يومٌ من الأيّامِ محمودُ الأثَرْ

لم أرَ يوماً مثلَهُ كان أَسَرّ

A day of days, blessed in effect

I've never seen a day like it, it was most strange

لما رأيت الجوَّ في مثل الحبر

ذا منظرٍ يملأ عَيْنَيْ مَنْ نَظَر

When I saw the weather like ink

With a view that fills the eyes of whoever looked

أَلْحَمَهُ الثلجُ وسدَّاهُ المطرْ

كما رأيتَ القطنَ من حول الدُّرَر

The ice clothed it and the rain blocked it

As I saw the cotton around the pearls

نقضاً كنقض الريح في اليوم الأغر

قضيتُ فيه من ندامايَ الوطر

Breaking like the wind's breaking on an ugly day

I spent my regrets foolishly on it

مباكراً في بكرة من البكر

وكيف لا يحوي جسيماتِ الخطر

Starting early in the prime of the prime

How could it not contain the substances of danger?

جارُ أبي تمامٍ الملكِ الأغرّ

أكرمِ خلقِ الله بدوٍ وَحَضَر

The neighbor of Abi Tamam, the most clement king

The most generous of God's creation, nomad or settled

وخيرهم في مربأ أو مختبر

لبُّ قصيٍّ بل لؤيٍّ بل مُضَر

And the best of them in an open expanse or a home

The heart of Qusa, the brightness of Lu'ay, the Mudar tribe

وابنُ المقامِ والحطيمِ والحجر

مَنْ مَالُهُ من جودِهِ على خطر

And the son of dignity, ruin, and rock

He whose wealth is at risk from his generosity

ورأيُهُ ميزانُ آراءِ البشرْ

وظنُّهُ عَيْنٌ له على القدر

And his view the balance of people's opinions

And his assumption an eye for him into fate

يُمضي الأمورَ أمَرُهُ إذا أمَرْ

إِمضاءَ سهمٍ دلَّ عن سهم وتر

He executes affairs, his command when he commands

Like the release of an arrow after the bowstring

شاد به اللهُ المعالي وَعَمَرْ

وَسَرَّه في كلِّ ما يهوى وَسَر

God elevated him in the heights and gave him long life

And made success his in all he desires and makes happy