1. حَتّامَ أَرضى في هَواكَ وَتَغضَبُ

    وَإِلى مَتى تَجني عَليَّ وَتَعتَبُ

    How long shall I be content in loving you while you grow angry?

    And until when will you wrong me and reproach me?

  2. ما كانَ لي لولا مَلالُكَ زَلَّةٌ

    لَمّا مَلِلتَ زَعَمتَ أَنّي مُذنِبُ

    I would have had no fault, were it not for your weariness;

    when you grew weary, you claimed I was guilty.

  3. خُذ في أَفانينِ الصَدودِ فَإِنَّ لي

    قَلباً عَلى العِلّاتِ لا يُتَغَلَّبُ

    Pursue every manner of rejection, for I have

    a heart that cannot be overcome despite its afflictions.

  4. أَتَظُنَّني أَضمَرتُ بَعدَكَ سَلوَةً

    هَيهاتَ عَطفُكَ مِن سُلوّي أَقرَبُ

    Do you think I harbored consolation after your departure?

    Far from it! Your affection is nearer than my forgetting you.

  5. لي فيكَ نارُ جَوانِحٍ ما تَنطَفي

    حَرَقاً وَماءُ مَدامِعٍ ما يَنضُبُ

    For you I have a fire within my breast that never goes out:

    burning anguish, and tear-water that never runs dry.

  6. أَنَسيتَ أَيّاماً لَنا وَلَيالِياً

    لِلَّهوِ فيها وَالبِطالَةِ مَلعَبُ

    Have you forgotten days and nights of ours,

    when amusement and idleness had their playground?

  7. أَيّامَ لا الواشي يَعُدُّ ضَلالَةً

    وَلَهي عَلَيكَ وَلا العَذولُ يُؤَنِّبُ

    Days when no talebearer considered a delusion

    my infatuation with you, nor did the reprover rebuke me.

  8. قَد كُنتَ تُنصِفُني المَوَدَّةَ راكِباً

    في الحُبِّ مِن أَخطارِهِ ما أَركَبُ

    You once met me with equal affection, braving

    the same dangers in love that I braved.

  9. فَاليَومَ أَقنَعُ أَن يَمُرَّ بِمَضجَعي

    في النَومِ طَيفُ خَيالِكَ المُتَأَوِّبُ

    Today I am content if there passes by my bed,

    in sleep, the night-returning phantom of your image.

  10. ما خِلتُ أَوراقَ الصِبى تَذوى نَضا

    رَتُها وَلا ثَوبُ الشَبيبَةِ يُسلَبُ

    I never thought the leaves of youth would lose their

    freshness, nor that youth's garment would be stripped away,

  11. حَتّى اِنجَلى لَيلُ الغَوايَةِ وَاِهتَدى

    ساري الدُجى وَاِنجابَ ذاكَ الغيهَبُ

    until the night of waywardness cleared, and the way was found

    by the traveler through darkness, and that deep gloom lifted.

  12. وَتَنافَرَ البيضُ الحِسانُ فَأَعرَضَت

    عَنّي سُعادُ وَأَنكَرَتني زَينَبُ

    And the fair-skinned beauties scattered and turned away:

    Su'ad from me, while Zaynab disowned me.

  13. قالَت وَريعَت مِن بَياضِ مَفارِقي

    وَشُحوبِ جِسمي بانَ مِنكَ الأَطيَبُ

    She said, alarmed at the whiteness of my hair's partings

    and my body's pallor, 'The best of you has departed.'

  14. إِن تَنقِمي سُقمي فَخَصرُكِ ناحِلٌ

    أَو تُنكِري شَيبي فَثَغرُكِ أَشنَبُ

    If you resent my sickness, your waist too is slender;

    or disapprove of my gray hair, your mouth too gleams white.

  15. يا طالِباً بَعدَ المَشيبِ غَضارَةً

    مِن عَيشِهِ ذَهَبَ الزَمانُ المُذهَبُ

    O seeker, after gray hair, of luxuriance

    in his life: the gilded time has gone.

  16. أَتَرومُ بَعدَ الأَربَعينَ تَعُدُّها

    وَصلَ الدُما هَيهاتَ عَزَّ المَطلَبُ

    Do you seek, after forty years you have counted,

    union with doll-like beauties? Far from it: the goal is hard to reach.

