1. حَقَيقٌ أَن تُكاثِرَكَ التَهاني

    بِأَيمَنَ أَوَّلٍ وَأَعَزَّ ثاني

    It is fitting that congratulations throng around you,

    For a most auspicious first and a most precious second.

  2. أَرى بَدراً أَضاءَ بِعِقبِ شَمسٍ

    مُبارَكَةِ الطُلوعِ عَلى القِرانِ

    I see a full moon shining in the wake of a sun,

    Whose rising is blessed at the conjunction.

  3. وَقالَ الناسُ مِن عَجَبٍ وَعُجبٍ

    تَلاقى في السَماءِ النَيِّرانِ

    And people said in wonder and admiration:

    The two luminaries have met in the sky.

  4. هُوَ الذَكَرُ المُرَشَّحُ لِلمَعالي

    وَلِلبيضِ القَواضِبِ وَاللَدانِ

    He is the boy marked out for high distinction,

    And for bright, keen-cutting swords and supple lances.

  5. سَتَنظُرُهُ إِذا اِتَّسَعَت سِنوهُ

    وَأَخرَجَهُ زَمانٌ عَن زَمانِ

    You will see him when his years have lengthened,

    And time has carried him from one age to the next,

  6. رَبيباً لِلصَوارِمِ وَالعَوالي

    وَتِرباً لِلمَفاوِزِ وَالرِعانِ

    A fosterling of keen swords and long lances,

    And a companion of desert wastes and mountain spurs;

  7. طَليقَ الكَفِّ في يَومِ العَطايا

    جَرِيَّ الرُمحِ في يَومِ الطَعانِ

    Open-handed on the day of giving,

    Bold with the lance on the day of spear-fighting;

  8. رَبيطَ الجَأشِ طَلّاعَ الثَنايا

    إِلى الغاياتِ رَوّاغَ العِنانِ

    Steadfast of heart, ever climbing mountain passes,

    Deftly turning the reins toward his goals.

  9. مُقارَعَةُ الذَوابِلِ في الهَوادي

    أَخَفُّ عَليهِ مِن نَغَمِ القِيانِ

    The clash of slender lances against necks

    Is lighter on him than the singing girls' melodies.

  10. وَأَحسَنُ عِندَهُ مِن كُلِّ ثَغرٍ

    مُضيءٍ رَونَقُ العَضبِ اليَماني

    And fairer in his eyes than any mouth

    That shines is the sheen of a keen Yemeni blade.

  11. تَراهُ أَينَ خَيَّمَ في اللَيالي

    عَزيزَ الجارِ مَورودَ الجِفانِ

    You see him, wherever he pitches camp by night,

    His neighbor secure, his serving bowls thronged.

  12. يَنالُ المَجدَ مِن عُنقِ المَذاكي

    وَيَجني العِزَّ مِن طَرَفِ السِنانِ

    He wins glory from the necks of full-grown steeds,

    And reaps honor from the spearhead's tip.

  13. وَلَيسَ جَوادُهُ في النَقعِ إِلّا

    طَليعَةَ كُلِّ يَومٍ أَروَنانِ

    And in the dust his steed is nothing but

    The vanguard of every tumultuous day of battle.

  14. يُرَبّى بَينَ أَحشاءِ المَعالي

    وَيودَعُ بَينَ أَجفانِ الأَماني

    He is reared within the bosom of high distinction,

    And lodged between the eyelids of hopes.

  15. وَعادَ حِماكَ مِن وَلَعِ الغَوادي

    عَميمَ النَبتِ مَغمورَ المَغاني

    And your preserve has become, through the morning rains' fondness,

    Lush with growth, its dwellings drenched.

  16. يُشَيَّعُني بِوَصفِكَ كُلَّ نُطقٍ

    وَيَعرِفُني بِمَدحِكَ مَن رَآني

    Every utterance joins me in describing you,

    And whoever has seen me knows me by my praise of you.

  17. وَلَيسَ الوَصفُ إِلّا بِالتَناهي

    وَليسَ القَولُ إِلّا بِالبَيانِ

    And description is nothing unless carried to the utmost,

    And speech is nothing without clear expression.