أَيا صبح أَفراح الملا عمَّك السَعدُ

أَيا صبح أَفراح الملا عمَّك السَعدُ

وَيا بَدر آفاق العُلى أمّك المجدُ

وَيا بَدر آفاق العُلى أمّك المجدُ

O dawn of the people's joys, may good fortune enfold you!

O dawn of the King's joy, you are enveloped with bliss,

And O full moon of exalted horizons, may glory seek you out!

And o full moon of the horizons of sublimity, your mother is glory,

وَيا رَوض فَضلٍ جادَكَ المغدق الهَنا

وَيا رَوض فَضلٍ جادَكَ المغدق الهَنا

عِهاداً لَهُ في كُلّ بارِقَةٍ عَهدُ

عِهاداً لَهُ في كُلّ بارِقَةٍ عَهدُ

And O garden of excellence, may abundant joy rain upon you

And o garden of bounty, your generous rain poured forth favors,

in successive showers, with a promise in every lightning flash.

As a covenant to it in every gleaming flash is a pact,

أَلا يا حَمامات الحِمى حَولَهُ اِسجعي

أَلا يا حَمامات الحِمى حَولَهُ اِسجعي

أَما آن أَن نَهنا وَقَد هَلك الضدُّ

أَما آن أَن نَهنا وَقَد هَلك الضدُّ

O doves of the sanctuary, coo around him!

Behold, o doves of the sanctuary, circle around it and trill,

Is it not time for us to rejoice, now that the foe has perished?

Is it not time that we celebrate as the adversary perished?

أَرى فَنَنَ الأَغصان كلَّلهُ الحَيا

أَرى فَنَنَ الأَغصان كلَّلهُ الحَيا

إِذا مال مِن سكر السُرور لَها قدُّ

إِذا مال مِن سكر السُرور لَها قدُّ

I see a branching bough crowned by rain,

I see the branches of euphorbia garlanded with life

when its graceful form sways, drunk with joy.

When it sways intoxicated with the joy of the cypress.

ترنّحه أَنّى هَوى نَسمة الصبا

ترنّحه أَنّى هَوى نَسمة الصبا

فَيثنى عَلى أَعطافه البان وَالرندُ

فَيثنى عَلى أَعطافه البان وَالرندُ

A breath of the east wind rocks it whichever way it leans,

It sways wherever the morning breeze blew,

and the moringa and laurel praise its graceful curves.

So it bends its branches and the acacia and wild poplar.

إِذا كانَ مَقصوراً عَلى الفَضل ظلّه

إِذا كانَ مَقصوراً عَلى الفَضل ظلّه

فمن دونهِ ظلّ السَعادةِ مُمتدُّ

فمن دونهِ ظلّ السَعادةِ مُمتدُّ

If its shade is reserved for excellence,

When its shade is confined to bounty,

then beneath it the shade of happiness stretches wide.

Beyond it the shade of bliss extends.

تَراءَت سَما العَلياءِ تَزهو كَأَنَّما

تَراءَت سَما العَلياءِ تَزهو كَأَنَّما

مَصابيحها في جيد ذات البها عقدُ

مَصابيحها في جيد ذات البها عقدُ

The sky of eminence appeared in splendor, as though

The stars of the stellar constellation appeared gleaming

its lamps were a necklace on the neck of a radiant beauty.

As if their lamps on the forehead of the beauty are strung.

وَهَبّت نَسيمات الصبا مِن رُبى الصَفا

وَهَبّت نَسيمات الصبا مِن رُبى الصَفا

تَروح بِمعطار الشَذا حَيثما تَغدو

تَروح بِمعطار الشَذا حَيثما تَغدو

And breaths of the east wind blew from the hills of Safa,

The morning breezes blew from the hill of purity

carrying fragrant perfume wherever they pass, at dusk and at dawn.

Bearing the fragrance of apple wherever they turn.

فَمن بِالتَواني فاتَهُ لَذّة الهَنا

فَمن بِالتَواني فاتَهُ لَذّة الهَنا

لعمري بِهِ بَين الوَرى لَيس يُعتدُّ

لعمري بِهِ بَين الوَرى لَيس يُعتدُّ

So whoever through idleness misses the delight of joy,

Whoever misses its bliss with procrastination

by my life, is held in no esteem among mankind.

By my life, it is unparalleled among all people.

