1. My poetry has grown white like my hair grew white
The excuse of chastity has bleached my excuse
١. شابَ شِعري نظيرَ ما شابَ شَعري
فبياضُ العِذار بيَّضَ عُذري
2. In youth I had a night, but what night
Can there be without a dawn?
٢. كان لي في الشبابِ ليلٌ ولكن
أيُّ ليلٍ يكون من غير فجرِ
3. The length of nights has shortened
My ambition, so my palace grew short
٣. ولقد قصَّرَت طِوالُ الليالي
هِمَّتي فانتشا من الطُّول قِصرِي
4. I was a rock in youth, but when
I lost it, I became a sister of rock
٤. كنتُ صخراً لَدى الشَّباب ولكنْ
صِرتُ لمَّا فَقَدتُهُ أُختَ صخرِ
5.
My patience with events was long until
٥. طالَ صبري على الحوادثِ حتَّى
صارَ جاري دمي عُصارةَ صبرِ
6. My blood became the extract of patience
It hit me and hurt me, not like a blow
٦. ضَرَبتني فألَّمتْ لا كضربٍ
دارَ في النَّحوِ بينَ زيدٍ وعمرِو
7. Discussed in grammar between Zayd and Amr
My chest tightened and I did not complain
٧. ضاقَ صدري وما شكوتُ لأنِّي
لم أنَلْ بالشَّكوى سِوَى ضيقِ صَدْريِ
8. For with complaining I obtained only tightness of chest
I wished for a good soul, and they said
٨. وتمنيَّتُ طيبَ نفسٍ فقالوا
عند شيخِ الإسلامِ ذلك فادْرِ
9. "With the Sheikh of Islam you will find that, so head to him"
Take in his noble breaths and gain
٩. لُذْ بأنفاسهِ الشَّريفةِ واغنَمْ
بَرَكاتٍ لهُ من العرشِ تَجري
10. Blessings from the Throne flowing to him
Take hold of his pillar which gives you
١٠. واستَلِمْ رُكنهُ الذي لكَ منهُ
يومُ عيدٍ تليهِ ليلةُ قَدْرِ
11. A feast day followed by the night of decree
A mount of knowledge in which his Lord manifests
١١. طورُ علمٍ لربِّه يَتَجلَّى
كلَّ يومٍ عليه من دون سِترِ
12. Himself every day without any screen
The honey of his words has fed every ear
١٢. أطعَمَ المَنَّ لفظُهُ كلَّ سَمْعٍ
وعَصاهُ تلقَّفتْ كلَّ سِحْرِ
13. And his staff has seized every magic
A drop from his streams is an ocean, and a day
١٣. قطرةٌ مِن نَداهُ بحرٌ ويومٌ
مَن رِضاهُ أجلُّ مِن ألفِ شهرِ
14. Whose pleasure is more excellent than a thousand months
And we have from him a look which is righteousness
١٤. ولنا منهُ نظرةٌ هيَ تِبْرٌ
تِبرُنا عندهُ قُلامَةُ ظُفَرِ
15. Our righteousness in his view is the heels of victory
A sea of knowledge serving a pure draught
١٥. بحرُ علمٍ يَسقي شراباً طهوراً
عندهُ صارَ جَدولاً كلُّ بحرِ
16. In his presence every sea became a stream
Felicity from him overwhelms a great kingdom
١٦. يَغمُرُ اليُمْنُ منهُ مُلكاً كبيراً
لكبيرٍ في الأرضِ مالكِ أمرِ
17. For a great one on earth, possessor of command
A king in his presence has glory for the man of knowledge
١٧. مَلِكٌُ عندهُ لذي العلمِ جاهٌ
كصنيعِ الرَّسولِ مع آلِ بدرِ
18. Like the conduct of the Messenger with the Folk of Badr
Abd al-Aziz, a servant of the Almighty, is an eminent servant
١٨. عبدُ عبدِ العزيز عبدٌ عزيزٌ
يزدهي عِزَّةً على كلِّ حُرِّ
19. Made more eminent over every freeman
Every heart that has not turned away from his allegiance
١٩. كلُّ قلبٍ لم ينصرفْ عن وَلاهُ
باتَ وَهْوَ الأمينُ مِن كلِّ كسرِ
20. Has lodged, and he is the Trustee from every breaking
This is the dynasty which
٢٠. هذهِ الدولةُ التِّي يشتهيها
كلُّ أهلِ الزَّمانِ مِن كلِّ عصرِ
21. Every generation in every age desires
If every dynasty is a line of verse
٢١. إن تكنْ كلُّ دولةٍ بيتَ شعرٍ
فهْيَ حرفُ الرَّوِيِّ مِن كلِّ شعرِ
22. Then it is the letter rhyme of every poem
No soul knows stinginess except
٢٢. ليسَ نفسٌ لا تعرِفُ البُخلَ إلاّ
نفسُ عبد العزيزِ كَنزي وذُخري
23. The soul of Abd al-Aziz, my treasure and my store
Were it not for him, I would not have spoken praise
٢٣. ذاكَ لولاهُ ما نطقتُ بحمدٍ
لكريمٍ ولا دريتُ بشُكرِ