تنْبو الظُّبى والقَنا حيناً وآوِنَةً

تنْبو الظُّبى والقَنا حيناً وآوِنَةً

والصاحب الصدر ماضي العزم قصَّال

والصاحب الصدر ماضي العزم قصَّال

Sword-edges and spears glance off now and again,

The friends and camels set out at times and intervals,

but the minister, the foremost lord, is resolute and cuts decisively.

And the courageous, determined companion travels light.

وتبخلُ السُّحْبُ بالجدوى ونائلُه

وتبخلُ السُّحْبُ بالجدوى ونائلُه

في العسر واليسر هامي الصوب هطَّالُ

في العسر واليسر هامي الصوب هطَّالُ

Clouds withhold their bounty, while his giving,

The clouds are stingy with rain, yet its seeker

in hardship and ease, pours down as torrential rain.

Wanders lost in hardship and ease.

خِرْقٌ إذا نزل العافونَ منزلَهُ

خِرْقٌ إذا نزل العافونَ منزلَهُ

فالجدب أوْطَف والغسَّاق سلْسال

فالجدب أوْطَف والغسَّاق سلْسال

A generous lord: when seekers of bounty lodge at his dwelling,

When the rain descends in its proper place,

drought becomes a rain-laden cloud, and foul water a sweet stream.

The barren land becomes fertile and the valley flows.

لا يطَّبيهِمْ وإنْ حَنُّوا لأرضهُم

لا يطَّبيهِمْ وإنْ حَنُّوا لأرضهُم

إلى مواطنهم والأهلِ تَرْحالُ

إلى مواطنهم والأهلِ تَرْحالُ

They are not enticed, though they yearn for their own land,

They cannot be content, though they yearn for their land

by travel back to their homelands and kin.

And journey home to their people.

يحمي ويقْري فذو خصبٍ به مرحٌ

يحمي ويقْري فذو خصبٍ به مرحٌ

وتائهٌ من رفيعِ العِزِّ مُخْتالُ

وتائهٌ من رفيعِ العِزِّ مُخْتالُ

He protects and hosts; whoever prospers through him is joyful,

One it nourishes and waters - so he prospers,

and, proud of lofty honor, walks with a swagger.

While one far from glorious power wanders confused.

يستأسدُ الجارُ والضِّيفانُ عائمةٌ

يستأسدُ الجارُ والضِّيفانُ عائمةٌ

فعندهُ منهما نونٌ ورِئبالُ

فعندهُ منهما نونٌ ورِئبالُ

His neighbor grows lion-bold, and his guests are swimmers;

The neighbor turns lion, while the two guests swim;

so in them he has both fish and lion.

With them he is friendly or hostile.

إذا سنى نارِه أعْلاهُ جاحِمُهُ

إذا سنى نارِه أعْلاهُ جاحِمُهُ

عادَ الثَّقالُ المُعنَّى وهو شِمْلالُ

عادَ الثَّقالُ المُعنَّى وهو شِمْلالُ

When his fire's kindler raises its glow aloft,

When he kindles his burning fire on high,

the sluggish, weary man becomes fleet-footed,

The cherished heavy guest returns humbled.

مَسَرَّةً بعَمِيمِ الجودِ ذي خطرٍ

مَسَرَّةً بعَمِيمِ الجودِ ذي خطرٍ

يحيا بإحسانه جُرْدٌ وآبالُ

يحيا بإحسانه جُرْدٌ وآبالُ

for joy at his all-embracing bounty of great worth.

With the danger of his great generosity, he brings joy

His kindness keeps sleek steeds and camel herds alive.

To both horsemen and camels.

حوى العُلى عضد الدين الكريمُ ثناً

حوى العُلى عضد الدين الكريمُ ثناً

رواتُهُ ضاعِنو سَفْرٍ وقُفَّالُ

رواتُهُ ضاعِنو سَفْرٍ وقُفَّالُ

Generous ʿAḍud al-Dīn has attained glory and praise,

Exalted Support of the Faith sang his praise,

whose reciters are travelers setting out and returning.

His poems wanderers on long journeys.

زَوْلٌ تُرَنِّحُ عِطْفيهِ مدائحُه

زَوْلٌ تُرَنِّحُ عِطْفيهِ مدائحُه

كأنما الشعرُ في عِطفيهِ جِرْيالُ

كأنما الشعرُ في عِطفيهِ جِرْيالُ

A wondrous man: praises of him set his sides swaying,

When his verses extol him their tenderness sighs -

as though poetry within his sides were crimson wine.

As if poetry itself laments in their tenderness.

إذا تُفاخِرُهُ الأجوادُ يوم نَدىً

إذا تُفاخِرُهُ الأجوادُ يوم نَدىً

فالصاحب البحر والأجوادُ أوشالُ

فالصاحب البحر والأجوادُ أوشالُ

When the generous vie with him on a day of giving,

When the generous compete, he is the bountiful sea,

then the minister is the sea, and the generous are mere trickles.

The companion, and the most open-handed of all.

فهُنِّيَ العيدُ والأيامُ قاطِبَةً

فهُنِّيَ العيدُ والأيامُ قاطِبَةً

بقاءَهُ ما جرى بالمَهْمَهِ الآلُ

بقاءَهُ ما جرى بالمَهْمَهِ الآلُ

So may Eid and all the days alike be congratulated

So days and times rejoiced altogether

on his enduring life, as long as mirage flows across the trackless desert.

At his continuance, however events unfold.