لا زالَ مُلكُكَ بِالعُلى مَأهولا

وَسَلِمتَ تُدرِكُ كُلَّ يَومٍ سولا

Your kingdom remains supreme

You live in peace and gain new glories every day

يَعدو الزَمانُ وَلا يُصيبُكَ رَيبُهُ

فَيَرُدُّ طَرفاً عَن ذُراكَ كَليلا

Time passes without harming you

It cannot divert its glance from your eminence, even for a bit

أَنتَ الَّذي غَمَرَ العُفاةَ مَواهِباً

لَو كُنَّ أَمواهاً لَكُنَّ سُيولا

You are the one who has overwhelmed the careless with gifts

Had they been torrents, they would have been floods

فَفِداءُ مَجدِكَ أُمَّةٌ هَمَّت بِهِ

زَمَناً فَما وَجَدَت إِلَيهِ سَبيلا

A nation that aspired to your glory

Tried for so long to attain it, but found no way

حَسُنَت مَناظِرُهُم وَغَيرُ فَضيلَةٍ

لِلسَيفِ يَنبو أَن يَكونَ صَقيلا

How beautiful their faces looked and how sharp

Their swords were, as if they were polished blades

وَذَوَت أَكُفُّهُمُ فَأَغصانُ المُنى

بِعِراصِهِم أَبَداً تَزيدُ ذُبولا

Their clenched fists caused the branches of glory

To bear more fruit with their strikes

خُلِقَت لِمَحمودِ بنِ نَصرٍ راحَةٌ

تَندى فَلا تَرضى الغَمامَ رَسيلا

Your servant Maḥmūd ibn Naṣr was granted rest

So the clouds would not accept a single drop of rain

مَلِكٌ عَناؤُكَ أَن تُحاوِلَ مَجدَهُ

فَإِذا عَدَقتَ بِجودِهِ التَأميلا

It is hard, my king, for you to seek his glory

But when you insist generously, the impossible becomes possible

عَدَّ اليَسيرَ مِنَ السُؤالِ وَسيلَةً

وَرَأى الكَثيرَ مِنَ النَوالِ قَليلا

To you, asking little is like a means

And getting plenty is still too small

تُثني عَلَيهِ فَتَعتَريهِ نَشوَةٌ

فَكَأَنَّ مادِحَهُ سَقاهُ شَمولا

When you praise him, he is overwhelmed with elation

As if the one praising him has given him wine to drink

يَثني عُيونَ الحاسِدينَ كَليلَةً

وَيَرى حُزونَ المَكرُماتِ سُهولا

You make the eyes of the envious sleep in anguish

And you turn the frowns of the deprived into joy

أَأَبا سَلامَةَ أَنتَ فَخرُ قَبيلَةٍ

طالوا البَرِيَّةَ صِبيَةً وَكُهولا

O Abū Salāmah, pride of the tribe

Who roamed the lands, young and old

إِنَّ العُلى رَضِيَتكُمُ غُرَراً لَها

مِن بَعدِ أَن أَبَتِ المُلوكَ حُجولا

Power has consented to you, an uncommon consent

After refusing the friendship of kings

وَلَوِ اِكتَفَيتَ كَما اِكتَفى أَعيانُهُم

كُلٌّ يَكونُ عَلى أَبيهِ مُحيلا

Had you been content like others of your status

Each would have transferred power to his father

لَكَفاكَ جَمعُكَ والِداً غَمَرَ الوَرى

جوداً وَأُمّاً في النِساءِ بَتولا

It would have been enough that you combined

A father whose generosity flooded the world

