1. My longing from the reproacher and the excuser
The one who wronged me regarding you and the one who harmed me
١. لَهْفِي من العَاذِلِ وَالْعَاذِر
ذَا ظَالمِي فيكَ وَذَا ضائِري
2. The one who weakened me regarding you and the one who helped me
For he looks into my eyes
٢. ذا عزَّني فيك وذَا عَادَني
لأَنَّه يَنْظر فِي نَاظِري
3. O you, the bird of beauty that enchanted me
My heart has left from my chest like a bird
٣. يا طائرَ الحُسْنِ الَّذي وَكْره
قد حَلَّ من قلبيَ فِي طَائِر
4. And the eyelid breaker who made my heart
Break with it in my claws like a breaker
٤. وكاسِرَ الْجَفْنِ الَّذي هُدْ به
قَلْبي بِه فِي مِخْلَبيْ كَاسِر
5. In it is a numbness that ignited the fire in me
And my heart became restless from the apathetic one
٥. فيه فتورٌ ألْهَبَ النَّارَ بي
واحر قلباه من الفاتر
6. Your glance has been afflicted by its magic
How amazing is magic upon the magician!
٦. طرفك قد أسقمه سحرُه
ما أَعْجَبَ السِّحرَ عَلَى السَّاحِر
7. And the mouth whose prose astounded me
O envy of the astounded poet!
٧. والثَّغرُ قَد أَفْحمنِي نَظْمُه
يَا حَسَدَ المفحَمِ للشَّاعِر
8. You did not visit me as a guest yet you visited me frequently as a specter
So hello to you, o visitor!
٨. مَا زُرْتَنِي ضَيْفاً وكَم زُرتَني
طَيْفاً فأَهلاً بك مِن زَائِر
9. You did not watch over my eyes while I was awake
But in my thoughts while I slept
٩. ولا عَلى عيني رَاقَبْتني
مستيقِظاً لكن على خَاطِري
10. You came to me as a specter so they were amazed
For with me, it has no end
١٠. نِمْتَ وطَيْفاً زُرتَني فاْعجَبوا
فإِنَّه عندي بِلاَ آخر
11. You returned after me as a protector of it
In your killing a Muslim with an infidel
١١. رجَعتَ بعدي حَنفيّاً بِه
في قَتْلِكَ المسلَم بِالْكَافر
12. How I long for the abandoned one from me
To kill me but with the hands of the emigrant
١٢. ما أَشْوق المهجورَ مِنِّي إِلى
قَتْلِي وَلكن بيدَ الْهَاجِر
13. So the ecstasy is for me alone without the people
And the kingdom belongs to Allah and the apparent one
١٣. فالْوجْد لي وَحْديَ دونَ الْوَرَى
والملكُ للهِ وللظَّاهِر
14. A king, the kings of the earth are in his captivity
With generosity or with the cutting sword
١٤. مَلكٌ مُلُوك الأَرْضِ في أَسْرهِ
بالجودِ أَو بالصَّارِم الْبَاتر
15. He captured them, the one who is in their captivity
The captive may gain prestige through the captor
١٥. أَسْراهُمُ مَن هُو في أَسْرهِ
قد يَشْرُفُ المأْسُورُ بالآسِر
16. Your hands, O conqueror, possess them
They have become under your forgiveness in the morning
١٦. تَمْلِكُهم مِنْه يَدَا قَاهِرٍ
قد أَصبحُوا مِنْهُ لدَى غافِر
17. You are excellent in pardon but you are
Better than what you can do as the capable one
١٧. ويُحسن العفْوَ ولكِنَّه
أَحسنُ ما كان من القادر
18. How much he stumbled his enemies
And how often you see him excusing the stumbler
١٨. كَم لأَعاديِه بِهِ عَثْرَةً
وكَمْ تَراه عاذِرَ الْعَاثِر
