ما كنتُ لولا طمَعي في الخيالْ

أنشُدُ نومي بين طول الليالْ

Had it not been for my ambitious imagination

I would not have sung my sleep during the long nights

أسأل عيني كيف طعمُ الكرى

عُلالَةً وهو سؤالٌ محالْ

Asked my eyes the taste of separation

Impossible question though it may be

وكيف بالنوم على الهجر لي

والنومُ من شرط ليالي الوصالْ

And how to sleep when separated from the beloved

While sleep is conditional on nights of union

لله أجفانٌ ذرعنَ الدجى

وهي قصارٌ والليالي طِوالْ

My eyelids, long as they are, still weary from the darkness

Yet the nights are even longer

كأنها من قِصرٍ بعضُها

يطلب بعضاً بقوىً لا تُنالْ

As if the shorter parts of a palace

Seek the longer parts, unobtainable

لكنّ لمياءَ على ضنّها

تُرخص في الأحلام لي كلَّ غالْ

But the rain in its stinginess

Allows me dreams, cost what they may

تَسري فإما هي أو راقني

شِبْهٌ لها أو سرَّ عيني مثالْ

Passing me by, whether it or one resembling it

Or a mere illusion to my eyes

وليلةٍ عطَّر أرواحَها

طَيفٌ لها لم أك منه ببالْ

One night whose spirits perfumed

An apparition, I had not imagined

بيَّض مسراه سوادَ الدجى

حولي وصحبي شُعُثٌ في الرحالْ

Whitened the darkness for me and my companions wandering

While stars bowed to it before the rise of dawn

بمشرِق اللَّباتِ دانت له

شهبُ الدراري قبلَ بِيضِ المحَالْ

Clearing the horizon sparkling and illuminated

At times full moon and others crescent

يجلو العَشا مختمراً مسفراً

فتارةً بدراً وطوراً هلالْ

She came swaying between blossoms

Scented musk and pliant sand dunes

جاءت تَثَنَّى بين رَيحانةٍ

تُفتَقُ مسكاً وكثيبٍ يُهالْ

Not her eyes, nor hips nor coyness

Nor the roe's graceful tread

فلا وعينيها وأردافها

وشِقوةِ الدِّعصِ بها والغزالْ

The morning breeze tilted the branch

But did not shake her

ما قدَّها هزّ نسيمُ الصَّبا

وإنما ميَّل غصناً فمالْ

Until the night ended its course

Her heavy steps slowed at dawn

حتى إذا الليل قضى ما قضى

خفّت مع الفجر خُطاها الثّقالْ

And she sought to make use of the darkness

Preceding the procession of revolving stars

وابتدرتْ تغنم فضلَ الدجى

سبقَ مغاوير النجوم التوالْ

I weep and so does she, but my sorrow

Is not the sorrow of one gone

أبكى وتبكى غير أنّ الأسى

دموعُه غير دموع الدلالْ

A shadow of life we delighted in

Yet a shadow that disappeared at dawn

ظلٌّ من العيش نِعمنا به

لكنّه ظلٌّ مع الصبح زالْ

A season of indulgence I exaggerated

With youths having breasts like antelope

وموسمٌ للَّهوِ كاثرتُهُ

بفتيةٍ مثل صدور العوالْ

Each fair of face, serene of expression

Of pleasant conversation and qualities

كلّ وجيه الوجه رحبِ الجدا

معذَّل السمع رضيّ الخصالْ

Who shepherd you with their manners into a garden

Whose beauty the north wind's end trails along

يُرعيك من آدابه روضةً

جَّر عليها المزنُ ذيلَ الشَّمالْ

Justly spending the wine in the meadow

Not weighed against their drinking cups

يبذلُ في الراح اللُّها عادلاً

ما وزن الخَّمارُ منها وكالْ

I bear witness to moments of their youth

Time called for rendezvous but was denied

أشهَدُ منه وقَعاتِ الصِّبا

بفاتكٍ ساعةَ يُدعَى نزَالْ

And a virgin's need I procured

Whose access was difficult and height insurmountable

وحاجةٍ بِكرٍ تناولتُها

وبابُها أعسرُ عالي المنالْ

I persevered until I caught her

With experience in such exploits and cunning