أَخلّاي بِالبشرى لَنا غايةُ المُنى

أَخلّاي بِالبشرى لَنا غايةُ المُنى

هُوَ العَيش غضٌّ وَالزَمان لَنا عَبدُ

هُوَ العَيش غضٌّ وَالزَمان لَنا عَبدُ

My friends, these glad tidings give us our fondest wish:

Give me the good news, for us is the utmost purpose,

life is fresh, and time is our slave,

It is the life, forever fresh, and time for us is a slave.

بِأَيمن مَولودٍ لِأَكرَم والدٍ

بِأَيمن مَولودٍ لِأَكرَم والدٍ

مَناقبه الغَرّاءُ لَم يُحصها عَدُّ

مَناقبه الغَرّاءُ لَم يُحصها عَدُّ

with the most auspicious newborn of the noblest father,

With the auspicious newborn of the most generous father,

whose radiant virtues no reckoning has encompassed:

Whose noble traits cannot be fully counted.

أَمين الملا شَمس الهُدى منهل الندى

أَمين الملا شَمس الهُدى منهل الندى

أَمير العُلى سامي الذرى العلمُ الفردُ

أَمير العُلى سامي الذرى العلمُ الفردُ

the people's trusted guardian, sun of guidance, wellspring of generosity,

The trustee of the King, the sun of guidance, the fountain of dew,

prince of eminence, of lofty heights, the peerless beacon.

The prince of the sublime, the highest of mankind, the unique flag.

كَريم إِذا وافى العُفاة رِحابهُ

كَريم إِذا وافى العُفاة رِحابهُ

وَفاءت فَأَنّى تَنثَني يَقفها الرفدُ

وَفاءت فَأَنّى تَنثَني يَقفها الرفدُ

Generous: when petitioners come to his spacious courts

Generous, when the barefoot come to his pavilion,

and turn to leave, his bounty detains them whichever way they turn.

They are saturated, so how can the refuse bend them?

إِذا أَقبلت تَسعى تَهلّل وَجهه

إِذا أَقبلت تَسعى تَهلّل وَجهه

وَإِن طالَ مِنها العَهد أَقلقه الوَجدُ

وَإِن طالَ مِنها العَهد أَقلقه الوَجدُ

When they come hastening, his face beams,

When they come rushing, his face brightens with joy,

and if their absence grows long, longing troubles him.

And when their absence is prolonged, anxiety stirs him.

وَقالوا وَردنا ماء مَدين جودِهِ

وَقالوا وَردنا ماء مَدين جودِهِ

فَفُزنا فَنعم المنهل العَذب وَالوَردُ

فَفُزنا فَنعم المنهل العَذب وَالوَردُ

And they said, 'We reached the waters of his generosity's Midian,

And they said, “We got the water of his streaming generosity,

and prospered—how fine the sweet watering place and the draught!'

So we won, what a good, sweet wellspring and meadow!”

فَقُل لِلأُلى بِالجَهل أَنكَرن فَضله

فَقُل لِلأُلى بِالجَهل أَنكَرن فَضله

عَدمتم هداكم إِنَّ ذا الخَطأ العَمدُ

عَدمتم هداكم إِنَّ ذا الخَطأ العَمدُ

So tell those who ignorantly denied his excellence:

Say to those ignorant who denied his merit,

'May you lose your guidance! This is deliberate error.'

“You missed your guidance, truly this deliberate mistake."

وَلا عَجَباً إِن أَنكَر الفَضل حاسِدٌ

وَلا عَجَباً إِن أَنكَر الفَضل حاسِدٌ

فَشَمسَ الضُحى لا تُبصر الأعينُ الرَمدُ

فَشَمسَ الضُحى لا تُبصر الأعينُ الرَمدُ

No wonder if an envious man denies excellence:

No wonder a jealous one denies merit,

for inflamed eyes cannot see the midmorning sun.

The sun at dawn cannot be seen by bleary eyes.

وَيا رُبّما الأَعدا أَقرّت بِهِ وَفي

وَيا رُبّما الأَعدا أَقرّت بِهِ وَفي

قُلوبِهُم نار الحقود لَها وَقدُ

قُلوبِهُم نار الحقود لَها وَقدُ

And how often enemies have acknowledged it, while in

And sometimes the enemies confess it, though in their hearts

their hearts the fire of rancor burns.

Is the fire of grudges, flaming for them.

