1. كَفى الدينَ عِزّاً ما قَضاهُ لَكَ الدَهرُ

    فَمَن كانَ ذا نَذرٍ فَقَد وَجَبَ النَذرُ

    The faith has glory enough in what time has ordained for you;

    so whoever has made a vow must now fulfill it.

  2. لَقَد ظَلَّلَت هَذي البِلادُ سَحابَةٌ

    بَوارِقُها بِشرٌ وَإيماضُها تِبرُ

    A cloud has indeed shaded these lands,

    its lightning gladness, its flashes uncoined gold.

  3. إِذا ما غَمامٌ خَصَّ أَرضاً بِغَيثِهِ

    هَمى هاطِلاً في كُلِّ قُطرٍ لَها قَطرُ

    When a cloud singles out one land with its rain,

    this cloud's rain pours in torrents in every region.

  4. ثَمانِيَةٌ لَم تَفتَرِق مُذ جَمَعتَها

    فَلا اِفتَرَقَت ما ذَبَّ عَن ناظِرٍ شُفرُ

    Eight things have not parted since you united them;

    may they never part while an eyelid shields an eye:

  5. يَقينُكَ وَالتَقوى وَجودُكَ وَالغِنى

    وَلَفظُكَ وَالمَعنى وَعَزمُكَ وَالنَصرُ

    your certainty and piety, your generosity and wealth,

    your speech and meaning, your resolve and victory.

  6. بِكَ اِنجابَتِ اللَأواءُ وَاِمتَدَّتِ المُنى

    وَضوعِفَتِ الآلاءُ وَاِفتَخَرَ العَصرُ

    Through you adversity was dispelled and hopes extended;

    blessings were doubled, and the age took pride.

  7. وَرَدَّ إِلَيكَ الأَمرَ لُطفاً وَرَحمَةً

    بِذا الخَلقِ طُرّاً مَن لَهُ الخَلقُ وَالأَمرُ

    And He restored authority to you, in kindness and mercy

    toward all these creatures—He who owns creation and command.

  8. فَآمَنتَهُم غَضَّ الجُفونِ عَلى قَذىً

    فَأَقصى مُناهُم أَن يَطولَ لَكَ العُمرُ

    Thus you spared them closing their eyelids over grit,

    and their utmost wish is that your life be long.

  9. فَلِلَّهِ مُلكٌ زَيَّنَ الدَستَ مَلكُهُ

    وَجادَ الحَيا مَلكاً تَضَمَّنَهُ القَبرُ

    God be praised for a kingdom whose king adorns the throne!

    And may life-giving rain drench the king the grave enfolds.

  10. وَكُنّا نَظُنُّ الأَرضَ تُظلِمُ بَعدَهُ

    فَقُمتَ مَقامَ الشَمسِ إِذ غُيِّبَ البَدرُ

    We thought the earth would darken after him,

    but you took the sun's place when the full moon was hidden.

  11. لَكُم في رَسولِ اللَهِ أَعظَمُ أُسوَةٍ

    فَلا تَظهَرِ الشَكوى وَلا يَتعَبِ الفِكرُ

    In God's Messenger you have the greatest example;

    so let no complaint appear, nor thought grow weary.

  12. فَقيدُكَ مَن لا يَملِكُ الهَمَّ رَدَّهُ

    وَخَصمُكَ مَن لا يُقتَضى عِندَهُ وِترُ

    Your lost one is someone sorrow cannot bring back,

    and your adversary is one against whom no vengeance can be exacted.

  13. مَضى حَيثُ لا تُغني الصَوارِمُ وَالقَنا

    وَلا النَسَبُ الزاكي وَلا النائِلُ الغَمرُ

    He has gone where keen swords and lances avail nothing,

    nor noble lineage nor abundant bounty.

  14. وَلَو كانَتِ الأَقدارُ تُثنى بِقُوَّةٍ

    حَماهُ الإِباءُ المَحضُ وَالجَحفَلُ المَجرُ

    Had destinies been turned aside by force,

    pure defiance and the vast host would have shielded him,

  15. وَسارَت عَلى مِثلِ النِعامِ ضَراغِمٌ

    عَلَيها مِنَ الماذِيِّ أَوشِحَةٌ خُضرُ

    and lions would have advanced on mounts like ostriches,

    clad in green sashes of fine mail.

