وكريمُ المُلْتَقى ذو لَسَنٍ

خَشنُ الجِدِّ رحيبُ المُسْتظلْ

The generous host whose tongue is eloquent,

Rough in earnestness, expansive in hospitality,

نازِحٌ عن كُلِّ عارٍ موبِقٍ

سالمٌ من كُلِّ كِبْرٍ وبَخَلْ

Shunning all shameful and perilous vice,

Safe from all arrogance and stinginess,

يلْمَعُ البِشْرُ لعافي جودِهِ

وهو في العزْم عصوفٌ ذو زَجلْ

Good cheer shines on the faces of those graced by his liberality,

And he is intent and serious in his resolve,

فهو في معْركهِ لَيْثُ الشَّرى

وهو في ناديهِ بحْرٌ وجَبَلْ

So in battle he is a fierce lion,

And in the gathering of friends an ocean and mountain,

ووزيرٌ أصْغَرَ الدُّنْيا فلمْ

يُلْهِهِ منها غُرورٌ وأمَلْ

A minister who gained the whole world yet was not

Seduced by its vanities and hopes,

فإذا خادَعَهُ زُخْرُفُها

سَلَّطَ التَّقْوى عليه فاضْمَحَل

And when its glitter would deceive him

He empowered piety to subdue it and it faded,

فلهذا ذُخْرُهُ الحمدُ وما

حازَ من مالٍ صِلاتٌ ونِحَلْ

For this his riches are praise and the rewards

Of property, prayers and gifts,

مُؤْثِرٌ يُؤْثِرُ بالزَّادِ إذا

لم يجِدْ عن ذلكَ الزَّادِ بَدَلْ

One who prefers to give provisions when

He cannot find any substitute for that provision,

فغِناهُ نَهْبُ مَنْ يَسْألُهُ

ولقد يُبْلَغُه منْ لم يَسَلْ

His wealth is plunder from those who ask of him

And it often reaches those who never asked,

شَرَفُ الدينِ الذي مَعْروفُهُ

يفْضُل الغَيثَ إذا الغيثُ هَطَلْ

The nobility of faith whose benevolence

Excels the rain when it pours down,

غَنِيَتْ أضْيافُهُ مِنْ أنْسِها

بقِراهُ عنْ مُنادٍ حَيَّهَلْ

His hospitality enriches his guests so they have no need

To call out for someone to welcome them,

وشكا صارِمَهُ منْ بأسِهِ

والنَّدى الكَوْماءُ والذِّمْرُ البطل

The sharpness of his blade complains of his ferocity

As do the dew, the clouds, and the stalwart hero.

أحْمَدُ الخيرِ أبو جعفرِهِ

حافظُ العهدِ إذا النِّكْسُ نكَلْ

Ahmad of goodness, father of his Ja‘far,

Keeper of the covenant when others break it,

فحماهُ اللّهُ منْ صَرْفِ الرَّدى

بحِماهُ ما سَرى سارٍ وحَلْ

So God protected him from fickle fate

By the protection that controls all that moves and settles.