1. عُج بي عَلى الرَّبعِ حَيثُ الرَّندُ وَالبانُ

    وَإِن نَأى عَنهُ أَحبابٌ وَجِيرانُ

    Turn aside with me to the dwelling, where laurel and moringa grow,

    though loved ones and neighbors have gone far from it.

  2. فَلِلمَنازِلِ في شَرعِ الهَوى سُنَنٌ

    يَدري بِها مَن لَهُ بِالحُبِّ عِرفانُ

    For dwellings have their observances in the law of love,

    which anyone acquainted with love understands.

  3. وَقَلَّ ذاكَ لِمَغنىً قَد سَحَبنَ بِهِ

    ذَيلَ التَصابي بِرَسمِ الشَجوِ غِزلانُ

    And that is little for an abode where once they trailed

    the train of youthful dalliance amid sorrow's traces—gazelles,

  4. القاتِلاتُ بِلا عَقلٍ وَلا قَوَدٍ

    سُلطانُهُنَّ عَلى الأَملاكِ سُلطانُ

    killers exempt from blood-money and retribution,

    whose sway is sovereign over kings.

  5. لِلّهِ أَحوَرُ ساجي الطَرفِ مُقتَبِلٌ

    عَذبُ اللَمى لُؤلُؤِيُّ الثَغرِ فَتّانُ

    How wondrous that dark-eyed youth, languid of glance, in his first bloom,

    with sweet, dusky lips and pearly teeth, bewitching;

  6. عَبلُ الرَوادِفِ يَندى جِسمُهُ تَرَفاً

    ظامي الوُشاحِ لَطيفُ الروحِ جَذلانُ

    full-hipped, his body dewy with luxury,

    slender-waisted, gentle of spirit, joyous.

  7. كَأَنَّما البَدرُ في لَألاءِ غُرَّتِهِ

    يا لَيتَ يَصحَبُ ذاكَ الحُسنَ إِحسانُ

    As though the full moon shone in the radiance of his brow—

    would that kindness accompanied such beauty!

  8. يَهتَزُّ مِثلَ اِهتِزازِ الغُصنِ رَنَّحَهُ

    سُكرُ الصِبا فَهوَ صاحي القَدِّ نَشوان

    He sways like a swaying branch, rocked by

    youth's intoxication—sober in stature, yet drunk.

  9. لَو كانَ يُمكِن قُلنا اليَومَ أَبرَزَهُ

    لِيَنظُرَ الناسُ كنهَ الحسنِ رِضوانُ

    Were it possible, we would say, 'Today he was brought forth

    by Ridwan, that people might behold beauty's very essence.'

  10. قَد كُنتُ أَحسَب أَنَّ الشَملَ مُلتَئِمٌ

    وَالجَبلَ مُتَّصِلٌ وَالحَيَّ خُلطانُ

    I had thought our company united,

    the mountain unbroken, and the clan all mingled.

  11. فَاليَومَ لا وَصلَ أَرجوهُ فَيُطمِعَني

    وَلا يَطيفُ بِهذا القَلبِ سُلوانُ

    But today no reunion remains to tempt me with hope,

    nor does consolation visit this heart.

  12. في ذِمَّةِ اللَهِ جيرانٌ إِذا ذُكِروا

    هاجَت لِذِكرِهِمُ في القَلبِ أَحزانُ

    In God's keeping are neighbors who, when remembered,

    stir sorrows in the heart at their mention.

  13. فارَقتُهُم أَمتَري أَخلافَ سائِمَةٍ

    يَسوقُها واسَعُ المَعروفِ مَنّانُ

    I left them to milk the teats of a grazing herd

    driven by a lavish giver, boundless in kindness,

  14. لَعَلَّ نَفحَة جودٍ مِن مَواهِبِهِ

    يُروى بِها مِن صَدى الإِقتارِ عَطشانُ

    hoping a breath of generosity from his gifts

    might quench one parched with poverty's thirst.

  15. أُرايِشُ مِنها جَناحاً حَصَّةُ قَدَرٌ

    شَكا تَساقُطَهُ صَحبٌ وَإِخوانُ

    With it I would refeather a wing stripped bare by fate,

    whose shedding friends and brothers have lamented.

  16. وَفي اِضطِرابِ الفَتى نُجحٌ لِبُغيَتِهِ

    وَلِلمَقاديرِ إِسعادٌ وَخِذلانُ

    A young man's striving brings success in his quest,

    while destiny grants aid or abandonment.

  17. فَاِربَأ بِنَفسِكَ عَن دارٍ تَذِلُّ بِها

    لَو أَنَّ حَصباءَها دُرٌّ وَمَرجانُ

    So hold yourself above a home where you are humiliated,

    though its pebbles be pearls and coral.

  18. طُفتُ المَعالِمَ مِن شامٍ إِلى يَمَنٍ

    وَمِن حِجازٍ وَلَبَّتني خُراسانُ

    I toured the landmarks from Syria to Yemen,

    and from the Hijaz; Khurasan answered my call.

