قُلْتُ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ مِنْ تَوَدُّدِي

قَدْ كُنْت أَرْجُوكَ وَلَمَّا تُولَدِ

I said to Abdullah from my affection

I used to hope for you before you were born

فَكُنْتُ وَاللَّه الأَجَلّ الأَمْجَدِ

أُدْنِيكَ مِنْ قَصِّي وَلَمَّا تَقْعُدِ

By God, you were the most splendid and glorious

I brought you close from my lyre before you could sit

تَخَفُّشَ الهَيْفِ انْحَنَى لِلْمَمْهَدِ

أَقُولُ يَكْفِينِي اعْتِداءَ المُعْتَدِي

Al-Khalil bent his tall spear towards the cradle

I say the transgressor's assault suffices me

وَأَسَدٌ إِنْ شَدَّ لَمْ يُعَرِّدِ

كَأَنَّهُ في لِبَدٍ وَلِبَدِ

A lion, even if unleashed, does not attack

As if clothed in coats of mail made of emerald

مِنْ حَلِسٍ أَنْمَرَ فِي تَرَبُّدِ

مُدَّرِعٍ فِي قِطَعٍ مِنْ بُرْجُدِ

From the brownish hide of a vigilant old lion

Armored in pieces of yellow hyacinth

لِرِزِّهِ مِنْ جُرْءَةٍ التَوَحُّدِ

وَهْسٌ كَإِجْلابِ الجُبَيْل الأَصْلَدِ

Brave in his solitude and uniqueness

Silent like the bringing together of solid mountains

يَعْتَزُّ أَقْران الأُسُود الأُسَّدِ

بِالزَجْرِ قَبْل الأَخْذِ وَالتَهَدُّدِ

Who prides himself before the lions of lions

With a roar before grasping and threatening

وَقُلْتُ قَوْلاً لَيْسَ بِالمُفَنَّدِ

قَدْ كُنْت أَسْقِيكَ مِن التفَقُّدِ

And I spoke words that cannot be refuted

I used to water you from my care

مَحْضاً وَإِن أَبْكَأَ كُلُّ مِرْفَدِ

وَأَشْبرُ المِقْياسَ مِنْ تَعَهُّدِي

Purely even if every cloud poured down

The span of my devotion is the length of your youth

طُولَكَ مِنْ مَغْدِ الشَباب الأَمْغَدِ

انْظُرْ جَزاءَ عَوْدِكَ المُعَوَّدِ

From the plentiful spring of flourishing youth

See the reward for your familiar return

مِثْلاً بِمِثْل أَوْ تَفَضَّلْ تُحْمَدِ

وَلا تَكُونَنَّ مَكَان الأَبْعَدِ

In kind, or excel to be praised

And do not be in the place of the most distant

إِنَّكَ لا تَدْرِي غَداً ما فِي غَدِ

وَلَيْلَةٍ تَطْرُدُ إِنْ لَمْ تُطْرَدِ

You really do not know what tomorrow holds

And a night expels if it is not expelled

وَالقَوْمُ يَهْوُونَ حِيالَ المَوْرِدِ

واللَّهُ لا يُخْلِفُ وَقْتَ المَوْعِدِ

And the people plunge towards the watering place

And God does not break the time of appointment

وَالمَرْءُ مَرْقُوبٌ بِكُلِّ مَرْصَدِ

يَرُوحُ فِي حَبْلِ البِلَا وَيَغْتَدِي

Man is spied upon by every watcher

He walks in the rope of affliction and transgresses

وَمِن أَمام المَرْءِ مَرْدَاهُ الرَدِي

وَاصْدُقْ اِذَا ما قُلْتَ قوْلاً وَاقْصِدِ

And ahead of man is his own harm

And be truthful when you speak a word and intend

فَلَيْسَ مَنْ جَارَ كَهَادٍ يَهْتَدِي

إِنَّ السَعِيدَ عامِلٌ لِلأَسْعَدِ

So one who is ignorant cannot be guided

Indeed the fortunate is one who works for the most fortunate

وَالرُشْدُ فَاعْلَمْهُ طَرِيق الأَرْشَدِ

وَزادُ تَقْوَى أَفْضَل التَزَوُّدِ

And guidance - know it is the path of right guidance

And extra provision is the best stock

إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ الدَهْرَ بِالتَرَدُّدِ

يَنْقُضَ إِمْرارَ الشَباب الأَجْرَدِ

I saw time in hesitation

Tearing down the passing of smooth youth

نَقْضَكَ إِمْرارَ المِرَارِ المُحْصَدِ

Like your tearing down the passing of reaped bitterness