19. His policy in generosity has no equal
And how much precedent he has set
١٩. عَادَوه لَمَّا أَنْ رَأَوْا قَطْرَه
يُغْرِقُ في تَيَّارِه الزَّاخِر
20. His sword brought so much joy to a Muslim
Just as it brought misery to an infidel
٢٠. مَا جَحدُوا الفضلَ ولكنَّها
عَداوَةُ العَاجِز لِلْقَاهِر
21. How much victories he achieved and became victorious
He is described as the winner and the successful one
٢١. فقل لمن ناواه جهلاً به
علقم لا لست إلى عامر
22. He returned with victory and revived with it
The memory of his father, the victorious king
٢٢. من يَسمع الأَوْتَارَ لا يعتَرِضْ
للناقِض الأَوْتَارَ وَالواتِر
23. The light of my time's sun from his face
Is brighter like the shining moon
٢٣. يَصيدُ ظبيُ الخَدرِ حُسْناً ولا
يصيدُ غيرَ الأَسد الحاذر
24. He is praised in the complaining era
And just in the tyrannical time
٢٤. والدَّهْرُ في خِدمَتِه واقفٌ
يخدُمه بالفلكِ الدَّائِر
25. His favors are known by all people
Present and in the desert
٢٥. كم ثائرٍ صَار إَلى حِزْبه
فَأَدْرَكَ الثَّأْر مِنَ الثَّائِر
26. So everyone you see striving
In the abundance of his overflowing generosity
٢٦. وجرَّدَ السَّيف ولكنَّه
أَغْمَده في دَمِه الْمَائِر
27. He gives generously from its beauty
Yellow like the radiant gold
٢٧. وفازَ بالنَّصر فأَحْيَا بِه
ذِكْرَ أَبِيه الملك النَّاصِر
28. O king, the source of his favors
Is to stop at what comes and goes
٢٨. جلا دَياجِي الدَّهْرِ مِنْ وجهه
أَبلَجُ مثل القمرِ الزَّاهِرِ
29. I am the one who loved you, not for my own sake
But out of love for your magnificent grace
٢٩. مُمدَّحٌ في الزَّمن المُشْتكي
وعادلٌ في الزمن الجائِر
30. I have a tongue that has not ceased to be
Like a sword in the hands of one who draws it
٣٠. إِنعامُه عِند جميع الوَرَى
يُعرف بِالْبَادِي وبِالحاضر
31. How much news it has and how many
Common examples it has
٣١. فَكُلُّ مَن تُبصِرهُ سَاعِياً
في غمرةٍ مِنْ جودِه الغامر
32. If you wish, rhymed prose will come from a composer
Or if you wish, prose will come from a narrator
٣٢. يجود بالبِدرِة من حُسنها
صفراءُ مثلُ المُهرَةِ الضَّامِر
33. I wanted to praise you as a composer
And as a narrator with a perceptive mind
٣٣. يا ملكاً مورِدُ إِنعامِه
وقْفُ عَلى الوارِدِ والصَّادِر
34. If you wish, you can call my mind
A meadow in which I praise the rain
٣٤. أَنا الذي أَهواكَ لاَ لِلْجدا
لكِن هَوىً في فضلكَ الْبَاهر
35. So I said what I sent to that
Pure gathering is not as a servant
٣٥. ولي لسانٌ في فمِي لم يَزل
مثلَ حسامٍ في يَدَيْ شَاهِر
36. I hope for success in it while I am
Not the most knowledgeable among my people
٣٦. وكَم لَهُ مِنْ خَبرٍ شَائِع
وكم له مِنْ مثَل سَائِر
37. I presented my gratitude and I must
Present the favor to the grateful one
٣٧. إِن شئتَ جاءَ النظمُ من ناظمٍ
أَو شئتَ جاءَ النَّثْرُ مِنْ نَاثِر
38. It became in the land of Egypt, and indeed
The rest of me went to serve him