  17. وَمِنَ السَفاهِ وَقَد شَآكَ طِلابُهُ

    نَفعاً تَطَلَّبَهُ وُفودُكَ أَشيَبُ

    And it is folly, when its pursuit has outstripped you,

    to seek a gain while your temple is gray.

  18. لَولا الهَوى العُذرِيُّ يا دارَ الهَوى

    ما هاجَ لي طَرَباً وَميضٌ خُلَّبُ

    Were it not for chaste love, O abode of love,

    no deceptive lightning-flash would stir rapture in me.

  19. كَلّا وَلا اِستَجدَيتُ أَخلافَ الحَيا

    وَنَدى صَلاحِ الدينِ هامٍ صَيِّبُ

    No, nor would I beg the udders of the rain,

    while Salah al-Din's bounty pours in torrents.

  20. مَلِكٌ تَرَفَّعَ عَن ضَريبٍ قَدرُهُ

    فَإِلَيهِ أَكبادُ الرَواحِلِ تُضرَبُ

    A king whose rank has risen beyond any peer;

    toward him the riding camels' flanks are struck.

  21. أَردى لَهُ الأَعداءَ جَدٌّ غالِبٌ

    وَحَمى المَمالِكَ مِنهُ لَيثٌ أَغلَبُ

    Victorious fortune has laid his enemies low,

    and in him a mighty, thick-necked lion has guarded the realms.

  22. يُرجى وَيُرهَبُ بَأسُهُ وَالماجِدُ ال

    مِفضالُ مَن يُرجى نَداهُ وَيُرهَبُ

    His might inspires hope and dread; the noble,

    bountiful man is one whose generosity is hoped for, and who is feared.

  23. ثَبتٌ إِذا غَشِيَ الوَغى وَالزاعِبِي

    يَةُ شُرَّعٌ وَالأَعوَجِيَّةُ شُرَّبُ

    Steadfast when he enters battle, while the Za'bi

    spears are leveled and the A'waji steeds drink deeply.

  24. مُخضَرَّةٌ أَكنافُهُ لِوُفودِهِ

    وَالعامُ مُحمَرُّ الذَوائِبِ أَشهَبُ

    His environs are green for his visiting delegations,

    while the year is red-tressed and ashen.

  25. أَرضٌ بِرَوضِ المَكرُماتِ أَريضَةٌ

    وَثَرى بِنوّارِ الفَضائِلِ مُعشِبُ

    A land fertile with the meadow of noble deeds,

    and soil grassy with the blossoms of virtues.

  26. صَبٌّ بِتَشيِيدِ المَآثِرِ مُتعَبٌ

    فيها وَمَن شادَ المَآثِرِ يَتعَبُ

    Passionately devoted to building glorious deeds, wearied

    by them—and whoever builds glorious deeds must toil.

  27. حَمَلَت بِهِ بَعدَ العُقامِ فَأَنجَبَت

    أُمُّ العُلى ما كُلُّ أُمٍّ مُنجِبُ

    She conceived him after barrenness and bore a noble son:

    the mother of greatness—not every mother bears nobly.

  28. مَلَكَت سَجاياهُ القُلوبَ مَحَبَّةً

    إِنَّ الكَريمَ إِلى القُلوبِ مُحَبَّبُ

    His qualities won hearts through love;

    the generous man is beloved of hearts.

  29. كَفٌّ تَكُفُّ الحادِثاتِ وَراحَةٌ

    تَرتاحُ لِلجَدوى وَقَلبٌ قُلَّبُ

    A hand that wards off calamities, and a palm

    delighting in beneficence, and a resourceful heart;

  30. وَنَدى يَهَشُّ إِلى العُفاةِ تَكَرُّمَاً

    وَمَواهِبٌ بِالطارِقينَ تُرَحِّبُ

    and bounty that gladly welcomes petitioners in generosity,

    and gifts that greet those who come knocking.

  31. وَصَرامَةٌ كَالنارِ شابَ ضِرامَها

    خُلقٌ أَرَقُّ مِنَ المُدامِ وَأَطيَبُ

    And stern resolve like fire, its blaze mingled with

    a character gentler and sweeter than wine.

