يا راكباً يقْطَعُ الفَيافي

بين ذَميلٍ وبين وَخْدِ

O rider cutting through the empty desert

Between Dhamil and Wakhd,

يخْفى ويبْدو بكُلِّ أرضٍ

ما بينَ غَوْرٍ وبينَ نَجْدِ

Appearing and disappearing in every land

Between valley and plateau,

كأنَّ هَيْقاً أبا رِئالٍ

آنَسَ بالدَّوِّ خيْلَ جُنْدِ

As if a stealthy lion met

A brave army's horses in the sands,

فَشَدَّ لا يَرْعَوي لِشَرْيٍ

ولا لِماءٍ ولا لِثَعْدِ

Charging and paying no heed

To pasture, water or settlement,

ناقَتُهُ والهَجيرُ نارٌ

تُرْقِلُ منْ تَحْتِهِ وتَخْدي

His she-camel and saddlebags aflame

Smoldering beneath him as he spurs her on.

بَلِّغْ وزيرَ الإِمامِ قَوْلاً

عنِ الفَصيح المُشار سَعْدِ

Convey to the vizier of the Imam my words-

About the eloquent Sa’d, so highly esteemed:

فما أبو جَعْفَرٍ بوانٍ

عن حَقِّ فَضْلٍ وحُسْنِ عهْدِ

Abu Ja’far is no faint-heart

When it comes to merit and keeping his word.

هُمامُ حَرْبٍ غَمامُ جَدْبٍ

عِصامُ خطْبٍ مُنيفُ مجْدِ

He’s passionate in war, a raincloud in drought,

Firm in speech, of glorious repute,

باسِمُ ثَغْرٍ سِدادُ ثَغْرٍ

قَريعُ دَهْرٍ صَحيحُ وُدِّ

Named for an honored frontier town, support of the borderlands,

Corrector of time’s wrongs, true friend.

طَوْدُ احْتِمالٍ فَتى نِزالٍ

حَبْرُ مَقالٍ خَصيمُ لُدِّ

A buttress of resilience, a warrior in battle,

Sage in speech, stubborn opponent in debate,

شامِخُ قَدْرٍ وشيكُ نَصْرٍ

هَنيىءُ وَفْرٍ جَزيلُ رفْدِ

Lofty in rank, imminent in victory,

Bountiful, generous, giver of plenty.

وقُلْ لهُ المادِحونَ كُثْرٌ

ولا كَمَدْحي ولا كَحَمْدي

Tell him the eulogists are many,

While my praise and thanks are few.

فاغْنَمْ حديثاً لهُ بَقاءٌ

معي وحاشاكُمُ وبعْدي

So make the most of a conversation with him

That will endure beyond me-

أجْدَبَتِ الأرْضُ بعد خِصْبٍ

وأعْدَمَ الحُرُّ بعدَ وُجْدِ

For when the land loses its verdure,

And the free man, his dignity,

فكيف يُرْجى بَقاءُ نِضْوٍ

بغير مَرْعىً وغيرِ وِرْد

How can the survival of glory be hoped

Without pasture or fountain?