من شاء يعلمُ ما خُصَّ الوزير به

من النُّهى والتُّقى في يومِهِ لغَدِ

Let him who wishes know what distinguished the minister

In piety and devotion each day to the morrow

وفيضَ عَبْرته من حُسن عِبْرته

بالذَّاهبين أولي النَّعماءِ والنَّجَدِ

And the outpouring of his tears from the excellence of his lesson

To the departing, the first of the blessed and the generous

فليستمع شِعره والدمعُ يسْبقهُُ

بديهَةً في ديار القَيْل من أسَدِ

Let him hear his poetry as tears precede it

Spontaneously in the abodes of saying among the lions

رأى منازلَ مِطْعامِ العَشيِّ إذا

أضحى من الجدب لينُ الوعث كالجلَدِ

He saw the dwellings of evening food when

It became in barrenness, soft, like skin, from withering

وقائدِ الخيلِ تسْمو في أعِنَّتِها

نَزْو القطا طالعاً من غامض الثَّمَدِ

And the leader of horses lifted in their weakness

The trotting of a wild cat rising from deep darkness

مُزْجي الأوامر مَسْبوقاً بطاعَتها

من كلِّ أغلَبَ ذي بأوٍ وذي صَيد

My commander of orders preceded by their obedience

From every obstinate and from every hunter

فقال مُرتجلاً والدمعُ في صبَبٍ

من خشية اللّه والأنفاسُ في صَعَد

So he said spontaneously while tears poured

From fear of God and breaths climbed

لما نزلتُ بدار المزْيَديِّ وقد

أخنى عليها الذي أخنى على لُبَدِ

When I alighted in the house of Muzayyid and it was

Afflicted by what afflicted Lubad

وفكَّرَ العقْلُ في الدنيا وشيمَتِها

وأنَّها ما لها بُقْيا على أحَدِ

And reason pondered the life and its traits

And that it has no permanence for anyone

علمتُ أنَّ التُّقى للمرء جُنَّتُهُ

وأنَّهُ ليس غيرُ الواحِدِ الصَّمدِ

I knew piety is the man’s armour

And that none but the One, the Eternal exists

فاللّهُ يوسِعُه دنيا ومحْمَدَةً

عُقْبى ويُبْقي له حمداً على الأبَد

So God expands for him worldly and blessings

Afterwards and preserves for him praise forever

شهْمٌ كأنَّ قُطامياً على شَرَفٍ

أضحى لحتْف بُغاث الطير بالرَّصَد

A burning thirst like a wild cat on a precipice

Became in the morning prey for hunting birds

فما يُخاتلُ ختْل الذئب في أرَبٍ

لكنهُ في المَباغي وثْبةُ الأسَدِ

So it does not contend with the cunning of a wolf in grasslands

Rather it is in dangers the pounce of a lion

ولا يرى الجودَ إلا ما يجودُ به

تَبرُّعاً سالماً من شائبِ النَّكَدِ

And generosity is seen only in what he freely gives

Willingly, flawless from any discontent

ولا يَعُدُّ العطاءَ الفَذَّ مكْرُمةً

يوماً إذا هو لم يُعْقِبْ ولم يَعُد

And he does not consider the outstanding gift a favour

If it is not followed and repeated

تاج المُلوكِ مُشارُ الدهر واحدُه

بمثلهِ الدَّهرُ لم يسمح ولم يجُد

The crown of kings, the axle of fate, the unique one

Fate did not allow the like of it and did not find

فعِشْ أبا جعفرٍ غيثاً لمُرتزقٍ

ظِلاًّ لضاحٍ أخا نصْرٍ لمُضْطَهد

So live Abu Ja'far, a rain for the destitute

A shade for the scorching, victorious brother to the oppressed

فقد علمتُ بما أوتيتَ من شيَمٍ

إنَّ المكارمَ طُراً في بني البَلَدي

For I have known, from the traits you possess

That generosity is flying among the children of the village