1. مَساعيكَ لا تُحصى فَتُدرَكَ بِالعَدِّ

    وَمَجدُكَ لايَرضى الوُقوفَ عَلى حَدِّ

    Your endeavors cannot be counted and thus encompassed by enumeration.

    And your glory will not consent to stop at any limit.

  2. وَما قَصَّرَت فيكَ الصِفاتُ تَعَمُّداً

    وَلَكَنِّها جازَت فَجازَت عَنِ القَصدِ

    Descriptions have not fallen short of you deliberately;

    But they overreached, and so strayed beyond the proper measure.

  3. وَإِنَّكَ إِن دانَ المَقالُ وَإِن عَصى

    بِغَيرِ شَريكٍ في الثَناءِ الَّذي نُهدي

    And you—whether speech submits or rebels—

    Have no partner in the praise we offer.

  4. بِأَجنِحَةِ الفُتخِ اِرتَقَيتَ مُحَلِّقَاً

    وَأَحسَبُهُم طاروا بِأَجنِحَةِ الرُبدِ

    On the wings of eagles you rose aloft,

    While I think they flew on the wings of gray ostriches.

  5. أَضَفتَ إِلى الجَدِّ اِجتِهادَاً وَلَم تَكُن

    كَمَن تَرَكَ الجِدَّ اِتِّكالاً عَلى الجَدِّ

    You added diligence to good fortune, and were not

    Like one who abandons effort, relying on fortune.

  6. وَكُلٌّ إِلى العَلياءِ ظامٍ وَإِنَّما

    تَعِزُّ بِأَسبابٍ حَمَت سُبُلَ الوِردِ

    All thirst for the heights, yet

    Their inaccessibility lies in barriers guarding the paths to the water.

  7. وَأَنتَ أَخَفتَ الدَهرَ حَتّى بَزَزتَهُ

    عَزائِمَهُ أَيّامَ يَعدو وَلا مُعدي

    You frightened Time until you stripped it of

    Its resolves, in days when it attacked and none could offer redress.

  8. فَصارَ يَرى في كُلِّ يَومٍ رَشادَهُ

    وَكَم مَرَّ عامٌ وَهوَ عامٍ عَنِ الرُشدِ

    So it now sees its right course each day,

    Though many a year passed while it was blind to right guidance.

  9. فَلا فَلَّلَت أَحداثُهُ غَربَ صارِمٍ

    وَفي اللَهُ لِلإِسلامِ مُذ سُلَّ بِالوَعدِ

    May its calamities never blunt the keen edge of a sword

    For which God has kept His promise to Islam since it was drawn.

  10. وَأَلفى إِمامُ العَصرِ نُصرَةَ جَدِّهِ

    إِلى الأَزدِ تُعزى فَاِصطَفى أَشرَفَ الأَزدِ

    The imam of the age found his forefather's support

    Attributed to al-Azd, and so chose the noblest of al-Azd.

  11. وَما اِجتابَ عِقداً مِن جَواهِرِ فِعلِهِ

    وَإِن جَلَّ إِلّا كُنتَ واسِطَةَ العِقدِ

    And he never donned a necklace of the jewels of his deeds,

    However splendid, without your being its central gem.

  12. أَما مِنكُمُ أَنصارُ ذا الدينِ سالِفاً

    بِبيضِ المَواضي وَالرُدَينيَّةِ المُلدِ

    Were not the early supporters of this faith from among you,

    With bright, keen swords and supple Rudayni spears?

  13. وَمِنهُم رِجالٌ قارَعوا عَن نَبيِّهِم

    بِبَدرٍ وَمِنهُم ذو العِصابَةِ في أُحدِ

    Among them were men who fought in their Prophet's defense

    At Badr, and among them the man of the headband at Uhud.

  14. مَضى آخِذاً سَيفَ الرَسولِ بِحَقِّهِ

    فَباءَ بِهِ مُحدَودِباً دامِيَ الحَدِّ

    He advanced, taking the Messenger's sword on its rightful terms,

    And returned with it bent, its edge stained with blood.

