كَأَنَّما اِدَّخَرَ الرَحمنُ معظَمَة
دونَ المُلوكِ لِسَيفِ الدَولَةِ البَطَلِ
As though the All-Merciful had reserved greatness
for the hero Sayf al-Dawla, to the exclusion of other kings.
رَآهُ أَكرَمَهُم في الخَيرِ إِن ذُكِروا
وَصفاً وَأَفضَلُهُم في القَولِ وَالعَمَلِ
He deemed him the most generous of them in goodness, if they were mentioned
in description, and the best of them in speech and deed.
فَهَزَّهُ وَظبا الأَسيافِ مغمدَةٌ
وَاِستَلَّهُ غَيرَ مَنسوبٍ إِلى الفَلَلِ
So He brandished him while the blades of swords lay sheathed,
and unsheathed him, free of any nick in his edge.
حَتّى غَدا الدينُ مِن بَعدِ العَبوسِ بِهِ
جِذلانَ يَرفُلُ مِن نُعماهُ في حُلَلِ
Until, through him, the faith, after frowning, became
joyful, walking proudly in robes bestowed by his bounty.
فَلَو تَكَلَّمَ في حالٍ وَقيلَ لِهُ
مَن خَيرُ هذا الوَرى لَم يُسَمِّ غَير عَلى
So, were it to speak in any circumstance and be asked,
"Who is the best of these mortals?" it would name none but Ali.
Sol 6.1