يا أكرم العرب الكرام ومن له

يا أكرم العرب الكرام ومن له

جاه به لاذ المسيح وآدم

جاه به لاذ المسيح وآدم

O most generous of all the noble Arabs, you whose

O noblest of the noble Arabs, and you whose

exalted rank gave refuge to the Messiah and Adam;

Rank the Messiah and Adam sought as their refuge.

يا منشئ الأكوان يا من نوره

يا منشئ الأكوان يا من نوره

عن كل نور حادث مستقادم

عن كل نور حادث مستقادم

O Originator of all worlds, O you whose light

O originator of the worlds, O you whose light

is more ancient than every created light;

Predates every created light.

يا صفوة الرحمن يا من حبه

يا صفوة الرحمن يا من حبه

فرض على أهل الشرائع لازم

فرض على أهل الشرائع لازم

O chosen one of the All-Merciful, O you whose love

O chosen one of the All-Merciful, O you, love for whom

is a binding duty upon the followers of every revealed law;

Is a binding duty upon the followers of revealed laws.

يا ظاهر يا باطن يا مفرد

يا ظاهر يا باطن يا مفرد

يا جامع يا فاتح يا خاتم

يا جامع يا فاتح يا خاتم

O Manifest, O Hidden, O Peerless One,

O manifest one, O hidden one, O peerless one,

O Gatherer, O Opener, O Seal;

O gatherer, O opener, O seal,

يا رحمة يا نعمة يا منة

يا رحمة يا نعمة يا منة

يا م فداه بالمنى متراكم

يا م فداه بالمنى متراكم

O mercy, O blessing, O gracious gift,

O mercy, O blessing, O boon,

O you whom a wealth of cherished wishes would ransom.

O [unclear fragment]—his ransom is heaped with wishes.

إني نظمت حلى جمالك فأجزني

إني نظمت حلى جمالك فأجزني

فالفضل يقضي أني جازى الناظم

فالفضل يقضي أني جازى الناظم

I have strung the jewels of your beauty into verse, so reward me;

Indeed, I have strung the jewels of your beauty in verse; reward me,

for generosity decrees that the poet be rewarded.

For generosity requires [apparently: that the versifier be rewarded].

وبما تفي النظام فيك وقد أتى

وبما تفي النظام فيك وقد أتى

بمدحك الذكر الحكيم القائم

بمدحك الذكر الحكيم القائم

And how could blessings do you justice, when

And how can poets do you justice, when there has come

the abiding Wise Reminder itself has come praising you?

The abiding Wise Reminder, bearing praise of you?

لكنني يممت جودك سائلا

لكنني يممت جودك سائلا

علما بأنك بي روؤف راحم

علما بأنك بي روؤف راحم

Yet I have made for your bounty as a petitioner,

But I have turned toward your bounty as a petitioner,

knowing you are tender and merciful toward me.

Knowing that you are compassionate and merciful toward me.

وخدمت مدحك باجتهاد فاولني

وخدمت مدحك باجتهاد فاولني

فمن المكارم أن يوالي الخادم

فمن المكارم أن يوالي الخادم

I have served your praise with diligence; so favor me,

And I have served your praise diligently; grant me favor,

for favoring a servant is among the noble virtues.

For showing favor to the servant is among noble deeds.

وقدمت استعطيك فأكرم منزلي

وقدمت استعطيك فأكرم منزلي

فالعرب تأنف أن يرد القادم

فالعرب تأنف أن يرد القادم

I have laid before you my plea for compassion; so honor my lodging,

And I have come asking gifts of you; honor my lodging,

for the Arabs disdain turning away one who arrives.

For the Arabs disdain turning a newcomer away.

فيك استغثت فلا تخيبني فلي

فيك استغثت فلا تخيبني فلي

فيك اعتقاد بالإغاثة جازم

فيك اعتقاد بالإغاثة جازم

In you I sought deliverance; do not disappoint me, for I

Through you I sought help; do not disappoint me, for I have

hold a firm faith in your power to bring relief.

Firm faith in the aid to be found through you.

ولك التجأت وهل يضام من التجا

ولك التجأت وهل يضام من التجا

بحمى كهف منيع عاصم

بحمى كهف منيع عاصم

To you I have fled for refuge—and can one who takes refuge

And to you I turned for refuge—can one be wronged who shelters

within the sanctuary of an impregnable, protecting haven be wronged?

Within the sanctuary of an impregnable, protecting cave?

وبجاهك استمطرت كيما يولني

وبجاهك استمطرت كيما يولني

بندى أياديه الكريم الدائم

بندى أياديه الكريم الدائم

By your exalted rank I prayed for rain, that I might be favored

And through your standing I sought rain, that He might favor me

with dew from the hands of the Everlasting, All-Generous One.

With the dew of His favors—the Generous, Everlasting One.

صلى عليك الله يا علم الهدى

صلى عليك الله يا علم الهدى

ما افتر عن ثغر الهداية باسم

ما افتر عن ثغر الهداية باسم

May God bless you, O banner of guidance,

May God send blessings upon you, O banner of guidance,

as long as a smile blossoms upon the lips of guidance;

As long as guidance’s mouth opens in a smile,

وعلى القرابة والصحابة كلهم

وعلى القرابة والصحابة كلهم

ما هب من روض المكارم ناسم

ما هب من روض المكارم ناسم

and your kin and Companions, every one,

And upon your kin and companions, all of them,

as long as a breeze blows from the garden of noble virtues.

As long as a breeze blows from the garden of noble virtues.