تبرَّع نصْرٌ بالزيارةِ والنَّدى

تبرَّع نصْرٌ بالزيارةِ والنَّدى

وما زال بالإحسان مُبتدئاً نَصْرُ

وما زال بالإحسان مُبتدئاً نَصْرُ

Nasr freely bestowed a visit and bounty,

Nasr freely offered a visit and generosity,

and Nasr has never ceased to take the lead in doing good.

and Nasr has always taken the initiative in doing good.

فجاشَ عُبابٌ من ثناءٍ كأنهُ

فجاشَ عُبابٌ من ثناءٍ كأنهُ

غواربُ سيْل بالمَسايلِ أو بحرُ

غواربُ سيْل بالمَسايلِ أو بحرُ

Then the flood-tide of my praise surged, as though it were

Then a flood of praise surged, as though it were

the crests of a torrent through the watercourses—or a sea.

the crests of a torrent in the watercourses, or a sea.

وأقبلتِ الغُرُّ القَوافي أريجَةً

وأقبلتِ الغُرُّ القَوافي أريجَةً

كِراماً لها في كل مجتمعٍ نَشْرُ

كِراماً لها في كل مجتمعٍ نَشْرُ

And the radiant rhymes came forth, fragrant,

And the radiant rhymes came forth, fragrant,

noble, their perfume wafting through every gathering.

noble, their fragrance spreading through every gathering.

تُزفُّ لعز الدين طَوْعاً وإنما

تُزفُّ لعز الدين طَوْعاً وإنما

تُزَفُّ إلى كُفْؤٍ مناقبهُ المَهْرُ

تُزَفُّ إلى كُفْؤٍ مناقبهُ المَهْرُ

Willingly they are led as brides to ‘Izz al-Din; only

They are led as brides willingly to Izz al-Din, and only

to a worthy match are they led—his virtues are the dowry.

to a worthy match are they led, his virtues their bridal gift:

لفارس روعٍ يضرب الهام بالضحى

لفارس روعٍ يضرب الهام بالضحى

وتنهلُّ جَدْواهُ إذا حُبس القطرُ

وتنهلُّ جَدْواهُ إذا حُبس القطرُ

To a knight who strikes terror, cleaving heads in broad morning,

to a knight amid battle's terrors, who strikes heads by morning light,

whose bounties pour forth when the rain is withheld.

and whose bounty pours down when the rain is withheld.

وما سرَّني إلا ابتداءٌ عَدِمْتهُ

وما سرَّني إلا ابتداءٌ عَدِمْتهُ

من الناس لا المالُ الشَّهيُّ ولا الوفر

من الناس لا المالُ الشَّهيُّ ولا الوفر

Nothing delighted me except his taking the initiative—a thing I had missed

And nothing pleased me but the unprompted kindness I had not found

among mankind—not coveted wealth, nor abundance.

among people—not coveted wealth, nor abundance.

ومن طلب الإحسان من غير كُلفةٍ

ومن طلب الإحسان من غير كُلفةٍ

ولا طلبٍ فالصَّمتُ عن مدحه كفر

ولا طلبٍ فالصَّمتُ عن مدحه كفر

And whoever seeks beneficence without trouble

And whoever seeks to do good without burden

or even asking—silence in praising him is ingratitude.

or solicitation—silence about praising him is ingratitude.