  15. وَحَسبُ العَتيكِ بِالمُهَلَّبِ وَاِبنِهِ

    يَزيدَ مُعِزَّي دَولَةٍ باذِلي رِفدِ

    Al-'Atik has enough in al-Muhallab and his son

    Yazid, two champions of a dynasty, two givers of aid.

  16. ويَومَ القُرَيظِيّينَ أَيّامَ شَعَّبَت

    شَعوبُ عَصاهُم لَم يُحَكَّم سِوى سَعدِ

    And on the day of the Qurayzis, in the days when

    Death splintered their staff, none but Sa'd was appointed judge.

  17. وَأَشياخُكَ الماضونَ في سَنَنِ العُلى

    أَقاموا كِراماً وَاِستَقاموا عَلى حَردِ

    And your forebears, who passed along the paths of eminence,

    Remained noble and held steadfast in their resolve.

  18. أُسودُ وَغىً تُردي عِداها مَخافَةً

    إِذا أَصبَحَت قُبُّ العِتاقِ بِهِم تَردي

    Lions of battle, they slay their foes with terror

    When lean-bellied thoroughbreds gallop with them at dawn.

  19. وَإِن عَرَّدَ الحامونَ في حَومَةِ الوَغى

    أَطاروا إِلَيها كُلَّ ذاتِ نَساً عَردِ

    And if the defenders flee amid the fray,

    They speed into it every mare with a powerful thigh-sinew.

  20. وَإِن شَحَّتِ الأَنواءُ سَحَّت أَكُفُّهُم

    مَواهِبَ تُلوي بِالطَوارِفِ وَالتُلدِ

    And if the rain-stars stint, their palms pour forth

    Gifts that sweep away wealth newly gained and inherited.

  21. وَإِنَّكَ أَعفاهُم عَنِ الجُرمِ قادِراً

    وَأَوفاهُمُ في نُصرَةِ الحَقِّ بِالعَهدِ

    And you pardon wrongdoing most among them, even when powerful,

    And are the truest to your pledge in defending the right,

  22. وَأَعصاهُمُ في الأَمرِ وَالنَهيِ لِلهَوى

    وَأَطوَعُهُم لِلَّهِ في الحَلِّ وَالعَقدِ

    The least obedient to desire in commanding and forbidding,

    And the most obedient to God in unbinding and binding.

  23. فِداؤُكَ أَرواحٌ حَبيبٌ بَقائُها

    أَجَل وَنُفوسٌ غَيرُ مَكروهَةِ الفَقدِ

    May lives whose continuance is cherished be your ransom,

    Yes, and souls whose loss would not be unwelcome,

  24. وَكُلُّ ثَقيلِ السَمعِ عَن مُستَغيثِهِ

    فَداعيهِ مِن قُربٍ كَداعيهِ مِن بُعدِ

    And everyone deaf to the one who cries to him for help:

    For a caller nearby is to him like a caller far away.

  25. بِهِ صَمَمٌ عِندَ السُؤالِ فَإِن لَحى

    عَلى الجودِلاحٍ كانَ أَسمَعَ مِن خُلدِ

    He is deaf to requests, but if anyone condemns

    Generosity, he hears more keenly than a mole.

  26. مَلَأتَ قُلوبَ الخَلقِ خَوفاً وَرَهبَةً

    فَأَنتَ مَصونُ الجارِ مُبتَذَلُ الضِدِّ

    You filled the hearts of mankind with fear and awe,

    So your neighbor is protected and your foe brought low.

  27. فَذو طَيلَسانٍ أَنتَ أَم رَبُّ صارِمٍ

    وَذا لِبَدٍ أُمطيتَ أَم ظَهرَ ذي لِبدِ

    Are you a wearer of a taylasan cloak, or master of a keen sword?

    And were you mounted on a felt-saddled horse, or a maned lion's back?

  28. وَقُرَّةُ لَمّا أَن عَصَتكَ سَلَبتَها

    مَواريثَ إِقدامٍ عَنِ الأَبِ وَالجَدِّ

    And when Qurra disobeyed you, you stripped them of

    Their inheritances of boldness from father and grandfather.