لَكِن أَبَت لَكَ هِمَّةٌ ما شَأنُها

أَن تَستَعيرَ عُمومَةً وَخَؤولا

And a mother who was incomparable among women

But you had an aspiration that would not

وَمَنَعتَ هَذا الشامَ مِمَّن رامَهُ

قَسراً كَما مَنَعَ الهِزَبرُ الغيلا

Borrow the breadth and delusions of others

You protected Syria from those who coveted it by force

ما بالُ عَمِّكَ ظَلَّ يَخدَعُ نَفسَهُ

سَفَهاً وَيَقطَعُ عُمرَهُ تَعليلا

Just as al-Hizbar protected the peak from thieves

Why does your uncle persist in his self-delusion

مُتَطَرِّحاً أَبَداً وَكَم مِن خامِلٍ

طَلَبَ النَباهَةَ فَاِستَزادَ خُمولا

Foolishly, shortening his life with excuses

Always lying down, while many desiring glory

يَدنو مِنَ العَلياءِ فِتراً كُلَّما

عَنَّت فَيُبعِدُهُ التَخَلُّفُ ميلا

Sought alertness, but found only sleepiness

Whenever he approaches the eminent, he lingers behind

مُتَعَوِّضاً مِن عِزِّ مَن هُوَ فَرعُهُ

ذُلّاً يُحَدِّثُ عَنهُ جيلٌ جيلا

And his lagging turns him away despite his inclination

Seeking honor in place of the honor of his origins

فَاِرحَم غَنِيّاً عالَ وَاِرثِ لِتائِهٍ

قَد ضَلَّ وَاِعذِر صَبرَهُ إِن عيلا

So that every generation tells of his disgrace

Pity a wealthy man of high lineage

أَكدَت مَطالِبُهُ وَهَل يُعدي عَلى ال

قُرآنِ مَن يَستَنصِرُ الإِنجيلا

Who has gone astray, and excuse him if his patience is tested

His demands have become undeniable, but who would trespass

فَليَثنِ فائِلَ رَأيِهِ عَن رايَةٍ

أَمَرَ الإِلَهُ بِنَصرِها جِبريلا

Against the Qur'an except one seeking help from the Gospel?

Let him who holds this opinion turn back from the banner

أَولَجتَهُ النَفَقَ الَّذي مَن أَمَّهُ

ماتَت ضَغينَتُهُ وَعاشَ ذَليلا

That God ordered Gabriel to help

You have led him into a tunnel where one who enters

وَعُقوقُ أَرمانوسَ حينَ أَبَيتَ نُص

رَتَهُ أَباحَكَ وُدَّ ميخائيلا

Will lose his resentment and live in humiliation

Your refusal to help Armanūs in his disobedience

وَكَمِ اِبتَدَعتَ غَرائِباً مِن سُؤدُدٍ

ما كُنتَ في طُرُقاتِها مَدلولا

Allowed you the love of Mikhail

And how many amazing feats you have accomplished

وَلَكَ الأَدِلَّةُ أوضِحَت حَتّى رَأى

إِثباتَ فَضلِكَ مَن رَأى التَعطيلا

Without precedent to guide you

The proofs have become so clear that one who sees

وَمَتى أَرَقتَ دَماً عَزيزاً سَفكُهُ

إِلّا عَلَيكَ فَلَم يَكُن مَطلولا

Rejection now sees establishment as well

And when have you spilled precious blood

مَلَأَت وَقائِعُكَ القُلوبَ مَخافَةً

ضاقَت بِها عَن أَن تُجِنَّ ذُحولا

Except rightfully, never wrongfully?

