الحَمدُ لِلّه الَّذي حَباني

بِالأَصغرين القَلب وَاللسان

Praise be to Allah who granted me

The heart and tongue of the youngest,

وَإِنَّما فَضيلة الإِنسان

وَفَخره بِالعَقل وَالبَيان

And verily man's merit

And pride is in his reason and eloquence.

حَمداً يُجازى مِنهُ وَنعمته

وَجَل أَن يَبلغَ حمد منته

Praises with which I will be recompensed

And His blessings I can never fully praise.

ثم صلاة اللَّه والسلام

ما اختلف الضياء والظلام

Then blessings of Allah and peace

As long as dark and light differ,

عَلى النَّبي المُصطَفى وَآلِهِ

مُحَمد وَالغُر مِن رِجالِه

Upon the chosen Prophet and his family

Muhammad and the pride of his men.

هَذا كِتاب فيهِ علم وَأَدَب

يَفوق أَنواع القَريض وَالخطب

This is a book containing wisdom and manners

Surpassing the poetry and speeches.

عَملته لِسيد المُلوك

وَموئل الملهوف وَالصعلوك

I composed it for the master of kings

And refuge of the anxious and destitute.

فَجاءَ مِثل الذهب المَسبوك

سَلَكت نَهجاً لَيسَ بِالمَسلوك

It came out like pure gold

I took an unprecedented approach in its prosody, composition and style.

في نَظمِهِ وَسبكِهِ وَوَضعِه

لا من كَلام همني في جَمعِه

Not the usual words collected together

But origination of various wisdoms

بَل اِبتِداعاً لِصُنوف الحكمه

بِهمة في العلم أَيَّ همه

With enthusiasm for knowledge, what an enthusiasm!

I invented its meanings

وَضَعتُهُ مخترعاً مَعناه

لملك ما خابَ من رَجاه

For a king never failing those who hope in him.

The sea of generosity, Lord of hands and favors,

بَحر الندا رَبَّ الأَيادي وَالمنن

شَمس العُلا نور الهُدى أَبي الحَسَن

Sun of supremacy, light of guidance, my father al-Hasan,

The Muzayidi, the Asadi in his truthfulness,

المزيَديّ الأَسديّ صدقه

وَمن إِذا كذَّب مَدح صدقه

When his praise is called a lie, it proves his truthfulness.

The Aryuhi, the Lumai, the Asadi,

الأَريحي الأَلمَعي الأَسَدي

غُرة عوف الهزبر الأَصيدي

Leader of Auf, valiant of the clan of Asad.

Refuge of every fearful distressed one,

ملجأ كُل خائف مَلهوف

وَمَرتع الحَيران وَالضُّيوف

And pasture of the lost and guests.

The equal of Antar when swords clash,

من عَنتر إِذا تَقارع القَنا

وَحاتم وَهوَ المَنايا وَالمُنى

And Hatim, he is hopes and wishes.

The Asadi, and verily the clan of Asad

الأَسدي وَإِنما بَنو أَسَد

روح العلا وَسائر الناس جسد

Are the soul of supremacy and the rest of people are a body.

Killers of kings and champions,

القاتلوا المُلوك وَالجَبابره

وَالكاسر وَالقيول وَالأكاسره

Conquerors, warriors and breakers of champion.

When times get hard they display valor

وَيَشرئبون إِذا ضن البرم

وَكَبت الجدب الجفان وَالبرم

And barren years and leanness make them fierce.

The least branch of Quraish in lineage

أَدنى نِزار مِن قُرَيش نَسَبا

إِذا دَعوا خزيمة الشَّيخ أَبا

When called upon regard Khuzaymah their Sheikh.

Among them many intrepid kings

كَم فيهم مِن ملك جَحجاح

مقدم في البأس وَالسماح

Foremost in might and generosity.

Like Ali and the supported Ali

مِثل عَليّ وَعليّ معتمد

للدين وَالدولة رُكن وَسَند

Pillar and support of religion and state.

Then Dabais whose zeal made him wild,

ثُمَ دَبيس وَدَبيس غرَّه

رَحب الذراع ذُو سَجايا حرّه

Vast armed, of heated courage.

How much with the might of his bitter soul

كَم قد حَمى بِبأس نَفس مرّه

مَنابر الإِسلام وَالأسِرَّه

He protected platforms of Islam and captives.

He ransomed captives from Ortuq and his army

أنجد قرواشا عَلى الأَتراك

وَانتاشه مِن مخلب الهَلاك

And rescued them from bondage and shackles.

Were it not for him they would be his slaves forever

في يَوم سنجار فَلولاه هَرَب

لَكن دَبيس وَحدَه حَمى العَرَب

And their freedom would become his prisoner.

His encampment never ceased to be

فَطاوِعي رَبَّك يا عَقيل

فَلَيسَ في ذاك عَلَيك قيل

A refuge for each king and caliph fleeing aggression.

And destitute people in need and fearful ones

وَإِنَّما تَعتضد الأَحياء

بِمَن بِه الهَلاك وَالأَحياء

Seek it out.

So the hungry gets satiated therein

وَهَكذا مِنك بِيَوم آمدِ

عَلَيهِمُ فَضلٌ فَهَل مِن جاحد

And the fearful feels safe under its protection.

With the horsemen of Muzayid, the Arabs

ضَعضع عَرض مسلم فثلا

ثُمَ فَدى أَسرى عَقيل ثكلا

The guest who seeks refuge finds what he desires.

Would that I dwelled in that encampment

أَنقذهم مِن أُرتُق وَجُنده

وَانتاشهم مِن أسره وَقَيده

Amidst the suns of glory and family!

