رَآني عَلى ما بي عُمَيلَةُ فَاِشتَكى

رَآني عَلى ما بي عُمَيلَةُ فَاِشتَكى

إِلى مالِهِ حالي أَسَرَّ كَما جَهَر

إِلى مالِهِ حالي أَسَرَّ كَما جَهَر

Umaylah saw me in my plight and complained

Of my condition to his wealth, in private as in public.

دَعاني فَآساني وَلَو ضَنَّ لَم أَلُم

دَعاني فَآساني وَلَو ضَنَّ لَم أَلُم

عَلى حينَ لابَدو يُرَجّى وَلا حَضَر

عَلى حينَ لابَدو يُرَجّى وَلا حَضَر

He called me and shared his wealth with me; had he withheld it, I would not have blamed him,

At a time when no help could be hoped for from nomads or townsfolk.

فَقُلتُ لَهُ خَيراً وَأَثنَيتُ فِعلَهُ

فَقُلتُ لَهُ خَيراً وَأَثنَيتُ فِعلَهُ

وَأَوفاكَ ما أَبلَيتَ مَن ذَمَّ أَو شَكَر

وَأَوفاكَ ما أَبلَيتَ مَن ذَمَّ أَو شَكَر

So I spoke kindly to him and praised his deed;

And whoever censures or gives thanks repays you fully for what you have done.

وَلَمّا رَأى المَجدَ اِستُعيرَت ثِيابُهُ

وَلَمّا رَأى المَجدَ اِستُعيرَت ثِيابُهُ

تَرَدّى رِداءَ سابِغَ الذَيلِ وَأتَزَر

تَرَدّى رِداءَ سابِغَ الذَيلِ وَأتَزَر

And when he saw that glory's garments had been borrowed,

He donned a cloak with a trailing hem and girded himself.

غُلامٌ رَماهُ اللَهُ بِالخَيرِ مُقبِلاً

غُلامٌ رَماهُ اللَهُ بِالخَيرِ مُقبِلاً

لَهُ سيمِياء لا تَشُقُّ عَلى البَصَر

لَهُ سيمِياء لا تَشُقُّ عَلى البَصَر

A youth whom God showered with goodness as he approached,

He has a countenance that does not weary the eye.

كَأَنَّ الثُرَيّا عُلِّقَت فَوقَ نَحرِهِ

كَأَنَّ الثُرَيّا عُلِّقَت فَوقَ نَحرِهِ

وَفي أَنفِهِ الشِعرى وَفي خَدِّهِ القَمَر

وَفي أَنفِهِ الشِعرى وَفي خَدِّهِ القَمَر

As though the Pleiades were hung above his breast,

And Sirius upon his nose, and the moon upon his cheek.

إِذا قيلَتِ العَوراءُ أَغضى كَأَنَّهُ

إِذا قيلَتِ العَوراءُ أَغضى كَأَنَّهُ

ذَليلٌ بِلا ذُلٍّ وَلَو شاءَ لَاِنتَصَر

ذَليلٌ بِلا ذُلٍّ وَلَو شاءَ لَاِنتَصَر

When an insult is uttered, he lowers his eyes as though he were

Meek without abasement—though, had he wished, he would have avenged himself.