ديمَةٌ سَمحَةُ القِيادِ سَكوبُ

ديمَةٌ سَمحَةُ القِيادِ سَكوبُ

مُستَغيثٌ بِها الثَرى المَكروبُ

مُستَغيثٌ بِها الثَرى المَكروبُ

A steady rain, pliant to the reins, pouring freely;

The gentle rain whose downpour brings relief,

the anguished earth seeks its aid.

To parched earth and its creatures, distraught and brief.

لَو سَعَت بُقعَةٌ لِإِعظامِ نُعمى

لَو سَعَت بُقعَةٌ لِإِعظامِ نُعمى

لَسَعى نَحوَها المَكانُ الجَديبُ

لَسَعى نَحوَها المَكانُ الجَديبُ

If a tract of land could hasten to honor a blessing,

If space allowed to extol its bounty rife,

the barren place would hasten toward it.

The barren tracts would hasten to its life.

لَذَّ شُؤبوبُها وَطابَ فَلَو تَس

لَذَّ شُؤبوبُها وَطابَ فَلَو تَس

طيعُ قامَت فَعانَقَتها القُلوبُ

طيعُ قامَت فَعانَقَتها القُلوبُ

Its downpour was sweet and pleasant; if they could,

Its drops are sweet, its spirit stirs delight,

hearts would rise and embrace it.

Our hearts would rise to greet it, if they might.

فَهيَ ماءٌ يَجري وَماءٌ يَليهِ

فَهيَ ماءٌ يَجري وَماءٌ يَليهِ

وَعَزالٍ تَهمي وَأُخرى تَذوبُ

وَعَزالٍ تَهمي وَأُخرى تَذوبُ

So it is water flowing, and water following it,

It flows, recedes, ebbs, wanes, dies away,

and waterskin-spouts pouring, and others melting.

And swelling clouds dissolve at close of day.

كَشَفَ الرَوضُ رَأسَهُ وَاِستَسَرَّ ال

كَشَفَ الرَوضُ رَأسَهُ وَاِستَسَرَّ ال

مَحلُ مِنها كَما اِستَسَرَّ المُريبُ

مَحلُ مِنها كَما اِستَسَرَّ المُريبُ

The meadow bared its head, and into hiding went the

The meadow bares its head, the valley hides

drought from it, as a suspect hides.

In modesty, as darkness spreads its tides.

فَإِذا الرَيُّ بَعدَ مَحلٍ وَجُرجا

فَإِذا الرَيُّ بَعدَ مَحلٍ وَجُرجا

نُ لَدَيها يَبرينُ أَو مَلحوبُ

نُ لَدَيها يَبرينُ أَو مَلحوبُ

And behold, water in plenty after drought; and Jurjan,

Where caravans once crossed, a pool now lies,

compared with it, is Yabrin or Malhub.

Or salt pan glistens when the moisture dries.

أَيُّها الغَيثُ حَيِّ أَهلاً بِمَغدا

أَيُّها الغَيثُ حَيِّ أَهلاً بِمَغدا

كَ وَعِندَ السُرى وَحينَ تَؤوبُ

كَ وَعِندَ السُرى وَحينَ تَؤوبُ

O rain, hail and welcome at your morning coming,

O welcome rain to bid farewell or greet

on your night journey, and when you return.

Both settled folk and nomads when you meet!

لِأَبي جَعفَرٍ خَلائِقُ تَحكي

لِأَبي جَعفَرٍ خَلائِقُ تَحكي

هُنَّ قَد يُشبِهُ النَجيبَ النَجيبُ

هُنَّ قَد يُشبِهُ النَجيبَ النَجيبُ

Abu Jaʿfar has virtues—you mirror

Good deeds that emulate Abu Ja'far's ways;

them; one noble being may indeed resemble another.

So like himself, each noble act displays.

أَنتَ فينا في ذا الأَوانِ غَريبٌ

أَنتَ فينا في ذا الأَوانِ غَريبٌ

وَهوَ فينا في كُلِّ وَقتٍ غَريبُ

وَهوَ فينا في كُلِّ وَقتٍ غَريبُ

You are a rarity among us in this season,

You're stranger here while he in every age

while he is a rarity among us at all times.

Remained a stranger, whatever the stage.

