مَحَلُّكَ مِن مَحَلِّ الشَمسِ أَعلا

فَهَل يَئِسَ المُنافِسُ فيهِ أَم لا

Your status is higher than the status of the sun

So has the rival despaired of reaching it or not?

وَما اِستَفهَمتُ شَكّاً لِم بَغاهُ

فَما وَجَدَ الطَريقَ إِلَيهِ سَهلا

I did not doubt why he desired it

For he did not find the path to it easy

ضَرَبتَ لِحَوزِ أَعشارِ المَعالي

فَكانَ لَكَ الرَقيبُ مَعَ المُعَلّا

You have set out to collect the best qualities

So you gained both the rival and the elevated

سَمَت بِكَ هِمَّةٌ كَسَبَتكَ ذِكراً

وَسَمتَ بِها الزَمانَ وَكانَ غُفلا

An ambition carried you which brought you fame

And it carried the times while they were heedless

فَطُل مَن شِئتَ مَنزِلَةً فَإِنّي

أَرى كُلّاً عَلى ذا المَجدِ كَلّا

So seek any position you wish, for I see

All are inferior in this glory to you

عَلَوتَ يَفاعَهُ يَفَعاً وَيَأبى

إِباؤُكَ أَن تُدانى فيهِ كَهلا

You have ascended it while it rose high

And your dignity refused that an old man be brought near to it

وَبَعدَ الحِرصِ لا بَعدَ التَواني

تَخَلّى عَن مَكانِكَ مَن تَخَلّا

And after keenness, not after reluctance

One who lags behind vacates his position from you

أُضيفَ لَهُم إِلىالطَلَبِ اِجتِهادٌ

فَكانَ عَلى تَخَلُّفِهِم أَدَلّا

To them, exertion was added to seeking

So their lagging behind was more evident

فَلا تَلحَوا عَزيماتٍ إِذا ما

أَرادَت نَقضَ حَبلِكَ زادَ فَتلا

So do not try to undo resolves when they

Wish to untie your rope and add discord

فَمَن ذا يُلزِمُ النَكباءَ ذَنباً

إِذا لَم تَستَطِع لِلهِضبِ نَقلا

So who can blame misfortunes for sin

When you cannot move the rough ground

أَلَستَ اِبنَ الأُلى جادَت ثَراهُم

سَماءُ المَجدِ تَسكاباً وَهَطلا

Are you not the son of the most high whose generosity

The sky of glory poured forth copiously?

إِذا نَزَلَ الرَجاءُ بِهِم أَزالوا

عَسى مِن قَولِهِم وَنَفَوا لَعَلّا

When hope descended on them they removed

"Perhaps" from their words and "maybe"

