مدحْتُ أبا المغيرة ذاتَ يومٍ

مدحْتُ أبا المغيرة ذاتَ يومٍ

فخيَّبني وأربحني دراهِمْ

فخيَّبني وأربحني دراهِمْ

I praised Abu al-Mughira one day.

I praised Abu al-Mughira one day,

So he disappointed me—and earned me dirhams.

So he disappointed me and profited me dirhams.

وذلك أنني نافرتُ قوماً

وذلك أنني نافرتُ قوماً

على أنّي سأرجِعُ غيرَ غانمْ

على أنّي سأرجِعُ غيرَ غانمْ

For I had wagered with some people

That was because I had estranged some people

that I would return empty-handed.

On the pretext that I would return without spoils.

وقال القوم بل ستنالُ غُنْماً

وقال القوم بل ستنالُ غُنْماً

لأنك قد مدحْتَ فتى المكارمْ

لأنك قد مدحْتَ فتى المكارمْ

And the people said, 'No, you will receive a reward,

But the people said, “No, you will gain spoils

for you have praised the young man of noble deeds.'

Because you have praised a noble youth.”

فصدَّقني جزاهُ اللَّه خيراً

فصدَّقني جزاهُ اللَّه خيراً

وأكْذَبَهم وألزمهم مغارمْ

وأكْذَبَهم وألزمهم مغارمْ

So he proved me right—may God reward him well—

He believed me—may God reward him well—

and proved them wrong, making them pay the forfeits.

And called them liars and bound them to pay.

ولو فَطِنوا لقالوا قد نَفَرْنا

ولو فَطِنوا لقالوا قد نَفَرْنا

لأنَّك قد رجَعْتَ وأنت سالمْ

لأنَّك قد رجَعْتَ وأنت سالمْ

Had they been shrewd, they would have said, 'We have won,

If they had been shrewd, they would have said, “We fled

for you have returned safe and sound.

Because you returned safe and sound.”

أليس أبو المغيرة لم يُصَلَّتْ

أليس أبو المغيرة لم يُصَلَّتْ

عليك بمُرْهَفِ الحدين صارمْ

عليك بمُرْهَفِ الحدين صارمْ

Did Abu al-Mughira not refrain from drawing

Did not Abu al-Mughira spare you,

a keen, double-edged sword against you?

The edge of his sharp sword?

ولم يَسْلُبْك ثوبكَ إنّ هذا

ولم يَسْلُبْك ثوبكَ إنّ هذا

لأعظمُ ما يكونُ من المغانمْ

لأعظمُ ما يكونُ من المغانمْ

Nor did he strip you of your robe. Surely this

He did not strip you of your clothes—truly

is the greatest of all possible gains!'

This is the greatest profit of all.