لِلَّهِ ثُمَّ لَكَ المَحَلُّ الأَعظَمُ

وَإِلَيكَ يَنتَسِبُ العَلاءُ الأَقدَمُ

For Allah, then for you is the greatest station

And the highest lineage is attributed to you

وَلَكَ التُراثُ مِنَ النَبِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

وَالبَيتُ وَالحَجَرُ العَظيمُ وَزَمزَمُ

And the heritage from the Prophet Muhammad belongs to you

As well as the House, the Great Stone, and Zamzam

ما ناقَلَت رَكبُ الرِكابِ إِلى مِنىً

وأَراقَ مِن عَلَقِ الدِماءِ المَوسِمِ

What the riding camels carried to Mina

And what was shed there from blood during the rituals

خَطَرٌ مِنَ الدُنيا يَجُلُّ وَسورَةٌ

تَعلو وَقَدرٌ زائِدٌ يَتَقَدَّمُ

A risk from this world passes by while glory

Rises and abundant fate moves forward

تَمضي المُلوكُ وَأَنتَ طَودٌ ثابِتٌ

يَنجابُ عَنكَ مُتَوَّجٌ وَمُعَمَّمُ

Kings pass while you are a firm, towering mountain

A crowned and turbaned leader comes from you

ما ذاكَ إِلّا أَنَّ غَربَكَ مِنهُمُ

أَمضى وَأَنَّ عُلُوَّ مَجدِكَ أَعظَمُ

That is only because their setting from you

Is deeper while the height of your glory is greater

إِنَّ الخِلافَةَ مُذ نَهَضتَ بِعِبئِها

هَدَأَ الضَميرُ بِها وَنامَ النُوَّمُ

Since you took on the burden of the Caliphate

Conscience was calmed by it and sleepers slept

قَد كانَ مِنبَرُها تَضاءَلَ خيفَةً

وَاِستَلَّ مِنهُ الهِزبَرِيُّ الأَعظَمُ

Its pulpit had diminished out of fear

And the great orator took control of it

حَتّى تَخَمَّطَ مِنكَ فَوقَ سَراتِهِ

وَالأَرضُ راجِفَةٌ فَنيقٌ مُقرَمُ

Until he emerged above its heights

While the ground quaked, gentle and broken

لِلَّهِ أَيُّ مُقامِ دينٍ قُمتَهُ

وَالأَمرُ مَردودُ القَضِيَّةِ مُبرَمُ

By Allah! What a station of faith you assumed

And the matter is concluded and firmly decided

فَكَأَنَّما كُنتَ النَبِيَّ مُناجِزاً

بِالقَولِ أَو بِلِسانِهِ تَتَكَلَّمُ

It is as if you were the Prophet himself

Speaking either by word or by his tongue

أَيّامَ طَلَّقَها المُطيعُ وَأَوحَشَت

مُذ زالَ عَن ذا الغابِ ذاكَ الضَيغَمُ

Days which the obedient one made pleasant

Since the departure from the mount of that young man

فَمَضى وَأَعقَبَ بَعدَهُ مُتَيَقِّظاً

سِجلاهُ بوسى في الزَمانِ وَأَنعُمُ

So he left while the vigilant one followed after him

Recording his traits in time and being blessed

كَالغَيثِ يَخلُفُهُ الرَبيعُ وَبَعضُهُم

كَالنارِ يَخلُفُها الرَمادُ المُظلِمُ

Some of them like rain followed by spring, and some

Like fire followed by dark ashes

لا تَهتَدي نُوَبُ الزَمانِ لِدَولَةٍ

اللَهُ فيها وَالنَبِيُّ وَأَنتُمُ

Eras are not guided to a state

In which is Allah, the Prophet, and you

شَرَفاً بَني العَبّاسِ مَدَّ رِواقَهُ

وَعُلىً تُسانِدُها القَنا وَالأَنجُمُ

Nobility, O Banu Abbas, whose corridor he extended

And a height which the Pleiades and stars support

كَم مَهمَهٍ لَبِسَت إِلَيكَ رِكابُنا

وَالأَرضُ بُردٌ بِالمُنونِ مُسَهَّمِ

How often have our riding camels borne fatigue to you

While the ground is cool from dew and spears

حَتّى تَراعَفَتِ المَناسِمُ وَالذُرى

فَسَواءٌ الأَعلى دَماً وَالمِنسَمِ

Until lineages and offspring multiplied

