سَبَقتَ فَفُز بِعَظيمِ الخَطَر

وَدَع لِعِداكَ المُنى وَالخَطَر

You advanced and won the greatest danger

And left your enemies longing and in danger

فَدَتكَ مُلوكٌ عَلَت بِالجُدودِ

وَأَعلاكَ مَجدُكَ لَمّا ظَهَر

Kings have sacrificed themselves for you

And your glory was exalted when it appeared

وَأَينَ المُنيفُ بِحَظٍّ أَعا

نَ مِمَّن أَنافَ بِفَضلٍ بَهَر

And where is the companion with good fortune like that

Of one who became eminent with outstanding merit

بِطاءٌ إِذا سُؤِلوا نَجدَةً

أَقاموا مَقامَ النُهوضِ العِذَر

The idle, when asked for help

Stood in the place of making excuses

غَدا المالُ مُحتَقَباً عِندَهُم

وَعِندَكَ لَمّا يَزَل مُحتَقَر

Tomorrow, wealth has become despised to them

While with you it has never ceased to be scorned

فَراهِبُ عَدواهُمُ لا يُساءُ

وَطالِبُ جَدواهُمُ لا يُسَرّ

So their enemy is not reviled

And their adversary is not chagrined

لَقَد حَظَرَ اللَهُ هَذا الجَلالَ

عَلى مَن مَضى وَعَلى مَن غَبَر

Indeed, God has prohibited this majesty

From those who passed and those who remain

أَتَقعُدُ عَن مُرتَقاهُ النُجو

مُ عَجزاً وَيَطمَعُ فيهِ البَخَر

Will I sit back from its high pursuits, helpless,

While the worthless hopes for it

وَيَبغي تَناوُلَهُ الحاسِدونَ

عَلى ما بِأَبواعِهِم مِن قِصَر

And the envious desire to obtain it

Due to the shortness of their reach

وَإِنَّكَ مِن كَيدِهِم آمِنٌ

كَما أَمِنَ البازُ كَيدَ النُغَر

And you are safe from their plots

As a hawk is safe from the plots of beetles

مَعالٍ بَغَوا حَطَّها فَاِعتَلَت

وَمَجدٌ رَجَوا طَيَّهُ فَاِنتَشَر

They sought high status and it eluded them

And glory they wished for wrinkled and dispersed

وَإِن جَحَدوهُ وَلَن يَقدِروا

فَإِنَّ الإِمامَ بِهِ قَد أَقَرّ

And though they deny it, they will not avail

For the ruler has acknowledged it

فَفاهَ بِوَصفِكَ مَن لا يَمينُ

وَخَبَّرَ عَن سُؤدُدٍ مَن خَبَر

So he has described you, he whose oath is not trusted

And he has reported of hidden hostility, one who is well-informed

وَرَقّاكَ في قَولِهِ وَالفَعالِ

ذُرى شَرَفٍ لَم يَنَلها بَشَر

And he has extolled you in his words and deeds

As one of noble ancestry unattained by mortals

رَأى اللَهَ مُتَّخِذاً في الوَرى

خَليلاً فَكُنتَ الخَليلَ الأَبَرّ

God has taken among people on earth

A friend, so you were the most righteous friend

عَلى أَلسُنِ الناسِ طُرّاً تُقِرُّ

بِها وَعُيونُ المَعالي تَقَرّ

Upon people's tongues as a source of pride

They would acknowledge, and the eyes of the eminent would acknowledge

وَوَصفٌ أَحَلَّكَ فَوقَ السَماءِ

فَخاطِب وَكاتِب مِنَ المُستَقَرّ

And a description that placed you above the sky

So address and write from one well-established

وَكَم لِعُداتِكَ مِن عَثرَةٍ

تُقالُ وَمِن زَلَّةٍ تُغتَفَر

And how many stumblings of your enemies

Are stated, and how many slips are forgiven

لَدَيكَ وَلَم يُعمِلوا حيلَةً

نَجا الهُرمُزانُ بِها مِن عُمَر

Before you, while they did not plan any stratagem

By which Hormuzan escaped from Omar

