يَمينُكَ أُختُ الغَيثِ إِن ضَلَّتِ السُحبُ

وَوَجهُكَ تِربُ البَدرِ إِن أَظلَمَ الخَطبُ

Your right hand is the sister of rain if the clouds go astray,

And your face is the soil of the full moon if adversity prevails.

وَمَن نالَ يَوماً بعضَ ما أَنتَ نائِلٌ

فَمِن عَجَبٍ أَلّا يَكونَ بِهِ عُجبُ

And if anyone attains some of what you have attained,

It is no wonder he is amazed.

لَكَ اللَهُ حَمّالَ المَشَقَّةِ في العُلا

وَمِن عَجَبٍ أَن يَستَقِلَّ بِهِ قَلبُ

God has burdened you with adversity in eminence,

And it is no wonder if the heart finds it easy.

تَواضَعَ مَرفوعاً تَجاوَزَ قادِراً

فَفي قَدرِهِ بُعدٌ وَفي عَفوِهِ قُربُ

You have been humble though high, and forgiving though able,

So in your destiny there is remoteness, and in your pardon, nearness.

إِذا ما اِقتَنى الناسُ التَصانيفَ عِندَهُم

فَعِندَكَ ما فيها وَعِندَهُمُ الكُتبُ

When people acquire books with them,

With you is what is in them while they have the volumes.

وَإِنَّكَ مِن قَومِ أَنافوا عَلى المُنى

إِذا اِستُرشِحوا فاضوا أَو اِستُقدِحوا شَبّوا

You are from a people who refused favours,

If consulted, they overflowed or if ignited, they flamed.

وَإِن ساجَلوا أَوفَوا وَإِن وَعَدوا وَفَوا

أَو اِستُنهِضوا قاموا أَو اِستُصرِخوا هَبّوا

And if they entered into dispute or made a promise, they kept it,

Or if called to arise, they stood or if called for help, they ran.

أَكُفُّهُمُ سُبطٌ وَأَعراضُهُم حِمىً

وَأَقوالُهُم فِعلٌ وَأَموالُهُم نَهبُ

Their palms are generous and their honour inviolable,

Their words are action and their wealth is spoils.

وَلَفحُهُمُ حَتفٌ وَنَفحُهُمُ غِنىً

وَوَثبُهُمُ عَدوٌ وَخَطوُهُمُ وَثبُ

Their wit is death and their breath is wealth,

Their onslaught is an enemy and their pace is pursuit.

لَقَد أَصحَبَت فيكَ المَعاني وَأَصبَحَت

ذَلولاً وَمِن عاداتِها الغَشمُ وَالشَغبُ

In you the meanings have accompanied and associated

In docility while their traits are attack and turmoil.

يَفِيءُ عَلَيكَ الشُكرُ ما وَفَت اللُهى

وَتَهوي إِلَيكَ الطَيرُ ما اِنتَثَرَ الحَبُّ

Gratitude flows to you when the distractions cease

And the birds descend to you when the seeds disperse.

فَإِن صَدَمَ الأَقوامَ فَالشامِخُ الذُرى

وَإِن هَزَّت الحاجاتُ فَالغُصُنُ الرَطبُ

So if the people clash, you are the towering tall,

And if needs shake, you are the moist branch.

لَقَد قَسَموا فَرضَ النَدى وَقَسَمتَهُ

فَمِنكَ لَنا عولٌ وَمِنهُم لَنا حَجبُ

They divided the provision of dew but you divided it,

Through you we have strength while through them we have barriers.