٣٨. وشئتُ أَنْ أَمْدَحه ناظِماً
وناثراً بالخاطِر الشَّاطِر
39. I sold myself in loyalty to him
And I am not losing in my sale
٣٩. وخاطري إِن شئتَ سَمَّيتَه
روضاً به أُثْني عَلى المَاطر
40. Who will defend me from an unjust ruler
Whose light is like the shining moon
٤٠. فقلتُ مَا أَرْسلته خادِماً
به لِذاكَ الْمجْلِسِ الطَّاهِرِ
41. Breaking the hearts of lovers without care
Of the losing party's loss
٤١. أَرجو نَفَاقا فِيه مَعْ أَنَّني
مَا أَنَا فِي قَوْمِيَ بِالبَائِر
42. They appointed him as judge so he judged between them
No, but he judged over them with injustice
٤٢. قَدَّمْتُه شُكْرِي ولاَ بُدَّ أَنْ
تُقَدَّمَ النُّعْمىَ إِلى الشَّاكِر
43. They are misguided, do not be surprised if one who
Seeks guidance from a defiant rebel goes astray
٤٣. وصارَ في مِصرَ بعضي وقد
سَارَ إِلى خِدْمتِه سَائِرِي
44. If they complain about him, I say that I
Am not a complainer of him but a thanker
٤٤. وبِعْتُ نفسي في ولائي له
ولَسْتُ في بَيْعِيَ بِالْخَاسِر
45. With him, my murder was delayed
With a sword from his apathetic eyelid
٤٥. مَنْ مُنْصِفي من حَاكِمٍ جَائِر
أَبلجَ مِثلِ القَمَر الزَّاهِر
46. He returned from it sympathizing with me
And became from it my reproacher and excuser
٤٦. مُخَسِّر العُشَّاقِ أَرْوَاحَهم
ولاَ يُبالِي غَبْنَ الْخَاسر
47. The eyelid is broken so my love flew away
How the breaker tore the bird away!
٤٧. هم حَكَّموه فقَضَى بينَهم
لاَ بَلْ عليهم بالْقَضاءِ الْجَائِر
48. O you who I am emigrating to, if only
My call when I call him was "O visitor!"
٤٨. ضلُّوا ولا تَعْجَب إِذا ضَلَّ مَنْ
يَرْجُو الهُدى مِنْ رَشإٍ جائِر
49. I have a watcher, if not for the fact
That I fear for my tears upon my watcher
٤٩. إِذَا شَكَوْا مِنْه فأَنِّي لَه
مَا أَنَا بِالشَّاكِي بَلْ الشَّاكِر
50. I have no power over your abandonment
Nor a victor over your injustice
٥٠. كَانَ به قَتْلِي عَلى مُهْلَةٍ
بِصَارِمٍ مِنْ جَفْنِه الْفَاتِر
51. Rise, let us drive away worries with a cup of drink
On a long night without sleep or driving away
٥١. وعَادَ مِنْه رَاحِمي غَابِطي
وصَارَ مِنْه عَاذِلي عَاذِرِي
52. Yellow that leaves nothing in the heart from
The whispers of sorrows or whistles
٥٢. قد كَسَر الْجفْنَ فَطارَ الحَشَا
مَا أَفْتَكَ الْكَاسِرَ بالطَّائِر
53. I will not be led to drink by the cup
So bring it and drink to praising one
٥٣. يا هَاجِري لَيتَ نِدائِي إِذَا
ناديتُه كَان بِيَا زَائِري
54. I will not forget from his favors my rememberer
I would not, were it not for honesty in praising him
٥٤. لِي نَاظِرٌ لو لَمْ تكُنْ فِيه مَا
أَشْفَقْتُ مِنْ دَمْعِي عَلَى نَاظِري
55. Associate with my name the trait of poet
And poetry is a sin unless for his glory
٥٥. مَا لي عَلى هَجْرِكَ مِنْ قُوَّة
ولا عَلَى جَوْرِكَ مِنْ نَاصِر
56. His forgiveness is hoped for from the forgiving one
Any poetry I said in another
٥٦. قُمْ نَزْجُر الهَمَّ بكأْسِ الطِّلا
ليلَةَ لاَ ناهٍ ولاَ زَاجِر
