ألا أيها الغادي مجداً بنجداً

ألا أيها الغادي مجداً بنجداً

يؤم من الضيرين قصراً مشيداً

يؤم من الضيرين قصراً مشيداً

Lo, you who ride forth in earnest toward Najd,

O you setting out in haste through Najd,

making for your lofty palace between the two realms,

Bound from al-Ḍayrayn toward a lofty palace,

حنانيك قف لي ساعة وتحملا

حنانيك قف لي ساعة وتحملا

تحيات مشتاق به الوجد أكمدا

تحيات مشتاق به الوجد أكمدا

be gentle—halt for me an hour, and bear

Grant me your kindness; pause for me a moment and carry

the greetings of a yearning man whom longing has sickened,

The greetings of a longing man whom yearning has made sorrowful,

إلى الملك الأسما سلالة فيصل

إلى الملك الأسما سلالة فيصل

وأوفى ملوك الناس عهداً وموعداً

وأوفى ملوك الناس عهداً وموعداً

to the most exalted king, a scion of Faisal,

To the most exalted king, a scion of Faisal,

the most faithful of mankind’s kings in covenant and promise,

The most faithful of kings in covenant and promise,

وأبذلهم للجود طبعاً وعادةً

وأبذلهم للجود طبعاً وعادةً

واكمل أوصاف الفتى ما تعودا

واكمل أوصاف الفتى ما تعودا

the freest-handed of them, generous by nature and habit,

And the most generous among them by nature and habit;

the youth most perfect in all the qualities he has made his own;

A man's finest qualities are those he makes his habit.

إمام سمى بالمجد والجود والندى

إمام سمى بالمجد والجود والندى

على كل أملاك البلاد ذوي الندى

على كل أملاك البلاد ذوي الندى

an imam who rose through glory, munificence, and largesse

A leader who rose in glory, generosity, and bounty

above every king of the lands endowed with wisdom.

Above all the lands' kings endowed with bounty.

مآثر آباء له ومحامداً

مآثر آباء له ومحامداً

تأثلها عنهم وقد كان أوحدا

تأثلها عنهم وقد كان أوحدا

Ancestral exploits are his, and praiseworthy deeds,

His are his forefathers' noble deeds and praiseworthy qualities,

inherited from them—and he himself stands peerless.

Which he inherited from them, himself unrivaled.

فأبلغه تسليماً كأن أريحه

فأبلغه تسليماً كأن أريحه

شذى المسك بل أندى أريجاً وأمجدا

شذى المسك بل أندى أريجاً وأمجدا

Convey to him greetings whose fragrance

So convey to him a greeting whose fragrance seems

is musk-sweet—indeed, more dewy, fragrant, and pleasing.

Like musk's perfume—indeed, fresher in scent and more glorious.

ولا تنس مقداماً هماماً سميدعاً

ولا تنس مقداماً هماماً سميدعاً

سلالته من قد سمى وتفردا

سلالته من قد سمى وتفردا

Do not forget that valiant, high-hearted lion,

And do not forget a bold, high-hearted, noble chief,

descended from one who rose and stood alone,

His offspring, who rose high and stood unrivaled,

وفاق وساد الناس طراً بمجده

وفاق وساد الناس طراً بمجده

فابلغه تسليماً أريجاً مندداً

فابلغه تسليماً أريجاً مندداً

surpassed all and ruled mankind through his glory.

Surpassing and leading all people through his glory.

Convey to him greetings, fragrant and oft-repeated.

Convey to him a fragrant, perfumed greeting.

وناد بأعلى الصوت يا صاح قائلاً

وناد بأعلى الصوت يا صاح قائلاً

أيا من سمى مجداً وجوداً وسؤددا

أيا من سمى مجداً وجوداً وسؤددا

And call at the top of your voice, companion, saying:

And call out at the top of your voice, my friend, saying:

“O brother of one who rose in glory, generosity, and lordship,

O you who rose in glory, generosity, and lordship,

حنانيك ما أبقيت ذخراً ولم تزل

حنانيك ما أبقيت ذخراً ولم تزل

تجود علينا يا أخا المجد بالندى

تجود علينا يا أخا المجد بالندى

be gracious! You have left no treasure unspent, and have never ceased

Grant me your kindness! You held no reserve back and never ceased

showering us with bounty, brother of glory,

Bestowing bounty upon us, O brother of glory,

"إلى أن بلغنا ""الدكتر"" الذي"

"إلى أن بلغنا ""الدكتر"" الذي"

يرى أنه في طبه قد توحدا

يرى أنه في طبه قد توحدا

until you brought us to ‘the doctor’ who

Until we reached the doctor who

believes himself unrivaled in his medicine.