ضاحِكٌ في نَوائِبِ الدَهرِ طَلقٌ

ضاحِكٌ في نَوائِبِ الدَهرِ طَلقٌ

وَمُلوكٌ يَبكينَ حينَ تَنوبُ

وَمُلوكٌ يَبكينَ حينَ تَنوبُ

He laughs, bright-faced, amid the calamities of time,

Laughing through misfortunes, ever gay,

while kings weep when they strike.

While weeping kings rule but a single day.

فَإِذا الخَطبُ راثَ نالَ النَدى وَال

فَإِذا الخَطبُ راثَ نالَ النَدى وَال

بَذلُ مِنهُ ما لا تَنالُ الخُطوبُ

بَذلُ مِنهُ ما لا تَنالُ الخُطوبُ

So when calamity is slow to arrive, generosity and

when speeches stirred, his lips dropped pearls of dew,

giving take from him what calamities cannot take.

With bounty kings can scarcely hope to do.

خُلُقٌ مُشرِقٌ وَرَأيٌ حُسامٌ

خُلُقٌ مُشرِقٌ وَرَأيٌ حُسامٌ

وَوِدادٌ عَذبٌ وَريحٌ جَنوبُ

وَوِدادٌ عَذبٌ وَريحٌ جَنوبُ

A radiant character, and judgment like a cutting sword,

His nature shone, his wisdom struck its mark,

and sweet affection, and a south wind.

His friendship gentle, his humor left its spark.

كُلَّ يَومٍ لَهُ وَكُلَّ أَوانٍ

كُلَّ يَومٍ لَهُ وَكُلَّ أَوانٍ

خُلُقٌ ضاحِكٌ وَمالٌ كَئيبُ

خُلُقٌ ضاحِكٌ وَمالٌ كَئيبُ

Every day, and at every moment, he has

However you draw near him or apart,

a laughing nature and sorrowful wealth.

He still showed kindness, if no evil art.

إِن تُقارِبهُ أَو تُباعِدهُ ما لَم

إِن تُقارِبهُ أَو تُباعِدهُ ما لَم

تَأتِ فَحشاءَ فَهوَ مِنكَ قَريبُ

تَأتِ فَحشاءَ فَهوَ مِنكَ قَريبُ

Whether you approach him or keep away, so long as you do not

Who vied with him or hoped to win the race

commit a shameful deed, he is close to you.

But found himself left far behind in place?

ما اِلتَقى وَفرُهُ وَنائِلُهُ مُذ

ما اِلتَقى وَفرُهُ وَنائِلُهُ مُذ

كانَ إِلّا وَوَفرُهُ المَغلوبُ

كانَ إِلّا وَوَفرُهُ المَغلوبُ

His wealth and his bounty have never met, since

Lavish of wealth, yet loathing greed's excess,

he came to be, without his wealth being the loser.

Detesting wealth, yet beloved no less.

فَهوَ مُدنٍ لِلجودِ وَهوَ بَغيضٌ

فَهوَ مُدنٍ لِلجودِ وَهوَ بَغيضٌ

وَهوَ مُقصٍ لِلمالِ وَهوَ حَبيبُ

وَهوَ مُقصٍ لِلمالِ وَهوَ حَبيبُ

So he brings generosity close, though it is hated,

His hospitality no man could shun,

and banishes wealth, though it is loved.

Though it led down the greenest, sweetest run.

يَأخُذُ الزائِرينَ قَسراً وَلَو كَف

يَأخُذُ الزائِرينَ قَسراً وَلَو كَف

فَ دَعاهُم إِلَيهِ وادٍ خَصيبُ

فَ دَعاهُم إِلَيهِ وادٍ خَصيبُ

He draws visitors in by force; even if he held

Only the skillful archer needs insist

back, a fertile valley would call them to him.

On rectitude, though sure to hit the mark.

غَيرَ أَنَّ الرامي المُسَدِّدَ يَحتا

غَيرَ أَنَّ الرامي المُسَدِّدَ يَحتا

طُ مَعَ العِلمِ أَنَّهُ سَيُصيبُ

طُ مَعَ العِلمِ أَنَّهُ سَيُصيبُ

Yet the archer who aims true takes

precautions, though he knows he will hit the mark.