  29. ضَراغِمُ جازَت طَورَها فَأَحَلتَها

    نَعائِمَ دَوٍّ لا تَمَنَّعُ مِن طَردِ

    Lions that exceeded their bounds—you turned them into

    Ostriches of the waste that cannot withstand pursuit,

  30. مُصَعصَعَةَ الأَعوانِ نابِيَةَ الثَبا

    مُضَعضَعَةَ الأَركانِ كابِيَةَ الزَندِ

    Their supporters shaken, their companies dispersed,

    Their pillars tottering, their fire-stick sparkless.

  31. عَضَدتَ السُيوفَ فَاِنبَرَت شَفَراتُها

    مُحَكَّمَةً في كُلِّ مُحكَمَةِ السَردِ

    You strengthened the swords, and their blades sprang forth,

    Given mastery over every tightly woven coat of mail.

  32. وَلَو لَم يُؤَيِّدها اِعتِزامُكَ فُضِّلَت

    صِناعَةُ داوُدٍ عَلى صَنعَةِ الهِندِ

    Had your resolve not strengthened them, preference would have gone

    To David's craft over the craft of India.

  33. وَمُنذُ نَصَرتَ الدينَ ذَلَّت جُيوشُهُ

    مُظَفَّرَةَ الراياتِ مَنصورَةَ الجُندِ

    Since you championed the faith, its armies have bowed,

    Victorious in their banners, triumphant in their troops.

  34. وَلو لَم تَدَع جُنداً عَزائِمُ لَورَمى

    بِها سُدَّ يَأجوجٍ مَرَقَن مِنَ السُدِّ

    And even if such resolves left no army, were he to hurl

    Them at Gog's barrier, they would pierce through the barrier.

  35. بِعِزٍّ مَطولٍ في عُلاً وَجَلالَةٍ

    وَغَيرِ مَطولٍ في وَعيدٍ وَلا وَعدِ

    With might long enduring in loftiness and majesty,

    But never drawn out in threat or promise.

  36. لَهُ سورَةٌ أَعيا المُلوكَ اِدِّعاؤُها

    وَسَورَةُ عِزٍّ دونَها سَورَةُ الأُسدِ

    It has an impetuous force that kings cannot claim,

    And a surge of might beside which the lions' fury is less.

  37. وَعَزمُكَ لا يَنبو فَدُم قاطِعاً بِهِ

    يَداً حَمَلَت كَفَّ العُقوقِ مِنَ الزَندِ

    Your resolve never glances off; keep severing with it

    At the wrist, a hand that bears the palm of disobedience.

  38. تُبالِغُ في بَسطِ الرَدى غَيرَ مُعتَدٍ

    وَتُسرِفُ في بَذلِ النَدى غَيرَ مُعتَدِّ

    You go far in spreading death, without transgression,

    And lavish your bounty without keeping count.

  39. فَلا تُمهِلَنَّ مُظهِراً لَكَ طاعَةً

    فَإِنّي أَراهُ مُضمِراً ضِدَّ ما يُبدي

    Do not grant respite to one who displays obedience to you,

    For I see him concealing the opposite of what he shows.

  40. يُقِرُّ بِها بِالقَولِ إِقرارَ مُسلِمٍ

    وَيُنكِرُها بِالفِعلِ إِنكارَ مُرتَدِّ

    He professes it in words as a Muslim professes faith,

    But denies it in deeds as an apostate denies faith.

  41. فَشَرِّق بِرَأيٍ مَهَّدَ الغَربَ موقِناً

    بِتَمهيدِ ما بَينَ العِراقينِ وَالسِندِ

    So turn east with the judgment that subdued the west, assured

    Of subduing all between the two Iraqs and Sind.

  42. لَعَمري لَقَد حازَت يَداكَ فَضائِلاً

    تَسُدُّ عَلى حُسّادِها طُرُقَ الجَحدِ

    By my life, your hands have acquired virtues

    That bar their enviers from every path of denial.

  43. فَلا يَتَظَنّوا أَنَّها مُستَجَدَّةٌ

    فَإِنَّكَ مَهديٌّ إَلَيها مِنَ المَهدِ

    Let them not imagine these are newly gained,

    For you have been guided to them since the cradle.

