ألا صاحبٌ كالسيفِ حلوٌ شمائلُهْ

رداءُ الهوى مثلي على الشيبِ شاملُهْ

A friend like a sword, graceful his features

The garment of love covers me despite my grey hair

أخو عزمةٍ أو صبوةٍ عَربيّة

أحامسُه شكوى الجوى وأغازلُهْ

A brother of determination or an Arab nobility

His conversations are complaints of passion and I flirt with him

معي أين مالت بي من الأرض حاجةٌ

أعطِّفُه حتى كأنّي مفاصلُهْ

Whenever I needed something from the land I would bend him

As if I'm his joints

أضنّ به ما ضنّ جفني بمقلتي

فلا أنا مهديه ولا أنا باذلُهْ

I sympathize with him what my eyelids sympathize with my eyes

I'm not soothing him and I'm not spending on him

خليليَّ هل من نظرةٍ ترجعانها

إلى روح نجدٍ هل تخضَّر ذابلُهْ

My friend, is there a glance we could return

To the soul of Nejd, would it revive its withered one

وهل رشأ بالبانتين عهدته

على ما افترقنا لِيتُه وأياطلُهْ

Did it grow in the valleys since we parted

I wish it lasts with its ruins

رمَى يومَ سلعٍ والقلوبُ حوائدٌ

فما رام حتى أثبتَ السهمَ نابلُهْ

The day we met at Suluq while hearts leapt away

He shot an arrow and it stuck straight in its notch

هربتُ بلبيّ أتّقى سحرَ لفظهِ

ولم أدر أنّ السحرَ عيناه بابلُهْ

I escaped with my confusion fearing the magic of his words

Not knowing the magic was in his eyes Babylon

رأى مهجتي مرعىً وعينيّ مشرباً

فلم يُغنه ماءُ النّخيل وباقِلُهْ

He saw my love as a pasture and my eyes as a water spring

The water of palm trees was not enough, still begging for his rain

أساهر ليلاً بالغضا كلّما انقضت

أواخره كرّتْ عليَّ أوائلُهْ

I stay up nights with anguish, whenever its latter part ends

Its beginning rolls back at me

كأنّ الدجى بُرد تعاقد هدبُه

برضوى يمادي عمرَه ويطاولُهْ

As if the darkness is a intense cold

Prolonging its age in the meadows competing its height

رفعت لحاظي والظلامُ يصدُّها

لحيٍّ بسلمَى أين زالت زوائلُهْ

I lifted my blanket while darkness blocks it

For the one in Salma, where did his qualities go?

