هم الزمان بها فمنذ كفلتها

أضحى يوالي نصرها ويوالي

Time has tested her, so since I took care of her

It began to support her victory again and again

وأجبت داعية الفرنج بديهة

قبل الروية بارتجال رجال

And I responded to the call of the Franks with eloquence

Before thinking through it, with the spontaneity of men

أطفأت جمرتها بإخوتك الألى

يتسنمون غوارب الأهوال

Your noble brothers extinguished its embers

As they assumed the mantles of horrors

لم أدر والتشبيه يقصر عندهم

أغيوث نزل أم ليوث نزال

I did not know, and analogy falls short with them

Did helpers descend or did lions attack?

طالت بأيديهم قصار صوارم

باتت بها الأعمار غير طوال

Their short swords became long in their hands

Lifetimes became brief through them

وخلطتم أنصاركم بنفوسكم

والناس من مولى لكم وموالي

And you mixed your supporters with your own souls

While people belonged to you, loyal and bonded to you

يا صاحبي وفي السؤال شفاء ما اس

تخبرت عنه إن أجيب سؤالي

My friend, asking brings healing. What have I

Learned about it, if I answer my question?

هل للوزارة حاجة أو حجة

ترجو تتمة بعضها بكمال

Does the ministry have any need or argument

That it hopes to complete, some of it, fully?

هذا الذي ما زال طرفك دائماً

يرنو إليه في الزمان الخالي

This one, who your gaze still constantly

Yearns for him in the empty present

هذا الذي عضلوك عنه لتخرجي

من عزة حرمت ومن إجلال

This one, whom they prevented you from

To exit the honored, sanctified glory

وأحق من وزر الخلافة من مشى

في حضرة الإعظام والإجلال

And who is more right to be the caliph's minister than one who walked

In the presence of reverence and majesty

واختص بالخلفاء وانكشفت له

أسرارها بقرائن الأحوال

And was drawn close to the caliphs, and secrets

Were unveiled to him through signs of the circumstances

وتصرف الوزراء عن آرائه

كتصرف الأسماء بالأفعال

And the ministers turned away from his views

As names turn through verbs

يا ابن الأئمة والثناء عليكم

يختال بين مفصل وطوال

Oh son of imams, and praise of you

Struts between joint and bone

ما تخجل الدنيا وأنت إمامها

ووزيرك الهادي أبو الشبال

The world is not ashamed while you lead it

And your guiding minister is Abu Shubal