  44. فَلِلَّهِ هَذا السَعيُ كَم فاتَ طالِباً

    وَكَم فَلَّ مِن خَطبٍ وَكَم فَتَّ في عَضدِ

    God be praised for this striving! How many a seeker it has outstripped,

    How many a calamity it has blunted, how many an arm it has weakened!

  45. وَهَل لِلمُعَنَّى ظَلَّ يَحسُدُكَ العُلى

    سِوى الأَمَلِ المَكدودِ وَالطَلَبِ المُكدي

    What has the tormented man who keeps envying your eminence

    But exhausted hope and fruitless pursuit?

  46. تَقاصَرُ أَعلامُ البِلادِ لِأَينُقي

    فَهَل عَلِمَت قَصديكَ يا عَلَمَ المَجدِ

    The landmarks of the lands shrink before my she-camels;

    Do they know I seek you, O standard of glory?

  47. وَهَل شَفَّ كومَ العيسِ شَوقٌ مُبَرِّحٌ

    كَشَوقي فَلَجَّت في الذَميلِ وَفي الوَخدِ

    Has an agonizing longing worn thin the high-humped pale camels,

    Like my longing, so they persist in trotting and swift striding?

  48. إِلى مَلِكٍ يَلقاهُ عافي نَوالِهِ

    بِعِزَّةِ مُجدٍ لا بِذِلَّةِ مُستَجدي

    Toward a king whom seekers of his bounty meet

    With a giver's dignity, not a beggar's abasement.

  49. وَأَروَعَ لا يَقضي عَلى الجودِ لِلغِنى

    وَلَكِنَّهُ يَقضي عَلى الوَفرِ لِلوَفدِ

    And a noble man who does not sacrifice generosity for riches,

    But sacrifices his abundance for visiting delegations.

  50. أَيا مَن نُفوسُ الخَلقِ بَعضُ هِباتِهِ

    تَعَذَّرَ مَن يُسدي النَوالَ كَما تُسدي

    O you whose gifts include the very lives of men,

    None can be found who bestows bounty as you do.

  51. وَيا مَن يَرى بِالقاصِديهِ كَما يَرى

    أَخو صَبوَةٍ بِالوَصلِ في عَقِبِ الصَدِّ

    O you who regard those who seek you as

    A lover regards reunion after rejection.

  52. لَقَد مُدِحَ الأَجوادُ في كُلِّ مَوطِنٍ

    وَما وَجَدوا بِالمَكرُماتِ كَذا الوَجدِ

    The generous have been praised in every place,

    Yet never have they felt such passion for noble deeds.

  53. وَشَبَّهَ عَن جَهلٍ حَبيبٌ وَلو رَأَى

    زَمانَكَ لَم يَعدِل بِهِ زَمَنَ الوَردِ

    Habib made his comparison in ignorance; had he seen

    Your age, he would not have equated it with the season of roses.

  54. لَئِن صَحَّ أَنَّ العَدلَ في العُمرِ زائِدٌ

    فَأَيسَرُ ما تَأتيهِ يُفضي إِلى الخُلدِ

    If it is true that justice lengthens life,

    Then the least you do leads to immortality.

  55. وَإِن سُدتَ في الأَيّامِ كُلَّ مُسَوَّدٍ

    لَقَد ذُدتَ مِن أَحداثِها كُلَّ مُسوَدِّ

    Though you have surpassed every appointed leader in these days,

    You have driven away every dark calamity they bring.

  56. لِيَهنِكَ ما أَصفَتكَ أَلسِنَةُ الوَرى

    مِنَ الشُكرِ عَفواً وَالقُلوبُ مِنَ الوُدِّ

    May you rejoice in what mankind's tongues offer you sincerely:

    Their unbidden gratitude, and what hearts offer of love.

  57. قُلوبٌ ذَعَرتَ الخَوفَ عَنها بِضِدِّهِ

    فَأَنتَ بِها أَحلى مِنَ المالِ وَالوُلدِ

    Hearts from which you drove fear away with its opposite:

    To them you are sweeter than wealth and children.

