جَلا سُدفَ المفارق نور شيْبٍ

جَلا سُدفَ المفارق نور شيْبٍ

كما يجلو دُجى الليلِ النَّهارُ

كما يجلو دُجى الليلِ النَّهارُ

The light of gray hair dispelled the darkness at the hair's partings,

The light of white hair shone, dispelling the gloom of night,

as daylight dispels the darkness of night.

As dawn dispels the darkness of night.

ولم تشب الخواطرُ والقوافي

ولم تشب الخواطرُ والقوافي

واِنْ عقبتْ همومٌ وانكسارُ

واِنْ عقبتْ همومٌ وانكسارُ

Yet thoughts and rhymes have not grown gray,

Though worries and sorrows may follow,

though cares and dejection have followed.

My thoughts and rhymes have not grown old.

فقالَ القومُ تأييدٌ قديمٌ

فقالَ القومُ تأييدٌ قديمٌ

له نبأ عظيمٌ واشْتهارُ

له نبأ عظيمٌ واشْتهارُ

The people said: 'An age-old gift of strength,

The people said it was an ancient divine support for him,

of great renown and widespread fame.

News of greatness and fame.

مقالك كالنُّضارِ الصَّفْوِ أصلاً

مقالك كالنُّضارِ الصَّفْوِ أصلاً

ولن يبلى على القِدَمِ النُّضارُ

ولن يبلى على القِدَمِ النُّضارُ

Your speech is, in its essence, like pure gold,

Your words are originally like pure nectar,

and gold will never wear away with age.

Which will not wear out with time.

وأنت السيف لا يُفنْي شَباهُ

وأنت السيف لا يُفنْي شَباهُ

تَقادُمهُ ولا ينْبو الغِرارُ

تَقادُمهُ ولا ينْبو الغِرارُ

And you are the sword whose edge is not worn away

You are the sword that does not fade with age,

by its age, and whose blade does not glance off.'

Nor tarnished by time's passage.

فقلتُ وحُبِّ أبْلَجَ من تميمٍ

فقلتُ وحُبِّ أبْلَجَ من تميمٍ

له في كل منقبةٍ مَنارُ

له في كل منقبةٍ مَنارُ

Then I said: 'By love for a radiant man of Tamim—

I said, with a heart brimming with love for Tameem,

he has a beacon in every noble virtue—

In every battle he has a beacon.

تُفوَّهُني وتُنْطقني عُلاهُ

تُفوَّهُني وتُنْطقني عُلاهُ

فاسهابي واِنْ طالَ اخْتصارُ

فاسهابي واِنْ طالَ اخْتصارُ

his eminence gives me voice and makes me speak.

It inspires and makes me speak, his sublime state,

So my elaboration, however lengthy, is brevity.

Though my outpouring be brief.

وزيرٌ للعُلى اِلْفٌ أنيسٌ

وزيرٌ للعُلى اِلْفٌ أنيسٌ

وعند العارِ وحْشيٌّ نَوارُ

وعند العارِ وحْشيٌّ نَوارُ

A vizier, an intimate, genial companion to glory,

A companion to the exalted, a thousand intimate friends,

yet before disgrace, untamed and averse.

And a protector from shame, a trustworthy ally.

لبيقُ العِطْفِ بالنَّعماءِ زَوْلٌ

لبيقُ العِطْفِ بالنَّعماءِ زَوْلٌ

وليثُ وغىً اذا جَدَّ المغارُ

وليثُ وغىً اذا جَدَّ المغارُ

Graceful in bearing, a marvel in bestowing favors,

Gentle when life is serene,

and a lion of battle when the assault grows fierce.

A lion when war's drums beat.

ومِطْعانٌ اذا فَرَّ المُحامي

ومِطْعانٌ اذا فَرَّ المُحامي

ومِطْعامٌ اذا حُبِسَ القِطارُ

ومِطْعامٌ اذا حُبِسَ القِطارُ

And a mighty spearman when the defender flees,

A shelter, when the lawyer flees,

and a lavish giver of food when the rains are withheld.

And food, when the train is delayed.

يُسِرُّ نجومَ ليلتهِ دُخانٌ

يُسِرُّ نجومَ ليلتهِ دُخانٌ

ويسكفُ شمس ضحوته غُبارُ

ويسكفُ شمس ضحوته غُبارُ

Smoke conceals the stars of his night,

His smoke makes serene the stars of his night,

and dust veils the sun of his forenoon.

And his dust obscures the sun of his morning.

ويشكو سيفهُ سلْماً وحَرْباً

ويشكو سيفهُ سلْماً وحَرْباً

كماةُ الرَّوْعِ والكومُ العِشارُ

كماةُ الرَّوْعِ والكومُ العِشارُ

And in peace and war, his sword draws complaints

His sword complains whether sheathed or drawn,

from battle's champions and high-humped she-camels ten months pregnant.

Like a roaring lion or swarm of locusts.

سجاياهُ أوانَ رِضا وسُخْطٍ

سجاياهُ أوانَ رِضا وسُخْطٍ

على اِنْصافه ماءٌ ونارُ

على اِنْصافه ماءٌ ونارُ

His traits, in times of pleasure and anger,

In times of acceptance or anger, his ways

for all his fairness, are water and fire.

Are water and fire in their fairness.

جوادٌ أحرز العليْاءَ سَبْقاً

جوادٌ أحرز العليْاءَ سَبْقاً

فلا بُهْرٌ يَشينُ ولا عِثارُ

فلا بُهْرٌ يَشينُ ولا عِثارُ

A noble steed, he has won the heights of glory by taking the lead,

A steed who won sublime heights by speed,

so no breathlessness mars him, nor any stumble.

No defect diminishes him, no stumbling blocks.

أرى تاجَ الملوكِ ظِلالَ ضاحٍ

أرى تاجَ الملوكِ ظِلالَ ضاحٍ

وقد سَفَعَ الوديقةُ والقِفارُ

وقد سَفَعَ الوديقةُ والقِفارُ

I see Taj al-Muluk as shade for one exposed to the sun,

I see the crown of kings as mirage-like shadows,

when midday heat and barren wastes have scorched him;

While the land and ruins have risen high.

ووِرْداً بعد عِشْرٍ عند مَرْتٍ

ووِرْداً بعد عِشْرٍ عند مَرْتٍ

يَعُزُّ به التَبَغُّمُ والعِرارُ

يَعُزُّ به التَبَغُّمُ والعِرارُ

and as water after a ten-day wait, in a barren waste

A bouquet after ten years with a beloved,

where gazelles' soft calls and male ostriches' cries are scarce.

Which wards off gloom and dejection.

وتهْنيهِ المدائحُ مِنْ عَشيرٍ

وتهْنيهِ المدائحُ مِنْ عَشيرٍ

به وبشعْرهِ يُحْمى الذِّمارُ

به وبشعْرهِ يُحْمى الذِّمارُ

And praises from a companion congratulate him,

Eulogies from his clan extol him,

through whom and through whose poetry inviolable honor is defended.

By them and his verse all bounds are protected.

يُرَجَّى النَّصرُ منه على الرَّزايا

يُرَجَّى النَّصرُ منه على الرَّزايا

وبالهْنديِّ يُرْجى الاِنتصارُ

وبالهْنديِّ يُرْجى الاِنتصارُ

Victory over calamities is hoped for from him,

Victory over misfortunes is hoped from him,

and through the Indian sword, triumph is hoped for.'

And with his sword, triumph is expected.