كأنّ خِلاطَ البين بين حُمولهم

لواعجُ قلبي بعدهم وبلابلُهْ

It's like the gathering of goodbye between theLoading camels

Is but the twisting of my heart after they left and its camels

وخلفَ سجوف الرقمِ بَيْض أكنَّةٍ

تكنّفه من جنب سلمى طلائلُهْ

Behind the veil are the white bunnies

Surrounded on both sides by Salma's baby camels

حمتهُ الرماحُ والحصانة أن تُرى

مَصاونه أو أن ترام مَباذلُهْ

The spears and well-knitted armors hide hisfeatures

So his gifts or brave actions may not be seen

وأغيد أعياه سوارٌ يُغِصّه

بخضبِ يديه أو حِقابٌ يجاولُهْ

Bangles scarcely fit his dyed hands

Or belts suit his figure

حفِظتُ الذي استودعتُ من سرّ حبّه

وهاجرته بغياً وقلبي مواصلُهْ

I've kept the secret of his love I confided

And I departed him seeking, and my heart still bonds with him

فما زال طرفي في الهوى وسفاهه

بحُلمِ فمي حتى علا الحقَّ باطلُهْ

My eye hasn't stopped loving and admiring him

Until right defeated by the dreams of my mouth

عَذيريَ من دنياي فيما ترومه

على عفّتي من بذلتي وتحاولُهْ

My excuse for what life aspires

Is my chastity from my generosity and its trials

تكلّفني أطماعُها تركَ شيمتي

لشيمتها والطبعُ يتعبُ ناقلُهْ

It preoccupies me to abandon my manners

For its manners as nature burdens its carrier

كفى شربتَيْ يومي رواحُ حلوبةٍ

عليّ وشَاءُ الحيّ دَثْرٌ وجاملُهْ

My daily potion is a sip of wine

Covering me while the living shiver and clench

أرى المرء لا يُضويه ما ردّ وجهَهُ

مصوناً ولا يُعييه ما هو باذلُهْ

I see men cannot be consoled from misfortunes

If protected or tired from their generosity

وما الحرصُ إلا فَضلةٌ لو نبذتها

لما فاتك الزادُ الذي أنت آكلُهْ

Greediness is nothing but excess if you abandon it

You won't miss provision you've already consumed

ومن غالب الأيامَ كان صريعةً

لجانب قِرنٍ لا يضعضَع كاهلُهْ

Fate made the virtuous throughout days

A casualty to the side of time shaking its shoulders

يصيب الفتى بالرأي ما شاء حظَّه

وما جرت الأقدارُ وهي تنازلُهْ

The young man gets from opinion what luck mandated

And what destiny drafted diminishing his status

يداوي بصيراً كلَّ داءٍ يصيبه

ويعمى عن الداء الذي هو قاتلُهْ

The insightful cures every illness that afflicts him

And is blind to the disease that actually kills him

فما لي وفي الأحرار بعدُ بقيّةٌ

تصافح كفّي كفَّ من لا أشاكلُهْ

Why should I have, among the noble, remnants

Who would shake my hand, I don't resemble?

إذا ما ابن عبد الله صحَّ وفاؤه

كفاني الطلابَ ودُّه لي ونائلُهْ

Whenever Ibn Abdullah became well and his loyalty right

His students sufficed me, loving me and reaching me

فما غام خطبٌ وجهُ أحمدَ شمسُهُ

ولا جفَّ عامٌ كفُّ أحمدَ وابلُهْ

Good news haven't stopped coming from Ahmad

Nor years from drying Ahmad's palm or rain

كريمٌ جرى والبحرَ شوطاً إلى الندى

فعاد بفضل السبق والبحرُ ساحلُهْ

A generous man who raced the sea to generosity

Then returned excelling over all ships

يُصدَّقُ ما قال الرواة فأسرفوا

عن الكرماء بعضُ ما هو فاعلُهْ

What narrators have said about the generous was true

And more than the truth of what its doer did

لعاذله حقٌّ على من يزوره

لكثرةِ ما يُغريه بالجود عاذلُهْ

One who blames him has the right for his openhandedness

Tempting him often to give lavishly

كأنّ الندى دينٌ له كلّما انقضت

فرائضُه عنه تلتها نوافلُهْ

It is as if generosity is his religious duty

Whenever its obligation on him passes, extras double

يلوم على إنفاقه كُثر ماله

فمن لك أن تَبقى عليه قلائلُهْ

Those who blame his spending no matter how much his money increases

How can anything remain with you in small number?