أَفادوا الفَخرَ بِالأَموالِ جوداً

لِطالِبِها وَبِالأَعراضِ بُخلا

They gained pride with wealth by giving generously

To its seeker and with dignity by being stingy

مَصاعِبُ بُوِّئَت رَوضَ المَعالي

رَعَتهُ مُصَوِّحاً وَرَعَتهُ بَقلا

Hardships were placed in the meadow of sublime qualities

It grazed them loudly and grazed them silently

بِأَرضٍ أَنبَتَت كَرَماً وَبَأساً

جَناهُ العِزُّ لا نَشَماً وَرُغلا

In a land that produced vines and valor

Glory harvested it, not vile people and vulgarity

سَمَوا زَمَنَ الحَياةِ فَلَم يُسامَوا

وَساموا الدَهرَ طاعَتَهُم فَذَلّا

They transcended the time of life so they were not transcended

And they transcended fate by obeying it so it was humiliated

وَغابوا في صَفائِحَ لَم تُغَيَّب

صَحائِفَ ما أَقامَ الدَهرُ تُتلا

They disappeared on immaculate pages that

The ages did not make disappear by reciting them

عُلىً حَلِيَ الزَمانُ بِها وَلَكِن

بِمِثلِ صِفاتِ مَجدِكَ ما تَحَلّا

Sublime ones that the times were adorned with but

Were not adorned with qualities like your glory

فِداؤُكَ عالَمٌ لَم تُبقِ فيهِم

مَروعاً بِالخُطوبِ وَلا مُقِلّا

Your ransom is a world in which you left

No frightened one from calamities nor abased one

إِذا لاذوا بِجودِكَ فِضتَ جوداً

وَإِن عاذوا بِحِلمِكَ فِضتَ عَدلا

When they sought refuge in your generosity, you poured generosity

And when they sought refuge in your forbearance, you poured justice

فَيا أَوفى المُلوكِ حِجىً وَحِلماً

وَأَطيَبَهُم نَدىً وَثَناً وَأَصلا

So O most faithful of kings in protection and forbearance

And most pleasant in scent and praise and origin

وَأَخشَعَهُم إِذا صَلّى فُؤاداً

وَأَشجَعَهُم إِذا ما السَيفُ صَلّا

And most humble when your heart prays

And bravest when the swords clash

لَقَد وَلّا كَنا مَولىً رَؤوفٌ

فَأَكرِم بِالمُوَلّي وَالمُوَلّى

He who cares for us is a benign master

So honor the master and the one who has mastery

فَمُنذُ حَلَلتَ ذا البَلَدَ اِستَقَلَّت

غَمائِمُ ضُمِّنَت خَوفاً وَمَحلا

Since you arrived in this city, clouds that

Gathered fear have scattered and fallen apart

وَما حَمَّلتَ نَفسَكَ فيهِ وِزراً

وَلا حَمَّلتَ عِزَّكَ فيهِ ثِقلا

You did not burden yourself with any sin in it

Nor burden your honor with any weight

وَكُلُّ سِعايَةٍ أَعرَضتَ عَنها

كَأَنَّكَ سامِعٌ في الجودِ عَذلا

And you ignored any craving

As if you were, in generosity, hearing dispraise

حَمَيتَ مُشَمِّراً وَقَهَرتَ مَنعاً

وَجُدتَ مُيَسِّراً فَغَمَرتَ بَذلا

You strove and overcame prevention

You made easy and poured abundant generosity

بِأَرضٍ لَو عَداكَ الحُكمُ فيها

لَما تَرَكَ الأَعَزُّ بِها الأَذَلّا

In a land that if others than you ruled it

The mighty would not have left the lowly

وَمَن لَزِمَ التُقى قَولاً وَفِعلاً

تَوَلّى اللَهُ عِصمَةَ ما تَوَلّى

He who adheres to piety in words and deeds

God assumes protection of what he adhered to

رَأَيتُ حُسامُكَ الحاكيكَ قَطعاً

إِذا سَفَكَ الدَمَ المَمنوعَ طُلّا

I saw your decisive sword cutting

When it spilled prohibited blood

وَمالُكَ ما أَراقَ دَماً حَراماً

وَكَم أَلزَمتَهُ قَوَداً وَعَقلا

And your wealth never spilled unlawful blood

And how much rationality and composure you imposed on it

تُحَمِّلُكَ المَكارِمُ كُلَّ عِبءٍ

فَتُلفى مُستَقِلّاً مُستَقِلّا

Virtues carry every burden from you

So you are found self-sufficient and self-sufficient

وَإِن طالَ الكَلامُ بِلا صَوابٍ

أَصَبتُ لَدَيكَ أَدنى القَولِ فَصلا

And if words grew long without propriety

I attained with you the best conclusion of speech

بَيانٌ واضِحٌ وَنَدى بَنانٍ

