1. أَكَذا المَنونُ تُقَنطِرُ الأَبطالا

    أَكَذا الزَمانُ يُضَعضِعُ الأَجيالا

    Is this how death topples heroes?

    Is this how time brings generations low?

  2. أَكَذا تُصابُ الأُسدُ وَهيَ مُذِلَّةٌ

    تَحمي الشُبولَ وَتَمنَعُ الأَغيالا

    Is this how lions are struck, though they subdue others,

    protect their cubs, and guard their thickets?

  3. أَكَذا تُقامُ عَنِ الفَرائِسِ بَعدَما

    مَلَأَت هَماهِمُها الوَرى أَوجالا

    Is this how they are driven from their prey, after

    their growls have filled mankind with terror?

  4. أَكَذا تُحَطُّ الزاهِراتُ عَنِ العُلى

    مِن بَعدِ ما شَأَتِ العُيونَ مَنالا

    Is this how radiant stars are lowered from the heights,

    after soaring beyond the reach of eyes?

  5. أَكَذا تُكَبُّ البُزلُ وَهيَ مَصاعِبٌ

    تَطوي البَعيدَ وَتَحمِلُ الأَثقالا

    Is this how mature camels are thrown down, though unbroken,

    covering great distances and carrying heavy loads?

  6. أَكَذا تُغاضُ الزاخِراتُ وَقَد طَغَت

    لُجَجاً وَأَورَدَتِ الظِماءَ زُلالا

    Is this how brimming waters are drained, though they have surged

    in deep floods and led the thirsty to sweet, clear water?

  7. يا طالِبَ المَعروفِ حَلَّقَ نَجمُهُ

    حُطَّ الحُمولَ وَعَطِّلِ الأَجمالا

    O seeker of kindness, its star has flown aloft:

    set down the loads and leave the camels idle.

  8. وَأَقِم عَلى يَأسٍ فَقَد ذَهَبَ الَّذي

    كانَ الأَنامُ عَلى نَداهُ عِيالا

    And remain in despair, for the one has departed

    on whose bounty mankind lived as dependents.

  9. مَن كانَ يَقري الجَهلَ عِلماً ثاقِباً

    وَالنَقصَ فَضلاً وَالرَجاءَ نَوالا

    He who served ignorance piercing knowledge,

    deficiency excellence, and hope largesse;

  10. وَيُجَبِّنُ الشُجعانَ دونَ لِقائِهِ

    يَومَ الوَغى وَيُشَجِّعُ السُؤالا

    who made brave men afraid to face him

    on the day of battle, and emboldened petitioners.

  11. خَلَعَ الرَدى ذاكَ الرِداءَ نَفاسَةً

    عَنّا وَقَلَّصَ ذَلِكَ السِربالا

    Death stripped that robe, out of envy,

    from us, and pulled away that garment.

  12. خَبَرٌ تَمَخَّضَ بِالأَحِبَّةِ ذِكرُهُ

    قَبلَ اليَقينِ وَأَسلَفَ البَلبالا

    News whose mention convulsed the loved ones

    before certainty, and brought turmoil in advance.

  13. حَتّى إِذا جَلّى الظُنونَ يَقينُهُ

    صَدَعَ القُلوبَ وَأَسقَطَ الأَحمالا

    Until, when its certainty dispelled conjectures,

    it rent hearts and made wombs cast their burdens.

  14. الشَكُّ أَبرَدُ لِلحَشا مِن مِثلِهِ

    يا لَيتَ شَكّي فيهِ دامَ وَطالا

    Doubt is cooler to the heart than news like this;

    if only my doubt about it had lasted long!

  15. جَبَلٌ تَسَنَّمَتِ البِلادُ هِضابَهُ

    حَتّى إِذا مَلَأَ الأَقالِمَ زالا

    A mountain upon whose heights the lands had mounted,

    until, having filled the regions, it vanished.

  16. يا طَودُ كَيفَ وَأَنتَ عاديُّ الذُرى

    أَلقى بِجانِبِكَ الرَدى زِلزالا

    O mountain, how, with summits of 'Ad-like might,

    did death cast an earthquake against your flank?

