أَلا يا لَقَومي لِلرُّقادِ المُسَهَّدِ
وَلِلماءِ مَمنوعاً إِلى الحائِمِ الصَّدي
O my people! Stop your slumber
And cease denying water to the thirsty pilgrim.
وَللحال بَعد الحالِ يَركَبُها الفَتى
وَللحُبِّ بعد السَّلوَةِ المُتَمَرِّدِ
One state gives way to another as youth strides on,
And love is followed by detachment's rebellion.
وللمرء لا عَمَّن يُحِبُّ بِمُرعَوٍ
وَلا لِسَبيلِ الرُّشدِ يَوماً بِمُهتَدي
A man lives as he pleases, not as others desire,
Nor can guidance divert him on an errant day.
وللمرء يُلحى في التصابي وقبلَهُ
صبابا لغواني كُلُّ قرمٍ مُمجَّدِ
And a man endures the blows of fate and before them
Foolish, boastful youth who think themselves glorious.
وَقَد قالَ أَقوامٌ وَهُم يعذلونَهُ
لَقَد طالَ تَعذيبُ الفُؤادِ المصيَّدِ
Some censure his passion, feigning sympathy:
"How long will his heart keep suffering this torment?"
وَكَيفَ تَناسى القَلبُ سَلمى وَحُبُّها
كَجَمرِ غَضىً بَينَ الشَّرايفِ موقدِ
But how can a heart forget its Salma, its love,
Like embers that glow between fiery logs?
إِلَيكَ إِمامَ الناس مِن بَطنِ يَثرِبٍ
وَنِعمَ أَخو ذي الحاجَةِ المُتَعَمَّدِ
To you, leader of mankind from Yathrib's valley,
Noble brother, ready to aid the needy, we came
رَحَلنا لِأَنَّ الجودَ مِنكَ خَليقَةٌ
وَأَنَّكَ لَم يَذمُم جَنابَكَ مُجتَدي
Since generosity is your nature,
And your door has never been closed to the seeker.
مَلَكتَ فَزِدتَ الناسَ ما لَم يَزِدهُمُ
إِمامٌ مِنَ المَعروفِ غَيرِ المُصَرَّدِ
You gave people more than any leader before,
In righteous deeds, not vainglory's ostentation.
وَقُمتَ وَلَم تَنقُض قَضاءَ خَليفَةٍ
وَلَكِن بِما ساروا مِنَ الفِعلِ تَقتَدي
You rose to lead, but did not countermand
The rule of your predecessor, following his path.
وَلَمّا وليتَ المُلكَ ضارَبتَ دونَهُ
وَأَسنَدتَهُ لا تَأتَلي خَيرَ مُسنَدِ
When you assumed command, you shielded it well,
Supporting it truly, no weak prop of kingdom.
جَعَلتَ هِشاماً وَالوَليدَ ذَخيرَةً
وَليينِ لِلعَهدِ الوَثيقِ المُؤَكَّدِ
You made Hisham and al-Walid your storehouses,
Pillars of the covenant, trustworthy and firm.
وَأَمضَيتَ عَزماً في سُلَيمانَ راشِداً
وَمَن يَعتَصِم بِاللَّهِ مِثلك يرشدِ
And you resolved that Sulayman rule righteously-
Who holds to God, finds Him his guide.
