1. إلامَ أمزج صفوَ العيش بالكدر

    وحادثات زماني خالطت عُمُري

    How long shall I mix life's clarity with murk,

    while the calamities of my time have mingled with my life?

  2. وفيمَ أكرع من عين المصائب في

    كأس الهموم بدا في راحة القَدَرِ

    And why do I drink deeply from the spring of calamities, in

    a cup of sorrows that appeared in Fate's palm?

  3. كأنني وصروف الدهر ترقبني

    فريسة بين حدّ الناب والظفُرُ

    It is as though, with Time's reversals watching me,

    I were prey between the sharp points of fang and claw.

  4. مَن للُمَعنّى وقد قلّ النصير وخا

    بَ المستجير فلا واقٍ من الضَّرر

    Who will aid the afflicted, when support is scant and

    the seeker of refuge is disappointed, with none to shield him from harm?

  5. مَن مُسعِدي مَن مُعيني اليومَ من سَنَةٍ

    أخنت عليَّ فلم تبق ولم تذر

    Who will comfort me, who will help me today against a year of dearth

    that ravaged me, sparing and leaving nothing?

  6. لا مالَ لا ثروةً عندي أحاربُها

    إلاّ أبا عادلٍ ذا النصر والظَّفَر

    I have no money, no riches with which to fight it—

    save Abu Adil, possessed of victory and triumph.

  7. غوث الصريخ ملاذ المستجير به

    غيث المساكين من أُنثى ومن ذَكَر

    Succor to those crying for help, refuge of those seeking his shelter,

    rain for the poor, female and male alike.

  8. مغني الوفود إذا حَلُّوا بساحته

    بكثرة الجود من خيلٍ ومن بِدَر

    He enriches delegations when they alight in his courtyard,

    with abundant gifts of horses and purses of money.

  9. لو أنّ في البرِ مما حلّ راحته

    عُشراً لأغناه عن سَيحٍ وعن مَطَرِ

    If dry land possessed, of what lies in his palm,

    a tenth, it would need neither flowing water nor rain.

  10. وكان زهرُ رباه دائماً نضراً

    وظلّت الطير تثنيه على الشجر

    The flowers on its hills would always be fresh,

    and birds would keep praising him upon the trees.

  11. فاقت أناملهُ البحر المحيط كما

    حُسنُ الشمائل منه غير منحصر

    His fingers surpassed the encircling ocean, just as

    the beauty of his character knows no bounds.

  12. لم تلقه الدهرَ إلاّ باذلاً صِلَة

    موصولة الحمد من بادي ومن حَضَري

    Never have you met him at any time but bestowing a gift,

    accompanied by praise from desert-dweller and townsman.

  13. كأنما هو مجبول على كرمٍ

    إذ لا تطيق عطاه عادةُ البشَرِ

    It is as though he were molded for generosity,

    for ordinary human ways cannot sustain his giving.

  14. قد سادَ آباءه الغرَّ الكرام فإن

    سادوا الورى فيه سادوا بلا نُكُر

    He has surpassed his illustrious, noble forefathers; and if

    they excelled mankind, through him they did so, beyond dispute.

  15. في قُنّة النجم معقود منصته

    إذ قدره كان فوق الشمس والقمر

    His dais is established upon the pinnacle of the stars,

    for his rank was above the sun and moon.

  16. تاهت به بلدة الزوراء إذ أمِنَت

    به من البؤس والأنحاس والكدر

    The city of al-Zawra took pride in him, for it was safe

    through him from misery, misfortunes, and distress.

  17. من آل عثمان أضحى ساق شوكتها

    لولاه ما فضلها العالي بمشتهر

    Of the House of Uthman, he became the trunk of its might;

    without him, its lofty excellence would not be renowned.

  18. له الوزارة إذ قد حازها قدر

    كما أتى ربَّه موسى على قدر

    The vizierate is his, for destiny secured it for him,

    just as Moses came to his Lord at the appointed time.

  19. شهم هِزَبر شجاع باسل ملك

    في جحفل حين تلقاه وفي نَفَر

    Noble-hearted, a lion, brave, fearless, a king,

    whether you meet him amid a vast army or among a small band.

  20. في السلم خاطرهُ ذو رقة أبداً

    وفي الحروب هو الأقسى من الحَجَر

    In peace his spirit is ever tender,

    and in war he is harder than stone.

  21. سل الأعاجم والأعراب ما لقيا

    من حربه فهما أولى بذا الخبر

    Ask the non-Arabs and the Bedouins what they suffered

    from his warfare, for they are best qualified to recount it.

  22. كم غزوة قد غزا والليل مُعتكر

    فأورد الحتفَ أعداه مع السَحَر

    How many a raid he launched while the night lay deeply dark,

    then brought his enemies to death at dawn!

