أَلاَ أَيُّهَا الشَّهْمُ النَّبيلُ الَّذِي لَهُ

عَلَى صغَرٍ في سنِّهِ الْمَنْصِبُ النَّهدُ

O noble youth of eminent rank

Though so young in years

لَوْ إِنَّكَ لَمْ تَمْنَعْ لَوَافَى مُهَنِّئاً

بعُرْسكَ وَفْدٌ حَافلٌ تَلْوُهُ وَفْدُ

Had you not declined, throngs of well-wishers

Would have come to congratulate your wedding

فَإِنَّ مَكَاناً في الْقُلُوب حَلَلتُهُ

لَيَزْهَى عَلَى مُلْكِ تُؤَيِّدُهُ جُنْدُ

For you have won a place in hearts

To adorn a kingdom supported by armies

فَدَاكَ أُنَاسُ قَلَّ في الْخَيْرِ شَأْنُهُمْ

فَلاَ قُرْبُهُمْ قُرْبُ وَلاَ بُعْدُهُمْ بُعْدُ

May people who seldom do good sacrifice themselves for you

Neither their nearness is nearness, nor their remoteness, remoteness

يَرُومُونَ أَنْ يُثْنَى عَلَيْهمْ بوَفْرهمْ

وَأَفْضَلُهُ عَنْهُمْ إِلَى الْبرِّ لاَ يَعْدُو

They desire to be praised for their abundance

Yet their best falls short of righteousness

إِذَا رَخُصَ الْغَالي منَ السِّلْعَةِ اشْتَرَوا

وَلاَ يَشْتَرُونَ الْحُرَّ إِنْ رَخُصَ الْعَبْد

They buy cheap merchandise

But do not buy the free man, even when the slave is cheap

أَعذْتُ برَبِّ الْعَرْش منْ عَيْن حَاسدِ

طَلاَقَةَ ذَاكَ النُّور فِي الْوَجْهِ إِذْ تَبْدُو

I seek refuge in the Lord of the Throne from the eye of an envier

Of the radiance of your face when it appears

وَرقَّةَ ذَاكَ اللَّفْظ فِي كُلِّ مَوْقِفِ

يُصَانُ بهِ عِرْضٌ وَيَقْنَى بهِ وُدُّ

The softness of your words in every situation

Through which a virtue is guarded and affection attained

وَبَسْطَةَ كَفٍّ منْكَ في مَوْضِعِ النَّدَى

يُعَادُ بهَا غَمْضٌ وَيُنْفَي بهَاء سَهْدُ

The outstretching of your hand in times of bounty

Through which sorrows are dispelled and joy brought

شَكَا الدَّهْرُ مَا تَأَسُو جِرَاحُ كِرَامِهِ

وَأَنْكَرَ مِنْكَ الرِّفْقُ جَانبَهُ الصَّلْدُ

Fate complains of wounds in the hearts of the noble

And wonders at your gentleness, so unlike harshness

وَلَكنَّ هَذَا البرَّ طَبْعٌ مُغَلَبٌ

عَلَيْكَ وَهَلْ يَهْدِي سِوَى طيبِهِ النَّدُ

But your kindness is an inborn trait

Can anything but goodness lead you?

فمَهْمَا تَصِبْ خَيْراً فَقَدْ جَدَرَتْ بهِ

فَضَائلٌ لَمْ يَضْمَمْ عَلَى مثْلِهَا بُرْدُ

So whatever good you do, virtues have made you deserve it

No chill can penetrate such warmth