آهِ لِلبَرقِ أَضاءا

أَيمَنَ الغَورِ عِشاءا

Ah, for lightning that illuminates

The deep ravines at nightfall

مُستَطيراً مِن قِرابِ ال

مُزنِ سَلّاً وَاِنتِضاءا

Darting from the sides of pitch-black clouds

Pouring down torrents and flashing

كاّليَماني العَضبِ يَهتَز

زُ صِقالا وَمَضاءا

Like the blade of a Yemeni sword it quivers

Polished and gleaming

واصِفاً تِلكَ الوُجوهَ ال

عَرَبيّاتِ الوِضاءا

Depicting those bright Arabian faces

And the tender cheeks that smile

وَالثَنايا الغُرُّ يَبسِم

نَ وَميضاً وَسَناءا

A harbinger it remains of fateful events

The sorrow of darkness draws near

لَم يَزَل يُنذِرُ بِالخَص

بِ رُبا الحَزنِ الظِماءا

It has watered a land of barrenness

As much as it willed and desired

وَسَقى داراً عَلى الخَل

صاءِ ما شاءَت وَشاءا

Who has seen before it a spark

Carrying water that preceded it

مَن رَأى جُذوَةَ نارٍ

قَبلَهُ تَحمِلُ ماءا

It let down 'Uluwiyyah so it brought us nothing

But misery and hardship

عَنَّ عُلوياً فَلَم يُه

دِ لَنا إِلّا العَناءا

Oh, how it mocks the weeping of my eyes

I had an illness and nights of insomnia were its cure

يا لَهُ مِن ضاحِكٍ عَل

لَمَ عَينيَّ البُكاءا

It stirs up longing in my heart for the hills

And open expanses remind me of a bygone love

كانَ لي داءً وَلِلأَط

لالِ أَقوينا دَواءا

And nights of a past youth that rapidly

Flew by in pleasure and delight

هاجَ لِلقَلبِ بِمَسرا

هُ الجَوى وَالبُرَحاءا

A season of blissful indulgence in which I attained

All I desired without regret

مُذكِراً عَهدَ هَوىً عا

دَ لَهُ قَلبي هَواءا

By my father, whoever torments a heart

With indifference and aloofness

وَلَيالٍ مِن صِبىً سَر

رَ بِها الدَهرُ وَساءا

And robs a lover when the beauty dons mourning clothes

While blood flows from his misery

مَوسِماً لِلَّهوِ ما أَس

رَعَ ما كانَ اِنقِضاءا

A life passes by and debts remain unpaid

Fear then if the Hyenas howl

نلِتُ مِن حَسناءَ فيهِ

ما يَسوءُ الرُقَباءا

For they are treacherous beasts

Oh, how excellent at killing me are those

بِأَبي مَن عَذَّبَ القَل

بَ مَلالاً وَجَفاءا

Who will not be punished for my murder

And a brother who did not care for me

سَلَبَ العاشِقَ لَمّا

لَبِسَ الحُسنَ العزاءا

In the path of brotherly love

He began to cool his sympathy

وَعَلى الجِزعِ دُمىً يَس

فِكنَ بِاللَحظِ الدِماءا

For my miserable, burning passion

And as lightning lit up my eyelids with tears

يَنقَضي العُمرُ وَلا يَن

وينَ لِلدينِ قَضاءا

He said to me, "Stop your weeping

Leave this valley empty of your tears

فاِخشَ إِن سَلَّت ظُبا أَج

فانَها تِلكَ الظِباءا

For the partridges of the hills have had their fill of water"

Stinginess has made his eyes devoid

يا لَها مِن مُقَلٍ عَل

لَمتُ الناسَ الرِماءا

Of what they once possessed in generosity

Can you see the Master of Glory made excellence

جازياتٍ لَيسَ يَغرَم

نَ عَلى قَتلي الجَزاءا

And splendor ugly through his stinginess?

