment
لَبِسَتْthey donned مِنَfrom اِسْمِكَyour name فيin الكَريهَةِbattle مَلبِساًa garment
لَبِسَتْ مِنَ اِسْمِكَ في الكَريهَةِ مَلبِساً
يَبْلَىwears out جديدُwhat is new الدَّهْرِin Time وهوwhile it is جديدُnew
يَبْلَى جديدُ الدَّهْرِ وهو جديدُ
They donned from your name, in battle, a garment:
New in time though it wears out.
Time's newest things wear out, while it stays new.
The short-lived were given long lives by inspiration
وَقَصيرَةُand short-lived ones الآجالِin lifespan طَوَّلَlengthened باعهاtheir reach
وَقَصيرَةُ الآجالِ طَوَّلَ باعها
بَوْحٌan owl يُساميrivals in height هامَهاtheir heads وقدودُand a cleaving blade
بَوْحٌ يُسامي هامَها وقدودُ
And the short-lived ones had their reach extended
That rivals the heights of its aspirations.
by an owl that rivals their heads, and a cleaving blade.
Bereft of purpose since they were shaken,
مطرورةُtapered الأسلابin their shafts مُذْsince هَزَّعتهاyou brandished them
مطرورةُ الأسلاب مُذْ هَزَّعتها
تَاهَwalked proudly الهُدىright guidance وَتَبخْتَرَand swaggered التّوحيدُGod's oneness
تَاهَ الهُدى وَتَبخْتَرَ التّوحيدُ
Slender of shaft—ever since you brandished them,
Guidance was lost and pure faith contaminated.
guidance has walked proudly, and God's oneness has swaggered.
You unfurled them by the law of Ahmad
أَشْرَعْتَهاyou leveled them فَعَلىso upon شَريعَةِthe sacred law of أَحمَدٍAhmad
أَشْرَعْتَها فَعَلى شَريعَةِ أَحمَدٍ
مِمّاfrom what جَنَتهُthey harvested it بَوارِقٌflashes of light وَعُقودُand necklaces
مِمّا جَنَتهُ بَوارِقٌ وَعُقودُ
You leveled them, and upon Ahmad's sacred law
With what his lightning and clouds have reaped.
are gleams and necklaces from what they reaped.
And how much of its prose you have scattered in a stance
وَلَكَمand how often نَثَرتَyou scattered نَظيمَهاtheir strung pearls فيin مَوقِفٍa battlefield
وَلَكَم نَثَرتَ نَظيمَها في مَوقِفٍ
تَغريدُthe singing صاليof one scorched by حَرّهِits heat التَغريدُflight
تَغريدُ صالي حَرّهِ التَغريدُ
And how often you scattered their strung pearls on a battlefield
Where the heated warbling of his ally warbles!
where the song of one scorched by its heat was flight.
Clearing its darkness and undoing what
يَجلوdispels سَناكَyour radiance ظَلامَهُits darkness وَيحُلّand unties ماwhat
يَجلو سَناكَ ظَلامَهُ وَيحُلّ ما
عَقَدتbound قَناهُits lances لِواؤكyour banner المَعقودُknotted
عَقَدت قَناهُ لِواؤك المَعقودُ
Your radiance dispels its darkness, and what
His binding pact has knotted.
its lances bound, your knotted banner unbinds.
In a swoop, its ceiling crowded the sky
فيamid هَبوَةٍa dust cloud زَحَمَpressed against السَماءَthe sky رواقُهاits canopy
في هَبوَةٍ زَحَمَ السَماءَ رواقُها
وَالأَرضُand the earth تَرجُفtrembles تَحتَهbeneath it وتَميدُand sways
وَالأَرضُ تَرجُف تَحتَه وتَميدُ
Amid a dust cloud whose canopy pressed against the sky,
And the earth quaked beneath it and swayed.
the earth trembles beneath it and sways.
You pitched its camp, so its pegs were the Very Remote,
ضَرَبتْpitched مُخَيَّمَهاits camp فَكانَso became كُمَاتُهاits armored champions
ضَرَبتْ مُخَيَّمَها فَكانَ كُمَاتُها
أَوتادَهُits stakes القُصوىoutermost وَأَنتand you عَمودُa tent pole
أَوتادَهُ القُصوى وَأَنت عَمودُ
It pitched its camp, whose armored champions became
While you are its pillar.
its outermost stakes, and you its tent pole.
Every day of your conquests a herald proclaims
فيon كُلِّevery يَومٍday مِنof فُتوحِكَyour conquests صادِحٌa singer
في كُلِّ يَومٍ مِن فُتوحِكَ صادِحٌ
هزجُlilting الغناءِin song وَطائرٌand a bird غِرِّيدُwarbling
هزجُ الغناءِ وَطائرٌ غِرِّيدُ
On every day of your conquests there is a singer,
The rhymed song and a bird chirps.
lilting in song, and a warbling bird.
