1. ذكرتُ على النوى عهد التَّصابي

    فأشجاني وهيَّجَ بعضَ ما بي

    Amid separation, I recalled the days of youthful dalliance;

    so it saddened me and stirred some of what was within me.

  2. وشوَّقني معالم كنتُ فيها

    بأنعم طيبِ عيشٍ مستطاب

    And places stirred my longing, where I had once lived

    amid the sweetest ease of a delightful life.

  3. فَبِتُّ احِنُّ من شوق إليها

    كما حنَّ المشيبُ إلى الشباب

    So, filled with longing, I spent the night pining for them,

    as gray-haired age yearns for youth.

  4. سقى تلك الديار وساكنيها

    مُلِثُّ القَطر منهلّ الرباب

    May those dwellings and their inhabitants be watered

    by unceasing rain from clouds pouring down.

  5. فكم ظبيٍ هنالك في كناسٍ

    ينوب بفتكه عن ليث غاب

    For many a gazelle there, within its covert,

    stands in for a forest lion with its deadly assault.

  6. بنفسي من أفدّيه بنفسي

    ويعذب في تجنّيه عذابي

    My life for the one I would ransom with my life,

    and in his unjust cruelty my torment grows sweet.

  7. ولي قلبٌ تَوَقَّدَ في التهابٍ

    ولي دمع توالى بانسكاب

    And I have a heart that has flared into flame,

    and I have tears that have followed one another in a stream.

  8. وليلٍ طال بالزفرات منّي

    ولم يقصر لحزني واكتئابي

    And many a night grew long with sighs from me,

    nor grew shorter because of my grief and dejection.

  9. وكم همٍ أساءَ إلى فؤادي

    وطال مع الزمان به عتابي

    And how many a sorrow has wounded my heart,

    and my reproach of time for it went on and on.

  10. وأزعجني عن الأحباب بينٌ

    وبالبينِ انزعاجي واضطرابي

    And separation drove me away from those I love,

    and in separation lie my distress and turmoil.

  11. تعلِّلني بموعدها الأماني

    وما التعليل بالوعد الكذاب

    Hopes console me with their promise,

    but what comfort lies in a lying promise?

  12. وتطمعني بما لا أرتجيه

    وهل أرجو شراباً من سراب

    And they tempt me with what I do not hope for;

    and can I hope for a drink from a mirage?

  13. وما فَعَلتْ بأصحابي المنايا

    فأبْقَتْني وقد أخَذَتْ صحابي

    And what has death done to my companions?

    It left me alive, though it had taken my friends.

  14. وما لي من أُنيب إليه يوماً

    إذا ما عضّني يوماً بناب

    And I have no one to whom I might turn one day,

    if one day I should be bitten by a fang.

  15. وما كتَبتْ يدايَ له كتاباً

    ولكن كانَ في أمِّ الكتاب

    Nor did my hands write a decree for it,

    but it was in the Mother of the Book.

  16. أذاقَنيَ النَّوى حلواً ومرًّا

    وجرّعني الهوى شهداً بصاب

    Separation made me taste both sweet and bitter,

    and passion made me swallow honey mixed with bitter sap.

  17. أطوِّف في البلاد وأنتحيها

    فما أغنى اجتهادي في الطّلاب

    I range through the lands, seeking them out,

    yet my striving in the quest availed me nothing.

  18. وأيَّةُ قفرة لم أرْمِ فيها

    ولم أُزْعِجْ بِمَهْمَهها ركابي

    And what wasteland have I not ventured into,

    and not urged my riding camels across its trackless waste?

  19. لبستُ غُبارها وخرجت منها

    كما استلَّ الحُسام من القراب

    I wore its dust and emerged from it

    as a keen sword is drawn from its sheath.

  20. ولم أبلُغْ مقام العزّ إلاَّ

    بعبد القادر العالي الجناب

    And I attained the station of glory only

    through Abd al-Qadir, lofty in rank.

  21. وما نلنا المنى من السّعي حتَّى

    نَزَلْنا في منازله الرِّحاب

    And our striving won us no desires until

    we alighted in his spacious dwellings.

  22. كريم طيب الأخلاق بَرٍّ

    بيوم الجود أندى من سحاب

    Generous, of fine character, and benevolent,

    on the day of giving, more bountiful than clouds.

  23. فما سُئِل النَّدى والجودَ إلاَّ

    وأسْرَعَ بالثواب وبالجواب

    For he was never asked for bounty and generosity

    without swiftly offering reward and reply.

  24. إذا ما أُبْت بالنَّعماء عنه

    حَمِدْتُ بفضله حُسنَ المآب

    Whenever I returned from him with blessings,

    I praised my happy return, thanks to his bounty.