Believes himself unrivaled in his medicine.

فما زادني إلاَّ عماءً وحمرة

فما زادني إلاَّ عماءً وحمرة

على العين زادتها عماءً منكدا

على العين زادتها عماءً منكدا

Yet he added nothing to me but blindness and redness,

Yet he brought me nothing but blindness and redness

making the eye still blinder and more afflicted.

In the eye, worsening its distressing blindness.

فظل يداويها لينكشف الذي

فظل يداويها لينكشف الذي

أمض بها مما أضر وأنكدا

أمض بها مما أضر وأنكدا

He kept treating it so that what had

So he kept treating it to clear away what

befallen it—what harmed and plagued it—might clear;

Had tormented it with harm and distress.

وفي كل يوم وهي لا شك تنجلي

وفي كل يوم وهي لا شك تنجلي

ويزداد نور العين فيها تجددا

ويزداد نور العين فيها تجددا

and every day it surely clears,

And each day it undoubtedly clears,

and the eye’s light within it grows renewed.

And the eye's light grows ever more renewed within it.

وفي تسع أيام على رغم رأيه

وفي تسع أيام على رغم رأيه

أرى ما يراه الناس مثنى وموحدا

أرى ما يراه الناس مثنى وموحدا

After nine days, despite his opinion,

And within nine days, despite his opinion,

I see what others see, both double and single.

I see what people see, both paired and single.

فإن صح ذا فالحمد لله وحده

فإن صح ذا فالحمد لله وحده

وبعض الذي نهوى وشئناه قد بدا

وبعض الذي نهوى وشئناه قد بدا

If this is sound, then praise belongs to God alone,

If this proves true, then praise belongs to God alone,

and part of what we hoped and wished has appeared.

And some of what we desire and wished for has appeared.

وإن عميت فالأمر لله وحده

وإن عميت فالأمر لله وحده

وقد بذل الأسباب من كان أوحدا

وقد بذل الأسباب من كان أوحدا

If I go blind, the matter belongs to God alone;

And if I go blind, the matter belongs to God alone;

he who was peerless has exhausted every means—

The unrivaled one has indeed provided the means:

إمام الهدى عبد العزيز أخو الندى

إمام الهدى عبد العزيز أخو الندى

ومردي العدى ممن عتى أو تمردا

ومردي العدى ممن عتى أو تمردا

the imam of guidance, Abd al-Aziz, brother of bounty,

The leader of guidance, Abd al-Aziz, brother of bounty,

destroyer of foes who rebelled or defied.

And destroyer of enemies who transgressed or rebelled.

له في سماء المجد شمس منيرة

له في سماء المجد شمس منيرة

وفي الجود قد أربى على من تجودا

وفي الجود قد أربى على من تجودا

In glory’s heaven he has a radiant sun,

In the sky of glory he has a radiant sun,

and in generosity he has surpassed all who ever gave.

And in generosity he has surpassed all who give.

فما كان كعباً في السماحة مثله

فما كان كعباً في السماحة مثله

ولا حاتم الطائي من كان أجودا

ولا حاتم الطائي من كان أجودا

Ka‘b, for all his liberality, was never his equal,

For Ka'b was not his equal in generosity,

nor was Hatim al-Ta’i—who could be more generous?

Nor Hatim al-Ta'i, who was most generous.

وفي الحرب مقدام هزبر غشمشم

وفي الحرب مقدام هزبر غشمشم

وفي السلم فياض بما قد تعودا

وفي السلم فياض بما قد تعودا

In war, he is a bold and formidable lion;

In war he is bold, a ferocious lion,

in peace, unstinting with the bounty he customarily gives.

And in peace he overflows with his accustomed gifts.

