1. Spacious lands where ruins with fountains lie,
Watered by youthful downpours from the sky.

2. Where antelopes and strays nightly repose,
My soul, those antelopes and strays, are close.

3. Stages for bands of nomads brief in stay,
For them no length, nor permanence have they.

4. As the winds blew after me, blowing my days,
My youth and its times are swarms gone astray.

5. O dwelling, what decay made you thus decline?
Yet you show no decline, nor I repine.

6. Sparing with tears are you, I lavish and kind.
Have the years pouring wine down made you wise?

7. Of the living, for you I question and surmise.
Oh you that seek to slay me, be gentle I pray,

8. Gentleness in you would be kinder in every way.
The night has stolen all, even the stars are dull,

9. Only here, a necklace glitters, anklets pull.
In valleys of lush trees, I divined if I might

10. Behold you, but the auguries proved not right.
I yearn for the Hijaz and its distant parts,

11. Spaces where hearts may mingle and commerce starts.
When flocks flap wings towards your lands, my heart

12. Flaps with them, every flap a wound and a dart.
Burning with passion, my legs fettered stay,

13. Fettered by crafts, for crafts like shackles weigh.
Near a king, forgot my loved ones, his love

14. Morning found me busy, their thought thereof.
He generous whose land riches on poor bestows,

15. Whose plenty makes giving the simplest of woes.
His virtues like stars are resplendent and bright,

16. His deeds by the best tenets guided upright.
Beggar or prince, his guest makes no differentiation,

17. Loss or gain, equal in his estimation.
When armies oppose, his sharp swords prove right,

18. Each side in battle discern him knight.
Ask his kin, when war makes its earnest call,

19. Asker and asked both ready to fall.
By him the sword is vain, his arm mightier,

20. Vanquishing and felling the duplicitous.
O Abu Salih, you reaped high traits and more,

21. Sires and uncles who your pride fanned before.
Be delighted as the Imam his steed reins

22. To ride the soft dune, his glory attains.
Night hurried to you, starry, to exalt your name,

23. Crowns and tiaras all vouchsafe the same.
Most noble station of the noblest man alive,

24. Tokens which speak, declare, and strive,
Domes like the sand dunes rounded in design,

25. Beautiful in the eye like pearls that shine.
Flags of glory that unfurled before each hater

26. Say none can match your fortune or luck alter.
Raiment of pure silk you wore that trails

27. Over the horizon, glory never fails.
As if one robe of fine gauze were not enough,

28. The robe of gazelles decks you, pure and tough.
Since you bore the responsibility of command,

29. Fate itself from all your burdens frees your hand.
Salah bin Muhammad's efforts are now repaid,

30. True hopes fulfilled, goals and dreams made.
He sees what's hidden from every eye but his lord's,

31. To all your secrets and thoughts firmly anchored.
Purest fragrance of clouds are yours, condensed of late,

32. Secrets now clear, within you coagulate.
You brought strength to a people of diverse ken,

33. With your sword an impregnable fortress then.
While you are intact Islam need never refrain,

34. A people with one like you will not wane.
Beyond Damascus, your gallant youth remain

35. Scenting wars, stride o'er the reins.
They bare the blades with azure sheen, deny

36. Their pools to others, though the streams comply.
Wise save on days that crave some madness in the vein,

37. When carnage calls, all wisdom they disdain.
Seeking the best, the best they did obtain,

38. I saw men who, when others earthly bliss attain,
No bliss themselves obtain.

39. For people are to people naught but bands,
Measured by the sum of people, in the balance stand.

40. Daring lions, bristling wolves, cliffs with peering eyes,
Pouncing raptors, sweeping down from the skies.

41. Where their hands touch, no hand can ever defile,
By their faith they cleanse earth, cleanse it by their style.