لِغَيرِكَ عِندَ اِحتِيالِ الرِجالِ

يُدَبُّ الضَراءُ وَيُمشى الخَمَر

For others, when men plan

Distress is plotted, and wine is walked towards

أَزِل ما بِأَعناقِهِم مِن صَغىً

وَما بِخُدودِهِمُ مِن صَعَر

Remove their bent necks

And what is in their cheeks of gritting teeth

فَما أُمهِلَ السُمُّ إِلّا وَدَبَّ

وَلا أُهمِلَ الكَلبُ إِلّا عَقَر

So poison is not neglected but creeps

Nor is the dog neglected but maims

وَعاتِبهُمُ بِصَليلِ الَّتي

تُفَرِّقُ بَينَ الطُلى وَالقَصَر

And reproach them with the neighing of the horses

That separate between pleasure and palaces

فَأَوعَظُ مِن زُبُرِ الأَوَّلينَ

لَدى الكُفرِ مَطبوعَةٌ مِن زُبَر

More admonishing than the scriptures of ancients

Lies imprinted with scriptures, before the unbelievers

وَإِنَّ الَّذي شايَعَ المُرجِفي

نَ أَعمى البَصيرَةِ أَعمى البَصَر

And indeed, the one who spread terror

Blinded insight and blinded sight

حِمى الحَقِّ مِنكَ مَنيعُ الجِوارِ

عَزيزُ النَفيرِ كَريمُ النَفَر

The sanctuary of truth is protected through you

Dear neighbor, powerful ally, generous comrade

شُجاعٌ إِذا ما قَضى أَو سَطا

مُطاعٌ إِذا ما نَهى أَو أَمَر

Brave when decreeing or being just

Obeyed when prohibiting or commanding

غَمامٌ وَما هَدَرَ الرَعدُ فيهِ

أَرانا دَمَ المَحلِ يَمضي هَدَر

A cloud, though thunder did not rumble in it

We saw the shedding of blood flowing copiously

كُنوزُ المَعالي لَدَيهِ تُزارُ

وَثَوبُ الثَناءِ عَلَيهِ يُزَرّ

Treasures of glory are with you, frequented

And the garment of praise is upon you, patched

وَلِلمَجدِ راحاتُهُ وَاللُغوبُ

وَلِلحَمدِ رَوحاتُهُ وَالبُكَر

And for glory are its rests, and its running

And for praise are its ease, and its vigor

مَضاءٌ لِكُلِّ عَنيدٍ أَبارَ

وَسَعيٌ عَلى كُلِّ سَعيٍ أَبَرّ

A shining light for every stubborn enemy

And effort over every other effort more brilliant

وَعَدلٌ بِهِ يُستَدامُ البَقاءُ

وَعَفوٌ بِهِ يُستَتَمُّ الظَفَر

And the justice by which continuity persists

And pardon by which victory is perfected

وَتَفعَلُ آلاؤُهُ في المُحو

لِ فِعلَ عَزائِمِهِ في الغِيَر

And your favors in forgiveness

Are like your resolves against others

عَزائِمٌ مَن أَمَّنَت لَم يُجَر

عَلَيهِ وَمَن خَوَّفَت لَم يُجَر

Resolves whose safety is unattainable

And those intimidated by them are unassailable

فَيا عَلَمَ المَجدِ لَمّا اِستَطالَ

وَيا ناصِرَ الدينِ لَمّا اِنتَصَر

Oh standard of glory when it rose high

Oh defender of religion when it was victorious

وَيا داعِيَ الجَفَلى لِلغِنى

إِذا مَن دَعا لِلطَعامِ اِنتَقَر

Oh caller of the uncouth to refinement

When one who calls to a meal is disgusted

وَيا صاحِبَ السِيَرِ السائِرا

تِ تُتلى وَتَبقى بَقاءَ السُوَر

Oh possessor of conducts recited

And remaining with the survival of chapters

رَأى اللَهُ عَدلَكَ في خَلقِهِ

فَأَجرى عَلى ما تَشاءُ القَدَر

God saw your justice among His creation

So He made destiny flow as you wish

وَإِنَّ المُغيثَ بِكَ المُسلِمي

نَ أَحسَنَ لِلمُسلِمينَ النَظَر