Your feats have filled hearts with fear

وَلِمُرهَفاتِكَ بِالفُنَيدِقِ وَقعَةٌ

مَلَأَت مَسامِعَ مَن بِمِصرَ صَليلا

Leaving no room for pride inside

Your confrontation with the Venetians at Finike

عُصَبٌ أُتيحَ بَوارُهُم في مَأزِقٍ

حَسَدَ الأَسيرُ بِضَنكِهِ المَقتولا

Reached the ears of those in Egypt with its clashing

A party of them were caught in a bind

غُرّوا بِأَن شَرَّقتَ عَنهُم مَذهَباً

في الرَأيِ ما عَرَفوا لَهُ تَأويلا

And the captive envied the dead

They were deceived into thinking you had adopted

حَتّى إِذا دَلَفَت إِلَيكَ جُموعُهُم

جُمَلاً جَعَلتَ لَها الرَدى تَفصيلا

A doctrine whose interpretation they did not know

Then when their groups approached you

زَأَرَت أُسودُهُمُ فَلَمّا عايَنوا

أَذوادَكُم عادَ الزَئيرُ أَليلا

You detailed for them point by point

Their lions roared, but when they saw

ما كانَ في المَعقولِ أَنَّكَ كائِدٌ

تِلكَ الغُواةَ بِحَلِّكَ المَعقولا

Your packs, the roaring turned to whining

It was unimaginable that you were plotting

أَهمَلتَهاكَيما يَظُنّوا أَنَّها

غَنَمٌ فَخيلَت بِالعَراءِ خُيولا

Against those rebels with your rational mind

You neglected them, so they thought they were

وَعَلِمتَ أَنَّ رُغاءَها مُفضٍ إِلى

طَمَعٍ فَأَلحَقتَ الرُغاءَ صَهيلا

Easy prey, and you let your horses graze freely in the meadows

You knew their vain noise would lead

مِن مُقرَباتٍ أورِدَت أُمّاتُها

بَرَدى وَأَحرِ بِأَن يَرِدنَ النيلا

To greed, so you turned their whinnying into snorting

With treasured gifts, their mothers

شُقرٍ بَراها النَقعُ دُهماً وَاِنجَلى

فَنَزَعنَ لَيلاً وَاِرتَجَعنَ أَصيلا

Entered the cold and the heat to return to the Nile

Humiliated by want, they snuck away at night

تَردي بِكُلِّ مُظَفَّرٍ يُردي العِدى

إِن هيجَ أَو يَهَبُ الغِنى إِن سيلا

And went back to their lineages

You counter every victor, defeating the enemy

فَسَفَيتَهُم وَهُمُ الجِبالُ بِعَزمَةٍ

صَدَقَت كَما سَفَتِ الرِياحُ نَسيلا

Whether he stirs or wealth pours forth like a flood

Since the time the Khilāfat was seized

قَسَمَت سُبَيعَةُ ما حَوَوا وَذُؤَيبَةٌ

وَالعِزُّ قِسمُكَ لَم تَحُزهُ غُلولا

By the Protectorate, filling its empty quarters with echoes

He invited you where reaching was difficult

فَلطَهذَرِ الهِمَمُ المُذالَةُ في الثَرى

هِمَماً تَجُرُّ عَلى السَماءِ ذُيولا

But you guaranteed what he wanted

You let him know your vengeance would not disappear

مُنذُ اِنبَرَت دونَ الخَليفَةِ جُنَّةً

مَلَأَت غِرارَ النائِباتِ فُلولا

As long as you straightforwardly supported the clear truth

And you clarified the matter with a word

وَلَقَد دَعاكَ إِلى الَّتي إِدراكُها

عَسِرٌ فَكُنتَ بِما أَرادَ كَفيلا

That showed its obscure meaning

And he honored and esteemed you

أَعلَمتَهُ أَن لَيسَ يَذهَبُ ثَأرُهُ

ما دُمتَ لِلحَقِّ المُبينِ مُديلا

Beyond honor and esteem

With clothes that dressed you in a pride

وَأَبَنتَ عَن فَصلِ الخِطابِ بِلَفظَةٍ

أَوضَحتَ مِنها حَقَّهُ المَجهولا

That enemies cannot change or replace

With a sharpened sword whose sheath

وَأَتاكَ مِن إِكرامِهِ وَصِفاتِهِ

ما جاوَزَ الإِكرامَ وَالتَبجيلا

Dazzled gazes, made smooth by polishing

And a belt fit only for one

وَمَلابِسٍ لَبِسَت بِكَ الفَخرَ الَّذي

لا تَستَطيعُ لَهُ العِدى تَبديلا

Whom time has accepted and made smooth

Gifted to the Loyal One, true to his fathers

وَمُهَنَّدٍ راقَ النَواظِرَ مُغمَداً

وَغَدا يُحَكَّمُ في الطُلى مَسلولا

