1. أتمَّ سرورٌ يرى الوالدُ الابنا

    ينافسَ في الأعلى ويسمو عن الأدنى

    A father's joy is fullest when he sees his son

    compete for the highest and rise above the lowest.

  2. وما كان حبُّ الناصر الملك ابنه

    محمد حباً عن تشه بلا معنى

    Nor was King al-Nasir's love for his son

    Muhammad a love born of mere desire, devoid of meaning.

  3. ولكن قضت فيه الفراسةُ عندَه

    بأَن له من دون أَبنائه شأْنا

    Rather, his discerning insight judged concerning him

    that he had a special standing apart from his other sons.

  4. رأى فيه طفلاً كلما كان جدهُ

    يرى في ابنه من نحيلتهِ الحسنى

    In him, as a child, he saw all that his grandfather

    saw in his own son of his goodly endowment.

  5. وللأب في الابن النجيبِ فراسةٌ

    تربَّعَ يقيناً كلّما خالَه ظنَّا

    A father has insight into his gifted son,

    which sits firmly as certainty whenever he deems it conjecture.

  6. إِذا كان فرع المرءِ عنوانَ نسلهِ

    فاجدر من أَحببته أنجب الإِبنا

    If a man's scion is the sign of his lineage,

    then worthiest of your love is he who begets a noble son.

  7. فيهنا ابن إسماعيل أَنَّ محمداً

    تربَّعَ في كتابه ضاحكاً سنّا

    May Ibn Ismail rejoice that Muhammad

    has sat cross-legged in his writing school, smiling with teeth showing,

  8. وأَن دواة المجد فوق بساطِه

    وأقلامُها قد وشّحت كَفَّهُ اليمنى

    and that glory's inkwell rests upon his mat,

    and its pens have adorned his right hand.

  9. إِذا قال بسم الله قالت له العلى

    عليك من الأَسماء وأَسماؤه الحسنى

    When he says, 'In God's name,' high glory says to him:

    'Upon you be blessings from the names—and His names are the Most Beautiful.'

  10. ولما ابتدى يهجو الحروف تطاولتْ

    رقابُ المعِالي نحوه وصغت أُذنا

    And when he began spelling out the letters, there stretched

    the necks of lofty honors toward him, and they inclined an ear,

  11. تعوّذهُ بالله وهو يخطُّها

    ويحفظُها لفظاً ويفقهها معنى

    seeking God's protection for him as he writes them,

    memorizes their sounds and understands their meaning.

  12. إِذا خطها في اللوح لاحت مخائلٌ

    بها عنه يثني عن قريب بما يثنا

    When he writes them on the tablet, signs of promise appear

    through which he will soon be praised for what merits praise.

  13. ويعترفُ المهدى له العلم إِنهُ

    أَرقُّ وأَصفى من معلمه ذِهنا

    And the one who imparts learning to him admits that he

    is subtler and clearer of mind than his teacher.

  14. يود المآقي أَن يكون سوادُها

    مداداً وباقيها لمكتوبه متنا

    The eyes' corners wish their blackness could become

    ink, and their remainder a page for his writing.

  15. لقد طالت الأقلام فخراً بسبقها

    إِلى يده الصممام والذابل اللُّدنا

    Indeed, the pens stand tall with pride at reaching

    his hand before the keen sword and the slender, supple spear.

  16. وصحَّ بأَن السيفَ والرمحَ تابعٌ

    فمن بعد ما يبدا بها بهما يثنى

    And it is established that sword and spear follow:

    after he begins with the pens, he turns next to those two.

  17. وما فضُلها خافٍ على السيف والقنا

    وصحبتُها للكفِّ أكثر بل أَهنا

    Their superiority is not hidden from sword and spears,

    and their company in the hand is more frequent—indeed, more pleasant.

  18. وقد غضبت للسيف قومٌ وظاهروا

    فقلنا لهم كفّوا فسادتكم مِنّا

    Some people grew angry on the sword's behalf and rallied to it,

    so we said to them, 'Desist! Your masters are from us.'

  19. ولولا لهم منها نصيب موفرٌ

    لما استدركوا في صفقة بالقنا غبنا

    Had they not an ample share in the pens,

    they would not have made good a loss in a bargain struck with spears.

  20. بها أَحمد في الحرب يبدأ رسله

    على أَنه لا يرهب الإِنس والجنَّبا

    With them Ahmad first sends his messengers in war,

    though he fears neither humankind nor the jinn.

  21. ولكن في الأَقلام سراً فان تَطع

    تبدل قوماً من مخافتهم أَمنا

    Yet there is a secret in the pens: if they are obeyed,

    they give a people safety in place of their fear.

  22. فإن غضبت فالنصر للسيف والقنا

    فهم خدمٌ لا شكَّ يكفونها القرنا

    But if they grow angry, sword and spears must give aid,

    for they are servants, beyond doubt, who shield the pens from their adversary.

  23. فقل لهما مهلاً فسوف تحطما

    إِذا ما أَجادت كفهُ الضربَ والطَّعنا

    So tell those two, 'Be patient: you will yet shatter

    when his hand masters striking and thrusting.'

  24. ولا تعجلا شوقاً لكفِّ محمدٍ

    فما عنكم يوم الكريهةِ يستغنى

    And do not hasten, yearning for Muhammad's hand:

    on the day of battle you cannot be dispensed with.

  25. ولكنَّه يبدا بما هو منكما

    أهمُّ ووضعِ الشيء موضعه أسنى

    But he begins with what, compared with you two,

    is more important; putting a thing in its proper place is nobler.

  26. فللقلمِ الريّانِ حاج بكفهِ

    إِذا ما قضاها منه فانتظروا الإِذنا

    For the ink-sated pen has needs of his hand;

    when it has fulfilled them through him, then await permission.

  27. ولا يخشيّنَ السيف والرمح ضيعةً

    لدى من يرى أنْ ليس غيرهما حصنا

    Let sword and spear fear no neglect

    with one who deems nothing but those two a fortress.

  28. فلا بدَّ أَن يلقى بطعن عُداته

    وضرب ترى الأَفراد من بعده مثنى

    For he must meet his enemies with thrusts

    and blows after which you see single men become two.

  29. فيا ملكَ الدينا ويا بن ملوكِها

    ومن لم يلد ملك كمثل ابنه ابنا

    O king of the world, O son of its kings,

    and you whose son no king has ever begotten the like of:

  30. تهنيتهَ شِبلاً حكاك بفعلهِ

    وإِن كنت لا تحكى بأَقصى ولا أدنى

    may you rejoice in him, a lion cub who mirrors you in his deeds,

    though no one, far or near, can match you.

  31. لك المنصبُ الأَعلى لك البأس والندى

    وحسن الثنا والصيت والخلق الأسنى

    Yours is the highest station, yours are valor and generosity,

    and fine praise, renown, and the noblest character.