أضحت سيوفك للحصون مفاتحا

تردي أخا غش وتبهج ناصحا

Your swords have become keys to fortresses,

Slaying the deceitful and gladdening the sincere adviser.

يا قائد الخيل العتاق شوازبا

جرداء سابحة وأجرد سابحا

O leader of noble steeds, lean-flanked,

A sleek, swimming mare, and a sleek, swimming stallion;

ومضيق البر الفضاء بأُرعن

كالبحر سد سهولة وأباطحا

And you who narrow the open land with a massive host,

Like the sea, blocking plains and gravelly valleys.

أيدّت دولة هاشم يا شمسها

بالرأي تحسبه الشهاب اللائحا

You upheld the rule of Hashim, O its sun,

With counsel one would take for a gleaming meteor.

وغدوت بالأماح عنها طاعنا

وأخفت بالرمح السماك الرامحا

And with spears you went forth, thrusting in its defense,

And with your spear you frightened al-Simak the Spear-bearer.

وأبيك ما جردت بيض صفائح

وقدرت إلا كنت ثم الصافحا

By your father, you never unsheathed bright blades

And held the upper hand without then granting pardon.

يا ابن المطاعين المطاعين الألى

أفنوا عداتهم واقنوا المادحا

O son of lords obeyed, mighty spear-thrusters, who

Annihilated their enemies and enriched the panegyrist.

قوم غدوا بالمكرمات وأصبحوا

في ظلمة الخطب المضب مصابحا

A people who rose with noble deeds and became

Lamps in the darkness of a fog-shrouded calamity.

أطواد حلم ما برحن رواجحا

وبحور علم لم يزلن طوافحا

Mountains of forbearance, never ceasing to be weighty,

And seas of knowledge, forever overflowing.

أسنيت أعطية العفاة من اللهى

كرما وأَدنيت الرَّجاء النازحا

You lavished rich gifts of bounty on petitioners,

In generosity, and brought far-off hope near.

يا غرة الزمن البهيم لقد جلت

منك الدّسوت أغر وجه وأضحا

O white blaze on the brow of dark time, there is indeed revealed

By the seats of honor, in you, a face most radiant and clear.

روضت لي أملي وكان مصوحا

ذاو ورضت من امتداحي جامحا

You made a garden of my hope, though it had been parched,

Withered; and you tamed the unruly steed of my praise.

وصرفت عني الحادثات فلم أجد

يوما لصرف الدهر خطبا فادحا

And you turned misfortunes away from me, so I never met

On any day, a crushing calamity from time's reversals.

وشمت من كفَّيك يا مسدي النّدى

للعرف والإحسان عرفا فائحا

And from your palms I caught, O bestower of bounty,

A wafting fragrance of kindness and benevolence.

فلأَ شكرنَّ غيوث نعماك التي

هطلت فأضحت للغيوث فواضحا

So I shall surely thank the rains of your favors, which

Poured down and put the very rains to shame.

ولأهدينَّ إليك يا بكر العلى

والمجد أبكار الثناء صرائحا

And I shall surely offer you, O firstborn of eminence

And glory, pure-born maidens of praise.

ففداك يا هبة الإله معاشر

لا يعشرون ندي يديك السافحا

So may bands of men be your ransom, O Gift of God,

Who cannot equal a tenth of the bounty pouring from your hands.

ترقى المساند والمطارح منهم

عند اللقاء مساندا ومطارحا

You rise above their contenders and disputants,

At meetings, as though they were cushions and couches.

أغنيتني عن قصد هم وغمرتني

بمنائح كرمت لديّ منائحا

You spared me the need to seek them, and flooded me

With bounties, gifts that were precious to me.

تاجرت مدحك يا أبا الفضل الذي

فضل الورى جودا فكنت الرابحا

I traded in praising you, O Abu al-Fadl, who

Surpassed mankind in generosity; so I was the one who profited.

يا خير من طوت الركائب نحوه

وسرت إليه سياسيا وصحاصحا

O best of those toward whom riding camels have folded the miles,

And journeyed to him over rocky ridges and open plains.

أقسمت أبصرت يوما طالحا

إلا وعاد وقد رأيتك صالحا

I swear, whenever I saw a wretched day,

It turned good once I had seen you.

لا غمت الأيام منك مملّكا

لولاه لم يك قلب راح فارحا

May the days never grieve the ruler that you are,

Without whom no heart would go away rejoicing.

وبقيت ممتدَّ البقاء ولا جرى

باليمن طير مناك إلا سانحا

And may you live long, and may there never fly

The bird of your hopes except rightward, bringing good fortune.

وسلمت مجد الدين تكبت حاسدا

وتسوء ختارا وترغم كاشحا

And may you stay safe, Majd al-Din, abasing the envious,

And vexing the treacherous and rubbing the spiteful foe's nose in dust.