نطقت عنك ألسن الأغماد

بجدال الرقاب يوم الجلاد

The tongues of scabbards spoke on your behalf,

debating with necks on the day of combat.

وسرى الحمد من لسان القوافي

مخبراً عن نداك في كل ناد

And praise spread from the tongue of rhymes,

telling of your generosity in every gathering.

فتمتع بدولة خدمتها

بالتهاني مواسم الأعياد

So rejoice in a realm that is served

with congratulations by the festival seasons.

دولة عاضدية حاسدوها

في انتقاص وخيرها في ازدياد

A realm of al-ʿAdid, whose enviers

diminish while its bounty increases.

لك من صدرها محل الفؤاد

أو فمن طرفها محل السواد

Within its breast, yours is the heart’s place,

or within its eye, the pupil’s place.

فعل محمود كاسمه بعد أيو

ب وفاء أو كاسمه في الأيادي

Mahmud’s deeds are praiseworthy like his name, following Ayyub

in faithfulness, or like his name in benefactions.

ساد فيها وسد عنها خطوباً

ذهبت بين عزمه والسداد

He ruled within it and warded calamities away from it,

which vanished between his resolve and sound judgment.

أنت ثبتها برغم المداجي

في بداياتها ورغم المعادي

You are its mainstay, despite the dissembler,

in its beginnings, and despite the enemy.

أدرفت خلفها رجالاً وخلت

معها منتهى عنان الهادي

You [sent] men behind it, and thought

that with it lay the furthest reach of the guide’s rein.

لا خلت منك والداً لك منها

في المهمات طاعة الأولاد

May it never lack you as a father; from it you receive

in grave affairs the obedience of children.

والداً ألفت مساعيه فيها

بين أجفانها وبين الرقاد

A father whose efforts for it have forged harmony

between its eyelids and sleep.

هيبة تملأ الصدور ولكن

أين فيها تواضع العباد

An awe that fills the breasts—but

where in it is the humility of worshippers?

لم تزل تغمر القلوب إلى أن

زرعت حب حبه في الفؤاد

It never ceased to flood hearts, until

it planted the seed of love for him within the heart.

فله في النفوس خالص ود

ثابت في ضمائر الاعتقاد

Thus souls hold for him a pure affection,

steadfast in the inner depths of conviction.

طهر الله صدره حين أعلى

قدره عن ضغائن الأحقاد

God purified his breast when He raised

his rank above the grudges of hatred.

ساكن الروح سؤدداً ووقاراً

وهي أقوى في العصف من ريح

Calm of spirit in nobility and dignity,

yet stronger in its raging than a wind.

لا تغرنك البشاشة منه

وامش رفقاً فالنار تحت الرماد

Do not let his cheerfulness deceive you;

and tread gently, for fire lies beneath the ashes.

لا تحرك زناده باقتداح

فلظى النار كامن في الزناد

Do not rouse his flint by striking sparks,

for the flame of fire lies hidden in the flint.

وكذا البحر لم يزل قط يردي

وهو في العين ساكن الموج هادي

So too the sea has never ceased to kill,

though to the eye its waves are still and calm.

والمواضي تخشى وإن لم يجرد

حدها من بطائن الأغماد

And keen swords are feared, even without baring

their edges from the linings of scabbards.

يا شهاب الإسلام ديناً ونيا

وجزيل الندى وصدر النادي

O Shihab al-Islam, in faith and [worldly life?],

and lavish in bounty, foremost in the gathering!

قد جهلنا من كان يدعى كريماً

مذ عرفناك يا رسيل الغوادي

We no longer know who used to be called generous

since we came to know you, O peer of morning rain clouds.

فقدت راحتيك أيدي رجال

مالها عادة ببذل الأيادي

Men’s hands have lost your two palms,

for they have no habit of bestowing favors.

عندهم منطق وكف جماد

ومن المعجزات نطق الجماد

They have speech, but a lifeless hand;

and speech from the lifeless is among miracles.

كم خرطنا أغصانهم فوجدنا

بين أوراقهن شوك القتاد

How often we stripped their branches and found

among their leaves the thorns of the qatad bush.

جهلوا ما عرفت مني وفضلي

علم فوق شامخ الأطواد

They knew not what you knew of me; my merit

is a banner above the loftiest mountains.

نقصوني من حيث زادوا فكانوا

نسباً زاد نقصه بزياد

They diminished me where they added, and thus were

a lineage whose defect increased with Ziyad.

أنت واصلت بالكرامة بري

وهي أقصى مطالبي ومرادي

You continued to favor me with honor,

and it is my highest aim and desire.

ثم أتبعتها بألطاف بر

بالغت في تعهدي وافتقادي

Then you followed it with gentle acts of kindness,

going to great lengths to care for me and ask after me.

مكرمات جلبن حمدي وودي

والأيادي من جالبات الوداد

Honors that brought forth my praise and affection,

and favors are among the things that win affection.

آنستني أخلاقك الغر حتى

قلدتني بل ملكتك قيادي

Your radiant virtues put me at ease, until

they collared me—nay, I made my reins yours.

وتأملتني بعين خبير

سالم الفكر ثاقب الانتقاد

And you examined me with an expert’s eye,

sound in thought, penetrating in discernment.

ثم عاملتني بما ينبغي لي

من وقار ونائل مستفاد

Then you treated me as befits me,

with respect and bounty received.

فابق تلقى محرماً ألف عام

قاصداً منك قبلة القصاد

So live to greet Muharram for a thousand years,

as it seeks in you the qibla of seekers,

بدوام العلى كبت الأعادي

وبلوغ المنى ونيل المراد

with lasting eminence, the humbling of foes,

and the fulfillment of hopes and the attainment of desire.