يُعجزُ في مدحه وقد علمتْ

توحُّدي في الفصاحةِ العربُ

In praising him, the eloquent are rendered speechless

Though the Arabs know my mastery of rhetoric

فان أصبْتُ الصَّوابَ في مِدَحي

فللقوافي وخاطِري طَرَبُ

If I am right in my praises

Then my rhymes and ideas are exquisite

لم يُزدِ الشِّعْرُ في مناقبهِ

واِن أجادَ المُفَوَّهُ الذَّرِبُ

Poetry could not increase his virtues

Though the eloquent speaker tried his best

لكنْ يَزينُ الكمالَ رونْقُه

تُجْلى المواضي ويُرفَعُ الذَّهبُ

But perfection is adorned by his grace

The meadows are illuminated and gold raised high

ذِمْرٌ إِذا ما الخميسُ نازلَهُ

فللخميسِ الويْلاتُ والحَرَبُ

A disaster when Thursday befalls him

Thursday has woes and wars

واِنْ هَمى والبلادُ ما حِلَةٌ

فأينَ منهُ البحارُ والسُّحبُ

If he gets angry while the countries are not ready

Then where are the seas and the clouds?

يقْظانُ قد أرْهبتْ كِفايتُه

فأذْعَنَ الكاتبونَ والكُتُبُ

Al-Ya’qoubi, his competence has terrified

Scribes and books submit to him

فكلُّ ما شَيَّدتْ رَوِيَّتُهمْ

مُهَدَّمٌ بارْتجالهِ خَرِبُ

All that their fancy has constructed

Is demolished by his extempore creation

فعاشَ تاجُ الملوكِ ما ادَّلَجَ الس

اري وأدْنى من موردٍ قَرَبُ

So the king’s crown has lived as long as the Pleiades lasted

And stayed closer than the nearest spring