يد المولى أبي الفضل الجواد

سفوح المزن تهزأ بالغوادي

The hand of the generous lord Abu al-Fadl

is a raincloud's downpour, mocking the morning showers.

هو البحر الذي أضحى يروي

بماء البِشر غلّة كل صادي

He is the sea that has come to quench

each thirsty one's burning thirst with the water of good cheer.

تراه إذا الخطوب السود مدَّت

على الآفاق بدر ندى ونادي

You see him, when dark calamities spread

across the horizons, a full moon of bounty and of the assembly.

حريا بالمكارم والعطايا

جرىء القلب واليد والفؤادِ

Worthy of noble deeds and gifts,

bold of heart, hand, and soul.

يذوب سماح كفيه فيغني

بواكفه عن الأيدي الجمادِ

His palms' bounty melts, freeing one

through his downpour from reliance on barren hands.

له قلم تقصّر عن مداه

أنابيب المثقَّفة الصّعادِ

He has a pen whose reach surpasses

the shafts of straightened, lofty lances.

إذا أجراه فوق الطرس يوما

جرى قمنا بأَرزاق العبادِ

When one day he sets it running across the page,

it runs, fit to dispense the people's sustenance.

فتى الكرم الذي تمت وعمّت

فواضله الحواضر والبوادي

A man of generosity: complete and far-reaching

are his favors, through towns and desert lands.

ورب العزم يبعثه فيلفى

أحدّ من الصَّقيلات الحدادِ

And a master of resolve: he sends it forth, and it proves

sharper than polished, keen-edged swords.

يشيّعه برأي أخي حروب

بعيد مدى العلى وأرى الزنادِ

He escorts it with the counsel of a veteran of wars,

far-reaching in lofty aims, his fire-steel quick to spark.

فقيس الرأي أما ناب خطب

وقُمر في خطابتهِ الأيادي

So he is Qays in judgment whenever calamity strikes,

and al-Iyadi is outmatched by his oratory.

ومعروف ببذل العرف فينا

وتتميم الصنائع والأيادي

And known among us for bestowing kindness

and bringing benefactions and favors to completion.

إذا أسدى الندى كرما لوفد

تداركه بإحسان معادِ

When he generously bestows bounty on a delegation,

he follows it up with renewed kindness.

حليف مكارم وخدين مجد

وخل سيادة واخو سدادِ

An ally of noble deeds, an intimate of glory,

and a friend of eminence, a brother of sound judgment.

عهدناه إذا الأنواء ضنت

بسقياها أبر من العهادِ

We have known him, when the rain-stars begrudge

their showers, more bountiful than recurring rains.

الذ من الشفاء إلى سقيم

وأحلى في العيون من الرقادِ

More delightful than recovery to the sick,

and sweeter to the eyes than sleep.

طروب حين تسمعه ثناء

ضروب للجماجم والهوادي

Rapturous when you let him hear praise,

a mighty striker of skulls and necks.

خليق بالمواهب والعطايا

طليق الوجه في النوب الشدادِ

Well fitted for bounties and gifts,

cheerful-faced amid severe calamities.

لنا في ربعه مرعى خصيب

نمير ماؤه خضل المرادِ

In his abode we have a lush pasture,

its water pure and sweet, lush with all one desires.

إذا نزلت به الروّاد يوما

فقولهم حمادِ له حمادِ

When pasture-scouts one day alight there,

their cry is, 'Praise to him, praise!'

ومضطلع بأمر الملك يرعى

رعيته بحزم واقتصادِ

And he shoulders the kingdom's affairs, tending

his subjects with firmness and moderation.

تراه حمى طريد يوم سلم

مبيح حمى العدا يوم الطرادِ

You see him a fugitive's refuge on a day of peace,

overrunning the enemy's sanctuary on the day of the charge.

إذا جمع البخيل لهاه ضنا

بها بذل الطريف مع التلادِ

When the miser hoards his gifts, stingy

with them, he bestows both newfound and inherited wealth.

يعد لكل معركة تنادي

فوارسها بداهية نآدِ

He readies, for every battle that summons

its horsemen to a crushing ordeal,

أسود وغى على صهوات جرد

كسيدان الغضا عند الجلادِ

lions of war on the backs of sleek steeds,

like wolves of the ghada thickets when blades clash.

كمال الدين قد أصبحت أندى ال

ورى كفا وأمرع سيل وادي

Kamal al-Din, you have become the most generous of all

mankind in open-handedness, and the most fruitful of valley floods.

خلالك كالنسيم الرطب لطفا

ونى سحرا وكالشبم البرادِ

Your virtues are gentle as the moist breeze

that subsides at dawn, and as cool, refreshing water.

لقد أصبحت ماء للموالي

ونارا ليس تخبو للمعادي

You have indeed become water for allies,

and a fire that never dies down for the foe.

أتاك الصوم يؤذن أن ستبقى

بقاء لا يجيب إلى نفادِ

The fast has come to you, declaring you shall endure,

with an endurance that will not yield to extinction.

فدم واسلم على رغم الأعادي

طويل الباع جوّال النجادِ

So endure and remain safe, despite your enemies,

long of reach, with your sword-belt swinging free,

بجد في علو وارتقاء

ومجد في نمو وازديادِ

with fortune ever rising and ascending,

and glory ever growing and increasing.