هَنيئاً بصُنْعٍ نحوَهُ النصْرُ قد خَطا

تَرامى لهُ سبْعاً وما قصَرَ الخُطا

Congratulations on an achievement towards which victory strides,

Spreading for it sevenfold, not falling short,

وأقبَلَ طوْعَ الفتحِ لا مُتوانياً

عنِ الغرَضِ الأقْصى ولا مُتَثبِّطا

And advancing willingly towards the opening, not hesitating

From the farthest goal, nor discouraged,

بطاعَتِك اعْتزّ المُلوكُ فبادَروا

سِراعاً إلى ما شِئْتَهُ ليسَ بالبِطا

Through your obedience kings became eminent, so they hastened

Quickly to what you wanted, unfailing,

وأيُّ غَمامِ الأفْقِ ليسَ يُمِدُّهُ

ندَى يدِكَ العُليا ببَحْرٍ منَ العَطا

And which cloud on the horizon does your lofty hand not bestow

A sea of gifts upon it?

بذكرِكَ حادي الرّكْبِ في البيدِ قد شَدا

فحلّى بهِ الأسْماعَ دُرّاً وقرّطا

By your mention the guide of the travelling party in the wilderness set forth

And made the ears happy with pearls and treasures,

ومَن كابْن نصْرٍ مُنْعِماً متطوِّلاً

يجودُ ويُجْدي رأفةً وتبسُّطا

And one who is like Nasr, favouring, hoping,

Giving generously and benefiting kindly and openly,

إذا عبَس الروْعُ اغْتدَى متَبسِّماً

وإنْ قُبضَتْ أيْدي النّدى مُتَبسِّطا

When terror frowns he becomes gently smiling,

And if hands of aid are withheld he holds them outstretched,

روى جودُه عنْ كفِّه صِلَةَ النّدى

فللهِ ما يرْويهِ عن واصِلٍ عَطا

His munificence quenches the tie of aid from his palm,

By God, how he quenches it from a joiner of gifts!

وإنْ عدَلَتْ عن منْهَجِ الحقّ أُسْرَةٌ

غَدا حُكْمُهُ بالسيفِ والسّيْبِ مُقْسِطا

And if a family deviates from the path of truth,

His rule over them the next day is by sword and captivity, equitable,

بعزْمَتِه حاطَ البلادَ فما يُرَى

بأعْطفَ منهُ في المُلوكِ وأحْوَطا

With his determination he embraced the countries, so none

Is seen more compassionate among kings, or more protective,

رؤوفٌ عَطوفٌ منعِمٌ متفضِّلٌ

كَريمٌ حَليمٌ يغفِرُ العَمْدَ والخَطا

Kind, merciful, beneficent, gracious,

Noble, clement, forgiving sins and mistakes,

هوَ العادلُ الأرضَى هوَ الحَكمُ الذي

إذا قسَطَ الأملاكُ في الحُكْمِ أقْسَطا

He is the just, the pleasing, he is the arbiter

Who when he administers dominions judges most equitably,

يَضِلّ مُناويهِ وإنّ يَمينَهُ

لأهْدى لطُرْقِ المَكْرماتِ من القَطا

His errors lead astray while his right hand

Is more guiding to the paths of noble deeds than steps,

وكمْ قد سرى يستَقْبِلُ النصْرَ عزمُهُ

سُرىً ليسَ يُلْفَى للعدوّ بِها سُطا

And how his resolve marched ahead to meet victory,

An impregnable march for the enemy,

ينالُ المعالي بالعَوالي سوَى الذي

عَلا صهْوَة الأخْطارِ للعِزِّ وامتَطا

He attains sublime heights by highlands other than one

Who transcended the precipice of dangers for glory and mounted,

ومَن خَطَب العلياءَ بالسُّمْرِ والظُّبا

ويمّمَ أقْصاها أيَبغي توسُّطا

And one who woos the most high with steadfastness and return,

Does he desire compromise?