ترى مجدَه الشفَّافَ من تحت بِشرِه

إذا الخير دلّتنا عليه دلائلُهْ

You see his glory transparent through his honesty

If good leads the clues to him

كأنّ قناعَ الشمس فوق جبينه

ومنكبَ رضوَى ما تضمّ سرابلُهْ

It is as if the veil of sun is above his forehead

And Ridwa's shoulder carrying whatever fits his attire

مَديدُ نجادِ السيف إن هو لم يُطلْ

إذا قام قِيدَ الرمح وهو يعادلُهْ

Extending glory's course whenever unsheathed

Challenging the spear’s straps while equating

قليل رقاد العين إلا تعلَّةً

لماماً كأنّ الليلَ بالنوم كاحلُهْ

With little sleep except unwell

Preparing solutions as if the night tied him for rest

إذا عجَّ ظهرٌ مثقلٌ فهو عامدٌ

لأثقلَ ما حمّلتَهُ فهو حاملُهْ

If a back is heavily loaded, it is supported

By the heaviest responsibility it carries

فإن نزل الخطبُ الغريبُ تطلَّعتْ

له من خَصاصاتِ الذكاء شواكلُهْ

When faced with plight, his wisdom features shine

Resembling the stars for its sharpness

حَمَى الملكَ والذؤبانُ فوضى تنوشُه

تخاتله عن سَرْحِهِ وتعاسلُهْ

He protected the kingdom while wolves are frisky around it

Distracting it from departure and holding its reins back

ولبَّى وقد ناداه يا ناصرَ العلا

على فترةٍ فيها أخو المرء خاذلُهْ

Responding when asked "O victory aide in feebleness"

At times when one's brother disappoints

رمى خَلَلَ الآفاق منه بسَدّةٍ

إذا وُزنتْ بالدهر شالت مثاقلُهْ

He threw in the horizons from him a leather bag

Weighing it against time makes its heaviest burden swing

فيوماه عنه يومُ قِرنٍ يحاولُهْ

فيُرديه أو خَصمٌ ألدُّ يجادلُهْ

During his days but by an opposing kin

Trying to ruin him or a stubborn litigant

إذا الدولة استذرت بأيام عزّها

فما هي إلا رايه ومناصلُهْ

When the state sought refuge in its glory days

It is but its banner and pillars

ولم يكُ كالمُدلِي بحرمةِ غيرِهِ

ولا من أنالته العلاءَ وسائلُهْ

None is like the Guide in preserving others' sanctity

Nor those who ascended in status with its causes

غريباً على النعماء والخفضِ وجهُه

وناطقة بالعجز عنه مخايلُهْ

A stranger to favors and humbleness his face

His expressions speaking of inability from him

ولكنَّه البدرُ الذي ما خبت له ال

كواكبُ حتى بَيَّضَ الأفْقَ كاملُهْ

But he is the full moon that never wanes

Until planets whiten the horizon entirely

هو الراكب الدهماءَ تمشي بظهرها

على جَدَدٍ لا يحسد الركبَ راجلُهْ

He rides the wild steeds walking surely on their backs

Not envied by pedestrians for his smooth ride

عريضِ النياط لا يثور ترابه

بخُفٍّ ولا تُحفِي المطايا جنادلُهْ

With roomy saddle, dust does not flare under soft fur

Nor do the packed saddles bother its packed luggage

أمين الظمى لا تعرف العيسُ خِمسَهُ

ببَلٍّ إذا ثارت عليه قساطلُهْ

Trustworthy if creatures were to thirst

The rainfall realizes not even its fifth

لزاجر أعجازِ السوابق فوقه

يقاومه طوراً وطوراً يمايلُهْ

As the repeller beyond the competing horses

Chasing him for a period before slowly surpassing him

وتحسبه يهوِي ليُفضِي بسرّه

إلى جالسٍ ما إن يزال يزاملُهْ

You'd think he confides with a companion

What secret would remain that he didn't share?

أمينٌ بسرّي أو مؤدٍّ تحيَّتي

ومن يحمل السرّ الذي أنا حاملُهْ

A trustee of my secret or a responder to my greeting

And carrier of the secret I bear

لعلَّ الذي حُمِّلتُ من شوق أحمدٍ

يخف بأن تُشكَى إليه دواخلُهْ

Perhaps what I have burdened from Ahmad's passion

Would be relieved if I lament to him

عهدتُ فؤادي أصمعاً لا يخونُني

وصدري متيناً لا ترِثُّ حبائلُهْ

I promised myself to never betray

My chest fortress with unshakable ties

فما بال قلبي يستكين لهذه

وجأشِيَ قد جالت عليَّ جوائلُهْ

Why does my heart show weakness to this

And tremble as if strange matters shake it?

