رَقَصَ القضيبُ لنغمة الوَرْقَاءِ

رَقَصَ القضيبُ لنغمة الوَرْقَاءِ

بمعاطفٍ كمعاطف الهَيْفَاءِ

بمعاطفٍ كمعاطف الهَيْفَاءِ

The bough danced to the gray dove's song,

The rod danced to the melody of the leaflets

with swaying curves like those of a slender-waisted maiden.

In cloaks like the cloaks of hay

وافترَّ ثغرُ الزَّهْرِ عنْ قَطْرِ الندى

وافترَّ ثغرُ الزَّهْرِ عنْ قَطْرِ الندى

فَبَكَتْ جفونُ السّحبِ بالأنَواءِ

فَبَكَتْ جفونُ السّحبِ بالأنَواءِ

And the blossoms' mouth parted in a smile, revealing drops of dew,

And the lip of the flower scoffed at the dew drops

so the clouds' eyelids wept with showers.

So the eyelids of the clouds wept with distress

وجلا الريَاضُ عروسَهُ فِي حلةٍ

وجلا الريَاضُ عروسَهُ فِي حلةٍ

قدْ كُلِّلَتْ بِجوَاهِرِ الأنْدَاءِ

قدْ كُلِّلَتْ بِجوَاهِرِ الأنْدَاءِ

And the gardens unveiled their bride in a robe

The gardens adorned their bride in a dress

already crowned with jewels of dew.

Adorned with the jewels of splendor

ونضَتْ يدُ الإصباحِ من غِمدِ الدّجى

ونضَتْ يدُ الإصباحِ من غِمدِ الدّجى

سيفّاً فمزَّقَ دولةَ الظَّلْمَاءِ

سيفّاً فمزَّقَ دولةَ الظَّلْمَاءِ

And the hand of dawn drew from the sheath of darkness

And the hand of dawn unsheathed from the scabbard of darkness

a sword that then tore apart the dominion of darkness.

A sword that tore apart the state of gloom

والشمسُ سَرْبَلَهَا الشّعاعُ كأنها

والشمسُ سَرْبَلَهَا الشّعاعُ كأنها

خُودٌ بَدَتْ في حلّةٍ حَمْرَاءِ

خُودٌ بَدَتْ في حلّةٍ حَمْرَاءِ

And the sun was robed by radiance, as though she were

The sun dressed in rays like a cheek

a maiden appearing in a red robe.

That appeared in a red robe

وَالقَطْرُ في ثغرِ الأقَاحِ كَأنَّهُ

وَالقَطْرُ في ثغرِ الأقَاحِ كَأنَّهُ

شَهْدٌ جرى في مَرْشَفِ اللَّعْسَاءِ

شَهْدٌ جرى في مَرْشَفِ اللَّعْسَاءِ

And the drops in the daisies' mouths seemed like

And the drops on the lips of the flower buds were as if

honey that flowed between a dark-lipped maiden's lips.

Honey flowed in the drink of the cheerful lady

والنهر يجري في الرّيَاضِ كما جرت

والنهر يجري في الرّيَاضِ كما جرت

سِنَةُ الكَرَى في المُقْلَةِ الوَسْنَاءِ

سِنَةُ الكَرَى في المُقْلَةِ الوَسْنَاءِ

And the river flows through the gardens, as does

And the river flows in the gardens as the

the drowsiness of sleep through a sleepy eye.

Destiny of fates flowed in the flexible willow

والجوّ عطَّرَهُ النسيم بِعَرْفِ مَنْ

والجوّ عطَّرَهُ النسيم بِعَرْفِ مَنْ

ركبَ البراقَ إلى ارْتِقَا العَلْيَاءِ

ركبَ البراقَ إلى ارْتِقَا العَلْيَاءِ

And the breeze perfumed the air with the fragrance of him who

And the air, the breeze scented it with the fragrance of one

rode Buraq to ascend to the heights:

Who rode Al-Burāq to the highest ascent

طهَ الذي أبدى الهدى لَمَّا مَحَا

طهَ الذي أبدى الهدى لَمَّا مَحَا

ليلَ الضَلاَلَةِ بِاليَدِ البَيْضَاءِ

ليلَ الضَلاَلَةِ بِاليَدِ البَيْضَاءِ

Taha, who made guidance manifest when he erased

Ta Ha, who showed guidance when he erased

the night of error with his white hand.

The night of misguidance with the white hand

وهو الذي ملأ القلوبَ بحُكْمِهِ ال

وهو الذي ملأ القلوبَ بحُكْمِهِ ال

محمودِ من خوفٍ لَهُ ورجاءِ

محمودِ من خوفٍ لَهُ ورجاءِ

And he is the one who filled hearts, through his rule—

He who filled hearts with his wise judgment

praiseworthy—with fear of him and hope.

Praised, not of fear and hope

وهو الذي قَسَمَ الندى بِيَمِينِه

وهو الذي قَسَمَ الندى بِيَمِينِه

وَشِمَالِهِ فِي شدّةٍ وَرَخَاءِ

وَشِمَالِهِ فِي شدّةٍ وَرَخَاءِ

And he is the one who dispensed bounty with his right hand

And He who divided grace with His right

and his left, in hardship and ease.

And left in hardship and comfort

فَبَدَا وحكمُ الفضلِ في أصحابِهِ

فَبَدَا وحكمُ الفضلِ في أصحابِهِ

وَمَضَى وحكمُ السيف في الأعداءِ

وَمَضَى وحكمُ السيف في الأعداءِ

So he appeared, with generosity holding sway among his companions,

So he appeared and the judgment of favor upon his companions

and went forth, with the sword holding sway among his enemies.

And he passed and the judgment of the sword upon the enemies

تلقاهُ في جُودٍ وَبَأسٍ رَافِلاً

تلقاهُ في جُودٍ وَبَأسٍ رَافِلاً

كَمُهَنَّد في حِدَّةٍ وصفَاءِ

كَمُهَنَّد في حِدَّةٍ وصفَاءِ

You meet him striding proudly in generosity and valor,

Meet him with generosity and valor overflowing

like an Indian-steel sword in sharpness and luster.

Like a drawn Indian sword, pure and sharp

وَتَرَاهُ من بين الأسنَّةِ سَافراً

وَتَرَاهُ من بين الأسنَّةِ سَافراً

كَالبَدْرِ بَيْنَ كَوَاكِبِ الجَوْزاء

كَالبَدْرِ بَيْنَ كَوَاكِبِ الجَوْزاء

And you see him unveiled amid the spearheads,

You see him among the weapons bare faced

like the full moon among the stars of al-Jawza.

Like the moon among the stars of Gemini

فِي شَانِهِ وَبَنَانِهِ وَجَنَانِهِ

فِي شَانِهِ وَبَنَانِهِ وَجَنَانِهِ

وَلِسَانِهِ عجبٌ لِذِي الآراءِ

وَلِسَانِهِ عجبٌ لِذِي الآراءِ

In his standing, his fingertips, and his heart,

In his distinction, construction, gardens and tongue

and his tongue, there is wonder for the discerning.

Wondrous to those of great insight

صلّى عليه الله ما سَنَّ الظُّبَى

صلّى عليه الله ما سَنَّ الظُّبَى

لِحَصَادِ أعْمَارٍ وَسفكِ دِمَاءِ

لِحَصَادِ أعْمَارٍ وَسفكِ دِمَاءِ

May God bless him as long as blades are sharpened

May Allah send prayers upon him as long as

to reap lives and shed blood.

Willows harvest lives and blood is shed