قالَت حُبِستَ فَقُلتُ لَيسَ بِضائِرٍ

حَبسي وَأَيُّ مُهَنَّدٍ لا يُغمَدُ

She said, "You are imprisoned," and I said, "It's no misfortune -

My imprisonment, for what brave man does not sheathe his sword?"

أَوَما رَأَيتِ اللَيثَ يَألَفُ غيلَهُ

كِبراً وَأَوباشُ السِباعِ تَرَدَّدُ

Have you not seen the lion grow accustomed to his lair

Out of pride? Yet the rabble of beasts comes and goes.

وَالشَمسُ لَولا أَنَّها مَحجوبَةٌ

عَن ناظِرَيكِ لَما أَضاءَ الفَرقَدُ

If the sun were not veiled from your eyes,

It would not shine on the horizon.

وَالبَدرُ يُدرِكُهُ السِرارُ فَتَنجَلي

أَيّامُهُ وَكَأَنَّهُ مُتَجَدِّدُ

The moon is overtaken by clouds, yet clears

Its days as if made new again.

وَالغَيثُ يَحصُرُهُ الغَمامُ فَما يُرى

إِلّا وَرِيِّقُهُ يُراحُ وَيَرعُدُ

The rain is confined by the clouds, unseen

Until its drizzle flows and thunders.

وَالنارُ في أَحجارِها مَخبوءَةٌ

لا تُصطَلى إن لَم تُثِرها الأَزنُدُ

And fire lies hidden in stones -

It is not lit unless flint strikes it.

وَالزاعِبِيَّةُ لا يُقيمُ كُعوبَها

إِلّا الثِقافُ وَجَذوَةٌ تَتَوَقَّدُ

The lively mare is not steadied but by

The bridle, and a briskness that kindles in her.

غِيَرُ اللَيالي بادِئاتٌ عُوَّدٌ

وَالمالُ عارِيَةٌ يُفادُ وَيَنفَدُ

Except the darkening nights, all is fickle -

Wealth borrowed, spent, and gone.

وَلِكُلِّ حالٍ مُعقِبٌ وَلَرُبَّما

أَجلى لَكَ المَكروهُ عَمّا يُحمَدُ

Every state has a successor, and sometimes

The hated makes clear the praiseworthy.

لا يُؤيِسَنَّكَ مِن تَفَرُّجِ كُربَةٍ

خَطبٌ رَماكَ بِهِ الزَمانُ الأَنكَدُ

Let no misfortune make you despair

Of relief from the most pressing sorrows.

كَم مِن عَليلٍ قَد تَخَطّاهُ الرّدى

فَنَجا وَماتَ طَبيبُهُ وَالعُوَّدُ

Many a sick man, though undone by ills,

Recovered, while his doctor died.

صَبراً فَإِنَّ الصَبرَ يُعقِبُ راحَةً

وَيَدُ الخَليفَةِ لا تُطاوِلُها يَدُ

Have patience, for patience brings comfort,

And the Caliph's hand is not beyond reach.

وَالحَبسُ ما لَم تَغشَهُ لِدَنِيَّةٍ

شَنعاءَ نِعمَ المَنزِلُ المُتَوَرَّدُ

Imprisonment is no mean dwelling

If no base warden degrades it.

بَيتٌ يُجَدِّدُ لِلكَريمِ كَرامَةً

وَيُزارُ فيهِ وَلا يَزورُ وَيُحفَدُ

A home renewing honor for the noble,

Where he is visited, not visiting.

لَو لَم يَكُن في السِجنِ إِلّا أَنَّهُ

لا يَستَذِلُّكَ بِالحِجابِ الأَعبُدُ

If prison had no more effect than

To spare you abasement by the lowliest guards...

يا أَحمَدُ بنَ أَبي دُؤادٍ إِنَّما

تُدعى لِكُلِّ عَظيمَةٍ يا أَحمَدُ

O Ahmed son of Abi Du'ad, you

Are called on for every lofty deed.

بَلِّغ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ وَدونَهُ

خَوضُ العِدى وَمخاوِفٌ لا تَنفَدُ

Convey to the Commander of the Faithful -

Beware plunged strife and unending fears -

أَنتُم بَني عَمِّ النَبِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

أَولى بِما شَرَعَ النَبِيُّ مُحَمَّدُ

You are the kin of the Prophet Muhammad,

Closer to what Muhammad decreed.

ما كانَ مِن حَسَنٍ فَأَنتُم أَهلُهُ

طابَت مَغارِسُكُم وَطابَ المَحتِدُ

Whatever good there is, you are its people -

Your roots are blessed, and blessed the faithful's way.

أَمِنَ السَوِيَّةِ يااِبنَ عَمِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

خَصمٌ تُقَرِّبُهُ وَآخَرُ تُبعِدُ

Is it of the rightly-guided, O kinsman of Muhammad,

To make one opponent near, another far?

إِنَّ الَّذينَ سَعَوا إِلَيكَ بِباطِلٍ

أَعداءُ نِعمَتِكَ الَّتي لا تُجحَدُ

Those who unjustly intrigued against you

Are enemies of the blessing you embody.

شَهِدوا وَغِبنا عَنهُمُ فَتَحَكَّموا

فينا وَلَيسَ كَغائِبٍ مَن يَشهَدُ

They bore witness while we were absent -

Then judged us though the absent witness naught.

لَو يَجمَعُ الخَصمَينِ عِندَكَ مَشهَدٌ

يَوماً لَبانَ لَكَ الطَريقُ الأَقصَدُ

If both opponents could but meet you one day,

The right path would be clear.

فَلَئِن بَقيتُ عَلى الزَمانِ وَكانَ لي

يَوماً مِنَ المَلِكِ الخَليفَةِ مَقعَدُ

If I outlive this era, and one day

Have status with the Caliphate...

وَاِحتَجَّ خَصمي وَاِحتَجَجتُ بِحُجَّتي

لَفَلَجتُ في حُجَجي وَخابَ الأَبعَدُ

If my opponent disputes and I make my case,

I will win with my proofs, and the distant fail.

وَاللَهُ بالِغُ أَمرِهِ في خَلقِهِ

وَإِلَيهِ مَصدَرُنا غَداً وَالمَورِدُ

God accomplishes His command among His creatures,

And to Him we go tomorrow, our haven.

وَلَئِن مَضَيتُ لَقَلَّما يَبقى الَّذي

قَد كادَني وَلَيَجمَعَنّا المَوعِدُ

If I pass before then, scarcely will remain

Those who envied me - we will meet again!

فَبِأَيِّ ذَنبٍ أَصبَحَت أَعراضُنا

نَهباً يُشيدُ بِها اللَئيمُ الأَوغَدُ

By what crime have our honors become

Prey for the vilest rogue?