من قلدت عينه في أمره الاذنا

واعتاض عن رايه راى امرء غبنا

Whoever lets his eye follow his ear in his affairs,

and exchanges his own judgment for another man's, is deceived.

وقد رأينا وخير الرأى أصوبه

أن لا يقلد فيها غير أنفسنا

We have decided—and the best judgment is the soundest—

that in this matter none but ourselves should be followed.

تكاثرت عندنا الأقوال واضطربت

وكاد سر أناس يفضح العلنا

Reports have multiplied among us and grown confused,

and some people's private conduct nearly disgraced their public conduct.

فقلت لا رأى إلا أن يلم بها

ونستجد أمورا تقطع الشحنا

So I said: there is no course but to attend to this,

and devise fresh measures to cut off rancor.

هذى الكتائب والرايات قد عقدت

كأنهم عن قريب بالظبا وبنا

Here are the battalions, and the banners have been fastened,

as though they would soon encounter the sword-edges and us.

ويل لمن صَبَّحتهُ خيلنا بظبا

يطلق الرأس في مرضاتها البدنا

Woe to anyone our cavalry assails at dawn with blades:

to please them, the head lets the body go.

نخلي الديار ولا تبقى إذا امتلأت

غيظاً لروح امرئ في جسمه وطنا

We empty the dwellings; and, when filled

with fury, they leave a man's soul no home within his body.

تلقى الأعادي بها في الحرب ما لقيت

أموالنا يوم سلم من مواهبنا

Through them, foes in war meet the same fate

our wealth has met in peace through our gifts.

تفنى سطانا ويغنى جودنا أبدا

بذا وهذا ملكنا الشام واليمنا

Our might destroys, while our generosity forever enriches.

By these two means, we have ruled al-Sham and Yemen.

فالحمد لله قد طلنا الورى شرفا

وأصبح الملك من بعد الإله لنا

Praise be to God: we have surpassed mankind in honor,

and dominion, after God, has become ours.

فقل لمفتاح مفتاح الفتوح غدا

اركب بخيلك واحذر أن تعوقنا

So tell Miftah, the key to conquests: tomorrow,

ride with your cavalry, and beware of delaying us,

بكل أغلب يثنى القرن منجدلا

عن السنان ولا يثنى إذا طعنا

with every stout-necked lion who sends his opponent sprawling

away from the spearpoint, and is not turned back when he thrusts.

أسد كمثلك لا يرجو منازلها

للنفس من خوفها يوم اللقا أمنا

Lions like you: whoever faces them cannot hope

for his soul's safety from fear of them on the day of battle.

ما أنت عبداً لدينا اليوم بل ولدا

يكفى المهم وترضينا إذا امتحنا

Today you are no slave to us, but a son,

who handles weighty matters; you please us when we test you.

وما شكرناك إلا بعد معرفة

وخبرة فحمدنا السر والعلنا

We thanked you only after acquaintance

and experience; we praised both your private and public conduct.

فاطو البلاد الينا نلق عنك رضا

مما غرست ونجني منه خير جنا

So cross the lands swiftly to us, that we may find satisfaction in you

from what you have planted, and reap its finest fruit.

وما بنا حاجة تدعو إلى أحد

لكنهم وفدنا والوفد يعجبنا

We have no need that calls us to anyone,

but they are our visitors, and visitors delight us.

وابلغ مشائخهم عنا السلام فما

تنسى مكانتهم منا مكارمنا

And convey our greetings to their elders, for

our generosity never forgets their standing with us.

لهم مودة صدق ليس ينكرها

أضحى لهم بجزاها الجو مرتهنا

There is a true affection for them that none denies;

the sky has become pledged to them in return for it.

هذا كتابي فمن يسمع بمقدمه

والسدر في رأسه فليغسلنه هنا

This is my letter: whoever hears of its arrival,

with lote leaves on his head, let him wash it here.