صَفا الوَقت وَالممنون باحَ بسّرهِ

صَفا الوَقت وَالممنون باحَ بسّرهِ

وَأَعرب عَما في الضَمير بسحرهِ

وَأَعرب عَما في الضَمير بسحرهِ

Time grew serene, and the favored one disclosed his secret,

Time's kindness and the trustworthy one brought glad tidings,

And voiced what lay in his heart with his enchantment.

Expressing what was in his conscience with magic.

وَشَمس عَليٍّ أَوحد العَصر أَشرَقَت

وَشَمس عَليٍّ أَوحد العَصر أَشرَقَت

عَلَينا بِمصرٍ وَاِزدَهى نُور بَدره

عَلَينا بِمصرٍ وَاِزدَهى نُور بَدره

And the sun of Ali, peerless in his age, rose

And the sun of Ali shone, unique in his time,

Upon us in Egypt, and his full moon's light shone splendidly.

It rose upon us in Egypt, and the light of its full moon grew stronger.

فَطيّر هام الجَور مِنهُ بِصارمٍ

فَطيّر هام الجَور مِنهُ بِصارمٍ

مِن العَدل وَالإِنصاف في أَرض مصره

مِن العَدل وَالإِنصاف في أَرض مصره

So he sent tyranny's heads flying from it with a keen blade

So it scared away the injustice with its sharp sword,

Of justice and fairness in the land of his Egypt.

Of justice and fairness in the land of Egypt.

لَهُ اللَه مِن صَدر حَليم مؤيد

لَهُ اللَه مِن صَدر حَليم مؤيد

مِن الحَق رَب العالمين بِنصره

مِن الحَق رَب العالمين بِنصره

God be his aid—a forbearing chief, upheld

God aids him from the breast of a forbearing supporter,

By the True One, Lord of all worlds, through His aid.

With the truth from the Lord of mankind is his victory.

وَما حُبه إِلّا كَما صح واجبٌ

وَما حُبه إِلّا كَما صح واجبٌ

عَلى الناس حَيث الكُل فاز ببره

عَلى الناس حَيث الكُل فاز ببره

And love for him is, as has been established, a duty

And his love is only as it is right and obligatory,

Upon the people, since all have enjoyed his kindness.

Upon people wherever all have succeeded through his righteousness.

أَما إِن أَرواح البَرية لَو غَدَت

أَما إِن أَرواح البَرية لَو غَدَت

بِحُكم بَشير جاءَ يَسعى بِبِشره

بِحُكم بَشير جاءَ يَسعى بِبِشره

Indeed, were the souls of all creation placed

If the souls of humankind were to come tomorrow,

At the disposal of a herald who came hastening with his glad tidings,

With the rule of the bearer of good news hastening with his announcements,

لَما صارَ بِالتَحقيق فيما حَبا به

لَما صارَ بِالتَحقيق فيما حَبا به

مِن الحَظ إِلّا دُون مِعشار عُشره

مِن الحَظ إِلّا دُون مِعشار عُشره

They would truly amount, compared with what he bestowed

It would not actually become, in what he has been granted

Of good fortune, to less than a tenth of its tenth.

Of fortune, except less than a tenth of its tenth.

أَما إِن شَهراً لِلصِيام أَتى بِما

أَما إِن شَهراً لِلصِيام أَتى بِما

يَسرّ عَلَينا أَن نَقوم بِشُكره

يَسرّ عَلَينا أَن نَقوم بِشُكره

Indeed, a month of fasting has brought what

The fasting month has come with what makes it easy upon us,

Gladdens us; we must give thanks for it.

To stand up giving thanks.

وَكَيفَ وَبِالإِقبال وافى وَبِالهَنا

وَكَيفَ وَبِالإِقبال وافى وَبِالهَنا

مَع السَعد مَقروناً بِأَنوار زُهره

مَع السَعد مَقروناً بِأَنوار زُهره

And how could we not, when it came with prosperity and joy,

And how could it not, when prosperity has arrived,

With good fortune, coupled with the lights of its bright stars?

Accompanied by splendor, adorned with the lights of its flowers.

أَما إِن هَذا الدَهر لَو سَلّ سَيفَه

أَما إِن هَذا الدَهر لَو سَلّ سَيفَه

لَردّ وَما أَغنَت حَبائل مكره

لَردّ وَما أَغنَت حَبائل مكره

Indeed, were this age to draw its sword,

Time, if it brandished its sword,

It would be repelled, and its cunning snares would avail it nothing.