  17. إِن قَطَّعَ الآمالَ مِنكَ فَإِنَّهُ

    مِن بَعدِ يَومِكَ قَطَّعَ الأُمّالا

    If it severed the hopes placed in you, then it

    also cut down the hopeful after your day.

  18. ما كُنتُ أَوَّلَ كَوكَبٍ تَرَكَ الدُنا

    وَسَما إِلى نُظَرائِهِ فَتَعالى

    You were not the first star to leave the world

    and rise to its peers, soaring higher.

  19. أَنَفاً مِنَ الدُنيا بَتَتَّ حِبالَها

    وَنَزَعتَ عَنكَ قَميصَها الأَسمالا

    In disdain for the world, you severed its cords

    and took its tattered shirt off yourself.

  20. ذا المَنزِلُ المِظعانُ قَد فارَقتَهُ

    وَغَداً تُبَوَّءُ مَنزِلاً مِحلالا

    This abode, ever driving one onward, you have left;

    tomorrow you will be lodged in an abode of lasting rest.

  21. لا رُزءَ أَعظَمُ مِن مُصابِكَ إِنَّهُ

    وَصَلَ الدُموعَ وَقَطَّعَ الأَوصالا

    No loss is greater than losing you: it

    joined tear to tear and severed limb from limb.

  22. يا آمِرَ الأَقدارِ كَيفَ أَطَعتَها

    أَوَما وَقاكَ جَلالُكَ الآجالا

    O commander of destinies, how did you obey them?

    Did your majesty not shield you from appointed deaths?

  23. كَيفَ اِغتَفَلتَ فَفاجَأَتكَ بِغُرَّةٍ

    أَوَ لَيسَ كُنتَ المِخلَطَ المِزيالا

    How were you caught off guard, so they surprised you unawares?

    Were you not adept at engaging and disengaging?

  24. لَم تَكفِ يا كافي الكُفاةِ مَنيَّةً

    نَفَذَت إِلَيكَ صَوارِماً وَأَلالا

    You did not avert, O sufficer of sufficers, a death

    that passed through swords and spearheads to reach you.

  25. أَلّا وَقى المَجدُ المُؤَثَّلُ رَبَّهُ

    أَلّا زَوى المِقدارُ أَلّا حالا

    Why did deep-rooted glory not shield its lord?

    Why did it not avert destiny, why not intervene?

  26. أَلّا أَقالَتكَ اللَيالي عَثرَةً

    يا مَن إِذا عَثَرَ الزَمانُ أَقالا

    Why did the nights not lift you from your stumble,

    O you who set time right whenever it stumbled?

  27. إِنَّ الَّذي أَنحى إِلَيكَ بِسَهمِهِ

    قَدَرٌ يَنالُ ذُبابُهُ الرِئبالا

    The one who aimed his arrow at you

    is fate, whose arrow-point reaches the lion.

  28. لا مُسمِعُ الإِنباضِ مِنهُ فَيُتَّقى

    يَوماً وَلا مالي الجَفيرِ نِبالا

    It lets no bowstring-twang be heard, so it might be avoided

    on any day, nor does it fill a quiver with arrows.

  29. وَأَرى اللَيالي طارِحاتِ حِبالِها

    تَستَوثِقُ الأَعيانَ وَالأَرذالا

    And I see the nights casting their snares,

    binding fast the eminent and the lowly.

  30. يَبرينَ عودَ النَبعِ غَيرَ فَوارِقٍ

    بَينَ النَباتِ كَما بَرَينَ الضالا

    They whittle nab' wood, making no distinction

    among plants, just as they whittled wild lote wood.

  31. لا تَأمَنِ الدُنيا عَلَيكَ فَإِنَّها

    ذاتُ البُعولِ تُبَدِّلُ الأَبدالا

    Do not trust the world where you are concerned, for it is

    a woman of many husbands, forever changing partners.

