جفاك الشعر يا (معروف) شيخا

جفاك الشعر يا (معروف) شيخا

وطيب فتى به وصلا وطابا

وطيب فتى به وصلا وطابا

Poetry has forsaken you, O Ma'ruf, in your old age,

Your poetry has grown old, O Ma'rouf, though you were once a fine youth full of union and delight,

Poetry has shunned you, O Ma'ruf, now that you are old,

Yet in youth it sweetened your bond with it and was itself sweet.

I saw poetry most resembling melodies, giving the sincerest love to youth,

Though it once scented the youth with union and delight.

رأيت الشعر أشبه بالغواني

رأيت الشعر أشبه بالغواني

يخص بصادق الحب الشبابا

يخص بصادق الحب الشبابا

I found poetry most like beautiful women:

I eulogized the foremost poet of the East, who failed though eminent in poetry, rising and falling,

I have seen that poetry is most like beautiful maidens,

It reserves its true love for the young.

And bent under his burden, reproaching the youth of the Two Rivers,

Bestowing sincere love strictly upon the young.

رثيت لشاعر في الشرق فحل

رثيت لشاعر في الشرق فحل

خبا في الشعر طالعه وخابا

خبا في الشعر طالعه وخابا

I felt pity for a master poet in the East,

Discharging him of blame - how then can your father be rewarded with punishment for his consequences?

I grieved for a master poet of the East,

Whose star in poetry faded and failed.

A father named Iraq aspired nobly, and blazed as a comet on the horizon of the Sawad,

Whose star in verse has dimmed and failed.

وناء بعبئه حملا فأزرى

وناء بعبئه حملا فأزرى

شباب الرافدين به عتابا

شباب الرافدين به عتابا

He staggered beneath his burden, then was belittled

The tribe recognizes him as an old man, but fails to recognize him when he was young,

He struggled beneath the burden he bore until he faltered,

By the youth of the Two Rivers, with reproach.

And people's nature is to forget hands, when their flow ebbs and hides away,

Drawing reproach from the youth of the Two Rivers.

أقيلوه العثار فكيف يجزى

أقيلوه العثار فكيف يجزى

أبوكم في عواقبه عقابا

أبوكم في عواقبه عقابا

Pardon his stumbles—how can he be repaid,

So tell the disparaged poet, despite those who reproached and blamed him,

Forgive his stumble; for how should he be repaid—

Your father, in his later years, with punishment?

You will live on, and no matter if your loved ones don't weep for you, be patient -

Your father—in his final days, with punishment?

أب باسم (العراق) سما عريقا

أب باسم (العراق) سما عريقا

وفي أفق (السواد) نما شهابا

وفي أفق (السواد) نما شهابا

A venerable father who rose in Iraq's name,

You will find your reward from your Creator.

A father who soared high and noble in the name of Iraq,

And grew into a shooting star on al-Sawad's horizon.

And rose as a meteor on the horizon of the fertile plains.

أتعرفه العشيرة وهو كهل

أتعرفه العشيرة وهو كهل

وتنكره العشيرة حين شابا

وتنكره العشيرة حين شابا

Does the clan recognize him while he is middle-aged,

Does the tribe acknowledge him when he is in his prime,

And disown him once he has turned gray?

Yet disown him when his hair turns gray?

وطبع الناس نسيان الأيادي

وطبع الناس نسيان الأيادي

إذا ما غاض موردها وغابا

إذا ما غاض موردها وغابا

And it is human nature to forget favors,

It is the nature of people to forget past favors,

When their source runs dry and disappears.

Once their source runs dry and disappears.

فقل للشاعر المزرى بعيب

فقل للشاعر المزرى بعيب

ستخلد رغم من أزرى وعابا

ستخلد رغم من أزرى وعابا

So tell the poet disparaged for a fault:

So say to the poet disparaged for a flaw:

You will be immortal, despite those who belittled and found fault with you.

You shall remain immortal despite those who scorn and blame.

ومهما لم يثبك ذووك فاصبر

ومهما لم يثبك ذووك فاصبر

ستلقى عند خالقك الثواب

ستلقى عند خالقك الثواب

And even if your own people do not reward you, be patient;

And however your kinsmen fail to reward you, have patience,

You will find your reward with your Creator.

You will find your true reward with your Creator.