يا من رأى مثل ابن تاج الدين

في بيعه وشرائه المغبون

Who has seen the like of Ibn Taj al-Din,

the loser in his selling and his buying?

ما ذا بنفسك يا شقي صنعته

أخرجتها من جنة وعيون

What have you done to yourself, wretched man?

You drove it from a paradise with springs.

أطغتك من نفحات أحمد نعمة

درت بضرع في لهاك لبون

A blessing from Ahmad's breezes made you insolent,

flowing from a milch-camel's udder into your mouth.

واستقبلتك بممطر من غادر

مرخ غزالته أجش هتون

And it greeted you with a shower from a raincloud,

lowering its sun, deep-thundering and pouring.

فنظرت في عطفيك تيها عندها

نظر المدل وقلت لست بدون

Then, at that, you eyed your flanks in conceit,

with a self-important gaze, and said, "I am not inferior."

إن أنظرتك فإنها نعما يد

يسقي بكاسيها منا ومنون

If it gave you respite, it was the bounty of a hand

that serves, from its two cups, both favor and death.

عظمت لديك فغيرتك وانه

ليعدها من جملة الماعون

It seemed immense to you and changed you, yet he

counts it as no more than everyday help.

أعطاكها لهوانها وظننته

أعطى لأنك أنت غير مهين

He gave it to you because he held it cheap, but you thought

he gave because you yourself were not contemptible.

فنزعت مخدوعا يدا عن طاعة

وظللت إذ قارنت شر قرين

So, deceived, you withdrew a hand from obedience,

and went astray when you joined the worst companion.

وظننتها كتبا تجي ورسائلا

فيها الخطاب بشدة وبلين

And you thought it would be letters coming, and messages,

bearing words both stern and gentle.

فاتتك لم تبلغك ريقك خيله

تطأ الحصون ولات حين حصون

His cavalry outstripped you before you could swallow your saliva,

trampling the forts, when it was too late for fortresses.

غرتك أرض طرقها مسدودة

بشوامخ حسن الظهور حزون

A land deceived you, its roads blocked

by lofty heights, fair-backed yet rugged.

قد عاهدتك على الوفا ووثقتها

فجهلت وأستامنت غير امين

It had pledged faithfulness to you, and you trusted it;

so you acted ignorantly and trusted one untrustworthy.

هيهات حين تلوح طلعت أحمد

خانت ولو أعطتك ألف يمين

Far from it! When Ahmad's face appears,

it betrays you, even if it swore you a thousand oaths.

سألت عليك الخليل من جنباتها

سيل الأتى أتى بكل طحون

The cavalry poured upon you from its flanks,

like an oncoming torrent, bringing every crushing host,

خفاقة الرايات حول منوخ

لا يستعين إذا غزا بمكين

with banners fluttering around one who makes camp,

who seeks no powerful man's aid when he goes to war.

تظل الرماح بظله من ربه

والمرهفات بساعد ويمين

The spears remain in the shade his Lord grants him,

and the keen blades are held by forearm and right hand.

صدم الجبال بمثلها من بأسه

وأذاق أهليها عذاب الهون

He struck the mountains with their like in his own might,

and made their people taste the torment of humiliation.

ثار الغبار كليل شك مظلم

فنضا من الأغماد صبح يقين

Dust rose like a dark night of doubt,

then he drew from the scabbards a dawn of certainty.

باس يشيب له الحديد وموقف

شاب الوليد به لسبع سنين

A might before which iron turns gray, and a battle-scene

in which a seven-year-old child turned gray.

فوقعت فيما لا تطيق وقوعه

يا ثعلبا فاجاه ليث عرين

So you fell into a plight you could not bear,

O fox surprised by the lion of the lair!

ورأيت لا منجا ولا ملجأ سوى

ما ترتجى من فضله الممنون

And you saw no escape or refuge except

what you hoped for from his bestowed bounty.

فوضعت وجهك في التراب معفرا

تلك الخدود لوجهك الميمون

So you laid your face in the earth, covering with dust

those cheeks of your auspicious face.

وأهنت نفسك حين صارت ضيعة

ليعزها وبذلت كل مصون

And you abased yourself when it lay forsaken,

so he might honor it, and you offered everything you treasured.

فتزحزحت تلك الصفوف واغمدت

تلك السيوف وفر كل سخين

Then those ranks withdrew, and into their sheaths went

those swords, and every hot-blooded man fled.

بئس السلاح به توقيت الردا

ملقى الخضوع وذلة المسكين

Wretched was the weapon with which you warded off death:

proffered submission and a poor man's abasement.

من لم تقومه الملامة فالعصا

من شأتها تقويم كل هجين

Whoever rebuke cannot straighten—the rod

is wont to straighten every baseborn man.

فأحمد إلهك واستزد من شكره

يا بان الممهد يا صلاح الدين

So praise your God, and seek more through thanking Him,

O son of al-Mumahhid, O Salah al-Din!

الله حسبك أي يوم لم تجد

نعما مجددة وأية حين

God is enough for you. On what day have you not found

renewed blessings—and at what time?

قد زدته شكرا وزادك أنعما

والشكر للنعماء خير خدين

You gave Him more thanks, and He gave you more blessings;

and gratitude is bounty's best companion.

أنت الفتى المخلوق من ماء الندا

والعالمون من الحما االمسنون

You are the youth created from the water of generosity,

while all others are made from dark, altered mud.