يُسَقّينَ بِالمَوماةِ زُغباً نَواهِضاً
بَقايا نِطافٍ في حَواصِلِها تَغلي
They water me with bitterness, yearnings renewed
Remnants boiling in their vitals overflow
تَمُجُّ أَداوى في أَداوى بِها اِستَقَت
كَما اِستَفرَغَ الساقي مِنَ السَجلِ بِالسَجلِ
Remedies surge into remedies through them I drew
As the water-bearer purged bowl after bowl
وَقَد أَقطَعَ الخَرقَ البَعيدَ نِياطُهُ
بِمائِرَةِ الضَبعَينِ وَجناءَ كَالهِقلِ
His long reach cut by the foxes' trots
And the howls of jackals, hyena calls
تَزَيَّدُ في فَضلِ الزِمامِ كَأَنَّها
تُحاذِرُ وَقعاً مِن زَنابيرَ أَو نَحلِ
More slack gained from the halter as though
Wary of hornets' sting or bees' brawls
كَأَنَّ يَدَيها في مَراتِبَ سُلَّمٍ
إِذا غاوَلَت أَوبَ الذِراعَينِ بِالرِجلِ
Her hands on the rungs of a ladder it seems
When her forearms clasp a leg that sprawls
تَأَوَّهَ مِن طولِ الكَلالِ وَتَشتَكي
تَأَوُّهَ مَفجوعٍ بِثُكلِ عَلى ثُكلِ
Moaning from weariness, lament she screams
A bereaved's moan for new sorrow falls
إِلَيكَ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ أَنَختُها
إِلى خيرِ مَن حُلَّت لَهُ عُقَدُ الرَحلِ
To you, Commander of the Faithful, her plight
To the best of those for whom saddles were secured
إِلى خَيرِهِم فيهِم قَديماً وَحادِثاً
مَعَ الحِلمِ وَالإيمانِ وَالنائِلِ الجَزلِ
To their finest, present and past, so right
With wisdom, faith and ample grace assured
وَرِثتَ أَباكَ المُلكَ تَجري بِسَمتِهِ
كَذَلِكَ خوطُ النَبعِ يَنبُتُ في الأَصلِ
You inherited your father's rule, flowing in his mould
As spring waters sprout from their source untold
كَداوُدَ إِذ وَلّى سُلَيمانَ بَعدَهُ
خِلافَتَهُ نِحلاً مِنَ اللَهِ ذي الفَضلِ
As David ceded succession to Solomon of old
A gift of God, the Bountiful, extolled
يَسوسُ مِنَ الحِلمِ الَّذي كانَ راجِحاً
بِأَجبالِ سَلمى مِن وَفاءٍ وَمِن عَدلِ
Reigning with the reason that tipped the scale
With Selma's hills of loyalty and justice hailed
هُوَ القَمَرُ البَدرُ الَّذي يُهتَدى بِهِ
إِذا ما ذَوُو الأَضغانِ جاروا عَنِ السُبلِ
He is the full moon that gives guidance when trails fail
When the crooked lose their way, paths curtailed
أَغَرَّ تَرى نوراً لِبَهجَةِ مُلكِهِ
عَفُوّاً طَلوباً في أَناةٍ وَفي رِسلِ
Does it wonder you, his light a delight
Magnanimous, forbearing in ease and in plight
يَفيضُ السِجالَ الناقِعاتِ مِنَ النَدى
كَما فاضَ ذو مَوجٍ يُقَمِّصُ بِالجَفلِ
Overflowing the irrigation pools with droplets bright
As a tidal wave wears down rocks with its might
وَكَم مِن أُناسٍ قَد أُصيبَت بِنِعمَةٍ
وَمِن مُثقَلٍ خَفَّفتَ عَنهُ مِنَ الثِقلِ
Many were blessed by your grace time and again
Many a burden you lightened from carrying men
وَمِن أَمرِ حَزمٍ قَد وَلَيتَ نَجِيَّهُ
بِرَأيٍ جَميعٍ مُستَمِرٍّ قُوى الحَبلِ
Many a perilous affair you secured from fate's den
With steadfast, potent reason and counsel then
