1. People have coined proverbs about the eminent
We have heard them but not so

2. The commander stripped the imam of supporters
So be resolute with him and polish him

3. A king who has shaken his determination since assuming authority
An enemy turned away while conquests followed in succession

4. Whenever he mobilized armies for war
They came while bearing resolve

5. And tall mountains that mistake the dust
For smoke, so they shine at sunset

6. With gazelles that the dusk renders unrecognizable and
The fading light cannot discern what makes them darker

7. And firm mountains as if fate stands over them
Throwing afflictions as projectiles

8. And horses hunting like Arabian stallions
Say they are useless and say they are heroes

9. Whenever they circle and wheel about
The breeze counts their feathers and the north wind too

10. They charged with their chests so the cavalry
Of Murr passed by completely armed

11. And they set up for the siege of Damietta a laughing
Encampment freed from its bindings and shackles

12. With towers made of men - and who can
Make towers out of men but heroes?

13. And mangonels that in war hurl elephants
Behind a wall made of gazelles and tall mountains

14. Whose construction has surpassed itself and transcended
With lions that you, O son of heroes, would think

15. Your support has trained to wield cudgels
The accursed turned away from you and you met him

16. With positions that make the accursed appear in impossible straits
You shone like a star in Rashid's bright sky

17. So you attained a crescent moon over the crescent moon
And he consulted the troops about you, and whoever

18. Said you would perish in battle was wrong
So they went without fighting you, and before

19. Fighting you, fighting itself spared fighting
They recognized your valiant face - so did you consider them

20. Cowardly when they turned away?
And providence made light of them until

21. They were shaken wherever they turned
They set up their towers opposite a flame

22. That almost set the towers aflame
And they incited the tribes of the Romans - foreigners against him

23. But they did not equal steadfastness
They deemed settling unlawful with him, but they did not

24. Deem unlawful when they deemed fighting unlawful
They wanted to humiliate him, but they were repulsed

25. While he deserved favor, they desired asking
They drew him with feigned meekness, and a trait

26. Of the generous, valiant man is to be drawn in
They sought safe passage from him - how strange

27. That passage is granted to a people seeking booty
So they went, traversing miles on miles faster

28. Than they had ever seen possessions travel
They left only lightly wounded, and if they left

29. Heavy laden from their injuries, they traveled lightly
They mentioned him as one firm in judgment against them

30. And as one fair in action
And the distinguished one swore

31. To return to take vengeance for his sake
He renewed the religion with a flame and a star

32. With two illuminations that adorned it with beauty
He protected it for a time from diminishment until

33. They reconciled its disunity, attaining perfection
He scattered the transgressing Romans while this one

34. United the Arabs in harmony and moderation
With exertion that made the family an ocean

35. And generosity that made the ocean a family
The land took on its adornments and vegetation

36. And ceased needing any jewelry
It danced beneath the silk of the meadows when

37. It sipped the cup of his bounty in channels
It curled into tresses plaited by vegetation

38. While it had been barren with drought
The delight of our lives became healthy through him

39. So after that it suffered no unhealthiness
The return of the swords to the scabbards occurred through him

40. After they hadloosened in fray and pulled out in haste
Vanquishing the enemy by breaking and capturing

41. And benefiting the loyalist with property and family
So if the verse of my poetry is good or long

42. It is from your tranquility that it is good and long
You inspired it while it was condemned

43. And you inspired speech about it, so it spoke