يا ثقة الدولة المفدى

سحب ندى راحتيك تهمي

O dearly cherished Thiqat al-Dawla,

the clouds of your palms’ bounty pour down.

يا من لديه وجدت جودا

بالبعض منه عدمت عدمي

O you with whom I found generosity,

with some of it I banished my want.

طالب كريم الدين المرجى

روح أبا طالب برسمي

Petition the hoped-for Karim al-Din;

bring Abu Talib relief with my stipend.

فهو حيي وما أراه

فديته يستحل ظلمي

For he is bashful, and I do not think he

—may I be his ransom—would deem it lawful to wrong me.

لأنني ما برحت أهدي

رائق نثري له ونظمي

For I have never ceased offering

him my graceful prose and my verse.

هذا وكم رحت عن ذراه

موفرا من نداه سهمي

This—and how often I departed from his shelter,

with my share of his bounty made ample.

فليت ثاني علاه يضحي

مجندر من نداه سهمي

Would that the one second to him in eminence might become

‘mujandar’—my share of his bounty [wording unclear].

علقت منه بأريحيٍّ

متين حبل الوداد شهم

In him I have held fast to a generous man,

whose bond of affection is firm, noble-hearted:

ليث إذا قيل من يحامي

سهل إذا سيل غير جهم

a lion when it is asked, ‘Who will defend?’

gentle when petitioned, never grim-faced;

خال من العجب مستماح

ملآن من فِطنةٍ وفهم

free of conceit, sought out for bounty,

filled with discernment and understanding.

فاقرأ عليه السلام وأسلم

والكل ما لاح ضوء نجم

So convey greetings to him, and remain safe,

you and everyone, as long as a star’s light shines.