تدحرج الظلم إذ زلت به القدم

فاستبشر الحق واهتزت له الأمم

Oppression tumbled when its footing slipped.

Truth rejoiced, and the nations stirred for it.

آن الأوان إلى الأحرار فانتقموا

للّه أكبر فالظلام قد علموا

The hour came for the free, and they took vengeance.

God is greatest; the oppressors have now learned

لأي منقلب يفضي الألى ظلموا

تسلم الحكم أهل العدل وانخفضت

to what final reversal those who wronged others come.

The just assumed rule, and brought low was

آل التقهقر بل أيامنا انقرضت

قل هكذا حكمة المولى القدير قضت

the house of decline; indeed, our days have passed away.

Say: thus the wisdom of the mighty Lord decreed.

لقد هوى اليوم صرح الظلم وانتقضت

أركانه وتولت أهله النقم

Today the edifice of oppression fell, and collapsed

its pillars; vengeance overtook its people.

وكان ما كان من جيش الفتى العمري

غذ قام منتصرا بالصارم الذكر

What happened came through the army of the young al-Umari,

when he rose victorious with the keen, stout blade.

فانقذ القوم من هول ومن خطر

وحصحص الحق في عز وفي ظفر

He rescued the people from terror and danger.

Truth became manifest in glory and victory,

يحقه خادماه السيف والقلم

سلو سلانيك إذ قامت مشيدة

established by its two servants, the sword and the pen.

Ask Salonica, when it rose to strengthen

لدولة طالما كانت مهددة

لا يعدم العدل أنصار مؤيدة

a state that had so long been threatened.

Justice never lacks supporters to uphold it.

ثارت له عصبة كانت مشردة

وقد تهددها الإرهاق والعدم

A band once scattered rose up for it,

though oppression and annihilation had threatened them.

قاسوا الثلاثين حولا ظلمة الغسق

قاسوا الثلاثين جولا شدة الأرق

For thirty years they endured the darkness of dusk.

For thirty rounds they endured fierce sleeplessness,

حتى استعدوا فأموا أسلك الطرق

من كل أروع في حيزومه حنق

until they prepared and took the most passable roads:

every gallant man with anger in his breast,

في نفسه عزة في أنفه شمم

قوم ترى الذل بالإنسان فاحشة

dignity in his soul, proud disdain in his bearing.

A people who regard human abasement as an outrage:

بهم غدت أمة الإسلام ناعشة

واصبحت منهم الأيام داهشة

through them the nation of Islam revived,

and the days themselves stood amazed at them.

عبد الحميد استمع منهم مناقشة

فطالما صبروا بل طالما كظمو

Abd al-Hamid, hear their argument:

long have they endured, long have they restrained their anger.

بالأمس هذي الضواري أنت جامعها

واليوم دارت على الباغي طلائعها

Yesterday you gathered these beasts of prey;

today their vanguards have turned upon the aggressor.

خانتك إذ فيك قد خابت مطامعها

غادرت أمتك المنكود طالعها

They betrayed you when their hopes in you were disappointed.

You left your nation, ill-starred,

تغض مقلتها إن عدت الأمم

كم خائن لك صلى خاضعا وسجد

lowering its eyes when the nations were counted.

How many a traitor prayed submissively to you and prostrated himself!

والأمر أمرك قل ما شئت ليس يرد

أخذلت دولتنا لم تستمع لأحد

The command was yours: say what you wished; it was not refused.

You failed our state and listened to no one.

أطلقت فيها سيوف الغادرين وقد

كانت بحبلك بعد الله تعتصم

You unleashed the swords of the treacherous upon it, although

after God, it had held fast to your rope.

كانوا القطيع وكان المستبد أسد

عرينك العرش والسرجان فيه عمد

They were the flock, and the despot was a lion.

Your lair was the throne, with the two saddles as its pillars.

أرهقتهم فعدّوا في ذلة وكمد

اللّه اللّه يا راعي القطيع فقد

You exhausted them, and they passed their days in humiliation and grief.

Fear God, fear God, O shepherd of the flock, for

لافت مصارعها في رعيك الغنم

كم من وليد بكى منكم على أبه

under your shepherding the sheep met their deaths.