فلا صارِمٌ إلا إلى النّصْر مُنتَضىً

ولا صاهِلٌ إلا إلى العزِّ مُمْتَطا

None but the decisive turns toward victory

And none but the strong turns toward glory and mounts,

عزائِمُ لو أُعمِلْنَ للبَدْرِ ما ارتَقى

وللبَحْرِ ما اسْتَعْصى وللدّهْرِ ما سَطا

Determinations - if implemented they would enable the full moon to rise

And the turbulent sea to be controlled and the ages mastered -

تهبُّ إلى داعي الرّشادِ جيادُهُ

بأسْرَع من لمْعِ البُروقِ وأنْشَطا

Rush at the summons of guidance, faster than

The twinkle of lightning and livelier,

فمِنْ أشهَبٍ كالصُّبْحِ إذ تَبعَ الدُجى

وغادرَ منهُ الفَوْدَ بالفجْرِ أشْمَطا

So one whose sorrel is like the dawn when it follows darkness

And leaves it to the morn stripped bare,

وأدْهَمَ يحْكي والصّباحُ حُجولُهُ

دُجىً والثُريّا حَليُهُ حينَ يُمْتَطا

And his bay recounts when daybreak's steeds are lively

Darkness, and when saddled his ornament,

بعُلْياهُ تاهَ الطِرْفُ وارْتاحَ عندَما

غدا مُفْرِجاً خَطْباً من الروْعِ مُفْرِطا

With his lofty ones sight wanders and rests when

He becomes deliverer from dread spread wide,

فلمْ يرْضَ في نهْرِ المجرّةِ مَوْرِداً

ولا بإزاءِ الأنْجُمِ الزُّهْرِ مَرْبِطا

He was not satisfied in the River of the Pleiades to alight

Or opposite the flowers of the stars to tether,

ومَن كابْنِ أنصارِ الرّسولِ الذي هدَى

إلى الرُّشْدِ مَنْ ضلّ السّبيلَ وخلّطا

And one who is like the Helpers of the Messenger who guided

To the right path those who had strayed and mixed,

ومَنْ جعل الرّوحَ الأمينَ مصاحِباً

إذا هُو ناجَى والبُراقَ إن امْتَطا

And one who made the Trustworthy Spirit his companion

When he conversed secretly and mounted the Heavenly Steed,

وطابَتْ إلى يومِ القِيامةِ طيْبةٌ

بهِ عندَما آوَى إليْها وافْرَطا

And goodness until the Day of Resurrection will remain

When he sheltered in it and departed,

فأضْحَتْ حِلالاً طالَما اغْتُفِرَتْ بِها

خَطايا البَرايا إذ لَها تُعْمِلُ الخُطا

So it became permitted, however much sins are forgiven through it,

The mistakes of created beings when it takes effect,

وأُفْقاً إلى الذّكْرِ الحكيمِ ومَطْلِعاً

ومَرْمىً إلى الوَحْي الكريمِ ومَهْبِطا

And a horizon to the Wise Remembrance, and a rising place

And a destination to the Noble Revelation, and a place of descent,

فهمْ نصَروهُ حينَ آوَى إليْهمُ

وكفّوا الغَويَّ المسْرِفَ المتخمِّطا

They supported him when he sought asylum with them

And prevented the profligate transgressor,

فكُلٌّ يُرى حيثُ الذّوابِلُ تَنثَني

لِلُقْيا الأعادي منشِطاً ومُنشّطا

So each is seen where the spears bend

To repel the enemies, roused and rousing,

وكُلٌّ يُرى حيثُ الصّواهِلُ ترتَمي

لها في رِضاهُ مُفْرطاً لا مُفرِّطا

And each is seen where the swords flash

Superabounding for his pleasure, not failing,

وقيْسُ بْن سعْدٍ لم يَدَعْ متخَلّفاً

بكُفْرٍ عن الدّين الحَنيفِ مُخَلِّطا

Qays ibn Sa'd left no one behind, mixing

Disbelief with the pure religion,

إذا حادَ عن نهْجِ الهِدايةِ مُلْحِدٌ

تَمادَى على الحقّ المُبينِ واغْبَطا

If an apostate deviated from the path of guidance,

Persisting upon the clear truth and coveting,

وإن مال في الرّوعِ المروعُ أقامَهُ

وثبّتَ من يبْغي الفِرارَ وثبّطا

He would restrain him if he was awed in terror,

And steady whoever seeks flight, preventing it,

وقد أنْجَبوا من ناصر الدّين يُوسُفٍ

إماماً يفوق السُحْبَ في البَذْلِ والعَطا

They begot from the Supporter of the Religion, Yusuf,

An imam surpassing clouds in bounty and gifts,

ترى نورَ مرْآه وجُودَ يمينِه

إذا البَدْرُ حيّا أو إذا الغيثُ أفْرَطا

You see the light of his essence and the munificence of his right hand

Whether the full moon gives light or rain pours down,

وإن قبَضتْ يُمْناهُ سيفاً قضتْ بأنْ

يمُدَّ ظِلالَ الأمْنِ فينا ويَبْسُطا

And if his right hand grasps a sword it decrees that

He spread the shade of security for us and extend,

وإن أرْسَلَتْ في حوْمَةِ الحرْبِ ذابِلاً

تتبّعَ من لمْ يبْغ عنهُ تثبُّطا

And if it unleashes a torrent in the heat of war