In piety, though the branches often exceed the roots

Kingdoms have offered themselves to you

وَأَقَبَّ لَيسَ يَليقُ إِلّا بِالَّذي

ريضَ الزَمانُ بِهِ فَصارَ ذَلولا

With a devotion never before given

And he who ruled Iraq showed his superiority

أَمطاكَهُ الموفي عَلى آبائِهِ

وَرَعاً وَكَم عَلَتِ الفُروعُ أُصولا

By choosing you as his brother and friend

Therefore, wherever you decide to go

بَذَلَت لَكَ الأَملاكُ في أَعطافِها

وَوِدادِها ما لَم يَكُن مَبذولا

You send out an army or dispatch a messenger

This is the noble rank that none can approach

وَأَبانَ مَن مَلَكَ البَسيطَةَ فَضلَهُ

لَمّا اِصطَفاكَ لَهُ أَخاً وَخَليلا

And the power that cannot be attained

Kaʿb should take pride that you are one of them

فَلِذاكَ أَمرُكَ حَيثُ يَمَّمَ نافِذٌ

أَرسَلتَ جَيشاً أَو بَعَثتَ رَسولا

No, ʿĀmir, no, descendants of Ismāʿīl

With whom can you be compared when you have accomplished

هَذا هُوَ الشَرَفُ الَّذي لا يُرتَقى

أَدناهُ وَالعِزُّ الَّذي ما نيلا

Deeds that refuse metaphor and simile?

By your call, time has fulfilled its promise that

فَلتَفتَخِر كَعبٌ بِأَنَّكَ مِنهُمُ

بَل عامِرٌ بَل نَسلُ إِسماعيلا

I always expected to be much delayed

You made me forget the mention of people, so I see

وَبِمَن تُقاسُ وَقَد حَوَيتَ مَآثِراً

تَأبى لَكَ التَشبيهَ وَالتَمثيلا

No asker or questioned

The favors upon me will remain as necklaces

بِنَداكَ أَنجَزَ وَعدَهُ الزَمَنُ الَّذي

قَد كُنتُ أَعهَدُهُ أَلَدَّ مَطولا

Even if they are only for you like shackles

And you protected me from what I feared, so one who intended me harm thought me

أَنسَيتَني ذِكرَ الأَنامِ فَما أَرى

مُستَخبِراً عَنهُم وَلا مَسؤولا

A permanent settler in the two graves

Why should my words not be weighty regarding you, O Crown of Kings,

مِنَنٌ بِجيدي لَن تَزالَ قَلائِداً

وَلَوَ اِنَّها لِسِواكَ كُنَّ كُبولا

When you have attained such abundance?

You exceeded the utmost of the generous

وَعَصَمتَني مِمّا أَخافُ فَظَنَّني

مَن رامَني لِلفَرقَدَينِ نَزيلا

And my position refuses to allow me to be stingy

There is no infidelity in one you have enriched

لِمَ لا يَكونُ القَولُ جَزلاً فيكَ يا

تاجَ المُلوكِ وَقَد أَنَلتَ جَزيلا

Or silence in one you have moved to speak

I will fill pulsating hearts with wonders

جاوَزتَ غايَةَ مَن يَجودُ وَمَنصِبي

يَأبى لِمِثلِيَ أَن يَكونَ بَخيلا

Marked with your likes, the like of which has not been said

Beyond what increases upon Zurayʿ in expression

ما في المُروءَةِ كُفرُ مَن أَغنَيتَهُ

وَسُكوتُ مَن أَنطَقتَهُ لِيَقولا

And misleads the one gone astray in its paths

Traversing lands that steeds cannot reach

فَلَأَملَأَنَّ الخافِقينَ غَرائِباً

مَوسومَةً بِكَ مِثلُها ما قيلا

With leaping, nor can the slender palm tree bend that far

Above domes, not at their level, without

مِمّا يَزيدُ عَلى زِيادٍ بَسطَةً

وَيُضِلُّ في طُرُقاتِهِ الضِلّيلا

One to guide or any desire for guidance

Though my gratitude cannot match your gifts

تَطوي بِلاداً لا الجِيادُ تَنالُها

خَبَباً وَلا الكومُ القِلاصُ ذَميلا

And was frail while hoping for them

And emotions that do not seek substitute

فَوقَ الرَوامِسِ لا العَرامِسِ ما لَها

حادٍ يَسوقُ وَلا تُريدُ دَليلا

Except one wishing for life after death

مَعَ أَنَّ شُكرِيَ لا يَقومُ بِأَنعُمٍ

صَحَّ الرَجاءُ بِها وَكانَ عَليلا

وَعَواطِفٌ لا يَبتَغي بَدَلاً بِها

إِلّا المُريدُ مِنَ الحَياةِ بَديلا