1. إِلى اِبنِ أَبي الوَليدِ عَدَت رِكابي

    وَراحَت وَهيَ جائِلَةُ الضِفارِ

    To the son of Abu al-Walid my riding camels sped,

    and journeyed on, their braided girths shifting loosely.

  2. إِلى الحَكَمِ الَّذي بِيَدَيهِ فَضلٌ

    عَلى الأَيدي مِنَ القُحَمِ الكِبارِ

    To al-Hakam, whose hands excel

    other hands through great, perilous undertakings.

  3. تَؤُمُّ بِهِ الحُداةُ عَلى وَجاها

    رُؤوسَ البيدِ سائِلَةَ الذَفاري

    For him the camel-drivers press on, despite their mounts' sore feet,

    toward the desert heights, sweat streaming behind their ears.

  4. وَكائِن فيكَ مِن مَلِكٍ هُمامٍ

    أَبٍ لَكَ مِثلِ مُنصَدِعِ النَهارِ

    And many a valiant king lives on in you,

    a forefather of yours, like the breaking light of day.

  5. فَمَن يَختَركَ مِن وَلَدَي نِزارٍ

    فَقَد وَقَعَت يَداهُ عَلى الخِيارِ

    So whoever chooses you among Nizar's two sons

    has indeed laid his hands upon the best—

  6. عَلى المُعطي الجِيادِ مُسَوَّماتٍ

    مَعَ البُختِ النَجائِبِ وَالعَذاري

    upon the giver of fine, marked steeds,

    along with noble Bactrian camels and maidens.

  7. رَأَيتُ يَدَيكَ خَيرَ يَدَي جَوادٍ

    وَأَعيا دونَ جَريِكَ كُلُّ جارِ

    I saw your hands as the finest hands of any generous man,

    and every runner grew weary, falling short of your pace.

  8. كَريمٌ يَشتَري بِالمالِ حَمداً

    مَكارِمَ قَد غَلَونَ عَلى التِجارِ

    A noble man who buys praise with wealth,

    through noble deeds grown too costly for merchants.

  9. وَجَدنا سَمكَ بَيتِكَ في قُرَيشٍ

    طَويلَ السَمكِ مُرتَفِعَ السَواري

    We found the stature of your house among Quraysh

    lofty in height, its pillars rising high.

  10. وَمَن تَطلُب مَساعيكُم يَداهُ

    إِلى بَعضِ العُلى يَومَ الفَخارِ

    And who can seek with his hands to match your achievements,

    aspiring to some eminence on the day of boasting?

  11. رَأَيتُ المُلكَ عَن عُثمانَ حَلَّت

    عُراهُ إِلَيكُمُ دارَ القَرارِ

    I saw kingship pass from Uthman,

    its bonds settling with you, its lasting abode.

  12. وَعانٍ قَد دَعا فَأَجَبتُموهُ

    وَأَطلَقتُم يَدَيهِ مِنَ الإِسارِ

    And a captive called out, and you answered him,

    and freed his hands from bondage,

  13. إِذا ما المَوتُ حَدَّقَ بِالمَنايا

    وَكانَ القَومُ مِنهُ عَلى أُوارِ

    when death hemmed them in with death's decrees,

    and the people were caught in its scorching blaze.