For it is the Kaaba of people of merit

لَولاه كانوا أَبداً عَبيدَه

وَأَصبَحَت حرتهم وَلَيده

And Mecca of praise and sanctuary of reason.

In the best land, guest of the best refuge

وَلَم تَزَل حلته ملاذاً

لِكُل مَن يَهرب مِن بَغذاذا

A respected king whom people of wisdom regard highly.

Dazzling mighty in Bukhara, glorious,

يَقصدها المُلوك وَالخَلائف

وَجائع ذو فاقة وَخائِف

Most wondrous amalgamation of merit and praise.

Mas'ur the war kindled hearted,

فَيَشبَع الجائع في ذراها

وَيَأمن الخائف في حِماها

Who disciplines the slave and is gentle to dogs.

So his fire is reckless tongued

عِندَ بَني مزيد فُرسان العَرَب

يَلقى النَزيل المُستَجير ما طَلَب

And his dog in forbearance is like a coward.

Every frightened one feels safe in his abode

يا لَيتَني سَكَنتُ تِلكَ الحله

بَينَ شُموس المَجد وَالأَهله

Except deer and partridges of his hunting group.

For they are frightened and perturbed

فَإِنَّها كَعبة أَهل الفَضل

وَمَكة المَدح وَقُدس العَقل

Their legs hungry and grieved.

Sultan Jangi fearsome in war,

في خَير دار ضيف خَير مُرتَجى

ملك يَعز عِندَهُ أَهل الحجى

Refuge of the anxious, eloquent in speech.

If his feats were denied by contemporaries

أَبلج عز في البُخار ماجد

أَروع جَم الفَضل وَالمَحامد

Wolves and eagles would sprout from it.

Or if his encampment were to be descended upon by moons

مسعر حَرب أَصمَعي القَلب

مُؤدب العَبد حَليم الكَلب

It would not eclipse for its business is radiance.

But since my wish failed me

فَناره سَفيهة اللِّسان

وَكَلبه في الحلم كَالجَبان

From reaching that pasture and desire.

And I found no way to hopes

يأمن كُل خائف في دارِه

غَير الصَّفا وَالكَوم مِن عشاره

Or to taste its shady shade.

I wished to have with him

فَإِنَّها خائفة مروعه

سيقانها جائعة مَفجوعة

A memory and deputizing servant in his service.

So I found nothing but a book I composed

مجن جان باسل في الحَرب

موئل مَلهوف خَطيب خَطب

I gift to him adorned in prose,

To deputize me in service

لَو جحدت أَيامه الأَقرانُ

أنبت بِها الذؤبان وَالعقبان

Ever present at his court and companion.

For he is the best of kings, originally

أَو نَزَلت حلته الأَقمار

ما خسفت وَشأنها السرار

Those who praise him reap benefits.

And any praise rendered to another

لَكِنَّني إِذ فاتَني مُرادي

مِن ذَلِكَ المَسرَح وَالمرادي

Is mere slander devoid of his ascension.

For even when exceeded in his truthfulness

وَلَم أَجد إِلى المُنى سَبيلاً

وَلا رزقت ظله الظليلا

And the praiser is excessive beyond his right,

The most benevolent house of the clan of Nizār is his house

أَحببت أَن يَكون لي في حضرته

ذكر وَعني نائب في خدمته

The best of kings, alive or dead.

Kings live under his shade

فَلَم أَجد إِلا كِتاباً أَنظمه

أتحفه بنظمه وَأخدمه

As destitutes live.

Time has known loyalty and generosity

يَكون في الخدمة عَني نائِباً

مُلازِماً مجلسه مصاحبا

And situations revealed and negated non-existence.

It judges neighbors and visitors

لأَنَّهُ خَير المُلوك أَصلاً

يَهز مِنهُ مادِحوه نَصلا

And forces kings and eras.

The most faithful king to the covenant of a neighbor

وَكُل مَدح قيل في سِواه

إفك خَلا ما كانَ في علاه

Clashclang who knows him by his letter.

If he left the youth in his lands

فَإِنَّهُ وَإِن علا في صدقه

وَأَطنب المادح دون حَقه

He would return the white of old age from its blackness.

أكرم بَيت في نِزار بَيته

خَير المُلوك حيه وَميته

Or if his gifts were like swords

Youth would extend and persist for people.

يَعيش تَحتَ ظله المُلوكُ

كَما يَعيش البائس الصعلوك

Or if time copied his actions

Neither evil nor disgrace would be created.

قَد علم الدَّهر الوَفاء وَالكَرَم

وَكَشف المَحل واعدم العدم

Or that he gives refuge from the injustice of adversity

Death grip would seize no one.

يحكم الجيران وَالضيفانا

وَيرغم المُلوك وَالزَّمانا

When time was unkind to my journey

I dispatched this, my product and superiority,

أَوفى المُلوك ذمة لِجاره

شنشنة تعرف مِن بخاره

A precious and singular book in its art

With no peer between poetry and speeches.

لَو تَرَك الشباب في بِلاده

رَد بَياض الشيب عن سَواده

It is like its master amidst kings and Arabs

Protected, realized from nothingness.

أَو كان مِن هباته لما نصل

وَامتَدَ لِلناس الشَباب وَاتصل

أَو اِقتَدى بفعله الزمانُ

ما خَلَق الشر وَلا الهَوانُ

أَو أَنه يجير مِن جور الردى

ما علقت كف المنون أحدا

أنفذت إِذ عاق الزَّمان رحلي

نجلي إِلى مجلسه وَفَضلي

وَهوَ كِتاب حَسَن خَطير

لَيسَ لَهُ في فَنِهِ نَظير

كَأَنَّهُ بَينَ القريض وَالخطب

مخدومه بَينَ المُلوك وَالعَرَب