1. تَخَلَّفَ عَنهُ الصَبرُ فيمَن تَخَلَّفا

    وَقَد وَعَدَ القَلبُ السُلُوَّ فَأَخلَفا

    Patience deserted him among those who stayed behind,

    though the heart had promised solace, then broke its promise.

  2. وَسارَ مُطيعاً لِلفِراقِ وَما شَفا

    حُشاشَةَ نَفسٍ مِن رَداها عَلى شَفا

    And he went, obedient to parting, without healing

    the last spark of a soul on the brink of its destruction.

  3. وَلَمّا وَقَفنا وَالرَسائِلُ بَينَنا

    دُموعٌ نَهاها الوَجدُ أَن تَتَوَقَّفا

    And when we stood, and the messages between us

    were tears that passion forbade to cease,

  4. ذَكَرنا اللَيالي بِالعَقيقِ وَظِلَّها ال

    أَنيقَ فَقَطَّعنا القُلوبَ تَأَسُّفا

    we recalled the nights at al-Aqiq and their shade—

    so lovely—and rent our hearts with regret.

  5. وَعاصى الأَسى مَن حَثَّ قِدماً عَلى الأُسى

    وَعَنَّفَ دَمعُ العَينِ مَن فيهِ عَنَّفا

    Grief defied the one who once urged consolation,

    and the eye's tears rebuked the one who had rebuked them.

  6. وَفي حاضِرِ التَوديعِ مَمنوعَةُ الحِمى

    تُريكَ صَباحاً جامَعَ اللَيلَ مُسدِفا

    At the farewell stood a woman whose sanctuary was guarded,

    showing you a dawn united with a darkened night.

  7. إِذا نَظَرَت لَم تَعدَمِ الظَبيَ أَحوَراً

    وَإِن خَطَرَت لَم تَفقَدِ الغُصنَ أَهيَفا

    When she gazed, you saw a dark-eyed gazelle;

    and when she swayed, you saw a slender bough.

  8. وَلَم تَرَ عَيني مَنظَراً مِثلَ خَدِّها

    وَقَد كَتَبَت فيهِ يَدُ الدَمعِ أَحرُفا

    My eye has never seen a sight like her cheek,

    with the hand of tears having written letters upon it.

  9. عَشِيَّةَ وافَتنا عَلى غَيرِ مَوعِدٍ

    نَوىً لَم أَزَل مِن قُربِها مُتَخَوِّفا

    That evening there came to us, without an appointment,

    a separation whose approach I had always feared.

  10. كَتَمتُ الهَوى جُهدي وَبِالصَبرِ مُسكَةٌ

    وَبَرَّحَ ما أَلقى فَقَد بَرِحَ الخَفا

    I concealed my passion as best I could, while patience still had a hold;

    but my suffering grew grievous, and concealment departed.

  11. وَلي سَنَةٌ لَم أَدرِ ما سِنَةُ الكَرى

    لِهَمٍّ أَتى ضَيفاً فَأَلفى مُضَيِّفا

    For a year I have not known the drowsiness of sleep,

    because of grief that came as a guest and found a host.

  12. يُمَثِّلُ لي طَيفاً تَجَنَّبَ في الكَرى

    فَلَمّا جَفاني الغُمضُ أَرضى وَأَسعَفا

    It conjures for me a phantom that kept away in sleep,

    but when slumber forsook me, it pleased me and gave relief.

  13. فَيا هَمُّ دُم وَاِنفِ الرُقادَ فَإِنَّني

    وَجَدتُكَ مِنهُ الآنَ أَحفى وَأَرأَفا

    So, grief, remain and banish sleep, for I

    have now found you more attentive and compassionate than it.

  14. إِلامَ اِتِّباعي القَلبَ وَهوَ يُضِلُّني

    مُطيعُ هَوىً لَم يَقوَ إِلّا لِأَضعُفا

    How long shall I follow the heart while it misleads me,

    obedient to a passion that grew strong only to make me weak?

  15. وَكَم أَشغَلُ العُمرَ القَريبَ ذَهابُهُ

    بِذِكرِ حَبيبٍ بانَ أَو مَنزِلٍ عَفا

    How long shall I occupy my life, so near its passing,

    with memories of a departed beloved or an effaced dwelling,

  16. وَأَطلُبُ في أَعقابِهِ عَدلَ خُرَّدٍ

    عَدَلنَ عَنِ الإِنصافِ مِنكَ تَنَصُّفا

    and seek in its latter days fairness from bashful maidens

    who shun fairness, yet demand their due from you?

  17. صَحِبتُ لَيالي الدَهرِ حَتّى مَلِلنَني

    وَثَقَّلتُ حَتّى آنَ لي أَن أُخَفِّقا

    I accompanied the nights of time until they tired of me,

    and grew burdensome until it was time for me to take wing.

