متى هب النسيم على الغياض

تذكرت الثناء على رياض

Whenever the breeze stirs over the groves,

I think of praising Riyad.

نجيب في انامله يراع

ينوب عن الاسنة والمواضى

A noble man, with a reed pen in his fingers

that takes the place of spearheads and keen-edged swords.

يخط به سطورا رائعات

فيا حسن السواد على البياض

With it he writes splendid lines—

oh, how lovely the black upon the white!

يفيض الدر من فيه علينا

فيوضا لم يشنه من مغاض

From his mouth he pours pearls upon us,

in a copious flow unmarred by ebbing.

وفي اثنائها حكم توالت

يمج بها يراع وهو ماض

And amid them, maxims follow one another,

poured forth by a pen that presses on.

يسرك انس حضرته سرورا

كانك قد ظفرت بارث قاض

The warmth of his presence fills you with joy,

as though you had inherited a judge's estate.

ومن عنوان ذاك البشر بشرى

بفوز دائم دون انتقاض

And that cheerful countenance bears glad tidings

of lasting success, without reversal.

بسيط الفضل لكن القوافي

على وفق اسمه ذات انقباض

Boundless in bounty—yet the rhymes,

in keeping with his name, are constrained.

ومن لم يعنه ما يشتهيه

اتاه حظه دون البراض

And he whose desires do not weary him

receives a share smaller than a pittance.

على اني اقول ومن براه

على خلق يجل عن اعتراض

Yet I say—by Him who fashioned him

with a character beyond reproach—

لمدحته احب الى من ان

اعاطي الراح من ساق مراض

indeed, praising him is dearer to me than

exchanging cups of wine with a languid cupbearer.

ومالي عنه يوما من عدول

ولا عن بره بي من عياض

Never shall I turn away from him,

nor find a substitute for his kindness to me.

انست بقربه والداء فاش

فانساني محاذرة الجهاض

I found comfort near him while illness was rife,

and he made me forget my fear of succumbing.

هو الشهم الذي يأسو بفضل

وسلوان لشاك ذي ارتماض

He is the noble-hearted man who heals with bounty

and solace for a sufferer in burning pain.

تجمعت المحامد فيه حتى

نراها في سواه كالفضاض

Praiseworthy qualities have gathered in him, until

in others we see them as scattered fragments.

شفيع المجتدين لدى مليك

سرت جدواه في اقصى الاراضي

An intercessor for seekers of gifts before a king

whose bounty has reached the farthest lands.

اذا يممته لعظيم امر

اشاح له على جد انتهاض

When you seek him out over a weighty matter,

he rises to it with earnest resolve.

يرى نفع الورى فرضا عليه

فلم تحتج لديه الى نضاض

He deems benefiting mankind a duty upon him,

so you need not press your pleas before him.

تدين له المعالي طائعات

وليس لها سواه من ماض

Lofty virtues submit to him willingly,

and none but he can carry them through.

زواخر ما يفيد جرت عبابا

فما تحصى بقطر من خضاض

The swelling seas of his gifts flow in surging waves,

and cannot be reckoned by drops of water.

رفيع القدر محترم ولكن

لراجيه الهيوب على انخفاض

Exalted in rank and revered—yet

humble toward the timid man who seeks his favor.

صحيح القول وصفا فيه حسبي

وحسبك وصف الحاظ مراض

Truth alone suffices me in describing him;

let descriptions of languid glances suffice you.

وما سخط الورى عندي بشى

بحيث اراه يوما وهو راض

Mankind's displeasure means nothing to me

if on any day I see him pleased.

اذا ما ضاق صدري من كروب

ذكرت حلاه يصبح وهو فاض

Whenever my breast tightens with troubles,

I recall his virtues, and it opens wide.

أدام اللَه طلعته صباحا

لدهر حالك الايام غاض

May God keep his countenance a dawn

for an age of pitch-black, benighted days.