1. وعلى الأيامِ من نعمائهِ

    ساكِبٌ هامٍ وفضْفاضٌ رِفَلْ

    And upon the days, from his favors,

    come pouring, streaming rain and an ample, trailing robe.

  2. فَقَصيٌّ مثلُ دانٍ في النَّدى

    وكَمنْ خالَ الغِنى منْ لم يخلْ

    Thus the far-off are like the near in bounty,

    and one who never imagined wealth is like one who did.

  3. عارضٌ يأتَلِقُ البِشْرُ به

    فالسَّني يُشْرقُ والجَوْدُ هَللْ

    A rain cloud in which good cheer gleams:

    so radiance shines, and bounty falls in showers.

  4. صارمٌ يُغْمدهُ الحلمُ فإنْ

    سَلَّه العزْمُ فمأثورٌ أفَلْ

    A keen blade sheathed by forbearance; but if

    resolve draws it, it is a patterned, notched sword.

  5. عضدُ الدين فتى الحَيِّ إذا

    بَخِلَ الجَوُّ بِطَلٍّ وسَبَلْ

    ʿAḍud al-Dīn, the tribe’s champion when

    the sky withholds dew and falling rain.

  6. جائرٌ في المالِ إذْ يَبْذلهُ

    فإذا ما مَلَكَ الحُكْمَ عَدَلْ

    Unjust to his wealth when he gives it away,

    but when he has the power to judge, he acts justly.

  7. نعمَ قاري الضَّيف في جُنح الدجى

    والمُحامي تحت أطْرافِ الأسَلْ

    How fine a host to the guest under darkness’s wing,

    and a defender beneath the points of spears,

  8. ومُجيلُ الرأي في مُعْضِلَةٍ

    تتركُ الحازمَ كالنِّكسِ الوكِلْ

    and one who turns his thoughts to a quandary

    that leaves the resolute like a helpless weakling.

  9. يكشفُ الحالكَ من ظلْمائها

    بضياءٍ منْ صوابٍ مُرْتجلْ

    He dispels the pitch-darkness of its gloom

    with light from a sound judgment formed on the spot,

  10. فيعودُ الصَّعْبُ من مُشْكِلها

    جَلَلاً منْ بعد ما كانَ جَلَلْ

    so the hard part of its tangled problem becomes

    trifling, after having been grave.

  11. ثابتُ الوِدِّ كريمٌ عَهْدُه

    صادقُ الوعْدِ صديقُ لا يَمِلْ

    Steadfast in affection, honorable in his pledge,

    true to his promise, a friend who never tires.

  12. فسلامُ اليوم حَقٌّ عِنْدهُ

    دائمُ الإِرْعاءِ مأمونُ المَلَلْ

    So a greeting today is a claim upon him,

    ever honored, safe from weariness.

  13. في نَداهُ ومُحيَّا وجْههِ

    لِمُرَجِّيهِ اجْتراءٌ وخَجَلْ

    In his bounty and his countenance,

    his hopeful petitioner finds boldness and bashfulness.

  14. فإذا أفْرَطَ في الجودِ غَدا

    يحْسبُ الإفْراطَ منْعاً وبَخَلْ

    So when he gives beyond all measure, he comes

    to regard that excess as withholding and miserliness.

  15. إنما الصَّاحبُ ظِلٌّ وحِمىً

    خصَرُ الضَّاحي وعِزُّ المُستذلْ

    The Ṣāḥib is but shade and sanctuary,

    coolness for those in the sun, and honor for the abased.

  16. فَهنَاهُ مَوْسمُ العيدِ وما

    بعدهُ عُمْرَ الليالي المُقْتبَلْ

    So may he find joy in the season of Eid, and in what

    follows it, through the lifetime of nights to come.