Bestowing the nectar of his cup on Anah,
تُهديoffers as a gift لِعانَةَto 'Ana كَأسَهhis cup فِرغانةFergana
تُهدي لِعانَةَ كَأسَه فِرغانة
وَتسيغُand savors زبدةthe cream ماof what شَداهُhe sang it زبيدُZabid
وَتسيغُ زبدة ما شَداهُ زبيدُ
Fergana offers his cup to 'Ana,
And sweetening the cream his abundance curdled.
and Zabid savors the cream of what he sang.
The slash of your sword is a prison for the Abyssinians,
فَغِرارُso the edge سَيفِكَof your sword لِلأَحابِشfor the Ahabish محبسٌa prison
فَغِرارُ سَيفِكَ لِلأَحابِش محبسٌ
ومُثارُand the rising نَقعِكَof your dust لِلصّعيدِfor Upper Egypt صَعيدُearth
ومُثارُ نَقعِكَ لِلصّعيدِ صَعيدُ
So your sword's edge is a prison for the Ahabish,
And the flow of your moisture is soil for the ground.
and the dust you raise is earth for Upper Egypt.
Let not this imitator lack a community
لاmay not تَعْدَمَنْyou ever lack هَذاthis المقلّدُinvested ruler أُمَّةًa nation
لا تَعْدَمَنْ هَذا المقلّدُ أُمَّةً
مُلقىhanded over إِليهِto him لِرَعْيِهاfor its tending الإِقليدُthe key
مُلقى إِليهِ لِرَعْيِها الإِقليدُ
May this invested ruler never lack a nation,
To which leadership of its flock is entrusted.
with its key entrusted to him for its care.
Rosy wine and spacious theaters,
الوِرْدُthe watering place قرٌّcool والمسارحُand the pastures رَحْبَةٌspacious
الوِرْدُ قرٌّ والمسارحُ رَحْبَةٌ
والرّفْدُand bounty مَدٌّa flood والظّلالُand shade مَديدُfar-reaching
والرّفْدُ مَدٌّ والظّلالُ مَديدُ
The watering place is cool, and the pastures spacious;
Provisions extended and shaded shadows stretched.
bounty is a flood, and the shade far-reaching.
Life is fine, its features illuminated,
وَالعَيشُand life أَبلَجُradiant مُشرِقُbright القَسَمَاتof countenance والand the-
وَالعَيشُ أَبلَجُ مُشرِقُ القَسَمَات وال
أَشجارُtrees غُرٌّfair وَالأَصائلُand the late afternoons غيدُgraceful
أَشجارُ غُرٌّ وَالأَصائلُ غيدُ
And life is radiant, bright of countenance, and the
Trees lush, roots anchored.
trees are fair, and the late afternoons graceful.
The kingdom has porticoes stretched to the horizon, vistas lit,
وَالمُلْكُand kingship مَمدودُextended الرّواقِin its canopy مُنوّرَilluminating الthe-
وَالمُلْكُ مَمدودُ الرّواقِ مُنوّرَ ال
آفاقِhorizons وَضّاءُradiant المُنىin its hopes مَحسودُenvied
آفاقِ وَضّاءُ المُنى مَحسودُ
And kingship spreads its canopy, illuminating the
Wish fulfillment radiates its glimmer.
horizons, radiant in its hopes, envied.
In a state whose spring scatter broadcast
فيin دَولَةٍa reign مُذْsince هَبَّwafted نَشرُthe fragrance رَبيعِهاof its spring
في دَولَةٍ مُذْ هَبَّ نَشرُ رَبيعِها
نُشِرwere raised to life الرّفاتُthe crumbled remains وَأَثمَرَand bore fruit الجُلْمُودُhard rock
نُشِر الرّفاتُ وَأَثمَرَ الجُلْمُودُ
In a reign where, since its springtime fragrance blew,
Serenity, and the frozen bloom.
dead remains were raised to life, and hard rock bore fruit.
Praiseworthy in effect, worthy of praise
مَحمودَةُpraiseworthy الآثارِin its deeds مَحمودِيَّةٌof Mahmud
مَحمودَةُ الآثارِ مَحمودِيَّةٌ
كلُّevery المَواسِمِseason عِندَهاwithin it تَعْييدُa celebration
كلُّ المَواسِمِ عِندَها تَعْييدُ
Praiseworthy in its deeds, a reign of Mahmud;
Are all its seasons, each a celebration.
every season within it is a festival.
Partial English translation: 73 of 74 Arabic lines translated.