ألا أيها المُطري العلاءَ بن صاعدٍ

وشاكِرهُ في نيّةٍ وثَناءِ

O you who rains blessings from on high, Ala'a son of Sa'id

And who thanks with good intention and praise

شكرتَ امرأً ينْمِي على الشكر عُرْفُهُ

ويأبى على الكفران غيرَ نماءِ

You have thanked a man whose goodness increases through gratitude

And who refuses any growth except through loyalty

فتى نال غايات الكهولِ وجازها

على جِدّةٍ من سِنِّه وفَتاءِ

A young man who attained the heights of elders and surpassed them

Through his own youthful vigor and excellence

كما بهر البَدرُ النجومَ لأربعٍ

وعشر فأمستْ غيرَ ذاتِ ضياءِ

As the full moon outshone the stars on the fourteenth night

And they lost their brilliance

وحَسْبُ أبي عيسى العلاءِ بأنه

يُعَدُّ بديئاً سيّدَ الحكماءِ

It is enough for Abu Isa Ala'a that he

Is considered the foremost of the wise

وأن أباه الخيرَ طال بقاؤه

يعد بديئاً سيّدَ الوزراءِ

And that his father's goodness is of long duration

He is considered the foremost of the viziers

وأن الأمير المُستنيم إليهما

يعد بديئاً سيّدَ الأمراءِ

And that the prince who seeks refuge in them

Is considered the foremost of the princes

وأن الخطيب الصادقَ القَولِ فيهما

يعد بديئاً سيّدَ الخطباء

And that the truthful orator about them

Is considered the foremost of the orators

خطيبٌ عَصاه الرمحُ والسيفُ لم يزل

وآباؤُه يُبْلُون خيرَ بلاءِ

An orator whom spear and sword could not bend

While his fathers faced the best of trials

كنوزُ غِنىً للمُقْتِرين وإنْ دُعوا

لنائرةٍ كانوا كنوزَ غَناء

Treasures of wealth for the needy, and if called

To the fire, they were treasures of song

وهذي أمورٌ وُفِّقتْ لابن صاعد

أماراتُ جَدٍّ صاعدٍ وبقاءِ

These are signs aligned for the son of Sa'id

Tokens of the rising and enduring fame of Sa'id

وما زال ممدوحاً بحقٍّ معظَّماً

على ألسن الأشرافِ والعظماءِ

And he remains praised in truth, glorified

On the tongues of nobles and chieftains

وما يَضع المرءَ الشرِيفَ امتداحُهُ

علاءً ولا يُحذيه غيرُ علاءِ

And the praise of a noble man does not diminish him

Nor does any equal Ala'a in nobility

وهل يضعُ الطودَ المُنيفَ اعترافُه

لناصبِه بالعدلِ تحتَ سماءِ

And can the acknowledgment of his rival beneath the sky

Demean the towering mountain?