بأَبي وأُمّي كُلُّ ذِي

نَفسٍ تَعافُ الضَّيمَ مُرَّهْ

By my father and mother,

Every soul who spurns the oppressive deeds as bitter,

يَرضى بأَنْ يَرِدَ الرَّدى

فَيُمِيْتُها ويَشيدُ ذِكْرَهْ

Would accept that fate returns it decreed.

So it dies while exalting its mention.

وفتىً يُعَرِّضُ في صِيا

نَةِ عِرضهِ للرُّمْحِ نَحْرَهْ

And a noble youth exposing his honor,

To spearpoints in defending it from disgrace.

لو كانَ أَنفُكَ أَنفَهُ

لم تَلْحَهُ وَعَرَفْتَ عُذْرَهْ

Had you but smelt his fragrance, you'd

Excuse him, and perceive his sorrow.

تَمضي أَحَادِيْثُ الرِّجَا

لِ كأَنَّها في النَّومِ خَطْرَهْ

The stories of men flow as if a dream, their concern but thoughts for the youth.

Oh time, your vicissitudes to me are but sorrow.

وَحَوادِثُ الأَيامِ في

ها للفَتَى عَجَبٌ وفِكْرَهْ

The sweetness of bliss mixed with harm,

And benefit mingled with damage.

ما تَنْقَضِي يا دَهرُ لي

في صَرْفِك المجنونِ عَبْرَهْ

How excellent unalloyed happiness,

Though it come with bitterness in life!

صَفْوُ النعيمِ تَشُوبُهُ

والنفعُ يُمزجُ بالمَضَرَّهْ

Revealing what it had kept hidden,

Scandals it had kept secret.

يا حَبَّذَا محضُ السُّرُو

رِ ولَو أَتى في العيشِ مَرَّهْ

Oh careless one! Do not let relaxation make you heedless.

Whose nature is marred, for every intoxicant.

قد صَرَّحَتْ عن ذاتِها

بزلاءَ كانت مُسْتَسِرَّهْ

Therein duties roar and sins terrify.

Prepare for it with the strength of a high minded lion.

يا أَيُّها الصَمْصَامُ لا

تَأخُذْكَ دونَ الحزِم فَتْرَهْ

Not fatigued by the chase, unaware of stumbling.

The wolves of Babel seek to take advantage if they find unwariness.

أَنتَ الذي طُبِعَتْ مَضَا

رِبُهُ الرقاقُ لكل غَمْرَهْ

Hone your swords for their thick necks.

May God facilitate what you desire.

فيها الفَرائضُ مُرعَدَا

تٌ والذوائِبُ مُقْشَعِرَّهْ

Had you but walked a mile,

The doves would have cooed at sight of you.

شَمِّرْ لَهَا تَشْميِرَ طا

وٍ لا يُقيلُ الصَّيدَ عَثْرَهْ

Leap with the spring of a supported lion,

His fang seizing the game in fright.

انَّ الذئابَ ببابلٍ

يَطلُبنَ لو صادفنَ غِرَّهْ

None earns money nor attains provision,

Until he parts from the slothful stupor of kinsfolk.

فاهدِ السيوفَ لِهَامِهَا

أهَدى لكَ اللهُ المَسَرَّهْ

The enemies tried your courage and patience in combat.

Thus you may gain riches from one you had hated.

لو سِرْتَ مِيلاً واحداً

نَعَرَ الحِمامُ بِهنَّ نَعْرَهْ

I shepherded a hand against you

That came down like rain in abundance.

ثِبْ وثبةَ الأَسدِ المُسَا

نِدِ نابَه في الروعِ ظُفْرَهْ

I never sensed its lightning, it attained my hopes,

And the land became vacant wilderness.

لا يكسِبُ الكسبَ الكري

مَ ولا ينالُ الزَّادُ قَدْرَهْ

When your father summoned me,

I replied and obeyed his command,

حتى يفارق من لفي

فِ الغِيلِ والطرفاءِ خِدرَهْ

After my love for you had been continuous

With intimates.

قد جَرَّبَ الاعداءُ في ال

هَيْجَاءِ جُرأَتَهُ وَصَبْرَهْ

I praised you in soft song but it was

The envy of foes.

فَلرَبُمَّا نِلتَ الغني

مةَ في الذي قد كنتَ تَكْرَهْ

I saw your sea abundant,

Whose depths the whales cannot reach.

أَرعى يداً لكم عليْ

يَ تَهَلَّلَتْ كالغيثِ ثَرَّهْ

Mine are the pulpits, armies and captives.

If you are gone, you are not gone,

ما شِمْتُ بارقَهَا وَشَا

مَتْ مَطلبي والأَرضُ قَفْرَهْ

As long as the dawn kindles its light,

Until the sun returns to the constellation,

وأََبوكَ لما أَنْ دَعَا

لَبَّيْتُهُ وأَطَعْتُ أَمْرَهْ

From the sphere to the moon station.

مِنْ بَعْدِ ما كانتْ حِبَا

لي بالقَرائِنِ مُسْتَمِرَّهْ

أَنشَدْتُ مَدْحَكَ في النَّدِيْ

ي فكانَ للحُسَّادِ زَفْرَهْ

وَرَأَيتُ بَحْرَكَ زاخِراً

لا تُدرِكُ الحيتانُ قَعْرَهْ

مَنْ للمنابرِ وَالعَسَا

كِرِ والمناسِرِ والأَسِرَّهْ

انْ غبتُمُ لا غِبِتُمُ

ما دامَ يَحْدُو الصبحُ فَجْرَهْ

حتَّى تَعُوْدَ الشَّمسُ مِنْ

فَلَكِ البُروجِ الى المَجَرَّهْ