How many a child wept because of you over his father!

واللّه ناصره من عسف مغضبه

هل كنت منتبها أم غير منتبه

God defends him against his tormentor's oppression.

Were you attentive, or were you heedless?

حملتنا ما تنوء الراسيات به

كيف الصنيع وأنت الخصم والحكم

You burdened us with what would weigh down the rooted mountains.

What can be done when you are both adversary and judge?

كنا وكنت وهذي اليوم حالتنا

إنا مع الحق والدستور غايتنا

We were as we were, and so were you; this is our condition today.

We stand with truth, and the constitution is our goal.

أغرب فقد ظهرت في الأفق آيتنا

فكم شكونا ولم تسمع شكايتنا

Begone: our sign has appeared on the horizon.

How often we complained, and you did not hear our complaint!

وكم دعونا وحظ الدعوة الصمم

قل هذه نفحة القهار قد عدلت

How often we called, and our call received only deafness!

Say: this is a breath of the All-Subduing, bringing justice.

لاقت يد الخائن الفتاك ما عملت

يا من حماته في ما بينه انخذلت

The murderous traitor's hand has met what it wrought.

O you whose protectors failed him in his Mabeyn,

ولي نعمتنا قل لي أما بطلت

تلك الولاية لما ضاعت النعم

our benefactor, tell me: was it not annulled,

that guardianship, when the blessings were lost?

خنت العهود وخنت الشرع والوطنا

عشت المهيمن لا شورى ولا أمنا

You betrayed the pledges, the sacred law, and the homeland.

You lived as sole master: no consultation, no security.

أبيت إلا التمادي في تأخّرنا

فلو رفقت أمير المؤمنين بنا

You insisted on persisting in our backwardness.

Had you treated us gently, Commander of the Faithful,

ما كان أنفث مصدور وسال دم

أو غرت منا قلوبا طالما انكسرت

no anguished breast would have spat, nor blood have flowed.

Nor would you have inflamed our hearts, so long broken.

لولا توغلكم في الضغط ما انفجرت

كم من فضائع في المابين قد صدرت

Without your relentless pressure, they would not have burst.

How many atrocities issued from the Mabeyn!

محافظ الحرمين اعدل فهل أمنت

في ظلك الكعبة الزهراء والحرم

Guardian of the Two Sanctuaries, be just: was there safety

for the radiant Kaaba and the Sanctuary beneath your shade?

كم انتدبناك لاستجلاب منفعة

فما نظرت لحال منك مفزعة

How often we entrusted you with securing some benefit!

Yet you never attended to a plight made dreadful by you.

أفي زمانك بيت المال ذو سعة

أم حج حجاج بيت اللّه في دعة

In your time, was the treasury plentiful?

Did pilgrims to God's House perform their pilgrimage in peace,

بدون أن يرهقوا فيها وينضموا

بيتٌ حرام به الفعل الحرام يسن

without being burdened there and crowded together?

A sacred House, where forbidden acts are made the rule,

وأنت راض كأن الضيم فيه حسن

كم غارة فيه تلقاء الحجيج تشن

while you are content, as though oppression there were good!

How many raids were launched there against the pilgrims!

وليته فاسقا لم يرع حرمة من

في ذمة اللّه ضاعت عنده الذمم

You appointed a profligate who did not respect the sanctity of those

under God's protection; in his hands all pledges were lost.

عون وأنت إذا عون لمكربهم

يزداد منك عتوا في تعذبهم

Awn—and you, then, are an aid to their tormentor—

grows more insolent through you in tormenting them.

هم أهل مكة أولى في تقربهم

كم استجاروا عليه فازدريت بهم

They are the people of Mecca, more deserving of your favor.

How often they sought protection against him, and you despised them!

إن لم تكن ناقما فاللّه منتقم

بكف ظلمك من في الدرب تذبحه

If you will not exact vengeance, God will.

Those on the road you slaughter with your oppressive hand.

وتاج عثمان قد أوشكت تطرحه

أوتيت ملكا وقد آليت تصلحه

You have almost cast away Osman's crown.

