ألاَ يَا فَتَى العَلْيَا الهمَام المُفَضَّلُ

ألاَ يَا فَتَى العَلْيَا الهمَام المُفَضَّلُ

وَيَا شَائِد الحُسْنَى الأغَرُّ المُكَمَّلُ

وَيَا شَائِد الحُسْنَى الأغَرُّ المُكَمَّلُ

Hear, O valiant, favored youth of high distinction,

O you, the sublime youth, the noblest of the noble,

And O radiant, perfected builder of goodness,

O you, the fairest of the fair, the most perfect and complete,

وَيَا أيُّهَا المَوْلَى الذِي اكْتَمَلَ العُلاَ

وَيَا أيُّهَا المَوْلَى الذِي اكْتَمَلَ العُلاَ

بِهِ وسوَاه بِالْعُلاَ يَتَكَمَّلُ

بِهِ وسوَاه بِالْعُلاَ يَتَكَمَّلُ

And O lord—high distinction has reached perfection

O you, my master, who excels in virtue,

Through you, while others attain perfection through high distinction.

And whom none can match in excellence and perfection,

وَيَا مَالِكاً لَمْ يَلْهُ يَوْماً عَنِ اللهَى

وَيَا مَالِكاً لَمْ يَلْهُ يَوْماً عَنِ اللهَى

وَعَنْ شِرْعَةِ الإحْسَانِ لاَ يَتَبَدَّلُ

وَعَنْ شِرْعَةِ الإحْسَانِ لاَ يَتَبَدَّلُ

And O ruler, who never once neglected largesse,

O you, who never strayed from the path of righteousness,

And never departs from the way of benevolence,

Or wavered in your kindness and benevolence,

وَيَا ملجأً لِلْقَاصِدِينَ وَمَنْهَلاً

وَيَا ملجأً لِلْقَاصِدِينَ وَمَنْهَلاً

عَلَيْهِ الوَرَى مِنْ كُلّ قطر تُعَوِّلُ

عَلَيْهِ الوَرَى مِنْ كُلّ قطر تُعَوِّلُ

And O refuge for seekers, and watering place,

O refuge of the seekers, oasis for all who depend,

On whom people from every region rely,

On you from every corner and land they turn,

وَيَا مَنْ لَهُ فِي كُلّ أفق وَبلدة

وَيَا مَنْ لَهُ فِي كُلّ أفق وَبلدة

سناً لَيْسَ يُخْفَى أوْ ِحجىً ليس يُجْهَلُ

سناً لَيْسَ يُخْفَى أوْ ِحجىً ليس يُجْهَلُ

And O you who have, on every horizon and in every town,

O you, whose brilliant qualities in every region are known,

A radiance that cannot be hidden, or wisdom that cannot go unrecognized,

Your wisdom is not hidden, or excellence unknown,

وَيَا من إذَا مَا رُمْتُ بَثَّ صفَاته

وَيَا من إذَا مَا رُمْتُ بَثَّ صفَاته

تُزَاحِمُنِي ألأفْكَارُ فِيهِ فأذهل

تُزَاحِمُنِي ألأفْكَارُ فِيهِ فأذهل

And O you—whenever I seek to proclaim your qualities,

When I seek to describe your traits, ideas overwhelm me,

Thoughts of you crowd upon me, and I am bewildered.

And I am blinded, unable to grasp or tell,

إذَا مَا حُبِي مِنْكَ المُرَجِّي بِنَاصر

إذَا مَا حُبِي مِنْكَ المُرَجِّي بِنَاصر

فَبُشْرَى المُرَجِّي أنَّه لَيْسَ يُخْذَلُ

فَبُشْرَى المُرَجِّي أنَّه لَيْسَ يُخْذَلُ

If the hopeful one is favored by you with a supporter,

If I, your hopeful admirer, desire your support,

Then glad tidings to the hopeful: he will not be forsaken.

Be glad, o hopeful one, for you shall not fail,

وَإن عُدَّ أهل العلم والحِلم والحِجَى

وَإن عُدَّ أهل العلم والحِلم والحِجَى

ورحب الأيَادِي أنْتَ لاَ شَك أول

ورحب الأيَادِي أنْتَ لاَ شَك أول

And if those of learning, forbearance, and wisdom are counted,

Among the people of knowledge, wisdom and excellence,

And those of open-handed generosity, you are without doubt foremost.

And open handed generosity, you undoubtedly are first,

لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا أزْكَى وَأشْرَف همة

لَكَ اللَّهُ مَا أزْكَى وَأشْرَف همة

وَانجح مَا تَأتِي وَمَا تَتَأمَّل

وَانجح مَا تَأتِي وَمَا تَتَأمَّل

God be with you—how pure and noble your aspiration,

Yours, by God, is the purest and noblest purpose,

And how successful all you undertake and contemplate!

And the best in all you undertake and contemplate,

لِبَابك يابن المَالِكِين بعثتُهَا

لِبَابك يابن المَالِكِين بعثتُهَا

أوَانِسَ عَنْ مدحٍ لِغَيْرِك تَجْفُل

أوَانِسَ عَنْ مدحٍ لِغَيْرِك تَجْفُل

To your door, O son of rulers, I sent them,

To your abode, o son of sovereigns, I sent her,

As gentle maidens, shying away from praise of anyone but you.

To spare me from praising any other than you,

مديحك فرضٌ يَا أخَا الجُود وَاجِبٌ

مديحك فرضٌ يَا أخَا الجُود وَاجِبٌ

ومدح بَنِي العَليَا سِوَاكَ تَنَفُّلُ

ومدح بَنِي العَليَا سِوَاكَ تَنَفُّلُ

Praising you, O brother of generosity, is an obligatory duty;

Praising you is an obligation, o generous one,

And praising the sons of high distinction besides you is voluntary devotion.

And praising others, mere frivolity,

حَوَيْتَ فخاراً لَمْ يَنَلْهُ مشمِّر

حَوَيْتَ فخاراً لَمْ يَنَلْهُ مشمِّر

بسحب هبات غيثُهَا يتسلسل

بسحب هبات غيثُهَا يتسلسل

You have attained glory that no striver has reached,

You encompassed a pride no ambitious one attained,

Through clouds of gifts whose rain falls in a continuous stream.

With clouds raining your gifts link after link,

وَمَا أنْتَ إلا الشمس لكنني أرَى

وَمَا أنْتَ إلا الشمس لكنني أرَى

مِنَ الحزم أنِّي عَنْكَ لاَ أتَحَوَّلُ

مِنَ الحزم أنِّي عَنْكَ لاَ أتَحَوَّلُ

You are none other than the sun, yet I consider it

You are the sun, but I see it prudent,

Prudent that I should never turn away from you.

That I not turn away and leave you,

فَدُمْ كَامِلَ العَلْيَاءِ فضلُك كامِلٌ

فَدُمْ كَامِلَ العَلْيَاءِ فضلُك كامِلٌ

وعزمك منصور وَرَأيك أفْضل

وعزمك منصور وَرَأيك أفْضل

So remain perfect in eminence, your excellence complete,

So stay perfect, lofty one, your excellence is complete,

And your resolve victorious, and your judgment supreme.

Your resolve victorious, your view is best.