أما وخدود ألفن الصدودا

وبرد لمى لا يبيح الورودا

Indeed, by cheeks accustomed to turning away,

And by the coolness of dusky lips that permits no draught,

وبيض صفاح تسمى العيون

وسمر رماح تسمى القدودا

And by white sword-blades called eyes,

And by brown spears called slender figures,

ودر كأن الطلى والنحور

أعرن المباسم منه العقود

And by pearls, as though necks and throats

Had lent their pearl necklaces to smiling mouths,

وسرب إذا ماخلا بالأسود

رأيت الظباء يصدن الأسود

And by a herd—when it is alone with lions,

You see the gazelles hunting the lions—

لقد شئت أن لا يزال الغرام

يجدد للقلب وجداً جديدا

I have indeed wished that passion never cease

Renewing fresh longing in the heart.

وأنا لا أرى فارس المسلمين

إلا حميد المساعي سعيدا

And I see the knight of the Muslims

Only as praiseworthy in his endeavors and fortunate:

مليك غدا شرفاً للملوك

وركناً لملك أخيه شديدا

A king who has become an honor to kings,

And a mighty pillar of his brother's rule.

أقام إلى عفوه نقمة

تقيم على المعتدين الحدودا

He set retribution beside his clemency,

Enforcing the prescribed penalties upon transgressors.

متى سار موكبه كادت ال

بلاد بساكنها أن تميدا

Whenever his procession sets forth, the

Land almost reels with its inhabitants.

إذا ما المظفر قاد الجيوش

قلنا أسيلاً ترى أم جنودا

When al-Muzaffar leads the armies,

We ask, 'Is it a torrent you see, or troops?'

كثير التبسم في موقف

يصافح فيه الحديد الحديدا

He smiles often on a battlefield

Where iron shakes hands with iron.

تراه غداة الردى والندى

حساماً مبيداً غماماً مفيدا

You see him on the morning of death and bounty:

An annihilating sword, a beneficent cloud.

إذا ما ادعى مدحه رتبة

كفته العلى أن يقيم الشهودا

Whenever his praise claims a rank,

His eminence spares it the need to produce witnesses.

رأيت الزحام على بابه

وقد وسع الخلق بشراً وجودا

I saw the throng at his gate,

And he had embraced all people with cheer and generosity.

فقلت من القوم قيل الملوك

يريدون بين يديه سجودا

So I asked, 'Who are these people?' The answer was, 'Kings,

Who seek to prostrate themselves before him.'

فيا طالباً شاو بدر لقد

رمى بك ظنك مرمى بعيدا

So, seeker of Badr's stature, indeed,

Your fancy has flung you toward a far-off mark.

ألا إن بدر بن رزيك لم

يذر مجده في علو مزيدا

Lo, Badr ibn Ruzzik—

His glory has left no room for loftier heights.

أغر المحيا إذا زرته

رأيت العلى ووجدت الوجودا

Radiant of countenance—when you visit him,

You see eminence and find existence itself.

تهيبته ثم عاشرته

فعاشرت فرد السجايا وحيدا

I stood in awe of him, then kept his company,

And so kept company with one peerless in character, unmatched:

كريماً يصونك عن نقده

ولكنه لا يصون النقودا

A generous man who spares you his criticism,

Yet does not spare his coins.

أتتني أياديه من غير أن

أمد إليهن عيناً وجيدا

His favors came to me without my

Straining eye and neck toward them.

فلا زال يطوي رداء السنين

صوماً فصوماً وعيداً فعيدا

So may he keep folding the cloak of years,

Fast after fast, and feast after feast,

حميد المساعي التي أصبحت

بأيسرها تستحق الخلودا

Praiseworthy in deeds that have now made you

Worthy of immortality through even their least.

ولولا مرادي حفظ الرواة

مدائحه لأطلت القصيدا

And were it not for my wish that reciters memorize

His praises, I would have lengthened the ode.