You were given a kingdom and swore to set it right.

رب الهلال أجب هل كنت تمنحه

ما اعتاد من نصرات ذلك العلم

Lord of the crescent, answer: did you grant it

the victories that banner was accustomed to?

شتتت ملكا عظيما كان محترما

فرطته مسرفا وزعته كرما

You scattered a mighty kingdom once respected.

You squandered it prodigally, distributed it generously.

يا واهبا مصر والخضراء للغرما

ماذا قعلت بأحرار البلاد وما

O giver of Egypt and al-Khadra to the creditors,

what did you do to the country's free men, and what

جنوا على الدين والدنيا وما اجترموا

هم طالبوك بدستور كما أمرت

had they done against faith or worldly life? What crime had they committed?

They asked you for a constitution, as commanded

به الشريعة فاستنكرت ما شرعت

فلم تزل معرضا عن أمة منيت

by the sacred law; you rejected what it prescribed.

You kept turning away from an afflicted nation,

حتى قسمتهموا شطرين فانقسمت

على جسومهم النينانوالرخم

until you cut them into halves, and there were apportioned

over their bodies the fish and vultures.

قضيت قهرا فيا لحكم طاغية

حكمت دهرا فيا لهول داهية

You decreed by force—what a tyrant's judgment!

You ruled an age—what a dreadful calamity!

ألقيتهم شذرا في كل هاوية

سرقت شملهم في كل ناحية

You cast them scattered into every abyss.

You stole away their unity in every region.

فارغموك بحول الله والتأموا

من شدة الضغط لو تدري قد انفجرت

By God's power they humbled you and reunited.

From the severity of the pressure, if you knew, burst forth

هذي العيون ولولا اللّه لانطمست

فرعون عصرك لو أنصفت ما انتصفت

these springs; without God they would have been obliterated.

Pharaoh of your age, had you been fair, retribution would not have fallen upon you.

ويا سلالة عثمان أما اتصلت

منه إليك الصفات الغر والهممُ

O descendant of Osman, did there not pass

from him to you those noble qualities and lofty resolves?

أين الفتوحات يا نسل الغزاة ومن

كانوا الكواسر في الغارات حين تشن

Where are the conquests, O offspring of warriors, and those

who were birds of prey when raids were launched?

اين انتصارات ذلك العرش أين دفن

أين الغطاريف أرباب العزائم من

Where are that throne's victories? Where was it buried?

Where are the noble chiefs, masters of resolve, among

أسلافك الصيد من بالعدل قد عظموا

آباؤك الغر كانوا منبع الهمم

your proud ancestors, who grew great through justice?

Your illustrious forefathers were a wellspring of resolve.

جابوا الممالك من عرب ومن عجم

قاموا بخدمة هذا الدين عن قدم

They traversed the kingdoms of Arabs and non-Arabs.

They served this faith from long ago.

شادوا لك العزة القعساء من قدم

فجئت تهدم ما شادوا وما رسموا

Long ago they built you unassailable glory.

You came to demolish what they built and established.

كأنهم ويد الإسلام قابضة

عليهم الأسد في الآجام رابضة

With Islam's hand holding fast to them, they were like

lions crouching in the thickets.

وخيلهم في سبيل الله راكضة

كانت لهم دولة بالسيف ناهضة

Their horses galloped in God's cause.

They had a state raised up by the sword;

وفي زمانك لا سيف ولا قلم

همُ الكواكب في آفاقتنا طلعوا

in your time there is neither sword nor pen.

They were the stars that rose upon our horizons,

والشأن مرتفع والملك متسع

فجئتنا زحلا من بعدما هجعوا

their standing elevated, their kingdom expanding.

You came to us as Saturn after they had fallen asleep.

حصدت ما زرعوا فرقت ما جمعوا

هدمت ما رفعوا بعثرت ما نظموا

You reaped what they sowed and scattered what they gathered.

You demolished what they raised and dispersed what they ordered.

حفرت فينا بأيدي الظلمهاوية

زلت بها قدم الإصلاح دامية

With the hands of oppression you dug an abyss among us.

