لكم من ودادي ناصر ليس يخذل

ولي خاطر يغرى بكم حين يعذل

You have from my affection a supporter who does not fail

And I have a soul that is tempted by you when it is chaste

أأحبائنا يهنيكم اليوم أنكم

تجورون في ظلم الوداد وأعدل

My loved ones, good tidings to you today that you

Travel in the shade of affection and justice

تبدلتم بعد النوى وسلوتم

وقلبي لا يسلو ولا يتبدل

You have changed after intention and found comfort

While my heart finds no comfort nor changes

فإن كان شيبي أصل عيني عندكم

فكل شباب نازل سوف يرحل

If my gray hair is the origin of my eyes to you

Then all youth that descends will depart

وما الشعر المسود إلا حديقة

تروق الفتى أوراقها ثم تذبل

And the blackened poetry is but a garden

Whose leaves please the youth then wither

ومن نصلت بالشيب صبغة رأسه

فليس له إلا التقى والتنصل

And whoever's head is dyed with the color of gray hair

Has nothing left but piety and disavowal

ومن لم ترعه الأربعون فإنه

عليل بأخبار الصبا يتعلل

And whoever is not made wise by his forties

Is ill with the news of youth and pretends

أيا قلب هل تنهاك واعظة النهى

وتزجرك الأيام لو كنت تقبل

Oh heart will preaching deter you

And do days rebuke you even if you accept advice

أمالك هم غير نظم قصيدة

تضمنها بالقول ما ليس تفعل

Or do you have no concerns but composing a poem

Which contains in words what you do not do

تغزلت حتى صوحت زهرة الصبا

وقالت قوافي الشعر كم يتغزل

You were infatuated until the prime of youth escaped

And the rhymes of poetry said how much does he become infatuated

كأن أبا الفتح المظفر لم يجب

عليك له الحق الذي ليس يجهل

It is as if Abu Al-Fath Al-Muzaffar did not

Respond to you, to him belongs the right which he does not ignore

فتعدل عن نفل الكلام لفرضه

فمن لم يقم بالفرض لا يتنفل

So refrain from supererogatory speech for its obligation

For whoever does not perform the obligation should not indulge

فيا خابط العشواء في طلب الغنى

وعقل الفتى من وصمة الجهل معقل

So O composer of amorous verse in pursuit of wealth

And the youth’s mind from the stigma of ignorance is a refuge

صن القول لا تبديه إلا لمنعم

تصان القوافي باسمه حين تبذل

Guard speech, do not express it except to a benefactor

Poems are protected by his name when set forth

أمنت غلو الشعر فيما أقوله

ولي شاهد من فضل بدر معدل

I feared exaggeration in what I say

And I have a witness of the grace of the full moon as judge

كريم يرينا شيمة البدر والحيا

جبين له يوم السماح وأنمل

A generous man who shows us the demeanor of the full moon and life

A forehead whose day of generosity and softness

له راحة تنهل جوداً بنانها

ووجه إذا قابلته يتهلل

In his comfort lies a spring flowing with generosity

And a face, when met, exudes radiance

تقيل الأماني تحت ظل اصطناعه

وصرف الليالي تحته يتظلل

Hopes are fulfilled in the shade of his patronage

And the nights spent under it are shaded

ومن عجب أن المنية لم تزل

تفيض بها يمناه وهي تقبل

And how strange that death has not

Ceased to overflow upon its right while it accepts

أتتنا به الأيام آخر منعم

ولكنه في حلبة الجود أول

Fate brought us him as the last benefactor

But in the field of generosity he is the first

بقية بيت لم يزل في سراتهم

كفيل بأرزاق الورى يتكفل

The remainder of a house that in their elite

Were guarantors of people’s livelihood taking responsibility

يكل شجاع الطرف دون جلاله

إذا ما رآه الناظر المتأمل

The brave whose eyes fell short of his majesty

When seen by an observer examining him

حمى الدين من أبناء رزيك عصبة

على عزمهم دين الهدى يتوكل

Protectors of religion from the clan of Ruzzik, a faction

Upon whose resolve the religion of guidance relies

دعائم هذا الملك بل هضباته

إذا زل رضوى أو تزلزل يذبل

The pillars of this kingdom, rather its mountains

When Rizwan slipped or shook, it withered

ملوك تري الأيام بأساً ونائلاً

بأمرهم العالي تجود وتعدل

Kings whom the days see with might and attainment

By their lofty command bestow and judge justly

أقام لها بدر بن رزيك دولة

دعائمها بيض رقاق وذبل

Badr bin Ruzzik established for it a state

Whose pillars are white banners and withered

وقام بأثقال الرياسة بعدما

مضوا وهي من حمل الشواهق أثقل

And he took upon himself the burdens of leadership after they

Passed on though it is the heaviest burden borne by pinnacles

وأي خطوب الدهر جلت فلم يكن

على فارس الإسلام فيها المعول

And which formidable events of fate have appeared but there was not

Upon the knight of Islam in them hope

وكم ليلة نحو الأعادي سريتها

ووجهك فيها من سميك أجمل

And how many nights set out against the enemies in which

Your face was more beautiful than a polished sword

ومعترك لولا ثباتك أشفقت

رجال فلم تثبت من الرعب أرجل

And a battleground, were it not for your steadfastness I would have feared

For the men, but you did not steady from fright, legs

خليلي لا بالسفح من رملة الحمى

ولكن بحيث الوفد يسعى ويرمل

My friend, not on the plains of the protective garrison

Rather where delegates roam and walk

جزى الله عني آل رزيك فوق ما

يؤمل من حسن الجزاء المؤمل

May God reward the family of Ruzzik beyond

What is hoped for of good requital hoped for

هم خلصوني بالنفوس التي لها

محل من الجوزاء أعلى وأفضل

They saved me with the souls which have

A status in Gemini higher and more virtuous

وكافا أبا النجم الهمام وخصه

بأفضل ما يجزى امرؤ متفضل

And suffice, O father of the brave, and singled him out

With the best with which a man of nobility rewards

فقد تابع الإحسان حتى خجلت من

نداه وتكرار الصنائع يخجل

For he pursued benevolence until I was shy

From his help and repetition of good deeds causes shyness

يهنك من شهر المحرم زائر

يقابله جد لسعدك مقبل

A visitor in the month of Muharram brings you tidings

Whose arrival for your fortune is approaching

وعام له في كل يوم وليلة

رحيل إذا هذا الجناب ومنزل

And a year for it in every day and night

Departure, when this encampment and residence

تحمله من در فكري فرائداً

يتوج منها رأسه ويكلل

Carrying from the pearls of my mind masterpieces

With which to crown his head and garland him

محاسن لولا بحر جودك لم تكن

جواهرها من بحر غيرك تحصل

Beauties which, were it not for your sea of generosity, would not

Have its jewels from any sea but yours obtained

تجمل أجياد الملوك وقد غدت

بأوصافكم أجيادها تتجمل

Adorning the thoroughbreds of kings, while you have become

With your traits their thoroughbreds adorned