عِش مُهناً بِكُلِّ خَيرٍ مُمَلّا

وَابقَ أَعلى مِنَ السِماكِ مَحَلّا

Live well and nobly, exalted

Remain above the heights a place

حَسَدَت نَعلَكَ الوُجُوهُ فَلَو أَر

ضاكَ وَجهي حَذَوتُهُ لَكَ نَعلا

Your shoes made faces envious, if to please you

My face emulated them, it would be your shoes

وَوَطِئتَ الثَرى فَلَو قِيسَ بِالعَن

بَرِ ما دُستَ كانَ ما دُستَ أَغلى

You trod the earth, and if what you trod was weighed

Against ambergris, what you trod would be more precious

قَد سَمِعنا عَنِ الأَوائِلِ قَولاً

وَرَأَينا مِنكَ الَّذي قِيلَ فِعلا

We have heard stories of ancients

And we have seen in you what was told done

طُلتَ حَتّى أَصبَحتَ لِلفَلَكِ الدا

ئِرِ عُلواً وَأَصبَحَ العُلوُ سُفلا

You rose until you became, for the circling sphere

Lofty in height, and height became lowness

وَفَضَحتَ الغَمامَ بِالجُودِ حَتّى

صارَ جُودُ الغَمامِ لُؤماً وَبُخلا

You outshone clouds in generosity until

The clouds’ generosity seemed stinginess and miserliness

وَقَهَرتَ العِدى بِسَيفِكَ حَتّى

قَد غَدا مِنهُمُ الأَعَزُّ الأَذَلّا

You vanquished enemies with your sword until

The proudest of them became the lowliest

كُلَّما حاوَلُوا انحِطاطَ مَبانِي

كَ بَناها لَكَ الإِلهُ وَأَعلى

Whenever they attempt bringing down what

God built for you, He elevates it

قَد رَأَينا المُلوكَ في كُلِّ أَرضٍ

وَرَأينا الأَعَزَّ أَنتَ الأَجَلّا

We have seen kings in every land

And we saw you the most glorious

قُمتَ بِالنائِباتِ عَنهُم فَقَد أَص

بَحَ كُلٌّ عَلى الحُمَيدِيِّ كَلّا

You carried out their tasks, so each

Became dependent on the praised one in all things

لَو عَدَدنا قَطرَ الغَمامِ الَّذي صا

بَ وَمَعرُوفَهُ لَزادَ وَقَلّا

If we counted drops of the clouds which poured

And his good deeds, it would increase and diminish

ناهِضٌ بِالخُطوبِ لَو حَمَلَ الشُم

مَ الذُّرى لاستَقَلَّها وَاستَقَلّا

One who undertakes calamities, if he carried

The burdens of mankind, he would consider them light and make light

كُلَّما جَلَّ جَلَّ عَن شِيَمِ الكِب

رِ وَمَن جانَبَ التَكَبُّر جَلّا

Whenever he became great, he withdrew from

Pride, and one who avoids arrogance becomes great

مُدرِكيُّ النِجارِ أَصبَحَ أَعلى الن

ناسِ قَدراً وَأَرجَحَ الناسِ عَقلا

The achiever became highest of all people

In worth and weightiest of them in mind

ساعَدَتهُ نَوائِبُ الدَهرِ حَتّى

طَلَبَ الدَهرُ عِندَ شانيهِ تَبلا

Misfortunes of fate helped him until

Fate sought succor in his refuge

كُلَّما سارَ مُزمِعاً أَزمَعَ المَج

دُ مَسِيراً وَكُلَّما حَلَّ حَلّا

Whenever he traveled, intending, determination traveled

And whenever he camped, he camped

مِثلُ صَوبِ الغَمامِ لا تَشتَكي الأَر

ضُ إِذا ما مَشى عَلى الأَرضِ مَحلا

Like direction of clouds, earth does not complain

When he treads upon it a place

حَطَّمَ السَمهَرِيَّ طَعناً وَأَفنى السْ

سَيفَ ضَرباً وَأَنفَدَ المالَ بَذلا

He broke the piercing poet with satire and destroyed

The swords with his strike and exhausted wealth with generosity

عَذَلُوهُ عَلى السَماحِ وَما يَق

بَلُ دَرُّ الغَمامِ لَوماً وَعَذلا

They blamed him for generosity while gentle

Rain does not accept blame or rebuke

عاشِقٌ لِلنَدى إِذا نالَ حُسنَ الذ

ذكرِ بَينَ المَلا فَقَد نالَ وَصلا

A lover of dew, when he attains beauty of reputation

Among nobles, he surely attains union

مُرغِبٌ مُرهِبٌ فَقَد مَلَأَ الآ

فاقَ أَمناً وَطَبَّقَ الأَرضَ عَدلا

Encouraging and deterring, so he filled horizons

With security and blanketed land with justice

وَرِكابٍ كَلَّت وَمَلَّت وَكَلَّ الر

ر كبُ مِن طُولِ ما يَسيرُ وَمَلّا

Feet of mounts grew tired and bored from

Length of his travel and whenever he camped camped

دَلَّهُم في الظَلامِ وَجهُ أَبي العُل

وانِ لَمّا حارَ الدَليلُ وَضَلّا

He guided them in darkness, the face of Abul

Ala when guides lost their way and went astray

كُلَّما هَبَّتِ الصَبا شَمَّ رَيّا ال

مِسكِ مِن نَحوِ أَرضِهِ فاستَدَلّا

Whenever the east wind blew, it carried perfume of musk

From direction of his land, so it was guided

