أَيا مَلِكَ العَصرِ الَّذي شاعَ فَضلُهُ

وَيا اِبنَ مُلوكِ العُربِ وَالعُجمِ وَالتُركِ

O king of the age, whose excellence has spread,

And O son of the kings of Arabs, non-Arabs, and Turks,

وَمَن عَلَّمَتني المَدحَ أَو صافُ مَجدِهِ

فَما زِدتُها عِندَ النِظامِ سِوى السَلكِ

And whoever taught me to praise or described his glory,

I have not added more to it in the eyes of al-Nizam except sincerity,

لَقَد غَمَرَتني مِن أَياديكَ أَنعُمٌ

مَلَكتَ بِها رِقّي وَإِن أَكثَرَت مُلكي

Indeed, favors from your hands have overwhelmed me,

By which you have controlled my happiness, even if you have increased my kingdom,

أُعَدُّ إِذا فارَقتُ مَغناكَ تاجِراً

فَإِن أُبتُ ظَنّوني شَريكَكَ في المُلكِ

I consider myself a merchant when I separate from your riches,

So if the jealous accuse me of being your partner in the kingdom,

لِذَلِكَ لَم تَثنِ الحُطوبُ مَوَدَّتي

وَلَكِنَّني مِثلُ النُضارِ عَلى السِبكِ

That is why hardships have not changed my affection,

But I am like bright steel on the whetstone,

فَإِن يَكُ صَرفُ الدَهرِ قَد حَكَّ جانِبي

لِيَخبُرَني وَالتِبرُ يُخبَرُ بِالحَكِّ

So if the turning of fate has scratched my side,

It informs me while the whetstone informs of the scratch,

فَقَد زِدتُ مَع وَقعِ الحَوادِثِ رَغبَةً

كَما زادَ فَرطُ السَحقِ في أَرجِ المِسكِ

So with the occurrence of events I have increased longing,

Just as increased rubbing increases the fragrance of musk,

فَإِن أَخطَأَتني مِن نَداكَ سَحابَةٌ

فَما غَيَّرَت حُبّي وَلا أَوجَبَت تَركي

And if a cloud has deprived me of your bounty,

It has neither changed my love nor caused me to abandon you,

لِأَنِّيَ مِن أَهلِ اليَقينِ عَلى الوَفا

وَقَد يَحدُثُ التَغييرُ عِندَ ذَوي الشَكِّ

Because I am of those firmly convicted of loyalty,

While change may occur with those who doubt.