أَيُنْكِرُ مَعروفَنا المُنكِرُ

ويَكْفُرُهُ وهو لا يُكْفَرُ

The one who denies our good deeds is the denier

Who disbelieves it, yet he cannot be an infidel

ونحن بنو هاشم في الأَنام

كما اتَّضح الواضحُ النيَّر

We, the Hashimites, are the best of all people

As the bright sun at noon is apparent and clear

تطيب عناصِرُنا والذوات

وقد طابت الذَّات والعنصر

Our essences and identities are virtuous

When essence and identity are virtuous and pure

إذا ما ذكرنا فغير الجميل

وغير المحامد لا تذكر

If we are mentioned, none but the beautiful is spoken

Praiseworthy traits alone are remembered

بنا تفخرُ الأُمَمُ السَّابقون

ونحن بأَنفسنا نفخر

Ancient nations take pride in us

And we, in ourselves, take pride

ومنَّا النبيُّ ومنَّا الوصيُّ

ومنَّا المبشّر والمنْذر

The Prophet is from us, and the successor is from us

And the warner and the herald too belong to our clan

رَمَيْتُ عدوًّا بنا ساءه

وقوسي لأمثاله يوتر

I shot an arrow at the enemy who wished us ill

My bow is taut, ready for the likes of him

وذلَّلتُه بعد عزٍّ بها

وحقَّرتُهُ وهو يستكبر

I subdued him after he was so proud

I belittled him while he acted high and grand

وربَّ قوافٍ لشعري تنير

على عرضه وهو لا يشعر

Many eloquent verses illuminate

His chest though he remains unaware

لها طعناتٌ كَوَخْزِ السِّنان

ولا مثلها الذابلُ الأَسمر

With stabs like a biting snake’s bite

None can match it, not even the faded brown sword

فواعجباً لأَلَدِّ الخِصام

وقد حاقَ بالخصم ما يمكر

How strange is the adamance of the adversary

Though the scheme he plotted backfired against him

أَيُعجِبُه أَنْ يرى ساعةً

يرى دَمَه عَنْدَماً يقطر

Does he like to see the moment

When his blood drips and pours forth

بسهمٍ إذا أَنا فَوَّقْتُه

أُصيبَ به الجِيدُ والمنحر

With an arrow, when I surpass him in skill

His neck and temple are hit with precision

أرى العفو عن لَمَمِ الأَرذلين

لداعٍ إلى ما هو الأَكبر

I think to pardon the insults of the vile

To rise to what is far greater and nobler

فلا عثرةُ النذل ممَّا تقال

ولا ذنب مذنبها يغفر

So I do not stumble over the disgrace of the lowly

Nor remember the sin of the sinful

وإنِّي أعرِفُ كُنْهَ الرِّجال

ويكشفُ مخبرَها المنظرُ

For I know the truth about all men

Their looks make clear what is within

صَبَرْتُ على بعض مكروهه

وقُلتُ إذَنْ عَوْرةٌ تُستَرُ

I was patient with some of his troubles

I said, “This should be covered up and concealed”

