قُل لِلأَمير الَّذي قَد فازَ مَن قَصَدوا

دِيوانَه وَعَلَيهِ في القَضا اِعتَمَدوا

Tell the prince who has triumphed, he whom they frequented

His court and on him in judgment they relied

يا وافر الحَزم في كُل الأُمور وَيا

مَن لَيسَ يُحصى لَهُ بَينَ الأَنام يَد

O abundant in wisdom in every matter, and O he

Whom countless among mankind extol

إِني سَمعت بِتَوزيع الرَقيق عَلى

مَن لَم يَكُن فرّ منه هارباً أَحد

I have heard of the distribution of slaves to

Whosoever had not from them a fugitive fled

وَكان لي مِن بَني السُودان أَربَعةٌ

فَرّ اِثنَتان وَعَبدٌ عاقه الرَمد

And I had from among the blacks four

Two fled and a slave blinded by cataracts

وَلَيسَ لي الآن مِنهُم غَير واحِدَة

هِيَ العَجوز الَّتي مِنها وَهَى الجلد

And I have now none left save an old woman

She who is but skin and bones

فَامنن بِعَبدٍ صَغير ثم جاريةٍ

صَغيرة مِثله ما مَسَّها أَوَد

So favor me with a young male slave and a young

Girl like him, untouched by passion’s goad

وَمُر سُليمان بِالتَسليم مُحتَسِباً

عَلى المُهيمن ما في فعله رشد

And order Sulayman, piously, to hand over

What the Guardian judges right

حَتّى أَكُون كَمَن ردّت بِضاعته

إِلَيهِ مِن بَعد يَأس مالهُ أَمَد

That I may be as one whose wares

Were returned to him after despair of his capital prolonged

لا زالَ يا صالح الأَعمال مِنكَ لِمَن

يَرجُوك في كُل أَمر دائِماً مَدد

Cease not, O righteous doer, to aid those

Who ever hope in you in each matter help besought

وَما صَفا ضُوء صُبحي في الثَناء عَلى

عَلياك يا صادِقاً فيما بِهِ يَعد

Nor clear in praise of you my dawn, O truthful

In what you promise, cease to shine