  19. فَما لَقيتُ وَلَن أَلقى وَلَو بَلَغَت

    بي مُنتَهى السَدِّ هِمّاتٌ وَوِجدانُ

    Yet I have not met, nor ever shall, though I were carried

    to the barrier's farthest reach by ambition and means,

  20. مِثلَ الجَحاجِحَةِ الغُرِّ الَّذينَ سَمَوا

    مَجداً تَقاصَرَ عَن عَلياهُ كيوانُ

    the like of those illustrious chieftains who rose

    to glory whose heights Saturn cannot reach.

  21. الضاربي الكَبشَ هَبرًا وَالقَنا قَصِدٌ

    وَالتارِكي اللَيثَ يَمشي وَهوَ مِذعانُ

    They hew down the battle-ram while spears lie shattered,

    and leave the lion walking in submission;

  22. وَالفارِجي غُمَمَ اللاجي إِذا صَفِرَت

    أَوطابُهُ وَاِقتَضاهُ الروحَ دَيّانُ

    they dispel the refuge-seeker's sorrows when emptied are

    his milk-skins, and a creditor demands his soul;

  23. وَالصائِنينَ عَن الفَحشا نُفوسَهُمُ

    وَالمُرخِصيها إِذا الخَطِيُّ أَثمانُ

    they guard their souls from shameful deeds,

    yet offer them cheaply when Khatti lances are the price.

  24. خُضلُ المَواهِبِ أَمجادٌ خَضارِمَةٌ

    بيضُ الوُجوهِ عَلى الأَيّامِ أَعوانُ

    Lavish in gifts, noble, oceans of bounty,

    bright-faced, allies against time;

  25. غُرٌّ مَكارِمُهُم حُمرٌ صَوارِمُهُم

    خُضرٌ مَراتِعُهُم لِلفَضلِ تيجانُ

    radiant their noble deeds, red their sharp swords,

    green their pastures, crowns of virtue.

  26. لكِنَّ أَوراهُمُ زَنداً وَأَسمَحَهُم

    كَفّاً وَأَشجَعَهُم إِن جالَ أَقرانُ

    But among them, he whose firestick sparks brightest, most generous

    of hand, and bravest when champions clash,

  27. عَبدُ العَزيزِ الَّذي نالَت بِهِ شَرَفاً

    بَنو نِزارٍ وَعَزَّت مِنهُ قَحطانُ

    is Abd al-Aziz, through whom honor was won

    by the sons of Nizar, while Qahtan gained might from him.

  28. مُقَدَّمٌ في المَعالي ذِكرُهُ أَبَداً

    كَما يُقَدَّمُ بِاِسمِ اللَهِ عُنوانُ

    His name is ever foremost in lofty deeds,

    as a heading is prefaced with God's name.

  29. مَلكٌ تَجَسَّدَ في أَثناءِ بُردَتِهِ

    غَيثٌ وَلَيثٌ وَإِعطاءٌ وَحِرمانُ

    A king within the folds of whose mantle take form

    rain and lion, giving and withholding.

  30. خَبيئَةُ اللَهِ في ذا الوَقتِ أَظهَرَها

    وَلِلمُهَيمِنِ في تَأخيرِها شان

    God's hidden treasure, revealed by Him at this time,

    and the Guardian had a purpose in delaying it.

  31. وَدَعوَةٌ وَجَبَت لِلمُسلِمينَ بِهِ

    أَما تَرى عَمَّهُم أَمنٌ وَإيمانُ

    And through him a prayer for Muslims was fulfilled:

    do you not see that safety and faith encompass them all?

  32. حاطَ الرَعِيَّةَ مِن بُصرى إِلى عَدَنٍ

    وَمِن تِهامَةَ حَتّى اِرتاحَ جَعلانُ

    He guarded the subjects from Busra to Aden,

    and from Tihama, until Ja'lan found repose.

  33. فَجَدَّدوا الشُكرَ لِلمَولى وَكُلُّهُمُ

    يَدعو لَهُ بِالبَقا ما بَقيَ إِنسانُ

    So they renewed their thanks to the Lord, and all of them

    pray for his lasting life as long as any human remains.

  34. وَرُبَّ مُستَكبِرٍ شوسٍ خَلائِقُهُ

    صَعبِ الشَكيمَةِ قَد أَعماهُ طُغيانُ

    And many a proud man, defiant in character,

    hard to bridle, whom tyranny had blinded,

  35. تَرَكتَهُ وَحدَهُ يَمشي وَفي يَدِهِ

    بَعدَ المُهَنَّدِ عُكّازٌ وَمِحجانُ

    you left walking alone, with in his hand,

    after his Indian blade, a staff and crook.