وسِعتُها حتى تقنّصتها

بدُربتي في مثلها واحتيالْ

Days guiding my youth but to no avail

Except leading myself into heated contention

أيّام أدلو بشبابي فلا

أرجعُ إلا مترعاتٍ سِجالْ

Until I was distinguished by an appellation

That combined humiliation and glory

حتى تعمّمتُ بمفروعةٍ

تجمعُ بين الذلِّ واسمِ الجلالْ

Eyes recoiled to make way for it

From me in cruelty should they meet me

تَراجَعُ الأبصارُ وفضاً لها

عنّي بقاسٍ أن يراني وقالْ

A black mark whitened by its insistence

On my head and the blows of swords

صبيغة سوداء بيّضتها

نصولُها في الرأس وقعُ النصالْ

Right stripped wrong from me

That is my state, and my state today

واقتصّ حقُّ الشَّيب من باطلي

فتلك حالي ولِيَ اليومَ حالْ

And the glory of fathers in office

Which ranks and status seek

وماجد الآباء في منصب

تأوي إليه درجات المعال

More luminous than hot passion if

Their principles were shaken or polluted byacquisition

أبلج حرّ العِرض إن دوخلت

أحسابُهم أو هُجِّنتْ بالمَوالْ

The traits of a ruler, its lights

Witnessed in word and deed

ترى سماتِ الملك أنوارُها

شاهدةٌ في قوله والفعالْ

I tied him with affection and sheer passion

With resolute links and strong ropes

أعلقتُه الودّ ومحضَ الهوى

بمُحْكَماتٍ محصَداتِ الحبالْ

Out of love even if no affection

From him cooled my ardour or united us

حبّاً وإن لم تُدنِني زورةٌ

منه ولم يُبرِدْ غليلِي وِصالْ

I will abandon him, but not detached

Of separation, and turn away, but not of boredom

أهجره غيرَ جليدٍ على

هجرٍ وأجفوه لغير الملالْ

And envy the sail in its harbor

While my lips thirst without a drink

وأحسُد الشُّرَّاعَ في حوضه

وما لذودي ظامئاً من بِلالْ

But it is my habit not to covet

A door that has not beckoned me near

لكنّها من شِيَمي عادةٌ

لم أغشَ باباً لم يُهِبْ بي تعالْ

Blessed is He who compiled His signs

To perfection until perfection was fulfilled

تبارك الجامعُ آياتِه

في كاملٍ حتى وفى بالكمالْ

Studying the relics of past generations

Now gone, and accounts of earlier years

تَدرُسُ آثار القرون الألى

فاتوا وأخبار السنين الأَوالْ

You will not find one like Him

Whom mothers of men stand up for

فلا ترى في رجلٍ مثلَه

تقوم عنه أمّهاتُ الرجالْ

Fortune found in Him a youth

Who met its great events with his compassion

صادفَتِ النعمةُ منه فتىً

لاقت بِعطفيه الأمورَ العوالْ

It came to him from inherited truth

And gains righteously obtained

جاءته بين الحْقّ من إرثه

وبين كسبٍ بالمساعي حلالْ

He accompanied it with gratitude, to preserve it

And kindness and charity before asked

جاورها بالشكرِ حفظاً لها

والبشرِ والمعروفِ قبل السؤالْ

Since taking shelter in His shadow

In a homeland she has not wished to leave

فهي مذ استذرتْ إلى ظلّه

في وطن لم تنوِ عنه انتقالْ

While His blessings repel others

Looking away from Him on days of loss

وغيرُهُ تنفِرُ نعماؤه

تطلّعاً عنه ليوم الزِّيالْ

His prosperity increased from his soul

What no close or distant relative had imagined

وزاده الإسعادُ من نفسه

ما لم يكن في ظنّ عمّ وخالْ

If fate darkens, his resolves

Are torches on its horizon erupting

إن أظلم الدهر فعزْماتُه

تَوَقُّدٌ في أفقه واشتعالْ

Or opinions fade in confusion

His perspective is clarity in the night of misguidance

أو خبَت الآراءُ من حَيْرة

فرأيه بُلجةُ ليلِ الضلالْ

Harbingers of ascendance from his face