  32. وَتَناذَرِ الدَهرَ الَّذي شَرَعَ الرَدى

    وَتَخَرَّمَ الأَذواءَ وَالأَقيالا

    And beware of time, which brought death to bear

    and cut down the Dhu-lords and qayl-princes;

  33. وَاِستَرجَلَ الأَملاكَ قَسراً بَعدَما

    رَكِبوا مِنَ الشَرَفِ المُطِلِّ جِبالا

    which forced kings to go on foot, after

    they had mounted mountains of towering eminence;

  34. وَطَوى مَقاوِلَ مِن نِزارٍ ذادَةٍ

    في الحَربِ لا كُشفاً وَلا أَميالا

    and swept away chieftains of Nizar, defenders

    in war, neither unarmed nor fainthearted.

  35. قَومٌ إِذا وَقَعَ الصَريخُ تَناهَضوا

    بِالخَيلِ قُبّاً وَالقُنيُّ طِوالا

    A people who, when a cry for help arose, sprang up together

    with lean-bellied horses and long spears.

  36. وَتُرى خِفافاً في الوَغى فَإِذا اِنتَدَوا

    وَتَلاغَطَ النادي رَأَيتَ ثِقالا

    They were seen swift in battle; but when they assembled

    and the council grew noisy, you found them grave and weighty.

  37. صاحَت بِهِم نُوَبُ اللَيالي صَيحَةً

    فَتَتابَعوا لِدُعائِها أَرسالا

    The calamities of the nights cried out at them,

    and they followed the summons, troop after troop.

  38. يَتَواكَلونَ المَوتَ جُبناً بَعدَما

    كانوا أُسودَ مَغاوِرٍ أَبطالا

    They left death to one another, in cowardice, after

    they had been lions of dens, heroes.

  39. نَزَعوا الحَمائِلَ عَن عَواتِقِ فِتيَةٍ

    كانوا لِكُلِّ عَظيمَةٍ حُمّالا

    They removed sword-belts from the shoulders of young men

    who had borne every mighty burden,

  40. مِن بَعدِ ما دَعَموا القِبابَ وَخَيَّسوا

    ذُلُلَ المَطيِّ وَدَمَّنوا الأَطلالا

    after they had propped up the tent-domes and tethered

    docile riding camels, and left the campsites dung-marked.

  41. عَرَبٌ إِذا دَفَعوا الجِيادَ لِغارَةٍ

    هَزّوا العُبابَ وَخَضخَضوا الأَوشالا

    Arabs who, when they urged their steeds into a raid,

    stirred the surging waters and churned the shallow pools.

  42. مِن كُلِّ مُنهِبِ مالِهِ سُؤّالَهُ

    أَو بالِغٍ بِعَطائِهِ ما نالا

    Among them, each man gave his petitioners free rein to his wealth,

    or his gifts reached all that he had gained;

  43. أَو بائِتٍ يَرعى النُجومَ لِغارَةٍ

    وَيَعُدُّ لِلمَغدى قَناً وَنِصالا

    or he spent the night watching the stars for a raid,

    counting out spears and blades for the morning departure.

  44. لَم تَرهَبِ الأَقدارُ عِزَّتَهُ وَلا

    اِتَّقَتِ النَوائِبُ جَمعَهُ العُضّالا

    The decrees of fate did not fear his might, nor

    did calamities shrink from his formidable host.

  45. وَعَصائِبُ اليَمَنِ الَّذينَ تَبَوَّأوا

    قُلَلَ الهِضابِ وَشَرَّدوا الأَوعالا

    And the bands of Yemen, who had occupied

    the crests of hills and driven the ibex away,

  46. كانوا فُحولَ وَغىً تُسانِدُ بِالقَنا

    لا كَالفُحولِ تُسانِدُ الأَجذالا

    were bull-camels of battle, bracing themselves with spears,

    not like bull-camels leaning against tree-stumps.

  47. زَفَرَ الزَمانُ عَلَيهِمُ فَتَطارَحوا

    فِرَقاً وَطاروا بِالمَنونِ جِفالا

    Time snorted against them, and they flung themselves down

    in bands, fleeing before death in headlong panic.

  48. وَعَلى الهَباءَةِ آلُ بَدرٍ إِنَّهُم

    طَرَحوا لَهُ الأَسلابَ وَالأَنفالا

    And at al-Haba'a, the house of Badr—indeed, they

    laid their spoils and booty before it,

  49. مِن بَعدِ ما خَلَطوا العَجاجَ وَجَلجَلوا

    تِلكَ الزَعازِعَ وَالقَنا العَسّالا

    after they had mingled the dust and set thundering

    those squalls and the quivering spears.

