1. تعلَّقتهُ مُشْمخِرَّ العُلى

    قَؤولَ المكارم فَعَّالها

    I loved him, towering in eminence,

    ever speaking of noble deeds and ever performing them.

  2. يُحامي عن المجدِ والمأثرا

    ت كما حمت الأسْدُ أشبْالها

    He defends glory and noble achievements

    as lions guard their cubs.

  3. ربيعَ الشِّدادِ وذِمْرَ الجِلا

    د وهوب الرَّغيبةِ بذَّالها

    A springtime in hardship, a champion in battle,

    a lavish giver of prized gifts, freely bestowing them.

  4. فأوسعتُ عِرضَ جمالِ الورى

    مدائح يُمْدحُ من قالها

    So I lavished upon the honor of mankind’s adornment

    praises that win praise for whoever utters them:

  5. قوافيَ غُرّاً كمثْلِ النُّجوم

    تبقي عليه ويبقى لها

    radiant rhymes, like the stars,

    that preserve him, while he endures for them,

  6. لأَغْلب لو طاولتْهُ الجبا

    لُ واِنْ لم يُطْلها امرؤٌ طالها

    for a mighty lion: were the mountains to vie with him in height,

    though no man overtops them, he would overtop them.

  7. اذا ما ادلهمَّتْ خُطوبُ الزَّما

    نِ جَلَّتْ أياديه أهوالها

    Whenever the calamities of time grow pitch-dark,

    his benefactions dispel their terrors.

  8. فيُخرسُ بالبأسِ اِجْلابَها

    ويقتلُ بالجودِ اِمحالها

    He silences their clamor with might,

    and slays their barrenness with generosity.

  9. ومُبْهمةٍ كَدآدي الشتاءِ

    تزيدُ الرَّويَّةُ اِشكالها

    And for many a baffling plight, like winter’s darkest nights,

    whose obscurity deliberation only deepens,

  10. يُضِلُّ الألبَّاءَ اِعْضالُها

    ويحْتنكُ الخوفُ أبطالها

    whose difficulty leads the wise astray,

    and whose champions are bridled by fear,

  11. جعلْتَ لها مخرجاً مُنجحاً

    هَدى للمراشدِ ضُلاَّلَها

    you fashioned a way out that brought success,

    guiding those lost in it to the right paths.

  12. لقد علَّمت مدحَك المكرُما

    تُ سفرَ البلادِ وقُفَّالها

    Indeed, noble deeds have taught your praises

    to the lands’ travelers and those returning home.

  13. فكلٌّ غَدا شاعراً مُفْلقاً

    مُجيد البليغةِ قوَّالها

    So each has become a brilliant poet,

    a master of eloquent verse, ever uttering it.

  14. يُساجلُني في معاني الثَّنا

    ءِ ولو لا نوالُكَ ما نالَها

    Each vies with me in the themes of praise,

    but without your bounty, he would never have attained them.

  15. فيا عضد الدين أضفتْ عليْ

    ك سعادةُ جَدِّك سِرْ بالها

    O ʿAḍud al-Dīn, may there be draped upon you

    the robe of your fortune’s felicity.

  16. ودُمْتَ مُطاعاً أخا سطْوةٍ

    تَفُلُّ من البيض قَصَّالَها

    And may you remain obeyed, possessed of might

    that blunts the keenest of gleaming swords.

  17. وهُنِّيتَ أعْيادَ كلِّ الزَّما

    ن تنضو وتلبسُ أمثالَها

    And may you be congratulated on the feasts of all time,

    doffing them and donning others like them.