أضْحَتْ أيادي يَدَيْهِ وهي تُؤنِسُهُ

أضْحَتْ أيادي يَدَيْهِ وهي تُؤنِسُهُ

إذ أوْحَشَتْهُ مَعالِيهِ منَ النُّظَرا

إذ أوْحَشَتْهُ مَعالِيهِ منَ النُّظَرا

His hands’ benefactions now keep him company,

Her hands comfort him

since his lofty merits have isolated him from his peers.

When his high ambitions have estranged him

مُؤيَّدٌ بمضاءِ الرأيِ يَحْمَدُهُ

مُؤيَّدٌ بمضاءِ الرأيِ يَحْمَدُهُ

لا يُحمَدُ السيفُ إلا ماضياً ذكرا

لا يُحمَدُ السيفُ إلا ماضياً ذكرا

He is supported by keen judgment that brings him praise;

Supported with sound opinion that pleases him

a sword is praised only when keen and strong.

A sword is praised only when its blade is sharp

يُمْضي الأمورَ بآراءٍ مُسَدَّدَةٍ

يُمْضي الأمورَ بآراءٍ مُسَدَّدَةٍ

كَأَنَّهُنَّ سِهامٌ تقصد الثُّغَرا

كَأَنَّهُنَّ سِهامٌ تقصد الثُّغَرا

He carries affairs through with well-directed judgments,

He carries out affairs with guided opinions

as though they were arrows aimed at the openings.

As if they were arrows aiming at the throats

مِنَ العوارِفِ آلافٌ مُجَدِّدَةٌ

مِنَ العوارِفِ آلافٌ مُجَدِّدَةٌ

للنَّاسِ في كلِّ عامٍ معْلَماً دَثَرا

للنَّاسِ في كلِّ عامٍ معْلَماً دَثَرا

Thousands of benefactions renew

Thousands of spiritual guides renew

for people, each year, a landmark worn away.

For people each year a wrapped treasure

لو كانَ يُنْظَمُ حُبّاً في مَدائِحِه

لو كانَ يُنْظَمُ حُبّاً في مَدائِحِه

حَبُّ القلوبِ نَظمناها له فِقَرا

حَبُّ القلوبِ نَظمناها له فِقَرا

If, out of love, one could string into his praises

If love were to be poetized in his praises

the kernels of hearts, we would string them for him as verses.

The hearts' love we would have poetized abundantly for him

رَدّتْ زمانَ الجهل هِمّتُهُ

رَدّتْ زمانَ الجهل هِمّتُهُ

وَغَيّرَتْ فيه من عاداتها الغِيَرا

وَغَيّرَتْ فيه من عاداتها الغِيَرا

His resolve turned back the age of ignorance,

His ambition returned the age of ignorance

and there changed its customary reversals of fortune.

And changed in it some of its unfamiliar customs

يا مَن أَياديهِ في الأَنعامِ لَا عُقِلَتْ

يا مَن أَياديهِ في الأَنعامِ لَا عُقِلَتْ

أطْلَقْنَ بالمدح فيه ألْسُنَ الشُّعَرا

أطْلَقْنَ بالمدح فيه ألْسُنَ الشُّعَرا

O one whose gifts of livestock—may they never be hobbled!—

O you whose hands in bestowals have no restraints

have loosed the poets’ tongues in praise of him.

Release by praise therein the tongues of poetry

دُمْ في جلالةِ قدرٍ بالعُلى قُرِنَتْ

دُمْ في جلالةِ قدرٍ بالعُلى قُرِنَتْ

وَحَالَفَ السّعْدُ فيما تأمُلُ القَدَرا

وَحَالَفَ السّعْدُ فيما تأمُلُ القَدَرا

Remain in the majesty of a rank wedded to loftiness,

Stay in the glory of a high rank combined

and may good fortune ally with destiny in all you hope for.

And good fortune swore regarding what fate ponders