غَمَرتَ تَفَضُّلاً وَبَهَرتَ فَضلا

Clear explanation and brilliant insight

You overwhelmed with favor and dazzled with superiority

فَطَوراً تُعجِزُ الحُكَماءَ قَولاً

وَطَوراً تُعجِزُ الكُرَماءَ فِعلا

Sometimes you frustrate the wisest with words

And sometimes the most generous with deeds

وَما اِنتَصَرَت بِكَ الخُلَفاءُ إِلّا

وَقَد وَجَدَتكَ أَوفى الخَلقِ إِلّا

Victory was not attained over the caliphs except by you

For they found you the most faithful of people

فَأَنتَ وَلَن تُدافَعَ عَن مَساعٍ

تَظَلُّ لِشارِدِ العَلياءِ عَقلا

You will never defend reckless acts

That would make the minds of the sublime lose composure

أَمينُهُمُ عَلى الوَفرِ الَّذي لَو

تَوَلّى أَمرَهُ مَلَكٌ لَغَلّا

You are trusted with the abundance which if

A king took charge of, he would betray

وَناصِرُهُم عَلى النَوَبِ الَّتي لَو

رَآها المَوتُ مُقبِلَةً لَوَلّى

And their supporter against adversities which if

Death saw coming, it would retreat

وَسَيفُهُمُ الَّذي قَهَرَ الأَعادي

فَأَغمَدَ كُلَّ سَيفٍ مُنذُ سُلّا

And their sword that defeated the enemies

So sheathed every sword since it was drawn

أَمَتَّ جَميعَ مَن عاداكَ خَوفاً

لِتَفضُلَ مَن أَماتَ عِداهُ فَلّا

It has silenced all who were hostile to you out of fear

That you may forgive those whose enmity it killed

عَزائِمُ طالَما فَرَّجتَ كَرباً

بِماضي حَدِّها وَقَتَلتَ قَتلا

Decisions that have often relieved distresses for us

With their resolute progress and decisive killings

فَما تَرَكَت بِقَلبِ الدينِ غِلّا

وَلا أَبقَت لِجيدِ الحَقِّ غُلّا

You have left no wrongdoing in the heart of the religion

Nor any injustice against the excellent truth

وَأَنتَ جَمَعتَ شَملَ الأَمنِ فينا

فَلا شَتَّت لَكَ الأَيّامُ شَملا

You have united the cohesion of security among us

So days did not disperse what you united

وَلا زالَ الأَميرُ أَبو عَلِيٍّ

يُجِدُّ ثِيابَ عِزٍّ لَيسَ تَبلا

The prince Abu Ali still wears clothes of glory

That have not worn out from constant wearing

لَقَد عَفَّت سَعادَتُهُ فَدامَت

عَلى ما ظَنَّهُ الحُسّادُ جَهلا

His good fortune was chaste so it remained

As the ignorant supposed it to be falsely

فَأَثمَرَ ظَنُّنا صِدقاً وَحَقّاً

وَأَثمَرَ ظَنُّهُم مَيناً وَبُخلا

Our supposition produced sincerity and truth

While their supposition produced weakness and miserliness

فَأَفئِدَةٌ بِماءِ الفَوزِ تُسقى

وَأَفئِدَةٌ لَظى النيرانِ تَصلا

So hearts are watered with the water of success

While other hearts are scorched by fires of misery

وَلَم يَعدِل بِهِ الإِرجافُ عَمّا

رَآهُ لَهُ إِمامُ العَصرِ أَهلا

He did not deviate from what he saw fitting for him

Though discord shook others from it

وَخَوَّلَهُ مَعَ التَقريبِ نَعتاً

لِيَرفَعَ ذِكرُهُ اللَقَبَ الأَجَلّا

He authorized him, with favor, a title

To elevate his mention to the most majestic name

وَما العَلَمَ المُشيرَ إِلى طِرازٍ

نَحا لَكِن نَحا العَلَمَ المُظِلّا

The standard pointing to quality has not risen

Except for the standard pointing to the shady one

وَما مَدَحَت بِهِ الخَنساءُ صَخراً

مُشَبَّهَةً لَهُ فَعَلا مَحَلّا

It is not what the Khansa compared Sakhr to

Likening to him some impossible feat

وَلَيسَ بِرَأسِ ذا نارٌ وَلَكِن

بِنورِ جَبينِهِ الظُلُماتُ تُجلا

There is no fire in this head but

Its luminous forehead dispels darkness

وَأَعظَمَ أَهلُ مِصرٍ ما رَأَوهُ

فَصارَ حَديثُهُ لِلقَومِ شُغلا

The people of Egypt saw something in him that was greater

So talk of him became their preoccupation

وَقالوا ما عَهِدنا الشَمسَ عِرساً

فَقُلتُ وَلا عَهِدنا البَدرَ بَعلا