And that you are the helper of Muslims

When you did the best for Muslims in oversight

وَإِنَّكَ مِن مَعشَرٍ جاوَزَت

مَدى الحُسنِ أَفعالُهُم وَالصُوَر

And indeed you are from a people whose

Actions and forms exceeded the limit of beauty

وُجوهٌ تَلوحُ فَتَخفى البُدورُ

وَأَيدٍ تَسُحُّ فَتَترى البِدَر

Faces shine so stars are obscured

And hands flow so moons are seen

قُرومٌ مَضَوا في سَبيلِ الرَدى

وَذِكرُهُمُ ماثِلٌ ما دَثَر

Bodies that passed in the path of calamity

And their mention is lasting, not lost

ذَوُو عِتَرٍ نَشرُ أَعراقِها

هُوَ المِسكُ لا ما حَوَتهُ العِتَر

Possessors of a glorious lineage

Which is musk, not what perfume contains

أُصولُكُمُ شامِخاتُ الفُروعِ

وَأَيّامُكُم شاذِخاتُ الغُرَر

Your origin is the towering branches

And your days are the lofty buds

وَمَحضُ الإِباءِ وَحُسنُ الوَفاءِ

غَرائِزُ في بَدوِكُم وَالحَضَر

And pure parentage and good loyalty

Are instinctive, in your nomads and settlers

وَمِنكُم رِجالٌ أَقاموا الحُدودَ

بِحَدِّ السُيوفِ عَلى مَن كَفَر

And among you are men who instituted legal penalties

With the edge of swords upon he who disbelieved

وَكانوا لِذا الدينِ لَمّا نَبَت

بِهِ أَرضُ مَكَّةَ نِعمَ الوَزَر

And they were the best ministers for this religion

When the land of Mecca sprouted with it

مَساعٍ لِقَومِكَ ما غادَرَت

لِمُفتَخَرٍ في الوَرى مُفتَخَر

Efforts for your people that did not

Leave pride for any proudly boasting in the world

تَغُضُّ رَبيعَةَ مِنها العُيونَ

وَلَولا الرَسولُ لَغَضَّت مُضَر

It turns away the eyes of Rabi’ah from them

And were it not for the Messenger, Mudhar would have turned away

وَإِنَّكَ إِذ جِئتَ مِن بَعدِهِم

سَنا الشَمسِ غَطّى ضِياءَ القَمَر

And indeed, when you came after them

The sun covered the light of the moon

يَفيضُ بِوَجهِكَ ماءُ الحَيا

ءِ إِن شِئتَ نَفعاً وَإِن شِئتَ ضَرّ

Through your face flows the water of life

If you wish for benefit and if you wish for harm

وَتُغضي عَلى الذَنبِ لا رَهبَةً

كَما اِحمَرَّتِ البيدُ لا مِن خَفَر

And you overlook sins, not out of fear

As the lightning turned red, not due to being startled

وَتَهتَزُّ عِندَ اِستِماعِ المَديحِ

كَما اِهتَزَّ في الرَوعِ عَضبٌ ذَكَر

And you tremble when hearing praise

As a lion trembled with ferocity when angry

وَقَد أَيقَنَ اِبناكَ فَليَسلَما

بِأَنَّ العُلى فُرَصٌ تُبتَدَر

And your two sons are certain

That nobility is an opportunity to be seized

فَكُلٍّ بِها مُستَهامُ الفُؤادِ

قَليلُ الرُقادِ كَثيرُ السَهَر

So each has a passionate heart

Little of sleep, much of vigil

يَعِفُّ إِذ ما خَلا مِثلَما

تَعِفُّ وَيَعفو إِذا ما قَدَر

He pardons when alone just as you pardon

And he pardons when able just as you pardon

يَفوتانِ فيما أَفادَ الثَنا

ءَ لَمعَ البُروقِ وَلَمحَ البَصَر

They excel in what praise has benefited

In the flash of lightning and the glance of eyes

فَهَل مِن مُجيدٍ يُدانيهِما

إِذَ المَجدُ عَن ساعِدَيهِ حَسَر

So is there one who rivals them

When glory turns away from their forearms?

