يَمِينُكَ في النَّوالِ وفي الكفاحِ

كَصَوْبِ المُزْنِ والقَدَرِ المُتَاحِ

Your hand in benevolence and in battle

Is like the stroke of destiny, sure and able,

إِذا صالَتْ فَكَمْ أَجَلٍ مُبَاحٍ

وإِنْ جادَتْ فَكَمْ مالٍ مُباحِ

Should you be kind, how excellent the grace!

And if generous, what noble wealth you place!

يَلينُ لنا ويَخْشُنُ للأَعادِي

وهَذِي شِيمَةُ البِيضِ الصِّفاحِ

To us, gentle, though to foes a threat,

The nature thus of polished blades which let

أُبثُّكَ يا جمالَ المُلْكِ أَّنِّي

سَكِرْتُ وما شَرِبْتُ كؤوسَ راحِ

Loose I sing your beauty's fame, for I

Though drinking not am drunk, and know not why.

قَطَعْتُ إِلى أَبِي الخَيرِ بْنِ جُرْجِي

مَهَامِهَ لا تَخِفُّ على الرِّياحِ

To Abul Khair son of Jurj I came,

His great renown no winds can blow aflame.

فأَنزَلَني ولكِنْ عن ذُرَاهُ

وحَيَّانِي ولكنْ بِالنُّباحِ

He welcomed me, but from afar aloof,

And set the hounds on me with bark and woof.

فلو لاقيتُ منهُ رَبَّ عِرْضٍ

تَرَكْتُ أديمَهُ دامِي الجِراحِ

Had he but met me with unsheathed blade,

I had not quit the field while life still stayed.

ولكن نُزِّهَتْ عنه سُيوفي

هناك وأُكْبِرَتْ عنه رِماحي

But from this wrath he held his swords at bay

And turned aside his lances on that day.

ولو أَنِّي إِلى رَيَّان آوِي

لآواني فَتًى رَجْبُ النَّواحي

And had I sought Raiyan to be my host,

A noble friend Raiyan would have me boast.

فإِنْ لم أَحْظَ منه بنَيْلِ رِفْدٍ

فإِنَّ البِشْرَ عُنْوَانُ السَّماحِ

If I find not in him all kindness, still

Man's brow should be the tablet for goodwill.