  16. إِذا أَظهَروا سِرَّ الجُفونِ فَلا دُجىً

    فَإِن لَفَّهُم نَقعُ المَذاكي فَلا فَجرُ

    When they reveal their scabbards' secret, no darkness remains;

    but if their full-grown steeds' dust envelops them, there is no dawn.

  17. وَلَكِنَّها تَمضي عَلى غُلَوائِها

    سَواءٌ عَلَيها مُستَعِدٌّ وَمُغتَرُّ

    Yet destinies pursue their headlong course;

    to them the prepared and the unsuspecting are alike.

  18. صَبَرنا عَلى حُكمِ الزَمانِ الَّذي سَطا

    عَلى أَنَّهُ لَولاكَ لَم يُمكِنِ الصَبرُ

    We endured the decree of time, which assailed us,

    though without you endurance would have been impossible.

  19. غَزانا بِبُؤسى لا يُماثِلُها الأَسى

    تُقارِنُ نُعمى لا يَقومُ بِها شُكرُ

    It attacked us with a misery no sorrow can equal,

    joined to a blessing no gratitude can repay.

  20. وَأَوجَبَتِ الأولى المَلامَ فَلَم نَلُم

    وَأَنّى لَهُ لَومٌ وَأَنتَ لَهُ عُذرُ

    The former called for blame, yet we did not blame it;

    how could it be blamed, when you are its excuse?

  21. وَكادَ شِعارُ الخَوفِ يَنبَثُّ في الوَرى

    فَنادى شِعارُ الأَمنِ يا نَصرُ يا نَصرُ

    The watchword of fear almost spread among humankind,

    but the watchword of safety cried, 'O Nasr! O Nasr!'

  22. فَمَرَّت بِكَ الشَقراءُ تَسمو تَحَلُّقاً

    كَما حَلَّقَت فَتخاءُ يَجذِبُها وَكرُ

    Then the chestnut mare bore you past, rising in flight,

    as a broad-winged eagle soars, drawn by its nest.

  23. عَلَيها هُمامٌ يَملَأُ الأَرضَ هَيبَةً

    عَلى الجَيشِ كَرّارٌ إِذا حِزبُهُ فَرّوا

    Upon her a hero fills the earth with awe,

    repeatedly charging the army when his own men flee,

  24. بِحَيثُ حَمى تِلكَ الوُجوهَ بِسَيفِهِ

    وَقَد كُشِفَت عَنها البَراقِعُ وَالخُمرُ

    where he defended those faces with his sword,

    and their face-veils and head-coverings had already been stripped away.

  25. حَبيبٌ إِلَيهِ العَدلُ وَاللينُ وَالنَدى

    بَغيضٌ إِلَيهِ الجَورُ وَالبُخلُ وَالكِبرُ

    Justice, gentleness, and generosity are dear to him;

    oppression, stinginess, and arrogance are hateful to him.

  26. أَرى المَجدَ عِقداً أَنتَ واسِطَةٌ لَهُ

    وَعَن جانِبَيهِ صالِحٌ وَفَنا خُسرو

    I see glory as a necklace, with you its central jewel,

    and on its two sides Salih and Fana Khusraw.

  27. فَجَدٌّ لَهُ دانَت نِزارٌ وَيَعرُبٌ

    وَجَدٌّ رَعايا مُلكِهِ البَدوُ وَالحَضرُ

    One grandfather to whom Nizar and Ya'rub submitted,

    and another whose realm's subjects were nomads and townsfolk.

  28. وَأَنتَ الَّذي يُروى بِسَحِّ بَنانِهِ

    فَكَيفَ إِذا فاضَت أَنامِلُهُ العَشرُ

    You are he whose fingers' downpour quenches thirst;

    how much more when his ten fingertips overflow!

  29. وَما المَرءُ إِلّا مَن يُخافُ وَيُرتَجى

    لَدَيهِ العَطاءُ الحُلوُ وَالأَنَفُ المُرُّ

    A man is only he who inspires fear and hope,

    with sweet bounty and bitter pride.

  30. سَعِدنا بِمَولىً يوجَدُ الخَيرُ عِندَهُ

    وَيُعدَمُ إِلّا في مَواضِعِهِ الشَرُّ

    We are fortunate in a lord with whom goodness is found,

    and evil is absent except where it belongs.

