يا أكرمَ الناسِ كلِّ الناس في الشِّيَم

يا أكرمَ الناسِ كلِّ الناس في الشِّيَم

وأفضلَ الخَلق من عُرْب ومن عَجَمِ

وأفضلَ الخَلق من عُرْب ومن عَجَمِ

O noblest of people—all people—in character,

O most generous of all people in character

And best of creation, among Arabs and non-Arabs.

And best of all creation, Arab or non-Arab

بل لا أَقيسُك بالدنيا وساكنها

بل لا أَقيسُك بالدنيا وساكنها

وهل يُقاس ضياءُ الصبح بالظُّلَمِ

وهل يُقاس ضياءُ الصبح بالظُّلَمِ

Nay, I do not compare you with the world and its inhabitants;

Rather, I do not compare you to this world and its inhabitants

And can the radiance of morning be compared with darkness?

And how can the dawn's radiance be compared to darkness?

ما أحسن الدهرَ إذا أصبحتَ مالكَهُ

ما أحسن الدهرَ إذا أصبحتَ مالكَهُ

أفديك من ملِكٍ بَرٍّ ومِن حَكَم

أفديك من ملِكٍ بَرٍّ ومِن حَكَم

How fair the age is when you have become its master!

How good is time when you are its master

I would ransom you, a benevolent king and arbiter!

I ransom you from a righteous, wise king

قد كنتَ أسَّسْتَ يا مولاي مبتدِئاً

قد كنتَ أسَّسْتَ يا مولاي مبتدِئاً

مَرَمّتي بالغاً فيها مَدَى الكَرَمِ

مَرَمّتي بالغاً فيها مَدَى الكَرَمِ

You had already laid the foundations, my lord, beginning

You had begun, my master, originally

my restoration, reaching in it the furthest bounds of generosity.

My ambition with generosity, reaching the extent of nobility

ولَم تَتِمَّ فتمِّمْها فأحسَنُ ما

ولَم تَتِمَّ فتمِّمْها فأحسَنُ ما

في المجد تتميمُ ما تُسدي من النعم

في المجد تتميمُ ما تُسدي من النعم

And it remains unfinished; complete it, for the finest thing

And it was not completed, so complete it, for the best that is

in glory is to complete the favors you bestow.

In glory is the completion of what you initiate of blessings

وأمرُ بتعجيلها حتّى أعيشَ وقد

وأمرُ بتعجيلها حتّى أعيشَ وقد

أقْرَرْتَ عيني وقد بَلَّغْتَني هِمَمي

أقْرَرْتَ عيني وقد بَلَّغْتَني هِمَمي

And order it hastened, so that I may live, with you having

And command it to be hastened so that I may live having

gladdened my eye and enabled me to attain my aspirations.

Delighted my eye, and you have enabled me my aspirations