كَسَبَ الفَخرَ قَومَهُ وَكَسى العُر

يَ ثِياباً مِنَ العُلى لَيسَ تَبلى

He earned pride for his people and clothed the honored

In garments never wearing out or growing old

وَغَدا النَجمُ وَالشِهابُ يَحُفّا

نِ هِلالاً مِن أُفقِهِ قَد تَجَلّى

Star and meteor began to orbit

Crescent from his horizon shining in splendor

خَمسَةٌ كَالأَصابِعِ الخَمسِ وَالوُس

طى فَتىً طالَهُم جَلالاً وَنُبلا

Five like the five fingers with him

As middle, a youth enveloping them in grandeur and nobility

إِن عَلا قَدرُ ما أَنالَ مِنَ الفَض

لِ فَإِنّي مُحِلُّهُ اليَومَ أَعلى

If extent of virtues he attained is high

Then I consider him today most high

فَردَةٌ أَعلَمَت بِأَنَّكَ فَردٌ

وَسِجلٌّ قُلِّدتَهُ لِيُحَلّى

An outstanding one indicating you unique

And a register adorned to become resplendent

وَلِواءٌ حَكى الهَدِيَّ عَلَيها ال

وَشيُ قَد أَقبَلَت إِلى البَعلِ تُجلى

A banner the rightly guided caliph inscribed on it

Coming to the husband prominently displayed

ذاتُ فَرعٍ تَلُفُّ أَطرافَهُ الرِي

حُ وَلَكِن بِعاصِفِ الرِيحِ تُعلى

Of lofty branch winds wrap its edges

But by stormy wind becomes eminent

وَمَشَت تَحتَكِ الصَبا تَحمِلُ التِب

رَ وَتَشكُو مِن حَملِها لَكَ ثِقلا

Zephyr walked under you carrying fatigue

Complaining to you of its heavy load

عَجَباً كَيفَ تَستَقِلُّ بِكَ الخَي

لُ إِذا كُنتَ تُثقِلُ الأَرضَ حَملا

Wondrous how camel borne by you finds light

When you weigh heavy on earth a load

وَتَقَلَّدتَ بِالحُسامِ فَقُلنا

هَل رَأَيتُم نَصلاً تَقَلَّدَ نَصلا

You wore the swords, so we said

Did you see blade wear blade?

وَتَنَطَّقتَ بِالنُجومِ وَسُربِل

تَ بِثَوبٍ يَحكي الغَزالَةَ غَزلا

You spoke with stars and dressed

In gown depicting does fawn

إِن عَدا مُهجَةَ الإِمامِ فَقَد أَف

ضى إِلى مُهجَةٍ تُحاطُ وَتُكلا

If he transgresses sanctuary of the Imam

He goes to sanctuary surrounded and shackled

إِنَّما أَنفَذَ الغِلالَةَ لَمّا

لَم يَجِد في فُؤادِهِ لَكَ غِلّا

He only discharged the sharp sword when

He did not find in his heart for you sharpness

شَرَفاً زائِداً وَعِزَّاً مِن اللِ

هِ وَفَضلاً مِنَ الخَليفَةِ جَزلا

Increased honor and strength from God

Abundant merit from the Caliph sincere

لَو مَلَكتَ العِبادَ شَرقاً وَغَرباً

وَحَوَيتَ البِلادَ حَزناً وَسَهلا

If you possessed servants East and West

And contained countries, fertile and barren

كُنتَ أَولى بِها وَكُنت لما تَم

لِكُ مِن أَهلِ دُنياكَ أَهلا

You would be worthier of them and you would be

Most worthy of people in your world

خَبَطَ الناسُ حَولَكَ الأَرضَ حَتّى

مَلَؤُوها طُرقاً إِلَيكَ وَسُبلا

People roamed the earth around you until

They filled it with roads and paths to you

مَن بَغى الخَيرَ مِن سِواكَ فَما فا

زَ وَمَن لَم يَلُذ بِغَيرِكَ ذَلّا

One who sought good from other than you failed

One who took not shelter with other than you lost

لَم تَهبَني حَوادِثُ الدَهرِ إِلّا

مُذ تَعَلَّقتُ مِن حِبالِكَ حَبلا

Hardships of fate did not afflict me

Since I clung to your ropes a knot

كُلَّما صُغتُ فيكَ بِكراً مِنَ القَو

لِ أَبَت أَن تُرِيدَ غَيرَكَ بَعلا

Whenever I inclined in you with early

Speech, it refused to desire other than you a spouse

يَسمَعُ الدَهرُ ما أَقولُ فَيَروي

هِ وَعَنّي رَوى وَمِنّي استَملى

Fate hears what I say and narrates it

He narrated from me and extracted from me

وَلَقَد طُلتَ عَن مَديحي فَما أَد

رِي أَيُرضِيكَ ما أُحَبِّرُ أَم لا

You have been too noble for my praise, so I know not

Would what I present please you or no?

يا بنَ أَعلى المُلوكِ قَدراً وَيا أَك

رَمَ مَن أَوطَأَ السِماكَينِ رِجلا

O son of highest kings in rank and O most generous

That trod the two heights a foot!

إِنَّما أَنتَ نِعمَةٌ يَشكُرُ اللَ

هَ عَلَيها مَن صامَ مِنّا وَصَلّى

You are only a blessing God rewards

Us for when we among you fasted and prayed

لا أَلمَّت بِكَ الخُطُوبُ وَلا ذا

قَت لَكَ المَكرُماتُ في الدَهرِ ثَكلا

You are not disturbed by calamities nor

Deprived in fate of glorious things forever