1. If praises do not help me in my ascendancy,
Who then can I excuse my distance and absence to?

2. How can I apologize with poetry when you
Are accustomed to always overlooking and forgiving?

3. Whether near or far from the homeland,
I confide my concerns in you, and you accept them.

4. I compose the prime of meanings and support them,
So if I do not succeed, the praises reach out to you.

5. Indeed I love those who envy you, for they
Prompt me to remember you, and I reciprocate.

6. They rejoice in reminding me, enticing with your memory,
Exaggerating in describing you, and advising benevolently.

7. If asked of your mysteries, they stay silent,
And if asked of your merits, they elucidate eloquently.

8. A happy rain quenched your land wandering about,
And an early returning breeze from joy blew upon it.

9. That is a den for lions with in it
Paths for gazelles to frisk about in delight.

10. Gazelles leaping playfully, fawns bleating plaintively,
Roebucks locking horns, and brash beasts roaming recklessly.

11. Among the tribe’s encampments, a flock of ostriches
Frolicking freely in a garden of security.

12. When they shake their necks for reproach,
None but the ostrich turns away while still attacking.

13. And if the she-ostrich spread her wings over the deceased,
The folded shrouds would open up from him.

14. If she called upon my bones, they would answer her,
But my grave has no echo, no voice cries out!

15. If my beloved is stingy, imagination makes concessions,
And if angry, her specter reconciles with me.

16. A lover preventing giving greetings,
And a specter facilitating the communion of souls.

17. In an open desert no walker’s feet corrupted,
Nor did a bridegroom unwrap its bridal gown.

18. I unveiled the veil of its modesty in the morning,
While the dawn’s veil in the east billowed about.

19. I married her to the wakeful from an ensuing lineage,
And by evening, despite her barrenness, she was pregnant!

20. An ambitious old man desires to attain the stars,
So his gaze towards the planets aspires.

21. I lead him through the sea of darkness while he is anchored,
And make him enter the basin of dawn while overflowing.

22. “I do not see him,” says she, “like tears
Roaming about by day and night upon the earth.”

23. I seek no pleasure, I said no, nor any riches,
And I do not struggle to gain delights.

24. But each day I have needs to ascend,
Though below them disasters rage about.

25. She said, “Lo, high ambitions are dear,
So how when at your disposal praises are few?”

26. Do you have merit, I said yes, but it falls short.
She said, purpose? I said yes, but it outweighs.

27. Dedication? I said yes, but it is helpless.
Opposition? I said yes, but it attacks.

28. Glory? I said yes, but it is tiring.
Bliss? I said yes, but it slaughters.

29. Kingship? I said yes, but it corrupts.
A good king? I said yes, and it makes prosperous.

30. A king who bought the treasure of praise with his wealth,
Knowing he profits in the trade of glory.

31. People think his hands are caring
While they are keys to people’s livelihoods.

32. Generous, if generosity stirred its seas,
Clement, if clemency calmed its surging waves.

33. When opinions perplex him, his perspective retains
Wisdom that does not neglect his interests.

34. His generosity reaches the far lands while frowning,
And the near fear his jest while he is humoring.

35. Like gales that blow while gloomy,
Yet smile in the face of their slain victim.

36. Of people, if nobility is counted, they are
The spirit of glory, and the people its organs.

37. I hold back their hands from honorable deeds,
And their mention opens the gate to all that is generous.

38. If they become concealed, their merits secretly multiply,
Just as musk's essence is hidden while fragrant.

39. O king who pleases lofty ambitions with his efforts,
Even the steeds of kingship that roam about untamed.

40. You took on a task too heavy for the suns to bear,
Yet you stood up to it with resolve and piercing insight.

41. You unified the nation after its fragments scattered,
With separatists amongst it loudly clamoring.

42. You reached to the heavens with your palm, and the heights
Stretch out palms that have no equal to shake.

43. The reins came to you voluntarily, though before
They would only struggle against you defiantly.

44. The flames of war the wicked kindled,
With stallions stampeding, mares attacking undeterred.

45. Men steadfast, troops floating about,
Bay steeds nimble, and white swords bare.

46. You stood up to them while the neighing fillies laughed,
And the faces of depravity displayed amongst them.

47. Your face beamed, your frown glowered,
Your sword blazed, and your resolve overwhelmed.

48. O king who is praised by the mouth of the exalted,
And who the raging tempests name loftily!

49. If our wings have become distant from you,
Our hearts towards you still soar about.

50. But my state of distance is clear to you,
And my excuse for delay elucidated.

51. I will conclude the prime of praises with your names,
Since with your names I first opened their gate.