  31. عَواديهِ مَدٌّ يُحدِثُ العَفوُ جَزرَهُ

    وَجَدواهُ مَدٌّ لا يُعَقِّبُهُ جَزرُ

    His onslaughts are a tide that pardon causes to ebb;

    his bounty is a tide followed by no ebb.

  32. وَلَمّا أَرادَ اللَهُ إِظهارَ حَقِّهِ

    وَجاهَرَ فيهِ الناسُ إِذ أَمكَنَ الجَهرُ

    And when God willed to reveal his rightful claim,

    and the people proclaimed it openly once openness was possible,

  33. بَدا لا كَما يَبدو النَباتُ مِنَ الثَرى

    وَلَكِن كَما يَبدو مِنَ الصَدَفِ الدُرُّ

    he appeared, not as plants emerge from the soil,

    but as pearls emerge from shells.

  34. فِداؤُكَ مَن هَذي الصِفاتُ وَذِكرُها

    عَلى ظَهرِهِ وِقرٌ وَفي سَمعِهِ وَقرُ

    May he be your ransom for whom these qualities and their mention

    are a load on his back and deafness in his ears.

  35. أَعانَت عَلى إِدراكِ ما تَستَحِقُّهُ

    طَريقَتُكَ المُثلى وَهِمَّتُكَ البِكرُ

    Helping you attain what you deserve were

    your exemplary conduct and your virgin ambition.

  36. وَلَم تَكُ فيهِ كَاِبنِ هِندٍ فَإِنَّهُ

    بَغى فَبَغى ما لَم يُخَلِّف لَهُ صَخرُ

    In this you were not like the son of Hind, for he

    transgressed, then sought what Sakhr had not bequeathed him.

  37. وَما ضَرَّ مَن فاقَ المُلوكَ بِرَأيِهِ

    وَإِقدامِهِ أَلّا يَكونَ لَهُ عَمرُو

    Nor does it harm one who surpasses kings in judgment

    and daring to have no Amr.

  38. وَخالُكَ مَن شادَت دَعائِمَ بَيتِهِ

    سَجِيَّتُهُ الحُسنى وَنائِلُهُ الغَمرُ

    Your maternal uncle is one whose house's pillars were raised

    by his noble nature and abundant bounty.

  39. فَيا طيبَ ما حَيَّت بِهِ مِصرَ بابِلٌ

    وَيا حُسنَ ما أَهدَت إِلى حَلَبٍ مِصرُ

    How fine was Babylon's greeting-gift to Egypt,

    and how splendid Egypt's gift to Aleppo!

  40. فَجاءَ كَما يُهدى إِلى الرَوضِ صَيِّبُ ال

    حَيا لا كَما يُهدى إِلى هَجَرَ التَمرُ

    So he came as a garden is gifted a downpour of

    life-giving rain—not as Hajar is gifted dates.

  41. فَأَهلاً بِمَن تَقضي فَضائِلُهُ لَهُ

    بِأَضعافِ ما تَقضي القَرابَةُ وَالصِهرُ

    So welcome to one whose virtues secure for him

    many times what kinship and marriage ties secure.

  42. وَلَم يَتَّرِك تِلكَ البِلادَ لِأَنَّها

    بَغَت بَدَلاً مِنهُ وَلا أَن نَبا دَهرُ

    He did not leave those lands because they

    wanted a replacement for him, nor because time turned hostile.

  43. وَلَكِنَّهُ كَالسَيفِ فارَقَ غِمدَهُ

    لِيَشهَدَ حَدّاهُ بِما خَبَّرَ الأَثرُ

    Rather, like a sword, he left his sheath

    so its two edges might confirm what its markings told.

  44. وَإِخوَتُكَ الراقونَ يَبغونَ ذِروَةً

    تَقَيَّلَها مِن قَبلُ آباؤُكَ الغُرُّ

    Your brothers, ascending, seek a summit

    that your illustrious forefathers occupied before.

  45. مَلَكتَ فَما كانوا كَإِخوَةِ يوسُفٍ

    تَوَدُّدُهُم مَكرٌ وَمَحصولُهُ خَترُ

    You became king; they were not like Joseph's brothers,

    whose affection was deceit and its outcome treachery.