  50. وَالمُنذِرونَ الغُرُّ شَرَّدَ مِنهُمُ

    حَيّاً عَلى لَقَمِ العِراقِ حِلالا

    And the illustrious Mundhirs—it drove away from among them

    a clan dwelling on Iraq's main road.

  51. وَالأَزدَشيرِيّونَ أَبرَزَ مِنهُمُ

    مُتَفَيِّئينَ مِنَ النَعيمِ ظِلالا

    And the Azdashirians—it brought out those among them

    who took shelter in the shades of luxury.

  52. تَلوي لَهُم عُنقُ الفُراتِ بِمَدِّهِ

    وَيُرَوِّقونَ البارِدَ السَلسالا

    For them the Euphrates bent its neck with its flood,

    and they filtered the cool, clear-flowing water.

  53. مِن مَعشَرٍ وَرَدوا المَنونَ وَمَعشَرٍ

    سَلَبوا الحِجالَ وَأَلبَسوا الأَحجالا

    Of one company that came to death, and another

    stripped of curtained chambers and clad in fetters.

  54. قَد غادَروا الإيوانَ بَعدَ فِراقِهِم

    يَنعى القَطينَ وَيَندُبُ الحُلّالا

    They left the palace hall, after their departure,

    lamenting its household and mourning its residents.

  55. إِن كُنتَ تَأمُلُ بَعدَهُم مَهلاً فَقَد

    مَنَّتكَ نَفسُكَ في الزَمانِ ضَلالا

    If you hope for respite after them, then

    your soul has promised you delusion concerning time.

  56. لِمَنِ الضَوامِرُ عُرِّيَت أَمطاؤُها

    حَولَ الخِيامِ تُنازِعُ الأَمطالا

    Whose are the lean steeds, their backs laid bare,

    around the tents, tugging at the tethers?

  57. بُدِّلنَ مِن لُبسِ الشَكيمِ مَقاوِداً

    مَربوطَةً وَمِنَ السُروجِ جِلالا

    They have exchanged the wearing of bits for leading-ropes

    tied fast, and saddles for coverings.

  58. فُجِعَت بِمُنصَلِتٍ يُعَرِّضُ لِلقَنا

    أَعناقَها وَيُحَصِّنُ الأَكفالا

    They were bereaved of a dashing warrior who exposed to spears

    their necks, but protected their rumps.

  59. لِمَنِ المَطايا غَيرُ ذاتِ رَحائِلٍ

    فارَقنَ ذاكَ السَدوَ وَالإِرقالا

    Whose are the riding camels, now without saddles,

    that have abandoned that steady pace and swift trotting?

  60. أَمسَت تَمَنَّعُ بِالسِقابِ وَطالَما

    جُعِلَ الظُبى لِرِضاعِهِنَّ فِصالا

    They now find protection in their male calves, though often

    sword-edges were the weaning of their nursing young.

  61. مَن كانَ يَحمِلُ فَوقَهُنَّ عُصابَةً

    مِثلَ الصُقورِ غَرانِقاً أَزوالا

    Who used to carry upon them a band

    like falcons—handsome youths, nimble men?

  62. مَن كانَ يُجشِمُهُنَّ كُلَّ مَفازَةٍ

    تَلَدُ المَنونَ وَتُنبِتُ الأَهوالا

    Who used to make them brave every desert

    that gives birth to death and sprouts terrors?

  63. لِمَنِ النُصولُ نَشِبنَ في أَغمادِها

    كَلَفَ الظُبى لا يَنتَظِرنَ صِقالا

    Whose are the blades, stuck fast in their scabbards,

    their edges rust-mottled, not awaiting polish?

  64. لِمَنِ الأَسِنَّةُ قَد نَصَلنَ عَنِ القَنا

    وَعَدِمنَ جَرّاً في الوَغى وَمَجالا

    Whose are the spearheads, now detached from their shafts,

    deprived of being dragged through battle and of room to range?

