كَفى الدينَ عِزّاً ما قَضاهُ لَكَ الدَهرُ

فَمَن كانَ ذا نَذرٍ فَقَد وَجَبَ النَذرُ

The religion has honor enough in what fate has decreed for you

So whoever made a vow, his vow is binding

لَقَد ظَلَّلَت هَذي البِلادُ سَحابَةٌ

بَوارِقُها بِشرٌ وَإيماضُها تِبرُ

Indeed these lands were shaded by a cloud

Whose lightning is good news and whose vanishing is rain

إِذا ما غَمامٌ خَصَّ أَرضاً بِغَيثِهِ

هَمى هاطِلاً في كُلِّ قُطرٍ لَها قَطرُ

Whenever a cloud singles out a land with its rain

It resolves to pour upon it every drop

ثَمانِيَةٌ لَم تَفتَرِق مُذ جَمَعتَها

فَلا اِفتَرَقَت ما ذَبَّ عَن ناظِرٍ شُفرُ

Eight that never parted since you brought them together

They did not part as long as a trace watched over them

يَقينُكَ وَالتَقوى وَجودُكَ وَالغِنى

وَلَفظُكَ وَالمَعنى وَعَزمُكَ وَالنَصرُ

Your certainty, piety, generosity, wealth

Your speech, meaning, resolve and victory

بِكَ اِنجابَتِ اللَأواءُ وَاِمتَدَّتِ المُنى

وَضوعِفَتِ الآلاءُ وَاِفتَخَرَ العَصرُ

Through you hopes were fulfilled and wishes stretched

Favors were weakened and the times took pride

وَرَدَّ إِلَيكَ الأَمرَ لُطفاً وَرَحمَةً

بِذا الخَلقِ طُرّاً مَن لَهُ الخَلقُ وَالأَمرُ

And He returned command to you gently and mercifully

With these people impulsively, He who has creation and command

فَآمَنتَهُم غَضَّ الجُفونِ عَلى قَذىً

فَأَقصى مُناهُم أَن يَطولَ لَكَ العُمرُ

So you gave them rest from inflamed eyelids

And the utmost of their wishes is your prolonged life

فَلِلَّهِ مُلكٌ زَيَّنَ الدَستَ مَلكُهُ

وَجادَ الحَيا مَلكاً تَضَمَّنَهُ القَبرُ

To God belongs a kingdom that adorned His grip on power

And the living One granted kingship, which the grave will include

وَكُنّا نَظُنُّ الأَرضَ تُظلِمُ بَعدَهُ

فَقُمتَ مَقامَ الشَمسِ إِذ غُيِّبَ البَدرُ

We used to think the earth would darken after him

But you took the sun’s place when the moon was eclipsed

لَكُم في رَسولِ اللَهِ أَعظَمُ أُسوَةٍ

فَلا تَظهَرِ الشَكوى وَلا يَتعَبِ الفِكرُ

You have the greatest example in God's Messenger

So do not show complaint and do not let thought tire

فَقيدُكَ مَن لا يَملِكُ الهَمَّ رَدَّهُ

وَخَصمُكَ مَن لا يُقتَضى عِندَهُ وِترُ

Your fetter is one who does not have power to return worry

And your opponent one with whom reconciliation is not sought

مَضى حَيثُ لا تُغني الصَوارِمُ وَالقَنا

وَلا النَسَبُ الزاكي وَلا النائِلُ الغَمرُ

He passed away where swords and spears are of no avail

Nor pure lineage nor attainer of abundant water

وَلَو كانَتِ الأَقدارُ تُثنى بِقُوَّةٍ

حَماهُ الإِباءُ المَحضُ وَالجَحفَلُ المَجرُ

Had fate been prone to being swayed by force

Pure resolve and raging calamity would have protected him

وَسارَت عَلى مِثلِ النِعامِ ضَراغِمٌ

عَلَيها مِنَ الماذِيِّ أَوشِحَةٌ خُضرُ

Misfortunes marched like ostriches over him

Upon them a green cloak from the wine seller

إِذا أَظهَروا سِرَّ الجُفونِ فَلا دُجىً

فَإِن لَفَّهُم نَقعُ المَذاكي فَلا فَجرُ

When they reveal the secret of their eyelids, it is not darkness

For if their wrapping comes undone, it is not revealing at dawn

وَلَكِنَّها تَمضي عَلى غُلَوائِها

سَواءٌ عَلَيها مُستَعِدٌّ وَمُغتَرُّ

But they march on in their darkness

The same to it, whether one is prepared or caught off guard

صَبَرنا عَلى حُكمِ الزَمانِ الَّذي سَطا

عَلى أَنَّهُ لَولاكَ لَم يُمكِنِ الصَبرُ

We were patient with the era’s judgment, which extended

For were it not for you, patience would not have been possible

غَزانا بِبُؤسى لا يُماثِلُها الأَسى

تُقارِنُ نُعمى لا يَقومُ بِها شُكرُ

It has afflicted us with misery that cannot be matched by sorrow

Your blessings cannot be matched with thanks

وَأَوجَبَتِ الأولى المَلامَ فَلَم نَلُم

وَأَنّى لَهُ لَومٌ وَأَنتَ لَهُ عُذرُ

The former necessitated blame but we did not blame

How could there be blame while you have excuse?