فقل للذي قد رام شأو مرامه

فقل للذي قد رام شأو مرامه

تأخر فلن يجعل لك الله مصعدا

تأخر فلن يجعل لك الله مصعدا

Say to the one who seeks to reach his lofty mark:

So tell whoever sought the height of his ambition:

‘Stand back—God will grant you no ascent.’

Fall back: God will grant you no ascent

فتذرك من شاءوا الإمام مآثراً

فتذرك من شاءوا الإمام مآثراً

ومجداً سما فخراً به وتفردا

ومجداً سما فخراً به وتفردا

Let others relate the imam’s noble exploits

To reach the imam's stature in noble deeds [reading uncertain],

and a glory that towered proudly, unique.

And glory, through which he rose proudly and stood unrivaled.

بنى للعلى مجداً رفيعاً مشيداً

بنى للعلى مجداً رفيعاً مشيداً

واتهم في كل الأمور وأنجدا

واتهم في كل الأمور وأنجدا

He built for high honor a lofty, towering glory,

He built for exalted honor a lofty, towering glory,

and in every undertaking brought it to completion and success.

And in all affairs he traversed Tihamah and Najd.

فلست بمحص بعض أوصاف مجده

فلست بمحص بعض أوصاف مجده

ولا بعض ما ابدى وأجدى ومهدا

ولا بعض ما ابدى وأجدى ومهدا

I cannot number even some of his glory’s attributes,

You cannot enumerate even some qualities of his glory,

nor some of what he has produced, bestowed, and prepared.

Nor some of what he displayed, bestowed, and established.

هو البحر غص فيه إذا كان ساكناً

هو البحر غص فيه إذا كان ساكناً

على الدر وأحذره إذا كان مزبدا

على الدر وأحذره إذا كان مزبدا

He is the sea: dive into him when he is calm

He is the sea: dive into it when it is calm,

for pearls, but beware him when he foams.

For pearls, but beware of it when it foams.

وقد قيل هذا في أناس تخلفت

وقد قيل هذا في أناس تخلفت

مناقبهم عما استفاد وأوفدا

مناقبهم عما استفاد وأوفدا

This has been said of people whose

Such words have been said of people whose

virtues fell short of all he gained and conferred;

Virtues fell short of what he acquired and sent forth.

فكان أحق الناس بالمدح التي

فكان أحق الناس بالمدح التي

يراه بهن المادحون ممجدا

يراه بهن المادحون ممجدا

so he is the worthiest of all people of the praises

Thus he was most worthy of the praises by which

with which eulogists declare a man glorious.

Those who praise him see him glorified.

وكيف وقد كانت مآثر مجده

وكيف وقد كانت مآثر مجده

مآثر آباء حواهن تلدا

مآثر آباء حواهن تلدا

How could it be otherwise, when the exploits of his glory

And how could it be otherwise, when the noble deeds of his glory

are ancestral exploits handed down?

Were his forefathers' noble deeds, held as ancestral inheritance?

هو المجد وابن المجد والمجد أصله

هو المجد وابن المجد والمجد أصله

وما المجد إلا ما تأزر وارتد

وما المجد إلا ما تأزر وارتد

He is glory, glory’s son, and glory is his root;

He is glory, glory's son, and glory is his root;

glory is only what he wears as robe and mantle.

And glory is nothing but what he wraps around his waist and wears as a cloak.

فهذا الذي نبدي على أن مجدهم

فهذا الذي نبدي على أن مجدهم

ومقدارهم أعلى وأسنى وأصعدا

ومقدارهم أعلى وأسنى وأصعدا

This is what we disclose, though his forebears’ glory

This, then, is what we declare, though their glory

and stature rise higher, loftier, more exalted.

And their standing are higher, more radiant, and loftier.

ولولا سرور الألمعي بكلما

ولولا سرور الألمعي بكلما

نسربه ما قلت دراً منضدا

نسربه ما قلت دراً منضدا

Were it not for the perceptive man’s joy in everything

Were it not for the discerning man's joy in all that

that delights us, I would not have strung these pearls.

We rejoice in, I would not have uttered pearls in ordered strands.

وليس عن المحبوب سر محجب

وليس عن المحبوب سر محجب

بما سرنا أو ضرنا أو تلددا

بما سرنا أو ضرنا أو تلددا

No secret concerning the beloved can remain veiled,

No secret is veiled from the beloved

whether it gladdens us, harms us, or threatens us.