  25. أو انتَسَبَ انجذابٌ من قلوب

    فما لسواه ينتسِبُ انجذابي

    Or if the attraction of hearts is traced to anyone,

    my attraction is traced to none but him.

  26. فيا بدرَ الجَمال ولا أُماري

    ويا ربَّ الجميل ولا أحابي

    So, O full moon of beauty—I do not dispute it—

    and O master of kindness—I show no partiality—

  27. سَأشكرُ فضلَك الضّافي وأدعو

    لمجدك بالدعاء المستجاب

    I shall give thanks for your abundant bounty and pray

    for your glory with a prayer that is answered,

  28. على نِعمٍ بجودك قد أُفيضَتْ

    ولا ترجو بها غير الثواب

    for blessings poured forth through your generosity,

    and through them you hope for nothing but reward.

  29. وممَّا سَرَّني وأزالَ همِّي

    دُنُوِّي من جنابك واقترابي

    And among what gladdened me and banished my care

    was my nearness to your presence and my drawing close.

  30. ولم أبْرَحْ أهيمُ بكلّ وادٍ

    وأقْرَعُ في ثنائك كل باب

    And I have never ceased wandering through every valley,

    and knocking at every door in your praise.

  31. وأرغَبُ عن سواك بكل حالٍ

    وأطْمَعُ في أياديك الرغاب

    I turn away from all but you in every circumstance,

    and aspire to your abundant benefactions.

  32. ولم تبرحْ مدى الأيام تُدعى

    لكشف الضر أو دفع المصاب

    And throughout the days you have never ceased to be called upon

    to lift affliction or ward off calamity.

  33. أصاب بما حباك به مشيرٌ

    مشيرٌ بالحقيقة والصواب

    A marshal judged rightly in what he bestowed on you—

    a counselor of truth and sound judgment.

  34. وولاّك العمارة إذ تولى

    أُمورَ الحكم بالبأس المهاب

    And he put you in charge of al-Amarah when he assumed

    the affairs of rule with awe-inspiring might.

  35. فقُمْت مقامه بالعدل فيها

    وقد عمرتها بعد الخراب

    So you took his place there, with justice,

    and you restored it after its ruin.

  36. وذلَّلْتَ الصِّعاب وأنتَ أحرى

    وموصوف بتذليل الصعاب

    And you tamed difficulties, being most fit to do so,

    and renowned for taming difficulties.

  37. فلا يحزنك أقوال الأعادي

    فما جَزِعَتْ أسودٌ من كلاب

    So let the words of enemies not grieve you,

    for lions have never quailed before dogs.

  38. لقد حلَّقْتَ في جَوِّ المعالي

    فكنتَ اليومَ أمْنَعَ من عقاب

    Indeed, you have soared in the sky of greatness,

    so today you are more unassailable than an eagle.

  39. عَلَوْتَ بقَدْرِك العالي عليهم

    كما تعلو الجبال على الرَّوابي

    You rose above them in your lofty rank,

    as mountains rise above the hills.

  40. وما ضاهاك من قاصٍ ودانٍ

    بعدل الحكم أو فصل الخطاب

    And none, far or near, has matched you

    in just governance or decisive speech.

  41. وحُزْتَ مكارم الأخلاق طرًّا

    ومنها جئت بالعجب العجاب

    And you attained all the noble virtues of character,

    and through them you brought forth wonder upon wonder.

  42. ألا يا سيّدي طال اغترابي

    فرخِّصْ لي فَدَيْتُك بالذهاب

    Ah, my lord, long have I been far from home;

    so allow me to depart—may my life be your ransom.

  43. فأرجعُ عنك مُنْقَلِباً بخير

    وأحْمَدُ من مكارمك انقلابي

    So I shall return from you, homeward bound with good fortune,

    and praise my return for your generous gifts.

  44. وأنظِمُ فيك طول العمر شكراً

    كما انتظم الحباب على الشراب

    And all my life I shall string verses of thanks for you,

    as bubbles are strung upon the wine.

  45. وليس يهمُّني في الدهر همٌّ

    وفيك تَعَلُّقي ولك انتسابي

    And no care in life troubles me,

    while I am attached to you and belong to you.

  46. فمن شوقٍ إلى وطنٍ وأهلٍ

    غَدَوْتُ اليومَ ذا قلبٍ مذاب

    So, from longing for a homeland and family,

    today I have come to bear a melted heart.

  47. ومن مرضٍ أٌقاسيه ووجدٍ

    رضيتُ من الغنيمة بالإياب

    And from an illness I endure, and yearning,

    I am content to take my homecoming as my spoils.