رُبَّ نَجيعٍ بِسَيفِ الدَولَةِ اِنسَفَكا

وَرُبَّ قافِيَةٍ غاظَت بِهِ مَلِكا

Many a stream of heart's blood has Sayf al-Dawla shed,

And many a rhyme, for his sake, has enraged a king.

مَن يَعرِفُ الشَمسَ لا يُنكِر مَطالِعَها

أَو يُبصِرُ الخَيلَ لا يَستَكرِمِ الرَمَكا

He who knows the sun does not deny its rising place,

Nor does he who discerns the steed prize the jade.

تَسُرُّ بِالمالِ بَعضَ المالِ تَملِكُهُ

إِنَّ البِلادَ وَإِنَّ العالَمينَ لَكا

You gladden with wealth—yet it is but a fraction of your store,

For truly the lands and all the worlds belong to you.