إِنِّي وَلَيْسَ الحَقُّ بِالتَوْقِيع
لا أَبْتَغِي فضْل امْرِئٍ لَكُوعِ
I do not seek the favor of the submissive
Nor is truth obtained through mere submission.
جَعْدِ اليَدَيْنِ لَحِزٍ مَنُوعِ
سَدَّ وِكاءَ مالِهِ المَجْمُوعِ
With hands outstretched begging from the stingy
Who hoards his wealth and guards it closely.
وَهوَ بِدارِ العاجِزِ المُضِيعِ
تَرَاهُ عِنْدَ الطَمَعِ الطَمُوعِ
While he remains ensconced in his abode
You will find him eager and ambitious
لَيْسَ بِمُسْتَحيٍ وَلا مُخْدُوعِ
وَلا يُجِيبُ رُقْيَةَ المَصْرُوعِ
Neither ashamed nor deceived is he
He pays no heed to the wailing of the wretched.
أَصَمَّ مِجْذاماً عَلَى التَضْيِيِعِ
يَأْرِزُ عِنْد الأَمَةِ الرَضُوعِ
Deaf as a boulder to compassion
He gloats among the groveling masses
كَالأَقْطَعِ الكَفِّ اتَّقَى بِالكُوعِ
شارَكَ أَهْلَ النارِ في الضَرِيعِ
Like a one-armed leper who got by on begging
He shares with the people of Hell their misery
مُعْتَرِفاً بِحَسْرَةٍ وَنُوعِ
وَأَنَا إِذْ مَتَّعَنِي تَمْتِيعِي
Admitting to regret and grief
While I have been gifted the rise of praise
بِشْرٌ بِرَفْعِ المِدْحَةِ الطَلُوعِ
وَمِدْحَتِي أَقْوَى مِن النُطُوعِ
My praise stronger than mere flattery
You who came at the start of spring
عَنْبَسَ أَنْتَ أَوَّلُ الرَبِيِعِ
عَلَيَّ غَيْثاً ناضِرَ المَرِيِعِ
Upon me a pouring rain on the meadow
My branches flourished and turned green
أَدْجَنَ فَاخْضَرَّتْ لَهُ فُرُوعِي
بَعْدَ ابْتِراءِ السَنَةِ السَفُوعِ
After last year's drought and sterility
You have relieved my restless nights
عَنْبَسَ قَدْ سَكَّنْتَ مِنْ تَرْوِيعِي
بَعْدَ احْتِضَارِ السَهَرِ التَقْرِيعِ
After the vigil's rebuke and censure
The trimmed reeds regrew
فَعَادَ رِيشُ القَصَبِ المَتْرُوعِ
فِي ناهِضٍ مُنْتَعِشٍ مَرْفُوعِ
On a tall, invigorated, elevated stalk
What a noble and righteous governor you are
نِعْمَ عَمِيدُ الحَسَبِ المَتْبُوعِ
أَنْت إِذَا ما عُدَّ ذُو الدَسِيعِ
When the era of tyranny is recounted
You made the desolate plains fertile again
تَنمِي مِن الأَعْياصِ فِي مَنِيعِ
مُثْرِي الأُصُول أَيِّدِ الفُرُوعِ
Propagating strong roots and new branches
You did not attain glory through deception
فَما انْتَجَبْتَ المَجْدَ مِنْ بَدِيعِ
فَاسْمَعْ ثَناءً لَيْسَ بِالتَسْمِيعِ
So listen to praise not mere ingratiation
For the noble deeds you have done
بِمَا صَنَعْتَ أَكْرَمَ الصَنِيعِ
وَسَنَةٍ كَاللَهَبِ السَفُوعِ
In a year like climbing flames
That burn or cover the dust of hunger
تُحْرِقُ أَوْ تَكْسُو غُبارَ الجُوعِ
حَصَّاءَ تُبْدِي حَدَبَ الضُلُوعِ
Pebbled ground that exposes protruding ribs
You crossed over it with returning rains
عَبَّرْتَها بِالناضِحِ المَرْجُوعِ
مِنْ سَحِّ وَبْلٍ لَيْسَ بالتَنْقِيعِ
Not just sprinkles or scattered drops
You are the son of every lofty principle
أَنْتَ ابْنُ كُلِّ مُنْتَضىً قَرِيعِ
تَمَّ تَمامَ البَدْرِ فِي سَنِيعِ
Your perfection complete in this valuable era
It flourishes under your wise leadership
يَسْتَنُّ في مُنْتَقَدٍ وَسِيعِ
كَالنِيلِ يَعْمِي مِنْ جِبالِ الرِيعِ
Like the Nile obscuring mountains of sand
When it rises high carried by the current
إِذَا تَسامَى اسْتَنَّ بِالصَرِيعِ
يَرْمِي جِنابَيْ مِسْحَلٍ مُطِيعِ
It hurls the smooth boulders effortlessly
And its crossing sweeps over the sand dunes
وَعُرْضَ عِبْرَيْهِ مِنَ الضُجُوعِ
بِالغَرْقَدِ الطافِي وَبِالجُذُوعِ
With floating logs and tree trunks
And foaming surges that smash the thickets
وَيَنْتَمِي بِالعَرْعَرِ المَقْلُوعِ
مَوْجٌ يَكُب الأَثْلَ بِالتَخْزِيعِ
When it reaches the banks and earthen dikes
I presented it while people watched in crowds
إِذا انْتَهَى فِي الغَرْفِ وَالقَرُوعِ
ناهَبْتُهُ أَرْبَى عَلَى الجُمُوعِ
