1. Sword of guidance and censor of Arabs
Why this aloofness and wherefore the anger?
١. أَسَيفَ الهُدى وَقَريعَ العَرَب
عَلامَ الجَفاءُ وَفيمَ الغَضَب
2. Your letters have become
Afflicting me with this adversity
٢. وَما بالُ كُتبِكَ قَد أَصبَحَت
تَنَكَّبُني مَعَ هَذا النَكَب
3. Yet you are generous and forbearing
Merciful and lofty
٣. وَأَنتَ الكَريمُ وَأَنتَ الحَليمُ
وَأَنتَ العَطوفُ وَأَنتَ الحَدِب
4. You still precede me with kindness
And honor me with fertile affection
٤. وَما زِلتَ تَسبِقُني بِالجَميلِ
وَتُنزِلُني بِالجَنابِ الخَصِب
5. You ward off troubles from my domain
And reveal to my eyes the alleviation of distress
٥. وَتَدفَعُ عَن حَوزَتَيَّ الخُطوبَ
وَتَكشِفُ عَن ناظِرَيَّ الكُرَب
6. Verily you are an imposing mountain
Exalted for me, nay for your people, nay for the Arabs
٦. وَإِنَّكَ لَلجَبَلُ المُشمَخِر
رُ لي بَل لِقَومِكَ بَل لِلعَرَب
7. Sublimity to be utilized, wealth to be benefited from
Power to be supported, bliss to be gained
٧. عُلىً تُستَفادُ وَمالٌ يُفادُ
وَعِزٌّ يُشادُ وَنُعمى تُرَب
8. This despair has not dimmed me
But I have attained the purity of gold
٨. وَما غَضَّ مِنِّيَ هَذا الإِسارُ
وَلكِن خَلَصتُ خُلوصَ الذَهَب
9. Why then do you reproach me with aloofness
For a master through whom I attained the highest stations?
٩. فَفيمَ يُقَرِّعُني بِالخُمو
لِ مَولىً بِهِ نِلتُ أَعلى الرُتَب
10. I was prepared to answer
But did not for awe of him
١٠. وَكانَ عَتيداً لَدَيَّ الجَوابُ
وَلَكِن لِهَيبَتِهِ لَم أُجَب
11. Do you deny that I complained of time
And that I reproached you for reproaching?
١١. أَتُنكِرُ أَنّي شَكَوتُ الزَمانَ
وَأَنّي عَتَبتُكَ فيمَن عَتَب
12. Why did you not return and reproach me
And make me and my words prevail?
١٢. فَأَلّا رَجَعتَ فَأَعتَبتَني
وَصَيَّرتَ لي وَلِقَولي الغَلَب
13. So ascribe not to me inactivity
For you I stood so I did not feel estranged
١٣. فَلا تَنسِبَنَّ إِلَيَّ الخُمولَ
عَلَيكَ أَقَمتُ فَلَم أَغتَرِب
14. And I became through you so if there was merit
Or if there was defect, you were the cause
١٤. وَأَصبَحتُ مِنكَ فَإِن كانَ فَضلٌ
وَإِن كانَ نَقصٌ فَأَنتَ السَبَب
15. Neither troubles made me doubt you
Nor wrongs made me change toward you
١٥. وَما شَكَّكَتنِيَ فيكَ الخُطوبُ
وَلا غَيَّرَتني عَلَيكَ النُوَب
16. So I thank that which I was in my discontent
And am forbearing for that which was in anger
١٦. فَأَشكَرُ ماكُنتُ في ضَجرَتي
وَأَحلَمُ ماكُنتُ عِندَ الغَضَب
17. Verily Khorasan, if it denied
My status, Haleb has recognized it
١٧. وَإِنَّ خُراسانَ إِن أَنكَرَت
عُلايَ فَقَد عَرَفَتها حَلَب
18. How can the distant ones deny me?
Is it from lack of ancestry or lack of father?
١٨. وَمِن أَينَ يُنكِرُني الأَبعَدونَ
أَمِن نَقصِ جَدٍّ أَمِن نَقصِ أَب
19. Are not you and I of one family?
Between you and I, above lineage,
١٩. أَلَستُ وَإِيّاكَ مِن أُسرَةٍ
وَبَيني وَبَينَكَ فَوقَ النَسَب
20. Is love where nobility is reciprocated
Upbringing, status and youthful vigor
٢٠. وَدادٌ تَناسَبُ فيهِ الكِرامُ
وَتَربِيَةٌ وَمَحَلٌّ أَشِب
21. A soul that is too proud except to you
And desires none but you over whom it desires
٢١. وَنَفسٌ تَكَبَّرُ إِلّا عَلَيكَ
وَتَرغَبُ إِلّاكَ عَمَّن رَغِب
22. So do not prefer over me, may I be sacrificed for you,
The son of an uncle, nay your slave for what is due
٢٢. فَلا تَعدِلَنَّ فِداكَ اِبنُ عَمِّ
كَ لابَل غُلامُكَ عَمّا يَجِب
23. And be just to your devotee for his justice
Is of grace, nobility and merit
٢٣. وَأَنصِف فَتاكَ فَإِنصافُهُ
مِنَ الفَضلِ وَالشَرَفِ المُكتَسَب
24. You were the beloved and you were the close
My nights I called you from up close
٢٤. وَكُنتَ الحَبيبَ وَكُنتَ القَريبَ
لَيالِيَ أَدعوكَ مِن عَن كَثَب
25. So when I became distant, aloofness appeared
And the matter revealed what I do not love
٢٥. فَلَمّا بَعُدتُ بَدَت جَفوَةٌ
وَلاحَ مِنَ الأَمرِ ما لا أُحِب
26. If I did not have knowledge of you
I would say your friend is one who did not depart
٢٦. فَلَو لَم أَكُن بِكَ ذا خِبرَةٍ
لَقُلتُ صَديقُكَ مَن لَم يَغِب