إذا ابطات عنا من المحسن الحسنى

حمدناه علما إن موجبه منا

If benevolence turns away from us

We praise Him, knowing that the cause is from us

فما عن قلي يجفوا الموالي عبيدها

ولا بغضة ما يوجع الوالد الابنا

So my heart does not resent His loyal servants

Nor does the father hate the son out of anger

وفي مبكيات المرء لا مضحكاته

صلاح تربه المبكيات به إحنا

In man's weeping, not his laughter

Lies reform, weeping reforms him

فلا تعجبوا ممن تأمل طرسه

فأفسد بعض اللفظ كي يصلح المعنا

So do not be surprised at one who examines his condition

And corrupts some words to improve the meaning

فما أحمد معط ولا مانع سدى

فاوسعه حمدا كلما جاد أو ضنا

I do not praise the generous or blame the stingy in vain

I extensively praise him whenever he gives or deprives

ففي كل فعل صادر عنه حكمة

لها ظاهر تلقى النجاح به ضمنا

For in every act from Him there is wisdom

With an apparent aim to achieve success through it, guaranteed

مهيب الرضا كالسيف خيف بجفنه

وخيفته أقوى إذا فارق الجفنا

His pleasure is awesome like a sword, dreaded in its sheath

And its dread is stronger when it leaves the sheath

إذا قال يا للحلم والغيظ قابض

على ألسيف القى السيف من يده جبنا

When He says "Forbearance and suppressed rage"

He who held the sword casts it from his hand in cowardice

ومن كان اصلاح الورى من همومه

يكن عنده الإقصى من الناس كالأدنا

And he whose reforming people is his concern

Considers even the farthest people as the nearest

علقت به لا آئساً منه ان نأى

ولا مرخيا ثوبي إذا ما دنا أمنا

I clung to him, not despairing if he was distant

Nor letting down my guard if he came near, feeling secure

أنبه حظاً نام نومة مدنف

متى ما أقمه خر من قامة وهنا

I was fortunate, though I slept a sick man's sleep

Whenever I stand up, I stumble from weakness

وقالوا تنقل واغد فالما بجريه

يطيب وطول المكث يكسبه نتنا

And they said "Move on and tomorrow will be good"

But running water turns foul, and long stays make it rotten

فقلت نعم والبدر يأخذ كلما

تنقل في النقصان والوهن أو يفنا

I said "Yes", though the moon wanes

Whenever it moves, weakening and fading away

إذا لم أقل ريا على الماء ناله

ببيداء فيها الضب يستنكر المكنا

If I don't say "Enough!" when given water

I will be left in a desert with snakes disdaining the dwelling

دعوني فلم أظفر بإيام أحمد

لا مسيى بها الأشقى أو الخائب الظنا

Leave me be, for I found no days like Ahmad's days

That the wretched or the pessimist can attain

قفا نعله عندي ولا وجه غيره

ولو بايعوا في النعل بالوجه ما بعنا

His slipper's heel stays with me, and no other face

Even if they pledged the slipper for the face, I would not sell

غبنت رجالا عاصروا غير أحمد

فما جاوروا البحر المحيط ولا المزنا

I have missed men who were contemporaries of others, not Ahmad's

For they did not live by the endless sea or lofty peaks

خصصت به واختص مني زمانه

بأحسن من أثنى على خير من أغنا

I singled him out and his time singled me out

With the best praise for the best of all givers

فيا بايعا من غيره المدح بالعطا

عقدت ولكن صفقة ملئت غبنا

So you who pledge your eulogy to others for reward

Have made a deal full of loss

ابا الله ان يشقي مديحي بغيره

فما غيره أرضي يقلدني منا

God forbid that my praise of others brings me misery

For none but him satisfies me to emulate

ووالله إني كلما صد معرضا

طمعت وزاد الظن عندي به حسنا

By God, whenever someone turns away

I become hopeful, and my good opinion of him grows

وذاك لعلمي أنه خير آخذ

وأن ليس للحسنى لديه سوى الحسنى

For I know he is the best to deal with

And that he has no reward for benevolence but benevolence

وإني بحمد الله من جعلت له

يمين ابن إسمعيل من جودها حصنا

I made his right hand, son of Ismail's

From his generosity, a fortress for me

كريم يرى ما ليس فرضا فريضة

وكان افتراض الجود أول ما سنا

A generous man who sees undeserved kindness as duty

And generosity itself was the first thing he instituted

إذا سمع الحسنى استبد بنشرها

وان سمع العوراء أوسعها دفنا

When he hears of kindness, he insists on spreading it

And if he hears of disgrace, he insists on burying it

أحب العلا طفلا وأقسم لا راى

له قبل أن يكنى بها مقلة وسنا

He loved high goals from childhood and swore

When he saw one not yet named, with no experience or age

وكان بها من لاعج الشوق ما به

وقد ظفر أهناهما الله ما هنا

He was so fervently longing for them

Until God let him attain the two, happily

وأصبح للعليا كما أصبحت له

خليلا هوى كل بصاحبه اغنا

In the morning he became, as they became for him

An intimate friend, each in love with his companion

فما لفت العليا فتى في ثيابها

كأحمد مذ كانت ترام ومذكنا

No young man in their service attracted them

Like Ahmad, since they began to tread their path

بنى للعلا منحصنه الفص منزلا

يقبل فيه النجم في رجلها اليمنا

He built for the high goals a palace, a fortress

Where stars enter on their feet graciously

وكانت تعز والحصيب تساهما

فذي أخذت حصنا وذي أخذت حصنا

They gave favor while opponents fought over it

One took a fortress and the other took a fortress

فلما بنيت الفص طالت به التي

جمعت لها حبا إلى حسنها الحصنا

When the palace of Bani Fas was built

Those who loved and favored him for his goodness increased

فتم لها منك الفخار وما بقى

لتلك لديها ما تقيم به وزنا

From you they attained the pride and glory, nothing remained

For the others with him, nor matching weight

نسخت بخير منهما الاسم والنبا

فطابق بين اللفظ في الحصر والمعنا

You surpassed them in the best name and lineage

Matching between word and meaning in limitation and sense

سعيد المباني يشمل الوفد يمنه

إذا أَمك الراجي نداك به استغنا

Happy are the buildings, the delegation flocks to them

When the hopeful comes to your munificence, needing no other

وما عاد منه من يحبك خائبا

إذا عاد عنه خائبا كل من تشنا

And none who love you returns disappointed

While all we hate return from you disappointed

رددت به عنه العدى فهو نفسه

يرد إذا ما أعلق الأنس والجنا

Through it you repel enemies, it is itself

That repels when intimacy and souls are cut off