So the highborn and the web-spinner are equal in blood

هُنَّ القِسِيُّ مِنَ النُحولِ فَإِن سَما

طَلَبٌ فَهُنَّ مِنَ النَجاءِ الأَسهُمُ

They are the strong, skinny horses, so if destiny desires,

they are

يَضمَنَّ أَمراً ما تَضَمَّنَ مِثلَهُ

أَيّامَ أَيّامَ الجَديلُ وَشَدقَمُ

From the rescued, swift arrows

They guarantee a matter that its like

في حَيثُ لا وِردُ العَطاءِ مُصَرَّدٌ

أَبَداً وَلا فِعلُ الزَمانِ مِذَمَّمُ

Was never guaranteed in the days of Judayl and Shadqam

Where the bestowal of gifts cease to flow

وَأَنا النَذيرُ لِمارِقٍ يَمَّمتُهُ

مِن ضَوءِ نارٍ لِلطُغاةِ مُضَرَّمُ

Forever and the actions of time are never blamed

And I am the warner against a transgressor I determined

حَمراءُ جاهِلَةُ الشَرارِ مَهولَةٌ

لِلناظِرينَ لَها دُخانٌ أَدهَمُ

With the light of a burning fire for the tyrants

The red foolishness of evil is fearful

وَمُلَملِمٌ يَرمي العَدُوَّ بِرُكنِهِ

ماضٍ كَفِهرِ المِنجَنيقِ مُلَملِمُ

To onlookers, with dark smoke for them

And a destroyer who throws the enemy with his pillar

في مَعرَكٍ فُقِدَ التَكَلُّمُ تَحتَهُ

لِلرَوعِ إِلّا أَزمَلٌ وَتَغَمغُمُ

Advancing like the stone thrower of a catapult destroying

In a battle in which speech under it was lost

كَثُرَ الحَديدُ بِهِ فَبَعضٌ يَتَّقي

كَلمَ الطِعانِ بِها وَبَعضٌ يُكلَمُ

Due to awe except for muteness and mumbling

Much iron was there so some avoid

مِن كُلِّ ضاحِكَةِ القَتيرِ كَأَنَّها

بُردٌ أَعارَكَهُ الشُجاعُ الأَرقَمُ

The words of the stabbing with it and some are stabbed

From every laughing short spear as if it

وَطَويلِ سالِفَةِ السِنانِ يَؤودُهُ

خَطِلُ الكُعوبِ وَفي الضُلوعِ يُقَوَّمُ

Was hail lent to the brave and scarred warrior

And the long preceding tooth takes him

وَمُرَقرَقِ الغَربَينِ إِلّا كُلفَةً

مِمّا يُطَبِّقُ دائِماً وَيُصَمِّمُ

On the leg joints and pierces in the ribs

And the two shining swords except when meeting

في فِتيَةٍ رَكِبوا العُلى مِن هاشِمٍ

يَرمونَ أَقطارَ العَدُوِّ كَما رُموا

What it always wraps and determines

In some young men who rode the heights of Hashim

يَجري الحَياءُ الغَضُّ في قَسَماتِهِم

في حينَ يَجري في أَكُفِّهِمُ الدَمُ

Throwing the regions of the enemy as they threw them

Shyness runs naturally in their personalities

فَإِذا غَضِبتَ فَأَنتَ أَنتَ شُجاعَةٌ

توفي عَلى عَضبِ الرَدى وَهُمُ هُمُ

While blood runs in their palms

So when you get angry, you are you, courage

بِحَمائِلِ المَلِكِ الجَليلِ مُقَلَّدٌ

وَبِخاتَمِ النَبَإِ العَظيمِ مُخَتَّمُ

Faithful in rebuffing depravity and they are them

Entrusted with the burdens of the Majestic King

وَعَظُمتَ قَدراً أَن يَروقَكَ مَغنَمٌ

أَو أَن يَصِرَّ عَلى بَنانِكَ دِرهَمُ

And sealed by the ring of the Great Tiding

Your rank became too high to be pleased by spoils

هِيَ راحَةٌ ما تَستَفيقُ مِنَ النَدى

أَبَدَ الزَمانِ وَبَدرَةٌ لا تُختَمُ

Or for a single coin to be poured onto your platforms

It is comfort which does not awaken from slumber

مَلِكٌ تَلاعَبَ بِالهَوى عَزَماتُهُ

بُعداً بِهِ عَمّا يَقولُ اللُوَّمُ

For eternity and a full moon never waning

A king whose ambitions played with passions

عالٍ عَلى نَظَرِ الزَمانِ مُبَرَّأٌ