وأوْلى الهوى إن يستخفَّكَ ثقلُهُ

هوىً لم يُجرَّب قبلَه ما يماثلُهْ

It is inevitable for passion's weight to mystify you

A passion not experienced before with any equal

وقبلكُمُ ما خفتُ أن تسترقَّني

مياهٌ عن الماء الذي أنا ناهلُهْ

Even before you, I've never feared

That other waters would secretly lure me

ولا أنّ ربعاً بالصَليقِ تشوقني

على بغضها أوطانُهُ ومنازلُهْ

Nor that a neighborhood in a tiny village would tempt me

When I resent it, its homes and lodgings

ولكن أبَى الفضلُ المفرّع منكُمُ

على الناس إلا أن يخيّلَ خائلُهُ

But your abundant unmatched merit

Could only inspire deficient visions in one's mind

جزى الله يوماً ضَمَّ شملي إليكُمُ

صلاحاً وأعطاه الذي هو سائلُهْ

May God reward the day He gathered me with you

With wellness and give him what he asks for me

فما كنتُمُ إلا سحاباً رجوته

لبلِّ فمي فعمَّمتني هواطلُهْ

You were but clouds I hoped for to moisten my lips

So its pouring rain poured unto me

ويا طيبَ ما استعجلتُ كُتْبَ ودادِكم

لو انّي ببعدٍ لم يَرُعْنِيَ آجلُهْ

Yet, how soon have I rushed dear friendship

When distance wouldn't upset its fulfillment

بلغتُ بكم غيظَ الزمان وفيكُمُ

وأكثرُ مّما نلت ما أنا آملُهْ

With you I attained the days' wrath but in you

More than what I have is my expectation

فهل أنتَ يابن الخير راعٍ على النوى

أخاً لك لم تشغَلْه عنك شواغلُهْ

My friend are you heedful of good intention

A brother whom worries did not busy from you?

نعم عهدك العَقْد الذي لا تحلّهُ

يدُ الغدرِ والحبلُ الذي لا تساحلُهْ

Yes, your promise is an unbreakable bond

The betraying hand cannot loosen or disentangle

وأنك قد أحرزتَ منّي مهنَّداً

يروق وإن رثَّتْ عليه حمائلُهْ

You made me a weaved pillow I fancy

Though arrows have pierced it

وعذراءَ من سرّ الفصاحة بيتُها

طويل العمادِ متعِبٌ من يطاولُهْ

And an eloquent virgin whose house

Is tall, lasting, tiring all who proposed to her

لها نسَبٌ في الشعر كالفَجر في الدُّجى

متى تُظلِمِ الأنسابُ تُرفَعْ مشاعلُهْ

She has ancestry in poetry like dawn in the darkness

When lineage is ambiguous, her torches are raised

أبوها شريفُ الفكرِ والفخرُ كلُّه

إصابتُها صِهراً كأَنتَ تباعلُهْ

Her father nobly thoughtful and prideful in all

Attaining her, son-in-law, as if bonding with you

أتاك بها النيروزُ مني هديّةً

فلله ما أرسلتُ أو من أراسلُهْ

The New Year brought her to you from me as a gift

By Allah, neither did I send nor correspond for her

إذا برزتْ في زِيّ فارس قومِها

فحِلْيتها تيجانُه وأكالِلُهْ

If she appeared in her horse-riding uniform

Her jewelries crown, bands and garlands

فعش يُعجز الأقوامَ ما أنت فاعلٌ

كما يعجز الأقوالَ ما أنا قائلُهْ

Live in a glory making people helpless

As my words make expressions helpless

وأفضل ما مُلِّكتُه صفوُ خاطري

وها أنا مهديهِ فهل أنت قابلُهْ

The best of what I regulated is the comfort of my conscience