جانِبا لَوْمي وخافا لَددَي
إنَّ تفْنيدي بعضُ الفَنَدِ
Turn from blaming me, and fear my wrath,
For exposing me is but partial disclosure.
واحْذَرا رَشْقةَ مرهوبِ الشَّبا
شأنُهُ الإِصْماء بعد الصَّرَدِ
Beware the arrow of a dreaded warrior,
Who responds with silence after clamor.
واعْلَما أنَّ أناتي وثْبَةٌ
وإنِ اغْتُرَّ بطولِ الأمَدِ
Know that my patience is a sudden leap,
Though he may be fooled by prolonged respite.
إِنَّ حَزْماً ألبستنيهِ النُّهى
كَفَّ من غَرْبِ لساني ويَدي
Wisdom has clothed me with this restraint,
To curb the waywardness of my tongue and hand.
خِفْتُمُ المُصْلَتَ من رَوْعتِهِ
وأمِنْتُمْ هَبَّةً منْ مُغْمَدِ
You feared the flashing of his sword,
And felt safe from the sheathed blade.
سَفَهاً كلُّ ظَلامٍ مُسْفِرٌ
وإنِ استأخرَ عن صُبْحِ غَدِ
Foolish is any growing darkness,
Though it delays till the dawn.
لا يَغُرَّنَّكُما مُلْكٌ ثَوى
من تميمٍ بعد طولِ الأسْعُدِ
Let not a lasting rule deceive you,
After the long reign of Tamim.
مجْدُنا لم يخْلُ منْ ناجِمَةٍ
تَطْرُدُ الرَهْنَ بِعزٍّ أيِّدِ
Our glory has never lacked a star,
To banish hardship through sustained support.
كُلَّما غاضَ لنا بحرٌ بَدا
خِضْرِمٌ طامٍ كَريمُ المَوْرِدِ
Whenever a sea rages against us,
A surging, billowing, generous sea appears.
ثُمَّ لمَّا أصبحتْ مُغْبَرَّةً
نِعْمةُ الأقْوامِ بعد الرَّغَدِ
Then when it became dusty,
The bounty of the people after luxury.
واشْمعلُّوا بعدَ إِجْماعِهُمُ
كأبابيلِ جَرادٍ مُثْمِدِ
They ignited, after their gathering,
Like swarms of still locusts.
أنْشِرَ الهامِدُ منْ مجْدِهُمُ
بالوزير العادِلِ ابنِ البَلَدِي
The slumbering glory shone again
Through the just minister, the son of Baladi.
بهُمامٍ جَلَّ عنْ تَشْبيهِه
بالحُسامِ العَضْبِ أو بالأسَدِ
With an ambition too great for similes,
To swords, lions, or cheetahs.
بمُشارٍ في نَدِيٍّ ووَغَىً
لِضرابِ الهامِ أو للصَّفَدِ
Aiding the wretched and defending the weak,
Against the blows of misfortune or shackles.
ومُبادي كُلِّ دَجْنٍ بارقٍ
بالمُحَيَّا الطَّلْقِ والكفِّ النَّدي
Vanquishing every rising injustice,
With a heartening hand and a strong grip.
بِشْرُهُ يُغْني مَقاديمَ السُّرى
عن هُدى النَّجمِ وضوءِ الموْقِدِ
His good news would suffice seekers of refuge,
Instead of the stars' light or the campfire’s glow.
فإذا ما أدْلَجَتْ ضِيفانُهُ
كانَتِ الحَرَّةُ مثلَ الجَدَدِ
When his guests arrive in the darkness,
The ruins become like new dwellings.
راجِحٌ يَرْزُنُ في حَبْوتِهِ
ووشيكُ العَزْمِ عند النَّجَدِ
Hesitating in his resolution,
Yet firm when decisive action is needed.
فَمَواضي عَزْمِهِ مِنْ زَعْزعٍ
ورواسي حِلْمِهِ منْ أُحُدِ
The foundations of his will cannot waver,
And the pillars of his patience cannot crack.
يتْبَعُ العُرْفَ بعُذْرٍ واسِعٍ
فإذا جادَ كأنْ لم يَجُدِ
He follows convention with great tolerance,
And when he is generous, it is as if it cost him nothing.
ثابتُ الوُدِّ وَكِيدٌ عَهْدُهُ
سالِمُ الصُّحْبَةِ وافي المَوْعِدِ
Constant in affection, his promise is sincere,
A companion of good cheer, true to his word.
فلو أنَّ الغَدْرَ ماءٌ سَلْسَلٌ
وهو صادي خمسَةٍ لم يَرِدِ
If betrayal were a torrential flood,
And he a linen robe, it would not soak through.
يَطْرُدُ الأحْبارَ في حُجَّتِهِ
وفتاويهِ بسهْمٍ مُقْصِدِ
He routs scholars in argument,
And his judgments strike straight like arrows.
فإذا راموا فِراراً مُنْجياً
وقَفَ الحُكْمُ لهُمء بالمَرْصَدِ
When they attempt escape through trickery,
Justice stands in ambush for them.
ذو غِشاشٍ يَتَحاماهُ الكَرى
عازبُ الصُّبْحِ مُقَضُّ المَرْقَد
A protector enveloped in dignity,
Rising early, retiring late.
مَضْجَعٌ خالٍ ودسْتٌ آهِلٌ
ورَوِيٌّ لائِذٌ بالسَّهَدِ
A bare dwelling, but a crowded office,
A well-watered sheltering palm tree.
ووزيرٌ سابِغٌ إِحْسانُهُ
ليسَ بالنِّكْسِ ولا بالمُسْنَدِ
A minister whose benevolence is perfect,
Neither deficient nor pretentious.
واضِحٌ يأتَلِقُ الدَّهْرُ به
كَسَنى الجَوْنَةِ عند الفَدْفَدِ
Radiant, the age shines because of him,
Like the brocade's sheen with each new fold.
شَرَفُ الدين وهلْ من شَرفٍ
مثلُ زاكي السَّعْي زاكي المَحْتِد
The glory of religion—and what glory
Compares to one whose efforts lead to guidance?
دامَ مرْهوباً مُطاعاً أمْرُهُ
سالماً في ظِلِّ عِزٍّ سَرْمَدِ
May his authority remain feared and obeyed,
In lasting honor's shade, for eternity!
