1. Tell the clouds, when their rain pours down
And the first drops flow and the last trickle,
١. قُل لِلغَمامِ إِذا اِستَهَلَّ صَبِيرُهُ
وَانهَلَّ أَوَّلُهُ وَسَحَّ أَخِيرُهُ
2. That one who gives generously, unlike the prince,
Will be rewarded, be it small or plenty.
٢. كاثِر سِوى جُودِ الأَميرِ فَرُبَّما
يُوفي عَلَيهِ قَلِيلُهُ وَكَثيرُهُ
3. Did you think, when you poured down your rain,
And imagined, O cloud, that you were its peer,
٣. أَحَسِبتَ أَنَّكَ حِينَ صُبتَ عَديلَهُ
وَظَنَنتَ أَنَّكَ يا غَمامُ نَظِيرُهُ
4. Be not deluded, for the easiest of his generosity,
If it poured in a land, its streams would flow.
٤. لا تُوهَمَنَّ فَإِنَّ أَيسَرَ جُودِهِ
لَو سَحَّ في بَلَدٍ لَسالَ غَدِيرُهُ
5. I wonder, yet he is a pillar of radiance,
Why does he not perish when his throne is exalted?
٥. إِنّي لَأعجَبُ وَهوَ رُكنُ مُتالِعٍ
لِمَ لا يَبِيدُ إِذا عَلاهُ سَرِيرُهُ
6. A king famed for generosity since childhood
Until bitterness persisted in generosity.
٦. مَلِكٌ تَشَهَّرَ بِالسَخاءِ مِنَ الصِبا
حَتّى استَمَرَّ عَلى السَخاءِ مَرِيرُهُ
7. The turns of fate guaranteed his neighbor
That he need not fear misery while he grants refuge.
٧. ضَمِنتَ صُرُوفُ النائِباتِ لِجارِهِ
أَن لا يَخافَ البُؤسَ وَهوَ مُجِيرُهُ
8. I said to the enemies when I see them
Beware, for where the lion roars is peril.
٨. قَد قُلتُ لِلأَعداءِ حينَ يَراهُمُ
حَذَراً فَإِنَّ اللَيثَ حَيثُ زَئيرُهُ
9. For your leader there is salvation, for I
Am the warner by the edge of this sword.
٩. لِزَعِيمِكُم مِنهُ النَجاءُ فَإِنَّني
مِن شَفرَتي هَذا الحُسامِ نَذِيرُهُ
10. There is nothing between you and your morning
Except that his troops arrive in good time.
١٠. ما بينَكَم حَتماً وَبَينَ صَباحِكُم
بِالحَينِ إِلّا أَن يَحِينَ مَسِيرُهُ
11. So beware of him and the consequences of his plot
If warning the deceiver benefits at all.
١١. فَحَذارِ مِنهُ وَمِن عَواقِبِ كَيدِهِ
إِن كانَ يَنفَعُ حائِناً تَحذِيرُهُ
12. As for the Imam, he is certain
That he will not intimidate the enemies while he aids.
١٢. أَمّا الإِمامُ فَقَد تَيَقَّنَ أَنَّهُ
لا يَرهَبُ الأَعداءَ وَهوَ نَصِيرُهُ
13. His conscience is pure, his affection sincere,
And his spirit untroubled toward the Prophet's progeny.
١٣. خَلُصَت سَرِيرَتُهُ وَصَحَّ وِدادُهُ
وَصَفا لِأَولادِ النَبِيِّ ضَميرُهُ
14. I am confident that wherever he hears
Of military action, his foe is captive.
١٤. إِنّي عَلى ثِقَةٍ بِأَنَّ عَدُوَّهُ
مِن حَيثُ يَسمَعُ بِالمَسِيرِ أَسيرُهُ
15. The enemy whispers threats to the prince
Yet the dog cannot soften the hissing of his growl.
١٥. وافى يَدُسُّ إِلى الأَميرِ وَعِيدَهُ
وَالكَلبُ لا يَثني الهِزَبرَ هَرِيرُهُ
16. The hardships of nights are repelled from a man
As numerous as the rising stars are his glories.
١٦. دُفِعَت مُلِمّاتُ اللَيالي عَن فَتىً
عَدَدُ النُجومِ الطالِعاتِ فُخُورُهُ
17.
Always for us are meadows, either its goodness,
١٧. أَبَداً لَنا رِيفانِ إِمّا خَيرُهُ
ما زالَ مُنتَجَعاً وَإِمّا خِيرُهُ
18. Or it remains to be good.
The secret of hearts, may its happiness never fade
١٨. سِرَّ القُلوبِ فَلا اِنقَضى في ظِلِّهِ
أَبَداً سُرورُ قُلوبِنا وَسُرُورُهُ
19. Nor cease to delight our hearts.
And his days, months, lifetimes, and eras enjoyed
١٩. وَتَمَتَّعَت بِحَياتِهِ أَيّامُهُ
وَشُهُورُهُ وَدُهُورُهُ وَعُصُورُهُ