محمدُ ما في عُودِكَ اليومَ وصمَةٌ

محمدُ ما في عُودِكَ اليومَ وصمَةٌ

ولا كُنتَ في الحَربِ الضَّروسِ مُعَرِّدا

ولا كُنتَ في الحَربِ الضَّروسِ مُعَرِّدا

Muhammad, today there is no blemish in your stock,

Muhammad, your return today bears no stain,

nor were you one to flee in savage war.

Nor were you in grueling wars stripped bare.

أبُوكَ الذي لم يَركَبِ الخيلَ مثلُهُ

أبُوكَ الذي لم يَركَبِ الخيلَ مثلُهُ

عليٌّ وسماكَ النبيُّ محمدا

عليٌّ وسماكَ النبيُّ محمدا

Your father, whose like has never ridden horses,

Your father, whom none could match in horsemanship,

is Ali, and the Prophet named you Muhammad.

Was Ali, and the Prophet named you Muhammad.

فلو كان حقَّاً من أبيكَ خليفةٌ

فلو كان حقَّاً من أبيكَ خليفةٌ

لكنتَ ولكن ذاك ما لا يُرى بدا

لكنتَ ولكن ذاك ما لا يُرى بدا

Were there truly a successor to your father,

Had your father truly been the caliph,

it would be you; yet no such equal can be seen.

You would have been, but this cannot be seen.

وأنت بحمدِ اللَه أطولُ غالبٍ

وأنت بحمدِ اللَه أطولُ غالبٍ

لساناً وأنداها بما ملكت يدا

لساناً وأنداها بما ملكت يدا

And you, praise be to God, surpass Ghalib’s people

By God's grace, you are the greatest victor

in eloquence, and are their most open-handed with what you possess;

In speech, and your hands grasp what they possess.

وأقربُها من كلِّ خيرٍ تُرِيدُهُ

وأقربُها من كلِّ خيرٍ تُرِيدُهُ

قُريشٌ وأوفاها بما قال مَوعِدا

قُريشٌ وأوفاها بما قال مَوعِدا

and the closest of them to every good sought

The nearest of all to every good you seek

by Quraysh, and the truest of them to a promise spoken;

Is Quraysh, truest to every promise made.

وأطعنهم صدر الكميِّ برُمحِهِ

وأطعنهم صدر الكميِّ برُمحِهِ

وأكساهُمُ للهامِ عَضباً مُهَنّدا

وأكساهُمُ للهامِ عَضباً مُهَنّدا

and the best at piercing an armored warrior’s breast with your spear;

And the bravest, whose lance pierces his foe's chest,

and the foremost at clothing heads with a keen sword of Indian steel—

Clothing resolve for them in coats of mail.

سوى أخوَيكَ السيدينِ كلاهما

سوى أخوَيكَ السيدينِ كلاهما

إمام الورى والداعيانِ إلى الهُد

إمام الورى والداعيانِ إلى الهُد

save your two brothers, the noble lords, each of them

Except for your two lordly brothers,

a leader of humankind, and both calling to guidance.

The Imam of mankind and the callers to guidance.

أبى اللَه أن يُعطي عدوَّك مقعداً

أبى اللَه أن يُعطي عدوَّك مقعداً

من الأرض أو في الأوجِ مرقىً ومصعدا

من الأرض أو في الأوجِ مرقىً ومصعدا

God has refused to grant your enemy a seat

God refused the enemies a position

on earth, or in the heights, a way up and a place of ascent.

On earth or a path and means to ascend.