فَقُلنا لَها يا نار كوني عَلَيهم

فَقُلنا لَها يا نار كوني عَلَيهم

لَظىً وَسَعيراً لا سلامٌ وَلا بَردُ

لَظىً وَسَعيراً لا سلامٌ وَلا بَردُ

So we said to it, 'O fire, become for them

So we said to it, “O fire be upon them

a flame and a blaze, neither peace nor coolness!'

A blazing flame giving no safety or coolness.”

ألا يا بَني رَسلان هلّا عَلمتمُ

ألا يا بَني رَسلان هلّا عَلمتمُ

بِأَنَّ لَكُم عزّاً بِهِ ما لَهُ حَدُّ

بِأَنَّ لَكُم عزّاً بِهِ ما لَهُ حَدُّ

O sons of Raslan, have you not learned

Behold o lion cubs, why don’t you know,

that through him you have honor without limit?

That through him you have glory that has no limit?

هُوَ القائد الخيل الجِياد بِهمّةٍ

هُوَ القائد الخيل الجِياد بِهمّةٍ

يَطأنَ بِها كَالترب صُمّ الصَفا الصلدُ

يَطأنَ بِها كَالترب صُمّ الصَفا الصلدُ

He leads the noble steeds with a resolve

He is the leader of steeds, the thoroughbreds, with an ambition

with which they trample solid, unyielding rock like dust.

By which he tramples the barren plateau and the solid rock.

وَعَن وَجدِهِ بالمشرفيّة وَالقَنا

وَعَن وَجدِهِ بالمشرفيّة وَالقَنا

فَلا اللحظ يَثنيهِ وَلا القَدّ وَالخَدُّ

فَلا اللحظ يَثنيهِ وَلا القَدّ وَالخَدُّ

And from his passion for Mashrafi swords and spears,

His passion in Mashrafiya and El Kanater does not waver

neither a glance, a graceful figure, nor a cheek can turn him.

By anything, neither time nor cheek flushing with shyness.

فَإِن نَخرت في نسبة المَجد عصبة

فَإِن نَخرت في نسبة المَجد عصبة

لعمر أبي في مثله اِفتخر المَجدُ

لعمر أبي في مثله اِفتخر المَجدُ

And if a faction gnaws at his kinship with glory,

If a group boasts about lineage of glory, by the life of my father,

by my father's life, glory has taken pride in one like him.

The glory itself would boast of its like!

أَصاح نَظمت الدرّ في سلك مَدحهِ

أَصاح نَظمت الدرّ في سلك مَدحهِ

فَما ذا اِعتِذاري إِذ يُقابله النَقدُ

فَما ذا اِعتِذاري إِذ يُقابله النَقدُ

O friend, I have strung pearls on the thread of his praise;

I have threaded pearls in the necklace of his praise,

what excuse have I when criticism confronts it?

What then is my excuse when repayment encounters it?

عَلى أَنّ هذا النَقد عِندي مُسلّمٌ

عَلى أَنّ هذا النَقد عِندي مُسلّمٌ

وَيا رُبَّ بَحث فيهِ لا يحسن الرَدُّ

وَيا رُبَّ بَحث فيهِ لا يحسن الرَدُّ

Yet this criticism is accepted by me,

Though I accept this repayment wholeheartedly,

and many a discussion of it allows no fitting reply.

And, by God, delving into it further is not appropriate.

فَيا أَيُّها المَولى الَّذي هُوَ شامِلي

فَيا أَيُّها المَولى الَّذي هُوَ شامِلي

بِأَنعمه ما يَشمل الصارم الغَمدُ

بِأَنعمه ما يَشمل الصارم الغَمدُ

So, O lord, who enfolds me

O my Master who embraces me with his favors

in his favors as a sheath encloses a keen sword,

That encompass like the sword embracing its sheath.

لِيهنك ذا النجل السَعيد وَإِنَّما

لِيهنك ذا النجل السَعيد وَإِنَّما

لَنا البشر فيهِ حَيث يَشملنا الودُّ

لَنا البشر فيهِ حَيث يَشملنا الودُّ

may this blessed son gladden you; and it is only

May this auspicious son delight you, and we only have

because affection enfolds us that we have joy in him.

The good news in him, wherever amity spreads.

وَمَن يَلد الأَشبال مِثلك فَليَكُن

وَمَن يَلد الأَشبال مِثلك فَليَكُن

أَميراً فَغَير الأسد لا تَلد الأسدُ

أَميراً فَغَير الأسد لا تَلد الأسدُ

And whoever begets lion cubs as you do, let him be

Whoever sires cubs like you, let him be

an emir—for lions beget none but lions.

