أهُمُّ بشكْوى الدهر ثمَّ ترُدُّني

أهُمُّ بشكْوى الدهر ثمَّ ترُدُّني

عَوارفُ من نُعْماكُمُ ومكارِمُ

عَوارفُ من نُعْماكُمُ ومكارِمُ

I am minded to complain of fate, but then I am held back

I complain of the vicissitudes of Time, then you make me turn back,

By favors from your bounty and acts of generosity.

Through your noble deeds and generosity,

وأغْضي حَياءً من نَداكُمْ وحاجتي

وأغْضي حَياءً من نَداكُمْ وحاجتي

وقاحٌ إذا ما ساورتني اللَّوازِمُ

وقاحٌ إذا ما ساورتني اللَّوازِمُ

And I lower my eyes, abashed by your bounty; yet my need

And out of shyness before your munificence I keep silent about my wants,

Is brazen when pressing necessities assail me.

Though importunate with necessities that press upon me.

وأعلمُ عِلْماً ليس بالظَّنِّ أنَّكُم

وأعلمُ عِلْماً ليس بالظَّنِّ أنَّكُم

سحائبُ مهما اسْطعتُم وخضارِمُ

سحائبُ مهما اسْطعتُم وخضارِمُ

And I know for certain, not by conjecture, that you

I know for certain that you are clouds

Are rain clouds, to the utmost of your ability, and boundless seas.

That rain, no matter how much lightning flashes around them,

وما أبْقَتِ الأيامُ لي غير جودكم

وما أبْقَتِ الأيامُ لي غير جودكم

مُعيناً وباقي الناسِ مُقْوٍ وحارِمُ

مُعيناً وباقي الناسِ مُقْوٍ وحارِمُ

And the days have left me nothing but your generosity

Time has left me none but you

As a helper; all others are destitute or withholding.

To give me support, while other men deny and forbid.

فلا تنكروا شيمي لبارق مُزْنِكم

فلا تنكروا شيمي لبارق مُزْنِكم

فصوْبُ حياكُمْ قبل شيميَ ساجِم

فصوْبُ حياكُمْ قبل شيميَ ساجِم

So do not fault my watching for your rain clouds' lightning:

So do not deny me your nature on account of my audacity,

For your life-giving rain was streaming down before I watched.

For good fortune is yours before my audacity.

ولا تُنكروا مني صريحاً لمطلبٍ

ولا تُنكروا مني صريحاً لمطلبٍ

فَصَوْني لما ألقى من الهَمِّ كاتِمُ

فَصَوْني لما ألقى من الهَمِّ كاتِمُ

Nor fault me for speaking plainly in making a request;

Do not deny me outright for a request

For my reserve conceals the distress I endure.

While I conceal the anxiety that besets me.

توَدُّ الظُّبى عزْم الوزير وبأسَهُ

توَدُّ الظُّبى عزْم الوزير وبأسَهُ

وتحْسُد جدْوى راحتيه الغَمائمُ

وتحْسُد جدْوى راحتيه الغَمائمُ

The blades covet the minister's resolve and might,

The ostrich envies the minister his resolve and strength,

And clouds envy the bounty of his palms.

And the clouds envy his leisure free from care.

طليقُ المُحَيَّا في وَغاهُ وسَلْمِه

طليقُ المُحَيَّا في وَغاهُ وسَلْمِه

صَوارِمُهُ تبكي دَماً وهو باسمُ

صَوارِمُهُ تبكي دَماً وهو باسمُ

Cheerful of countenance in battle and in peace,

At his ease he is brave in his error and safe,

His sharp swords weep blood while he smiles.

His swords weep blood while he smiles.

كتائبُهُ والكُتْبُ أنصارُ مجدِه

كتائبُهُ والكُتْبُ أنصارُ مجدِه

تُسَرُّ دواوينٌ به ومَلاحِمُ

تُسَرُّ دواوينٌ به ومَلاحِمُ

His battalions and books are allies of his glory;

His battalions and his books are the buttress of his glory,

Registers and fierce battles are gladdened by him.

Registers exult in him, and epics.

فللْهامِ في يومِ الكَريهةِ ناثِرٌ

فللْهامِ في يومِ الكَريهةِ ناثِرٌ

وللفضل في قلب الصَّحيفة ناظِمُ

وللفضل في قلب الصَّحيفة ناظِمُ

For he scatters heads on the day of battle,

In the day of hardship he has a censurer

And strings virtues together in the heart of the page.

And in the parchment’s heart an arranger of its prose.

أبو جعفر تاجُ المُلوكِ وثروةُ

أبو جعفر تاجُ المُلوكِ وثروةُ

الضَّريكِ وعامُ المَحْلِ أغْبَرُ قاتِمُ

الضَّريكِ وعامُ المَحْلِ أغْبَرُ قاتِمُ

Abu Ja‘far, crown of kings and wealth

Father of kings, wealth of the honoured house,

Of the destitute, while the drought-year is dust-gray and dark.

Pillar of the realm, most generous when gloomy,

فتى الحَيِّ منَّاعُ الحَريمِ وعصمةُ

فتى الحَيِّ منَّاعُ الحَريمِ وعصمةُ

الطريد إذا ما أبْسلَتْه الجرائمُ

الطريد إذا ما أبْسلَتْه الجرائمُ

The clan's champion, staunch defender of its women, and refuge

You are the lion of the thicket in guarding us, and our protection,

Of the outcast, when crimes have doomed him.

When events make us prey for those who blame.

أغرُّ تميميّ النِّجارِ بفَخْرِهِ

أغرُّ تميميّ النِّجارِ بفَخْرِهِ

الشهيرِ يُقرُّ المالكان ودارِمُ

الشهيرِ يُقرُّ المالكان ودارِمُ

Illustrious, of Tamimi lineage—his glory

I boast to the family of Nujar concerning him

Is renowned and acknowledged by the two Maliks and Darim.

Whose fame the high and lowly celebrate.

له قسْوةٌ تحت العَوالي وغِلْظةٌ

له قسْوةٌ تحت العَوالي وغِلْظةٌ

وفي النَّصرِ لُطْفٌ سابغٌ ومراحم

وفي النَّصرِ لُطْفٌ سابغٌ ومراحم

He is stern and harsh beneath the tall spears,

He is hard beneath the banners and harsh,

And in victory, lavish in gentleness and mercy.

But in giving victory gentle, lavish, merciful.

وكيف يَحُلُّ الهَمُّ باحَة منزلي

وكيف يَحُلُّ الهَمُّ باحَة منزلي

وأحْمَدُ مَضَّاءُ الأوامرِ سالِمُ

وأحْمَدُ مَضَّاءُ الأوامرِ سالِمُ

And how can worry settle in the courtyard of my home,

How should anxiety enter a house where Ahmad dwells,

While Ahmad, resolute in command, is safe and sound?

He who makes radiant the authoritative commands?