It pursues one from whom it will not be discouraged,

يضيقُ مجالُ الفوزِ عنْ كُلّ مُعْتَدٍ

إذا هوَ للخطّيّ قد فسحَ الخُطا

The scope of success is narrowed for every transgressor

When for the wrongdoer he opens wide the way,

فللهِ أعْمالُ العَوامِل في الوَغَى

لقدْ أمِنَتْ من أن تُراعَ فتَحْبَطا

So for God are the deeds of actors in the conflict,

They are safe from being shaken and annulled,

وقد صُفّتِ الأبطالُ حيثُ سُطورُها

تُخَطُّ فتثْني الخَطّ للهامِ مَسْقِطا

The heroes have been arranged where its lines

Are drawn, doubling for the high-minded a place of descent,

سُطورٌ عَلا حَدُّ الحَسام حُروفَها

ليَشْكُلَها والسَّمْهَريُّ ليَنْقُطا

Lines - the edge of the sword reached their letters -

For it to interpret and the engraver to dot,

ويَحْيَى الذي قدْ فرّقَ اللهُ جمْعَهُ

ففرّ إلى أقْصى البِلادِ وفرّطا

And Yahya whom God separated from his group

So he fled to the furthest lands and abandoned,

وكان لمَولاهُ حُقوقٌ عَظيمةٌ

عليْهِ وجلّتْ أن تُضاعَ وتُغْمَطا

And for his Master great rights remained

Upon him, too momentous to be ignored or concealed,

ولكنّ منْ تُرْضيهِ أفْعالُ غَدْرِهِ

إذا رام أنْ يرْضي الله أسْخَطا

But one whom his treacherous deeds please

When he desires to please God is enraged,

فلا أملٌ من قبْلُ إلا مُخَيِّبٌ

ولا عملٌ من بعْدُ إلا وأُحْبِطا

So no former hope remains except disappointing

And no later work except annulled,

فقد غادرَتْهُ حالُه واهِيَ القُوى

وفي وَحَلٍ منْ غدرِه متورّطا

His state deserted him, strength failed him,

Stuck in the quagmire of his betrayal,

وأظهر تَقْوى اللهِ حيناً وقد غَدا

لَئيماً ذَميماً فائِلَ الرّأي أمْعَطا

He showed ostentatious piety at times and became

Wretched, despised, erring of opinion, muddled,

وخادَعَ بالرُجْعى إليْهِ فعِنْدَما

تروَّعَ في نارِ الجحيمِ تورّطا

And deceived by returning to Him - so when

He was alarmed in Hellfire's blaze trapped,

ونادَى على بُعْدٍ أخاهُ فجاءَهُ

وحلَّ حِماهُ بعْدَما كان أحْلَطا

And called from afar to his brother, who came to him

And dissolved his protection, after it coagulated,

لقد خَبطا عشْواءَ إذ خَطَبا التي

بها كُلُّ شرٍّ في الوجودِ تأبّطا

Truly they flailed blindly when they sought that

Through which every evil in existence consolidates,

يَرومانِ بالغَدْرِ اهْتِداءً وإنّهُ

لَيَقْضي دُجاهُ أن يَتيها ويخْبِطا

They desire guidance through betrayal, yet it

Decrees their straying and confusion,

وأُذْكيَ سِقْطُ الزّنْدِ في الفتْنَة التي

قضتْ بعْدُ فيها أنْ يَذلَّا ويَسْقُطا

The spark of zinc was kindled in the strife in which

It later decreed their humiliation and downfall,

وخَطّتْ بهُجْرِ القَوْلِ شُلّتْ يَداهُما

وما عَرَفا خطّاً ولا تَرَكا خَطا

It paralyzed their hands with shunning words

And they knew no path nor left one,

فقالَ لسانُ الخطْبِ إذ جارَ فيهِما

ألا فاخْطُبا إن شِئْتُما اليوْمَ واخْططا

So the tongue of discourse said, as it flowed within them:

"Demand, if you wish today, and scheme,

أتى بهِما المِقدارُ قَسْراً إلى الرّدى

وقد أُنْشِطَ المَغْرورُ منْ حيثُ أنشِطا

Fate has brought them unwillingly to misery

And the deluded one from where he was lively became cast down

فظنّ بأنّ الأرضَ تحْمي ذمارَهُ

فأصْبَح فيها نادِماً حينَ أهْبِطا

He thought the earth would protect his repositories

To become in it remorseful when lowered,

فبُشْرى بها أسْرار غيْبٍ تحجّبَتْ

بنَيْلِ المُنى عنْهُنّ قد رُفِعَ الغِطا

Good tidings of mysteries of the Unseen that were veiled

By the attainment of wishes - their covering is lifted -

ودونَكَ يا مَولايَ منها قَوافِياً

تؤمِّلُ حظّاً من قبولِكَ مُنشِطا

And below you, my Master, are rhymes from them

That hope for some acceptance from you enlivened,

فحظّيَ للأطْماعِ أمْسى مقَرِّباً

ولفْظيَ للأسْماعِ أمْسى مقَرِّطا

So my lot has been brought near to hopes

And my expression made welcome to hearings,

بَقيتَ تُبيدُ الكُفْرَ ما وضحَ الضُحى

وما قطعَ البيْداءَ للمَوْرِدِ القَطا

You remain destroying disbelief however the dawn glows

And the wilderness cuts off the watering-place.