1. شمس المنازل قد أنارت بالفرح

    والدهر قد أبدى المسرة وانشرح

    The sun of the dwellings has shone with joy;

    And Time has shown delight and grown glad.

  2. وبكم قد اعتدلت لنا ايامه

    بعد الجفا ومع الزمان قد اصطلح

    Through you, its days have grown fair for us,

    After estrangement, and peace with Time has been made.

  3. ودمشق حين حللتمُ ساحاتها

    وافى السرور بها وقد زال الترح

    And when you alighted in Damascus's squares,

    Joy came to her, and sorrow departed.

  4. وتهلك فرحا بدور سمائها

    وبها صباح البشر اشرق واتضح

    And the full moons of her sky are consumed with joy;

    Within her, the dawn of gladness shone and grew clear.

  5. ورياضها بالحسن اينع دوحها

    وزهت وبالافراح طائرها صدح

    And the great trees of her gardens flourished in beauty,

    And they grew splendid, while their bird sang out with joy.

  6. وأنار في صبح التهاني بهجة

    نوارها وبها الاقاح قد انفتح

    And in the dawn of congratulations, brightly shone

    Her blossoms; within her, the daisies opened.

  7. وتقلدت درا ازاهرها كما

    تاج العلا بالمكرمات قد اتشح

    And her blossoms donned pearls as necklaces, just as

    The crown of glory clothed itself in noble deeds.

  8. مولى لقد نشر العطا ذكرا له

    من نشره فاح العبير وقد نفح

    A lord—his giving has indeed spread his renown,

    From its fragrance, perfume has wafted and spread.

  9. وهو الجواد المحرز السبق الذي

    ما حاد عن عود الصلات ولا جمح

    And he is the generous steed, winner of the race, who

    Never swerved from renewing gifts, nor bolted.

  10. وعلى السماك سما محلّا قدره

    واضرب عن العوا ودعه ان نبح

    And his stature rose in rank above al-Simak;

    Turn away from al-ʿAwwa, and leave him if he barks.

  11. يكفيه فخرا في المعالي أنه

    ما رام أمراً في العلا الانجح

    It is glory enough for him among lofty honors that

    He never sought a goal in glory without succeeding.

  12. ولنحوه ما جاء يسعى سائل

    الا وبالمال الجزيل له منح

    And no petitioner came hastening toward him

    But he bestowed abundant wealth upon him.

  13. والسعد قد اضحى اليه ناظرا

    والى علاه طائر العليا جنح

    And good fortune has come to gaze upon him,

    And the bird of the heights inclined toward his eminence.

  14. يولى النوال تكرما من غير ما

    مدح عليه ومثله من يمتدح

    He bestows bounty out of generosity, without any

    Praise for it; and one like him deserves to be praised.

  15. والبحر لا يحكي عطاياه ولو

    رام الحيا يحكي نداه لافتضح

    The sea cannot match his gifts; even if

    Rain sought to rival his bounty, it would be put to shame.

  16. وبحاتم في الفضل لو وازنته

    يوما لكان عليه في العليا رجح

    And if you weighed him against Hatim in generosity

    One day, he would outweigh him in lofty honors.

  17. عن وجهه الضحاك يروى بشره

    ويمينه عنها حديث الفضل صح

    From his ever-smiling face, his cheer is narrated,

    And from his right hand, the report of bounty is confirmed.

  18. اوصافه قد علمتني في الورى

    نظم القوافي والنوادر والملح

    His qualities have taught me, among humankind,

    To compose rhymes, rare sayings, and witticisms.

  19. قمرٌ سما روضٌ نما ليثٌ حمى

    غيثٌ همى بحر ضمى سيب طفح

    A moon that rose, a garden that grew, a lion that protected;

    Rain that poured, a sea that swelled, bounty that overflowed.

  20. اقسمت لا يأتي الزمان بمثله

    كلا ولا من قبل جاد ولا سمح

    I swear that Time will never bring his like;

    No indeed; nor has it before bestowed or been so generous.

  21. مولاي يا رب النوال ومن اذا

    ختم المديح بطيب ذكراه افتتح

    My lord, O master of bounty, you for whom, when

    Praise ends with your sweet remembrance, it opens anew,

  22. خذها اليك يتيمة بالدر قد

    نظمتهاه نظم القلائد والسبح

    Take it to yourself, a peerless gem; with pearls

    I have strung it as necklaces and prayer beads are strung.

  23. في السمع يوما لو بدت لاخى الهوى

    لجفا المدام وكان قد عاف القدح

    If one day it sounded in a lover's ear,

    He would forsake wine and spurn the drinking cup.

  24. فاعطف وجد كرما فذل الفقر بي

    اودى وحالي بان والغدر اتضح

    So show compassion and give generously, for poverty's humiliation

    Has ruined me; my plight is plain, and treachery stands clear.

  25. وسحاب جودك من نداه رشاشة

    تكفي وعن قلبي يزول بها الترح

    And from the dew of the cloud of your generosity, a sprinkling

    Suffices, and through it sorrow departs from my heart.

  26. حاشاك ان تصغى لقول مفند

    او عاذل بيدي الملام اذا اتصح

    Far be it from you to heed the words of a faultfinder,

    Or a reprover who apparently voices blame when [unclear reading].

  27. حاشاك ان تصغى لقول مفند

    او عاذل بيدي الملام اذا نصح

    Far be it from you to heed the words of a faultfinder,

    Or a reprover who apparently voices blame when advising.

  28. فاسلم وعش عمرا طويلاً بالهنا

    في كل مغنيق يروق ومصطبح

    So remain safe, and live a long life in happiness,

    In every pleasing abode and place of morning draughts,

  29. ما رش ثوب الدوح هطّال وما

    اكمامه ندّ الندى منها رشح

    As long as pouring rain sprinkles the trees' robe, and as long as

    Dew's perfume trickles from their blossom-sleeves.