يَسوسُ الأمْر وجْبَتُه ضَجاجٌ

ولا نَزَقٌ يَشينُ ولا اصْطخابُ

The affair worries with its clamor,

Neither elegance to beautify nor turbulence.

ويبْسِمُ والخطوبُ مُكَلِّحاتٌ

لها ظُفُرٌ تَصولُ به ونابُ

And he smiles while hardships are accumulating,

With nails that attack and a fang.

وتَهْمي كفُّهُ كَرَماً وجوداً

إذا ما ضَنَّ بالقَطْرِ السَّحابُ

His palm generously and nobly spends

When the clouds are miserly with their rain.

يسرُّكَ منهُ والأيامُ غُدْرٌ

وَكِيدُ العَهدِ يحْمَدُه الصِّحابُ

You are pleased with him while the days are treacherous,

And the guile of the era is praised by comrades.

ونِعْمَ مَبيتُ طُرَّاقِ اللَّيالي

إذا صَفِرتْ من المَحْلِ الوطابُ

And a nice night stay for one who keeps night vigils

When the tents whiten from the encampment.

وزيرٌ لا يُقاسُ بهِ وزيرٌ

هو السَّلْسالُ والقومُ السَّرابُ

A minister no minister can match,

He is the chain and the people are mirage.

إذا ما فاخروهُ فهوَ نَجْمٌ

مُضيءٌ ثاقبٌ وهُمُ التُّرابُ

When they pride themselves he is a star,

Radiant, piercing, and they are dust.

قديمُ عُلاً تَقَيَّلَهُ حَديثٌ

وطابَ السَّعي منهُ والنِّصابُ

Ancient in nobility which modernity makes weighty,

And the effort was wholesome and the gains good.

به الآباءُ تَفْخَرُ والمَعالي

وصوْبُ القَطْرِ والدهُ السَّحاب

The forefathers take pride in him and the dignitaries,

As well as the targeting of the rain cloud and its pouring.

بأبْلَجَ لا يَنامُ على اضْطِغانٍ

ولا يُفْني بَسالَتَهُ احْتِرابُ

With bright countenance that does not sleep from burden

Nor does his sagacity fade from estrangement.

ولا يُبْلي بَشاشَتَهُ عُلُوٌّ

ولا يُدْني مَلالَتَهُ اقْتِرابُ

Neither does his merriness wilt from aloofness

Nor does his sweetness diminish from proximity.

يَبُثُّ ثَناءَهُ ضَيْفُ الدَّياجي

وبالصُّبْحِ القَشاعِمُ والذِّئابُ

The guest of the night spreads his praise,

As well as the wolves and predators in the morning.

فيُيْتِمُ مِنْ وَغاهُ ومنْ قِراهُ

أصَيْبيَةَ الفَوارِسِ والسِّقابُ

So he supports the vulnerable among his clan and neighbors,

The chivalry of horsemen and archers.

دُخانٌ للنُّجومِ بهِ اخْتفِاءٌ

ونَقْعٌ للشموسِ بهِ نِقابُ

A smoke that makes the stars disappear,

And a veil that eclipses the sun.

ومَن مثل الوزير الصَّدر يُقْضى

بحُجَّتِهِ إذا عَزَبَ الصَّوابُ

And who can judge like the Chief Minister

When truth goes missing.

خَواطِرهُ كمثْل ظُباهُ ليسَتْ

بنابيَةٍ وإِنْ كَثُرَ الضِّرابُ

His thoughts are not like the thoughts of heedless youth,

Though the criticism multiply.

تَدُرُّ كمثْلِ نائلهِ إذا ما

أبى أنْ يمْريَ الخِلْفَ العِصاب

They roll like the rolling of his attainer if

The latter refuses the followers to pass.

إذا عَضُد الهُدى والدين أجْرى

عَزائمهُ إلى رَوْعٍ تُهابُ

When he supports guidance and religion, he dictates

His decisions to frighten and astonish.

تمنَّتْها الصَّوارِمُ والعَوالي

مَضاءً والمُسَوَّمَةُ العِرابُ

The swords and fighters long for it,

As well as the ones with spears.

فأجْلى الطَّرْدُ عن نصرٍ وشيكٍ

تُرَدِّدُهُ المَجامِعُ والرِّحابُ

So he dispels disorder from a near victory

Which the assemblies and expanses echo repeatedly.

لَميْمونِ النَّقيبَةِ والمَساعي

مَطالِبُهُ ثَناءٌ أوْ ثَوابُ

For his requests from the Victorious Dynasty are

Either praise or reward.

يَنوبُ الرَّأيُ منهُ عنْ نِزالٍ

ويُغْنيهِ عن الجيشِ الكِتابُ

Opinion from him replaces descending armies

And his writings make soldiers unnecessary.

صَفوحٌ عنْ أعاديهِ إذا ما

غَدا للْغَيظِ وَقْدٌ والتِهابُ

He pardons his enemies when

Rage, spite, and fury transpire.

إذا جَحدتْهُ ألْسُنُها أَقَرَّتْ

بنعمَتِه الضَّمائرُ والرِّقابُ

If their tongues deny him their consciences and necks

Acknowledge his bounty.

فهُنِّىءَ في عُلاهُ كلُّ عَشْرٍ

وعِيدٍ لارْتِحالِهُما إيابُ

So every family and holiday has congratulated him upon his ascendance,

And for their departure together twice over.

مَدى الأيَّامِ ما هَطلَتْ سَماءٌ

ومَدَّ بمُفْعَمِ السَّيْلِ الشِّعابُ

The length of days, no rain has poured

And no wadis flooded as much.