ثغر الهدى متبلج بسام

ووجوه أيام الزمان وسام

The smile of guidance glittering with joy

And the faces of the days of time are beautiful

عزم الإله لعبده ووليه

عزماً جرت بسعوده الأقلام

The determination of God for His servant and guardian

A determination the pens have flowed with his good fortune

ورأى بنور الله عقد صهارة

سعدت به الأخوال والأعمام

And he saw with God's light a necklace of chrysolite

Made happy by it the brothers-in-law and uncles

لما تعرض حاسدوه لرده

أمضاه كرها والأنوف رغام

When his enviers moved to thwart him

He confirmed it despite them, their noses buried in the sand

وأتم ما فعل الكفيل طلائع

إن البداية حسنها الإتمام

And he completed what the guarantor did first

Indeed a good beginning is made better by completion

ولئن وفيت لقد وفى لك قبلها

وكفاك إذ خان الكفاة وخاموا

And if you were loyal, he was loyal to you before

And it sufficed you when the loyal ones betrayed and withdrew

وبدون ما أولاك من إخلاصه

يرعى ذمار بعده وذمام

And without the sincerity he first showed you

He would pasture the stray even after him

قد قلت للنفر الذين تعرضوا

بخلاف ما تهوى وأنت إمام

I said to the group who opposed

Against what you wish though you are the imam

إن الخلافة لا يزال يمدها

من ربها التأييد والإلهام

The caliphate continues to support it

Divine aid and inspiration from its Lord

فإذا قضت بعض القضاء فإنه

برد على كبد الهدى وسلام

So when it concludes some of the foreordained

It is refreshing to the breast of guidance and wellbeing

أوليس للرحمن فيك سريرة

لم ترق في درجاتها الأوهام

Does the Merciful not have an intimacy with you

That imaginations cannot ascend its degrees?

لم تعتقل إلا عقيلة معشر

لعلاك منهم غارب وسنام

You were detained only for a company of kinsfolk

Perhaps you are veiled among them, aloof and remote

أبناء رزيك الذين تكشفت

عنا بهم غمم وجاد غمام

The sons of your patron whom the clouds parted for

And the clouds poured out rain for us

ضموا بشملك شملهم وكأنهم

من إلفة ألف تضم ولام

Join your unity with theirs as if they are

Through familiarity, binding partnerships and bonds

وغدوتم كالخمس في كف الهدى

والدهر إلا أنك الإبهام

And you became like the five fingers in the hand of guidance

While time is nothing but your thumb

هذا المقام العاضدي مخلد

أبداً عليك ودائم ما داموا

This enduring station immortalized upon you

Forever as long as they last

وأبو شجاع كافل لك أنه

حرم على أهل العناد حرام

And Abu Shuja, your guardian, forbade

All obstinate people that which is sacrosanct

لزمت ملازمها وأبرم عقدها

ملك إليه النقض والإبرام

You held fast to its principles and tied the pact

To Him belongs annulment and tying

العادل بن الصالح الحامي العلى

والشبل يحمي ما حمى الضرغام

The Just son of the Righteous, the Sublime Protector

And the cub protecting what the wolf protected

ملك يلوح على معاطف ملكه

للناظرين سكينة وعرام

A king whose vestments of kingship shine

To onlookers, tranquility and shelter

جمع الزمان فرد فضل عنانه

بيد لها الإنعام والإرغام

Time gathered singular merit to his rein

In a hand that bestows bounty and compels

وتزلزت قدم العلى فأقرها

ثبت تزول لخوفه الأقدام

The step of the Exalted stumbled but He steadied it

Settling what stumbles from fear of steps

سهرت جفون سيوفه مذ سلها

فغدت جفون الناس وهي نيام

His swords have lost sleep since they were drawn

Becoming the people's eyelids while they sleep

أهدى إليك هدية ميمونة

بقبولها تتواشج الأرحام

He gifted you a blessed gift

Bonds of kinship glow at its acceptance

وحفظت سر وديعة علمت بها

أيديكما والواحد العلام

Both your hands preserved the secret entrusted in them

And the One Aware

وتسلمتها منه راحتك التي

للدين والدنيا بها استعظام

And you received it from Him - your comfort

By which religion and life are glorified

رحلت من الكنف الذي مازال في

أرجائه لبني الرجاء زحام

You journeyed from the bosom that has always

Crowds for the children of hope swarming about

كنف يبيت العلم في حجراته

يتلى وتخفق حوله الأعلام

An abode in which knowledge sleeps in its chambers

Studied while standards flutter about it

ولقيتها بكرامة من أجلها

قعد الرجال الحاسدون وقاموا

You met with it in the hospitality that because of it

The envious men sat while they once stood

وتبوأت من حسن رأيك منزلاً

لم يعده كرم ولا إكرام

And you took residence from your good opinion

Not furnished by any generosity or honor

لم يرضك القصر الشريف وقد

شرفاته بالنيرات تقام

The noble palace did not please you though

Its balconies are erect with lamps

فأحلها الإكرام خاطرك الذي

للوحي عنه رحلة ومقام

So your honorable nature which journeys

For revelation and dwells nearby brought it there

يهنا أمير المؤمنين مسرة

هناه عنها الملك والإسلام

This delighted the Commander of the Faithful

Prohibited by the King and Islam

لو لم يسامح بالهناء عبيده

لنهاهم الإجلال والإعظام

If he did not forgive with banter his servants

Awe and reverence would have prevented them

ولو أنه لم يغض عن تقصيرهم

عثرت بذيل قصورها الأفهام

If he had not overlooked their shortcomings

Understanding would stumble on its train

يا عادلاً لولا شريعة عدله

جار الزمان وجارت الحكام

Oh Just One! If not for the fairness of his law

Time and rulers would be unjust

قد كانت الوزراء يسهل عندها

هدم الحطيم لأن يصح حطام

It would have been easy for ministers before it

To destroy the worthless so ruin prevailed

ويبيت بيت المال يشكو جورهم

مما يراق به دم ومدام

The Treasury would spend the night complaining

Of blood and wine it is drained for

حي أزلت بنور عدلك

علة الدنيا فلا ظلم ولا إظلام

It removed by the light of your justice

The world's woes - no wrong or darkness

حملت لبيت المال عنك ذخائر

ذخرت علاك لمثلها الأيام

For the Treasury you carried treasures from yourself

That days like them stored up for you

ورعيت حق المسلمين رعاية

صلوا بها لك لو أردت وصاموا

And you shepherded the rights of Muslims

With a care they pray for you if you wished and fasted

راحت أياد من يديك جسيمة

فغدت لك الأرواح والأجسام

From your hands much good flowed

To become for you souls and bodies

وتيقنت أهل البسيطة أنه

بوجود جودك يعدم الإعدام

And the people of the lowlands were certain that

With the existence of your generosity, want ceases

لو لم تكن بوصي آدم لم يعش

سام ويافث في نداك وحام

If you were not the heir of Adam

Shem and Ham would not live comfortably in your bounty

يا سادة لولا مناقب مجدهم

ما فض عن مسك الثناء ختام

Oh lords! If not for the virtues of their glory

No seal would be untied from the musk of praise

ألغيت ذكر الشمس إذ لم أرضها

في حقكم والبدر وهو تمام

I would negate mention of the sun if it did not please you

Or the full moon in your right

ومتى تقاس النيرات إليكم

وسعودهن لمثلكم خدام

When can lamps be compared to you?

Their rising is to serve the likes of you

فبقيتم وعلي حسن ثنائكم

وعليكم الإحسان والإنعام

You remained despite the excellent praise of you

While the excellent and bounty are yours