تأرَّج عُرضُ الدهر من نشر منطقي
وسَرَّ تَميماً أنَّ سَعْداً أميرُها
The days of life blossomed with my eloquent speech,
And Tameem rejoiced that Sa'd was its prince.
ولاذت بصيفيِّ الفخارِ فأنْشرتْ
مفاخر أحسابٍ طويلٍ دُثُورُها
It took refuge in my poetry of clay, so I composed
Poems boasting of its ancient and noble lineage.
لفضلٍ سرى مسرى الرياح بنجدةٍ
تَدُقُّ صدورَ الذَّابلات صدورها
Due to outstanding merit that spread like the winds in Najd,
Beating the breasts of the decaying;
حَبا المجدَ أعراضَ الملوك وعَلَّم
الأسِنَّة تدْمى بالطِّعانِ نُحورُها
It loved glory and the reputation of kings, and taught
Tongues to sharpen and pierce throats.
ورَدَّ جبانَ الحَيِّ فارسَ بُهْمةٍ
إذا الحربُ دارت واشرأبَّت سورها
It repelled the cowards of the tribe, a courageous knight
When war raged and the walls were breached.
وأذْعن من عُلْيا كُلَيبٍ ودارمٍ
فرزْدَقُها حامي الحمى وجريرها
Those of its nobility like Kulaib and Darim submitted,
As did its satirists who protected its sanctuary.
يضوعُ بأرْجاءِ البلادِ كأنهُ
مَجالُ غوانٍ أثْقَلَتْها عُطورُها
Its fragrance wafted through the country as if it were
The scent of musk heavily laden on perfumes.
أو الطيِّبُ من ذكر الوزير وحمده
إذا اندياتُ الحيِّ عُدَّتْ صُدورها
Or like the sweet scent of praising the minister and his glory,
When the tribes recited his virtues.
أبي جعفرٍ مِطْعامُ كلِّ عَشيَّةٍ
إذا النَّارُ لم يرفعْ سَناها مُنيرُها
Abu Ja'far is the evening feast of all,
When the glowing fire lifts up its blaze.
تكونُ رياضاً أرضُه ذاتَ بهجةٍ
إذا السَّنَةُ الشَّهْباء جفَّ غميرها
The land under him becomes gardens of delight
When the hoary years dry up its torrents.
على أنها عند التَّنكّرِ حَرَّةٌ
تشُجُّ الحوامي والخفاف صخورها
Though when enraged, it stirs its defenders and light cavalry
And sets in motion its rocky hills.
تميسُ تميمٌ في مَطا كُلِّ سابحٍ
وقد عَلِمتْ أنَّ الوزير عَشيرُها
Tameem plunges into the deep sea of every swimmer,
Now that it knows the minister is of its kin.
فخاراً بمرفوع العمادِ كأنما
مُحيَّاه شمسٌ طبَّق الأرض نورُها
It prides itself on the exalted office as if
The beaming sun enveloped the whole earth with its light.
تُطيعُ ملوكُ الأرض نافذَ أمْرِهِ
وتَطْرُدها أحْداثُها فيُجيرُها
The kings of the world obey his decisive command
And its own affairs drive it to seek his protection.
فأيَّامُه في كلِّ خطْبٍ وأزْمَةٍ
يُنَوَّلُ عافيها ويُفْدى أسِيرُها
In all dangerous and difficult situations,
He steers its course aright and ransoms its prisoners.
قِراهُ بديعاتُ النَّعيمِ وَشيكَةً
إذا ما الطَّواهي أرْجأتْها قُدُورها
Its villages enjoy the niceties of bounty and are marked
By steaming cooking pots when the stoves roar.
ويُفْهقُ أسماع الضيوف بعُذره
إذا ما المَقاري نَشَّ عنها قَديرُها
Its guests are amazed by his hospitality
When the cauldrons bubble forth over the fire.
وتُثْني عِتاقُ الطير صبحاً بفضله
إذا جُثَثُ الأبطال أضحتْ تميرُها
The birds in the morning, thanks to him, modulate
Their songs, when the dead bodies of warriors fatten its vultures.
فدامَ مُطاعاً ما تغنَّتْ حمامةٌ
وما حانَ من شمس النهار ذُرورُها
May he remain obeyed for as long as the turtledove sings
And the sun's morning light continues to shine!