  32. تُغريهِ بِالعَفوِ الجُناةُ كَأَنَّما ال

    جاني إِلَيهِ بِذَنبِهِ يَتَقَرَّبُ

    Offenders spur him to pardon, as though the

    offender drew near to him through his very offense.

  33. فَيَرى لَهُم حَقّاً عَليهِ وَلَم يَكُن

    لِيبينَ فَضلُ العَفوِ لَولا المُذنِبُ

    So he sees them as holding a claim upon him; nor would

    the virtue of pardon appear, were it not for the offender.

  34. ياطالِبي شَأوَ اِبنَ أَيّوبَ قِفوا

    أَنضاءَكُم ما كُلُّ شَأوٍ يُطلَبُ

    O you who seek to match Ibn Ayyub, halt

    your worn-out mounts: not every goal can be pursued.

  35. لا تَقتَنوا لِأَبي المُظَفَّرِ في النَدى

    أَثَراً فَلا تَسموا إِلَيهِ فَتَتعَبوا

    Do not try to attain, in bounty, Abu al-Muzaffar's

    mark; do not aspire to him, lest you exhaust yourselves.

  36. بِكَ ياصَلاحَ الدينِ يوسُفَ أَكثَبَ ال

    نائي وَرَفَّ المُقشَعِرُّ المُجدِبُ

    Through you, O Salah al-Din Yusuf, near has come the

    far-off, and the bleak, barren land has grown lush.

  37. ذَلَّلتَ أَخلاقَ الزَمانِ لِأَهلِهِ

    فَأَطاعَ وَهوَ الخالِعُ المُتَصَعِّبُ

    You tamed Time's ways for its people,

    and it obeyed, though unruly and obstinate.

  38. وَأَقَمتَ سوقاً لِلمَدائِحِ مُربِحاً

    فَإِلَيهِ أَعلاقُ الفَضائِلُ تُجلَبُ

    And you established a profitable market for praises,

    to which the precious wares of virtues are brought.

  39. وَنَهَضتَ لِلإِسلامِ نَهضَةَ صادِقِ ال

    عَزَماتِ تَرأَبُ مَن ثَآهُ وَتَشعَبُ

    And you rose for Islam as one steadfast in

    resolve, mending its rifts and joining them together.

  40. وَغَضِبتَ لِلدينِ الحَنيفِ وَلَم تَزَل

    في اللَهِ تَرضى مُنذُ كُنتَ وَتغضَبُ

    And you grew angry for the upright faith, and have always

    felt contentment and anger for God's sake, since you first existed.

  41. غادَرتَ أَهلَ البَغيِ بَينَ مُجَدَّلٍ

    لَقِيَ الحِمامَ وَخائِفٍ يَتَرَقَّبُ

    You left the rebels divided between one laid low,

    who met death, and one afraid and keeping watch,

  42. أَو هارِبٍ ضاقَت عَليهِ بِرُحبِها ال

    أَرضُ الفَضاءُ وَأينَ مِنكَ المَهرَبُ

    or one fleeing, for whom, despite its breadth, narrowed the

    open earth—and where is escape from you?

  43. فَاصبَح بِلاَدَ الرومِ مِنكَ بِغارَةٍ

    لِلنَصرِ فيها رائِدٌ لا يَكذِبُ

    Then strike the lands of Rum at dawn with a raid of yours,

    in which the herald of victory does not lie.

  44. وَاَنكِح صَوارِمَكَ الثُغورَ يَزورُها

    في كُلِّ يَومٍ مِن جُيوشِكَ مِقنَبُ

    And wed your sharp swords to the frontier forts, visited

    each day by a cavalry troop from your armies.

  45. وَاِحسِم بِحَدِّ ظُباكَ داءً حَسمُهُ

    وَدَواؤُهُ بَعدَ التَفاقُمِ يَصعُبُ

    And excise with your blades' edge a sickness whose excision

    and cure become difficult once it worsens,

  46. حَتّى يُرى لِلمَشرَفيَّةِ مَطعَمٌ

    بِالفَتكِ مِن تِلكَ الدِماءِ وَمَشرَبُ

    until the Mashrafi swords are seen to have food

    and drink, through slaughter, from that blood.