In Renewed youth and ripeness

طلائعُ الإقبال من وجهه

في جِدّةٍ من عمره واقتبالْ

A face whose bashfulness combined

The wonders of creation and beauty

وجهٌ على ماء الحياء التقتْ

غرائبُ البِشرِ به والجمالْ

The bloom and radiance of the world

Wandering freely in its expanse

نضارةُ الدنيا وإشراقها

تجول منه في فسيح المجالْ

In perfection, no perfection diminished

The nation was impregnated after despair

بكاملٍ لا عدِمتْ كاملاً

أُلقحتْ الدولةُ بعد الحِيالْ

He guided its permit in his hands so

its channels flowed without obstruction

دارت رحاها في يديه فما

ذمّت مجاري قطبها والثِّفالْ

You faced its worries, and your opinions

in it are melting snow

وجهك في غَمّائها فُرجةٌ

تجلو وآراؤك فيها ذُبالْ

How many pitfalls for the kingdom

You lifted it from, otherwise unspoken

كم عثرةٍ للملك أنهضتها

لولاك كانت عثرةً لا تقالْ

And downfalls that nearly brought ruin

Prolonging the sickness which gripped it

وصرعةٍ شارف منها الردى

وطال من داء ضناها المِطالْ

You applied yourself to mend it

Thus healing an affliction beyond healing

أوليتَ إقبالَك تدبيرَها

فَطبَّها والداءُ داءٌ عُضالْ

You supported him alone while his partisans

Had surrendered to the adversary without debate

نصرتَه فرداً وأنصارُه

قد سَلّموا للخصم قبل الجدالْ

Pens dried in his books in despair

And swords failed him in battle

وجفّت الأقلامُ في صُحفه

يأسا وخانته سيوفُ القتالْ

He was cowardly so you emboldened him

And came between him and distinction

كان جباناً فتقدّمتَه

وصُلتَ بين يديه فَصالْ

You dispatched him erect to his honour

While people implored you against departure

رحّلته نهضاً إلى عزّه

والناس يلحونك في الإرتحالْ

Thus with God, and despite the enemy

Toward that which you yourself had intended

فكان بالله ورغم العدا

إلى التي حاولتَ أنت المآلْ

For this his reins of power

Run their course by your command

لذاك قد أضحت مقاليدُه

تجري على أمرك جَريَ المحَالْ

You ascended in truth on your two feet

While ambitions tumble like pillars into the ground

علوتَ في الحقّ بكعبيك وال

هاماتُ تهوِي كمداً في سَفالْ

Inform, may years hear me hopeful

For assistance, to elevate my hands or prolong

بَلّغ زماناً سامني مطمعاً

في الرفد أن تُعلَى يدي أو تُطالْ

How we have pulled each other over the likes of her

Did you tame me for asking?

كم قد تجاذبنا على مثلها

قِدماً فهل روّضتني للسؤالْ

You deemed me too base to gain wealth

From me, were mountain foundations thus shaken?

ورمتَ حطّي باستلاب الغنى

مني فهل حُطَّت رواسي الجبالْ

Had I submitted my back to hands, indeed

I would have been showered with great burdens

لو ذلّ ظهري للأيادي لقد

حُبيت منها بالجِسام الثقالْ

Or had I wished riches from my family

Wealth of kind ones whose hands are homes of money

أو شئتُ أغنانِيَ من أُسرتي

مالُ كريمٍ يدُه بيتُ مالْ

Their hands in generosity like two right hands

No left weaker than any right

يداه في الجود يمينان وال

أكفّ معْ كلّ يمينٍ شِمالْ

So praise be to Him who made wealth abundant

And with thanks status rarely increases

لذَّ له الحمدُ فعاف الثرا

وقلّما تنمِي مع الحمد حالْ

If generous and excessive liberality

Were shameful, the critic saw in Him cause

لو عيب بالجود وإفراطِه

مُعطٍ رأى العائبُ فيه مقالْ

Blamed for freely giving, but should the withholder

Restrain when hands were created for bestowal?

