1. أمْدحُه أبْلَجَ كالنَّهارِ

    غمْرَ السَّجايا سالماً منْ عارِ

    I praise him, radiant as the day,

    overflowing with virtues, free of disgrace.

  2. يجْلو دُجى القَتامِ والغُبارِ

    ما بينَ حامٍ باسلٍ وقارِ

    He dispels the gloom of thick dust and dust clouds,

    as a valiant defender and a host alike,

  3. طَبَاً بقَتْلِ المَحْلِ والجَبَّار

    قد بَليا من فضلهِ المُشارِ

    expert at slaying famine and the tyrant.

    Both have been beset, through his renowned excellence,

  4. بمِدْرَهٍ سَميْذَعٍ كَرَّارِ

    سُيوفُهُ في المحْلِ والغِمارِ

    by an eloquent champion, a noble chief, ever charging.

    His swords, in famine and in battle's depths,

  5. جَزَّارَةُ الأبْطالِ والعِشارِ

    جوادُ مجْدٍ دائِمُ الإِحْضار

    are slaughterers of champions and pregnant she-camels.

    A steed of glory, ever galloping,

  6. يَجُلُّ عن بُهْرٍ وعن عِثارِ

    إذا احْتبى فالطَّوْدُ في الوَقار

    he is above breathlessness and above stumbling.

    When he sits with knees clasped, he is a mountain in dignity;

  7. وإن غزا فهو الهِزبرُ الضاري

    أغْلب ماضي العزْم من نِزارِ

    and if he goes to war, he is the ravening lion.

    A thick-necked lion, firm in resolve, of Nizar,

  8. ثُمَّ تَميمٍ مَعْدِنِ الفَخارِ

    المانِعينَ شَرَفَ الذِّمارِ

    then of Tamim, the mine of glory:

    those who guard the honor of all they must protect,

  9. المُدْركينَ قاصياتِ الثَّارِ

    والمُنْهِبي حَوافِرِ الجَرَّارِ

    who attain the farthest reaches of vengeance,

    and let the hooves of the vast host plunder

  10. صَوامِلَ الأرْضينَ كالخَبارِ

    لا يكْسعونَ الشَّوْلَ بالأغْبار

    the earth's hard tracts as though they were soft, loose soil.

    They do not leave the last milk in their scant-yielding she-camels' udders,

  11. ولا ينامونَ عن الأوْتارِ

    ضُيَّافُهُمُ لكَثْرةِ المَزارِ

    nor do they sleep, heedless of blood-debts.

    Their guests, because they visit so often,

  12. غنيَّةٌ عن نابِحٍ ونارِ

    تاجُ المُلوك مُخْدِلُ البحار

    have no need of a barking dog or a fire.

    The crown of kings, surpassing the seas,

  13. والسُّحْبِ إذْ تجودُ بالقطارِ

    والسَّيْفِ إذْ يَصولُ بالغِرار

    and the clouds when they give generously of their rain,

    and the sword when it strikes with its edge;

  14. مُخْتارُ مهديِّ الورى المُختار

    حاطِمُ عِيدانِ القَنا الخُطَّارِ

    the chosen one of mankind's chosen Mahdi,

    breaker of the shafts of swaying spears

  15. برأيهِ والمِزْرَرِ الصَّرَّارِ

    وزيرُ مَجْدٍ مُحْمدُ الآثارِ

    by his judgment and the squeaking pen.

    A minister of glory, of praiseworthy deeds:

  16. إذا كُفاةُ المُدْنِ والأمْصارِ

    أسْدُ الدَّواوين أولو الأخطار

    when the able stewards of cities and towns,

    lions of the bureaus, men of high rank,

  17. جارَوْهُ عند القول في مضمارِ

    أوْرَدَهُمْ ورْداً بلا إصْدارِ

    compete with him in the racecourse of speech,

    he brings them to water, with no return.

  18. حديثُهُ في الناسِ كالعِطارِ

    أو كَنسيم الرَّوض ذي العَرار

    His speech among people is like perfume,

    or like the breeze of a meadow bearing arar flowers.

  19. أخْلاقُهُ كَرِقَّةِ المِسْطارِ

    أو سَلْسلٍ على دَميثٍ جارِ

    His manners are as delicate as new wine,

    or sweet, clear water flowing over soft ground.

  20. فعاشَ أعْماراً على أعْمارِ

    مُهَنَّأً بالصَّوْمِ والإِفْطارِ

    So may he live lifetimes upon lifetimes,

    felicitated on fasting and on breaking the fast.

  21. تَضيقُ عن مِدْحتهِ أشْعاري

    فأوسِعُ الدَّعاءَ بالأسْحارِ

    My verses are too narrow to contain his praise,

    so I lavish prayers in the hours before dawn.