Into it slipped reform's bleeding foot.

كانت سنيك عجوز النحس ناعية

ملكتنا فرأينا منك طاغية

Your years were an old crone of ill fortune, announcing death.

You ruled us, and in you we saw a tyrant

لم يدر ندا له المشهود والقدم

دقات قلبك كالأجراس قد ضربت

whose equal neither the present nor antiquity knew.

Your heartbeats rang like bells.

فيها المخازي على نبراتها حسبت

تأججت فيك نار الفتك واضطرمت

Within them, disgraces were counted to their ringing tones.

The fire of slaughter flared within you and blazed.

نيرون عندك أو فرعون قد غفرت

زلاته واستحبت شاهها العجم

Beside you, Nero—or Pharaoh—had been forgiven

his failings; the Persians came to love their shah.

أيام حكمك أيام الشقاء فلا

أعادها اللّه كم ذقنا بها العللا

The days of your rule were days of misery; may God never

bring them back! How many afflictions we tasted in them!

قد كنت فينا وإن أمسيت معتقلا

حجاج عصرك بل تولى العقاب بلا

Among us you were—even though you are now imprisoned—

the Hajjaj of your age; indeed, you dealt out punishment without

ذنب ومزّاك عنه الجمع والنهم

كم من يتيم على خديه قد سكبت

guilt, and your hoarding and ravenousness distinguished you from him.

How many an orphan had poured upon his cheeks

مدامع اليتم لو شاهدت ما كتبت

جاوزت حد عتاة في الملوك طغت

orphanhood's tears! Had you seen them, you would not have written.

You surpassed the limits of tyrants among oppressive kings.

قد اخترعت ضروبا للمظالم والت

نكيل ما فطنوا فيها ولا حلموا

You invented varieties of injustice, and

torment they had neither conceived nor dreamed of.

نصبتها الفخ جاسوسية ثقلت

في الناس وطأتها ماذا عليك جنت

You laid it as a trap—a spy network whose tread weighed heavily

on the people; what had they done to you?

يا صاحب العرش والدنيا بك انخجلت

خليفة الله قد خالفت ما أمرت

O master of the throne, the world was ashamed because of you!

Vicegerent of God, you defied what was commanded

به الشريعة والتنزيل والكلم

من مشرق الأرض لو تدري لمغربها

by the sacred law, revelation, and the sacred words.

From the earth's east, if you knew, to its west,

تدعو عليك الضحايا في تلهبّها

ما للسلاطين حق في تغلبها

the victims call down curses upon you in their burning anguish.

Sultans have no right to overpower them.

وسيرة الخلفاء الراشدين بها

خير المواعظ للظلام لو فهمو

The conduct of the rightly guided caliphs toward them

is the best admonition for oppressors, if they understood.

ما للممالك حصن قائم وله

في يلدز سد يأجوج يضلّله

The realms have no standing fortress, while he has

in Yildiz a wall of Gog that deludes him.

فقل له عن لسان فك معقله

ركبت مركب جورليس يقبله

Tell him through the tongue that broke his stronghold:

you embarked on a course of oppression unacceptable

ممن يخلفه في قومه الصنم

أحييت فيهم وكانوا الآمنين فتن

even to an idol from whoever represents it among its people.

You stirred up strife among them when they had been secure,

مستبدلا بشرهم واتعسهم بحزن

أخليت ملكا فخيما لم يقس بثمن

replacing their cheer and making them wretched with grief.

You emptied a magnificent kingdom beyond all price.

دمرت بيتك يا هذا فأنت إذن

عدو نفسك أو قد مسك اللمم

You destroyed your own house, man; therefore you are

your own enemy, or madness has touched you.

أقصيت كل نصوح أيها الملك

ما كنت تعلم أن الحكم مشترك

You banished every sincere counselor, O king.

You did not know that rule is shared,

حتى استدار عليك الدهر والفلك

حشدت زمرة غدارين كم سفكوا

until time and the heavens turned against you.

You gathered a band of traitors: how much they shed!

فاستنزفوا ثم لا قيدوا ولا غرموا

لو كان ينطق للبسفور فيك فم

They drained it away, then were neither shackled nor fined.