57. It is an experimentation of the mind
The king, the glorious king who I am
٥٧. صفراءَ لا تتركُ في القلبِ مِن
وسَاوِسِ الأَحزانِ مِنْ صَافِر
58. Drowning in his abundant generosity
His manifest and hidden favors have no
٥٨. ومِنْ مُديرِ الكَأْسِ سُكْرِي فَلا
أُحيلُ بِالكأْسِ عَلى الدَّائِر
59. Equal, neither in the desert nor in the city
King of kings of earth in his matter
٥٩. فهاتِها واشْربْ عَلى مَدْح مَن
لَمْ أَنْس مِنْ إِنْعامِه ذَاكِرِي
60. With generosity or the cutting sword
Praised in the complaining time
٦٠. ما كنتُ لَولاَ الصِّدقُ في مَدْحِه
أُلصِقُ باسمِي سِمةَ الشَّاعِر
61. And just in the tyrannical time
His giving was for him first
٦١. والشِّعر ذَنْبٌ في سِوى مَجْدِه
تُرجَى لَهُ مَغْفرةُ الْغافرِ
62. But it was without last
Rarities of generosity, he has regular
٦٢. وكلُّ شِعْر قُلْتُ في غَيْرِه
فإِنَّه تَجرِبَةُ الخَاطِر
63. When the regular is seen as rare
He demolishes property when he builds prominence
٦٣. المَلِكُ الْملْكُ العزيزُ الَّذي
غَرِقْتُ في إِنْعامِه الزَّاخِر
64. Oh wonder of the demolisher, the constructor!
He pardons the sinner when able
٦٤. إِنْعَامُه الْبَادِي مَعَ الْحاضِر ال
مَوْجُودِ في البادِي وفي الحَاضِر
65. How excellent is pardon from the able!
So the inspiration of the inspired is his favor
٦٥. ملك ملوك الأرض في أمره
بالجود أو بالصارم البتر
66. And his forbearance excuses the stumbler
His conduct in generosity has no equal
٦٦. ممدوَّحٌ في الزَّمن الْمُشتَكَى
وعَادلٌ في الزَّمَنِ الْجَائِر
67. And how much precedent he has
His sword brought so much joy to a Muslim
٦٧. وبذلُه كَان لَهُ أَوَّلٌ
لكِنَّهُ كَانَ بِلاَ آخِر
68. Just as it brought misery to an infidel
How much victories he claimed and became victorious
٦٨. فنادِرُ الجُودِ لَهُ راتِبٌ
حِينَ يُرى الرَّاتِبُ كَالنَّادِر
69. He is described as the winner and the successful
He returned with victory and revived with it
٦٩. يهدِمُ مَالاً حِينَ يبني عُلاً
يا عَجَباً لِلهَادِمِ العَامِر
70. The memory of his father, the victorious king
O king, the source of his favors
٧٠. يَعْفُو عَن الْجَاني على قُدرَةٍ
ما أَحْسَن الْعَفْوَ مِنَ القَادر
71. Is to stop at what comes and goes
I am the one who came to you, not for my own sake
٧١. فَمُنهضُ المنهاض إِنعامُه
والحِلْمُ منه عاذِرُ العَاثِر
72. But out of love for your magnificent grace
I have sent from my rainy thoughts
٧٢. سيرتُه في الجودِ لا مِثْلها
وكم لَه مِن مَثَلٍ سَائِر
73. So listen to what I compose
٧٣. وسيفُه كم سَرَّ مِنْ مُسْلمٍ
كَمَا به قَدْ سَاءَ مِنْ كَافِر
٧٤. كَمْ ظَفَرٍ فَازَ به فاغْتَدى
يُنْعَت بالفَائِزِ والظَّافِر
٧٥. وعَادَ بالنَّصرِ فَأَحْيَا بِه
ذِكْرَ أَبِيهِ الْمِلكِ النَّاصِر
٧٦. يَا مَلِكاً مورِدُ إِنْعامه
وقْفٌ عَلى الْوَارِد وَالصَّادِر
٧٧. أَنَا الَّذي جئتُك لا للْجَدا
بل لِلْهوى في فَضْلِكَ الْبَاهر
٧٨. أَمْطَرتَني بالجُودِ فاسْمع لِما
أُنْشِئُه مِنْ خَاطِري المَاطِر