عدوك مقتول بسيء فعله

وليس يحيق المكر إلا بأهله

Your enemy is killed by his own evil deed

And cunning only entraps its host

ومن يركب البغي المضلل سعيه

بجهل جدير ان يموت بجهله

He who rides the misguided horse of tyranny

Deserves to die in his own ignorance

فتباً لأعداك الذين تجمعوا

وقد اضمروا حقداً فجوزوا بمثله

So shame on your enemies who gathered

Harboring rancor and met it in kind

أتوك فردوا عن حمام بخيبة

يخبون في حزن الفضاء وسهله

They came to you and were driven back in failure

Hiding their sorrow in the bare plains

وما عضب ذي الباس المطاع بقاطع

إذا لم يذد عن سرحه ومحله

The mighty protector is not angry

If he does not defend his pasture and domain

رأوك فظنو الأرض واجفة بهم

تمور وكل ضل عن رشد سبله

They saw you and thought the land cramped by them

Seething, every stray losing his path

ففروا يرومون النجاة من الردى

مفر نعاج من هزبر وشبله

So they fled seeking refuge from havoc

Like frightened sheep from wolf and cub

وولو أو قد درت عليهم رماحكم

دماء كدمع المستهام الموله

Had your spears rained blood on them

Like the tear of a weeping camel

فما فتقت اسيافكم من جلودهم

يرتقه اللدن الوشيج بشله

They would not have pierced their hides

Too hard for the Indian steel blades

لقد كفروا نعماك يوم كسوتهم

من الوشي ما ضاهى الربيع بشكله

They were ungrateful for your gifts that clothed them

With fine garments rivaling spring in its glory

وحلمك عما غادروه بغدرهم

من الجود في كهل الزمان وطفله

And you were forgiving of their treacherous deeds

Of generosity in old age and childhood

ونكثهم تلك العهود دناءة

من الأصل والإنسان يزكو بأصله

And their breaking of pacts was baseness

In origin, while man is ennobled by his roots

فجازيتهم يوماً عبوساً قتامه

يسد طريق الشمس عنهم بظله

So you punished them on a grim overcast day

That blocked the sun's path with its shade

تخال مثال النقع جون سحائب

به والحسام العضب برقاً بسلّه

Imagine the example of heavy rain clouds

With lightning flashing in their swell

اسيرهم يخشى الكرى وطليقهم

يفر حذاراً من أخيه وخله

Their freed prisoners fear destiny

While their captives flee their own brothers and comrades

ولما اقمت الحد والعدل فاتكاً

بهم سبق السيف الطلا قبل عذله

And when you carried out justice and law decisively

The sword preceded argument before any plea

فسريت من افنى الطغاة بعضبه

وارضيت من داس البساط بنعله

So you destroyed the dens of tyrants in their fury

And pleased those who treaded the carpet with their shoes

وقمت بأعباء الأمور وبعض ما

حملت تدك الراسيات لحمله

And you took on the burdens of leadership

Though some tasks make even mountains buckle

وانفقت ما تحويه في طلب العلا

نوالا واحراز العلا عند بذله

You spent what you possessed seeking glory

Achievement, earning glory through expenditure

وانشأت بالمعروف في كل بلدة

سحاباً عميما وبله قبل طله

And you did good in every town

With abundant, widespread rain before the plea

عجبنا لهذا الدهر جاد على الورى

بمثلك مع شح الزمان وبخله

We are amazed that time gave the world

The likes of you, despite its stinginess and miserliness

فأنت الذي يخشى ويرجي على المدا

فيخشى لسطواه ويرجي لفضله

For you are feared and hoped for in battle

Feared for your power, hoped for, for your grace

وأنت الذي لا شيء يعظم عنده

سوى اللَه في كل الأمور ورسله

You before whom nothing is greater

Except God in all matters and his messengers

وأنت الذي انقاد الزمان لأمره

فغايه سؤل الدهر غاية سؤله

You who time obeyed your command

So that its ultimate desire is your desire

فدم لا برحت الدهر تسطو على العدى

ففي سطوات الليث أمن لنجله

You whose blood did not cease subduing enemies

So that in the lion's domination, there is safety for its cub

وفي تعب الأيام للمرء راحة

كمجناك شهداً مع جناية نحله

And in the toil of days there is rest for man

As with your wound, a bee's honey for its sting

فيا أوحد العليا ويا أمجد الورى

ويا من تعالى عن عسى ولعله

O peerless highest, O most glorious of all

O you who transcended "perhaps" and "maybe"

ابنك ان لا طرف لي اقتضى به

ديوني وايعاني الغزيم بمطله

My son, I have no means to fulfill

My debts, and my poverty exceeds my hopes

فجد لي بما أرجوه إن شئت ملجما

وإن رمت تعجيل العطا فبجله

So provide me what I wish for, if you wish, promptly

Or if you intend to hasten the gift, then soon

فإني امرؤ لو رمت غير نوالكم

لقال الورى ابعدت من متبله

For if you deny me your gifts

The world would say you abandoned your dependent

اتترك امواه البحار سوائحا

وتقنع من برض الثرى بأقله

Will you leave the waters of the seas drifting

And be content for those on land with the least?