1. راخ لها في حلق البرين

    واشدد عليها حلق الوضين

    Give her slack in the loops of the nose-rings,

    And tighten around her the loops of the saddle-girth.

  2. ورام بها كل نوى شطون

    تجمع بين السهل والحزون

    And seek with her every far-flung destination.

    She joins the plains with rugged uplands,

  3. نافرة من أنس القطين

    تحسبها بين الصوى والبين

    Shying from the company of settled folk.

    Amid waymarks and departure, you would think her

  4. خالطها مس من الجنون

    ما طمثت بالفحل والجنين

    Stricken by a touch of madness.

    She has been touched by neither sire nor unborn foal,

  5. ولا درت ما رقة الحنين

    كأنها ما سمعت أنيني

    Nor known the tenderness of yearning,

    As though she had not heard my moaning

  6. على فراق الثغب المعين

    من كنز عمري وثرى يميني

    Over parting from the flowing rock-pool,

    From my life's treasure and my right hand's riches.

  7. والموت أشهى من مقام الهون

    ومن سؤال باخل منون

    And death is sweeter than a life of humiliation,

    Or begging a miser who flaunts his favors.

  8. مدحي له أشد من منوني

    عاملته وليس من زبوني

    Praising him is harsher than my own death.

    I dealt with him, though he was no customer of mine,

  9. فردني بصفقة المغبون

    يا ذل أبكاري وذل عوني

    So he sent me back with a cheated man's bargain.

    Oh, the shame of my virgins, the shame of my matrons,

  10. إن رضيت بالمنع والماعون

    من صاحب يبخل بالتأمين

    If I accept denial and paltry favors

    From a companion who begrudges even saying 'Amen'

  11. إذا دعوت الله لا يغنيني

    حرصاً على سجية الضنين

    When I pray to God not to enrich me,

    Eager to preserve the miser's nature.

  12. أخلاقه كثيرة التلوين

    ونفسه بوعدها تلويني

    His character changes color often,

    And his soul puts me off with its promise.

  13. أما ورأي فارس معين

    فرب طود شامخ حصين

    Indeed, by the judgment of a helpful knight,

    For many a towering, impregnable mountain,

  14. سامي العلى منقطع القرين

    ليث له الخطي كالعرين

    Lofty in eminence, without a peer,

    A lion to whom Khatt spears are like a den,

  15. يفتر عنه ناجذ المنون

    إذا استدارت برحى طحون

    Through whom Death bares its molar

    When it turns its relentlessly grinding mill,

  16. قد ضرب الظهور بالبطون

    كأنه ينطق عن كمين

    Has weighed matters, back against belly,

    As though speaking from a hidden store

  17. من الصواب والحجى الرصين

    لو قال للخطوب لا تكوني

    Of sound judgment and steadfast reason.

    If he told calamities, 'Do not be,'

  18. لاذت من الحراك بالسكون

    ولم تطر جاثمة الوكون

    They would seek refuge from movement in stillness,

    And would not fly, crouching in their nests.

  19. وانحل عقد الزرد المصون

    وذاب منه جامد الجفون

    And the knots of intact mail would come undone,

    And the solid contents of scabbards would melt before him.

  20. يا ماجد الدنيا وسيف الدين

    ومستخف الراجح الرزين

    O noble one of this world and Sword of the Faith,

    And you who make light of the weighty and ponderous

  21. عند مقامي شدة ولين

    لو لم تكن باللؤلؤ المكنون

    At both stations of sternness and gentleness,

    Had you not been, regarding hidden pearls,

  22. ذا خبرة ما غلقت رهوني

    في عرض هذا الجوهر الثمين

    An expert, my pledges would not have been forfeited

    In offering this precious jewel

  23. على خليق بالثنا قمين

    صب من الحمد بما يصبيني

    To one worthy and deserving of praise,

    Enamored of praise that enchants me.

  24. مازال في حادثة تعروني

    يقوم في صدر الزمان دوني

    Whenever a calamity befalls me, he never ceases

    To stand against Time's breast, shielding me.

  25. أبلج طلق الوجه والجبين

    شماله في الجود كاليمين

    Radiant, cheerful in face and brow,

    His left hand is as generous as his right.

  26. سلساله من كرم ودين

    لا كامرئ سلساله من طين

    His clear stream springs from nobility and faith,

    Not like a man whose stream springs from clay.

  27. قدرت لمس الوابل الهتون

    فقلت للآمال لن تميني

    I reckoned on touching the pouring rain,

    So I told my hopes, 'You will not lie

  28. إن صافحت يمينه يميني

    إذا عرت معروفه ظنوني

    If his right hand clasps my right.'

    When my doubts assail his kindness,

  29. ألقى عليها ثلج اليقين

    كم صان وجه الأدب المصون

    He casts upon them the snow of certainty.

    How often he has guarded literature's inviolate face,

  30. يبذل مما ليس بالمنون

    وكم له عندي من الديون

    Giving gifts that carry no reproach.

    And how many debts I owe him!

  31. لكن أؤدي الفرض بالمسنون

    وأسعد بأعيادك كل حين

    Yet I discharge an obligation with a recommended act.

    And I rejoice in your feast days at every season,

  32. مادام وفد البلد الأمين

    معتلجاً بأبطح الحجون

    As long as the pilgrims of the secure city

    Throng the pebbly valley of al-Ḥajūn,

  33. من أشعث الرأس ومن دهين

    Some tousle-headed, and others oil-anointed.