Had the Bosphorus a mouth to speak of you,

كان الكلام قصيدا كله رمم

ومجمل القول والتاريخ محترم

its speech would be a poem composed entirely of decaying remains.

In sum—and history must be respected—

المخلصون تولوا منك وانهزموا

والخائنون على أبوابك ازدحموا

the faithful turned away from you and fled,

while traitors crowded at your gates.

انشق منك فؤاد العرش واقتربت

للناس ساعته لولا الأباة أبت

Because of you the throne's heart split, and near came

its hour for the people, had the unbowed not resisted.

طالت لياليك فاسودت بما اكتسبت

أسرفت في نهب بيت المال فاستلبت

Your nights grew long and blackened with what they earned.

You went too far in plundering the treasury, and there was stolen

منه الجواسيس ما شاؤوا وما غنموا

هم حزبك المنتقى جلت مكانتهم

from it by spies all they wished and all they seized.

They were your chosen party, exalted in rank.

أدنيتهم منك فاشتدت قساوتهم

حجاب قصرك لم تجحد رعايتهم

You drew them close, and their cruelty intensified.

Your palace's chamberlains—you did not deny them your care.

عصابة ثقلت في الناس وطأتهم

صموا عن الحق في أغراضهم وعموا

A gang whose tread weighed heavily upon the people:

in pursuing their aims they grew deaf and blind to truth.

بك استداروا وكل أنت واعدهُ

والطامع النذل لا تخفى مفاسده

They gathered around you, each with a promise from you.

The base, covetous man's corruptions cannot be hidden.

كانوا غلاظا يشء بالابن والده

اخترتهم واختيار المرء شاهده

They were brutal: a father informed against his son.

You chose them, and a man's choice bears witness to him.

يا ليتهم رفقوا بالخلق أو رحموا

أبوا هداك وما أدراك بالحشف

Would that they had treated people gently or shown mercy!

Your Abu Huda—what do you know of worthless dried dates?—

أبو الضلال ومن يحوي البلاط وفي

تلك البطانة أقوام بلا شرف

is the father of error, like those the court contains; within

that inner circle are people without honor.

خانوك لما رأوا منك الخيانة في

بنيك والمرء موسوم كما يسم

They betrayed you when they saw your betrayal of

your sons; a man is branded as he brands others.

أتقنت دربتهم فاستفحل الدرك

أشركتهم في ارتكاب الجرم فاشتبكوا

You perfected their training, and the gendarmerie grew formidable.

You involved them in committing crimes, and they became entangled.

بالغت في العسف فارتجت له السكك

حبست آلك حتى بعضهم هلكوا

You carried oppression so far that the streets shook with it.

You imprisoned your family until some of them perished,

كأنما لم تكن قربى ولا رحم

هذا فؤادك كالفولاذ قد غلظا

as though there had been neither kinship nor blood ties.

This heart of yours grew hard as steel.

وكنت محتجبا لم تبد ملتحظا

نسخت ما كان مزبورا ومحتفظا

You remained secluded, never appearing to be seen.

You abrogated what had been written and preserved.

حاولت إطفاء نور الحق وهو لظى

تثور أفواهه إن سد منه فم

You tried to extinguish truth's light, though it is a blaze

whose mouths erupt whenever one mouth is stopped.

في عهدك الدردنيل قل والجه

فروا وفرت مع الساري بوارجه

In your reign, say to one entering the Dardanelles:

they fled, and its battleships fled with the night traveler.

يشكوك داخله يهجوك خارجه

طال الزمان على جور تعالجه

Whoever enters it complains of you; whoever leaves it reviles you.

Long has time passed over the injustice you practice.

وعيل صبر الورى واستحوذ السأم

حجبت نفسك يا رعديد فاحتجبت

Humanity's patience was exhausted, and weariness took hold.

You concealed yourself, coward, and concealed

عنك الحقيقة حتى بنت فانكشفت

ظلمت قومك في الدستور فانتصرت

from you was the truth, until it emerged and stood revealed.

You wronged your people over the constitution, and they prevailed.

