1. حَظرْتُ على الحَيِّ نَظْمَ المَدي

    حِ ومدْحُ الوزير أوْلى بِيَهْ

    I forbade the tribe to compose praise;

    and praising the vizier is more fitting for me.

  2. ومنْ كانَ فْخرَ أهلِ الزَّمانِ

    فانَّ به تَفْخَرُ القافيهْ

    And whoever is the pride of the people of his age,

    then surely the rhyme takes pride in him.

  3. لهُ في الوَغى مِنْعَةٌ يَبْسَةٌ

    وعند المُحولِ يَدٌ هاميَهْ

    In battle he has a dry, unyielding strength,

    and in drought, a hand that pours forth rain.

  4. يُحاذِرهُ الموتُ في سُخْطهِ

    وتحْسُدهُ الدِّيمَةُ الغاديَهْ

    Death is wary of him in his wrath,

    and the steady morning rain envies him.

  5. نَميرٌ بَرودُ اذا تَعْتَفيهِ

    ونارٌ اذا هِجْتَهُ حاميَهْ

    He is pure, cool water when you seek his bounty,

    and a blazing fire when you provoke him.

  6. يَهونُ عليه فَنا مالِهِ

    وغُرُّ مَحامدهِ باقيَهْ

    The depletion of his wealth matters little to him,

    and his shining merits endure.

  7. فلا زالَ مَحْمَدُ أفْعالهِ

    يكونُ على نفسهِ واقيَهْ

    May the praise of his deeds forever

    be a shield for his life.