أزرت بجودِ عليٍ خيفَةُ العدَمِ

فصَدَ منهزماً عن شأو ذي الهِمَمِ

The generosity of Ali dispelled the gloom of non-existence

It routed in defeat the one of lofty ambition

لو كانَ من فارسٍ في بيتِ مكرمَةٍ

أو كانَ من وَلَدِ الأملاكِ في العجمِ

Had he been a knight in a house of honour

Or a prince of the non-Arabs in the lands of Persia

أو كانَ أولُه أهلُ البِطاحِ أو الر

كبِ الملبونَ إهلالاً الى الحرَمِ

Or had his origin been the chiefs of the vale or the mounted warriors

Making pilgrimage in throngs to the Holy Sanctuary

أيام تتخَذُ الأصنامُ الهةً

فلا ترى عاكِفاً إلا على صَنَمِ

In days when idols were worshipped as gods

You would not see anyone bow down except to an idol

لشجعتهُ على فِعل المُلوك لهم

طبائعٌ لم ترُعها خيفَةُ العَدَمِ

I would have urged him on to the deeds of kings

Whose natures were not daunted by the gloom of non-existence

لم تسندَ كفاكَ من بذلِ النَوالِ كما

لم يندَ سيفُك مُذ قلدته بدَمِ

Your palm did not refrain from bestowing bounty

Nor has your sword, since you girded it on, refrained from blood

كنت آمراً رفعتهُ فِتنَةٌ فعلا

أيامها غادراً بالعهدِ والذمَمِ

You were a commander whom sedition exalted

In those days it deserted both covenant and obligations

حتى إذا انكشفت عنا عمايتُها

وَرُتبَ الناسُ بالاحسابِ والقِدَمِ

Until, when its darkness dispersed from us

And the people were ranked in order of merit and precedence

ماتَ التخلُقُ وارتدتكَ مرتجعَاً

طبيعةٌ نذلةُ الأخلاقِ والشيَمِ

Dissimulation died and you came back repentant

With a nature base in disposition and traits

كذاك من كان لا رأساً ولا ذنباً

كزَّ اليدينِ حديثَ العهدِ بالنعَمِ

So it is with him who is neither head nor tail

Like hands clapping, new to bounty

هيهاتَ ليسَ بحمّالِ الدياتِ ولا

مُعطي الجزيلَ ولا المرهُوبِ ذي النقَمِ

Far from him is the payment of blood-money

Or generous giving or being feared for his vengeance