فبقت دارتهم في الأرض فاتسعت

والمرء مستبل إن حظه الألم

Their domain endured upon the earth and spread.

A man recovers if pain has been his portion.

شاهت صفاتك في خلق وفي خلق

تبا وسحقا لمنحوس ومنسحق

Your qualities were foul, in form and in character.

Ruin and banishment upon one ill-starred and crushed!

للّه وافوك أحرارا على نسق

قد جمع الظلم منهم كل مفترق

By God, they came to you as free men in ordered ranks.

Oppression had united every scattered one of them.

وشدما استتروا في الأمر واكتتموا

في عهد دولتك التعساء قد لبثوا

How thoroughly they concealed their undertaking and kept it secret!

Throughout your miserable state's reign they remained

نارا مرمدة ينفى بها الخبث

تهب ريحك لكن ما بها اكترثوا

a fire beneath ashes, by which the dross is purged.

Your wind blew, but they paid it no heed.

وكلما نام عنهم رهطك انبعثوا

يدبرون وإن لاحظتهم جشموا

Whenever your band slept unmindful of them, they arose,

making plans; when you watched them, they bore hardships.

كم كنت بالمال تغويهم ونخوتهم

تأبى عليهم أن تنحل عقدتهم

How often you tempted them with money, while their proud spirit

refused to let their bond unravel!

فلن يزالوا وفي الدستور طلبتهم

وعندما اكتملت للوثب عدتهم

They would never desist, their demand being the constitution.

When their preparations for the leap were complete,

توكلوا واستخروا بالذي عزموا

أموا حماك على الطيار مزحفة

they trusted God and sought guidance in what they resolved.

They advanced upon your precinct on the swift conveyance, marching in force.

جوارح الحي قد طارت مخففة

شقوا عليك طباق الأرض مرجفة

The clan's birds of prey took flight, lightly laden.

They cleft the earth's layers toward you, making them tremble.

سلوا عليك سيوف العدل مرهفة

كأنها شهُب في الأفق أو رجُم

They drew against you the sharpened swords of justice,

like meteors on the horizon, or missiles.

ارتجت الأرض من زلزالهم فرقا

فانقض يلدز منحطا بهم طبقا

The earth shook in fear at their earthquake.

Yildiz collapsed before them, flattened to the ground.

فيا لها صيحة شوكت لها انطلقا

شقوا بها في جلابيب الدجى شفقا

O what a cry! Shawkat sprang forth at it.

With it they tore a twilight glow through darkness's robes.

بشت له الأرض وانجابت به الظلم

اللّه يأخذ بالمظلوم ظالمه

The earth smiled at it, and the darkness was dispelled.

God seizes the oppressor on behalf of the oppressed.

لا نال مثلك يا طاغي مراحمه

الشعب حرر لست اليوم حاكمه

May one like you, tyrant, never receive His mercies!

The people have been freed; today you are not their ruler.

وطالبوك بحق كنت هاضمه

وحاكموك الى البتار واختصموا

They demanded a right you had denied them.

They brought you before the cleaving sword for judgment and pleaded their case.

عادوا لموطنهم أهلا بعودتهم

شادوا معالمهم قاموا بنصرتهم

They returned to their homeland: welcome their return!

They raised their landmarks and rose to their own defense.

كادوا بمن كاد أن يردي بملتهم

فادروا بأرواحهم حبا بأمتهم

They outwitted him who nearly destroyed their faith.

They offered their lives for love of their nation.

فلتحي تلك السجايا الغر والهمم

وليحي فينا نيازينا وأنورنا

Long live those noble qualities and lofty resolves!

Long live among us our Niyazi and our Enver!

ولتعل رايتنا وليرق منبرنا

قد كان ما كان والتاريخ يذكرنا

May our banner rise, and may our pulpit ascend!

What happened has happened, and history remembers us.

قد كان ما كان والرحمن ناصرنا

فالعدل منتصر والجور منهزم

What happened has happened, and the All-Merciful is our helper.

Justice is victorious, and oppression defeated.

اليوم أصبحت يا مولاي منتبها

من سكرة أظهرت ما كان مشتبها

Today, my lord, you have awakened

from an intoxication that revealed what had been obscure.