تلامُ في النَّيلِ وهل ينبغي

للمنع كفّ خُلقتْ للنوالْ

The delegation crowds at his door

Crowding like pilgrims on the slopes of Al-Al

يزدحم الوفدُ على بابه

تزاحُمَ الحجّ بسفحَيْ ألالْ

Blessed is he whose palms sting with greed

If his valley in generosity flowed

مباركٌ تجمُدُ كفّ الحيا

بخلاً إذا واديه بالجود سالْ

As if the land were not his

While it and those on it are his dependents

كأنما الأرضُ وليست له

له ومن فيها عليه عيالْ

A lustrous pearl in time, translucent

Of noble origin and fine quality

جوهرةٌ في الدهر شفّافةٌ

من كرم الأصل وطيبِ الخلالْ

He blends the wine in his palm

With his sweet nature and pure water

يمزُج صِرفَ الكأس في كفّه

من خُلْقه العذبِ بماءٍ زلالْ

Father of loyalty, hear from me a charm

By which wayward souls are enticed

أبا الوفاء اسمع لها رُقْيةً

أفئدةُ العُصْم بها تستمالْ

Love from it was cheapened, prevented

It became too dear, beyond the grasp of the coveter

أرخصَ منها الودُّ ممنوعةً

غلتْ فلم يقدِر عليها المُغالْ

Safeguarded, were it not for the intercession of passion for you

It would have declined to be abased

مصونة لولا شفيعُ الهوى

فيك إليها فرِكت أن تذالْ

Your devotion enabled you to lead it

While its head was too lofty to incline

أمكنك الإقبالُ من قَودها

ورأسُها صعبٌ على الإنفتالْ

How many kings of earth were desirous suitors

Seeking it from me, generous provider

كم من ملوك الأرض من راغبٍ

يخطُبها مني كريمِ البِعالْ

I turned him away in anger, yet he

Cared not that I denied him

رددتُه عنها بسخطٍ فلم

أُبَلْ به وهو بمنعي مبالْ

But I chose you as match for it

For it, from you, in any case

لكن تخيّرتُك كفؤاً لها

لأنها منك على كلّ حالْ

And if we become estranged, between us

Are ties that cannot be severed

وإن تصارمنا فما بيننا

وشائجٌ ليس لهنّ انفصالْ

Bonds of kinship, and I and you

Of a tribe and family discard

تلاحم القُربَى وإني وإي

ياك لنرمي عن قبيلٍ وآلْ

So enjoy what immortalizes the glory of youth

Uplifts the house, though lofty

فانعَم بما يعمُرُ مجدَ الفتى

ويرفعُ البيتَ وإن كان عالْ

And informs me of affection untainted

For that is the sweetest of gains for me

وبعنِيَ الودَّ بها صافياً

فإنه عندِيَ أسنَى منالْ

If its festivities are severed or postponed

The feast is but temporary

إن بُزَّ منها المهرجانُ الذي

ودَّعَ أو عُطِّلَ فالعيدُ حالْ

She visited you the day singled out for me

When duties preoccupied me from you

زارتك في اليوم الذي خصّني

إذ عاق عما خصّك الإشتغالْ

Shawwal came to you with her crescent

So celebrate them coupled with the new moon

جاءك شوالٌ بها غُرّةً

فاجتلِها مقرونةً بالهلالْ

She did not exaggerate describing you despite her longevity

But poetry found material and thus said

لم تغلُ في وصفك معْ طولها

بل وَجدَ الشعرُ مقالاً فقالْ