أَرَأَيتَ طَيفَ خَيالِها لَما سَرى
تَرَكَ الدُّجا إِلّا صَباحاً مُسفِرا
Did you see her phantom image when it departed,
Leaving gloom except for the dawn's first light?
وافى وَقَد عَلِقَ الرُّقادُ بِهائِم
حَكَمَت عَلَيهِ هُمومُهُ أَن يَسهَرا
Slumber overcame the wakeful while she came to him,
His worries decreed that he stay up through the night.
لا تَحسدوهُ عَلى زِيارَتِهِ فَما
مَنَحَ الوِصالَ وَإِنَّما مَنَعَ الكَرى
Do not envy him for her visit—she withheld union,
Though she granted the torment of parting's blight.
حَظ عُرِفتَ بِهِ فَلَستُ أَذُمُّهُ
وَلَقَد يَطولُ الشَّيء حَتّى يَقصُرا
The fortune you're known for I do not resent,
Though oft the long seems short until it is curtailed.
وَسَجِيَّةٍ في الغَدرِ كُنتُ أَعيبُها
حَتّى عَرَفتُ بِها الصَّديقَ الأَكبَرا
I'd fault her fickleness until I realized
Through it who proved the greatest, true friend of might.
يا صاحِبَيَّ وَما وَثِقتُ بِصاحِبٍ
إِلّا تَغَيَّرَ ودُّهُ وَتَنَكَّرا
My friend, I've not trusted any friend
But he changed affection and turned to flight.
أَرَأَيتُما مِثلي يُرامُ قيادُهُ
مِن بَعدِ ما نَشَطَ العِقالُ وَجَرجَرا
Have you seen the likes of me, whose lead is contested
After the bridle engaged and the course was set right,
وَيُسامُ أَن يَرضى الخُمولَ وَقَد أَبى
إِيماضَ وَجهِ الصُّبحِ أَن يَتَسَتَّرا
And urged to accept lethargy though he refused
The dawn's emerging face from hiding its light?
ما تَنقِمُ الأَعداء إِلّا أَنَّني
أَندى يَداً مِنهُم وَأَطيَبُ عُنصُرا
The foes resent only that I've helped and favored
The excellent and most noble breed.
وَمِنَ البَلِيَّةِ في الزَّمانِ مُعانِدٌ
يَخزيكَ أَن يُعزى إِلَيكَ وَيُذكَرا
Among the calamities of time an opponent
Would shame you to be blamed for ties or connection.
ما أَهوَنَ الدُّنيا إِذا نَظَرَ امرؤ
فيها وَآنَ لِحازِمٍ أَن يَنظُرا
How slight is the world when a man gazes
At it, and it's time for the prudent to gain insight.
وَأَقَلُّ ما يَجِدُ الحَريصُ مُرادَهُ
وَإِذا أَراحَ فَما يَفوتُ مُقَدَّرا
The desirous find scant fulfillment of wants;
When rest comes, nothing destined will be denied.
مَن مُبلِغ اللُّؤماء إِنَّ رَكائِبي
وَجَدَت مَراحاً للإِباء وَمَصدَرا
Who will tell the miserable wretches my steeds
Found pasture, water pure and untainted?
تَرَكَت مُقارَبة الدَّنِيِّ وَفارَقَت
ماء بِلَوم الوارِدينَ مُكَدَّرا
I left off drawing near the lowly and parted
From turbid water the coming visitors muddied.
وَرَأَت عِمادَ المُلكِ أَكرَمَ شِيمَةٍ
مِن أَن يُكَلِّفَها المَناخَ الأَوعَرا
I saw the pillar of kingship most honorable—
No rougher path does it oblige me to ride.
مَلِك يَذُمُّ مِنَ الزَّمانِ فَخارَهُ
جَذلانَ يَهزَأ بِالقَضاءِ إِذا جَرى
A king who scorns the arrogance of time,
Disdainful of fate however it provides.
وَمُتَوَّج يَلقى العُفاةَ بِوَجهِهِ
بِشراً كَما لَمَعَ السَّحابُ وَأَمطَرا
A crowned head who greets commoners with his face
Radiant as the clouds gathered and rained.
كَالصَّارِمِ الهِندِيِّ إِلّا أَنَّهُ
أَمضى شَباً مِنهُ وَأَكرَمُ جَوهَرا
Like the Indian sword but superior,
Its metal choice, its essence refined.
وَاللَّيثِ لَولا أَنَّهُ يَندى يَداً
وَيَلينُ أَخلاقاً وَيَحسُنُ مَنظَرا
And a lion, if not for stretching out a hand
Gentled in nature, graceful in mien.
