لو سَالَمَتْهُ سجايا طَرفِكَ السَّاجي
لكان أوَّلَ صبٍّ في الهَوى نَاجِي
Had the glances of your drooping eyelids been safe
It would have been the first dawn in love complaining
سَرتْ أوائلُ دمعِ العينِ حينَ سرَت
أوائلُ الحيِّ من ظُعْنٍ وأحداجِ
The first tears began to flow when the cheeks of the living
Began with emaciation and solidity
ومن وراءِ سُجوفِ الرَّقْمِ شَمسُ ضُحىً
تجولُ في جنحِ ليلٍ مُظلمٍ دَاجِي
And behind the letters a morning sun
Wandering in the wings of a dark gloomy night
مقدودةٌ خَرَطَت أيدي الشبابِ لها
حُقَّينِ دونَ مجالِ العِقدِ من عاجِ
With outstretched hands the youths beckoned it
With rights below the scope of the knotty wood
كأنَّ عَبْرَتَها يومَ الفِراقِ جرَتْ
من ماءِ وجنتِها أو ماءِ أوداجِ
As if her tears on the day of parting had flowed
From the water of her cheeks or from fresh water springs
ما للقوافي خَطَت قَوماً محاسنُها
وَأُلْهِجَتْ بابنِ فَهدٍ أيَّ إلهاجِ
What is wrong with rhymes that their beauty has marked a people
And they were delighted with the son of Fahd, what an inspiration!
فكلَّ يومٍ تُريهِ رَوضةً أُنُفاً
تُربي على الروضِ من حُسنٍ وإبهاجِ
So every day it shows him a fragrant meadow
That nurtures beauty and delight in the meadow
مُفوَّفاتٌ إذا استسقَت أناملُه
ضَحِكْنَ من عارضٍ للجُودِ ثَجَّاجِ
Adorned fingers, when they intertwined,
Laugh from a cheek competing in generosity
ثَنى المديحُ إليه عِطْفَه فثَنى
أعطافَه منه في وَشيٍ وديباجِ
Praise leaned toward him, so he leaned
His leaned body towards it, in intimacy and fine garments
أغرُّ ما حكَمت يُمناه في نَشَبٍ
إلا تحكَّم فيه الآملُ الراجي
I boast of what his right hand ruled in valor
Unless his wishful hoping ruled it
ومُتعِبٌ في طِلابِ المجدِ همَّتَه
مُواصلٌ للسُّرى فيه بإدلاجِ
And striving in seeking glory, his resolve
Is continuous in it with persistence
مَعمورةٌ بذزي التِّيجانِ نِسبتُه
فما يُعدِّدُ إلا كلَّ ذي تاجِ
His lineage inhabited with the seeds of crowns
So none enumerate but those with a crown
تَسطو بأسمرَ يُمضيه سَنا قَبَسٍ
بينَ الشَّراسيفِ والأحشاءِ ولاَّجِ
With dark brown, his years advance a spark
Between the ribs, intestines, and whispers
والبِيضُ فوقَ متونِ الزَّعْفِ خافقةٌ
كأنهن حريقٌ فوقَ أمواجِ
And the white above the zebra's backs fluttering
As if they were a fire above the waves
عزْمٌ إذا نابتِ الأقوامُ نائبةٌ
تكشَّفَتْ عن سِراجٍ منه وهَّاجِ
A resolve, when the people experienced adversity
A tribulation was revealed from it, glowing
أبا الفوارسِ إني مُطلِقٌ هِمَمي
فيما أحاولُ من نأيٍ وإزعاجِ
O father of knights, I unleash my resolve
In what I attempt of remoteness and agitation
منافرٌ نفَراً رثَّت حِبالُهمُ
وأنهجَ الجودُ فيهم أيَّ إنهاجِ
Alienating the people whose ropes have worn out
And generosity has demolished in them any trails
ترى الأديبَ مُضاعاً بين أظهُرِهم
كأنه عربيٌّ بينَ أعلاجِ
You see the literary man being scorned among their backs
As if he were a Bedouin among non-Arabs!
فليسَ يُطرِبُهم أني مدحتُهمُ
وليس يُغْضِبُهُم أني لهم هاجي
It does not perturb them that I praised them
Nor does it anger them that I address them
وأنتَ تعلمُ أني جَدَّ لي سَفَرٌ
إني إلى الكُتْبِ فيه جِدُّ مُحتاجِ
And you know that I have a long journey ahead of me
I am in great need of books for it
فما يُطيلُ مُقامي في ديارِهُم
إلا انتظارُ طواميرٍ وأدراجِ
Nothing prolongs my stay in their homes
Except waiting for luggage and belongings
