لو كنت تعلم ما بأهل زبيد

وزبيد من شوق إليك شديد

If you knew the people of Zabid

And how intensely Zabid longs for you

لخصصتها دون المدائن كلها

وخصصت أهليها بكل مزيد

You would have singled it out among all cities

And singled out its people for more grace

بلد احبك ساكنوه وما أرى

خير اتجازيهم به ببعيد

A land whose dwellers love you, yet I see

No recompense you give equals their worth

أن القلوب على القلوب شواهد

والقلب أعدل حاكم وشهيد

Hearts are witnesses over hearts

And the heart is the most just judge and witness

أنت الذي ملكت يداه قلوبهم

بمكارم خرجت عن المعهود

You who made their hearts your possession

With virtues beyond what is customary

قلدتهم مننا وعدت بمثلها

أكرم به من مبتدى ومعيد

You adorned them with your favors and promised them more

Nobler to one who initiates and repeats kindness

ما كنت الخير مولى محسن

أبقا له الاحسان خير عبيد

You were never a benevolent master who preserved

Good deeds except for the best slaves

لا ملك غلا ملك من ملك الورى

وقلوبهم ووداد كل ودود

No kingdom was dearer than the kingdom of creation

And their hearts and affection, however affectionate

هاموا بحبك بعد ما انقذتهم

من كل محذور وكل وعيد

They became enamored with love for you after you saved them

From every apprehension and every threat

أنقذتهم من محنة النخل التي

كادت تشيب رأس كل وليد

You saved them from the palm tree affliction which

Nearly turned the head of every newborn gray

ومغارم أكلت على ملاكه

ثمراته وأتت على الموجود

And losses that devoured its fruits

And exhausted the limited goods

من بعد ما أشر البلاء وأسرفوا

فيه على التعريف والتطريد

After adversity was most intense and they were excessive

In it, in estrangement and exclusion

لو دام عاماً واحد التبددوا

في كل أرض أيما تبديد

Had it lasted one year, they would have scattered

Throughout every land, however dispersed

وافيتهم وقد التوين حبائل

واشتد ضيق خناق كل وريد

You came to them while they were entangled in problems

And the grip on every vein was tightened

ما كنت الاغارة ما أبطات

جاءت على قدر من الموعود

You were but a cloud that did not cheat

It came according to the promised measure

فكشف عنهم ما كشفت من البلا

وعددت هذا النخل خير عديد

So it uncovered them as you uncovered

And counted these palm trees as the best number

عدد اجلا عن كل قلب غمة

عمت وامن خوف كل طريد

A number that relieved every heart of its worries

That had spread, and secured every frightened fugitive

صيرته نعم الذخيرة مثلما

قد كان قبل بفعلك المحمود

You made it an excellent provision again as

It was before, by your blessed deed

ومحودت عنه حوادثا قد قررت

كتب الشقاء بها على المولود

And erased misfortunes that were determined

In the book of misfortune upon the newborn

ما كان يعرف رب نخل راحة

في النخل من خوف ومن تشديد

The owner of palm trees knew no comfort

Among the palm trees, from fear and harshness

حرمت رجال ما رزقت من الثنا

والأجر فالبس منه كل جديد

You deprived men of the livelihood you granted

So wear from it every new garment

النخلة أخت أبي البرية آدم

أكرم بها من عمة لوليد

The palm tree is sister of Adam, father of mankind

So honor through it the aunt of every newborn

لا يهتدي لقضاء واجب حقها

في الله إلا رأى كل سعيد

No one will be guided to fulfill its right duty

In God, unless he sees every fortunate one

خلقت مباركة وعدلك ردها

فينا كما خلقت بلا تنكيد

You created it blessed, and your justice returned it

To us as you created it without change

عدل ترى بركاته في العالمين

إذا خرجت كالما جرى في العود

It is a justice whose blessings are seen in both worlds

Whenever it flows like water in the stream

الملك عدل والمشد برفقه

لم يال في طلب عن المجهود

The king is just, and gentleness in collecting from him

Did not make him tired in pursuit

والرب راض والرعية منهم

لك كل كف بالدعا ممدود

And God is pleased, and the public with him

Extend to you every palm in supplication

قل للمشير بما اقتضته طباعه

من ضله في رايه المفسود

Tell the advisor what his nature dictated

Of the misguidance in his corrupt opinion

اسكت بفيك الترب أن عجز امرء

عن فضه بالصخرة الجلمود

Silence your mouth, for if a man fails

To remove dregs with a hard rock

أعلى ابن أحمد تجترى بمشورة

صلحت بمثلك ياعدو الجود

High are you, son of Ahmad, to be fooled by advice

That was reformed by your like, oh enemy of generosity

الأشرف ابن الناصر

ابن الأفضل بن الأكبرمين الصيد

The most honorable son of the victorious

Son of the superior of the two greatest in hunting

العدل في ابائه لكنه

اربا بابآء له وجد ود

Justice in his fathers, but he

Nurtured fathers for him, possessed of love and friendship

يرعى الرعية من عذاب واقع

وأنامهم امنا على ممهود

He takes care of the people from present torture

And their days are secure in what is guaranteed

ما كان الأمثل رحمة ربنا

نزلت بيونس لا بقوم ثمود

Never did our Lord's mercy

Descend upon Jonah or the people of Thamud

ما العدل سهل يابن أحمد فاصطبر

فيه على الترقيع والتسديد

Justice is not easy, O son of Ahmad, so be patient

In it, in repairing and guiding straight

والجوربا عثه قوى والهوى

داعيه يضعف دفع كل جليد

And injustice, leave it, for it is strong, and desire

Calls him to weaken driving away every potent one

الله نعم العون ان راعيته

وصبرت جهدك فهو غير بعيد

God is the best supporter if you obey Him

And tire yourself, for He is not far

فلتجنين ثمار صبرك عنده

ولتسكن بظله الممدود

So you may reap the fruits of your patience with Him

And live in His extended shade

ادرك رحالا في هواك ونسوة

تمسى تسائل عنك كل يزيد

Accomplish matters in your love, and women

Spend evenings asking about you, every increase

نذورا لمقدمك النذور وأسرفوا

واستحسن التبذير كل رشيد

Vows to your arrival, vows, and the noble

Deemed extravagance seemly to every rightly-guided one

قالوا القدوم غداً فخروا سجداً

شكراً وظل اليوم يوم سجود

They said: the arrival is tomorrow, so they fell prostrate

In thanks, and the day remains a day of prostration

فلئن قدمت فابقى امنية

لم يلاْتها متوطن بزبيد

If you come, remain the wish

That no dweller in Zabid has ever attained

وإلا الأمر أمرك والقلوب لديكم

إلا بقايا أعظم وجلود

Otherwise, the matter is yours, and hearts are yours

Except the remnants - greatest endurance.