وَقَفَتني عَلى نَداكَ الظُنونُ

وَثَنائي عالي السَناءِ ثَمينُ

Doubt stood me next to your generosity

And my praise, though high, was remiss

ما عَلى قَدرِ ما اِبتُليتَ أَتاكَ ال

شُكرُ مِنّي إِنّي إِذاً لَغَبينُ

Gratitude from me was not equal to your trials

Else I’d truly be unwise

وَإِذا ما أَخَلَّ بي فيكَ ظَنٌّ

وَجَلا الشَكَّ عَنهُ مِنكَ اليَقينُ

When doubt of you ever entered me

It was soon dispelled by your certainty

عَزَّ فيهِ الرَجاءُ مِنّي بِعودٍ

وَاِستَبَدَّت بِهِ عَسى وَيَكونُ

Hope in it from me was frustrated by return

Perhaps and maybe persisted

وَحَمَتكَ العِتابَ نَفسِيَ حَتّى

سَلِسَت لِلقِيادِ وَهِيَ حَرونُ

Your rebuke saddled my soul

Until it was docile to the bridle though stubborn

وَلَعَمري لَئِن طَلَبتُ لِشُكري

ثَمَناً إِنَّني إِذاً لَضَنينُ

By my life, if I ever sought payment

For my thanks, I'd be miserly indeed

وَأَخٍ شِمتُهُ العَطاءَ فَأَكدَى

وَهوَ مَلآنُ مِن يَسارٍ بَطينُ

A brother who envied gifts and was distraught

Though filled to the brim with affluence

لَو أَتَتكَ الدُنيا بِما قَد أَتَتهُ

لاِستُقِلَّت عَلى يَدَيكَ المِئينُ

If the world had given you what it gave him

Millions would be paltry in your hands

عاقَني مِنهُ بَعدَ شارِفِ حِلمٍ

خُلُقٌ عَن نَدى الدُناةِ مَصونُ

After the prime of life estranged me

A nature safe from the world's blandishments

خَلَطَتهُ الأَسى بِمَن ماتَ حَتّى

هَوَّنَت فَقدَهُ عَلِيَّ المَنونُ

Grief mixed him with those now dead

Diminishing for me his loss's blow