1. ثغرُ الزمانِ لقد غدا متبسِّما

    وشذا الأَمانِ لقد بدا متنسِّما

    Time's mouth has indeed broken into a smile.

    And safety's fragrance has indeed emerged, wafting.

  2. وانجابت الاغساقُ من آفاقها

    يوماً وكان الكون اربدَ مُقتِما

    And the darkness lifted from its horizons

    one day, when the universe had been ashen and dark.

  3. ويدُ الأَماني كفَّت الإِظلامَ اذ

    صدعت رداءَ الشكّ مما أَوهَما

    And the hand of hopes checked the darkness when

    it rent the cloak of doubt born of what misled,

  4. بالسيّد المولى المفدَّى بالوَرَى

    نَجمِ الكِرام أَضا سناهُ الأَنجُما

    through the lord and master, ransomed by all mankind,

    the star of the noble, whose radiance illuminated the stars.

  5. اعني بهِ النَدُسَ الكريمَ المعتلي

    اوجَ العُلَى مولى الموالي مُلحِما

    I mean the discerning, generous man who ascends

    glory's summit, master of masters, waging battle.

  6. شهمٌ اذا ما حاك بُردَ ملاحمٍ

    اسدى قَناهُ في الكُماة والحما

    A gallant man: when he weaves the mantle of battles,

    he sets his spears as warp among champions and protected lands.

  7. بَطَلٌ اذا ما فرَّ لا متأَخَّراً

    عنهُ وامَّا كرَّ لا مُتَقدَّما

    A hero: when he retreats, none lags

    behind him; when he charges, none goes ahead.

  8. واذا حبا كان الغمامُ اذا همى

    واذا سطا كان الحُمامَ الضيغما

    And when he gives, he is a raincloud pouring down;

    and when he strikes, he is death—a lion.

  9. فلذاك أَمَّتهُ الوُفودُ لانهم

    نالوا بهِ عِزّاً سَمَا وتكرُّما

    Thus delegations sought him, for they

    gained through him exalted honor and generous favor.

  10. ادنى ذوي القُربَى اليهِ لكونهم

    في قربهِ حلُّوا محلاً اعظما

    He drew his kinsmen close to him, for they

    occupied, in his nearness, a loftier station.

  11. وتواصلُ الأَرحام اما اوصلت

    بالوُدّ جلَّت عظمةً وتعظُّما

    And bonds of kinship, when joined

    in affection, grow great in dignity and grandeur.

  12. ولذا اذا جَزَمَ التواصلَ بينهم

    سعيُ الوُشاةِ فانها لن تُجزَما

    And thus, if their mutual contact is severed

    by slanderers' efforts, their kinship will not be severed.

  13. كم عاذلٍ أَغرَى بسُوءِ مَقالهِ

    حتى احالَ السِلمَ سفكاً للدِما

    How many a reproacher incited with his malicious speech,

    until he turned peace into the spilling of blood.

  14. ولكم عدوٍّ خِيلَ خِلّاً صادقاً

    اذ كانَ فيما قد اتى متكتِّما

    And how many an enemy was thought a sincere friend,

    as he kept secret what he had done.

  15. ولكم صديقٍ صادقٍ أَودَى بهِ

    رَجمُ الظُنونِ وكانَ ذاك توهُّما

    And how many a sincere friend was destroyed by

    the pelting of suspicions—and that was mere delusion.

  16. ولكم فَتىً خال الصديقَ عدوَّهُ

    وهُوَ الصديقُ ولم يزل ابداً كما

    And how many a young man took his friend for his enemy,

    though he was a friend, and forever remained as before.

  17. ومُخادِعٍ وافَى بصُورة ناصحٍ

    وبخترهِ جمرَ العَداوةِ أَضرَما

    And many a deceiver came in the guise of an adviser,

    and through his treachery kindled the embers of enmity.

  18. ان الغريبَ وان تقرَّب بالدَها

    فهوَ البعيدُ وان دنا وتقدَّما

    Indeed, a stranger, though he draws near through cunning,

    is still far off, though he comes close and advances.

  19. وحُؤُول هذا الدهر نَبَّأَ جازماً

    ان لا يزال بآلهِ مستعصما

    And the vicissitudes of this age have declared with certainty

    that one must always cling to one's kin for refuge.

  20. مَن كانَ مختبراً بوِدِّكَ لم يكن

    ممَّن يُعَدُّ من العِدَى مستخصما

    One whose friendship with you has been tested is not

    one to be counted among enemies and treated as a foe.

  21. وتلافيُ الاغراس قبلَ تلافها

    أَحرى بمن يبغي بان لا تعدما

    And saving saplings before their ruin

    is fitter for one who wishes them not to perish.

  22. واذا تَمادى الإِعتناءُ فانها

    تذوي وما تخضلُّ لو هَمَتِ السَما

    And if care is delayed too long, they

    wither and do not grow lush, even if heaven pours.

  23. أَتَعافُ معتزياً اليك بنسبةِ ال

    وِدِّ الذي فيهِ لعزَّتك انتمي

    Do you spurn one who claims affinity with you by the bond of

    affection, through which I am bound to your glory?

  24. أَرفِد جِراحاً بالقُلوبِ ثخينةً

    وانقُض لما أَسَّ العَدُوُّ وأَبرَما

    Bring succor to deep wounds in hearts,

    and undo what the enemy founded and bound fast.

  25. واستَلَّ أَضغانَ القلوب بصفوةٍ

    يُجلَى بها ما كانَ قبلاً مُظلِما

    And draw out the grudges of hearts through purity,

    by which what was once dark is brought to light.

  26. اذ كانَ رأيُكَ للسقيم الرأي

    طِباً شافياً ولكل جُرحٍ مرهما

    For your counsel, to one whose judgment is ailing,

    is healing medicine, and a balm for every wound.

  27. وارأَب صُدوعَ الجاهلينَ بحكمةٍ

    يا احكمَ الحُكَّامِ فيما احكما

    And mend the ignorant's rifts with wisdom,

    O wisest of judges in all you decide,

  28. حتى يُبدَّلُ بالوَلا ذاكَ القِلَى

    ويُعاضَ يوماً بالروى ذاك الظما

    until that hatred is exchanged for loyalty,

    and that thirst is one day replaced by its quenching.

  29. فالصفحُ من شِيمَ الكِرامِ وانما

    مَن كان أَسبَقَ فيهِ كانَ الأَكرَما

    For forgiveness is among the traits of the noble, and only

    the one who is first to grant it is the noblest.

  30. واذا رَجَعتَ إلى الرِضَى فتحيل حُلواً

    كلَّ ما قد كان مُرّاً علقما

    And when you return to goodwill, you make sweet

    all that had been bitter as colocynth.

  31. ان العظيم تهونُ كل عظيمةٍ

    جُلَّى لديهِ وجِرمُها لن يَعظُما

    For a great man finds every mighty calamity slight,

    even the gravest, before him; its bulk will never loom large.

  32. فاسلم ودُم عالي الجناب ممنَّعاً

    بظِلالِ عِزٍّ لا يزالُ مخيِّما

    So live in safety, and remain exalted in station, impregnable,

    beneath the shade of honor that never ceases to pitch its tent.

  33. تُولَى معارفُكَ العوارفَ دائماً

    بنضيرِ عيشٍ مُنعِماً ومُنَعَّما

    May your acquaintances always be granted benefactions,

    amid a flourishing life, bestowing bounty and enjoying comfort.