وَكادَ شِعارُ الخَوفِ يَنبَثُّ في الوَرى

فَنادى شِعارُ الأَمنِ يا نَصرُ يا نَصرُ

The banner of fear almost burst forth in the land

But the banner of security called “Victory, victory!”

فَمَرَّت بِكَ الشَقراءُ تَسمو تَحَلُّقاً

كَما حَلَّقَت فَتخاءُ يَجذِبُها وَكرُ

So the shining one passed by you flying loftily

As shining ones circle what attracts them to their burrows

عَلَيها هُمامٌ يَملَأُ الأَرضَ هَيبَةً

عَلى الجَيشِ كَرّارٌ إِذا حِزبُهُ فَرّوا

Upon it are ambitions that fill the land with awe

Against the troops a repeater when its party flees

بِحَيثُ حَمى تِلكَ الوُجوهَ بِسَيفِهِ

وَقَد كُشِفَت عَنها البَراقِعُ وَالخُمرُ

It protected those faces with its sword when

Their veils and head covers were removed

حَبيبٌ إِلَيهِ العَدلُ وَاللينُ وَالنَدى

بَغيضٌ إِلَيهِ الجَورُ وَالبُخلُ وَالكِبرُ

One beloved to him is justice, gentleness and dew

Hateful to him injustice, stinginess and arrogance

أَرى المَجدَ عِقداً أَنتَ واسِطَةٌ لَهُ

وَعَن جانِبَيهِ صالِحٌ وَفَنا خُسرو

I see glory a necklace and you its intermediary

On its sides, righteous and perished Khosrow

فَجَدٌّ لَهُ دانَت نِزارٌ وَيَعرُبٌ

وَجَدٌّ رَعايا مُلكِهِ البَدوُ وَالحَضرُ

It made the Arabians and the non-Arabs submit to it

And made the nomads and the settled its subjects

وَأَنتَ الَّذي يُروى بِسَحِّ بَنانِهِ

فَكَيفَ إِذا فاضَت أَنامِلُهُ العَشرُ

You by whose outpouring of rain the clouds are watered

So what will happen when your ten fingers overflow?

