يا أَميراً في مَدحه هام فهمي

وَبِأَوصافه تَجمَّل نَظمي

O prince, my mind was enthralled in praising you,

And my poetry adorned with your attributes.

حسدوني عَلى قبولي وَقربي

فَوشوا بي لَديك مِن غَير جرم

They envied me for my acceptance and nearness,

So they slandered me to you, though I had done no wrong.

كدت بالظن لِلحَقيقة أُهدَى

لَكن الظَن تارة بَعض إثم

I nearly believed the truth in suspicion,

But suspicion is sometimes partly sin.

علِم اللَه أَن ما قيل زورٌ

مِن أُناس حلا لَهُم أَكلُ لحمي

God knows what was said was false,

By people who freely ate my flesh.

ما دروا أَنَّهُ لفرط عماهم

مزجته يَدُ الخضوع بسمّ

They knew not that in their blindness,

My hand mixed it with surrender's poison.

وَلَوَ اَنِّي عرفتهم يا أَميري

لرميت السَفيه مِنهُم بسهم

If I had known them, O my prince,

I would have struck the foolish among them with an arrow,

وَاقتفيت الآثار مِنهُم إِلى أَن

يَستَقيموا وَيدخلوا تَحتَ حكمي

And tracked them until

They walked straight and came under my rule.

كُل هَذا مِنهُم أَنال بضعفي

لا بِحَولي وَقوّتي أَو بِعَزمي

All this from them I gain through my weakness,

Not through my strength, will or determination.

وَلئن كُنتَ راضياً لا أُبالي

بِلئامٍ فاهوا ضَلالاً بذمي

If you are pleased, I care not

For the dispraise of the straying defamer.

وَإِذا ما غضبتَ مِن غَير ذَنب

كان مني وَلم تُعامِلْ بحلم

And if you get angry without a crime from me,

And do not act with restraint,

وَأبحتَ الوشاةَ تنقل عَني

ما أَرادوا في كُل أَمر ملم

And give ear to slanderers relating from me

Whatever they want in every matter,

وَمَديحي قابلتَه بصدود

وَجَفاء عَلى الدَوام وَرجم

And answer my praises with rejection

And constant coldness and stoning,

فَعلى العَفو رحمةٌ وَسَلامٌ

حَيث أَمسى بحفرة بَعد سقم

Then forgiveness, mercy and peace

Where the evening found a pit after sickness.

وَإِلى ذاتك الكَريمة يُهدَى

مِن ضروب المَديح أَوفر قسم

And to your generous essence is dedicated

The most plentiful share of varied praises -

ما تَلا مخلص براءة عَبد

في نَهار أَو عِندَ مَطلع نجم

No loyal, exonerated servant

Has recited them in daytime or at nightstar's rising.