  36. وَعازِبٍ رُشدُهُ إِذ حانَ مَصرَعُهُ

    بِخَمرَةِ الجَهلِ وَالإِعجابِ سَكرانُ

    And one whose judgment had fled when his downfall came,

    drunk on the wine of ignorance and conceit,

  37. أَمطَرتَهُ عَزَماتٍ لَو قَذَفتَ بِها

    صُمَّ الشَوامِخِ أَضحَت وَهيَ كثبانُ

    you rained upon him resolves that, had you hurled them

    at solid mountain heights, would have turned them into dunes:

  38. عَصائِباً مِن بَني الإِسلامِ يَقدُمُهُم

    مِن جَدِّكَ المُعتَلي بِالرُعبِ فُرسانُ

    bands of the sons of Islam, preceded

    by horsemen of your lofty fortune, bearing terror.

  39. وَيلُ اِمِّهِ لَو أَتاهُ البَحرُ مُلتَطِماً

    آذِيُّهُ الأُسدُ وَالآجامُ مُرّانُ

    Woe to his mother! Had a surging sea come upon him,

    its billows lions, its thickets ashwood spears,

  40. لَأَصبَحَ العِزُّ لا عَينٌ وَلا أَثَرٌ

    أَو شاغَفَتهُ قُبَيلَ الصُبحِ جِنّانُ

    his might would have vanished without sign or trace,

    or jinn would have seized his heart just before dawn.

  41. وَمَشهَدٍ لَكَ في الإِسلامِ سَوفَ تَرى

    يوفى بِهِ يَومَ الحَشرِ ميزانُ

    And many a stand of yours for Islam—you will see

    the scales filled by it on the Day of Gathering.

  42. نَحَرتَ هَديَكَ فيهِ المُشرِكينَ ضُحىً

    فَاِفخَر فَفَخرُ سِواكَ المَعزُ وَالضّانُ

    There you slaughtered your offering—the polytheists—at midmorning;

    so take pride: others' pride is goats and sheep.

  43. أَرضَيتَ آباءَكَ الغُرُّ الكِرامَ بِما

    جَدَّدتَ مِن مَجدِهِم مِن بَعدِ ما بانوا

    You pleased your illustrious, noble forefathers by what

    you renewed of their glory after they had departed.

  44. نَبَّهتَ ذِكراً تَوارى مِنهُ حينَ عَلا

    لِلمارِقينَ ضَبابٌ فيهِ دُخّانُ

    You revived a renown that had faded when there rose

    a smoke-filled fog of the renegades.

  45. فَجِئتَ بِالسَيفِ وَالقُرآنِ مُعتَزِماً

    تُمضي بِسَيفِكَ ما أَمضاهُ قُرآنُ

    Then you came resolute, with sword and Qur'an,

    enforcing with your sword what the Qur'an decreed,

  46. حَتّى اِنجَلى الظُلمُ وَالإِظلامُ وَاِرتَفَعَت

    لِلدينِ في الأَرضِ أَعلامٌ وَأَركانُ

    until injustice and darkness dispersed, and there rose

    on earth the banners and pillars of the faith.

  47. دينٌ وَدُنيا وَرَأسٌ في الوَغى وَنَدىً

    تَفيضُ مِن كَفِّهِ بِالجودِ دِخُلجانُ

    Faith and worldly life, a leader in battle, and bounty—

    channels overflow from his palm with generosity.

  48. هذي المَكارِمُ لا ماروي عَن هَرِمٍ

    وَلا الَّذي قيلَ عَمَّن ضَمَّ غُمدانُ

    These are noble deeds—not what was told of Harim,

    nor what was said of him whom Ghumdan embraced.

  49. أَقولُ لِلعيسِ إِذ تَلوي ذَفارِيَها

    لِإِلفَها وَلَها في الدَوِّ تَحنانُ

    I say to the pale camels, as they turn their napes

    toward their companions, with yearning cries in the wilderness:

  50. رِدي مِياهاً مِنَ المَعروفِ طامِيَةً

    نَباتُها التِبرُ لا شيحٌ وَسَعدانُ

    'Come to the overflowing waters of bounty,

    whose growth is gold dust, not wormwood or sa'dan.'

  51. تَدومُ ما دُمتَ لِلدُنيا بشاشَتُها

    فَاِسلَم فَأَنتَ لِهذا الخَلقِ عُمرانُ

    The world's gladness endures as long as you endure;

    so live in safety: you are this creation's prosperity.

  52. ثُمَّ الصَلاةُ عَلى الهادي الَّذي خَمَدَت

    في يَومِ مَولِدِهِ لِلفُرسِ نيرانُ

    Then blessings upon the Guide, on whose

    day of birth the Persians' fires died out,

  53. وَالآلِ وَالصَحبِ ما ناحَت مُطَوَّقَةٌ

    خَضباً تَميدُ بِها في الدَوحِ أَغصانُ

    and upon his family and companions, as long as a ring-dove mourns,

    while verdant branches sway with her among the spreading trees.