إِنّي دُعيتُ إِلى اِحتِفالِكَ فَجأَةً

فَأَجَبتُ رَغمَ شَواغِلي وَسَقامي

I was suddenly invited to your celebration

So I accepted despite my preoccupations and illness

وَدَعَوتُ شِعري يا أَمينُ فَخانَني

أَدَبي وَلَم يَرعَ القَريضُ ذِمامي

And I called upon my poetry, O faithful one, but it betrayed me

My talent failed and my rhymes were out of my control

فَأَتَيتُ صِفرَ الكَفِّ لَم أَملِك سِوى

أَمَلي بِصَفحِكَ عَن قُصورِ كَلامي

So I came empty-handed, possessing nothing but

My hope for your forgiveness for the shortcomings of my words

واخَجلَتي أَيَكونُ هَذا مَوقِفي

في حَفلَةِ التَوديعِ وَالإِكرامِ

And I felt ashamed, would this be my stance

At the farewell and honoring ceremony?

وَأَنا الخَليقُ بِأَن أُرَتِّلَ لِلوَرى

آياتِ هَذا المُصلِحِ المِقدامِ

I deserve to chant to the people

Verses about this intrepid reformer

وَأَقومُ عَن نَفسي وَعَن غَيري بِما

يَقضي الوَلاءُ وَواجِبُ الإِعظامِ

And to speak for myself and others with what

Loyalty and duty to honor require

بِنها لَقَد وُفّيتِ قِسطَكِ مِن مُنىً

وَسَعادَةٍ وَرِعايَةِ وَنِظامِ

You have certainly gotten your share of bliss

And happiness, care and order

فَدَعي سِواكِ يَفُز بِقُربِ مُوَفَّقٍ

هُوَ في الحُكومَةِ نُخبَةُ الحُكّامِ

So let anyone other than you win the proximity of the successful Muwaffaq

He is the elite of rulers in governance

لَبِسَ التَواضُعَ حُلَّةً وَمَشى إِلى

رُتَبِ الجَلالِ مُسَدَّدِ الأَقدامِ

He wore humility as his garment and walked to

The positions of glory with steady steps

وَغَدا بِأَبراجِ العُلا مُتَنَقِّلاً

كَالبَدرِ يُسعِدُهُ السُرى بِتَمامِ

And he started roaming the towers of glory

Like the full moon bringing joy to the heavens