وَما المَرءُ إِلّا مَن يُخافُ وَيُرتَجى

لَدَيهِ العَطاءُ الحُلوُ وَالأَنَفُ المُرُّ

Man is only one who is feared and hoped for

With him are sweet bestowal and bitter agitation

سَعِدنا بِمَولىً يوجَدُ الخَيرُ عِندَهُ

وَيُعدَمُ إِلّا في مَواضِعِهِ الشَرُّ

We were fortunate to have a guardian who has good with him

And only in his domains is evil absent

عَواديهِ مَدٌّ يُحدِثُ العَفوُ جَزرَهُ

وَجَدواهُ مَدٌّ لا يُعَقِّبُهُ جَزرُ

His habit is an ebb that pardon makes its islands

And his nature an ebb that no flow follows

وَلَمّا أَرادَ اللَهُ إِظهارَ حَقِّهِ

وَجاهَرَ فيهِ الناسُ إِذ أَمكَنَ الجَهرُ

And when God wanted to make His truth manifest

And people proclaimed it openly when professing became possible

بَدا لا كَما يَبدو النَباتُ مِنَ الثَرى

وَلَكِن كَما يَبدو مِنَ الصَدَفِ الدُرُّ

He appeared not as plants appear from the earth

But as pearls appear from inside oyster shells

فِداؤُكَ مَن هَذي الصِفاتُ وَذِكرُها

عَلى ظَهرِهِ وِقرٌ وَفي سَمعِهِ وَقرُ

May I be sacrificed for one whose merits necessitate for him

Multiples of what relation and in-lawship necessitate

أَعانَت عَلى إِدراكِ ما تَستَحِقُّهُ

طَريقَتُكَ المُثلى وَهِمَّتُكَ البِكرُ

He did not leave that land because it chose

Another instead of him or because time grew old

وَلَم تَكُ فيهِ كَاِبنِ هِندٍ فَإِنَّهُ

بَغى فَبَغى ما لَم يُخَلِّف لَهُ صَخرُ

But he is like a sword that left its sheath

To witness its sharpness with what the trail informed

وَما ضَرَّ مَن فاقَ المُلوكَ بِرَأيِهِ

وَإِقدامِهِ أَلّا يَكونَ لَهُ عَمرُو

Your ambitious brothers seek a peak

Your noble forefathers rested upon it before

وَخالُكَ مَن شادَت دَعائِمَ بَيتِهِ

سَجِيَّتُهُ الحُسنى وَنائِلُهُ الغَمرُ

You ruled so they were not like Joseph’s brothers

Their friendliness is deception and its harvest is loss

فَيا طيبَ ما حَيَّت بِهِ مِصرَ بابِلٌ

وَيا حُسنَ ما أَهدَت إِلى حَلَبٍ مِصرُ

But they made lawful for you sincere affection

Nothing beyond it is truer friendship or deeper love

فَجاءَ كَما يُهدى إِلى الرَوضِ صَيِّبُ ال

حَيا لا كَما يُهدى إِلى هَجَرَ التَمرُ

Before you the people never witnessed

And will never witness, for time without end, a sun circled by stars

فَأَهلاً بِمَن تَقضي فَضائِلُهُ لَهُ

بِأَضعافِ ما تَقضي القَرابَةُ وَالصِهرُ

So go beyond the bounds of brotherhood, reaching

A point through which for you is praise and reward

وَلَم يَتَّرِك تِلكَ البِلادَ لِأَنَّها

بَغَت بَدَلاً مِنهُ وَلا أَن نَبا دَهرُ

As for the enemies, they have failed, for their pride

Is like the smoke’s pride, which embers have abandoned

وَلَكِنَّهُ كَالسَيفِ فارَقَ غِمدَهُ

لِيَشهَدَ حَدّاهُ بِما خَبَّرَ الأَثرُ

You have avoided the company of villains, for they

When advised are deceitful, or if taken as comrades are vile

وَإِخوَتُكَ الراقونَ يَبغونَ ذِروَةً

تَقَيَّلَها مِن قَبلُ آباؤُكَ الغُرُّ

So split them, killing and exiling, for religion prohibits

The righteous to take the immoral as comrades

مَلَكتَ فَما كانوا كَإِخوَةِ يوسُفٍ

تَوَدُّدُهُم مَكرٌ وَمَحصولُهُ خَترُ

One who wishes to near the fire drags others into it

And one the flames do not overwhelm keeps it away

وَلَكِن أَباحوكَ المَوَدّاتِ أُخلِصَت

فَما فَوقَها وُدٌّ وَلا تَحتَها غِمرُ

Just as the infected camels infect the healthy ones

So the diseased among them are kept from the livestock

وَقَبلَكَ ما راءَ الأَنامُ وَلَن يَرَوا

مَدى الدَهرِ شَمساً حَولَها أَنجُمٌ زُهرُ

You were known for daring that eliminates harm

And abundant grace that dispels poverty

فَجاوِز بِهِم حَدَّ الأُخُوَّةِ بالِغاً

إِلى غايَةٍ فيها لَكَ الحَمدُ وَالأَجرُ

You gave life to dead hopes, denying

The words of people for whom, after assumption, there is no foundation

وَأَمّا العِدى خابوا فَإِنَّ غَناءَهُم

غَناءُ دُخانِ النارِ غادَرَهُ الجَمرُ

So may an inspired state lasts whose pillars

Are your excellent nature and your lofty aspirations

وَحوشيتَ مِن قُربِ اللِئامِ فَإِنَّهُم

إِذا اِستُنصِحوا غَرّوا أَوِ اِستُصحِبوا عَرّوا

