1. My Master, O best of kings
Choice of victory and its lords
١. مَوْلاَيَ يَا خَيْرَ مُلُوكِ الْوَرَى
وَنُخْبَةَ النَّصْرِ وَأَرْبَابِهِ
2. You took charge of what you are fit for
So let this matter come from its proper channel
٢. قُمْتَ بِأَمْرِ أَنْتَ أَهْلٌ لَهُ
فَلْتَأَتِ هَذَا الأمْرَ مِنْ بَابهِ
3. Do not let anyone near your door
Who sees himself as more deserving
٣. لاَ تُدْنِ مِنْ بَابِكَ شَخْصاً يَرَى
بأَنَّهُ فِي النَّاسِ أَوْلَى بِهِ
4. With money behind him
And hands clutching his skirts
٤. وَعِنْدَهُ مَالٌ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ
أيْدٍ تَعَلَّقْنَ بِأَهْدَابِهِ
5. Especially one whose ear is inflated
And stomach bloated beneath his clothes
٥. لاَ سِيَّمَا مَنْ دَخَلتْ أُذْنُهُ
وَانْتَفَخَتْ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَثْوَابِهِ
6. And from whom the kingdom feared in the past
Intending to cut off access
٦. وَخَافَ مِنْهُ الْمُلْكُ فِيمَا مَضَى
وَكَانْ يَنْويِ قَطْعَ أَسْبَابِهِ
7. I have spoiled the words of his seers
His thoughts today are for his account
٧. قَدْ أَفْسدتُ أَقْوَالَ كُهَانِهِ
فِكَرتَهُ اليوم محسبهِ
8. He looks in the mirror, his expression
Between his loyalists and partisans
٨. يَنْظُرُ فِي الْمِرْآةِ مِنْ وَجْههِ
بَيْنَ مَوَالِيهِ وَأَحْزَابِهِ
9. A royal bride long betrothed
With marriage brokers busy at work
٩. عَرُوسَ مُلْكٍ طَالَمَا أُعْمِلَتْ
فِي عَقْدِهِ أَرْجُلُ خُطَّابِهِ
10. His ambition is to replace his procurers
And his thoughts to appoint his scribes
١٠. فَهَمُّهُ اْستِبْدَالُ قُوَّادِهِ
وَفِكْرُهُ اسْتِنْخَابُ كُتَّابِهِ
11. If he sleeps his dreams are his ideas
If he wakes erecting his pulpit
١١. إِنْ نَامَ كَانَتْ حُلْمَ أَفْكَارِهِ
أَوْ قَامَ كَانَتْ نُصْبَ مِحْرَابِهِ
12. He criticizes you no matter what
Between his family and companions
١٢. يَنْقُدُكَ الْغِيبَةَ مَهْمَا خَلا
مَا بَيْنَ أَهْلِيهِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ
13. And lures the soldiers toward himself
With slick words and wiles
١٣. وَيَجْذُبُ الْجُنْدَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ
بِخَادِعِ الْقَوْلِ وَخَلاَّبِهِ
14. With him, if you are not resolute
The delegates seeking access to your chamber
١٤. كَانَ بِهِ إِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ حَازِماً
وَالْوَفْدُ يَبْغِي إِذْنَ حُجَّابِهِ
15. And now he covets so beware
None who covet start harm like the greedy
١٥. وَالآنَ قَدْ هَابَكَ فَاحْذَرْ فَمَا
يَبْدَأ فَتْكاً غَيْرُ هَيَّابِهِ
16. The future of the state lies
With the evilest of his ilk
١٦. وَقَاطِعُ الدَّوْلَةِ مُسْتَقْبِلٌ
فَلْتَسْتَعِذْ مِنْ شَرِّ أَوْصَابِهِ
17. God protects you from harm by foes
No one seeks help but Him
١٧. وَاللهُ يَكْفِيكَ شُرُورَ الْعِدَى
لا يَسْتَعِينُ الْعبْدُ إلاَّ بِهِ
18. The kingdom isn't limited to one nation
But to its conqueror
١٨. وَالْمُلْكُ لَمْ يُقْصَرْ عَلَى أًمَّةٍ
وَإِنَّمَا الْمُلْكُ لِغُلاَّبِهِ
19. This is Hood's heir who won
The children of Nasr won its spoils
١٩. هَذَا ابْنُ هُودٍ بَعْدَ إِرْثِ الْعُلَى
فَازَ بَنُو نَصْر بِأَسْلاَبِهِ
20. The brave lion enjoys no life
Unless it keeps the wolf from its lair
٢٠. لاَ يَسْتَلِذُّ الْعَيْشَ لَيْثُ الشَّرَى
حَتَّى يَذْودَ الأسْدَ عَنْ غابِهِ
21. If you lack prudence you'll not escape
The claws of betrayal and its fangs
٢١. وَإِنْ أَضَعْتَ الْحَزْمَ لَمْ تَنْفَلِتْ
مِنْ ظُفُر الْحَيْنِ وَمِنْ نَابِهِ
22. Do not accuse me, I'm versed
In the wisdom and courtesy of kings
٢٢. لاَ تَتَّهِمْنِي إِنَّنِي مُمْتَلٍ
مِنْ حِكَمِ الْمُلْكِ وَآدَابِهِ
23. Use your gifted mind to judge
Situations and thank the Grantor
٢٣. وَعَقْلَكَ الْمَوْهُوبَ حَكِّمْهُ فِي
الأَحْوَالِ وَاشْكُرْ فَضْلَ وَهَّابِهِ
24. And all you coddled before
Teach of the throne and its trappings
٢٤. وَكُلُّ مَنْ أَدْلَلْتَهُ قَبْلَهَا
عَلِّمْهُ بِالْمُلْكِ وَأَلْقَابِهِ
25. No kingdom remained for one who built not
Pillars of system and propriety
٢٥. لَمْ يُرَ مَلْكٌ فِي زَمَانٍ خَلاَ
قَامَ لَهُ رَسْمٌ بِأَتْرَابِهِ
26. If you called one uncle or sir
Trust how he acts and what he expects
٢٦. مَنْ قُلْتَ يَا عَمِّ لَهُ مَرَّةً
ثِقْ بِتَعَاطِيهِ وَإِعْجَابِهِ
27. My lord - as long as one sees
Himself deserving he rose to meet it
٢٧. أَوْ سَيِّدي دَامَ يَرَى سَيِّدِي
حَقّاً لَهُ قُمْتَ بِإيجَابِهِ
28. And bring the people justice to hide beneath
So people take cover in its cloak
٢٨. وَابْسُطْ عَلَى الْخَلَقِ مِنَ الْعَدْلِ مَا
يَسْتَتِرُ الْخَلْقُ بِجِلْبَابِهِ
29. And make peace binding them
In a firm untainted pact
٢٩. وَأَحْكِمِ السِّلْمَ لَهُمْ عَاقِداً
عُقْدَةَ غِرٍّ ظَاهِرٍ نَابِهِ
30. And pave the path of one whose deeds
Bequeath the rule to his offspring
٣٠. وَمَهِّدِ السُّلْطَانَ فِعْلَ امْرِىءٍ
يُخَلِّفُ الْمُلْكَ لأَعْقَابِهِ
31. And after the duty of Hajj, I must
Return to my Master's abode and door
٣١. وَبَعْدَ فَرْضِ الْحَجِّ لاَبُدَّ لِي
مِنْ دَارِ مَوْلاَيَ وَمِنْ بَابِهِ