1. لَم تَتبَعِ الأَمرَ إِلّا كانَ أَو كادا

    وَلَم تَرَ الخَطبَ إِلّا بانَ أَو بادا

    You never pursued a matter but it came to pass, or nearly did.

    And you never saw a calamity but it departed or perished.

  2. وَما رَأى البُؤسَ أَفواجُ العُفاةِ وَقَد

    حَلَّت بِرَبعِكَ إِلّا حالَ أَو حادا

    And throngs of petitioners never saw misery, once

    they settled in your dwelling, without its passing or turning aside.

  3. وَطيبُ ذِكرِكَ لَم يَقصِد بِشَهوَتِهِ

    بِناءَ مَجدِكَ إِلّا شاعَ أَو شادا

    And the sweetness of your renown never sought, in its longing,

    to build your glory without spreading abroad or raising it high.

  4. حَلّى بِكَ الدَهرُ أَجيادَ العَلاءِ فَلَم

    تُعطَ المَراتِبَ إِلّا زانَ أَو زادا

    Time adorned the necks of eminence with you; and never

    were you granted ranks but it graced or enhanced them.

  5. يا ماجِداً ما دَعَتهُ في نَدىً وَرَدىً

    بَنو المَطالِبِ إِلّا جالَ أَو جادا

    O noble man, never called upon in matters of bounty and death

    by the sons of aspiration without sallying forth or giving.

  6. ما رامَ بِالعَزمِ صَيدَ الصيدِ يَومَ وَغىً

    إِن صالَتِ الشوسُ إِلّا صالَ أَو صادا

    Never did he seek with resolve to hunt proud nobles on a day of battle—

    if fierce warriors charged—but he charged or caught them.

  7. وَلَم يُشاهِد بَني الأَمالِ قَد قُطِعَت

    مِنها العَلائِقُ إِلّا عاجَ أَو عادا

    And he never saw the sons of hope, with already severed

    ties to their hopes, but he turned toward them or returned.

  8. وَما دَعا لِلنَدى إِلّا أَجابَ نِدا

    باغي النَوالِ إِذا ما ناحَ أَو نادى

    And no one called for bounty but he answered the cry

    of the seeker of gifts, whenever he wailed or called.

  9. لا يَنثَني لِمَهَبِّ العاصِفاتِ وَلَم

    يَهُزُّهُ المَدحُ إِلّا مالَ أَو مادا

    He does not bend before the blast of tempests, and never

    does praise stir him without his inclining or swaying.

  10. فَخارُ مَجدِكَ نَجمُ الدينِ إِن فَخَرَت

    أَهلُ السِيادَةِ ساوى النَجمَ أَو سادا

    Your glory's pride, Najm al-Din, if there is boasting

    among the lords of eminence, matches the star or surpasses it.

  11. وَنارُ عَزمِكَ إِن نارُ القِرى وُقِدَت

    رَأى لَها الناسُ إيقاظاً وَإِقادا

    And in the fire of your resolve, if hospitality's fire is kindled,

    people see awakening and kindling.

  12. وَسُحبُ نَفعِكَ إِن هَبَّت عَواصِفُها

    رَأى لَها الشَوسُ إِرعاباً وَإِرعادا

    And in the clouds of your beneficence, if their tempests blow,

    the fierce warriors see terror and thunder.

  13. تَرَكتُ مَدحَكَ إِذ أَكرَمتَني حَذَراً

    أَن تُفنِيَ المالَ إِنفاقاً وَإِنفادا

    I ceased praising you when you honored me, for fear

    that you might exhaust your wealth, spending and depleting it.

  14. إِذ كُنتَ أَولَيتَ قوماً دونَ مَرتَبَتي

    بِأَيسَرِ المَدحِ إِرفاقاً وَإِنفادا

    For you had granted people beneath my station,

    for the slightest praise, help and gifts that drained your wealth.

  15. فَمُذ أَثَرتُ رِكابي عَنكَ مُرتَحِلاً

    أَثَرتُ مَدحَكَ إِنشاءً وَإِنشادا

    So, since I roused my riding-camels, departing from you,

    I have stirred up your praise, composing and reciting it.

  16. فَاَسعَد بِأَبكارِهِ لا زِلتَ في نِعَمٍ

    تَرى مِنَ اللَهِ إِسعافاً وَإِسعادا

    So rejoice in its maiden verses; may you ever dwell in blessings,

    receiving from God succor and happiness.