Sol 6.1

  1. إِذا أَبو أَحمَدٍ جادَت لَنا يَدُهُ

    لَم يُحمَدِ الأَجودانِ البَحرُ وَالمَطَرُ

    When Abu Ahmad's hand gives generously to us,

    The two most generous—the sea and rain—go unpraised.

  2. وَإِن أَضاءَت لَنا أَنوارُ غُرَّتِهِ

    تَضاءَلَ النَيِّرانِ الشَمسُ وَالقَمَرُ

    And if the lights of his brow shine upon us,

    The two luminaries, sun and moon, are diminished.

  3. وَإِن مَضى رَأيُهُ أَو حَدُّ عَزمَتِهِ

    تَأَخَّرَ الماضِيانِ السَيفُ وَالقَدَرُ

    And if his judgment or his resolve's edge takes effect,

    The two inexorable powers, sword and fate, fall behind.

  4. مَن لَم يَكُن حَذراً مِن حَدِّ صَولَتِهِ

    لَم يَدرِ ما المُزعِجانِ الخَوفُ وَالحَذَرُ

    Whoever is not wary of his onslaught's edge

    Has not known the two disquieters, fear and caution.

  5. حُلوٌ إِذا دنت لَم تبعث مَرارَته

    فَإِن أَمَرَّ فَحُلوٌ عِندَهُ الصَبِرُ

    He is sweet if you submit, his bitterness unroused;

    But if he turns bitter, bitter aloes are sweet beside him.

  6. سَهلُ الخَلائِقِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ خَشِنٌ

    لَينُ المَهَزَّةِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ حَجَرُ

    Gentle in disposition, yet he is rough;

    Pliant when shaken, yet he is stone.

  7. لا حَيَّةٌ ذَكَرٌ في مِثلِ صَولَتِهِ

    إِن صالَ يَوماً وَلا الصَمصامَةَ الذَكَرُ

    No male serpent can match his onslaught,

    If ever he charges, nor can the hard-tempered Samsama sword.

  8. إِذا الرِجالُ طَغَت آراؤُهُم وَعَموا

    بِالأَمرِ رُدَّ إِلَيهِ الرَأيُ وَالنَظَرُ

    When men's opinions run wild and they are blind

    To the matter, judgment and deliberation are referred back to him.

  9. الجودُ مِنهُ عِيانٌ لا اِرتِيابَ بِهِ

    إِذ جودُ كُلِّ جَوادٍ عِندَهُ خَبَرُ

    His generosity is seen firsthand, beyond all doubt;

    For beside his, every generous man's giving is mere report.