تأوَّب كالبدر في جنحه

وأين العواصم من سفحه

He rose like the full moon in its glory,

Where are the capitals compared to its base?

خيالٌ يزور أخير الدجى

فتحسبه مبتدا صبحه

A dream visits the darkness of night,

You'd think it the start of its dawn.

وقد ضمَّ جَفنِي بزير الكرى

فيعرب في الحال عن فتحه

My eyelids closed from the striking bells,

So it immediately expressed its opening.

هوى شارح لي حديث الغرام

فلا تسال القلب عن شرحه

It explained to me the discourse of passion,

So do not ask the heart about its explanation.

تعشقته شاهر الوجنتين

بما لقى القلب من جرحه

I fell in love with the one with reddened cheeks,

For what the heart suffered from its wound.

له سيف لحظ أراق الدّماءَ

فحمرة خدَّيهِ من نضجه

He has a glancing sword that shed blood,

So the redness of his cheeks is from its heating.

كأنَّ عذاريه خط الجمال

تميل النفوس إلى لمحه

It is as if his charm drew the line of beauty,

Inclining souls to its glance.

رئيسٌ له في العلى منزلٌ

تزلّ الكواكب عن صرحه

He has in the heights a dwelling,

With planets slipping from its palace.

يرجَّى وإن زاد في سخطه

ويخشى وإن لان في مزحه

He is hoped for even if his wrath increases,

And feared even if he is gentle in jest.

ترقى به محمود مرقى الهلال

فلاحظ الضدّ في نبحه

With him the crescent moon rose to prominence,

So note the opposite in its howling.

وأعدى على نائبات الزمان

فما تشتكي الناس من فدحه

And he attacked the deputies of time,

So people do not complain of his oppression.

براحته قلمٌ قد دعا

شكاةَ الزمان إلى صلحه

In his rest, a pen which called

To reform the era with its appeasement.

يقول الرجاء لمتاحه

طغى سيل غيثك فاستصحه

Hope says to its attainment,

Your torrent of rain has overflowed so remedy it.

ويوضح للناس نهج الثناءِ

فنظم القصائد من منحه

And he clarifies for the people the approach of praise,

So poems were composed from his bestowal.

له كتبٌ في ديار العدَى

غني بها الجيش عن كدحه

He has books in the lands of enemies,

Enriching the army beyond their struggle.

تثقف مثل أعالي الشآم

بما اشتعل الدهر من لفحه

Cultured like the heights of Damascus,

With what the ages ignited from its sparks.

لك الله من واضحٍ مجدُه

كما اتَّضح الأفق عن صبحه

For you, may God grant clear glory,

As the horizon cleared from its dawn.

وبرُّك في الفضل برٌّ رفيع

فليس المعاند من طرحه

And your righteousness in virtue is high righteousness,

So the adversary cannot reject it.

وكم لك عنديَ من منَّةٍ

كما أسرف الغيث في سحه

And how much grace I have from you,

As heavy rain poured in its shower.

ينطقني جودك المرتجَى

ويدعو اللسان إلى صدحه

Your desired generosity makes me speak,

And calls the tongue to its fervor.

فاجْلب نظمي ونثري له

وأروي الصحيحين عن مدحه

So inspire my prose and poetry to it,

As I quench my thirst with its praise.