مكارمكَ اغتباقِي واصطباحِي

ومن ذكراكَ ريحاني وَرَاحي

Your kindness is my morning draught and evening feast,

And the memory of you is my sweet basil and relief.

تحَيِيني بأَثمارِ الأَمانِي

وأَرفُلُ منكَ فِي روضِ السَّماحِ

You revive me with the fruits of my hopes,

And I revel in your meadow of generosity.

فما هاجَتنيَ الأَطْرَابُ إِلّا

إليكَ نِزاعُ نفسي وارتياحي

Thus my soul is troubled by none but you,

To you it turns for solace and comfort.

ولا غَنَّتْ ليَ الآمالُ إِلّا

وحظُّ رضاكَ سُؤْلِي واقتراحي

And my hopes sing for none but you,

For your favor is my request and desire.

فإِنْ أَصبحتُ مُنْتَشِياً بنُعْمى

تُواليها فشُكْرُ الحُرِّ صَاحِ

When I wake feeling blessed,

Gratitude is the freeman’s cry.

وقَلَّ لِمَنْ جَلا الإِظلامَ عَنِّي

ولَقَّى ناظِري وَجْهَ الصباحِ

And few are they from whom the darkness lifts from me,

Revealing the light of dawn.

ومَنْ بيمينه وَرِيَتْ زنادي

سَناً وبيُمنِهِ فازَت قدَاحي

By whose right hand my tinderbox ignited,

My brief years blessed, my goblets brimming over.

ومَنْ نادَيْتُ حَيَّ عَلَى التَّلاقِي

فلَبَّانِي بحَيَّ عَلَى النَّجاحِ

Whose call of “Courage!” at the encounter

I answer with “Courage and success!”

وآوانِي إِلَى رُكْنٍ شديدٍ

وأَوْفى بي عَلَى أَمَلٍ مُتاحِ

Who has brought me to a formidable pillar,

And fulfilled in me an attainable hope.

وزيرٌ قُلِّدَ المَلِكَانِ منهُ

حُسامَ البأْس والنُّصْح المُباحِ

A minister endowed with the twin swords

Of valor and frank counsel for the kings.

حمائلُهُ لصدر المُلْك حَلْيٌ

وحدَّاهُ عَتادٌ للكِفاحِ

His defense of the throne a necklace,

His armor attire for the fight.

حياةٌ عند مُزْدَحَمِ الأَمانِي

وموتٌ عند مُشتَجَرِ الرِّماحِ

Life lies with the hopeful man,

Death with the hopeless spearman.

ولَيثٌ تَحْتَ سابغَةٍ دلاصٍ

وغيثٌ بَيْنَ أَثناءِ الوشاحِ

A lion beneath a flowing tasseled bridle,

A rain shower between loosened garment folds.

إِذا الرَّاياتُ جَهَّزَها برأْيٍ

فقد لَقِيَ العِدى شاكي السِّلاحِ

When he arrays the flags by his wisdom

He meets the foe disappointed of arms.

وإِنْ لاقى الخطوبَ بفَضْلِ حُكْمٍ

فقَدْ أَبقاهُ ذُخراً للصَّلاحِ

When he faces disasters with excellent judgment

He keeps them in reserve for better times.

بَعيدُ الشَّأْو مُقتَرِبُ الأَيادي

عَزيزُ القَدْر مخفوضُ الجَناحِ

Lofty in station, gentle in manner,

Mighty in influence, his wings folded in modesty.

حسامٌ للكواكِبِ فِي المعالي

مُبارٍ فِي المكارم للرِّياحِ

A scimitar to the stars in glory,

Racing the winds in bounty.

فمُلِّيناهُ فِي دِينٍ ودُنيا

مَريعَ الروض محلول النَّواحي

He has bent us – in religion and worldly affairs –

To fresh meadows, untroubled waters.