يا عاقِداً وُضُنَ الجمالِ البُزَّلِ

اِحْللْ أصبت الرَّأي أنْ لم ترحلِ

O you who tied the knots of perfect beauty,

You did well if you did not set out on a journey.

شِمْ ما انْتضيتَ من العزائم للسُّرى

وارْغد فإنَّك بالخصيب المُخْضِل

Smell the resolve with which you were inspired,

And relax, for you are in fertile and rainy terrain.

إنَّ الوزارةَ أذعَنتْ مُنْقادَةً

لأغَرَّ رحْبِ الحلم رحب المَنْزلِ

The ministry has surrendered, led,

To the vastness of wisdom, the vastness of the abode.

لمُعَظَّمٍ مَلأَ الزَّمانَ مَهابَةً

ذَلَّتْ لخيفَتها صُدورُ الذُبَّلِ

To the august one who filled time with reverence,

Hearts bowed down to his awe, even the deluded ones.

بصَرامةٍ كالسيف سُنَّ غِرارهُ

ولَطافَةٍ فضلَتْ بَرودَ السَّلسل

With firmness like the sword, the excellence of his principles,

And gentleness excelling the coolness of a chain.

لمُحمَّدٍ مجْدِ المُلوك فتى النَّدى

والبأسِ مأوى المُرْمِلين العُيَّلِ

For Muhammad, the glory of kings and gallant of munificence,

And valor, abode of the heavily armed stalwarts.

منْ لمْ يزلْ صدراً مُشاراً في العلى

مَسْعىً وارِثاً إنْ جهلتهما سَلِ

One whose breast did not cease to be lofty,

A protected and inherited path if they were unknown.

تلقاهُ في يوميْ رضاهُ وسُخْطِهِ

صَبْرُ الجبال له وحَدُّ المُنْصُلِ

Patience of mountains meets him on days of his pleasure and anger,

And sharpness of an unsheathed sword.

كالريحِ بأساً والنَّسيمِ لَطافَةً

نفْعُ الجنوبِ له ورَوْحُ الشَّمْأل

With valor like the wind and gentleness like a breeze,

Benefit of the south wind and spirit of the north.

وإذا الرياحُ تناوحَتْ مَسْعورةً

هُوجاً تَراجَمُ بالحَصى والجنْدَلِ

When the winds clash in fury,

Colliding rocks and pebbles in rage and fervor.

عُقمتْ فلم تُنش السَّحاب وجفَّلت

ما تدَّعيه من المُسَِّفِّ الأكْحَلِ

They are sterile, they do not form clouds, and dry up

What they claim of abundant pouring rain.

وأعاضت الجوَّ الفسيحَ عن النَّدى

بالقُرِّ وخَّازاً كَحَدِّ المِعْبَلِ

They make the vast sky avoid dew,

With an easterly and piercing north wind.

خَبت المواقِدُ والبُروق فما اهتدت

للقصْدِ أعْناقُ الرِّكابِ الضُّلَّل

The watchfires are extinguished and lightening loses the way,

The necks of beasts stumble confused.

وطوى النَّعيمُ رداءه عن مُتْرَفٍ

فمَطاعمُ المُثْري هَبيدُ الحَنْظَل

Bliss rolls up its carpet away from luxury,

The banquets of the wealthy are like scattered crumbs.

طَرد الوزيرُ المحْل وهو مُصرِّحٌ

طَرْدَ الوَسائقِ بالخميسِ الجحفل

The minister expelled the court and he declares

Expelling the caravans on a perilous Thursday.

فقَرى ولا قارٍ وجادَ ولا نَدَىً

وكفى ضَريكَ الحيِّ شيْمَ الهُطَّل

So settlements and none settling, generosity and no munificence,

And enough evil for the living, traits of scoundrels.

للّهِ ربِّ العرشِ دَرُّ خليفَةٍ

أدْناكَ منْ شرفِ المَقامِ الأفْضلِ

For God, Lord of the throne, how excellent a successor

He brought you near to the most noble station.

ناداكَ يا عَضُداً لدينِ مُحَمَّدٍ

فعَضدْته عند الشَّديدِ المُعْضِل

He called you, O pillar of the religion of Muhammad,

So you supported it in time of distress.

فاسْتَلَّ منك مُهنَّداً ذا رَوْنَقٍ

غاني الحديدةِ عن جلاء الصَّيْقل

He drew from you well-guided, of beautiful grace,

Singer of praises louder than the ringing of polished swords.

لَقيَ العُلى عند اخْتيارِكَ آمِناًُ

خَجَلَ العِتابِ بِجحفلٍ وبمحْفِلِ

The exalted felt safe in your selection,

Shamed by any criticism in gatherings and councils.

زجِلَ الزَّمانُ بشُكْر ما أوليْته

أبْناءهُ منْ نِعْمةٍ وتَفَضُّلِ

The times sang anthems of thanks for what you bestowed

On its children of blessings and grants.

رحَل الحجيجُ مُعَرِّفين بسامِقٍ

يَرْجونَ عاطِفَةَ القديمِ الأوَّل

The pilgrims set out extolling your loftiness,

Seeking your considerate olden care.

أنْشرتَ أموات المحابس إذْ غدوا

رِمَماً مُمزَّقةً بسوءِ المَنْزِلِ

You brought life to the dead gatherings when they came

As bodies torn by the evil of the abode.

وكففْتَ عاديةَ الخَراج وشَرَّه

عن كُلِّ أرْمَلَةٍ ومُقْوٍ مُرْمل

You held back the harm of taxes and their wickedness

From every widow and every weary crippled one.

ووضعت أثْقال المكوس وقد وهَتْ

منها الكَواهِلُ وانْتهتْ للمقْتل

You removed the burdens of the imposts that had

Exhausted the shoulders and led to destruction.

فرددتْها وضَّاحَةً عُمَرِيَّة

غَرَّاءَ مثلُ حديثها لم يُنْقَلِ

You returned them refreshed, Umarid,

Radiant, the like of which was never transported.

فضُلَتْ على سِيَرِ الكرام وأشْهدت

بالفضلِ آياتِ الكِتابِ المُنْزَلِ

They surpassed the ways of the generous and testified

To preference with verses of the revealed Book.

أنا مَدُّكُمْ آلَ المُظَفَّرِ والذي

مَدْحي لكمْ كالعاشِقِ المُتَغَزِّل

I extend praise to you, O house of al-Muzaffar, and the one

Whose praise of you is like a love smitten poet.

سارتْ لكُم سير الرِّياحِ مدائحي

منْ مُشْئمٍ أو مُعْرِقٍ أو مجبل

My odes to you flowed like the winds,

From auspicious, comfortable, or resolute.

ولقد وَثِقْتُ بحُسن عهد محمدٍ

وَوَلاي في إِدْراكِ كلِّ مُؤمَّلِ

I was certain of the fidelity of Muhammad’s covenant

And the attainment of every wish and hope.

فوَفى وزادَ على الوَفاءِ بفَضْلهِ

كالغيث يفْضُلُ عنْ جناب المُمْحل

He fulfilled and exceeded in his goodness,

Like rain that exceeds the afternoon downpour.