مُقَلُ الجَآذِرِ نَبلُها الأَلحاظُ

ما إِن لَها فَذَذٌ وَلا أَرعاظُ

Tender of root, their glances are its nobility,

With no waste or branches to them at all.

أَو لَم يَجُرنَ وَقَد مَلَكنَ قُلوبَنا

فَأَلَنَّها وَقُلوبُهُنَّ غِلاظُ

Or did they not influence when they possessed our hearts?

So they softened them while their own remained harsh.

يا ما لَهُنَّ لَذَعنَ بِالسُرَقِ الَّتي

سَفعُ الحَشا مِن لَذعِهِنَّ شُواظُ

O how their hidden swarms sting with bites

Whose pain makes rugged rock shriek out.

لِمَ سَيرُهُنَّ إِذا اِستَفَدن تَعَسُّفٌ

وَنُفوسُهُنَّ إِذا أَسَرنَ فِظاظُ

Why is their manner when they gain power unjust?

And their souls when they take captive are wrathful.

النَبلُ يَشوي وَقعهُنَّ وَإِنَّما

يُصمي فَيَقصِدُ وَقعها الأَلحاظُ

The arrows scorch their impact, but

It is the glances that accurately strike their target.

ما صَدَّهُ وَعظُ النَصيحِ عَنِ الصِبا

لَكِن نَهاهُ مَشيبُهُ الوَعّاظُ

He was not turned from his youth by advice’s admonishment,

Rather it was his grey hairs, the preachers, that deterred him.

لِأَبي عَلِيٍّ في المَعالي هِمَّةٌ

تَسمو بِهِ وَخَواطِرٌ أَيقاظُ

For my father Ali aspirations are lofty,

Raising him, and thoughts ever vigilant,

وَشَمائِلٌ ماءُ الحَياءِ مِزاجُها

وَخَلائِقٌ مَألوفَةٌ وَحِفاظُ

And manners whose essence is the water of modesty,

And habits familiar and protective,

وَمَكارِمٌ تَرنو إِلى عَليائِها

عَينُ الحَسودِ وَقَلبُهُ مُغتاظُ

And virtues that rise to their nobility,

While the eye of the envious and his heart are enraged.

فَهوَ الرَبيعُ ذُرىً فَداهُ مَعاشِرٌ

أَنداؤُهُم إِن حُصِّلَت أَوشاظُ

So he is the springtime whose cherished path

Their clamor, if gathered, would be discordant.

أَعذِر حَسودَكَ أَن يَبيتَ وَقَلبُهُ

لَهفانُ مُستَولٍ عَلَيهِ كِظاظُ

Excuse your envious one if his heart

Lies awake, possessed by brooding, consumed by rage.