  46. وَلَكِن أَباحوكَ المَوَدّاتِ أُخلِصَت

    فَما فَوقَها وُدٌّ وَلا تَحتَها غِمرُ

    Instead, they granted you affections made pure:

    no love surpasses them, and no rancor lies beneath them.

  47. وَقَبلَكَ ما راءَ الأَنامُ وَلَن يَرَوا

    مَدى الدَهرِ شَمساً حَولَها أَنجُمٌ زُهرُ

    Before you, humankind had never seen, nor will they see

    throughout all time, a sun encircled by radiant stars.

  48. فَجاوِز بِهِم حَدَّ الأُخُوَّةِ بالِغاً

    إِلى غايَةٍ فيها لَكَ الحَمدُ وَالأَجرُ

    With them, go beyond the bounds of brotherhood, reaching

    a goal where praise and reward are yours.

  49. وَأَمّا العِدى خابوا فَإِنَّ غَناءَهُم

    غَناءُ دُخانِ النارِ غادَرَهُ الجَمرُ

    As for the enemies, they have failed; their usefulness

    is that of fire-smoke deserted by its embers.

  50. وَحوشيتَ مِن قُربِ اللِئامِ فَإِنَّهُم

    إِذا اِستُنصِحوا غَرّوا أَوِ اِستُصحِبوا عَرّوا

    May you be spared the company of the base, for they

    deceive when asked for counsel, and taint when befriended.

  51. فَمَزِّقهُمُ قَتلاً وَنَفياً فَإِنَّهُ

    نَهى الدينُ أَن يَستَصحِبَ الفاجِرُ البَرُّ

    Scatter them through killing and exile, for

    religion forbids the righteous to befriend the wicked.

  52. يُريدُ دُنُوَّ النارِ مَن يَصطَلي بِها

    وَيُبعِدُها مَن لَيسَ يَغلِبُهُ القُرُّ

    Those who warm themselves at fire want it close,

    while those not overcome by cold keep it far away.

  53. وَإِنَّ سَقيمَ الإِبلِ يُعدي صَحيحَها

    فَيُبعَدُ عَن أَعطانِها مَن بِهِ عُرُّ

    Sick camels infect the healthy ones;

    so one with mange is kept from their watering grounds.

  54. عُرِفتَ بِإِقدامٍ بِهِ يُحسَمُ الأَذى

    وَفائِضِ إِنعامٍ بِهِ يُطرَدُ الفَقرُ

    You are known for courage that cuts off harm

    and overflowing beneficence that drives out poverty.

  55. وَأَنشَرتَ أَمواتَ الأَماني مُكَذِّباً

    مَقالَ أُناسٍ لَيسَ بَعدَ التَوى نَشرُ

    You brought dead hopes back to life, disproving

    the saying of some people: 'After death there is no revival.'

  56. فَدامَت وَعَزَّت دَولَةٌ نَبَوِيَّةٌ

    دَعَتكَ بِما فيهِ لَها العِزُّ وَالفَخرُ

    May the prophetic dynasty endure and grow mighty,

    which called you by a name bringing it glory and pride.

  57. فَإِن فاخَرَت يَوماً فَأَنتَ جَلالُها

    وَصَمصامُها في كُلِّ نائِبَةٍ تَعرو

    If it ever boasts, you are its majesty

    and its sharp sword in every calamity that strikes.

  58. وَإِن عَدِمَت مَن كانَ أَظهَرَ حَقَّها

    بِمَحضِ وَلاءٍ لا يُمازِجُهُ غَدرُ

    Though it has lost the one who upheld its right

    with pure loyalty unmixed with treachery,

  59. وَأَلوَت بِمَحمودِ بنِ نَصرٍ مُلِمَّةٌ

    عَوائِدُها الإِقدامُ وَالقَسرُ وَالقَهرُ

    and a calamity carried off Mahmud ibn Nasr,

    whose ways are assault, coercion, and subjugation,

  60. فَنَصرُ اِبنُ مَحمودِ اِبنِ نَصرِ اِبنِ صالِحٍ

    لَها عِوَضٌ نِعمَ البَقِيَّةُ وَالذُخرُ

    then Nasr ibn Mahmud ibn Nasr ibn Salih

    is its replacement—what a fine heir and treasure!