They said we never knew the sun to be a bridegroom

I said and we never knew the full moon to be a husband

فَلَيتَ حُلولَ هَذا الأَمنِ أَضحى

لِحَتفِ الكارِهينَ لَهُ مُحِلّا

Would that the coming of this security was

A drink of poison to those who detest it

بَشائِرُ أَتعَبَت زِنداً فَلَولا

مَسَرَّتُهُ بِما ضَمِنَت لَكَلّا

Glad tidings have wearied birds so were it not

For their joy in what they guaranteed, they would perish

فَبُشرى نِقسُها رَطبٌ وَأُخرى

تُخَطُّ وَأُختُها في الحالِ تُملا

Some whose moisture is fresh and others

Whose sisters fill as soon as they diminish

أَحاديثٌ عَرَفناها يَقيناً

فَزالَ الشَكُّ فيها وَاِضمَحَلّا

Reports we knew with certainty

So doubt in them disappeared and faded away

أَلَذُّ مِنَ الغِناءِ لِسامِعيهِ

وَمِمّا في بُطونِ النَحلِ أَحلا

Sweeter to listeners than singing

And than what is in the bellies of bees

حَلَت لِلناطِقينَ بِها فَظَنّوا

حَماماً طارَ بِالأَخبارِ يَحلا

They landed on the speakers so they thought

A pigeon that carried news had landed

وَأَصبَحَ شائِعاً خَبَرُ التَداني

فَكَشَّفَ كُلَّ داجِيَةٍ وَجَلّا

The news of rapprochement became circulated

So it uncovered every darkened and thick place

أَدالَ مِنَ المَساءَةِ ما تَوَلّى

وَرَدَّ مِنَ المَسَرَّةِ ما تَوَلّى

It repelled what was reprehensible and attracted what was delightful

A drink for him from afar and a meadow up close

فَسَقياً في البِعادِ لَهُ وَرَعياً

وَأَهلاً في الدُنُوِّ بِهِ وَسَهلا

So do not allow a time for his arrival

The auspicious rising star is sufficient guide for him

فَلا تَجعَل لِمَقدِمِهِ أَواناً

عَلَيهِ الطالِعُ المُختارُ دَلّا

I implore you to keep the stars that wish

To descend where he descended from plotting his affair

وَأَبعِد أَن تُدَبِّرَهُ نُجومٌ

تَمَنّى أَن تَحُلَّ بِحَيثُ حَلّا

The palaces vie for him and if he complains

Of the pain of passion, he does not find rest from it

تَهاداهُ القُصورُ وَإِن تَشَكّى

أَليمَ الشَوقِ ما عَنهُ اِستَقَلّا

A palace of his in Fustat is vacant

And they furnished Damascus for him

فَقَصرٌ مِنهُ بِالفُسطاطِ يَخلو

وَشَرواهُ لَهُ بِدِمَشقَ يُخلا

May you live for him and may he live unmatched

Surpassing Tughlub in might and nobility

فَعِشتَ لَهُ وَعاشَ بِلا نَظيرٍ

يُكاثِرُ تَغلِباً عِزّاً وَنُبلا

This happy holiday, you are the most faithful of people

In good deeds, testified by all who pray and give alms

وَذا العيدُ السَعيدُ فَأَنتَ فيهِ

مِنَ الحَسَناتِ أَوفى الناسِ كِفلا

And witnessed by all who attend the prayers

I intentionally prolonged this, knowing

يُقِرُّ بِذاكَ مَن صَلّى وَزَكّى

وَيَشهَدُ كُلُّ مَن شَهِدَ المُصَلّى

That listening to your description will never bore

And oh, would that my words expressed my thanks

تَعَمَّدتُ الإِطالَةَ عَن يَقينٍ

بِأَنَّ سَماعَ وَصفِكَ لَن يُمَلّا

As long as I sensed life, I only perceived the beginning of them

Another besides you, the praiser increases his glory

وَيا لَيتَ الكَلامَ وَفى بِشُكري

حَياً ما شِمتُهُ إِلّا اِستَهَلّا

While others are fed up by hearing praise

Aloe wood is heated so it may increase in fragrance

سِواكَ يَزيدُهُ المُدّاحُ مَجداً

وَغَيرُكَ بِاِستِماعِ المَدحِ حُلّا

And nadd refuses to increase in fragrance when heated

You remain tilting calamities from us

يُعَلّى العودُ كَي يَزدادَ طيباً

وَيَأبى النَدُّ طيباً أَن يُعَلّا

Even if the enemy insists and tries to debase

This is the entirety of the English translation of the Arabic poem.

بَقيتَ مِنَ الخُطوبِ لَنا مُديلاً

وَإِن رَغِمَ العِدى وَلَهُم مُذِلّا