لئن قل صبر فالمصاب عظيم

وإن جل شكر فالثواب جسيم

Though you say have patience, the affliction is severe,

And though you count blessings, the reward is great,

تحيرت في شكر الزمان ولومه

فلم أدر بعد الشكر كيف ألوم

I was perplexed whether to thank time or blame it,

So I knew not after thanks how to blame.

غدا الدهر محمود الفعال إلى الورى

وعهدي به بالأمس وهو ذميم

Tomorrow time will be praised for its deeds,

While yesterday it was blameworthy to me,

وسر قلوباً بعد أن كان ساءها

ففي كل قلب جنة وجحيم

It delighted hearts after having pained them,

So in each heart lies paradise and hell.

لئن عرضت للفائز الطهر نقلة

فأنت أمير المؤمنين مقيم

If a test befalls the victorious and pure,

You are the Commander of the Faithful, everlasting,

وإن حسدتنا جنة الخلد قربه

فقربك منا جنة ونعيم

If we are envied the paradise of immortality,

Your closeness to us is paradise and bliss.

ورثت الهدى بالنص عنه وقوله

أخي وابن عمي إن عدمت يقوم

You inherited guidance by the text from him and his words,

My brother and cousin if you count ancestry,

وقد سن ذاك المصطفى في ابن عمه

فمن شرفيكم حادث وقديم

And that Chosen One set a precedent in his cousin,

So your nobility is original and longstanding.

حكت بيعة الرضوان بيعتك التي

يصح بها الإيمان وهو سقيم

It related the Pledge of Good Pleasure, your pledge by which

Faith is sound even if unsound,

وقد ربحت والحمد لله صفقة

لها من رقاب المؤمنين لزوم

And you have gained, praise be to God, a deal,

For which necks of believers are devoted.

يدا الله فيها فوق أيد أعاذها

من النكث عقد في ولاك سليم

God's hand in it is above hands that He has protected

From breaking a contract made for your rule intact,

تواليك بالإخلاص فيها سرائر

تصلي لكم لولا التقى وتصوم

Loyalty to you in it secretly are consciences,

That pray for you even without piety or fasting.

لقد رامت الأيام أمراً فنلنه

وما أقدر الأقدار حين تروم

Times have intended a matter but we repelled it,

Events cannot accomplish when they scheme,

طرقن بأم النائبات فأشرفت

على الموت أرواح لنا وجسوم

They attacked with the Mother of Disasters but you rose

Above death, our souls and bodies,

ولولا سيوف العاضدي طلائع

لخف وقور عنده وحليم

And were it not for the swords of the supporter, vanguards

Of dignified, calm, and forbearing warriors,

سيوف إذا ضاق المجال عن القنا

فهن لهامات الخصوم خصوم

Swords which when the battlefield is too narrow for the brave,

They are adversaries for the hotheads of foes.

ولكنه الطود الذي لا تهزه

رياح ولو هبت وهن حسوم

But he is the mountain that no winds shake,

However strongly they blow while they are tumultuous,

إذا طاشت الأحلام سكن جأشها

بعزم يجلي الخطب وهو بهيم

When fantasies are agitated he calms their ferocity

With resolve that elucidates tribulations and he is forbearing,

له سطوة لا يأمن الدهر بأسها

وبطش إذا ما الحلم ضاق أليم

He has a domination that fate does not feel secure from his might,

And tyranny when patience is lacking, painful,

وقلب له في نصرة الله غلظة

ولكنه بالمؤمنين رحيم

And he has in supporting God a stern heart,

But with the faithful he is compassionate.

أقول لراج ألجمته مهابة

فأحجم خوفاً منك وهو كظيم

I say to an intractable opponent silenced by awe,

So he holds back in fear of you while he is indignant,

تشاجع ولا يمنعك هيبة ملكه

وسله وكثر فالكريم كريم

Show courage and do not let the awe of his rule prevent you,

Ask and persist for the generous is generous.

مليك له من آل رزيك عصبة

تحل خناق الخطب وهو عظيم

A king who has from your in-laws a party

That undoes the knots of tribulations while it is grave,

هو البدر حفته نجوم كثيرة

بها لشياطين النفاق رجوم

He is the full moon surrounded by many stars,

With them the devils of hypocrisy are stoned.

تنير وجوه القوم في كل موقف

يلوح به فوق الوجوه وجوم

They give light and the faces of the people shine in every stance,

He appears above the faces and the bleakness.

ليوث وسمر السمهرية غابها

غيوث لها النقع المثار غيوم

Lions, and the cubs of lionesses roaming freely,

Succours for them the ready clouds are rainclouds,

هم وسموا رقي بحسن اصطناعهم

وكم حفظت رق الجياد وسوم

They characterized leadership by their good conduct,

And how often the mounts' halters they protected and marked!

هم خلصوني منعمين بأنفس

لها الدهر عبد والزمان خديم

They are my loyal helpers favoring me with their souls,

For which time is a slave and the age is a servant,

فأم المعالي لن تجيء بمثلهم

على أنها الأم الولود عقيم

But the Bestower of Grandeur will never bring their like,

Though She is the Ever-bearing Mother, sterile.

لهم شرف باق بأبلج كشفت

به كرب عن ذي الورى وغموم

They have lasting nobility, which white disclosed,

Whereby it removed sorrow from people and gloom.

أقر نصاب العز في آل أحمد

كفيل لهم لا للقضاة زعيم

I acknowledged the pillar of might is Ahmad's house,

Support for them, not for the judges a leader,

عدو معاديهم ولي وليهم

خبير بأسرار الولاء عليم

An enemy, their enemy, and a loyal friend is my loyal friend,

Experienced in the secrets of loyalty, knowledgeable,

يجاهد فيهم سيفه ولسانه

ورب كلام كان منه كلوم

With his sword and tongue he struggles for them,

How many words of his were wounds!

وزير به شد المهيمن أزرهم

وأثرى به الإسلام وهو عديم

The Helper thereby reinforced their authority,

And enriched Islam while destitute.

فدى لأبي الغارات أهل ممالك

أحاديثهم قبل الممات رميم

He ransomed the homes of realms for their conversations,

Even if remote, before death, precious,

يعمهم اسم الملك ثم يخصه

فيبطل من بعد الخصوص عموم

The name of the King includes them then He singles him out,

Vanquishing after specificity generality,

وما كل محمود السجايا محمد

لا كل من يوحى إليه كليم

Not every praiseworthy trait is Muhammad’s,

Nor is every one revealed to a Distinguished One.