1. أَبديت أَشرح في قَوافي أَلمعي

    في بيات تطرب كُل عارف المعي

    I began to expound in brilliant rhymes,

    In verses that delight every discerning connoisseur.

  2. ما قال شبلي في قَوافي المعي

    يعسر عَلى الشعار قافي لَو أنقرا

    What Shibli has said in brilliant rhymes

    Challenges poets to match my rhyme, even if recited,

  3. من حد قبرص للجزاير لا نَقرا

    مِن كُل عارف لوذعياً مدعي

    From the edge of Cyprus to Algeria, whenever recited,

    By any discerning, sharp-witted claimant.

  4. مِن بَعد ذا يا راكب اللي عالمنا

    تشدا نَواعير المسهي عالمينا

    Then, O rider of the mount towering above us,

    Like the waterwheels of al-Mus-hi by the harbor,

  5. فَوقه غلام اللي يودي علمنا

    لا دار القريا سَريعاً بشرا

    On it is a young man who carries our news,

    Swiftly to the home of al-Qurayya with glad tidings

  6. بقدوم من يَبغا المَنايا بِالشَرا

    طُوبى لَك حَيثك قساور جامِعي

    Of the coming of one who seeks to purchase death.

    Blessed are you, for you gather lions.

  7. طُوبى لَك يا دار قنديلك ضوا

    لَيثك وَثب يا عامرة بَعد أَن ضَوا

    Blessed are you, O home: your lamp has shone.

    Your lion sprang forth, O flourishing home, after returning.

  8. قالَت لفاهداج هل مَروي الظَوا

    مي في سِنين الجَذب كَالعاصي جَرى

    She said, 'Hadaj has arrived—does he quench the thirst?'

    In years of drought, water flowed like the Asi.

  9. سُلطان حاتم طي مثلو ما جَرى

    يَوم الوَغى يَشبَه شَبيب التَبعي

    Sultan is Hatim of Tayy; his like has never appeared.

    On the day of battle, he resembles Shabib al-Tab‘i.

  10. سُلطان رُكن بِلادنا قَبل وَبَعد

    هَجروا ضَنا لفؤادنا لَما بَعد

    Sultan is the pillar of our land, before and after.

    His absence brought anguish to our heart when he went far away.

  11. من قبل دور جدودنا احكوا بَعد

    من علم عن حر نبغ مثلو تَرى

    Tell, too, of times before our forefathers' age:

    Who has heard of a noble man who excelled like him?

  12. ما ظنتي عازيهم عين تَرى

    اسمو عاجسمو خالطوا لَما وعي

    I do not think any eye will see their equal.

    His name mingled with his body when he came to awareness.

  13. أَما علي سوم المَنايا منولا

    في مَوقف الحرجات عمرو ما انولا

    As for Ali, dealing death is his way.

    In moments of peril, he has never been overcome.

  14. حريبهم ما ظن كاسب منولا

    وليا اِعتَلى سرداً طَويلة مشمرا

    I doubt their enemy will gain any favor from him.

    And when he mounts a tall, lean, fleet mare,

  15. زود عَلى حتى الرَشيد وَشمرا

    شبلاً تعقب من غضنفر هيلعي

    He surpasses even al-Rashid and Shammar,

    A lion cub descended from a mighty lion.

  16. الضيغمي يَوم الكَريهة مُصطَفى

    من قابلو بالكون كاسو ما اِصطَفى

    Mustafa is the lion-hearted one on the day of battle.

    Whoever faced him in battle found his cup impure.

  17. سبُحانه الرَب الكَريم المُصطَفى

    كُل واحد مِنهُم تعدو عَنتَرا

    Glory to Him, the generous Lord, the Chosen One.

    You would count each one of them an Antarah.

  18. مابو زَلل عازيهم ما عين تَرى

    قَبل وَبَعد من محدرا للمطلعي

    There is no flaw in him; no eye sees their equal,

    Before and after, from the setting to the rising.

  19. نواف مع زيد النمورة يجلبوا

    شبه القَساور عَالكَواسر يجلبوا

    Nawaf and Zayd, those tigers, charge.

    Like lions, they charge against predators.

  20. صح المثل إِن كان فَرخ يَج لبوه

    كَم واحد عَالبُعد جابي بالذَرا

    The proverb is true: if it is a fledgling, it takes after its father.

    How many a man comes from afar bearing grain!

  21. كُل من هوَ حَقلو بعقلو بذرا

    المَرء يَحصد في مثل ما يزرَعي

    Each man has sown his field with his wits.

    A man harvests just what he sows.

  22. علم اِنطَبَل أَحيا الجبل لَما ظَهَر

    حيناً حمل عَفواً شمل شَد الظهر

    A banner heralded by drums revived the mountain when it appeared.

    When he brought a pardon embracing all, he strengthened our backs.

  23. زلم العَمل اشفوا الزمل دُون الظَهر

    وَليا التقوا صدم الجَحافل مجهرا

    The men of action eased the loads without straining the backs.

    And when they meet, the clash of armies rings out.

  24. وَليا التقوا مثل النُهور المجهَرا

    وَلا يَنفقوا الشيمة بكثرة المطمعي

    And when they meet, they are like roaring rivers.

    Nor do they squander their nobility through excessive greed.

  25. من بَعد ذا اطلب جَنابك يا بطل

    حَيثك غَفور وَباب جودك ما بَطَل

    After this, I appeal to your honor, O hero,

    For you are forgiving, and your generosity's gate never closes.

  26. غَض النَظر عنما سَدا مني بَطَل

    لَولا التَفاوض مدحنا ما ينطَرا

    Overlook whatever idle words have issued from me.

    Were it not for this exchange, our praise would not be uttered.

  27. يَهِبا الَّذي نَثر القَفا ما ينطرا

    لَكن بَحر جُودك قُصوري وَاسعى

    May he who showed his nape vanish, never to be mentioned.

    But the sea of your generosity has room for my shortcomings.