A prince, for none but the lion sires lion cubs.

بَدا وَهِلال الصَوم في أُفق الهَنا

بَدا وَهِلال الصَوم في أُفق الهَنا

فَشمنا هِلال العيد مِن وَجهِهِ يَبدو

فَشمنا هِلال العيد مِن وَجهِهِ يَبدو

He appeared, with the crescent of fasting on joy's horizon,

The new crescent of fasting appeared in the horizon of bliss,

so we glimpsed the crescent of Eid appearing from his face.

So we sensed from his face the crescent of Eid appearing.

وَفي لَيلة الإثنين أُنبئتُ أَنَّهُ

وَفي لَيلة الإثنين أُنبئتُ أَنَّهُ

لَهُ المُشتري نجم وَطالعه السَعدُ

لَهُ المُشتري نجم وَطالعه السَعدُ

And on Monday night I was told that

On Monday night I was told that for him

Jupiter is his star, and good fortune his ascendant.

Jupiter is his star, and his horoscope bodes well.

عَجبت لِهَذا البَدر أَنّى تَوصّلت

عَجبت لِهَذا البَدر أَنّى تَوصّلت

إِلَيهِ أُناس وَالثُريّا لَهُ مَهدُ

إِلَيهِ أُناس وَالثُريّا لَهُ مَهدُ

I marveled at this full moon: how could a way be found

I am amazed that people have attained

to him by people, when the Pleiades are his cradle?

This full moon, though wealth is his cradle!

فَيا لَكَ مِن داعٍ بِأَن أُهدي الدعا

فَيا لَكَ مِن داعٍ بِأَن أُهدي الدعا

بِخَير وَهَذا جلّ ما ملك العَبدُ

بِخَير وَهَذا جلّ ما ملك العَبدُ

So how you summon me to offer prayers

So it is befitting I dedicate my prayer

for well-being! And this is the most this servant possesses.

For the best, and this is all a servant can offer.

وَما القَصد إِلّا نَشر ألوية الثَنا

وَما القَصد إِلّا نَشر ألوية الثَنا

بِما أَنعَم المَولى وَهَذا هُوَ القَصدُ

بِما أَنعَم المَولى وَهَذا هُوَ القَصدُ

And my aim is only to unfurl the banners of praise

The only aim is to spread the banners of praise

for what the Lord has bestowed—and this is the aim.

With what the Master has bestowed, and this is the aim.

إِذا جاءكم فَضل مِن اللَّه حدّثوا

إِذا جاءكم فَضل مِن اللَّه حدّثوا

بِأَنعمه يا حَبّذا الشُكر وَالحَمدُ

بِأَنعمه يا حَبّذا الشُكر وَالحَمدُ

When bounty comes to you from God, speak

“When the favor of God comes to you, speak of

of His blessings—how fine are gratitude and praise!

His bounties," excellent are thanks and praise.

وَدم بِالهَنا حَتّى تَراه عَلى الهُدى

وَدم بِالهَنا حَتّى تَراه عَلى الهُدى

أَباً ثُمَّ جدّاً نعم ذا الأَب وَالجَدُّ

أَباً ثُمَّ جدّاً نعم ذا الأَب وَالجَدُّ

And remain in joy until you see him, rightly guided,

Live in bliss until you see him guided

a father, then a grandfather—what a fine father and grandfather!

To be a father, then grandsire - excellent this father and grandsire!

فَلا بَرحت بِالتهنئات مشيرَةً

فَلا بَرحت بِالتهنئات مشيرَةً

لِساحة عَلياك الرَكائب وَالوَفدُ

لِساحة عَلياك الرَكائب وَالوَفدُ

May they never cease to turn, bearing congratulations,

The caravans and delegations did not stop

toward your exalted court—the riding camels and the delegations.

With congratulations to your lofty threshhold.

عَلى أَنّ شَهر الصَوم وافاك قائِلاً

عَلى أَنّ شَهر الصَوم وافاك قائِلاً

أَيا صبح أَفراح المَلا عمَّكَ السَعدُ

أَيا صبح أَفراح المَلا عمَّكَ السَعدُ

For the month of fasting has come to you, saying:

Though the month of fasting met you saying:

O dawn of the people's joys, may good fortune enfold you!

“O dawn of the King’s joy, you are enveloped with bliss.”