  58. بَقيتَ لِمَولانا فَأَهلُ بِلادِهِ

    بِذَبِّكِ وَالإِحسانِ في زَمَنٍ رَغدِ

    May you remain for our lord, for the people of his lands

    Enjoy an easy age through your defense and kindness.

  59. وَإِنَّ خَطيرَ مُلكِهِ وَصَفِيَّهُ

    بِرَبعِكَ نَوءا رَحمَةٍ كَوكَبا سَعدِ

    And the dignitary of his kingdom and his chosen confidant

    Are at your abode two rain-stars of mercy, two stars of good fortune.

  60. هُمامانِ قَد سَنّا مِنَ العَدلِ سُنَّةً

    يُقَصِّرُ عَن تَعديدِها لَدَدُ اللُدِّ

    Two noble men who have established a practice of justice

    Whose full recounting defeats the obstinacy of the contentious.

  61. أَلا إِنَّني أَضرَبتُ عَن كُلِّ مَطلَبٍ

    سِواكَ فَعَدَّيتُ الثِمادَ إِلى العِدِّ

    Indeed, I have turned away from every pursuit

    Except you, passing from scant pools to an unfailing spring.

  62. تَرَكتُ ظِلالاً يُستَظَلُّ بِغَيرِها

    وَمِلتُ إِلى ظِلٍّ عَلى الخَلقِ مُمتَدِّ

    I left shades for which one seeks shelter elsewhere,

    And turned toward a shade spread over all mankind.

  63. وَقُلتُ لِأَيّامي بَلَغتُ مَدى العُلى

    فَحُلّي خِناقِ الحَظِّ إِن شِئتَ أَو شُدّي

    I told my days: I have reached the utmost height,

    So loosen Fortune's noose if you wish, or draw it tight.

  64. وَقَد تِهتُ في طُرقِ النَباهَةِ فَاِهدِني

    إِلَيها فَما يَخشى الضَلالَةَ مَن تَهدي

    I have wandered lost along the paths to distinction; guide me

    To it, for whoever you guide need not fear going astray.

  65. فَعِندي مِنَ الإِقدامِ ما عِندَ أُسرَتي

    وَما عِندَهُم مِن وَصفِ مَجدِكَ ما عِندي

    I possess the same boldness as my family,

    But they lack what I possess in describing your glory.

  66. وَأَيسَرُ ما أَسعى لَهُ الفِقَرُ الَّتي

    تُعَجِّزُ مَن قَبلي وَتُعجِزُ مَن بَعدي

    And the least of what I strive for are the verses that

    Defeat those before me and baffle those after me.

  67. أَخَفُّ مِنَ البُردِ المُحَبَّرِ مَلبَساً

    وَأَسرَعُ في قَطعِ البِلادِ مِنَ البُردِ

    Lighter to wear than an embroidered mantle,

    And swifter in crossing lands than the couriers:

  68. قَوافٍ إِذا أُنشِدنَ لَم يَدرِ سامِعٌ

    رَقَت مِن دِمَشقٍ أَو تَحَدَّرنَ مِن نَجدِ

    Rhymed verses which, when recited, leave the listener unsure

    Whether they rose from Damascus or descended from Najd.

  69. وَلَو لَم يَكُن فَضلُ المَحامِدِ باهِراً

    لَما اِفتُتِحَ الذِكرُ المُنَزَّلُ بِالحَمدِ

    Were the excellence of praises not radiant,

    The revealed Scripture would not have begun with praise.

  70. فَلا زِلتَ مِنهُ لابِساً كُلَّ حُلَّةٍ

    يُفَضَّلُ رَيّاها عَلى أَرَجِ النَدِّ

    May you always wear from it every robe

    Whose fragrance is preferred to the scent of nadd incense.

  71. وَلا زالَتِ الأَعيادُ تَأتي وَتَنكَفي

    وَأَنتَ عَليُّ الذِكرِ وَالقَدرِ وَالمَجدِ

    May the feasts ever come and pass,

    While you remain exalted in renown, rank, and glory.