كَفَى بِحَبِيبٍ فِي أَسَاطِينِ عَصْرِهِ

هُمَاماً عَلَى الأَقْرَانِ قَدَّمَهُ الجَدُّ

His excellence proclaimed among the greats of his age,

My ancestor set him as a paragon for his peers.

إِذَا مَا بَدَا دَلَّتْ جَلالَةُ شَخْصِهِ

عَلَى أَنَّهُ فِي قَوْمِهِ الْعَلَمُ الْفَرْدُ

When he appears his majesty reveals him

As the unique master among his people.

قَضَى فِي جِهَادِ الدَّهْرِ أَطْوَلَ حُقْبَةٍ

فَمَا خَانَهُ فِيهَا الذَّكَاءُ ولاَ الجِهْدُ

He spent the longest epoch warring against fate,

His wit and effort never failed him therein.

وَمَا زَادَهُ زِيَغُ السِّنِينِ بِلَحْظَهِ

سِوَى نَظَرٍ فِي حَالِكِ الأَمْرِ يَسْتَدُّ

The passing years but gave his gaze

More insight into the ruin of affairs.

لَهُ الْبَيْتُ غَايَاتُ الْمَعَالِي حُدُودُهُ

وَلَكِنْ بِلُطْفِ اللهِ لَيْسَ لَهُ حَدُّ

For him the house has the bounds of sublimity,

But by God's grace he has no bounds.

مَشِيدٌ عَلَى التَّقْوَى مَنِيعٌ عَلَى العِدَى

قَرِيبٌ إِلى العافِينَ عَذْبٌ بِهِ الوَرْدُه

Built on piety, unassailable in vengeance,

Gracious to the secure, sweet is commune with him.

مَتِينٌ عَلَى الأَرْكَانِ وَهْيَ ثَلاَثَةٌ

بِأَمْثَالِهَا تَحْيِي أَبُوَّتَهَا الْوُلْدُ

Steadfast in principles, they being three,

With the like of them their progeny thrives.

ذَكَرْتُ شَبَاباً لَوْ سَرَدْتَ صِفَاتِهِمْ

وَآيَاتِهِمْ فِي الْفَضْلِ لَمْ يَحْصِهَا السَّرْدُ

I recalled a youth—were I to recount his qualities

And signs of excellence, narration would not suffice.

أُولَئِكَ هُمْ يَوْمَ الفِخَارِ شُهُودُنَا

عَلَى أَنَّنَا أَكِفَّاءُ مَا يَبْتَغِي الْمَجْدُ

They on the day of pride are our witnesses

That we are worthy of what glory requires.

وَإِنَّا إِذَا اسْتَكْفَتْ بِلاَدٌ حِمَاتِهَا فَفِينا

الْحَكِيمْ الضَّرْبُ وَالأَسَدُ الوَرْدُ

When nations seek their protectors, among us are

The wise reproach and the lion, a bouquet.