  47. فَالعَدلُ لَيسَ بِناجِعٍ أَو تَنثَني

    وَغِرارُ نَصلِكَ بِالنَجيعِ مُخَضَّبُ

    For justice does not avail until you turn back

    with your blade's edges dyed in fresh blood.

  48. لا تَعفُوَنَّ إِذا ظَفِرتَ بِمُجرِمٍ

    مِنهُم فَرُبَّ جَريمَةٍ لا توهَبُ

    Do not ever pardon when you capture a criminal

    among them: many a crime cannot be forgiven.

  49. فَلتَشكُرَنَّكَ أُمَّةٌ تَحنو عَلى

    ضُعَفائِها حَدَباً كَما يَحنو الأَبُ

    Then a nation shall surely thank you, one that cares for

    its weak tenderly, as a father does.

  50. وَاِخلَع قُلوبَ الناكِثينَ بِلُبسِها

    خِلَعاً إِلى شَرَفِ الخِلافَةِ تُنسَبُ

    And wrench the oath-breakers' hearts by putting on

    robes of honor ascribed to the dignity of the caliphate.

  51. فَرَجيَّةٌ وَشيٌ يَكادُ شُعاعُها ال

    ذَهَبِيُّ بِالأَبصارِ حُسناً يَذهَبُ

    A brocaded farajiyya robe whose radiance almost—

    golden as it is—steals the eyesight with its beauty;

  52. وَعِمامَةٌ ما تاجُ كِسرى مِثلُها

    في الفَخرِ وَهوَ بِرَأسِ كِسرى يُعصَبُ

    and a turban that Kisra's crown cannot match

    in glory, though it is bound about Kisra's head;

  53. وَمُهَنَّدٌ طَبَعَتهُ قَحطانٌ وَأَه

    دَتهُ إِلى مُضَرٍ قَديماً يَعرُبُ

    and an Indian-steel sword that Qahtan forged and

    Ya'rub presented long ago to Mudar.

  54. يَفري بِجَوهَرِهِ وَماءِ صِقالِهِ

    وَمَضاءِ عَزمِكَ فَهوَ قاضٍ مِقضَبُ

    It cleaves with its fine steel and the gleam of its polish,

    and your resolve's keenness: a judge and a keen cutter.

  55. خُضِبَ النُضارَوا إِنَّهُ بِدَمِ العِدى

    عَمّا قَليلٍ في يَدَيكَ يُخَضَّبُ

    It was tinted with gold; and indeed, with the enemies' blood,

    it will soon be tinted in your hands.

  56. أَمسى عَتاداً لِلخَلائِفُ بَينَهُم

    مُتَوارَثاً يوصي بِهِ لِاِبنٍ أَبُ

    It became an armament for the caliphs, among them

    handed down, a father bequeathing it to a son.

  57. وَتَحَلَّ مِنها طَوقَ مُلكٍ رَبَّهُ

    عِندَ المُلوكِ مُعَظَّمٌ وَمُرَحَّبُ

    And adorn yourself with a royal collar from these gifts, whose wearer

    is honored and welcomed among kings.

  58. فَاللَهُ طَوَّقَ جِبرِئيلَ كَرامَةً

    لَم يوتَها مَلَكٌ سِواهُ مُقَرَّبُ

    For God invested Gabriel with an honor

    bestowed on no other favored angel.

  59. وَرُعِ العِدى مِنها بِأَدهَمَ رائِعٍ

    يَعنو لِغُرَّتِهِ الصَباحُ الأَشهَبُ

    And terrify the enemies with a splendid black steed from these gifts,

    before whose white blaze the pale morning bows.

  60. سَلَبَ الدُجى جِلبابَهُ فَهِلالُهُ

    وَنُجومُهُ سَرجٌ عَليهِ مُرَكَّبُ

    It stole darkness's cloak; its crescent

    and stars are a saddle mounted upon it.

  61. وَاِفاكَ يُصحِبُ في القِيادِ وَلَم يَكُن

    لَو لَم تَرُضهُ يَدُ الخَليفَةِ يُصحِبُ

    It came to you obedient to the reins, though it would not

    have obeyed had the caliph's hand not trained it.