مَلأَت وَقائِعُهُ الطُّروسُ فَلَم تَدَع
في الأَرضِ إلا سائِلاً أَو مُخبرا
His feats filled albums—he left no need
On earth except for a seeker or informer.
وَدَعَت مَواهِبُهُ العُفاةَ فَلَم تَذَر
في النَّاسِ إِلّا طالِباً أَو مُوسِرا
His gifts left no people save those wanting more,
None but the rich, or in poverty mired.
دامي الأَسِنَّةِ وَالظُّبى فَكَأَنَّما
طَبَعوا لَهُ وَردَ الخُدودِ الأَحمَرا
My wine of speech and antelope racing as if
His red cheeks were imprinted by them when inspired.
سَمُّوهُ ذا الحَسَبَينِ لَمّا قابَلوا
في المَجدِ مِرداساً عَلَيهِ وَجَعبَرا
They named him “The Two Noble Lineages” when
They saw his glory and the Pleiades vying.
وَلَوِ اِهتَدوا لَرَأَوهُما نالا بِهِ
شَرَفاً عَلَى الشَّرَفِ التَّليدِ وَمَفخَرا
Had they but known, the two gained through him
A nobility above traditional pride.
قَد قُلتُ لِلأَعداءِ غَيرَ مُجامِلٍ
لَهُمُ وَأَعذَرَ فيهُم مَن أَنذَرا
I have told the foes outright, not to appease
But to warn whoever among them will be guided.
أَمّا الثُّغورُ فَإِنَّ دونَ مَرامِها
لَيثاً أَشَمَّ السّاعِدَينِ غَضَنفَرا
The land’s defense rests with a lion whose arms
Are strong, brisk, his claws like Indian swords.
أَلقى ذِراعَيهِ وَأَطرَقَ مُلبِداً
مِن بَعدِ ما هَجَرَ العَرينَ وَأَصحَرا
He tossed his arms in resignation and bent,
Gloomy, after leaving the den he patrolled.
لا تَحمِلوهُ عَلى العُقوقِ فَتوقِظوا
طَبّاً بِأَدواءِ العُقوقِ مُكَدَّرا
Do not drive him to filial impiety, provoking
A nature pure to bitter enmity.
جَرَّبتُموهُ مُحارِباً وَمُسالِماً
وَعَرَفتُموهُ مُصَمَّماً وَمُعَذَّرا
You have tested him in war and peace
And found him steadfast, or excusing error.
وَبَلَوتُموهُ فَما وَجَدتُم عِندَهُ
إِلّا الصَّوارِمَ وَالوَشيجَ الأَسمَرا
In him you have found only the swords and armor
Bristling, darkly arrayed for the field.
وَبَدَت لَكُم في النَّقعِ بيضُ سُيوفِهِ
فَرَأَيتُمُ فيها الحَمامَ مُصَوَّرا
You saw the gleam of his blades in their scabbards—
Doves embellished, portrayed there revealed.
تِلكَ الوَقائِعُ فيكُمُ مَشهورَة
وَالسَّيفُ لَيسَ يَروعُ حَتّى يُشهَرا
Those feats among you are widely known,
Nor does the sword intimidate until it is yielded.
لا تَعدِ مَنَّكَ أسرَة مُضَرِيَّةٌ
نَزَلَت بِساحَتِكَ الجَنابَ الأَخضَرا
Count no injuries by baleful foes
Who encamped on your plain, verdant, emerald.
كَم أَدرَكَت بِنَداكَ مِن أَوطارِها
خَطَراً وَكَم قَرَعَت بِسَيفِكَ مِنبَرا
How many perils were checked at your call,
How many platforms pounded by your sword!
أَسعَرتَ جَمرَةَ عامِرٍ وَهيَ الَّتي
لا تُنكِرُ الأَعداء أَن تَتَسَعَّرا
You kindled the embers of glory, everlasting,
That even the foes cannot deny have sparked.
وَحَمَت مَخافَتُكَ الجَزيرَةَ هَيبَةً
فَكَأَنَّما قادَت إِلَيها عَسكَرا
Your awe protected the peninsula, filling it
As though you drove an army there to guard.
وَتَحَيَّرَ الغُزِّيُّ في ظَلمائِها
حَتّى أَضاءَ لَهُ النَّهارُ فَأَبصَرا
The invader wandered its darkness bewildered
Until daylight illumed and helped him see.
