1. The gazelle I loved has abandoned me
Though youth’s garden blooms again with flowers

2. Have you heard of a gazelle in the meadows
Who fled when flowers bloomed in a garden?

3. I was a thief of carefree life
Under dark nights that hid everything

4. Now those nights have waned and whitened
So stealing pleasures leaves me disgusted

5. The highness of old age crowned my head quickly
And shadows, no matter how high the sun, shrink

6. I cast off the robe of darkness I wore
So see how elegies adorn this poem

7. I grew old so beauties seldom show themselves
Though my eyes once glimpsed many images

8. Whiteness prevents one from seeing whom
He loves, whether dark tressed or fair

9. He veils my eyes whenever I slumber
Or like Joshua's hand whenever I travel

10. The moon is the guide of my tear's course
So it streams whenever the moon disappears

11. His veil is like clouds filled with coolness
It heals me from afar though he's not near

12. My eyes get drunk from his cheeks whenever
They speak of the pressing his lips have done

13. His virtues are complete but his cruelty
To people, and killing them without care

14. It's as if an idol whom life was given
With a heart of stone by the Lord of men

15. I know not if it was the night's length or my eyes
That caused our separation to be long or brief

16. As if my eyelids from insomnia
Were awake all night by their lashes

17. Or like the Imam on the morn of battle
When his steeds shared the dawn of my night

18. When the morning star rose from Zawra
Below the knights was an open plain

19. Black uniforms and white faces sought
Blood so their blades would redden

20. The finest young knight, his weapon
Struck wherever he motioned, undeterred

21. A king leading an army of angels
Obeying God, never disobeying orders

22. And others, scum of the earth, villains
Whose treachery shook even India

23. When they thrust their spears into chests
The carriers of the litters bore fruits

24. No injustice or oppression remained
That was not folded by the hand of justice

25. He rose guided by God who guided him
So no arrow goes astray when it flies

26. If he called, the rain of generosity flowed
If he was generous, generosity flooded

27. None are amazed when he shows renunciation
For he is God's sword, already unsheathed

28. They angered God so He unleashed him against the foes
No wonder when you harmed God, He sought revenge

29. When an evil people exceeded in discord
The sword did not hesitate to shorten them

30. Striking the ground though it yearned for kisses
Meeting fronts though it craved closeness

31. And stabbing, snatching souls unerringly
From sparks the battle's fire scattered

32. For the apostates from religion who rebelled
With apostasy from the clear stream

33. They spread their wings in flight
But for impending doom, they would have fled

34. The eagles did not compete in killing them
When their corpses were piled atop each other

35. The earth tells of their crushing beneath it
Of those you killed, no trace of them remaining

36. If you washed the ground of their feet's imprint
With anything but their blood, it would not be pure

37. So God ennobled you as a king who rose
To defend the faith and clear its clouds

38. Had the spears of war not clashed and contended
The faith you mended would have shattered

39. I advise you, O kings of earth, to heed
Lessons enough examples have conveyed

40. He is the son of one who made heaven to cloud
Reviving towns and lands that had withered

41. So beware harming whom, when seeking revenge
Considers iron to be clouds and blood rain

42. Follow his principles and fear his troops
Today a fierce lion has finally awakened

43. Baring his fangs, eyes not closing in sleep
Continuously striking for faith without tiring

44. To ransom you, O Abbasids, though your rule declines
From a foe who claimed legitimacy or rebelled

45. A command from God in this world your nation retains
None who betrayed it will be left alive

46. None who rebelled against you survived
Without time saying: Soon you will witness

47. No rebel who brandished swords against you saw
But his own soul harvested for the blade

48. God has seen what His Caliph revealed
And justice restored that spread and flourished

49. A caliphate the predecessors endorsed
A heritage they cleansed of all impurities

50. The first believers called the faithful to it
To shield them, so they warded off harm

51. Their sword, Mansur, followed by no sword but
Mahdi's, and the guided Hadi tread his path

52. Then Rasheed and three noble sons
Guides in a blessed group of four

53. Ameen, a just ruler, Ma'moun, and Mu'tasim
Watheeq, suffice these as pride for the proud

54. And who relies on what he has assumed
And who calls to God's faith a victor

55. Al-Musta'een followed by Al-Mu'tazz
And Al-Muhtadee guided by God the Pleased

56. And Al-Mo'tamed rules followed by Al-Mo'tadid
While Al-Muktafee succeeds the kingdom's heir

57. Al-Qaher the Just, Ar-Radi, reverent and just
Recall, and Al-Muttaquee after those recalled

58. Then Al-Mustakfee succeeded by At-Ta'i
Culminating with Al-Qadir the All-Powerful when he attained might

59. And ruling is Qa'im followed by Muqtadi
Preceding the days of Mustadhir Allah-aided apparent

60. Successor caliphs threaded on time's cord
Your face's light among them continues in death

61. None but what God concealed for the day
He announced it, giving good tidings to mankind

62. Then twenty glorious reigns, followed by eight of them
They were the stages with the guided moon

63. If he disappears behind the veil for a time
The crescent's eclipse is healing for him

64. So observe the continuous growing favor
And a nation time itself will eliminate

65. O sea of knowledge the ink replenished
O full moon raining down pearls

66. Grant me a writ I have not been granted
Though long I have watched for it hopefully

67. The sun of guidance rose radiant for mankind
Yet I was not granted to look upon its light

68. The house of idols was toppled yet I
Was not among those who performed Hajj and Umrah

69. I do not think I properly praised you in verse
Rather I offered poetry as an apology

70. Our eulogies hardly give you your due
Your meadows of praise left unwatered

71. All boast of the sea of their pearls
While I am but a courier carrying pearls

72. And I promise you riches though needy of you
The rich are those who need your gift

73. God's Caliph you bring goodness to the world
Oh that your days would never expire!

74. Give the soil a glance, and you will see
The wilderness donning the garment of light

75. It adorned the earth in thanks that you remained
And the promise that Allah will give more to the thankful

76. When dawn's anemones learned you were victorious
And its meadows turned red

77. The hills rolled up their trains in rapture
To cloak him who spread the news

78. You attained, O Leader of the Faithful, a limit
Beyond the stars, if you wished to stop there

79. Whoever flees from you travels the earth defeated
Growing in sin though he feels no burden

80. In East or West no peace he finds
Unless you pardon the sinner's misdeed

81. Rejoice! Command is obeyed ecstatically
Transferring grace and affliction among men

82. Grant long life to us and the heir
That the world may hoard the best stock

83. In a state safe from fate's twists
And life unvisited by parting