لتُهْنِ قصور المجد زيدتْ جَلالةً

إذا خُصَّ ذو حَظٍّ بفضْل حِباءِ

The palaces of glory are made more majestic

When one favored by fortune is distinguished

ولايةُ سَبَّاقٍ إلى الخيرِ موجِفٍ

إلى الحمد كَسَّابٍ لكُلِّ ثَناءِ

The rule of one racing to benevolence and urging

To praise, conferring all eulogy

فإنَّ كمالَ الدينِ ما زالَ ناهِضاً

إلى المجدِ فَرَّاعاً لكل عَلاءِ

Indeed, the perfection of religion has remained vigilant

To glory, watching over every supreme one

إذا حلَّ أرضاً أشْرقت بحلُولِهِ

كما تُشْرِقُ الدُّنيا بضوْءِ ذُكاء

When he settles a land, it shines with his arrival

As the world shines with the light of daybreak

فتىً يبْذُلُ الدَّثْرَ الجَزيلَ ويمنعُ

النَّزيل ويحْمي وُدَّهُ بوَفاءِ

A young man who gives abundantly and prevents

The visitor, protecting his affection with loyalty

ويهْتَزُّ للمعروفِ حتى كأنَّهُ

قَرا السَّيفِ مهزوزاً بيومِ لقاءِ

And he trembles for benevolence as if he

Readied his sword, quivering for the day of meeting

ويرزن في ناديه والخطب عاصِفٌ

إذا نَبْوةٌ حَلَّتْ حُبى الحُلَماء

And he is joyous in his club when a prophecy descends

The love of the wise

وفارسُ قولٍ لا يُرامُ نِزالُهُ

مَدى القوْلِ كَرَّارٌ على العُلماء

A horseman of words who cannot be rivaled

Repeating words to the scholars

إذا خطرتْ أقلامُهُ في طُروسهِ

عَدَوْنَ على الأحْبارِ والبُلَغاءِ

When his pens rush forth in his writings

They race against the literati and eloquent

يحول سوادُ النِّقْس منها إذا جرت

إلى الأحمريْنِ عَسْجَدٍ ودِماءِ

The blackness of ink changes when they flow

To red, like blood and the sunset

رآهُ أميرُ المؤمنينَ بعَيْنِهِ

من الأكرَمَيْنِ صَحَّةٍ ووَفاءِ

The Commander of the Faithful saw him with his eyes

As the most generous and loyal

فرَدَّ إليهِ حَوْزَةَ المجد والعُلى

بأسْرارِها مِن ظاهرٍ وخَفاءِ

So he returned to him the keep of glory and heights

With its mysteries, evident and hidden

كما يستعينُ المَشْرَفيُّ بِساعِدٍ

فيَفْرِي رِقابَ الصِّيدِ والشُّجعاء

As Al-Mashrifi seeks the aid of one

Who liberates the necks of prey and the brave

ونِعْمَ مُناخُ الطَّارقينَ عَشيَّةً

إذا ضاقَ ذرْعُ الحيِّ بالنُّزَلاءِ

And excellent is the shelter of the mounted at night

When the living are distressed by the lodgers

وأخْمد نيران القِرى صرْصَريَّةٌ

تَهُزُّ رِعانَ الطَّوْدِ بالعُرَواءِ

And the crackling fires of villages calm down

Shaking the mounts in the wilderness

هناك أبو الفضْلينِ عِلْمٍ ونائلٍ

وشيكُ القِرى في كلِّ ليلِ شِتاءِ

There, Abu Al-Fadl, learned and attaining

Seeking shelter for every village in winter nights

يُحاذرُ جدْبُ العام سُكنى بلاده

فيُلْقي المَراسي في يَدِ البُخلاءِ

He keeps the drought of the year from his country

Sending provisions into the hands of the stingy

تركْتُ عليه مِن مديحي قَلائداً

خَوالدَ تبْقى بعد كُلِّ بَقاءِ

I left on him, of my praises, necklaces

Everlasting, remaining after every eternity

مَطايا وَلاءٍ لا يَزالُ رَسيمُها

يُقرِّبُ من قاصٍ ومِن عُدَواءِ

The steeds of loyalty whose breeze still

Brings together the distant and the hostile

تكِلُّ رِقابُ القوم وهي مُغِذَّةٌذ

تَمارَحُ منْ إِدْمانِ كلِّ نَجاءِ

The necks of the people relax, nourished,

Frolicking in drinking each wine

مَراها ودادٌ لم يغبْ عُمْر ساعةٍ

ولم يمتزِجْ إِخلاصُهُ بِرياءِ

I saw loyalty that never lacked all life

Nor was its sincerity mixed with hypocrisy

فكُن مُحسناً في السَّعي مثل مدائحي

وكُنْ وافياً بالوعْدِ مثلَ وَفائي

So be good in striving like my praises

And be faithful to promises like my loyalty