  62. وَبِرايَةٍ سَوداءَ قَلبُ الشِركِ مُذ

    عُقِدَت لِمُلكِكَ مُستَطارٌ مُرعَبُ

    And with a black banner: the heart of idolatry, since

    it was mounted for your kingdom, is panic-stricken and terrified.

  63. فَكَأَنَّها أَسدافُ لَيلٍ مُظلِمٍ

    وَسِنانُ عامِلِها عَليها كَوكَبُ

    It is as though the banner were the folds of a dark night,

    and its shaft's spearhead a star above it.

  64. فَأَفِض مَلابِسَها عَليكَ عَطيَّةً

    لا تُستَرَدُّ وَنِعمَةً لا تُسلَبُ

    So drape its garments about you, as a gift

    not to be reclaimed, and a blessing not to be stripped away.

  65. وَاِلبَس شِعاراً ما تَجَلَّلَ مِثلَهُ

    لِسِوى الأَإِمَّةِ مِن قُرَيشٍ مَنكِبُ

    And wear an emblem whose like has never covered

    the shoulder of anyone but the imams of Quraysh,

  66. مِمّا تَخَيَّرَهُ الخَليفَةُ مِنحَةً

    لَكَ فَاِصطَفاهُ كِفاءَ ما تَستَوجِبُ

    from what the caliph selected as a grant

    for you, choosing it to match what you deserve:

  67. الناصِرُ النَبَويُّ مَحتِدُهُ وَمَن

    عيصُ الرَسولِ بِعيصِهِ مُتَأَشِّبُ

    al-Nasir, of prophetic stock, whose

    family tree is entwined with the Messenger's tree;

  68. مَن نَستَظِلُّ مِنَ الخُطوبِ بِظِلِّهِ

    وَنَبيتُ في نَعمائِهِ نَتَقَلَّبُ

    he in whose shade we shelter from calamities,

    and spend our nights luxuriating amid his blessings.

  69. ناءٍ عَلى الأَبصارِ دانٍ جودُهُ

    لِعُفاتِهِ فَهوَ البَعيدُ المُكثِبُ

    Distant from the eyes, his generosity is near

    to his petitioners; he is distant, yet close.

  70. إِن يُمسِ مِن نَظَرِ العُيونِ مُحَجَّباً

    فَلَهُ جَزيلُ مَواهِبٍ لا تُحجَبُ

    If he remains veiled from the eyes' gaze,

    his abundant gifts are not withheld.

  71. أَدنَتكَ مِنهُ فِراسَةٌ نَبَوِيَةٌ

    تُملي عَليهِ الحَقَّ وَهوَ مُغيَّبُ

    Prophetic discernment brought you close to him,

    dictating the truth to him even while it is hidden.

  72. أَلفاكَ خَيرَ مَنِ اِرتَضاهُ لِمُلكِهِ

    يَقظانَ تَسهَر في رِضاهُ وَتَدأَبُ

    He found you the best of those he chose for his realm,

    wakeful, keeping vigil and striving for his favor.

  73. وَرَآكَ أَسرَعَهُم إِلى الأَعداءِ إِقداماً

    وَغَيرُكَ مُحجِمٌ مُتَهَيِّبُ

    And he saw you the swiftest among them in advancing upon enemies,

    while others held back in fear.

  74. فَاِسحَب ثَيابَ سَعادَةٍ فُضُلاً لِسا

    بِغِها عَلى ظَهرِ المَجَرَّةِ مُسحَبُ

    So trail ample robes of happiness, whose sweeping

    train stretches across the Milky Way's back.

  75. وَتَمَلَّ ما خوِّلتَها مِن دَولَةٍ

    غَرّاءَ طالِعُ سَعدِها لا يَغرُبُ

    And long enjoy the sovereignty you have been granted,

    splendid, whose star of good fortune never sets,

  76. في نِعمَةٍ أَيّامُها لا تَنقَضي

    وَسَعادَةٍ سُلطانُها لا يُغلَبُ

    amid a blessing whose days never end,

    and happiness whose sovereignty is never overcome.