1. قُل لِلأَمير الَّذي قَد فازَ مَن قَصَدوا

    دِيوانَه وَعَلَيهِ في القَضا اِعتَمَدوا

    Say to the emir, through whom those have prospered who sought

    His court and relied on him in judgment:

  2. يا وافر الحَزم في كُل الأُمور وَيا

    مَن لَيسَ يُحصى لَهُ بَينَ الأَنام يَد

    O you of abundant prudence in all affairs, and O

    You whose favors among humankind cannot be counted:

  3. إِني سَمعت بِتَوزيع الرَقيق عَلى

    مَن لَم يَكُن فرّ منه هارباً أَحد

    I have heard of slaves being distributed to

    Those from whom no one had fled as a runaway.

  4. وَكان لي مِن بَني السُودان أَربَعةٌ

    فَرّ اِثنَتان وَعَبدٌ عاقه الرَمد

    And I had four from among the people of Sudan;

    Two women fled, and eye inflammation incapacitated a male slave.

  5. وَلَيسَ لي الآن مِنهُم غَير واحِدَة

    هِيَ العَجوز الَّتي مِنها وَهَى الجلد

    And now I have none of them but one woman:

    She is the old woman whose strength has waned.

  6. فَامنن بِعَبدٍ صَغير ثم جاريةٍ

    صَغيرة مِثله ما مَسَّها أَوَد

    So favor me with a young male slave, then a slave girl,

    Young like him, untouched by deformity.

  7. وَمُر سُليمان بِالتَسليم مُحتَسِباً

    عَلى المُهيمن ما في فعله رشد

    And order Sulayman to hand them over, seeking reward

    From the Guardian for the good in his deed,

  8. حَتّى أَكُون كَمَن ردّت بِضاعته

    إِلَيهِ مِن بَعد يَأس مالهُ أَمَد

    So that I may be like one whose merchandise was returned

    To him after despair that had no end.

  9. لا زالَ يا صالح الأَعمال مِنكَ لِمَن

    يَرجُوك في كُل أَمر دائِماً مَدد

    May there always be from you, O you of righteous deeds, for those

    Who look to you in every matter, continual aid—

  10. وَما صَفا ضُوء صُبحي في الثَناء عَلى

    عَلياك يا صادِقاً فيما بِهِ يَعد

    And as long as my dawn's light shines clear in praise of

    Your eminence, O you who are true to what you promise.