  18. وَما بَلَغَ الحُسّادَ فِيَّ مُرادَهُم

    قُعودي عَنِ الأَمرِ الدَنيءِ تَعَفُّفا

    My enviers did not attain their aim against me

    through my self-respecting refusal of base pursuits.

  19. وَما المَرءُ إِلّا مَن يَضَنُّ بِنَفسِهِ

    إِباءً وَلا يَرضى مِنَ العِزِّ بِاللَفا

    A man is only one who guards himself jealously

    out of pride, and will not accept mere scraps of honor;

  20. وَمَن لا يَعيفُ الطَيرَ إِن سَنَحَت لَهُ

    وَإِن خالَطَ الماءَ اِمتِنانٌ تَعَيَّفا

    one who reads no omens in birds that cross his path,

    yet shuns water itself if reminders of favors taint it.

  21. يَبوءُ بِخُسرٍ بائِعُ العِزِّ بِالغِنى

    وَأَخسَرُ مِنهُ مُشتَري الغَدرِ بِالوَفا

    The seller of honor for wealth comes away with loss,

    and worse off still is one who buys treachery with fidelity.

  22. وَما الغَرَضُ المَطلوبُ مِمّا أُريغُهُ

    إِذا كانَ يَوماً بِالمُروءَةِ مُجحِفا

    No coveted goal is something I pursue

    if it ever compromises honorable conduct.

  23. عَرَفتُ رِجالاً لا أَذُمُّ جِوارَهُم

    لِكَونِيَ فيهِ ناعِمَ البالِ مُترَفا

    I have known men whose company I do not disparage,

    for among them I lived carefree and in luxury.

  24. فَلَم أَرَ إِلّا شاكِماً يَبذُلُ اللُهى

    مُصانَعَةً أَو حاكِماً مُتَحَيِّفا

    Yet I saw only a reward-giver dispensing gifts

    to curry favor, or a ruler acting unjustly,

  25. سِوى مَلِكٍ يَأبى الدَنِيّاتِ فِعلُهُ

    فَيَبذُلُ إِنعاماً وَيَحكُمُ مُنصِفا

    save a king whose deeds reject all baseness:

    he gives as a benefactor and judges fairly.

  26. نَخا وَسَخى في المُمحِلاتِ فَجارُهُ

    بِخَيرٍ فَلا يُعصى وَعافيهِ يُعتَفا

    He showed noble pride and generosity in barren times; his neighbor

    lives well, he is obeyed, and his petitioner is himself sought for gifts.

  27. إِذا ما جَرى في غايَةٍ صَدَقَ اِسمُهُ

    وَغادَرَ كُلّاً خَلفَهُ مُتَخَلِّفا

    Whenever he races toward a goal, his name proves true,

    and he leaves everyone lagging behind him.

  28. لَعَمري لَقَد بَذَّ المُلوكَ جَميعَهُم

    بِأَربَعَةٍ في غَيرِهِ لَن تَأَلَّفا

    By my life, he has surpassed all kings

    in four qualities that will never unite in another:

  29. بِأَمنٍ لِمَن يَخشى وَقَهرٍ لِمَن طَغى

    وَسَبقٍ لِمَن جارى وَعَفوٍ لِمَن هَفا

    safety for the fearful, subjugation for the tyrant,

    precedence over rivals, and pardon for those who stumble.

  30. فَإِن طَلَبَ الأَمجادُ مَسعاهُ قَصَّروا

    وَإِن حاوَلوا إِخفاءَ سُؤدُدِهِ خَفا

    If illustrious men seek to match his striving, they fall short;

    and if they try to hide his preeminence, it shines forth.

  31. وَإِن صالَ لَم تَعدُ العُقوبَةُ حَدَّها

    عَلى أَنَّهُ ما جادَ إِلّا وَأَسرَفا

    When he attacks, punishment never exceeds its bounds,

    though whenever he gives, he gives beyond measure.

  32. مَليءٌ بِأَن يَأتي الجَميلَ خَليقَةً

    إِذا ما أَتاهُ المُحسِنونَ تَكَلُّفا

    He is well able to do noble deeds by nature,

    when other benefactors do them only through effort.

  33. وَجَدنا الغِنى وَالأَمنَ مِمّا أَفادَهُ

    وَخَوفَ الرَدى وَالفَقرِ مِن بَعضِ ما نَفا

    We found wealth and safety among what he bestowed,

    and fear of death and poverty among the things he banished.

  34. أَعَمُّ الوَرى جوداً إِذا بَخِلَ الحَيا

    وَأَصدَقُهُم بِشراً إِذا البَرقُ سَوَّفا

    His bounty most widely embraces humankind when rain is miserly,

    and his cheerful welcome is truest when lightning delays its promise.

