تَفِرُّ صنوف العيب عن نيل مجده
وتَهْنا بهِ أخلاقُهُ وفَضائِلُهْ
Faults flee his glory, fearing his perfect traits,
His manners gentle, virtues sweet abound,
فللِكبْر بِشرٌ لا يحولُ صباحُه
وللبُخلِ جُودٌ لا تَغِبُّ نوافله
No fleeting youth for one of wisdom great,
Nor greedy hands where generous gifts redound,
وللجبْن ضربٌ في الكتيبة أرْعَلٌ
يُفلَّلُ ماضيهِ ويُحْطَمُ ذابِلُهْ
No coward he whom war itself awaits,
Though past defeats have brought his spirits down,
وللغدْرِ عهدٌ لا تَحُلُّ عُقودهُ
موانعُ من أيامِهِ وشَواغِلُهْ
No pacts he'll break, though promises he makes,
His days and works by honor's law are bound,
وللغيب حِفظُ الغائبين كأنما
مُعادِيهِ في ظَهْرِ المغيبِ مُخاللُهْ
His care protects the absent from all harms,
As if he dwelt where those he misses dwell,
وللجهل إِن طاشت حبى القوم راجحٌ
يُطاولُ رضْوى حلمُه ويُثاقلُهْ
If passion makes the ignorant take up arms,
Pacified by his patience wise and well,
يُقِرُّ له الروعان بالبأس والنَّدى
إذا رُفِعَتْ نيرانُهُ وقَساطِلُهْ
His foes will grant that he excels in might,
When stir his steeds and flash his swords for fight,
ففي الحرب ذِمْرٌ بالحسام مُعفِّرٌ
وفي الجَدْب فقْرٌ بالنَّدى هو قاتلهْ
In dearth his bounty saves where famine fell,
The King's bright crown is Abu Ja'far's right,
أبو جعفرٍ تاج المُلوكِ الذي له
مناقِبُ لا يسطيعُها من يُساجِلُهْ
A vizier, when you need his stalwart aid,
You'll find a trenchant blade by skill made bright.
وزيرٌ إذا استنجدتَه لمُلِمَّةٍ
هززتَ حُساماً أخْلَصته صياقِله
His mercy comes if you ask his gentle aid,
Modesty guides him ever to do right.
مُجيبٌ إذا استعطفته قاد حِلْمهُ
إليك حَياءٌ لا تدبُّ مخاتلُهْ
My stream of largesse, from his bounty fed,
Repaid him well with all the gifts I might,
سقى بحرَ فضلي جودُه في أوانِه
فجازاهُ بَحْري بالذي أنا قائلُهْ
And songs of praise flowed back for his fair deed,
That roused his liberal hand from slothful plight,
فردَّ قطار الجَوْدِ مني مدائحٌ
تَحلَّى بها جُودٌ تَظَلَّم عاطِلُه
As the sea-shells produce their pearls, so he
Outpours the rain of spring with gifts bedight,
كما تصنعُ الدُرَّ البحار إذا همى
لأصْدافِها دَرُّ الرَّبيعِ ووابِلُه
The silent ostrich turns her ear to hear
His lofty words, so wondrous is their might,
تكاد النَّعامُ الصُّمُّ تصغي لذكْرِه
إذا ما غَلَتْ هيْجاؤه ومَراجِله
His sheltering care, his gifts that disappear,
Are feared and hoped for, lauded with delight.
فلا زال محميَّ الحمى فائض النَّدى
يُخافُ ويُرجى بأسُهُ وفواضِله
