هلالٌ بأفقِالملك تزهى سعودُه
وشبلٌ بغابِ السمر تربى أسودُه
The crescent moon adorns the king's horizon with its beauty
And the lion cub is raised in the thickets of Semmar
وفرعُ علًى تهتزّ أعطافُ مجده
وينفحُ أبناءَ المحامد عودُه
The lofty branch sways with the glory of its yield
And its fresh, fragrant bloom exhales perfume
تباشرتِ الدنيا به وتنافست
مراتبُه في شخصه ومهودُه
The world competed over him and vied
For his ranks, in his person and his cradle
وسرّ بني أيوبَ أنَّ مقامهم
محافظة عاداته وعهودُه
The secret of the Ayyubid dynasty is that their reign
Preserves its customs and covenants
إذا غاب ملكٌ لم يغب غيرُ شخصه
وقامَ ابنهُ من بعده وحفيدُه
When a king departs, only his person leaves
His son stands in his place afterward, and his grandson
فيا لك بيتاً في الفخار سعيده
بنوه على حالاته وجدودُه
What a blessed house is yours among houses
Your children follow your ways and those of their ancestors
هنيئاً لبيت الفضلِ أنَّ عمادَهُ
مقيمٌ وأنَّ الملكَ باقٍ عميدُه
Congratulations to the house of nobility whose pillar
Stands firm, and whose king remains steadfast
وأن وليد الأفضل الملك قد محا
عن الناس حزناً لا ينادى وليدُه
When the best successor, King Waleed, erased
People's sorrows - though none now mourn Waleed
سمعنا به في شهر شعبان فانتهت
لنا والعدى حلواؤه ووقودُه
In Sha'ban we heard of him, and so ended
For us and foes the sweetness and fuel of his life
يكادُ قبيلَ المهدِ تعلو سروجُه
وتنشرُ من قبلِ القماط بنوده
Before his cradle, his lamp had nearly risen high
And his banners spread before his swaddling clothes
ويهتزّ للجدوى وما هزّ مهده
به وتناغى بالهبات وفوده
He shook with vigor though his cradle never shook him
As deputations and gifts flocked to him
شبيه أبيه في الفخار وجده
فيا لقديمٍ قد تلاه جديدُه
The image of his father and ancestor
What a marvelous ancient succeeded by one novel!
سقى الله مثوى جدّه كلَّ مزنةٍ
تضوعُ بها ضوعَ الرياض لحوده
May Allah water the dwelling of his ancestor with every downpour
That makes the garden bowers teem and overflow
وأبقى أباهُ للسيادةَ والعلى
تُنالُ عطاياهُ وتُحمى جنودُه
And maintain his father as sovereign and supreme
So none can attain his gifts or breach his armies
وأنشأه في الجود والبأس نشأةً
يبيد بها تبرُ الثرى وحديده
And raise him in munificence and valor to such heights
That he annihilates all rebellion and steel
أما والأيادي الأفضلية إنها
تحمّل جهدَ الحمدِ حتى تؤوده
For the finest hands, they surely can withstand
The effort of praise however arduous the load
لقد نهضت علياهُ نهضة ماجدٍ
قصيّ مداهُ فائضات مدُودُه
His ascendance ascended like some victorious predecessor
Whose far-reaching excess knows no limit or end
مضيءٌ وما في الأفق برقٌ نشيمه
مفيءٌ وما في الأرض خصبٌ نرودُه
Resplendent, though no flash lights the horizon
Sheltering, though no fertile rain drenches the land
له عزمات في العلى شادَوِّيةٌ
لها أبداً من كلِّ عزمٍ سديدُه
His resolves in supremacy are most valiant
Withstood forever by any resolute foe
فما همّها إلا ضعيفٌ تسوسه
بفضل نداها أو قويٌّ تسوده
No weaker soul can corrode them
Or stronger control them, thanks to his bounty
مقسمةٌ أقلامهُ وسيوفهُ
لنعماءَ يبديها وطاغٍ يبيده
His swords and pens apportion
Blessings he grants, and tyrants he destroys
عزيزٌ على الساعي مداه وهذه
مهابته عصر الشباب وجوده
Dear to those who seek him, his aura in the prime of youth
This, his formidable manner, his essence, his being
إذا كان حربٌ فهو سفَّاحُ يومه
وإن كانَ رأيٌ غامضٌ فرَشيدُه
If it is war, he is slaughterer of the day
If it is counsel, profound is his wisdom
يرَجّيه من بحر القريض سريعه
فيلقاه من بحرِ النوالِ مدِيدُه
Those who seek swift, flowing verse from him
Are met with ample, bountiful seas from him
يساويه في حق العلى متشبهٌ
إذا ما تساوى سبطُه ويزيدُه
Were his fortune equaled by one who resembled him
Then his Companion's and Zayd's stations would equal his own
ويسمى سعيداً دهرُه ومباركاً
فصحَّ لنا أنَّ الدُّهورَ عبيده
His age is called happy and blessed
For it is clear to us that eras are his servants
تسوق إليه كلّ سعدٍ يشاؤه
وتخدمه في كلِّ أمرٍ يريده
Drawing to him each joy he desires
Serving him in everything he wants
فلو أننا في يوم قصد جنابه
سألنا شباب العمر كادَ يعيده
If we approached his threshold one day
Seeking the youth of life, he could restore it
فلو أنَّ أقمارَ السماء تحجبت
لأغنى سراةَ الليل عنها وُجودُه
If the stars of heaven hid themselves
His being's radiance would suffice for the travelers of night
ولو أنه لم يحشدِ الجيشَ للوغى
كفتهُ سطاهُ أن يجرَّ حسودُه
If he did not marshal armies for the fray
His dominion would suffice to drag foes
ألا إنَّ سلطانَ المعالي محمداً
لمشكورُ سعي المكرماتِ حميدُه
Behold! The sultan of glory, Muhammad
Is thanked for his blessed, praised efforts
فليتَ عمادَ الدّين يبصرُ نسله
وقد جلّ مسعاهُ وزادَ عديدُه
Would that the Pillar of Faith could see his progeny
With his great work increased and his numbers multiplied
وما هو إلاَّ بيتُ ملكٍ منظمٍ
فمن أجلِ ذا أيامه تستعيدُه
Yet it is but the house of an orderly kingdom
For which its days will be relived because of it
أأزكى الورَى نفساً وأكرم معشراً
وأمكنهم من سؤدَدٍ تستجيدُه
Is there any soul more pure, people more noble
Empowered against calamities as you are empowered?
بكم غنيتْ حالي عن الناس وازدهى
نظامُ كلامي فيكمو وفريده
How you have enriched my state beyond all people, and enhanced
The propriety of my words for your uniqueness
فما الدّرّ إلاَّ دونَ نظمٍ أنصه
وما القصر إلاَّ دونَ بيتٍ أشيده
For what are prose but crude pearls
And what is a palace but a finely built home?
