لَمّا اِستَعَنتُ عَلى الخُطوبِ بِصالِحٍ

لَمّا اِستَعَنتُ عَلى الخُطوبِ بِصالِحٍ

سَلَكَت هَواديها التَريقَ الأَمثَلا

سَلَكَت هَواديها التَريقَ الأَمثَلا

When I sought Salih’s aid against calamities,

When I sought help against adversities through the righteous,

their vanguards followed the best path.

Its paths led to the best outcome.

تَقِفُ المَوالي حَجرَتَيهِ فَإِن غَدا

تَقِفُ المَوالي حَجرَتَيهِ فَإِن غَدا

أَغدى أُسوداً ما تُرامُ وَأَشبُلا

أَغدى أُسوداً ما تُرامُ وَأَشبُلا

The retainers stand on either flank of him; if he sets out at dawn,

Stop at its two chambers, for if tomorrow comes,

he leads forth lions none dare assail, and lion cubs.

It comes as mighty lions and cubs.

نَسَحَ الخَليفَةَ ذائِداً عَن مُلكِهِ

نَسَحَ الخَليفَةَ ذائِداً عَن مُلكِهِ

وَكَفى الخِلافَةَ ما أَهَمَّ وَأَعضَلا

وَكَفى الخِلافَةَ ما أَهَمَّ وَأَعضَلا

He served the caliph loyally, defending his realm,

It drove the Caliph away from his kingdom,

and spared the caliphate what troubled it and proved intractable.

And sufficed the Caliphate what worried and busied it.

سَيفٌ عَلى أَعدائِهِ لا تَنجَلي

سَيفٌ عَلى أَعدائِهِ لا تَنجَلي

ظُلَمُ الخُطوبِ السودِ حَتّى يُجتَلى

ظُلَمُ الخُطوبِ السودِ حَتّى يُجتَلى

A sword against his enemies; never dispelled

A sword against its enemies does not sheathe,

are the shadows of black calamities until he is unsheathed.

The darkness of black adversities until it is fought off.

تَثني بَوادِرَهُ الأَناةُ وَرُبَّما

تَثني بَوادِرَهُ الأَناةُ وَرُبَّما

سارَت عَزيمَتُهُ فَكانَت جَحفَلا

سارَت عَزيمَتُهُ فَكانَت جَحفَلا

Deliberation reins in his impulses; and sometimes

Its early beginnings are bent by deliberation, and sometimes

his resolve marches forth and becomes a mighty host.

Its resolve moves on and becomes impetuous.

خِرقٌ سَمَت أَخلاقُهُ فَتَرَفَّعَت

خِرقٌ سَمَت أَخلاقُهُ فَتَرَفَّعَت

وَأَضاءَ رَونَقُ وَجهِهِ فَتَهَلَّلا

وَأَضاءَ رَونَقُ وَجهِهِ فَتَهَلَّلا

A noble, generous man, whose virtues soared and rose still higher,

The rents have reached its nature, so it rose high,

and whose face shone with luster and beamed.

And the splendor of its face radiated and glanced.

لا تَثلِمُ الأَطماعُ فيهِ وَلا يُرى

لا تَثلِمُ الأَطماعُ فيهِ وَلا يُرى

بَينَ الخِيانَةِ وَالعَفافِ مُمَيَّلا

بَينَ الخِيانَةِ وَالعَفافِ مُمَيَّلا

Greed leaves no flaw in him, nor is he seen

No blemishes in it, nor can one see

wavering between treachery and integrity.

In it any inclination between betrayal and chastity.

صَحَّت مَذاهِبُهُ فَآضَ مُهَذَّباً

صَحَّت مَذاهِبُهُ فَآضَ مُهَذَّباً

كَالكَوكَبِ الدُرِيِّ أَشرَقَ وَاِعتَلى

كَالكَوكَبِ الدُرِيِّ أَشرَقَ وَاِعتَلى

His ways proved sound, and he emerged refined,

Its doctrines prevailed, so it flowed refined

like a pearl-bright star that shone and rose on high.

Like a shining star, it rose and reached the apex.

وَحَليفُ جودٍ لا يَرى أَن يَغتَدي

وَحَليفُ جودٍ لا يَرى أَن يَغتَدي

مُتَكَنِّياً بِالفَضلِ حَتّى يُفضِلا

مُتَكَنِّياً بِالفَضلِ حَتّى يُفضِلا

And generosity’s sworn ally, he will not begin the day

And a loyal ally who does not see to transgress,

bearing bounty’s byname until he has bestowed it.

Boasting of generosity until he excels.

يا واحِدَ الكَرَمِ الَّذي ضَمِنَت لَهُ

يا واحِدَ الكَرَمِ الَّذي ضَمِنَت لَهُ

أَفعالُهُ دَرَكَ المَكارِمِ وَالعُلا

أَفعالُهُ دَرَكَ المَكارِمِ وَالعُلا

O peerless one in generosity, for whom is assured

O One of perfect generosity, whom his acts

by his deeds the attainment of noble virtues and high rank:

Have attained the utmost generosity and sublimity!

إِنَّ الخَليفَةَ لَيسَ يَرقُبُ بِالَّذي

إِنَّ الخَليفَةَ لَيسَ يَرقُبُ بِالَّذي

طالَبتُ إِلّا أَن تَقولَ فَيَفعَلا

طالَبتُ إِلّا أَن تَقولَ فَيَفعَلا

indeed, the caliph waits for nothing, concerning what

Indeed, the Caliph only seeks through what

I have requested, but your word—then he will act.

I requested that you say, “So shall it be done!”