ذَهَبَ الشَبابُ وَكُدِّرَ العُمرُ

في صَبوَةٍ وَعَلى لَكَ الأَمرُ

Youth has passed and life has become bleak

In my prime and yet power was beyond my reach

حَتّى بَلَغتَ السُؤلَ مِنهُ فَهَل

حانَ اِلتَقى لَكَ وَاِنجَلى الشُكرُ

Until you attained all that you wished

Is it not time that gratitude you preached?

وَلَرُبَّما رَوّاكَ مِن قُبَلٍ

ظَبيٌ مُجاجَةُ ريقِهِ خَمرُ

Sometimes, a gazelle with mouth red with wine

Would pass by wary of the watching eyes

مُتَلَفِّتٌ حَتّى أَتاكَ وَقَد

خافَ الرَقيبَ وَهَزَّهُ الذُعرُ

It came to you terrified and filled with fright

Fear shook its body, dread filled its cries

إِسلَم أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ وَدُم

في غِبطَةٍ وَلِيَهنِكَ النَصرُ

Surrender, O Commander of the Faithful, let

Joy overcome you and taste the sweetness of triumph

فَلَرُبَّ حادِثَةٍ نَهَضتَ بِها

مُتَقَدِّماً فَتَأَخَّرَ الدَهرُ

For in many an incident, you took the lead

While time itself lagged behind and relapsed

لَيثٌ فَرائِسُهُ الكُماةُ فَما

يَبيَضُّ مِن دَمِها لَهُ ظِفرُ

A lion whose prey are the brave; never once

Did the blood of its victims bring it disgrace

سَحبَ الجُيوشِ فَكَم بِها فُتِحَت

بَعدَ التَمَنُّعِ بَلدَةٌ بِكرُ

You marched the armies and opened the gates

Of many a stubborn citadel that you could replace

ما رَدَّ عَن مُتَحَصِّنٍ يَدَهُ

إِلّا وَقَلعَتُهُ لَهُ قَبرُ

None withstood you, whose hands did not falter

Without you razing them into their own grave

مُستَأسِدٌ في الحَربِ هِمَّتُهُ

قُدّامَهُ وَالقَتلُ وَالأَسَرُ

In war, you are a lion with courage and might

Before you are death, captivity, and plight

وَعِقابُهُ عَدلٌ وَعَزمَتُهُ

كَالمَشرِفِيِّ وَوَعدُهُ نَذرُ

Your punishment is justice, your resolve is firm

Like fate itself, and your vow is as sacred as a shrine