  35. تُلاقيهِ في العامِ الجَديبِ غَمامَةً

    تَسُحُّ وَفي اليَومِ العَصَبصَبِ مُرهَفا

    In a year of drought you meet him as a cloud

    pouring forth, and on a day of hardship as a keen blade.

  36. أَخافَ الزَمانَ المُستَبِدَّ بِرَأيِهِ

    فَصارَ عَلى أَحكامِهِ مُتَصَرِّفا

    He frightened time, which had governed by its own will,

    so time began to act according to his decrees.

  37. وَيَأنَفُ أَن يَستَصحِبَ السَيفُ كَفَّهُ

    إِذا لَم يَقُدَّ السابِرِيَّ المُضَعَّفا

    He disdains to let a sword accompany his hand

    unless it cleaves doubled Sabiri mail;

  38. وَيَمنَعُهُ مِن أَن يُعاوِدَ غِمدَهُ

    إِلى أَن يَرى هامَ الأَعادي مُنَصَّفا

    and he keeps it from returning to its sheath

    until he sees his enemies' heads split in half.

  39. وَلَم يُرضِهِ أَن فاقَ في البَأسِ عامِراً

    وَعَمراً إِلى أَن فاقَ في الحِلمِ أَحنَفا

    It did not satisfy him to surpass Amir in valor,

    and Amr, until he surpassed Ahnaf in forbearance.

  40. وَيُعرَفُ بِالفَضلِ الَّذي بَهَرَ الوَرى

    إِذا ما اِنتَمى مَلكٌ سِواهُ لِيُعرَفا

    He is known by the excellence that dazzled humankind,

    when another king must declare his lineage to be known.

  41. وَما زُرتُهُ إِلّا اِعتَفَيتُ اِبنَ مامَةٍ

    وَخاطَبتُ سُحباناً وَشاهَدتُ يوسُفا

    Whenever I visited him, I sought bounty from Ibn Mamah,

    addressed Sahban and beheld Yusuf.

  42. إِذا كَلَّ أَهلُ العِلمِ أَرهَفَ حَدَّهُم

    وَما خَطِلوا إِلّا وَكانَ مُثَقَّفا

    When men of learning grow dull, he sharpens their edge,

    and whenever they speak folly, he remains well-honed.

  43. إِلى أَن عَدَدنا مُعجِزاتٍ يُذيعُها

    وَيُهدي بِها مِمّا أَنالَ وَأَتحَفا

    Until we counted as miracles what he spreads abroad

    and offers as gifts from all he has granted and bestowed.

  44. وَلَم آتِهِ أَشكو اِتِّصالَ هِباتِهِ

    وَضَعفِيَ عَن شُكريهِ إِلّا وَأَضعَفا

    Whenever I came complaining of the unbroken flow of his gifts

    and my inability to thank him, he doubled them.

  45. مَواهِبُ شَتّى لَو عَدَتني وَحوشِيَت

    كَفانِيَ ما أَحرَزتُهُ مُتَسَلِّفا

    Gifts of many kinds—were they to miss me, far be that from them—

    what I had already secured in advance would suffice me.

  46. بِيُمنايَ مِنها صَعدَةٌ وَبِأُختِها

    مِجَنٌّ وَقِدماً كُنتُ أَعزَلَ أَكشَفا

    From them my right hand holds a lance, and its sister

    a shield; once I was unarmed and shieldless.

  47. بِظِلِّكَ يا عِزَّ المُلوكِ اِبنَ تاجِها

    وَفى لي زَمانٌ قَبلَ قُربِكَ ما وَفا

    In your shade, O glory of kings, son of their crown,

    time was faithful to me, though before your nearness it never was.

  48. بَقيتَ لِذا الثَغرِ العَزيزِ فَلَم تَزَل

    عَلى ساكِنيهِ حانِياً مُتَعَطِّفا

    May you live on for this mighty frontier, ever remaining

    kind and compassionate toward its inhabitants.

  49. صَرَفتَ صُروفَ الدَهرِ غَيرَ مُشارِكٍ

    فَزالَت كَما زالَ الأَتِيُّ عَنِ الصَفا

    Alone, you averted the vicissitudes of time,

    and they passed as floodwater passes off smooth rock.

  50. فَلا فُلَّ عَزمٌ شَرَّدَ الخَوفَ عَنهُمُ

    وَأَسكَنَهُم ظِلّاً مِنَ الأَمنِ قَد ضَفا

    May no resolve be blunted that drove fear from them

    and sheltered them in a wide-spreading shade of safety.