Concerning what gladdened us, harmed us, or left us restless.

على أنه الساعي بكل فضيلة

على أنه الساعي بكل فضيلة

ومنقبة يسمو بها من تمجدا

ومنقبة يسمو بها من تمجدا

For he strives after every virtue

For he strives for every virtue,

and distinction by which whoever seeks glory may rise.

And every merit by which one who seeks glory rises.

وأبلغ هداك الله مني تحية

وأبلغ هداك الله مني تحية

إلى الشيخ عبد الله من كان أوحدا

إلى الشيخ عبد الله من كان أوحدا

Convey—may God guide you—my greeting

And convey from me a greeting—may God guide you—

to Sheikh Abd Allah, the peerless one,

To Sheikh Abd Allah, the unrivaled one,

إمام هدى يدعو إلى الله دهره

إمام هدى يدعو إلى الله دهره

وينشر دين الله والعلم والهدى

وينشر دين الله والعلم والهدى

an imam of guidance who calls to God throughout his life

A leader of guidance who calls to God throughout his life,

and spreads God’s religion, knowledge, and right guidance.

And spreads God's religion, knowledge, and guidance.

له مجلس بالعلم يزهر دائماً

له مجلس بالعلم يزهر دائماً

فكان لباغي الخير والعلم موردا

فكان لباغي الخير والعلم موردا

He has an assembly ever radiant with learning,

He has a gathering that always blossoms with knowledge;

a wellspring for every seeker of goodness and knowledge.

Thus it was a watering place for seekers of goodness and knowledge.

لعمري لقد أنكرت نفسي لفقده

لعمري لقد أنكرت نفسي لفقده

فأصبحت مشغوفاً به متوجدا

فأصبحت مشغوفاً به متوجدا

By my life, I scarcely knew myself when I lost him;

By my life, I did not recognize myself in his absence,

I awoke consumed with longing for him.

And became devoted to him, aching with longing.

رعى الله من أحيا بدرس علومه

رعى الله من أحيا بدرس علومه

دوارس لولا درسه كن همدا

دوارس لولا درسه كن همدا

May God preserve the one who, by teaching his sciences, revived

May God protect the man who revived, by teaching his sciences,

disciplines that, but for his lessons, would have lain dead.

Effaced traces that, but for his teaching, would have lain lifeless.

وأبلغه تسليماً على البعد والنوى

وأبلغه تسليماً على البعد والنوى

وإن كان لا يجيد لدى من توجدا

وإن كان لا يجيد لدى من توجدا

Convey to him my greetings across distance and separation,

And convey to him a greeting despite distance and separation,

though greetings avail little to one who burns with longing;

Even if it does no good for one who yearns.

وإخوانه الغر الميامين كلهم

وإخوانه الغر الميامين كلهم

وأبناؤه الزاكين أصلاً ومحتدا

وأبناؤه الزاكين أصلاً ومحتدا

and to all his noble, blessed brothers,

And to all his illustrious, blessed brothers,

and his sons, pure in root and lineage;

And his sons, pure in lineage and ancestry,

ومن كان ذا ودٍ محبٍ وناصح

ومن كان ذا ودٍ محبٍ وناصح

صديق صدوق صادة الود سرمدا

صديق صدوق صادة الود سرمدا

and to every loving, sincere well-wisher,

And whoever bears affection, is loving and well-wishing:

a true friend, truthful, constant in affection.

A truthful friend, forever sincere in affection [reading uncertain].

وأزكى صلاة الله ثم سلامه

وأزكى صلاة الله ثم سلامه

على السيد المعصوم من كان أمجدا

على السيد المعصوم من كان أمجدا

And God’s purest blessings, followed by His peace,

And God's purest blessings, then His peace,

upon the protected Master, the most glorious,

Upon the sinless master, who was most glorious,

وأصحابه والآل مع كل تابعٍ

وأصحابه والآل مع كل تابعٍ

وتابعهم ما ناح طير وغردا

وتابعهم ما ناح طير وغردا

and upon his Companions, his House, and every follower;

And upon his companions and family, with every follower,

may these blessings follow them as long as any bird laments or sings.

And their followers, as long as birds coo and sing.