  61. وَأَنتُم بِحارُ الجودِ وَالبَأسِ وَالحِجى

    إِذا غاضَ بَحرٌ فاضَ يَخلُفُهُ بَحرُ

    You are seas of generosity, valor, and wisdom;

    when one sea recedes, another overflows to succeed it.

  62. فَكَم مِن بِلادٍ أَنكَحَتكُم رِماحُكُم

    وَلَيسَ سِوى طَعنِ النُحورِ لَها مَهرُ

    How many lands your spears have married to you,

    whose only dowry is the piercing of throats!

  63. ثُغورُ العِدى إِن رُمتُموهُنَّ كَالفَلا

    وَكُلُّ فَلاةٍ رُمتُمُ مَنعَها ثَغرُ

    The enemies' frontier forts, if you seek them, are like wilderness,

    and every wilderness you wish to defend is a frontier fort.

  64. أَحاديثُ مَجدٍ يُعجِزُ الدَهرَ طَيُّها

    وَأَخلَدُها ما كانَ يَحفَظُهُ الشِعرُ

    Tales of glory that time cannot fold away,

    most enduring are those that poetry preserves.

  65. تَباعَدتُ عَنكُم حُرفَةً لا زَهادَةً

    وَسِرتُ إِلَيكُم حينَ مَسَّنِيَ الضُرُّ

    I kept my distance from you through privation, not indifference,

    and traveled to you when hardship touched me.

  66. فَلاقَيتُ بابَ الأَمنِ ما عَنهُ حاجِزٌ

    يَصُدُّ وَبابَ العُرفِ ما دونَهُ سِترُ

    I found safety's gate with no barrier

    to turn me back, and kindness's gate with no curtain before it.

  67. وَطالَ مُقامي في إِسارِ جَميلِكُم

    فَدامَت مَعاليكُم وَدامَ لِيَ الأَسرُ

    Long has been my stay in the bonds of your kindness;

    may your lofty merits endure, and my captivity endure.

  68. وَأَنجَزَ لي رَبُّ السَمَواتِ وَعدَهُ ال

    كَريمَ بِأَنَّ العُسرَ مِن بَعدِهِ يُسرُ

    And the Lord of the heavens fulfilled for me His promise,

    the gracious promise that ease follows hardship.

  69. وَجادَ اِبنُ نَصرٍ لي بِأَلفٍ تَصَرَّمَت

    وَإِنّي عَليمٌ أَن سَيَخلِفُها نَصرُ

    The son of Nasr gave me a thousand, now spent,

    and I know that Nasr will replenish it.

  70. لَقَد كُنتَ مَأموراً تُرَجّى لِمِثلِها

    فَكَيفَ وَطَوعا أَمرِكَ النَفعُ وَالضَرُّ

    You were counted on for such gifts when under command;

    how much more when benefit and harm obey your command!

  71. وَما بي إِلى الإِشطاطِ في السَومِ حاجَةٌ

    وَقَد عُرِفَ المُبتاعُ وَاِنفَصَلَ السِعرُ

    I have no need to be excessive in bargaining,

    for the buyer is known, and the price is settled.

  72. وَإِنّي بِآمالي لَدَيكَ مُخَيِّمٌ

    وَكَم في الوَرى ثاوٍ وَآمالُهُ سُفرُ

    I have pitched camp beside you with my hopes,

    while many among humankind stay put, their hopes traveling.

  73. وَعِندَكَ لا أَبغي بِقَولي تَصَنُّعاً

    بِأَيسَرِ ما توليهِ يُستَعبَدُ الحُرُّ

    With you, I seek no affectation in my words;

    the slightest favor you grant enslaves a free man.

  74. تَقَبَّل مِنَ المُثني عَلَيكَ اِعتِذارَهُ

    فَقَد ضاقَ عَن أَوصافِكَ النَظمُ وَالنَثرُ

    Accept the apology of him who praises you,

    for verse and prose cannot encompass your qualities.

  75. وَهُنّيتَ جَدّاً لا يُفَتِّرُ صاعِداً

    وَمُلّيتَ أَيّاماً عَنِ اِسمِكَ تَفتَرُّ

    May you be blessed with fortune that never falters in its ascent,

    and long enjoy days whose smiles reveal your name.