1. The caliph of Allah whose promises are never broken
And O leader whom attributes have rendered speechless

2. He who has no hesitation or pause for any questioner
His habit is generosity and softness

3. O you whose determination is like the sharp edge of a sword
Remaining firm when heroes’ feet tremble

4. And whose qualities are most subtle
With glances that do not glance

5. His days are a garden of sorrow
Without injustice, tyranny or arrogance

6. With cheeks whose bloom is plucked in moments
And saliva with which bitter aloes are tempered

7. With a stature that makes my heart flutter madly
And a stolen glance - when I see it I am carried away

8. I incline toward him yet his heart is like rock, unbending
And a life with him the like of which is matchless

9. Can the past be compensated or replaced?
I yearn for those days though yearning is futile

10. A pact of flowing sincerity when he swears an oath
Indeed, al-‘Abbas rules justly in his judgement

11. And he is the noblest who has trodden the earth
My praise of him is free of pretence

12. More radiant than a pearl when cleft from its shell
Like water - no affectation in its composition

13. I have filled the pages with all I have dictated of it
So make the most of my praise, for I am a fleeting visitor

14. I have grown old in your service, an honor to me
And the slave is a fragile vessel, prone to decay

15. After old age there remains only death or senility
And he leaves behind a family with conflicting interests

16. They burden him with unwanted duties
Where is the wherewithal for such duties?

17. And with financial woes he carries stoically
His soul recoils from praising the worthless

18. He is not like others, guarded and restrained
Singing praises of the palm even when it bears no fruit

19. So look upon him, now that the critic is tested
Your wise governance will improve his situation

20. And there has grown for the community, O Lord of Men, an heir
Who is accustomed to the cage and flutters around it

21. He brings me joy - the little one still fluttering
Without inheritance or one to inherit after me

22. I have no possessions or household to bequeath
My tears of affection for him flow freely

23. I have tested him and found him refined and learned
With no arrogance, vanity or haughtiness

24. His fruits have ripened and will soon be plucked
His desire is service in the office and administration

25. So plant him in a position where he can rise high
And be recognized among the people for his rank

26. As long as the grasps of the Pleiades twist and turn
And after two months when the fodder is depleted

27. And the feast day arrives with its celebrations
You will see him in the procession, banner held high

28. As if in his black garb he were a rising moon
Remaining with us, dispelling doubts and revealing truths

29. A protected and victorious ruler, gentle yet firm
What travels in darkness and a flash of lightning that captures.