غالَ صَبري إِمّا سَأَلتِ بِصَبري

ما بِعَينَيكِ مِن فُتورٍ وَسِحرِ

My patience almost ran out when you asked for my patience

There is no weakness or magic in your eyes

كُلَّما قُلتُ أَنفَدَ الشَوقُ دَمعي

فاضَ غُزرٌ مِن غَربِهِ بَعدَ غُزرِ

Whenever I said my longing spilled my tears

Abundant downpours followed after downpours

أَلِجُرمٌ جَنَيتُ حَرَّمتِ وَصلي

أَم لِذَنبٍ أَتَيتُ حَلَّلتِ هَجري

Is it a crime that I gained your affection and connection?

Or is it for a sin that I committed you loosened our bond?

لا وَحُبّيكِ ما تَعَقَّبتُ وَصلاً

بِصُدودٍ وَلا وَفاءً بِعُذري

No, by your love I have not reciprocated affection

With rejection or fulfilled loyalty with my excuse

مِن مُعيني عَلى الأَسى مِلئِ قَلبي

أَم مُجيري عَلى الجَوى حَشوِ صَدري

It provides relief for my heart filled with sorrow

Or comfort for the burning in my chest

لَيتَ شِعري أَمُحسِنٌ أَم أَسابي

وَقَليلٌ إِجداءُ يا لَيتَ شِعري

I wish I knew if I did good or if I caused harm

And seldom does kindness occur, I wish I knew

لا تَلُمني فَبَعضُ لَومِكَ يُغري

وَإِلهُ عَنّي فَقَد تَبَنَّيتَ عُذري

Do not blame me for some of your blame tempts me

And turn away from me for you have adopted my excuse

أَيسَ العاذِلونَ مِن بُرءِ سُكري

إِنَّ سُكرَ الغَرامِ أَقتَلُ سُكرِ

Are the critics hopeless of the innocence of my intoxication?

The intoxication of passion is the most potent intoxication

بِنَدى أَحمَدَ اِبنِ أَيّوبَ أَجلى

لَيلُ عُسري وَلاحَ لي وَجهُ يُسري

With Ahmed Son of Ayyub’s dew the darkness of my night is illuminated

And my difficult night is brightened and my easy face smiles

مَلِكٌ ما تَغُبُّنا مِن نَداهُ

نَفَحاتٌ تَغدو عَلَينا وَتَسري

A King whose gifts never cease reaching us

Blessings that come to us morning and night

أَرفَعُ العالَمينَ قُلَّةَ مَجدٍ

وَأَمَدُّ الأَنامِ بَسطَةَ قَدرِ

I raise the glory of the two worlds which is too little

And provide the people with ample destiny

مُتلِفٌ مُخلِفٌ يُخافُ وَيُرجى

لِكِلا حالَتَينِ نَفعٍ وَضَرِّ

Bringing together and separating feared and hoped for

For each state, benefits and harm

كَم أَخي عَيلَةٍ رَأى العُدمُ حَتماً

رامَ عَن فَضلِ سَيبِهِ وَهوَ مُثرِ

How many brothers facing destitution saw deprivation as destined

And declined the abundance of his generosity while it was fruitful

شَكَّكَ الناسَ في عَطاهُ فَقالوا

صَوبُ قَطرٍ هَذاكَ أَم فَيضُ بَحرِ

It made people doubtful of his gifts so they said

“Is this a rain shower or the flooding of a sea?”

ما أُبالي إِذ أَخَذتُ بِحَبلٍ

مِنهُ ما أَحدَثَت نَوائِبُ دَهري

I do not care so long as I hold onto a rope from Him

Whatever vicissitudes of fate renew against me

أَمِنَ الحَقُّ فَاِستَفاضَ لَدَينا

وَهوَ في شَخصِ خائِفٍ مُستَسِرِّ

Is it true that with us it broke free and became abundant

While it remains hidden in the person of a fearful concealor

وَغَدا العَدلُ مُطلَقاً بَعدَ أَن كا

نَ مِنَ الجورِ في وَثيقَةِ أَسرِ

And justice became released, unconditionally

After it had been bound in shackles of captivity

بِكَ صافاني الزَمانُ وَقَد كُن

تُ قَديماً أُنحي عَلَيهِ وَأُزري

With you, time became well-mannered with me, while

Before I used to shy away from it and decline

فَمَتى ما أَرابَني مِنهُ رَيبٌ

لَيسَ فيهِ إِلّا إِلَيكَ مَفَرّي

So whenever doubts about it crept into me

I have no recourse but to flee back to you

لَكَ مَجدٌ أَوفى عَلى كُلِّ مَجدِ

وَفَخارٌ أَربى عَلى كُلِّ فَخارِ

You have a glory more faithful than any other glory

And pride loftier than any other pride

أَنا بِالوُدِّ مُستَزيدٌ لِمَدحي

لَكَ مُستَقصِرٌ لِذائِعِ شُكري

I, with love, seek to increase my praise for you

While I fall short in broadcasting my gratitude

وَبِحَسبِ الشَريفِ حُلَّةَ فَخرٍ

بَعضُ ما أَلبَسَتكَ أَقوافُ شِعري

The finely woven fabric of glorious boasting

Some of what my poetry has dressed you in

غُرَرٌ مِن مَدائِحٍ لَم يَحُزها

مُنذُ كانَت غَيرُ الجَوادِ الأَغَرِّ

Gems of praise it has gained unlike

Anything since the other generous ones