يا لامحاً شبحَ المُسِفِّ الأكْحل

والغاديات مع الصَّباحِ الحُفَّلِ

O fading specter of the black knight

And maidens leaving with the faded dawn

والجوْنُ يُلحفُ بالهضاب ربابُهُ

كنَعامِ دَوٍّ ذي الرِّثالِ المُجْفِل

While youth wraps the highlands in its rhythm

Like a heavy Nea'ma ostrich in loose feathers

همدتْ نضارتهُ وأشْعَب هَمُّهُ

فغَدا يَعُجُّ عَجيج نِضْوٍ مُثْقَل

Its vigor has waned and its worries multiplied

So it moans heavily like a laden camel

دعْ عنك مركوم السْحاب وودْقَه

وابْغِ النَّدى عند الإِمامِ المُفْضِل

Leave the piled clouds and their drizzle

And seek the dew at the esteemed leader's abode

تجد الحَيا هَلَلاً وما استَمطرْتَه

جَوْداً يصوبُكَ من سحاب الأنمل

You'll find life crescent-shaped, though not watered by the rain

A downpour aiming you from the constellation Al Na'ml

مُتبعِّقاً يَذَرُ الحُزونَ قَرارةً

ويذيبُ وابلُه صليبَ الجَنْدَل

Dripping, leaving the grieved boiling

And its torrent melting the wooden cross

تُحْيي البلادَ به بَنانُ خليفَةٍ

تذَرُ الهواجر كالربيعِ المُبْقِلِ

It brings the countries to life under the leadership of Khalifa

Leaving migrants like the blossoming spring

خِرْقٌ يُعاجل سائليه برِفْده

ويَجودُ بالنُّعْمى إذا لم يُسْألِ

A breach promptly providing for its seekers

And bestowing goodness without being asked

فكأنَّ ناديَهُ ومجْمَعَ مجْدِهِ

سَلْسالُ وِرْدٍ بالمَفازَةِ مُثْعِل

As if its oasis and the site of its glory

A necklace of flowers in the wilderness adorned

يتفارطُ العافونَ حُبَّ ورودِهِ

كتفارُط الكُدْريِّ نحو المَنْهَلِ

The benefactors exceed in love of its roses

As the rain pool exceeds toward the watering hole

لو جادَ بالبحر المُحيطِ لَظَنَّهُ

منْ فرْطِ همَّتِه ثَميلةَ سحْبَل

If he were to give away the great ocean, one would think

Due to his ambition, a small cup

أو سامهُ عافوهُ بُلغَةَ مائهِ

يومَ التَّصافُنِ صائفاً لم يَبْخَلِ

Or quench those he granted in a day

When allies meet, not stinting

وإذا دجا الخطب البهيمُ وأغْدفتْ

شمس الرَّجاء نِقابَ ليلٍ ألْيَل

And when the minds of beasts darken and

The sun of hope dons the veil of a long night

كشف الإِمامُ المسْتضيءُ ظَلامَها

بعَزيمةٍ مثْلِ الحُسامِ المِقْصَل

The shining Imam dispels its darkness

With resolve like the sharpened sword

تتْلو سباعُ الطَّيرِ طيرَ لوائهِ

وتَشيمُ عاسِلَهُ عُيونُ العُسَّل

The predatory birds recite his banner

And the honey bee's eyes admire his standard

دَرِبَتْ بأشْرء المُلوكِ فكُلَّها

تأبى سوى لحْمِ المُطاعِ العبْهَل

Skilled in the ways of kings, yet all

Refuse but the flesh of the obeyed lion

فمَرازِقُ الجمعيْنِ عند كُماتهِ

والكُومُ بين دُخانِه والقَسْطَل

The livelihoods of both armies are in his clutches

And the heap between his smoke and embers

حَبْرٌ لهُ تقْواهُ أمْنعُ جُنَّةٍ

وأعَزُّ مُعْتَصمٍ وأشرفُ معْقل

An ink his piety protects stronger than any shield

And a firmer refuge and higher fortress

فإذا طَغى الأعداء كَفَّ جيوشَهُ

مع بأسهمْ وغَزا بجيشِ تَوكلِ

So when enemies transgress, his armies halt them

Despite their might, and he attacks with trust

فالنَّصر يُحقر كلَّ طَعْنٍ مُنْفذٍ

والسَّعد يصْغرُ كلَّ ضربٍ أرْعل

Victory belittles any piercing stab

And fortune humbles any fierce blow

نام الرَّعيَّةُ والإِمامُ مُسَهَّدٌ

جَمُّ الرَّويَّةِ في صلاحِ المُهْمَل

The subjects rest while the Imam lies awake

Guarding the flock in reforming the neglected

في العدل والإِحْسانِ مُمْتثلاً لما

يتْلوهُ منْ نصِّ الكتابِ المُنْزَل

Upholding justice and benevolence as he recites

What he memorizes from the revealed Book

يَسْعى إلى إِحرازِ كلِّ حَميدةٍ

طَلْقَ النَّعامة أو شِكالِ الهيْكل

Seeking every praiseworthy trait

Nimble as an ostrich or sturdy as a temple

وطغى المُلوكُ وباتَ من إِشْفاقه

خَشْيانَ يُخْبِتُ للقديم الأول

Kings cowered and spent the night in dread of him

Silent fear of the ancient days

شعفي بمجدك يا ابن عمِّ مُحمَّدٍ

شَعفُ الخوامس بالبَرود السلسل

I boast of your glory, O son of Muhammad's uncle

Boasting of the necklaces with the smooth pearls

فمَدائحي والمَجْدُ ينظمُ دُرَّها

في سِلْكِهِ كَصبابَةِ المُتَغزِّلِ

So my praises and glory compose its pearls

In its strand like the prolonged infatuation

أحببتُ أبْلَجَ مثلُ فخر حديثِه

وكريمِ سيرةِ مجْدِه لمْ يُنْقَل

I loved the most eloquent like the pride of his tales

And the generous morals of his unmatched glory

نسفَ الغُبار بكل معْطسِ ماجدٍ

فضْلَ الجوادِ على الهجين الأقْزَل

He blew away the dust of every towering hero

The superiority of the generous over the brindled horse

فبَقيتَ يا من صان وجهيَ جودُه

ونَوالُهُ عنْ ذِلَّةٍ وتَبَذُّلِ

So you remained, O you whose generosity protected my dignity

And whose bestowal was safe from humiliation and fickleness

لرضا الإِلهِ وحِفْظه في خلْقِهِ

والذَّبِّ عنْ سُنَن النَّبيِّ المُرسل

For the pleasure of God and preserving His creation

And following the way of the sending Prophet