أَقولُ لِسَعْدٍ وَهْوَ لِلْمَجْدِ مُقْتَنٍ

وَلِلْحَمْدِ مُرْتادٌ وَلِلْعَهْدِ حافِظُ

I say to Sa'd while he is dedicated to glory

And inclined to praise and faithful to his word

أُخَيَّ أَمَا تَرْتاحُ لِلسَّيْرِ إِذْ بَدا

سَناً لِحُشاشَاتِ الدُّجُنَّةِ لافِظُ

O brother, do you not rest from this journey when

It shines out to the owls of the thickets, vigilant

فَهَبَّ يُنادي صَاحِبيْهِ وَطَرْفُهُ

عَنِ النَّجْمِ مُزْوَرٌّ وَلِلْفَجْرِ لاحِظُ

So he calls out to his companions while his glance

Turns from the star and he watches the dawn

وَظَلَّ يَبُزُّ النّاجِياتِ مِراحَها

إِلَيْكَ أَبا المِغوارِ وَالسَّيْرُ باهِظُ

And he continued to advance his DOVEs while their

Pasture was precious to you, O father of migwar, and the journey expensive

وَجاءَكَ وَالأَيّامُ خْزْرٌ عُيونُها

تُلاينُهُ طَوْراً وَطَوْراً تُغالِظُ

And he came to you while the days were green, their

Eyes overflowing, sometimes gentle and sometimes harsh

فَردَّتْ بِغَيْظٍ عَنْهُ حينَ أَجَرْتَهُ

فَلا الخَطْبُ مَرْهوبٌ وَلا الدَّهْرُ غائِظُ

So she turned away from him angrily when you granted him refuge

So neither is the matter dreadful nor is fate cruel

وَمَدَّ إِلَيكَ البَاعَ حَتّى أَطالَهُ

بِذي قُدْرَةٍ تَرْفَضُّ عَنها الحَفائِظُ

And he extended to you his goods until it was prolonged

With the All Powerful who turns away from it the vigilant

عَلَوْتَ فَفُقْتَ النَّجْمَ حتّى تَخاوَصَتْ

إِليكَ عُيونُ الشُّهْبِ وَهْي جَواحِظُ

You ascended and surpassed the star until

The eyes of the shooting stars came to you beseeching

فَسَيْبُكَ مَأْمولٌ وَجارُكَ آمِنٌ

وَمَشْتَى رِكابي في جَنابِكَ قائِظُ

So your request is hopeful and your neighbor is safe

And my stance steadfast by your side, vigilant

أَقولُ لِمَنْ يَبْغِي مَداكَ وَقَدْ رَأَى

عَدُوَّكَ في أَرْجائِهِ وَهْوَ فائِظُ

I say to one who seeks to reach you when he has seen

Your enemy powerless and submissive

أَواضِعَ جَفْنٍ فَوْقَ آخَرَ مِنْ كَرىً

مَتى لَحِقَتْ شَأْوَ الصَّميمِ الوَشَائِظُ

Be gentle, though above another of worries

When the sorrows of the heart sincere convene

تَنَبَّهْ وَنَفِّضْ غُبَّرَ النَّوْمِ فَالعُلا

بَغيضٌ إِلَيْها النّائِمُ المُتياقِظُ

Awaken, shake off the dust of sleep for glory

Hates the sleeping wakeful one

إِذَا المَرْءُ لَمْ يُسْرِعْ إِلى الرُّشْدِ طَائِعاً

أُذِيقَ الرَّدى كُرْهاً وَفي السَّيْفِ واعِظُ

When a man does not voluntarily hasten to righteousness

He tastes misery unwillingly and in the sword lies a lesson