أَحَقُّ مَن كانَتِ النَعماءُ سابِغَةً
عَلَيهِ مَن أَسبَغَ النُعمى عَلى الأُمَمِ
Is he more deserving, him who was abundantly blessed
Than he who blessed the nations abundantly?
وَأَجدَرُ الناسِ أَن تَعنوا الرِقابُ لَهُ
مَنِ اِستَرَقَّ رِقابَ الناسِ بِالنِعَمِ
And are men more obligated to serve him
Who enslaved men's necks with his blessings?
إِذا سَما فَإِلى العَلياءِ نَهضَتُهُ
وَإِن مَشى فَعَلى الأَعناقِ وَالقِمَمِ
When he aims high, his ascent is to the highest
And if he walks, ‘tis on necks and summits
لِلَّهِ أَمٌّ تَلَقَّتهُ بِراحَتِها
ماذا تَلَقَّت إِلى الدُنيا مِنَ الكَرَمِ
To God belongs a nation that met Him with its palms
What did it meet of generosity in this world?
في صِبيَةٍ لِلمَعالي كانَ أَولَعَهُم
بِالمَكرُماتِ وَأَلقاهُم إِلى الدِيَمِ
In a youth most aspiring to glories was his passion
For acts of grace and giving liberally
كَم غِبتُ عَنهُ وَما غابَت مَكارِمُهُ
وَنِمتُ عَنهُ بِآمالي وَلَم يَنَمِ
How often I was absent from him, but his nobleness
Did not wane, while I slept, hopeful and awake
لا يُتبِعُ المالَ أَنفاساً مُصاعَدَةً
وَلا يُعيرُ العَطايا زَفرَةَ النَدَمِ
Wealth follows not ascending souls
Nor does he regret gifts with sighs of remorse
يا مُمرِضاً بِالمَساعي قَلبَ حاسِدِهِ
عَلى العُلى وَمُداوي الفَقرِ وَالعَدَمِ
O you who heal with efforts the heart of his envier
Against glory, and cure poverty and nonexistence
أَقبَلتَها بِسِياطِ العَزمِ تَحفِزُها
لِلطَعنِ لابِعِراكِ العُذرِ وَاللُجُمِ
You met it with lashes of determination, rousing it
To stab, not skirmish of excuses and fraud
مِن دَومَةٍ بِجِبالِ الغَورِ حامِلَةٍ
حَقائِبَ المَوتِ لِلأَعداءِ وَالنِقَمِ
From a fortress in the mountains of Al-Ghur, bearing
The burdens of death for the enemies and vengeance
عَلى قَطاهُنَّ صَدّارونَ عَن نَهَلٍ
مِنَ القَواضِبِ وَرّا دونَ لِلقُحَمِ
Against their armored ships in rows from a creek
Of boats fleeing without armor
طَريدَةٌ لِلعُلى جَلّى فَأَدرَكَها
بَعدَ المِطالِ جَناحُ الأَجدَلِ الضَرِمِ
A fugitive of glory, its light revealed her
After hopes gone; the wing of fate, the fierce
أَقامَ سوقَ المَساعي وَهيَ بائِرَةٌ
مَجالُ عَزمِكَ بَينَ السَيفِ وَالقَلَمِ
He set up the market of efforts while it was thriving
The scope of your determination between sword and pen
فَفي النِزالِ يَدٌ حَمراءُ مِن عَلَقٍ
وَفي النَوالِ يَدٌ بَيضاءُ مِن كَرَمِ
So in fighting, a hand red from blood
And in giving, a white hand from nobility
أَعيا الرِجالَ وَإِن عَزّوا وَإِن كَرُموا
مَكانُ كَفَّيكَ فيها مِن نَدىً وَدَمِ
Men grow weary even when honored and generous
But your two hands give it freshness and blood
