عقود جمانٍ ما أرى أم قلائد

عقود جمانٍ ما أرى أم قلائد

وسحر بيان أم معانٍ فرائد

وسحر بيان أم معانٍ فرائد

Are those strings of pearls I see, or necklaces,

Are these decades of benevolence that I see, or necklaces?

and eloquence's magic, or peerless meanings,

Is it the magic of eloquence, or the peaks of meaning?

وتدبيج مسكٍ أم ذوائب غادةٍ

وتدبيج مسكٍ أم ذوائب غادةٍ

تضمنه القرطاس أم ذا قصائد

تضمنه القرطاس أم ذا قصائد

and tracery of musk, or a maiden's tresses,

Is it the weaving of musk, or the tresses of a gazelle?

held by the paper—or are these poems?

Does the parchment contain this, or is it poems?

بلى هو نظم جاءنا من مهذبٍ

بلى هو نظم جاءنا من مهذبٍ

بذكرى معاليه تجود النشائد

بذكرى معاليه تجود النشائد

Indeed, it is verse that came to us from a refined man;

Yes, it is a composition that came to us from a refined one,

songs grow splendid at the mention of his lofty merits.

With memories of his virtues, poems are generous.

كريم له بين الكرام ماثرٌ

كريم له بين الكرام ماثرٌ

تطيب ثناءً وهي زهر فرائد

تطيب ثناءً وهي زهر فرائد

A generous man, whose noble deeds among the generous

Noble among the noble, his virtue is outstanding,

are sweet to praise—radiant, peerless gems.

His praise is sweet, and it is the peak of poems.

سريٌّ جريٌّ المعيٌّ محمدٌ

سريٌّ جريٌّ المعيٌّ محمدٌ

همامٌ جوادٌ واسع البذل مائد

همامٌ جوادٌ واسع البذل مائد

Noble, bold, and discerning is Muhammad,

Secretive, flowing, purposeful, Muhammad,

resolute and generous, lavish in giving, a provider.

Courageous, generous, with a bountiful banquet.

تسامى بنصارٍ وناصيف بعده

تسامى بنصارٍ وناصيف بعده

كريمان جدٌّ ذو افتخارٍ ووالدُ

كريمان جدٌّ ذو افتخارٍ ووالدُ

He rose to eminence through Nassar, and Nasif after him,

After him followed the chiefs and commanders,

two generous men—a grandfather of distinction, and a father.

A noble grandfather and father of pride.

حياتي بنظمٍ غازلتني بروضه

حياتي بنظمٍ غازلتني بروضه

ظباءُ معان آنساتٌ شواردُ

ظباءُ معان آنساتٌ شواردُ

My life is in verse; in its garden I was wooed

My life composed verses that courted me in the meadow,

by gazelles of meaning, companionable yet elusive.

Gazelles of meaning, intimate wanderers.

نظامٌ فصيحُ اللفظ أضحى رفيقه

نظامٌ فصيحُ اللفظ أضحى رفيقه

ويمنح درّاً حين يتلوه ناشدُ

ويمنح درّاً حين يتلوه ناشدُ

A composition of eloquent diction has become his companion,

Eloquent in speech, he became his companion,

and bestows pearls whenever a reciter recites it.

And grants wealth when he recites to him as a reciter.

يرينا النجوم الزهر منه قوافياً

يرينا النجوم الزهر منه قوافياً

تعز على من رامها وتباعدُ

تعز على من رامها وتباعدُ

It shows us radiant stars as its rhymes,

He shows us the stars and flowers as rhymes,

hard to attain for those who seek them, and far removed.

Difficult for those who covet them and distant.

بمدح وزير زين الدهر مجدهُ

بمدح وزير زين الدهر مجدهُ

وسادت به العليا وجادت محامدُ

وسادت به العليا وجادت محامدُ

In praise of a minister whose glory adorned the age,

With praise of the minister, the glory of the age,

through whom eminence reigned and praises abounded.

Nobility was lifted by him and praise abounded.

بطلعته الغرا الوزارة أشرقت

بطلعته الغرا الوزارة أشرقت

وساغت بغدران التهاني المواردُ

وساغت بغدران التهاني المواردُ

With his radiant countenance, the ministry shone,

With his rising, the ministry shone bright,

and the watering places grew sweet with pools of congratulations.

And greetings flowed with the good news.

وزيرٌ شهير عادلٌ فاضل به

وزيرٌ شهير عادلٌ فاضل به

لتخت العلى والمجد تسمو الفوائدُ

لتخت العلى والمجد تسمو الفوائدُ

A renowned minister, just and virtuous; through him,

A renowned, just and virtuous minister,

benefits ascend to the throne of eminence and glory.

Through him benefits rise to the throne and glory.

تبوأ من صدر المعالي مراتباً

تبوأ من صدر المعالي مراتباً

فجاءَ سعيداً وهو باللَه رائدُ

فجاءَ سعيداً وهو باللَه رائدُ

He took his place in the foremost ranks of honor,

He attained the highest ranks,

and came fortunate, a leader with God's aid.

And came happily guided by God.

علا الأمن في أيامه وانجلى الهنا

علا الأمن في أيامه وانجلى الهنا

على الناس طرّا وهو بالعدل واحدُ

على الناس طرّا وهو بالعدل واحدُ

Security flourished in his days, and happiness shone forth

Safety rose in his days and serenity shone

over all the people; he is peerless in justice.

Upon the people, fresh, as he was one with justice.

هناءً بعبد اللَه مولى ولائنا

هناءً بعبد اللَه مولى ولائنا

ومن بذراه تستظل الأماجدُ

ومن بذراه تستظل الأماجدُ

Joy in Abdullah, lord of our allegiance,

Joy to Abdullah, guardian of our loyalty,

and beneath whose shelter the noble find shade.

In his offspring the glories take shade.

فلا زال مقروناً بنصرٍ مؤيد

فلا زال مقروناً بنصرٍ مؤيد

ولا زال تخشاه العدى والحواسدُ

ولا زال تخشاه العدى والحواسدُ

So may he ever remain joined to victory, upheld,

So he remained accompanied by supporting victory,

and may enemies and the envious never cease to fear him.

And he remained feared by enemies and enviers.

مدى الدهر ماموناً تضيءُ سعودهُ

مدى الدهر ماموناً تضيءُ سعودهُ

مشيدة أركانه والقواعدُ

مشيدة أركانه والقواعدُ

Secure throughout time, his good fortunes shining,

Throughout time his prosperity shines,

his pillars and foundations firmly built.

His pillars and foundations erected.

إليك أخا الفضل العميم مدائحاً

إليك أخا الفضل العميم مدائحاً

يزينها طيب الثنا المتواردُ

يزينها طيب الثنا المتواردُ

To you, man of all-embracing virtue, these praises,

To you my brother, the most generous, my praises

adorned by the sweetness of praise flowing in succession,

Adorned with the sweet agreement that flows.

بقرظ فيها نظمك الرايق الذي

بقرظ فيها نظمك الرايق الذي

له من معانيه عليه شواهدُ

له من معانيه عليه شواهدُ

praising therein your limpid verse, which

In it, the composition of your eloquent verses,

has witnesses to itself among its own meanings.

Evidenced by their meanings and attested.

فخذها بعفوٍ إذ أتت من متيم

فخذها بعفوٍ إذ أتت من متيم

بحبك أقداح الصبابة واردُ

بحبك أقداح الصبابة واردُ

So accept them indulgently, since they came from one enthralled

Take them with pardon, as they came from an admirer,

by love for you, coming to drink from longing's goblets.

The cups of youth poured to you with love.