وَما العيدُ إِلّا كَعافٍ أَتا

كَ أَحمَدتَهُ وِردَهُ وَالصَدَر

And festival is nothing but a visitation that came to you

You praised it, frequented it, and were compliant to it

فَلا زِلتَ تَخلُفُهُ ما اِستَقَلَّ

فَغابَ وَتُذهِلُهُ ما حَضَر

So you continue to outlive it when it passes

And perplex it when it appears

لَقَد ضَلَّ فِكري وَضاقَ القَريضُ

بِوَصفِ نَدىً فاضَ حَتّى غَمَر

Generosity that attained all wishes

And generosity that wishes not conceived of

وَما خِلتُ قَبلَ بُلوغي إِلَيكَ

أَنَّ الغِنى مِن دَواعِ الحَصَر

A brother of oblivion is one who remains hoping besides you

And Lord of wealth is one who became needy of you

وَما أَعرِفُ الفَقرَ حَتّى أَقولَ

عَلى أَنَّني رَبُّ بَيتِ الفِقَر

And the seeker of pearls is not like one who remains

Seeking it from a river

زَوَتها عَطاياكَ عَن مَعشَرٍ

بِأَجيادِهِم لا تَليقُ الدُرَر

And seeking the like during this time

Is seeking scrolls from thoughts

وَحَلَّيتَ حالِيَ بَعدَ العُطولِ

وَأَحلَيتَ مِن عيشَتي ما أَمَر

It has a beam like the breeze of gardens

Fulfilling the messages of the breeze of dawn

إِذا ما مَضَت زُمَرٌ مِن لُهاكَ

تَلَتها وَأَربَت عَلَيها زُمَر

Virtues it adorned without relying

On others besides itself, nor borrowing

فَجودٌ أَنالَ جَميعَ المُنى

وَجودٌ بِبالِ المُنى ما خَطَر

It extends the lifespans of the blossoms of stars

And it remains besides them with the survival of flowers

أَخو العُدمِ مَن ظَلَّ يَرجو سِواكَ

وَرَبُّ الغِنى مَن إِلَيكَ اِفتَقَر

And indeed, the one who seeks to count them

Is like one seeking to count the drops of rain

وَما طالِبُ الدُرِّ مِن بَحرِهِ

كَمَن ظَلَّ يَطلُبُهُ مِن نَهَر

For that one exaggerating in praising it

When he exaggerates more, it is said “be concise”

وَمُعتاصَةِ المِثلِ في ذا الزَما

نِ مُعتاضَةٍ صُحُفاً مِن فِكَر

And if calamities prevented me from you

I have praise that perpetuates travel

لَها أَرَجٌ كَنَسيمِ الرِياضِ

وافى رَسيلَ نَسيمِ السَحَر

And the sickness encouraged this stance

Though your life was not consulted

تَحَلَّت مَناقِبَ لَم تَستَعِن

عَلَيها سِواها وَلَم تَستَعِر

He saw my estrangement in the treacherous time

And kept ties with me in the most defiant time

تُطاوِلُ أَعمارَ زُهرِ النُجومِ

وَيَبقى سِواها بَقاءَ الزَهَر

And if I was able to stand

I would've preserved loyalty and neglected precaution

وَإِنَّ الَّذي يَبتَغي عَدَّها

لَكَالمُبتَغي عَدَّ قَطرِ المَطَر

Indeed, my time has shown betrayal since I was absent from you

And even if I did not become absent, it would not have betrayed

لِذاكَ المُبالِغُ في مَدحِها

إِذا هُوَ أَكثَرَ قيلَ اِختَصَر

And if it delays me until I see you

Its calamities then would be schemed against

وَإِن أَقعَدَتنِيَ عَنكَ الخُطوبُ

فَعِندي ثَناءٌ يُديمُ السَفَر

And if sickness prevented me from you

I have praise that perpetuates travel

وَحَضَّ السَقامِ عَلى ذا المَقامِ

مُشيرٌ لَعَمرُكَ لَم يُستَشَر

And the sickness encouraged this stance

Though your life was not consulted

رَأى هِجرَتي في الزَمانِ البَهيمِ

وَواصَلَني في الزَمانِ الأَغَرّ

He saw my estrangement in the treacherous time

And kept ties with me in the most defiant time

وَلَو أَنَّني أَستَطيعُ النُهوضَ

حَفِظتُ الوَفا وَأَضَعتُ الحَذَر

And if I was able to stand

I would've preserved loyalty and neglected precaution

لَقَد أَظهَرَ الغَدرَ إِذ غِبتُ عَنكَ

زَماني وَلَو لَم أَغِب ما غَدَر

Indeed, my time has shown betrayal since I was absent from you

And even if I did not become absent, it would not have betrayed

وَإِن أَمهَلَتنِيَ حَتّى أَراكَ

حَوادِثُهُ فَعَلَيها المَكَرّ

And if it delays me until I see you

Its calamities then would be schemed against