Would recoil, and his cunning ropes would not avail.

أَما أَنتَ شَهمٌ لا ترام وَسيد

أَما أَنتَ شَهمٌ لا ترام وَسيد

غَدا خَير مَسؤول يَجود بِتبره

غَدا خَير مَسؤول يَجود بِتبره

Indeed, you are a gallant man, unassailable, and a lord

You are valiant, undaunted, and a master

Who has become the best to petition, generous with his gold.

Of tomorrow, the best to hope for, generous with his righteousness.

أَما أَنتَ حصنٌ لِلمَعارف إِن سَطا

أَما أَنتَ حصنٌ لِلمَعارف إِن سَطا

عَلَيها وصالَ الجَهلُ في حزب غَدره

عَلَيها وصالَ الجَهلُ في حزب غَدره

Indeed, you are a fortress for learning, should it be assailed

You are a fortress for knowledge, if ignorance prevailed against it,

By ignorance, charging with the host of its treachery.

In the party of betrayal on the day of its treachery.

فَيا دَوحة المَجد المؤثَّل وَالنَدى

فَيا دَوحة المَجد المؤثَّل وَالنَدى

وَيا صاحب الرَأي السَديد بِعصره

وَيا صاحب الرَأي السَديد بِعصره

So, O spreading tree of deep-rooted glory and generosity,

O palm tree of glorious majesty,

And O master of sound judgment in his age,

O you of judicious opinion in your time.

وَيا مَعدَن المَعروف وَالحلم وَالذَكا

وَيا مَعدَن المَعروف وَالحلم وَالذَكا

وَيا مَن صُروف الدَهر تَجري بِأَمره

وَيا مَن صُروف الدَهر تَجري بِأَمره

And O source of kindness, forbearance, and intelligence,

O mine of kindness, forbearance and intelligence,

And O you at whose command time's vicissitudes run,

O you whom the vicissitudes of fate follow your command.

وَيا ناشراً لِليُسر وَالأَمن دائِماً

وَيا ناشراً لِليُسر وَالأَمن دائِماً

عَلى الخائف المَحصور في سجن عسره

عَلى الخائف المَحصور في سجن عسره

And O you who ever spread ease and safety

O constant spreader of ease and security,

Over the fearful one confined in the prison of his hardship,

Upon the apprehensive prisoner in the jail of hardship.

وَيا حازمِاً بِالرَأي شَيّد مَجده

وَيا حازمِاً بِالرَأي شَيّد مَجده

عَلى رَغم مَن عاداه في يَوم كرّه

عَلى رَغم مَن عاداه في يَوم كرّه

And O man of resolute judgment, who built his glory

O resolute in opinion, you built your glory,

Despite whoever opposed him on the day of his charge,

Despite those who opposed you on the day of their hatred.

أَيرتدّ يا ذخر البَرية خائِباً

أَيرتدّ يا ذخر البَرية خائِباً

عُبيدُك أَو يَخشى حَوادثَ دَهره

عُبيدُك أَو يَخشى حَوادثَ دَهره

Could he return disappointed, O treasure of all creation—

Will your servants turn back disappointed, O treasure of humankind,

Your humble servant—or fear the calamities of his time?

Or will they fear the accidents of fate?

وَأَنتَ وَزير للمروءة ناصر

وَأَنتَ وَزير للمروءة ناصر

بِحَزم يَفيض العَدل مِن ماء نَهره

بِحَزم يَفيض العَدل مِن ماء نَهره

And you are a minister, a champion of chivalry,

You are the vizier of manliness, victoriously supporting,

With firm resolve, justice pouring from his river's waters.

With wisdom, from whose stream justice overflows.

وَأَنتَ لَدَينا ذُو الفَقار الَّذي بِهِ

وَأَنتَ لَدَينا ذُو الفَقار الَّذي بِهِ

تَصول عَلى جُند الغُرور بِأَسره

تَصول عَلى جُند الغُرور بِأَسره

And to us you are Dhu al-Fiqar, with which

You are to us the one with the sharp sword, with which

You charge against the entire army of arrogance.

You assault the armies of delusion altogether.