مِمّا يَمُنُّ بِهِ الزَمانُ وَيَثلِمُ

Keeping him far from what blamers say

Exalted above the perspective of time, exonerated

بَينا يُضيءُ عَلى الزَمانِ فَيَنجَلي

حَتّى يُغيرُ عَلى الضِياءِ فَيُظلِمُ

From what time favors and frowns upon

While you light up time so it becomes illuminated

النَفعُ وَالإِضرارُ شُغلُ لِسانِهِ

لِيُراشَ عافٍ أَو يُضَعضَعَ مُجرِمُ

Until the brightness overwhelms so it darkens

Benefit and harm occupy his tongue

وَيَروحُ عَنهُ وَلِيُّهُ وَعَدُوُّهُ

هَذا يَزيدُ غِنىً وَهَذا يَعدَمُ

In order to pave well-being or shatter a criminal

And his patron and his enemy depart from him

فَعَلى المُقارِبِ مَطلَعٌ مُتَبَلِّجٌ

وَعَلى المُجانِبِ عارِضٌ مُتَجَهِّمُ

This one increases in wealth and that one perishes

Upon the devoted is a radiant prospect

في كُلِّ يَومٍ خالِعٌ مُتَأَخِّرٌ

يَردى وَجَدٌّ غالِبٌ مُتَقَدِّمُ

While over the estranged looms a frowning one

Every day a retreating deposer

وَفُتوحُ أَمصارٍ تَروحُ وَتَغتَدي

عَفواً إِلَيكَ وَغَيرُها يُتَجَشَّمُ

Collapses while a victorious earnest one moves forward

And the openings of cities come and go comfortably to you

لَولاكَ لَم يَكُ مِثلُها ما يُرتَقى

عُلواً وَلَم يَكُ مِثلُها ما يُغنَمُ

While others are treated harshly

Were it not for you, the like of which would not be attained

ما كانَ يَومي دونَ مَدحِكَ أَنَّني

صَبٌّ بِغَيرِ جَلالِ وَجهِكَ مُغرَمُ

In height nor would the like of which be gained in spoils

My day does not pass without your praise, for I

لَكِنَّها نَفسٌ تُصانُ لِتُنتَضى

وَتُجَمَّ مِن طولِ المَقالِ فَتُفعَمُ

Am passionately in love with the majesty of your face

But it is a soul that is preserved to be transported

أَنتَ العُلى فَلِقَصدِها ما أَقتَني

مِن جَوهَرٍ وَلِمَدحِها ما أَنظِمُ

And folded from the length of words so it is stuffed

You are most high, so however much intrinsicness I gained

ما حَقُّ مِثلي أَن يُضاعَ وَقَولُهُ

باقي العِمادِ عَلى الزَمانِ مُخَيِّمُ

And whichever praise I construct is for its aim

It is not befitting for the likes of me that my words

وَأَجَلُّ ما أَبقى الرِجالُ فَضيلَةٌ

تَمتاحُها أُذُنٌ وَيودِقُها فَمُ

Remain forever as pillars over time

And the best thing men transmit is a merit

وَأَنا القَريبُ قَرابَةً مَعلومَةً

وَالعِرقُ يَضرِبُ وَالقَرائِبُ تُلحَمُ

That an ear borrows and a mouth passes on

And I am the close relative, a known kinship

إِنّي لَأَرجو مِنكَ أَن سَيَكونَ لي

يَومٌ أَغيظُ بِهِ الأَعادي أَيوَمُ

And lineage courses and relatives bond

I do hope to have a day from you I angry enemies in

وَأَنالُ عِندَكَ رُتبَةً مَصقولَةً

إِن عايَنَ الأَعداءُ رَونَقَها عَموا

And attain from you a polished position

If enemies behold its splendor they go blind

إِنّي وَإِن ضَرَبَ الحِجابُ بِطَودِهِ

أَو حالَ دونَكَ يَذبُلٌ وَيَلَملَمُ

Even if obstruction comes between you and I, melancholy and worn out

I will see you in the mirror of your generosity just as

لَأَراكَ في مِرآةِ جودِكَ مِثلَما

يَلقى العِيانَ الناظِرُ المُتَوَسِّمُ

The onlooker sees what he imagines

Indeed, an adviser from Ali obeyed you

