فتى إن أُجِد في مدحه فلأنني

فتى إن أُجِد في مدحه فلأنني

وجدت مجالاً فيه للقول واسعا

وجدت مجالاً فيه للقول واسعا

A young man—if I excel in praising him, it is because I

O youth! If I excel in praising him, it is because

found in him ample scope for speech.

I have found ample scope in him for poetic speech.

وإن لا أُجِد في مدحه فلأنني

وإن لا أُجِد في مدحه فلأنني

وثقت به حتى اختصرت الذرائعا

وثقت به حتى اختصرت الذرائعا

And if I do not excel in praising him, it is because I

And if I fail in praising him, it is because

trusted him so fully that I shortened my appeals.

I have trusted in him to the point of eschewing pretexts.

ومن يتكل لا يحتفل في ذريعة

ومن يتكل لا يحتفل في ذريعة

ولا يَسعَ إلا خافض البال وادعا

ولا يَسعَ إلا خافض البال وادعا

And whoever trusts takes no pains over a means of appeal,

He who depends on another seldom contrives a pretext

nor strives except with a tranquil mind, at ease.

Or aims at anything but humility and prayer.

كفى طالباً عرفاً إذا أمَّ أهله

كفى طالباً عرفاً إذا أمَّ أهله

من المدح ما أعفى به الشعر طائعا

من المدح ما أعفى به الشعر طائعا

A seeker of kindness, when he seeks out its people, needs only

It suffices the seeker of reputation, when his people's protector

whatever praise his verse willingly yields.

Praises him with poetry that spares the poet his toil.

على أنه لو زارهم غير مادح

على أنه لو زارهم غير مادح

كفاه بهم دون الشوافع شافعا

كفاه بهم دون الشوافع شافعا

Yet, were he to visit them without offering praise,

Indeed, even if an unattached person were to visit them,

they themselves would be intercessor enough for him, without others.

He would suffice them, without advocates, as an advocate.

أبا حسن إن لا أكن قلت طائلاً

أبا حسن إن لا أكن قلت طائلاً

فإنيَ لم أُنهض من الفكر واقعا

فإنيَ لم أُنهض من الفكر واقعا

O Abu Hasan, if I have said nothing substantial,

O Abu Hasan! Even if I have said nothing of consequence,

then I have not roused a single thought from where it lay.

I did not set out in reflection unprepared.

مدحتك مدح المستنيم إلى امرئٍ

مدحتك مدح المستنيم إلى امرئٍ

كريم فقلت الشعر وسنان هاجعا

كريم فقلت الشعر وسنان هاجعا

I praised you as one who rests secure in someone

I praised you with the praise of one made drowsy with wine

generous; so I spoke my verse, drowsy and asleep.

For a generous man, and so recited poetry, my passions aroused.

وإن أك قد أحسنت فيه فإنه

وإن أك قد أحسنت فيه فإنه

بما أحسنت قبلي يداك الصنائعا

بما أحسنت قبلي يداك الصنائعا

And if I have indeed done well in it, it is

And if I have done well in it, that is because

because your hands excelled in acts of kindness before I did.

of what your skilled hands did well before me.

فعلت فأبدعت البدائع فاعلاً

فعلت فأبدعت البدائع فاعلاً

فأبدع فيك القائلون البدائعا

فأبدع فيك القائلون البدائعا

You acted and, as a doer, fashioned marvels;

You acted, creating marvels, so the poets speaking of you

so those who speak fashioned marvels about you.

Marvelously created marvels about you.

فلا زلت تسدي صالحاً وأُنيرُهُ

فلا زلت تسدي صالحاً وأُنيرُهُ

فتحسن متبوعاً وأحسن تابعا

فتحسن متبوعاً وأحسن تابعا

So may you never cease bestowing good, while I illuminate it,

You continue to show moral rectitude, and I elucidate it,

so you excel as the one followed, and I excel as the follower.

So you are admirable to follow, and I admirably follow.