نعِمْتَ صباحاً ما تغَنَّتْ حَمامةٌ

وما نَهضَتْ بالراقدين البواكِرُ

A morning whose doves did not sing their songs

And whose dawns did not wake the sleepers;

فأنت الحمى إنْ أسلمَ الجار صاحبٌ

وأنتَ الحَيا إِن أخلَف الحيَّ ماطِرُ

You are the fever if a neighbor has made peace,

And you are the serpent if rain has failed the living.

وأنت المنيف الطَّود إِن طاش حادث

وأنت الجُرازُ العضْب إِن كَلَّ باتر

You are the guest house if fate has gone awry,

And you are the brave warrior if the coward has stayed at home.

إذا نَزلَ العافونَ بابْنِ مُحمَّدٍ

فلا الجدْبُ عرَّاقٌ ولا الخطب جائرُ

When al-Afwan descends upon the son of Muhammad,

Neither is the land barren nor are affairs contentious.

فيُغْني ضَريكاً أخْلفتهُ بُروقُهُ

ويحْمي طريداً أسْلمتْهُ العشائر

So his towers will enrich one impoverished by them,

And his battlements will protect one surrendered by the tribes.

فتىً هو للأنْجاد والنصر مُظْهرٌ

ولكنَّهُ للجودِ والرِّفْدِ ساتِرُ

A youth who shows victory and triumph to heroes

Yet conceals his munificence and bounty.

لكسر بني الحاجاتِ بالجود جابرٌ

وللجحفل الجرَّار بالكَيْس كاسر

One who can alleviate poverty through his generosity

And confront tyrants through his sagacity.

وعن كلِّ عارٍ يوبقُ المرء زاجرٌ

وناهٍ ولكنْ بالمَناقبِ آمِرُ

Who forbids all disgrace that debases a man

While commanding noble deeds and merits.

نَؤومٌ عن الجرم الجليل ومُعرضٌ

ولكنَّهُ للمجْدِ يَقْظانُ ساهِرُ

Stern towards heinous sins but paying them no heed,

While staying alert and awake for glory and renown.

ومُبْتسمٌ للخطب والخطبُ كالحٌ

ولكن عن العوراء والشرّ باسِرُ

Smiling at misfortunes, which pass like reflections,

Yet lowering his gaze from scandal and evil.

إذا مالكُ العَلْياء عدَّتْ فَخارها

وحازَ المعالي كابِرٌ ثُمَّ كابِرُ

When the eminent number their pride and glories

And the glorious attain triumphs upon triumphs

شآهُمْ وزيرٌ منهُمُ ذو نَباهةٍ

وكمْ أوَّلٍ قد فاقَ مَسْعاهُ آخِر

Among them you find a minister of sagacity

And many a predecessor surpassed by his successor

أبو جعفرٍ غرسُ الخِلافة والذي

يُقِرُّ لهُ بالفضل بادٍ وحاضِرُ

Abu Ja'far, pillar of the caliphate, one who

All present and absent admit has merit.

فما زالَ مَضَّاءَ العَزائمِ نافِذَ

الأوامِرِ ما عَزَّ القَنا والبَواتِرُ

So his strong resolutions continue to prevail

As long as the spears and swords retain their sharp edges.