شِفاءُ النفسِ أنْ تَرِدَ الغِمَارا

وتَعْرِف من دِيَارِ الحَيِّ دَارَا

The soul finds healing when the clouds clear,

And it knows the abode of the living from ruins.

تَحَيَّرتِ النطافُ بها وفاضَتْ

ومرَّ السَّائراتُ بهَا مِرارَا

The stars wandered lost in it and overflowed,

And the travelers passed it time and again.

ذكرتُ أَبا نَعَامَةَ والمَطَايا

وأَياماً لبستُ بها المُعَارَا

I remembered Abū Na'āmah and the riding beasts,

And days when I wore the borrowed coat.

وما ذَنبي اذا أَحببتُ خِرْقاً

من الفِتيانِ يَحْتَلُّ القِفَارَا

What is my sin if I loved a young man

Who roams the meadows boastfully?

أُنَبِّهُ منه في الظَّلماءِ صَقْراً

رأى طيراً تَمُرُّ به فَطَارَا

I alert in the dark a falcon who saw

A bird pass by him, so he took flight.

أَمِنتُ مُواربي وَيَدِبُّ خَتلاً

الى الأَعداءِ مَنْ هَابَ الجَهارَا

I trusted my confidants though one creeps

To the foes - one who dreads loud cries.

فما أَخشىَ الذي نطقتْ عدِي

ولو مَلأَتْ عليَّ الأرضَ زاراَ

So I fear not the one whose helper I became

Even if she filled the land with calamity for me.

ومنْ ضَرْبِ الاعز أَبي شُجاعٍ

فتى باهى به التاجُ السِّوارَا

From the strike of the mighty knight - my father Shujā'

A hero whose crown boasts the headband.

دعوت وما دعاؤُكَ من بعيدٍ

غياثَ الأمةِ الملكَ النُّضَارَا

I called and your prayer is not far

To save the nation, O noble king.

فكان أَحقَّ من عُرِصَتْ عليهِ

رياط الحَمْدِ فاختارَ الخِيارَا

So you were more worthy than those who competed,

The reins of praise yielded to the chosen.

حَذَارِ من المُضاحكِ في قُطُوبٍ

حَذارِ وانْ أَمِنْتَ به الحِذَارَا

Beware the jesting companion when relaxed -

Beware even if you feel safe from caution with him.

فما السرحانُ أَهدتْ ريحُ نجدٍ

الى أُذنيهِ من خِشْفٍ جُؤارَا

For Siraḥān never gifted the eastern wind

To his ears any wondrous careful whispers.

بأَصدق عزمة منه وأَمضى

اذا ما عاجزُ القوم استَشَارَا

With the most truthful determination he has

When the people weaken, he consults.

تُذكرني اباكَ نهىً وحلماً

فما أَنْفكُّ وهماً وادّكارَا

You remind me of your father's advice and patience,

So I never cease to reminisce and remember.

أَناةً حينَ لا يُغنى بِدَارٌ

وتشميراً اذا ركبَ الغِوارَا

Patience when no wealth avails,

And resolve when he rode the dust cloud.

غداةَ سما بِجَرّار لهامٍ

تُريكَ الليلَ بَزَتُهُ نَهَارَا

On a morn when the downpour of heavy rain passed,

The night shows you its darkness is daytime.

قضى من جازرِ الاملاكِ نحباً

وكان لآلِ حمدانٍ بَوارَا

It ended the life of the slaughterer of kings -

He was a full moon to the family of Ḥamdān.

رأَوها بالخوامسِ عابراتٍ

سَنَابكُهُنَّ تمتاحُ الغُبَارَا

They saw them crossing on fifths,

Their howdahs devouring the dust.

وَضَمَّهُمَا المسيرُ الى دُجيلٍ

فباتا يَقسمانِ بهِ الشِّعَارَا

The journey took them to Dajīl where they spent the night

Dividing the headbands between them.

مَبيتَ الياسرينَ على خِطارِ

أَجالا بينَ رأيهمَا قِمَارَا

A night stay for the resolute upon danger -

They cast lots between them for the scheme.

حَلفْت بمن تظلُ بنو لؤى

لِطاعته يَعُدونَ الجِمارَا

I swear by He whom the family of Lu'ayy

Obey, counting that their duty!

لَيومٌ فيه دولتُكَ استهلتْ

احق من العروبةِ أَنْ تُزارَا

A day in which your state began

More deserving than the Arabs that you tend to it.

وثقنا بالزيادةِ حين جاءتْ

عَشيَّةَ فارقَ القمرُ السِّرَارَا

We gained certitude with the increase when it came

In the evening, the moon parted from Sirius.

أَنافتْ كالبَواذخِ من بَثيرٍ

وقرتْ منكَ جلْصصَتُهُ قَررَا

They refused like the lofty pillars of Bathir

While cows belonging to you mooed in settlement.

أَراكَ اللهُ سؤلكَ في الاعادي

ولقَّاكَ الغنيمةَ واليَسَارَا

May Allah show you your enemies' question

And destiny grant you booty and ease.

ونهنهَ عنكَ باذرةَ الليالى

ولا أخبى لكَ الحدثانُ نارَا

And protect you from the forelocks of nights

And the two */ḥadathān/* conceal no secret from you.

فأَنتَ أَعمُّهُم كرماً وَجُوداً

وأَفاهم اذا عَقَدُوا جِوارَا

For you are most generous and charitable of them

And most perceptive when they discuss neighborliness.

رويداً انَّ مَطْلَبَهَا قَريبٌ

اذا المِرِّيْخ في الافقِ استنارَا

Gently, its realization is near

When Mars lights up the horizon.

اذا أَعْدَدْتَ مُشعلةً أَعَدُّوا

لها الاحلامَ والهممَ القِصَارَا

When you prepare a torch, they prepare

For it hopes and brief resolves.

زمانٌ سَرَّنَا بكَ ثم أَضحى

يَسُرُّ بكَ المُشَعْشَعَةَ العُقارَا

An era delighted us through you then became

One that delights in you, scintillating and pure.

ويومٌ حسبُهُ شَرفاً وَمَجْداً

بأَنَّ الملكَ فيهِ اليكَ صَارَا

And a day whose pride and glory is enough:

That the king in it came to you.