  51. وَلا حَجَبَ اللَهُ الكَريمُ اِبتِهالَهُم

    وَلا خابَ داعيهِم إِذا اللَيلُ أَغضَفا

    May generous God never bar their supplications,

    nor let their supplicant fail when night spreads its darkness.

  52. لِيَهنِكَ ذا العيدُ الشَريفُ وَلا تَزَل

    لَهُ ما أَقامَ النَيِّرانِ مُشَرِّفا

    May this noble festival gladden you, and may you remain

    an honor to it as long as the two luminaries endure.

  53. تُبِرُّ عَلَيهِ بِالجَمالِ إِذا أَتى

    وَتَخلُفُهُ في ذا الأَنامِ إِذا اِنكَفا

    You surpass it in beauty when it comes,

    and take its place among these people when it departs.

  54. قَرَنتَ النَدى بِالبِشرِ حَتّى تَمازَجا

    كَمَزجِ الزُلالِ العَذبِ صَهباءَ قَرقَفا

    You joined generosity with cheerful welcome until they mingled,

    like sweet, clear water mixed with tawny, shiver-inducing wine.

  55. تَصَرَّمُ أَخبارُ الكِرامِ فَتَنطَوي

    وَذِكرُكَ ما يَنفَكُّ يُروى وَيُقتَفا

    The tales of noble men come to an end and are folded away,

    but your remembrance is endlessly recounted and followed.

  56. فَضائِلُ لا تَخفى عَلى ذي نَحيزَةٍ

    وَهَل لِضِياءِ الصُبحِ عَن ناظِرٍ خَفا

    Virtues hidden from no person of character—

    can dawn's radiance be hidden from any beholder?

  57. فَرائِدُ قَد صارَت بِنَظمي قَلائِداً

    وَما كُلُّ مَن أَلفى الجَواهِرَ أَلَّفا

    Unique gems that my verse has made into necklaces;

    not everyone who finds jewels can string them together.

  58. بِغُرِّ قَوافٍ لا أَخافُ عِثارَها

    تَجَشَّمنَ حَزناً أَو تَيَمَّمنَ صَفصَفا

    With radiant rhymes whose stumbling I do not fear,

    whether they brave rough terrain or head for a level plain.

  59. إِذا طَرَقَت سَمعَ المُعاديكَ خالَها

    صُخوراً وَإِن كانَت مِنَ الماءِ أَلطَفا

    When they strike your enemy's ear, he imagines them

    rocks, though they are gentler than water.

  60. تَخَيَّرَها مِن لُجَّةِ الفِكرِ غائِصٌ

    إِذا حازَ أَسنى الدُرِّ مِن قَعرِها طَفا

    A diver chose them from the deep sea of thought,

    who surfaces when he wins the finest pearls from its depths.

  61. وَما زِلتَ تَحبوني بِإِحسانِكَ النَدى

    صَريحاً وَأَكسوكَ الثَناءَ مُفَوَّفا

    You have never ceased to grant me, through your kindness, bounty

    pure and unalloyed, while I clothe you in patterned praise.

  62. إِلى أَن رَآنا مَن لَهُ خِبرَةٌ بِنا

    وَكُلٌّ بِما حازَت يَداهُ قَدِ اِكتَفا

    Until one who knew us saw us,

    each content with what his hands had gained.

  63. فَها أَنتَ أَغنى الناسِ عَن مَدحِ مادِحٍ

    وَها أَنا بَعدَ العُدمِ أُرجى وَأُعتَفا

    Here you are, of all men least in need of a praiser's praise,

    and here am I, after poverty, sought in hope and for bounty.

  64. أَبَيتُ بِشِعري أَن يَراهُ مُسَربِلاً

    سِواكَ وَشُكري أَن يُرى مُتَخَطَّفا

    I would not let my poetry be seen clothing

    anyone but you, nor my gratitude be seen snatched away.

  65. فَبَيَّضتَ لي وَجهَ الرَجاءِ وَطالَما

    بَدا لي وَلَم أَعرِفكَ أَربَدَ أَكلَفا

    You brightened for me the face of hope, which so often

    had appeared, before I knew you, ashen and darkly mottled.

  66. وَأَظهَرتَ فَضلي وَهوَ خافٍ عَنِ الوَرى

    بِفَضلٍ كَفى المُدّاحَ أَن تَتَكَلَّفا

    You revealed my merit, though it was hidden from humankind,

    with excellence enough for your praisers, needing no affectation from you.

  67. وَما كُنتُ إِلّا صارِماً فيهِ جَوهَرٌ

    جَلَوتَ الصَدا عَن مَتنِهِ فَتَكَشَّفا

    I was only a keen sword with fine metal within it;

    you polished the rust from its blade, and that metal was revealed.