بعد العهود وزلفى في تقربها

دبرت فتنة سوء تستعيد بها

After pledges and overtures seeking closeness,

you plotted a wicked sedition to regain through it

من مجدك الباطل الغرار ما هدموا

يا ناكث العهد لاسترداد ما استلبت

what they demolished of your false, deceptive glory.

O breaker of pledges, seeking to recover what was wrested away

أحرار أمته الغرآ بما كسبت

حكم طويل به زلاتك اشتهرت

by the free men of his noble nation, through what it won:

a long reign in which your failings became notorious,

مجد كبير طوته ظلمة كثفت

ثم انجلت فاذا ما تحتها ورم

a mighty glory enveloped by thickening darkness,

which then cleared, revealing beneath it a swelling.

ما ظن يوما بأن الحق فيك يرى

أو أنّنا نلقم استبدادك الحجرا

No one ever thought justice would be brought to bear on you,

or that we would stuff a stone into your despotism's mouth,

حتى اتثاروا كماة تعضد القدرا

كروا بعزمة حر جاء منتصرا

until warriors arose to reinforce destiny.

They charged with the resolve of a free man who came to win justice

لنفسه واستباحوا منك ما احترموا

كنت الخليفة في الاسلام متحرما

for himself, and violated in you what they had once held sacred.

You were Islam's caliph, protected by sacred dignity.

وكان فيك دهاء أعجز الحكما

لاذوا بمغناك فاستنكف منتقما

You possessed a cunning that baffled the sages.

They sought refuge in your abode, but were met with vengeful disdain.

فأنزلوك عن العرش الرفيع وما

كانوا يريدونها لكنهم رغموا

They brought you down from the lofty throne, though

they had not wished it, but were compelled.

هي العدالة تأبى أن تلاحظها

ما كان أعذبها لو كنت لافظها

It is justice that you refuse to heed.

How sweet it would have been, had you proclaimed it!

وحيث لم تستمع فينا مواعظها

تأبى الشريعة أن تبقيك حافظها

Since you did not heed its admonitions concerning us,

the sacred law refuses to retain you as its guardian,

وأنت بالغدر والإغواء متّهم

ذق ما أذقتهمو من لوعة وشجن

accused as you are of treachery and enticement.

Taste the anguish and sorrow you made them taste.

روح كروحك من أرهقتهم وبدن

كم قبل سجنك من حرلديك سجن

Those you oppressed have a soul like yours, and a body.

How many free men were imprisoned by you before your own imprisonment!

فاليوم تعلم عقبى من يخون ومن

يطغى وتندم إذ لا ينفع الندم

Today you learn the fate of those who betray and those who

act tyrannically; you regret it when regret is useless.

اللّه أكبر جل اللّه مقتدرا

أأنت هذا السجين يا لها عبرا

God is greatest; exalted is God in His power!

Are you this prisoner? What lessons there are in it!

هويت كالنجم يرمى في الفضا شررا

سقطت من قمة الأمجاد منحدرا

You fell like a star hurled through space in sparks.

You tumbled down from the summit of glories,

كصخرة حطّها من شاهق عرم

كن باعتقالك يا مغرور مقتنعا

like a rock a raging flood cast down from a height.

Be reconciled to your imprisonment, deluded man.

وانس التسيطر وانس الحكم والطمعا

واستعظم الذنب واستغر له جزعا

Forget domination; forget rule and ambition.

Regard your sin as great, and humble yourself in anguish over it.

ففي هبوطك عاد الملك مرتفعا

وفي هلاكك كل الخلق قد سلموا

In your downfall the kingdom rose again.

In your destruction all people found safety.

كانت بدولتك الرايات ناكسة

كأنما لم تشق الأفق مائسة

Under your state the banners drooped,

as though they had never swept gracefully across the horizon.

أبت تعاستكم إلا معاكسة

كانت باقبالك الأقدار عابسة

Your misfortune insisted on thwarting everything.

At your coming, the fates were frowning;

فأصبحت بعدما أدبرت تبتسم

after your departure, they began to smile.