Through it for you are honor and pride

So if one day it prides, you are its glory and boldness

فَمَزِّقهُمُ قَتلاً وَنَفياً فَإِنَّهُ

نَهى الدينُ أَن يَستَصحِبَ الفاجِرُ البَرُّ

And if one is missing who most clearly established its right

With pure loyalty no treachery mixed in

يُريدُ دُنُوَّ النارِ مَن يَصطَلي بِها

وَيُبعِدُها مَن لَيسَ يَغلِبُهُ القُرُّ

And it was darkened by Mahmoud ibn Nasr’s death

Whose habits were valor, force, and subjugation

وَإِنَّ سَقيمَ الإِبلِ يُعدي صَحيحَها

فَيُبعَدُ عَن أَعطانِها مَن بِهِ عُرُّ

So Nasr, son of Mahmoud, son of Nasr, son of Salih

Is for it a replacement - excellent remnants and treasure

عُرِفتَ بِإِقدامٍ بِهِ يُحسَمُ الأَذى

وَفائِضِ إِنعامٍ بِهِ يُطرَدُ الفَقرُ

While you are the sea of generosity, might, and refuge

If one sea surges another sea comes after

وَأَنشَرتَ أَمواتَ الأَماني مُكَذِّباً

مَقالَ أُناسٍ لَيسَ بَعدَ التَوى نَشرُ

How many lands have your spears married

With nothing but the stabbing of necks as their dowry

فَدامَت وَعَزَّت دَولَةٌ نَبَوِيَّةٌ

دَعَتكَ بِما فيهِ لَها العِزُّ وَالفَخرُ

The borders of the enemy - if you hurl at them stones

And every stony tract you hurl rocks at is deprived of its gap

فَإِن فاخَرَت يَوماً فَأَنتَ جَلالُها

وَصَمصامُها في كُلِّ نائِبَةٍ تَعرو

Accounts of glory the ages fall short of folding

And eternity preserves what poetry used to keep

وَإِن عَدِمَت مَن كانَ أَظهَرَ حَقَّها

بِمَحضِ وَلاءٍ لا يُمازِجُهُ غَدرُ

I distanced myself from you professionally, not ascetically

And went to you when hardship touched me

وَأَلوَت بِمَحمودِ بنِ نَصرٍ مُلِمَّةٌ

عَوائِدُها الإِقدامُ وَالقَسرُ وَالقَهرُ

So I found the door of security with nothing prohibiting it

And the door of custom with naught beneath it concealed

فَنَصرُ اِبنُ مَحمودِ اِبنِ نَصرِ اِبنِ صالِحٍ

لَها عِوَضٌ نِعمَ البَقِيَّةُ وَالذُخرُ

My stay lengthened in captivity to your beauty

So may your noble deeds last, and my captivity, too

وَأَنتُم بِحارُ الجودِ وَالبَأسِ وَالحِجى

إِذا غاضَ بَحرٌ فاضَ يَخلُفُهُ بَحرُ

And the Lord of the heavens fulfilled His promise

That hardship is followed by ease

فَكَم مِن بِلادٍ أَنكَحَتكُم رِماحُكُم

وَلَيسَ سِوى طَعنِ النُحورِ لَها مَهرُ

And the son of Nasr bestowed a thousand on me freely

And I know that Nasr will succeed it

ثُغورُ العِدى إِن رُمتُموهُنَّ كَالفَلا

وَكُلُّ فَلاةٍ رُمتُمُ مَنعَها ثَغرُ

You were ordered to grant the likes of it

So how is that when benefaction and harm are willingly your command?

أَحاديثُ مَجدٍ يُعجِزُ الدَهرَ طَيُّها

وَأَخلَدُها ما كانَ يَحفَظُهُ الشِعرُ

I have no need to bargain over the price

Since the merchandise is known and the pricing concluded

تَباعَدتُ عَنكُم حُرفَةً لا زَهادَةً

وَسِرتُ إِلَيكُم حينَ مَسَّنِيَ الضُرُّ

I camp with my hopes in your presence

While in the world how many roam whose hopes are travel?

فَلاقَيتُ بابَ الأَمنِ ما عَنهُ حاجِزٌ

يَصُدُّ وَبابَ العُرفِ ما دونَهُ سِترُ

With you I do not seek pretense with my words

With the easiest thing you undertake, the freeman is enslaved

وَطالَ مُقامي في إِسارِ جَميلِكُم

فَدامَت مَعاليكُم وَدامَ لِيَ الأَسرُ

Accept from the one praising you his apology

For prose and verse fall short of describing you

وَأَنجَزَ لي رَبُّ السَمَواتِ وَعدَهُ ال

كَريمَ بِأَنَّ العُسرَ مِن بَعدِهِ يُسرُ

You were extremely kind, never flagging

And filled days with your name, relaxing

وَجادَ اِبنُ نَصرٍ لي بِأَلفٍ تَصَرَّمَت

وَإِنّي عَليمٌ أَن سَيَخلِفُها نَصرُ

لَقَد كُنتَ مَأموراً تُرَجّى لِمِثلِها

فَكَيفَ وَطَوعا أَمرِكَ النَفعُ وَالضَرُّ

وَما بي إِلى الإِشطاطِ في السَومِ حاجَةٌ

وَقَد عُرِفَ المُبتاعُ وَاِنفَصَلَ السِعرُ

وَإِنّي بِآمالي لَدَيكَ مُخَيِّمٌ

وَكَم في الوَرى ثاوٍ وَآمالُهُ سُفرُ

وَعِندَكَ لا أَبغي بِقَولي تَصَنُّعاً

بِأَيسَرِ ما توليهِ يُستَعبَدُ الحُرُّ

تَقَبَّل مِنَ المُثني عَلَيكَ اِعتِذارَهُ

فَقَد ضاقَ عَن أَوصافِكَ النَظمُ وَالنَثرُ

وَهُنّيتَ جَدّاً لا يُفَتِّرُ صاعِداً

وَمُلّيتَ أَيّاماً عَنِ اِسمِكَ تَفتَرُّ