ولو لمْ أشاهدْ منهُ جودَ يمينِه

ولو لمْ أشاهدْ منهُ جودَ يمينِه

وحُدِّثْتُ عن إفراطِها خِلتُه كِذْبا

وحُدِّثْتُ عن إفراطِها خِلتُه كِذْبا

And had I not witnessed the generosity of his right hand,

Though I had not seen his generous right hand

and been told of its lavishness, I would have thought it a lie.

And were told of its excess, I’d call it lies,

خِصالاً رأيناها نجوماً مُنيرةً

خِصالاً رأيناها نجوماً مُنيرةً

عُلاهُ لها شرقٌ فلا عدِمَتْ غربا

عُلاهُ لها شرقٌ فلا عدِمَتْ غربا

Virtues we saw as shining stars—

We’ve seen in him illustrious qualities

his eminence is their east; may they never lack a west.

The East exalts them, no West denies,

وقد نطقَتْ بالفعلِ لي عرَصاتُه

وقد نطقَتْ بالفعلِ لي عرَصاتُه

لأني وجدتُ الأهل فيهنّ والرّحْبا

لأني وجدتُ الأهل فيهنّ والرّحْبا

And his courtyards have spoken to me through deeds,

His noble deeds have spoken clear to me

for within them I found welcoming folk and ample room.

I found in them good family and space