فَيا عَجَبا مِمّا يَظُنُّ مُحَمَّدٌ

وَلَلظَنُّ في بَعضِ المَواطِنِ غَرّارُ

Oh, the wonder of what Muhammad supposes!

For supposition, in some respects, is misleading.

يُقَدِّرُ أَنَّ المُلكَ طوعُ يَمينِهِ

وَمِن دونِ ما يَرجو المُقَدِّرُ أَقدارُ

He reckons that kingship is under his control,

Yet beyond what he hopes, Destiny has its ways.

لَهُ كُلَّ يَومٍ مُنيَةٌ وَطَماعَةٌ

وَنَبذُ قَريضٍ بِالأَمانيِّ سَيّارُ

Each day he has a demise and greediness,

And casting hopes with wishes ever-flowing.

لَئِن هُوَ أَعفى لِلذِلافَةِ لِمَّةً

لَها طُرَّرٌ فَوقَ الجَبينِ وَأَطرارُ

If he spares the lowly for a brief moment,

Over his forehead are locks and braids flowing.

وَأَبدى لَها وَجهاً نَقيّاً كَأَنَّهُ

وَقَد نُقِشَت فيهِ العَوارِضُ دينارُ

He shows them a face pure as if engraved on it

Are features minted on dinars gold glowing.

وَرامَ العُلى بِالشِعرِ وَالشِعرِ دائِباً

فَفي الناسِ شُعرٌ خامِلونَ وَشُعّارُ

He aspires to supremacy through poetry ever,

While among people are poets dormant and fervent.

وَإِنّي أَرى زَنداً تَواتَرَ قَدحُهُ

وَيوشِكُ يَوماً أَن تَشُبَّ لَنا النارُ

I see a kindling brand whose cup is passed around,

Soon a day comes when for us the fire is glowing.