إذا ما سَنى ملقاكُم فاتَ ناظِري
وفاتَ لِساني قُرْبَةٌ وسَلامُ
If your meeting me happens to elude my eyes,
My tongue will falter in greeting and peace.
فأنْعمُ عيْشي عند ذلك شِقْوَةٌ
وأوْضحُ صُبحي ليلةٌ وظَلامُ
My life will become wretched with misery,
My radiant dawn be night and gloominess.
فلا نزحتْ دارٌ بفارسِ خِندفٍ
وطابَ به حيث اسْتَقرَّ مَقامُ
No home moved without the knight of Khindif,
Who blessed it wherever he settled down.
فتىً هو للمُقْوي من المالِ ثروةٌ
وللخائفِ الجاني حِمىً وعِصامُ
To the oppressed he's wealth from his riches,
To the frightened fugitive, refuge and guard.
وعند انتضاء العزم هوْجاءُ زعْزعٌ
وفي الصَّبْر منه يَذْبُلٌ وشَمامُ
When resolve is stirred he is tumultuous,
In patience with him are fading and allure.
هَنيءُ النَّدى لا يُمترى بوسيلةٍ
ولا يحْبِسُ المعروفَ منهُ كلامُ
Generous with the dew he brooks no bargaining,
Nor does his speech good deeds ever confine.
ولا يُتْبعُ الوَفْر الجزيلَ بمنَّةٍ
إذا مَنَّ بالوَفْرِ الزَّهيدِ فِئامُ
No favor follows his ample generosity,
If with sparse kindness commoners he obliges.
ولا تنْقُض الأيامُ مبرمَ عَهدهِ
إذا خانَ وافٍ واسْتُبيحَ ذِمامُ
No days violate his solemn covenant,
If a loyal friend is betrayed and protection violated.
ولا لهَواهُ بالمَناقِبِ سَلْوَةٌ
إذا ما انْقَضى وجْدٌ ومَرَّ مَرامُ
His passion bears no frivolity for merits
When fervor expires and purpose is realized.
وأوْحَدُ مجْدٍ لا يُثَنَّى بمثلهِ
ولكنَّهُ تحت العَجاجِ لُهامُ
Peerless glorious fame none can match it,
But under oppression it's a roaring lion.
وزيرٌ يفرُّ المحْلُ عن جوِّ أرضه
كأنَّ بَنانَ الخِنْدفِيِّ غَمامُ
Minister who space flees his land's climate,
As if Khindifi's edifices were clouds.
أبو جعفرٍ غرسُ الخِلافة والذي
حَوى المجدَ والعَلْياءَ وهو غُلام
Abu Ja'far, the caliphate's scion but still
The abode of glory and loftiness as a lad.
زهيدُ الكرى نائي الصباح لحفظ من
هُمُ منْ حِماهُ آمِنونَ نِيامُ
Caring little for worldly things, remote from youth,
To protect those whom his defense made tranquil sleepers.