  65. إِن صينَ سَردُكَ في العِيابِ فَطالَما

    أَمسى عَلَيكَ مُذَيَّلاً وَمُذالا

    If your chain-mail is kept safe in storage-bags, how often

    it lay upon you, long-skirted and unsparingly worn!

  66. كَم حَجَّةٍ في الدينِ خُضتَ غِمارَها

    هَدرَ الفَنيقِ تَخَمَّطاً وَصِيالا

    How many a dispute in religion you plunged into,

    with a stud-camel's roar, in proud rage and assault,

  67. بِسِنانِ رُمحِكَ أَو لِسانِكَ موسِعاً

    طَعناً يَشُقُّ عَلى العِدا وَجِدالا

    with your spear's point or your tongue, dealing out

    thrusts grievous to foes, and debate!

  68. إِن نَكَّسَ الإِسلامُ بَعدَكَ رَأسَهُ

    فَلَقَد رُزي بِكَ مَوئِلاً وَمَآلا

    If Islam has bowed its head after you,

    it has indeed lost in you a refuge and a place of return.

  69. واهاً عَلى الأَقلامِ بَعدَكَ إِنَّها

    لَم تَرضَ غَيرَ بَنانِ كَفِّكَ آلا

    Alas for the pens after you! They

    would accept no kin but the fingers of your hand.

  70. أَفقَدنَ مِنكَ شُجاعَ كُلِّ بَلاغَةٍ

    إِن قالَ جَلّى في المَقالِ وَجالا

    Have they lost in you the champion of all eloquence,

    who, when he spoke, led the field of speech and ranged freely?

  71. مَن لَو يَشا طَعنَ العِدا بِرُؤوسِها

    وَأَثارَ مِن جِريالِها قَسطالا

    One who, if he wished, would stab foes with their points

    and raise a dust-cloud from their crimson dye.

  72. سُلطانُ مِلكٍ كُنتَ أَنتَ تُعِزُّهُ

    وَلَرُبَّ سُلطانٍ أَعَزُّ رِجالا

    A realm's sovereign—you yourself gave him might;

    many a sovereign has instead made men mighty.

  73. إِنَّ المُشَمِّرَ ذَيلَهُ لَكَ خيفَةً

    أَرخى وَجَرَّرَ بَعدَكَ الأَذيالا

    The man who tucked up his robe for fear of you

    has lowered and trailed his skirts after you.

  74. ما كُنتُ أَخشى أَن تَزِلَّ لِحادِثٍ

    قَدَمٌ جَعَلتَ لَها الرِكابَ قِبالا

    I never feared that, before a calamity, there would slip

    a foot for which you had made stirrups into sandal-straps.

  75. دَفَعَ الزَمانُ لَكَ النَوائِبَ دَفعَةً

    وَتَصَوَّبَ الوادي إِلَيكَ فَسالا

    Time drove calamities against you in a single rush,

    and the valley sloped toward you and flowed.

  76. يا شامِتاً بِالسَيفِ أُغمِدَ غَربُهُ

    كَم هَبَّ مُندَلِقُ الغِرارِ وَصالا

    O you who gloat over the sword whose edge is sheathed,

    how often it sprang up, its blade bared, and charged!

  77. إِن طَوَّحَ الفَعّالَ دَهرٌ ظالِمٌ

    فَلَقَد أَقامَ وَخَلَّدَ الأَفعالا

    If an unjust age cast down the man of deeds,

    it has nonetheless set his deeds firm and made them immortal.

  78. طَلَبوا التُراثَ فَلَم يَرَوا مِن بَعدِهِ

    إِلّا عُلاً وَفَضائِلاً وَجَلالا

    They sought his legacy, but after him they found

    only eminence, virtues, and majesty.

  79. هَيهاتَ فاتَهُمُ تُراثُ مُخاطِرٍ

    حَفِظَ الثَناءَ وَضَيَّعَ الأَموالا

    Far from it! They missed the inheritance of a daring man

    who preserved praise and let wealth go.

  80. قَد كانَ أَعرَفَ بِالزَمانِ وَصَرفِهِ

    مِن أَن يُثَمِّرَ أَو يُجَمِّعَ مالا

    He knew time and its vicissitudes too well

    to make wealth grow or pile it up.