وإنِّي صبورٌ على النائبات

وإنِّي على الضَّيم لا أصبرُ

I am patient with calamities

Yet with injustice, I cannot bear

فأَقْبَلْتُ يوماً على حتفه

فولَّى به حَظُّه المدبرُ

So one day, I approached his death

As fate turned its back and abandoned him

ليَعْلَمَ أنِّي فتًى أَمْرهُ

مطاعٌ وسطوتُه تَقْهَرُ

Let it be known that I am a strong young man

Whose command is obeyed, whose power subdues

يدين العلاءُ إلى طوعه

ويمتثل المجدُ ما يأمرُ

The exalted bow down to fulfill his order

Glory obliges to heed his demand

يزينُ كلامي وجوهَ الكلام

ومن كَلِمِ المرءِ ما يُبهِرُ

My words adorn the peaks of speech

Some words of a man dazzle and shine

كما زُيِّنَتْ بالنقيب الشَّريف

وحسن مناقبه الأَعصرُ

As the Noble Cloak adorned

The best of epochs with its beauty

إذا جادَ سالَ النَّدى للعُفاة

وأَيْسَرُ من سيبه الأَنهُرُ

When he is generous, dew flows for the destitute

And pours easier than a gushing stream

ترى الوافدين إلى بابه

لها موردٌ ولها مصدرُ

You see people come to his door

With a destination, and it is the source

فتًى يقتفي إثْرَ آبائه

وآثارُ آبائه تؤثر

A young man who follows in his forefathers’ steps

And their traces have impact and influence

من القوم لا نارهم في الظَّلام

تُوارى ولا مالُهم يذخرُ

They were people whose fire did not wane in darkness

Nor wealth they hoarded, hid, and stored

وما نَزَلوا غير شمّ الرعان

يُهدّى لها المنجد المغور

They only roamed the pastures’ outskirts

Where the goats are led in the deserted valley

إذا وَعَدوا بالندى أنجزوا

وإنْ أوْعَدوا بالرَّدى أَذعروا

When they promised help, they fulfilled

When warned of harm, they took precaution

وإنْ طُوِيَتْ صُحُفُ الأَكرمين

فإنِّي أراها بهم تُنْشَرُ

If the scrolls of the generous were folded

I see them through this clan unveiled and unfurled

أَبَيْتَ النُّبوَّة لا زِلتُمُ

نجوماً بنور الهُدى تزهرُ

You refused prophethood but still

Your light shines like stars giving guidance

مكارمُكُمْ لم تزلْ تُرتَجى

وسطوتكم أبداً تُحذرُ

Your virtues have always been hoped for

Your authority is forever feared

وبارقُ عارِضُكم وامضٌ

وعارضُ إحسانكم ممطر

The lightning of your noble countenance flashes

While the clouds of your favor pour down rain

وأَبواعكم في منال العُلى

تَطولُ إلهاً ولا تَقْصُرُ

Your hands reach the highest glory

Without falling short or being confined

وكيفَ يطاولكم في بناءِ

معاليكم الأَشْعَثُ الأَغبرُ

How can the unkempt and ignorant vie

To build up your supreme merits?

لئنْ أَصبَحَتْ أُمَّكم فاطمٌ

وإن أباكم إذَنْ حيدر

If your mother is Fatima in truth

Then your father, no doubt, is Haydar

فما بعد عليائكم من عُلًى

ولا بعْدَ مفخركم مفخرُ

Beyond your glory no higher glory exists

Nor any pride beyond your pride

ومنكم تبلَّجَ صبحُ الهُدى

وأَسْفَرَ وهو بكم مسفر

From you shone the dawn of guidance

Radiantly beaming with your blessings

وأَجدادُكم شُفَعاء العُصاةِ

بيوم به ناره تسعرُ

Your ancestors intercede for sinners

On a day when fires will blaze

ويخضرُّ من بيض أيديهمُ

وجدواهم الزَّمَنُ الأَغْبرُ

Their white hands are made verdant

By time, and their generosity made fertile

سراةٌ نَداهُم كفيض البحار

نعم هكذا فيضها الأَبحرُ

They were secretive men whose light

Gushed like copious oceans overflowing

فكونوا غمائمَ مبراقها

يُشام سناه ويستمطر

So be rainclouds of its lightning

Whose glory is sensed and showers hoped for

تحرَّوْا بني عمّنا في الأُمور

وراعوا عواقبها وانظروا

Care for the affairs of your uncle’s sons

And consider the outcomes, take heed

وكونوا بَني رجلٍ واحدٍ

إذا أَنكروا منكراً غيَّروا

And be the sons of one man

If you see wrong, change and replace

فحينئذٍ بأسُكم يُتَّقى

ويخشاكم العَدَدُ الأَكثرُ

For then your might will be feared

And the multitudes will dread your force

وإنِّي لَمِنْ بعض أنصارِكم

وناصرُكم في الورى ينصرُ

I am one of your supporters

Aiding you among all people

وإنِّي بأيديكم صارمٌ

يُقَدُّ به الدِّرع والمغْفَرُ

With your hands I wield the cutting sword

That rends armor and mail coat

أُدافعُ عنكم إذا غِبْتُمُ

وأُثني عليكم ولم تحضروا

I defend you when you are absent

And praise you though you are not present

وإنِّي لأَشكركم والجميلُ

على كلّ أَحواله يُشكرُ

I thank you, for favor is always

Thanked, however it manifests

فخذها إليك تُغيظ الحَسُودَ

يراها المحبُّ فيستبشر

Take it, so it may vex the envious

And please the friend who will rejoice

تسرُّ لديك الوليَّ الحميمَ

ويُبتَرُ شانِئُك الأَبترُ

It will cheer the dear patron

And frustrate your maimed defamer