  23. في فتية لجّة الهيجاء تطربُهم

    من رنة السيف أو من نغمة الوتر

    Among young warriors whom the tumult of battle delights,

    with the ring of a sword or the twang of a bowstring.

  24. لن يرعووا عن قتالٍ في الوغى أبداً

    حتى يسيلوا دم الأعداء على العَفَر

    Never will they desist from fighting in the fray,

    until they spill the enemies' blood upon the dust.

  25. كأنهم حين يلقاهم مبارزهم

    في قوة الجبل الراسي وفي العَجَر

    When their challenger encounters them, they seem

    like a firmly rooted mountain in strength and ruggedness.

  26. شمُّ الأنوف مصاليت إذا نزلوا ال

    هيجاء وَفَّوا حقوق الصارم الذكَّرَ

    Proud-nosed, dauntless warriors: when they enter the

    fray, they do justice to the keen, hard-tempered sword.

  27. تحت العجاجة فوق الخيل قد رَدَعوا

    بالبيض والسمر عن بيضٍ وعن سمر

    Beneath the dust-cloud, on horseback, they have driven foes away,

    with white blades and brown spears, from fair-skinned and brown-skinned women.

  28. فمن مواضيهمُ بل من أسِنَّتهم

    من العدا كل منظوم ومنتثر

    So by their keen blades—nay, by their spearheads—

    every foe is left strung through or scattered.

  29. غرّ الوجوه ميامين بهم أمِنَت

    بغداد من كل ذي شرٍّ وذي ضرر

    Bright-faced and auspicious, through them was safe

    Baghdad, from every bearer of evil and harm.

  30. ففاخرت بهم كُلَّ المدائن من

    نحو المدائن من مصرٍ ومن زغر

    Through them she boasted over all the cities,

    from around al-Mada'in, from Egypt and from Zughar.

  31. حازوا جميع معاني الغرّ من صغر

    فأكّدوا حوزها في حالة الكبر

    From childhood they possessed all the qualities of the illustrious,

    and confirmed their possession of them in adulthood.

  32. فاقوا جميع الورى طرّاً بخدمتهم

    تاجَ الملوك سليلَ السادة الغُرر

    They surpassed all mankind, one and all, by serving

    the crown of kings, scion of the illustrious lords,

  33. حاميي الذمار حسام مصلت ذمر

    ذو مرهف في الوغى أمضى من القدر

    guardian of honor, an unsheathed sword, a fearless champion,

    wielding a keen blade, more cutting in battle than Fate.

  34. محافظ رام في دار الحفاظ على

    سدّ الثغور مستوجب الشُّكر

    A guardian intent, in the abode of defense, on

    closing the frontier breaches, deserving gratitude.

  35. ما قلته صاحِ عُشرٌ من فضائله

    وليس مَدِحَي عن لغوٍ وعن كدر

    What I have said, my friend, is a tenth of his virtues,

    and my praise comes neither from empty talk nor from murk.

  36. أني أحوز سجاياه وأجمعها

    ولو بذلت على تحصيلها عمري

    How could I encompass his qualities and gather them,

    even if I spent my life pursuing them?

  37. خذها أبا عادلٍ من عند شاعركم

    بكراً تُزَفُّ إليكم وابنة الفِكَرِ

    Take her, Abu Adil, from your poet:

    a virgin led to you as a bride, and a daughter of thought.

  38. فأجعل فديتك ميري الجوق جائزتي

    أو الثلاثين من هاتيكم الصُفُر

    So make the band's treasury dues my reward—may I be your ransom—

    or thirty of those yellow coins.

  39. فالدهر أكثر أعساري وقد تربت

    يداي فأغسلهما بالأصفر النضرِ

    Time has deepened my poverty, and dust has settled upon

    my hands; wash them both with gleaming yellow gold.

  40. وإنني ذو عيالٍ مسهُم سغب

    وصبيةٍ لو يزالوا منه في ضجر

    And I have dependents whom hunger has touched,

    and children, should they remain distressed by it,

  41. فأمنن عليهم بما يشفي غليلهم

    وحلهم بالعطا فالعُدمُ كالصَبَر

    then favor them with what will quench their burning thirst,

    and sweeten their lot with gifts, for destitution is like bitter aloes.

  42. لا زالت السبعة الأفلاك تغبطكم

    على العُلى فعيون النجم في سهر

    May the seven celestial spheres never cease to envy you

    for your eminence; thus the eyes of the stars keep vigil.

  43. ولا برحتم بأمنٍ والسرور لكم

    ودام أعداؤكم منكم على حذر

    May you never cease to dwell in safety, with joy yours,

    and may your enemies ever remain wary of you.