وَمَن لاذَ بِالبَحر الخضّم مؤملاً

وَمَن لاذَ بِالبَحر الخضّم مؤملاً

نَوالاً حَظي مِنهُ بِأَنفَس دُرّه

نَوالاً حَظي مِنهُ بِأَنفَس دُرّه

And whoever takes refuge with the vast ocean, hoping

Whoever seeks refuge in the tumultuous sea, hoping

For bounty, gains from it its most precious pearls.

To gain its most precious pearls from it as their portion.

وَعَنهُ يَزول الضَيم في الحال وَالعَنا

وَعَنهُ يَزول الضَيم في الحال وَالعَنا

وَيُطوَى بِساط العُسر مِن بَعد نَشره

وَيُطوَى بِساط العُسر مِن بَعد نَشره

And oppression and suffering leave him at once,

Through it hardship disappears immediately, and troubles,

And hardship's carpet is rolled up after being spread.

And the carpet of difficulty is folded up after being spread.

وَإِن رامَهُ بِالسُوء باغٍ هزمته

وَإِن رامَهُ بِالسُوء باغٍ هزمته

بَعزمك في بَرِّ النزال وَبَحره

بَعزمك في بَرِّ النزال وَبَحره

And if an aggressor targets him for harm, you rout him

And if any aggressor intends evil against it, your resolve defeats him

By your resolve, on the land and sea of combat.

In honorable combat and its sea.

بِعزمك يا رُكن العُلوم وَسُورَها

بِعزمك يا رُكن العُلوم وَسُورَها

غلامُك يَلقى كُلَّ خطب بصدره

غلامُك يَلقى كُلَّ خطب بصدره

By your resolve, O pillar and rampart of the sciences,

With your resolve, O pillar of sciences and their enclosure,

Your servant meets every calamity with his breast,

Your boy takes on every peril with his chest,

وَيَقتحم الأَهوال في كُل شدة

وَيَقتحم الأَهوال في كُل شدة

بِقَلب همام مطمئنٍ بظفره

بِقَلب همام مطمئنٍ بظفره

And plunges into terrors in every hardship

And plunges into terrors in every hardship,

With a hero's heart, assured of his victory.

With a lofty heart, serene in its victory.

وَأَنتَ جَدير بِالمَحامد وَالثَنا

وَأَنتَ جَدير بِالمَحامد وَالثَنا

وَمثلُك مَن طابَ الزَمان بذكره

وَمثلُك مَن طابَ الزَمان بذكره

And you are worthy of praise and commendation,

You deserve praise and eulogies,

And the age grows sweet at the mention of one like you.

And the like of you, the time was improved by the mention of him.

وَأَنتَ المرجَّى لِلسَعادة وَالرَخا

وَأَنتَ المرجَّى لِلسَعادة وَالرَخا

وَحفظ الأَهالي مِن ملمٍّ بشره

وَحفظ الأَهالي مِن ملمٍّ بشره

And you are the one we look to for happiness and prosperity,

You are the one hoped for happiness and comfort,

And to shield the people from a calamity bearing its evil.

And protecting the people from a painful end.

فَلا زلت يا كَهف الهبات مُوَفَّقاً

فَلا زلت يا كَهف الهبات مُوَفَّقاً

إِلى الخَير ما لَيلٌ تَوارى بِفَجره

إِلى الخَير ما لَيلٌ تَوارى بِفَجره

So may you ever, O haven of gifts, be guided

So you have not ceased, O cave of grants, to be successful

To goodness, so long as night vanishes at its dawn.

Towards goodness, as long as night conceals itself with its dawn.

وَلا زالَ جَيش السَعد في مَصر خادِماً

وَلا زالَ جَيش السَعد في مَصر خادِماً

لصدرٍ سَما فَوق السماك بفخره

لصدرٍ سَما فَوق السماك بفخره

And may fortune's army in Egypt ever serve

And the army of prosperity has not stopped serving

A chief who rose above al-Simak in his glory.

A breast that rose above the highest of the high in its pride.

وَلا اِنفَكَّ عَن إِتحاف ذاتك مادحٌ

وَلا اِنفَكَّ عَن إِتحاف ذاتك مادحٌ

بِكُل بَديع مِن خُلاصة شعره

بِكُل بَديع مِن خُلاصة شعره

And may a panegyrist never cease to honor your person

And one who praises has not stopped adorning your essence

With every marvel from the choicest of his verse.

With every eloquent speech from the quintessence of his poetry.