لَكَ الحَمدُ يا مَن حَصَل

لَنا لُطفَهُ وَاِتَصَل

You deserve all praise, O He who has bestowed

Upon us His kindness, and drawn near

بِمثل صَنيع الوَزير

يُحسن ضَرب المَثَل

With benevolence like that of the minister,

Skillful in setting examples.

سَميّ النَبيّ الَّذي

عَلى المُلك كانَ اِشتَمَل

He called the Prophet, the noble one

Who bore the burden of leadership,

وَفي مثل أَغداقِهِ

يَكادُ يَجور العَذل

And in his overflowing munificence

He almost went beyond proper bounds.

دَعا الجَفلى لِدَعوَتِهِ

فَكادَ القَرى أَن يَمل

He called the uncouth to his invitation

Until the towns were nearly sated.

ختان جَرى بِالجدى

فَعَمَّ الوَرى بِالجَذل

A sincere effort was made with determination

And the lands were filled with endeavor.

لِشبلٍ لَهُ في السَنا

كَشَمس الضُحى في الحَمل

For a cub whose brilliance in the heights

Was like the rising sun in Aries,

لِأَحمَدِ أَترابِه

بِتَفصيلِهِ وَالجَمَل

For Ahmad and his companions

In detail and summary.

مُخَيلَتَهُ بَشَرت

بِمَجد لَهُ مُقتبل

His imagination gave tidings

Of a glorious future for him,

وَقَد جاءَ تاريخُهُ

خِتان بِجود كَمل

And his date came with perfect generosity -

A sincere effort with complete determination.

فَكانَت لَهُ راعياً

عِناية مَن لَم يَزَل

Divine care was a shepherd for him,

The care of Him who does not cease to be.

إِذا عَمَّ عَدل الرُعا

ة صارَ الرَعايا خَول

When the justice of the shepherd spreads

The flock becomes submissive.

وَيَنقاد لَيث الشَرى

إِلى حاكم إِن عَدَل

And the lion of evil is led

To a just ruler if he rules justly.

فَكَيفَ الَّذي جودَهُ

مَع العَدل أَيضاً شَمل

How then when his generosity

Also encompasses justice?

عَن البَحر سَلني أَجب

وَعَن صَدرِهِ لا تَسَل

Ask the sea about him, and answer,

But do not ask about his chest.

فَما وَصفَهُ بِالَّذي

أَذا رُمتَ حَداً حَصَل

For who can describe Him who,

If you shoot an arrow, it reaches Him?

تَملك رق الوَرى

بِبشر يَروق المُقل

You possess the hearts of mankind

With a face that comforts the oppressed,

وَحُلم تَصفو العُلا

وَبِالعَدل تَبقى الدُوَل

And clemency by which exalted lineage is purified,

And justice by which states endure.

أَرى الحُلم مثل الحَيا

يزان بِهِ مِن عَقل

I see clemency as the scales

Of reason by which to weigh.

وَما راقَ وَرد الخُدو

د إِلّا بِصَبغ الخَجَل

And nothing has delighted the buds of youth

Except the dye of shyness.

وَسَل عَنهُ يَوم الوَغى

مَواضي الظَبي وَالأَسَل

Ask about him the meadows of gazelle and ibex

When in fear the heart of the hero flew

إِذا طارَ مِن خيفَةٍ

شُعاعاً فُؤاد البَطَل

You would think the sword of his assault

Raced with the specter of death.

ظَنَنت شبا سَيفِهِ

يُسابق وَشك الأَجَل

He went on offering lives in sacrifice

When the encounter brought them together like kisses.

وَراحَ يَعدّ الجِرا

ح عِندَ اللُقا كَالقُبَل

The zealous defender almost died

From his might and seriousness.

فَكادَ يَموت الحَما

م مِن بَأسِهِ لِلوَجل

His own banner deserted it.

Not one of his banners failed

يَهنا عَدوٌّ رَأى

لَهُ راية فَاِنخَذَل

To attain the hoped for goal.

With an opening followed by comfort

فَلا فاتَ راياتِهِ

بُلوغ المُنى وَالأَمَل

And victory when the time was right.

بِفَتح يَلي راحة

وَنَصر إِذا حَلَّ جَل