إِنّي امرؤ مِن رَعَى عَيني رعيتُ لَه
مِني الذمامَ ومن أَنكرتُ أنكرني
I am a man who tended the flock with his eyes
I guarded it from the wolves but was disowned by those who denied me
أَما بَنو هاشِمٍ حَولي فَقَد فَزعُوا
نبل الضَبابِ الَّتي جَمَّعت في قَرَنِ
The Hashimites gathered around me in alarm
At the lightning I collected in my spear
فَما بِيَثرِبَ منهم مَن اُعاتِبُهُ
إِلّا عَوائِدَ أَرجوهُنَّ مِن حَسَنِ
None in Yathrib reproaches me
Except for women whose affections I hope to win
وَذاكَ من يأتِهِ يَعمَد إِلى رجلٍ
في كُلِّ صالحةٍ أَو صالحٍ قَمِنِ
He who comes to me, goes after a man
In every righteous or benevolent affair
لا يُسلمُ الحمدَ للسُوّام إِن سَخِطوا
بَل يَاخذُ الحَمدَ بالغالي مِن الثَمَنِ
I do not give praise to the vile even if they rage
Rather I take praise with the highest price
ما زالَ ينمي وَزالَ اللَهُ يَرفعُهُ
طَولاً عَلى بغضِه الأَعداءَ والإجنِ
He kept growing as Allah raised him
In height above his enemies and the ignorant
أَماتَ في جَوفِ ذي الشحناءِ ظِنَّتَهُ
وَكان داءً لِذي الشَحناءِ وَالظَنَنِ
He killed his suspicions in Zi Alshana’a
And it was ruinous for Zi Alshana’a to be suspicious
إِذا بَنو هاشِمٍ آلَت بِأَقدُحِها
إِلى المَفيضِ وَخافت دولةَ الغبنِ
When Bani Hashim cast their lots
To draw water while fearing poverty and destitution
حازَت يَدا حَسَنٍ قَدَحينِ من كَرَمٍ
لَم يَعمَلا نشب المبراةِ وَالسَفَنِ
The hands of Hasan obtained two bowls of bounty
Which were not made from the wood of contention and ships
لا يَستَريحُ إِلى إِثمٍ وَلا كذبٍ
عند السؤالِ وَلا يجتنُّ بالجننِ
He does not rest in sin or lies
When asked, nor treasures wickedness
ما قالَ أَفعلُ أَمضاهُ لوِجهَتِهِ
وَما أَبى لُجَّ ما يأبى فَلَم يكنِ
What he said he would do, he did for his principles
And what he refused, he absolutely refused to do
ما اطَّلعَت رأسها كيما تُهَدِّدُني
حصا تطرَّحُ مِن يعيى عَلى شَزَنِ
Whenever the serpents raised their heads to threaten me
Pebbles pelted by al-Ya'oo fell on their pates
إِلّا ذكرتُ ابنَ زيدٍ وَهوَ ذو صِلَةٍ
عند السنين وَعوّادٌ عَلى الزمَنِ
Except I remembered the son of Zayd, who has ties
To elders, and is accustomed to eras
فاِسلم وَلا زالَ مِن عاداكَ مُتحمِلاً
غيظاً وَلا زالَ معفوراً عَلى الذقنِ
So make peace, though he still bears patiently
The hatred of those hostile to you and remains forgiving
لَن يعتبِ اللَهُ أَنفاً فيكَ أَرغمهُ
حَتّى تَزول رَواسي الصخر مِن حضَنِ
Allah will not blame you if you force him
Until the foundations of the rocks fall from their crags
إِذا خلوت بِهِ ناجيتَ ذا طَبَنٍ
يأوي إِلى عَقلِ صافي العقلِ مُؤتَمَنِ
When alone with him, speak to one of insight
Who repairs to the mind of pure intellect, trusted
طَلقُِ اليدينِ إِذا اضيافُهُ طرقوا
يَشكونَ مِن قرّةٍ شَكواً ومن وسَنِ
Free handed when his guests come complaining
Of scarcity, in want and hunger
يأتوا يعدّون نجم اللَيلِ بينهُمُ
في مستحيرِ النَواحي راهقِ السِّمَنِ
They come counting the stars of the night among themselves
Around the furthest reaches, plump and with thick beards
ثُمَّ اِغتَدَوا وهم دُسمٌ شواربُهُم
وَلَم يَبيتوا عَلى ضَيحٍ من اللَبَنِ
Then they left with full stomachs, their moustaches
Without having spent the night craving milk
قَد جَعل الناس حَيّاً حَولَ منزلِه
شَفاً كقرنِ أَثيثِ الرأسِ مدَّهنِ
The people have made his house live
Like the well-arranged hair surrounding the head
فهم إِلى نائِلٍ مِنهُم ومنفعةٍ
يَعطونها ثكنٌ تَهوي إِلى ثكنِ
They are seeking provision and benefit from him
Which they are given in troops that flock to troops
أَوصافُ زيدٍ بِأَعلى الأَمرِ منزلَة
فَما أَخذتَ قَبيحَ الأَمرِ بالحَسنِ
Zayd's traits are of the highest status
You have not adopted the ugliest traits but the best
خَلّاتُ صُدقٍ وَأَخلاقٌ خُصِصْتَ بِها
فَلَم يَضِعنَ وَلَم يُخلطنَ بالدَرَنِ
Qualities of honesty and manners particular to you
They did not diminish or mix with worthless ones
تلقى الأيامِنَ من لاقاك سانحةً
وَجهٌ طَليقٌ وَعودٌ غير ذي أَبَنِ
You meet the days that meet you calmly
A face at ease, a body not bent with fatigue
وَأَنتَ مِن هاشِمٍ حَقّاً إِذا اِنتَسَبوا
في المنكبِ اللينِ لا في المنكبِ الخَشِنِ
You are truly of Hashim if they claim descent
By the soft shoulder, not the bony shoulder
بَنوكَ خَيرُ بنيهِم إِن حلفتَ لَهُم
وَأَنتَ خَيرهُمُ في اليُسرِ وَاللزنِ
Your sons are the best of their sons if you swear by them
And you are the best of them in ease and hardship
وَاللَهُ آتاكَ فَضلاً مِن عَطِيَّتِهِ
عَلى هَنٍ وهنٍ فيما مَضى وَهِنِ
And Allah granted you favour from His bounty
Above this and that in times past and present