  81. مِفتاحُ كُلِّ نَدىً وَرَبُّ مَعاشِرٍ

    كانوا عَلى أَموالِهِم أَقفالا

    The key to every generosity, and master of communities

    who were locks upon their own wealth.

  82. كانَ الغَريبَةَ في الأَنامِ فَأَصبَحوا

    مِن بَعدِ غارِبِ نَجمِهِ أَمثالا

    He was the unique marvel among mankind; so they became,

    after the setting of his star, all alike.

  83. قَرمٌ إِذا كَحَلَت بِهِ أَلحاظَها

    شوسُ القُرومِ تُقَطِّعُ الأَبوالا

    A mighty bull: when they lined their eyes with the sight of him,

    the fierce-eyed bulls passed urine in broken spurts.

  84. وَإِذا تَجايَشَتِ الصُدورُ بِمَوقِفٍ

    حَبَسَ الكَلامَ وَقَيَّدَ الأَقوالا

    And when breasts seethed at a gathering,

    he held back speech and fettered words

  85. بِصَوائِبٍ كَالشُهبِ تَتبَعُ مِثلَها

    وَرِعالِ خَيلٍ يَتَّبِعنَ رِعالا

    with unerring shafts, like meteors following their like,

    and troops of horse following troops.

  86. مَن فاعِلٌ مِن بَعدِهِ كَفِعالِهِ

    أَو قائِلٌ مِن بَعدِهِ ما قالا

    Who after him will perform deeds like his,

    or, after him, say what he said?

  87. سِمعٌ يُرَفِّعُ لِلسُؤالِ سُجوفَهُ

    وَيُحَجِّبُ الأَهزاجَ وَالأَرمالا

    A fierce beast, raising his curtains for petitioners,

    and screening out hazaj and ramal songs.

  88. يا طالِباً مِن ذا الزَمانِ شَبيهَهُ

    هَيهاتَ كَلَّفتَ الزَمانَ مُحالا

    O seeker of his likeness from this age,

    far from it! You have tasked time with the impossible.

  89. إِنَّ الزَمانَ أَضَنُّ بَعدَ وَفاتِهِ

    مِن أَن يُعيدَ لِمِثلِهِ أَشكالا

    After his death, time is far too stingy

    to bring forth counterparts to one like him.

  90. وَأَرى الكَمالَ جَنى عَلَيهِ لِأَنَّهُ

    غَرَضُ النَوائِبِ مَن أُعيرَ كَمالا

    And I see that perfection wronged him, for

    whoever is lent perfection is a target for calamities.

  91. صَلّى الإِلَهُ عَلَيكَ مِن مُتَوَسِّدٍ

    بَعدَ المِهادِ جَنادِلاً وَرِمالا

    May God bless you, now pillowing your head,

    after a soft bed, upon stones and sand.

  92. كَسَفَ البِلى ذاكَ الجَمالَ المُجتَلى

    وَأَجَرَّ ذاكَ المِقوَلَ الجَوّالا

    Decay eclipsed that beauty once gazed upon,

    and gagged that freely ranging tongue.

  93. وَرَأَيتَ كُلَّ مَطيَّةٍ قَد بُدِّلَت

    مِن بَعدِ يَومِكَ بِالزِمامِ عِقالا

    And I saw every riding camel given,

    after your day, a hobble instead of its rein.

  94. طَرَحَ الرِجالُ لَكَ العَمائِمَ حَسرَةً

    لَمّا رَأَوكَ تَسيرُ أَو إِجلالا

    Men cast off their turbans for you, in grief,

    when they saw you borne away—or in reverence.

  95. قالوا وَقَد فُجِؤوا بِنَعشِكَ سائِراً

    مَن مَيَّلَ الجَبَلَ العَظيمَ فَمالا

    They said, startled by your bier moving past,

    "Who made the mighty mountain tilt, so that it fell?"

  96. وَتَبادَروا عَطَّ الجُيوبِ وَعاجَلوا

    عَضَّ الأَنامِلِ يَمنَةً وَشِمالا

    They rushed to tear their collars, and hastened

    to bite their fingertips, right and left.