إِيّاكَ أَن تَرِدَ الفُراتَ فَإِنَّهُ
ماء يَعودُ الجَونُ مِنهُ أَشقَرا
Beware denying the Euphrates, for it is
Water that returns the soul made limpid.
فَمَضى وَما وَجَدَ الفِرار دَنِيَّةً
مَن خافَ حَدَّ ظُباكَ أَن يَتَدَبَّرا
So he went, finding no dishonor in flight
From fear of your crocodile's bite and aggression.
أَوَ لَيسَ مَحمودُ بنُ نَصر دونَهُ
فَحَذارِ إِن نَفَعَ امرَأ أَن يَحذَرا
Does not Mahmoud ibn Nasr come next?—so caution,
If a man benefits, that you take care.
يا جامِعَ الحَسَناتِ دَعوَة عائِذٍ
بِنَداكَ أَدلَجَ في رِضاكَ وَهَجَّرا
O gatherer of beauties, the plea of one seeking refuge
In your help, devoted to your wish and will.
ما كُنتُ أَحسَبُ أَنَّ جودَكَ يُقتَضى
حَتّى أَقولُ مُنَبِّهاً وَمُذَكِّرا
I did not reckon your generosity could be sought
Until I speak as a reminder defined.
وَأَخافُ فيكَ مِنَ الوُشاةِ وَلَم تَكُن
مِمَّن يُخافُ عَلَيهِ أَن يَتَغَيَّرا
Yet I fear the slanderers’ effect on you—but you are not
One to be feared changed, or no longer kind.
حاشَا لِعَدلِكَ أَن يَنالَ مَطالِبي
قَومٌ سَبَقتُهُمُ إِلَيكَ تَخَيُّرا
Far be it from your justice to grant my request
While people preceded me, their choice fulfilled,
فَيَكونُ سَهمي في الغِناء مُقَدَّماً
عَنهُم وَحَظِّي في العَطاءِ مُؤخَّرا
So my share in plenty comes before theirs
And my lot in gifts lags latterly.
طَلَعَت عَلَيهِم مِن نَداكَ سَحابَةٌ
تَروي البِلادَ وَما تَبُلُّ لِيَ الثَّرى
A cloud rose over them from your rainshowers
Watering the land, leaving my soil unfilled.
وَسَرَيتُ قَبلَهُمُ إِلى إِدراكِها
وَبَدا الصَّباحُ فَما حَمَدتُ بِهِ السُّرى
I set out before them to meet it
As dawn broke—and I did not praise that course.
وَلَقَد صَبَرتُ وَكُلُّ صَبرٍ نِعمَةٌ
إِلّا إِذا سَرَّ العِدى أَن أَصبرا
I have been patient—all patience is a blessing,
Unless when enemies rejoice that I bear the offense.
وَأَصَبتُ بِشرَكَ دونَ وَفرِكَ إِنَّهُ
ثَمَنٌ يُباعُ بِهِ الكِرامُ وَيُشتَرى
I was struck by your partnership, not abandonment—that
Is the price at which honor is sold, glory gained.
هَذا عِتابُكَ غَيرَ أَنَّ وَراءهُ
قَلباً أَرَقَّ عَلَيكَ مِن أَن يَهجُرا
This, your reproof, but behind it
A heart too soft to ever spurn or desert me.
فارجِع إِلى الرَّأي الَّذي جَرَّبتَهُ
فَوَجَدتَ مَيمونَ النَّقيبَةِ مُثمِرا
So return to proven wisdom, found fruitful,
And favor me—for you know my due measure.
وَامنُن عَلَيَّ فَقَد قَدِرتَ وَإِنَّما
أَمسَكتُ عَن نُعماكَ حَتّى تَقدرا
Know I have held back from your boons only so
You could judge me deserving, competent, eager.
وَاعلَم بِأَنّي ما ذَخَرتُ نَصيحَةً
عِندي فَمالَكَ في النَّدى أَن تَذخُرا
Know too that I hoarded no advice for myself—
For you to bestow gifts freely need none from another.
وَتَهَنَّ بِالعيدِ الَّذي شَرَّفتَهُ
لَمّا بَرَزتَ مُصَلِّياً وَمُكَبِّرا
Be festive on the Feast you ennobled
When you emerged, praying, proclaiming God's grandeur.
وَاسلَم لَهُ وَلِكُلِّ يَوم مِثلِهِ
حَتّى تَقودَ عِداكَ فيهِ وَتَنحَرا
Submit to it and each day like it
Until you lead your foes humbled, overpowered.
