دمعي وإن كان دماً سائلا

فما أسوم الديَةَ القاتلا

My tears, though they be blood flowing,

I shall not pay the wergild for the slain.

من حكمَّ الألحاظَ في قلبه

دلَّ على مقتله النابلا

He who judges eyes in his heart,

His death is shown by the archer's arrow.

بعثتُ طرفي بمِنىً قانصاً

وكان في كفَّته حابلا

I sent my glance as a bold suitor,

And he held it captive in his palm.

سل نافثَ السحر بنجدٍ متى

حُوّل نجدٌ بعدنا بابلا

Ask the enchanter of magic in Najd - when

Was Najd after us changed into Babel?

ونادِ لمياء سهرنا لها ال

ليلَ فلم نُحرزْ به طائلا

And call out to the water of our wakefulness -

Did the night bring any use when we kept it?

دَيْني على فيك فلا تقنعي

وهو مليءٌ أن يُرَى ماطلا

My debt to you - do not be content

When it is full that it be seen delayed.

اِستعجلَ النفْرُ المطايا فهل

من موعدٍ ننظره آجلا

The riders hurried the steeds, so is there

An appointed time we await postponed?

لو جُمع الرأيُ بجَمع لنا

لم نُزجِ من يَعملةٍ ناحلا

If counsel were united in our gathering,

We would not yoke one working alone.

أو كان في الركب الحسينُ انبرت

كفَّاه أو علّمك النائلا

Or the excellent Hussein was in the group -

It would suffice him or make you an attainer.

لبَّى بنو عبد الرحيم الندى ال

داعي وحلّوا ربعه الماحلا

The clan of Abdu'l-Rahim answered the call -

A summoner - and they pitched their dwelling.

واعتلقوا المجدَ بأعنانه

حيث يَحُطُّ النسبُ الخاملا

And they clung to glory by its bridle

Where pedigree descends, languishing.

تمسى حقوقُ الجود في وفرهم

تأخذ منه الحقَّ والباطلا

The rights of generosity become rich with them -

Taking the due and the false equally.

لا تعرف الجائرَ أحكامُهم

ومالُهم لا يعرف العادلا

Their judgments do not recognize the unjust one,

And their wealth does not know the equitable one.

حامون من ذابلِ أقلامهم

بما يفوت الأسلَ الذابلا

They protect, by what makes the powerless wither,

From the sword made feeble by rust.

وخلَّفوا مجدهمُ لابنهم

فقلّدوه الراعيَ الكافلا

And they left their glory to their son -

So they gave him leadership, all-encompassing.

كالسيف يحلو سِلمُه حالياً

زيناً ويُرضِي حربَه عاطلا

Like a sword, its sheath is beautifully adorned,

Yet its war leaves it idle.

سهلٌ إذا ما فغرتْ أزمةٌ

يأكل منها الراكبُ الراجلا

Smooth, when crisis gapes open-mouthed -

The rider and the walker eat of it.

صاحَ على ظلمائها مُوقداً

لله من يَنشُد لي سائلا

It shouted against its oppressors, kindling

For God's sake, who will plead me to a questioner?

أنحلَه المجدُ وقِدْما جنىال

رأيُ السمينُ البدنَ الناحلا

Glory made him pliant while he plucked fruit young,

The view of the plump deemed the slender body feeble.

لِيمَ على البذل فلما أبى ال

سحابُ إلا أن يُرى باذلا

Base in spending, when the clouds refused

Except to be seen pouring down.

وافقه في الجود عُذَّالُه

من جَمعَ العاشقَ والعاذلا

His reproacher agreed with him in generosity -

He who gathered lover and blamer.

إذا غلا في القول سُوّامُه

جرَّبتَ منه القائلَ الفاعلا

When the swords in speech were unsheathed,

You tried from it the sayer and the doer.

والخُلُقَ الفضفاضَ لا ناشزاً

في جانب العُجبِ ولا خائلا

And the quality, abundant, not stubborn -

In the side of vanity nor shrinking.

إذا السجايا خضنَ لؤماً نجا

مطهَّراً من عارها ناصلا

When evil traits appear vile, he escapes

Cleansed of its shame, determined.

جاد عليك الشعرُ شؤبوبَهُ

مصطفياً مدحَك أو ناخلا

Poetry flowed to you in streams -

Praising your excellence or commenting.

إن حَلّ أجرىَ مثلاً سائراً

أو سار بقَّى طللاً ماثلا

If an example flowed, passing on,

Or remained, ruins enduring,

فَرداً بحكم الحسنِ لكن تَرى

حولَك منه نادياً حافلا

Uniquely, by the judgment of beauty - but you see

Around you one calling out, assembled.

ما استُلِمَ الركنُ وما أصبح ال

حطيمُ من وفد مِنىً آهلا

The pillar was not received, nor did

The Ruins from Mina's delegation become crowded.

وساقها يملأ أنساعها

مُهدٍ رجا اللهَ لها قابلا

And the procession whose breadth it fills

Seeks from God a receiver for it.

كوماء معْ شدّةٍ تُصيرها

مُجذعة أو قارحاً بازلا

Like waves with violence making them

Surge or a blazing flash of lightning.

تنجزني فيك المنى وعدها

إذا اقتضى أبناؤها ماطلا

Fulfilling for me the wishes promised me

If its youths demanded delays.