  97. ما شَقَّقوا إِلّا كُساكَ وَأَلَّموا

    إِلّا الأَنامِلَ نِلنَ مِنكَ سِجالا

    They tore only the garments you had given, and hurt

    only fingers that had received bucketfuls from you.

  98. مَن ذا يَكونُ مُعَوِّضاً ما مَزَّقوا

    وَمُعَوَّلا لِمُؤَمَّلٍ وَثِمالا

    Who will replace what they have torn,

    and be a reliance and succor for one who hopes?

  99. فَرَغَت أَكُفٌّ مِن نَوالِكَ بَعدَها

    وَأَطالَ عُظمُ مُصابِكَ الأَشغالا

    Hands were empty of your gifts afterward,

    and the greatness of your loss prolonged their cares.

  100. أَعزَز عَلَيَّ بِأَن يَهُزُّكَ طالِبٌ

    فَتَضَنَّ أَو تَلوي النَوالَ مَطالا

    How grievous to me that a petitioner should rouse you,

    and you withhold, or put off giving in delay;

  101. أَو أَن تُبَدِّلَ مَن يَؤُمُّكَ زائِراً

    بَعدَ التَهَلُّلِ عِندَكَ اِستِهلالا

    or that you should give one who comes to you as a visitor,

    after smiles in your presence, a burst of tears;

  102. أَو أَن يُناديكَ الصَريخُ لِكُربَةٍ

    حُشِدَت عَلَيهِ فَلا تُجيبُ مَقالا

    or that one crying for help should call you over a distress

    heaped upon him, and you answer not a word.

  103. يا شافِيَ الأَدواءِ كَيفَ جَهِلتَهُ

    داءً رَماكَ بِهِ الزَمانُ عُضالا

    O healer of ailments, how did you fail to know it—

    the incurable sickness that time hurled at you?

  104. يا كاشِفَ الأَمحالِ كَيفَ رَضيتَهُ

    لِمَقيلِ جَنبِكَ مَنزِلاً مِمحالا

    O reliever of droughts, how did you accept it,

    a barren abode for the resting of your side?

  105. قَد كُنتُ آمُلُ أَن أَراكَ فَأَجتَني

    فَضلاً إِذا غَيري جَنى أَفضالا

    I had hoped to see you, and to harvest

    a bounty when others harvested many bounties;

  106. وَأُفيدُ سَمعَكَ مِقوَلي وَفَضائِلي

    وَتُفيدُني أَيّامُكَ الإِقبالا

    to offer your hearing my speech and my merits,

    while your days would grant me good fortune;

  107. وَأَعُدُّ مِنكَ لِرَيبِ دَهري جُنَّةً

    تَثني جُنودَ خُطوبِهِ فُلّالا

    and count on a shield from you against my age's uncertainties,

    turning back the armies of its calamities, routed.

  108. وَطَواكَ دَهرُكَ غَيرَ طَيِّ صِيانَةٍ

    وَأَعادَ أَعلامَ الهُدى أَغفالا

    But your age folded you away, not with a fold of safekeeping,

    and made the landmarks of guidance unmarked.

  109. قَبرٌ بِأَعلى الرَيِّ شُقَّ ضَريحُهُ

    لِأَعَزَّ حَقَّرَهُ الرَدى إِعجالا

    A grave in upper Rayy, its burial chamber dug

    for one most honored, whom death hastily abased.

  110. إِن يُمسِ مَوعِظَةَ الرِجالِ فَطالَما

    أَمسى مُهاباً لِلوَرى وَمُهالا

    If he has become a lesson to men, how often

    he was held in awe and feared by mankind!

  111. لِتُسَلِّبِ الدُنيا عَلَيهِ فَإِنَّها

    نَزَعَت بِهِ الإِحسانَ وَالإِجمالا

    Let the world don mourning for him, for it

    has stripped away beneficence and graciousness with him.

  112. وَرَعاهُ مَن أَرعى البَرِيَةَ سَيبَهُ

    وَسَقاهُ مَن أَسقى بِهِ الآمالا

    And may He who let creation graze on his bounty tend him,

    and may He who watered hopes through him give him drink.