أترى النسيم إذا سرى من نجده

يعدي السليم على تظاهره وجده

Does the breeze, when it blows from Najd

Pass by the healthy and affect his passion?

ما ضر معتل النسيم لو أنه

أهدى إليَّ تحية من عنده

No harm if the blowing wind

Brought me a greeting from its source

ومورد الوجنات أهوى وصله

فبليت جسما إذ بليت بصده

The homeland of tenderness is more beloved to me

So my body has withered when it withered

زاه إذا انثنت الغصون تأودا

قلت استعارت لينها من قده

The branches bend as if

Borrowing their softness from his body

وإذا رأيت الورد في أكمامه

خيلته في الشبه حمرة خده

And when I see the roses in their buds

I imagine them to match the redness of his cheeks

هو منتهى السؤل الذي من أجله

اسنا ونشر عرار نجد وزنده

He is the ultimate question for which

We stayed up late and the thorns of Najd and its highlands spread

يا أهل ودى هل رأيتم سيدا

رضى المقام على قطيعة عبده

O people of affection, have you seen a master

Content with keeping his servant at bay?

إن رابكم شيب القذال فان في

صقل الحسام أثارة من حده

If your doubts made the warrior's hair gray then in

The polishing of the sword are traces of its sharpness

والليل لولا شبهه في افقه

لم يسلك السارون في مسوده

And were it not for the night's resemblance in the horizon

The travelers would not tread its darkness

وكذا السحاب يروق منه سواده

فيما اضاء ببرقه وبرعده

Just as the clouds charm with their darkness

What its lighting and thunder illuminate

ردوا عليَّ القلب أن لم تعطفوا

فالعذر ليس بجائز في رده

Give me back my heart if you do not show compassion

For the excuse is not valid in rejecting it

انيى امرؤ صحب الزمان فصانه

عن غيه قلب يصان برشده

I am a man who accompanied time, so it protected him

From foolishness, a heart protected by its guidance

وإذا الخليل نبا وأعرض جانباً

عني وبات منكبا عن قصده

And if the beloved called and turned away

From me and spent the night avoiding my quest

لم تشتبه سبلى عليَّ ولم أبت

متشكيا منه حرارة فقده

My paths did not become confused to me, and I did not spend my time

Complaining of the bitterness of his abandonment

أبقاي في كنف الوزير أقام لي

أملا يقل الدهر صادق وعده

I remain protected by the minister, who gave me

A hope that the days would fulfil its promise

أمل دفعت به الخطوب فجيدها

أمسي اسيراً في حبائل حده

A hope with which I warded off misfortunes, though now

I am a prisoner in the fetters of its consequence

وإذا دعوت أجابني بعزيمة

كالسيف حين تسله من غمده

And if I called he answered decisively

Like a sword when you unsheathe it from its scabbard

الصاحب الندب الذي أقواله

كالدر عند نظامه في عقده

The minister whose words are like

Pearls in their settings in a necklace

ملكت محبته القلوب فلو بدت

لرأيتها مملوة من وده

His love has conquered hearts, so if it appeared

You would see them filled with his affection

يا سيد الوزراء دعوة باذل

في الود والتفويض غاية جهده

O master minister, your supplicator

Has exhausted himself in love and dedication

أنت الذي وسع الأنام بعدله

وبفضله وبعفوه وبرفده

You who broadened people with your justice

And your grace, pardon and assistance

لبنى معيبد الكرام بأحمد

فخر يطول على الفخار بسعده

You built the edifice of generosity with Ahmed

Pride that lasts long in the honorable with its happiness

كالبحر جاش وإنما حسباؤه

درر تفيض به قرارة مده

Like the sea, it surged, though its depth

Were pearls flooding from its calm bed

كالطود ليس يجل جلوه حلمه

ريح الخطوب ولا يحول بعهده

Like a mountain, neither the winds of misfortunes

Sway his forbearance, nor does he break his promise

تتضاءل الاضداد عنه تقاصراً

والضد يظهر حسنه في ضده

Adversities shrink before him humbly

And adversity shows its beauty through its opposite

يغني الوفود لقاه حتى أنه

مازال يلتمس الغنى من رفده

Caravans sing his praises, so that he still

Seeks richness through his gifts

هو حاتم في وجوده هو أحنف

في حلمه هو حيدر في جده

He is the consummate being in his existence, the most clement

In his forbearance, the most steadfast in his purpose

انظر تقي الدين إن تك غائباً

نظر الخبير في برده

Look, Taki Al-Din, though you may be absent

The expert's gaze upon its coldness

فرع وذلك أصله فمحله

منه محل الكف نيط بزنده

And its branch, that is its origin, so its position

From it is the position of the palm propped up with its base

يا أيها المولى الوزير ومن له

كرم ينوب الوصف غاية حده

O minister, and whoever has

Generosity reaching the utmost limit

حسنت بوجهك هذه الدنيا معاً

فلتبق آمنة مرارة قصده

You have improved this world together

So may it remain safe from the bitterness of parting