The bearer of burdens, if he carried them

وَأَخٍ لَم يَرعَ لي في

مَذهَبِ الوُدِّ الإِخاءا

With acceptance, would not be miserable

He whose noble traits have taught us

باتَ يَستبرِدُ أَنفا

سَ غَرامي الصُعَداءا

Loyalty, fulfillment and generosity

He who fills the heart and eye equally with foresight and plenty

قالَ لي وَالبرقُ يَستَح

لِبُ أَجفاني بُكاءا

Openhanded in times of crisis with a generous breast and selflessness

Brother of resolve, burning with fervor like ignited kindling

خَلِّ مِن دَمعِكَ ما تَب

كي بِهِ الرَبعَ الخَلاءا

He accommodates the sinner and the innocent with pardon, affection and grace

So you see him bestow favor upon the rebel

فَصَوادي التُربِ مِن دَم

عِكَ قَد عُدنَ رَواءا

While averting his gaze in shyness

Gentle and kind he makes tension and misery

سَخيَت مِنكَ جُفونٌ

كُنَّ قِدماً بُخَلاءا

Into comfort and ease

His hand that was created for no reason

أَتَرى الصاحِبُ مَجدَ ال

دينِ أَعداها السَخاءا

Except to enrich the destitute

Leader of heroes who never tire of battle

مَلِكٌ باهَت بِهِ الدُن

يا جَمالاً وَبَهاءا

The valiant red planet fills the horizon

While the tents admit the winds openly

حامِلُ الأَعباءِ لَو حُم

مِلُها رَضوى لَباءا

Bearing the lions forward with might, firmness and refusal to submit

The excellent battle strategist ahead and behind

وَوَفيٌّ مِن سَجايا

ه تَعَلَّمنا الوَفاءا

Whose standard you imagine between its staff is a banner

The galloping of the lame she-camels turned back from him in slowness

يَملَأُ الصَدرَ مَعاً وَال

عَينَ رَأياً وَرُواءا

So he won the race against the messengers and surpassed the envoys

Oh Reviver of Life you have brought hope

الجَوادُ الرَحبُ في الأَز

مَةِ صَدراً وَفِناءا

Through your lasting generosity

Oh Abu al-Fadl you have surpassed the rain in generosity and liberality

وَأَخو العَزمِ كَما تَض

طَرِم النارُ ذَكاءا

You came late in time but surpassed those of the past

You were generous so you shamed the legendary kings

وَسِعَ الجانِيَ وَالعا

فِيَ عَفواً وَحَباءا

And how much you have endured adversity with excellence

So climb the plateau of ascendance and increase in loftiness and ascension

فَتَراهُ كَرَماً يُج

زِلُ لِلباغي العَطاءا

And adorn it with favors in which the loyal boast

Favors that complement your morning and evening

مُطرِقاً مِنُه وَقَد أَح

يا أَمانيهِ حَياءا

Its flowing basin surpasses roses in purity

They have perished, O gift of God, and your enemies have vanished into oblivion

لَينُ عِطفٍ يَجعَلُ الشِد

دَةَ وَالبوئسَ رَخاءا

Drink from the cup of harmony, and dress yourself in the garment of praise

And seek people's well-being as you have made them endure

وَيَدٌ ما خُلِقَت إِلّا

لِتُغني الفُقَراءا

And listen to the praise of a loyal supporter whose allegiance is to you

A grateful servant, inspired and moved to praise

قائِدُ الأَبطالِ غُلباً

لا يَمَلّونَ اللِقاءا

Who selects the finest rhymes for you and praises with care

Sleepless, composing sublime words in your honor

وَالخَميسُ المَجرُ قَد سَد

دَ بِقُطرَيهِ الفَضاءا

Praise of sincerity, though some may praise hypocritically

A servant who bears the fatigue of gratitude and contentment

وَالسَراحيبُ تَفوتُ ال

ريحَ جَرياً وَنَجاءا

Why do the misfortunes of fate walk the path of misery?

They have departed from me and wandered

تَحمِلُ الآسادَ إِقدا

ماً وَبأساً وَإِباءا

Among the people of this age in comfort

For this is how the days are, they do not cease

وَمُجيلُ الرَأيِ في الحَر

بِ أَماماً وَوَراءا

Except for the virtuous

I and my companion are equal in poetry and genius

مُشرِفٌ تَحسِبُهُ ما

بَينَ عودَيهِ لِواءا

We have attained the heavens together

Though we lived in one time we came together

رَجَعَت عَنهُ سِراعُ ال

أَعوَجِيّاتِ بِطاءا

The seal of the generous and the seal of the poets

فَحَوى السَبقَ عَلى رِس

لٍ وَفاتَ الرُسَلاءا

يا مُميتَ العُدمِ أَحيَي

تَ بِجَدواكَ الرَجاءا

يا أَبا الفَضلِ فَضَلتَ ال

غَيثَ جوداً وَسَخاءا

وَتَأَخَّرتَ زَماناً

فَشَأَوتَ القُدَماءا

وَتَكَرَّمتَ فَبَخَّل

تَ المُلوكَ الكُرَماءا

وَلَكَم أَبلَيتَ في الرَو

عِ فَأَحسَنتَ البَلاءا

فَاِفتَرِع هَضبَ العُلا وَاِز

دَد عُلُوّاً وَاِرتِقاءا

وَاِدَّرِعها نِعَماً تَب

هَجُ فيها الأَولِياءا

نِعَمٌ تَعتادُ مَغنا

كَ صَباحاً وَمَساءا

حَوضُها المَورودُ يَزدا

دُ عَلى الوِردِ صَفاءا

ذَهَبَت يا هِبَةَ اللَ

هِ أَعاديكَ هَباءا

شَرِبوا كَأسَ الرَدى فَاِل

بَس مِنَ الحَمدِ رِداءا

وَطُلِ الناسَ كَما طُل

تَهُمُ باعاً بَقاءا

وَاِستَمِع مَدحَ وَليٍّ

مُخلِصٍ فيكَ الوَلاءا

عَبدُ شُكرٍ وَحَرٍ أَن

يَشكُرَ الرَوضُ السَماءا

يَنتَقي غُرَّ القَوافي

لَكَ وَالمَدحِ اِنتِقاءا

ساهَرٌ يَنظِمُ في جي

دِ مَعاليكَ الثَناءا

مَدحُ إِخلاصٍ وَقَد يَم

دَحُ أَقوامٌ رِئاءا

خِدَمٌ تَحمِلُ في أَو

عِيَةِ الشُكرِ الهَناءا

ما لِأَحداثِ خُطوبٍ

كَيدُها يَمشي الضَراءا

عَصَفَت عِندي وَهَبَّت

في بَني الدَهرِ رُخاءا

وَكَذا الأَيّامُ لا تَع

تامُ إِلّا الفُضَلاءا

أَنا وَالصاحِبُ شِعراً

وَنَداً نِلنا السَماءا

وَكِلانا في زَمانٍ

واحِدٍ جِئنا سَواءا

خَتَمَ الأَجوادَ طُرّاً

وَخَتَمتُ الشُعَراءا