لاع الغرام فؤادا لازم الشجنا

وعال حكما فطر في صارم الوسنا

Passion seizes the heart, pain accompanies sorrow,

It rules with wisdom, upright in severe affliction.

تناوشتني عوادي الدهر ملبسة

اياي من حوكها ثوبى اسى وضنى

The days of fate assailed me, clad

In the garment of misery it wove for me, grief and dejection.

فكدت اذهل اني في رضى ملك

وانه لي مجن يدفع المحنا

I nearly lost hope though pleased to rule,

And that I had protection against difficulties.

من لا تزال سجاياه مطهرة

عن ان تشاب بشيء ذكره هجنا

One whose noble qualities remain untainted,

Too exalted to be associated with anything vile.

سن المحامد بين الناس فاتخذوا

فرض الثناء عليه واجبا سننا

He established praise among people so they took

Eulogizing him as an obligatory tradition.

تأبى عدالته في منظر عوجا

والسيف اعمله بالحق فاحتتنا

His justice cannot behold anything crooked,

And he wields the sword of truth so we sought refuge.

ترى اللغات جميعا في مدائحه

فصيحة والذي لم يتغر لسنغا

You see all languages in his eulogies

Eloquent, even those unrefined in grammar.

ان لم يكن لكريم قط معجزة

فذاك معجز اسماعيل قد علنا

If a generous man has no miracles,

Then this is the miracle of Ishmael we have witnessed.

لو ينطق الصخر يوما قال مرتجلا

اني الين لذكرى عدله غدنا

If rocks could speak one day, extemporaneously they would say

We softened in recollection of his justice.

قل الجدير بهذا المدح وهو عنا

لمن به غيره من ذا الانام عني

Say this praise befits him, and none other

Has attained the like of people from his grace.

سل عنه من صار يجدى السائلين يقل

ما جدت الا من استجدائه المننا

Ask those whose prayers he has answered and they will say

We have not found except from beseeching his favors.

سل القياصر عنه والملوك وهم

يعظمون حماه اينما سكنا

Ask the Caesars about him, and the kings as they

Revere his protection wherever he settled.

وسل ممالك اوربا وقد نعشت

فيها مكارمه كلا كما زكنا

Ask the states of Europe which have prospered

By his virtues, just as we thrived.

هل الرشيد وابناء الرشيد بنوا

للفخر ذكرا كما فضل العزيز بنى

Were the Caliph Ar-Rashid and his sons

Pillars of pride as the honored Al-Aziz's sons?

اكان يوما لبغداد الفسيحة ما

لمصره من قرى قد باهت المدنا

Did splendid Baghdad ever possess what

Egypt has of villages that outshone cities?

الاق دجلة لوحا من بواخره

ام الفرات اقل الجيش والسفنا

Or did the Tigris display ships like his

As did the Euphrates carry his army and vessels?

ام المعارف كانت في زمانهم

تحوى رئيسا عليها عارفا فطنا

Or did sciences in their time

Possess a knowledgeable chief proficient and sagacious?

ام كان ينشر مما الفوا صحف

في كل فن تسنى للهدى سننا

Or were pages circulated then in every

Art of guidance establishing upright traditions?

ام كان ام كان مما لا اطيل به

قولا فحسبك ان كنت امرء الحنا

Or were... I will not prolong this discourse

It suffices if you are a fair man.

ذاك الفخار على اصل الحضيض مشى

طفلا وهذا فخار يفرع القننا

That potter walked as a plebeian child

While this potter established lofty columns.

ذاك الزمان بتدمير العباد اتى

وذا اوان لتعمير البلاد اني

That era came destroying people

While this is the time to rebuild countries.

سل رهط احمد والنعمان ما جنبا

حتى اهينا وفي تقواهما سجنا

Ask the clan of Ahmad and Numan what they hoarded

Until they disgraced us, though we sought refuge in their piety.

وسائل الصبر اذ يعلو مطهمه

كيف الجناب الرفيع اليوم قد امنا

Ask the means of patience when their tyranny prevails,

How their lofty court is safe today.

فاي هاتين اولى ان يقال لها

دار السلام وهل تؤتى الجمال كنى

So which of the two is more deserving to be named

The Abode of Peace? And which manifests perfection?

وانظرا من كان مطبوعا على خلق

كمن تكلفه من هاهنا وهنا

Consider one innately disposed to a character

Unlike one who forces himself to acquire it.

اتى من المادحين المطرئين على خلق

جميع من خلدوا ذكرا لهم حسنا

He came with a natural disposition while others

Deliberately feigned praise for selfish ends.

فانما المرء تحييه مآثره

وما له غير ما تجنى يداه جنى

Indeed one is immortalized by his deeds,

And has none other than what his hands reaped.

لكن اقول مقال الحق لا وجلا

من ذي ملام ولا مغرى يقول خنى

Yet I speak the candid truth, neither timid

Nor seduced, nor speaking out of rancor.

وما بقال فلان كنت ذا ولع

ولا بزخرف مدح كنت مفتننا

I do not say so-and-so you were inclined

To infatuation and were not enchanted by me.

ومن تشقه حكايات مموهة

فانما مثله من بعيد الوثنا

He who objects to embellished narratives

Is like one remotely worshipping idols.

