سَرَينا وَهَضبٌ مِن سَنِيرٍ أَمامَنا

وَمِن خَلفِنا غُبرُ القِنانِ التَنائِمِ

We travelled, with hills of Sannir before us,

And behind us the dust of the slumbering caravans.

فَلَمّا تَوسَّطنا اليَفاعَ وَأَشرَقَت

مَذانِبُ مِن لُبنانَ بيضُ العَمائِمِ

When we reached Yafa and dawn broke,

The sides of Lebanon gleamed white with turbans.

وَلاحَ لَنا مِيماسُ حِمصٍ وَأَعرَضَت

قُرونُ حَماة بِالحِرارِ الأَساحِمِ

Mimas of Homs appeared to us, and turned aside

The horns of Hama with burning coals.

وَجازَت كَفرَ طابَ بِلَيلٍ فَأَصبَحَت

بِسَرمينَ أَمثالَ الشِنانِ الهَزائِمِ

Kefr Taba passed at night, and in the morning

Was like the remnants of tatters after defeat.

كَأَنّ تُرابَ الجَرزِ مِمّا تُثِيرُهُ

خَلوقٌ عَلى لَبّاتِها وَالقَوائِمِ

As if the dust of Juraz, which it raises,

Were a creature shaking its forelocks and fetlocks.

فلَمّا وَصَلنا المُدرِكيَّ ابنَ صالِحٍ

وَصَلنا إِلى باني عُروشِ المَكارِمِ

When we reached Mudrik ibn Salih

We reached the builder of glorious palaces.

إِلى مَلِكٍ سَمحِ اليَمينَينِ سالِمٍ

مِنَ الذَمِّ لَكِن مالُهُ غَيرُ سالِمِ

To a generous king, of blameless nature,

Whose possessions are abundant but himself is peace.

لَهُ بَأسُ بِسطام وَنَخوَةُ حاجِبٍ

وَحِكمَةُ لُقمانٍ وَهباتُ حاتِمِ

He has the courage of Sittam and pride of Hajib,

And the wisdom of Luqman and gifts of Hatim.

مَناقِبُ شَتّى في كَريمٍ حَديثُهُ

عَلى الدَهرِ باقٍ بَعدَ ذِكرِ الأَكارِمِ

He has varied virtues, his talk of the noble

Remains after them in eternal glory.