وَلَقَد أَطاعَكَ مِن عَلِيٍّ ناصِحٌ

ماضي الجَنانِ إِذا أَظَلَّكَ مُغرَمُ

Walking steadily, impassioned if he meets you

His appearance satisfies you and within his chest

يُرضيكَ ظاهِرُهُ وَبَينَ ضُلوعِهِ

قَلبٌ بِما يُدني إِلَيكَ مُتَيَّمُ

Is a heart inclined towards what brings you nearer

So strengthen your hands with him, for you a rescinding ally

فَاِشدُد يَدَيكَ بِهِ يَدُم لَكَ ناقِضٌ

فيما يَؤُدُّ مِنَ الأُمورِ وَمُبرَمُ

In carrying out commands and decisive matters

With knowledge I say what is clear and well-known

عِلماً أَقولُ بَديهَةً وَرَوِيَّةً

وَيَضَلُّ عِندَكَ قائِلٌ لا يَعلَمُ

While the one who speaks without knowledge goes astray before you

With poetry I provoke al-Ajjaj with boldness

شِعراً أُثيرُ بِهِ العَجاجَ بَسالَةً

كَالطَعنِ يُدمي وَالقَنا يَتَحَطَّمُ

Like stabbing that makes blood flow and the spear shatter

And eloquence that, were it not for shyness, would

وَفَصاحَةٌ لَولا الحَياءُ لَهَجَّنَت

أَعلامَ ما قالَ الوَليدُ وَمُسلِمُ

Provoke the standards of what al-Walid and Muslim said

And rhetoric which preoccupies the hearing in its contexts

وَخَطابَةً لِلسَمعِ في جَنَباتِها

شُغلٌ يَعُقُ عَنِ الَّذي يَتَرَنَّمُ

From what the chanter says immersed in it

So towards what my ultimate goal hastens me

فَعَلى ما يَطلُبُ غايَتي مُتَسَرِّعاً

غُلُقُ الجَنانِ أَقولُ ما لا يَفهَمِ

The doors of heavens, I say what cannot be understood

Alas! Did lowliness detain you from

هَيهاتَ أَقعَدَكَ الحَضيضُ مُؤَخِّراً

عَنّي وَجاوَرَني السُها وَالمِرزَمُ

Granting me access while difficult terrain and sickness dwelled with me

I increase in thinking about time so my finger

أَزدادُ فِكراً في الزَمانِ فَإِصبَعي

لِنَواجِذي أَبَدَ اللَيالي تَرأَمُ

Becomes mutilated from my biting night after night

And I see the forbearing person being denied his aloofness

وَأَرى الحَليمَ يُنالُ مِن إِعراضِهِ

وَيَسُلَّ مِقوَلَهُ السَفيهُ فَيَعظُمُ

While the fool imposes his words so they are regarded highly

The feared of men has his purpose easily attained

يَقتادُ مَخشِيَّ الرِجالِ مُرادَهُ

عَفواً وَيُظلَمُ كُلُّ مَن لا يَظلِمُ

While the one who does no injustice is treated unjustly

A heart that makes events tolerable and with it

قَلبٌ يُسيغُ الحادِثاتِ وَعِندَهُ

عَزمٌ عَلى نُوَبِ الزَمانِ مُصَمِّمُ

Is determination against the cycles of time

O time! Compared to you the lowly became prosperous

يا دَهرُ دونَكَ قَد تَماثَلَ مُدنَفٌ

وَاِقتَصَّ مُهتَضَمٌ وَأَورَقَ مُعدِمُ

And the wronged got retribution and the destroyed became verdant

I swear if you fill up with rage from

إِنّي عَلَيكَ إِذا اِمتَلَأتَ حَمِيَّةً

بِنَدى أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ مُحَرَّمُ

The dew of the Commander of the Faithful, I am forbidden (to attack you)

And since you dressed in his bestowal and demise

وَمُذِ اِدَّرَعتَ عَطاءَهُ وَفِناءَهُ

أَرمي وَيَرميني الزَمانُ فَأَسلَمُ

I throw (attacks) and time throws them back so I submit

When the Imam lends fervor to my heart

وَإِذا الإِمامُ أَعارَ قَلبِيَ هِمَّةً

فَالأَمرُ أَمري وَالمَعاطِسُ تُرغَمُ

The matter becomes my own and opponents are subjugated