ان الاوائل في روم الفخار شأوا

لكنهم في الجد للآخرين ثنى

The ancients first excelled in pottery

But deferred to later ones in substance.

قد يدرك الآخر الشأو الذي عجزت

عنه الاوالى وقد ينقاد ما حرنا

The latter may attain heights the former

Failed to reach, and untie knots once deemed unbreakable.

افدى العزيز الذي لولا مكارمه

لم يبق في الشعر الا قول من مجنا

May the honored one, whose virtues

Save what remains of poetry from obscenity, be ransomed.

من وصف خصر وارداف وماكمة

ونحو ذلك مما عقله فتنا

Those who described buttocks, breasts and thighs

And similar lewdness that seduced their minds.

فلو عرضت على قوم جواهره

لما حلا احد منهم بها ثمنا

Had I presented his virtues to a people,

None would have matched his price however little.

من ذا يشابه اسماعيل في خلق

تنسى حلاه الغريب الاهل والسكنا

Who resembles Ishmael in conduct,

Making strangers forget native land and dwelling?

صلاته رجحت آمال سائله

فكل قول اتى في شكرها اتزنا

His prayers outweighed the hopes of supplicants,

So every word of thanks falls short.

في عصره الورق المضروب يبذل في

قراضة الورق المهدى اليه ثنا

In his era stamped paper was dispensed

While paper presented to him was repaid in kind.

ان تحص ما في لغات الناس من كلم

فأحص ايلاءه الآلاء والمثنا

If you enumerate what is said in languages,

You enumerate only a portion of his boons.

لولا معاليه خلنا الناس قد نسيت

فعل الجميل وان الدهر قد افنا

Had it not been for his sublime qualities

People would have forgotten good deeds, for time obliterates.

اذ لا ترى غير وعد فات موعده

والغدر والمكر والاضغان والاحنا

You see naught but unfulfilled promises,

Treachachery, schemes, resentment and grief.

ما ذا ترى في اناس طال مسخهم

فهل يعودون انسا بعد ما اسنا

What do you see in people overcome by wickedness?

Will they return to humanity after what they have done?

راموا العزيز بضروهو نافعهم

وفي حماه اصابوا الرغد والغدنا

They plotted harm to the honored one though he benefits them,

And through his protection they gained prosperity.

كادوا ولكنهم بآوا بغيظهم

وكل ذي منطق اياهم لعنا

They schemed but came frustrated in their rage,

And all who spoke against him were cursed.

سيعلمون غدا ماذا يحيق بهم

ومن يساوره السوء الذي اضطبنا

They will know tomorrow what calamities will befall them,

And who will suffer the evil we dread.

يا للعجاب وقد صرنا إلى زن

فيه نرى الجن امثال الورى سحنا

Strange that we have reached an age

Where we see jinn in the forms of men openly socializing!

يروق عينك مرآهم ومخبرهم

يشف عن غول قصد في الحشا كما

Your eyes may admire their appearance and their speech

Would reveal the ghouls preying in the darkness.

ورب حر تراه العين ممتهنا

حتى تفاوضه في الامر ممتحنا

You negotiate with them to test,

Even converse as if human though a deceitful demon.

قد خيب الله مسعاهم وردهم

بغيظهم فهو عنهم يسلب الامنا

God has thwarted their exploits and repelled them in fury,

Stripping safety from their grasp.

كما ادام لاسماعيل نعمته

وزاده بسطة يا طيب ذك منى

Just as He perpetuated blessings for Ishmael

And increased his prosperity, O fairest of vows.

ابا الفداء ابيت اللعن ان لنا

منك الغناء وما عنه نصيب غنى

My father ransomed me, if we have

No songs from you we have no joy.

واننا ان نعد مدحا اليك يعد

مدحا علينا وفخرا باقيا وسنا

If we convey congratulations to Egypt

We have brought joy to the world thereby.

واننا ان نبلغ مصر تهنئة

بان سلمت فللدنيا بذاك هنا

The holiday has returned delegation of bliss to us,

And settled us in comfort and luxury.

العيد عاد بتخويل السرور لنا

وفي بحابح رغد العيش اسكننا

A holiday in which types of blessings were completed

From fasting, and charity that revived the homeland.

عيد به حزت انواع المبرة من

صوم ومن صدقات احيت الوطنا

Dazzling in ethics, manners, virtues

And praiseworthy traits, all excellent.

بهرت خلقا واخلاقا ومنقبة

وشيمة ومزايا كلها حسنا

None contends with you but the debased in farce,

None contests you but a plundered loser.

فما يباريك الا بائر بعنا

وما يجاريك الا خاسر غبنا

Do not worry leader, valiant warrior,

Providence protects you I was not anxious.

لا تخش باسا فذ والباس الشديد له

عناية بك اني كنت لن تهنا

Those you spare out of mercy

Would sacrifice souls and dwelling for you.

ان الذين تقيهم منك مرحمة

ليبذلون لك الارواح والسكنا

So live forever in power and destiny,

And may your resolute sword continue to assist.

فاسلم مدى الدهر في عز ومقدرة

وسيف عزمك ماض اينما مزنا

And may your progeny remain pride of mankind,

Just as your virtue remains an adornment of ancestry.

ودام نسلك فخرا للانام كما

سميك البر حلى نسله