لا يُرتَجَى سائرٌ يَوماً وَلا حارُ
وَلا بنانٌ فَهُم للجور أَنصارُ
No righteous man hopes for an ally, nor does an ally exist,
For they assist in injustice, not in equity.
وَأَوّل القَوم خُلف الوَعد ديدنه
لَو ساعَدته عَلى الإنجاز أَقدار
The leader of the people was the first to break his promise.
Had fate aided him, he would have fulfilled it.
فَلا تَسَل حاجة مِنهُم فَإِنَّهُمُ
بِالنَص طابَت لَهم في المطل أَعذار
So do not ask a need of them, for with good words
Excuses seem fair to them when fulfilling hopes.
وَلا تَكُن بِالوَفا مِنهُم عَلى ثقة
وَلا تَقل عدلوا في الحكم إِن جاروا
Do not trust them in loyalty,
Nor say they judge with justice when they wrong you.
فَسائرٌ ضيّع الودّ القَديم وَلم
يَحفظ إخاءً بِهِ تَمتاز أَخيار
For the righteous man neglected a long friendship
And did not preserve a brotherhood distinguishing the virtuous.
وَكاد يَغترُّ مِن طَيش بمسنده
لَولا مَخافة أَن تَجفوه نظّار
He nearly fooled himself with his authority,
Had he no fear that critics would spurn him
أَو تَنزَوي عَنهُ زُهداً فيهِ أَربعةٌ
عمٌّ وَخال وَأَحباب وَأَخيار
Or four would turn from him in disdain -
An uncle, a nephew, loved ones and the righteous.
وَكَيفَ لا وَعلى أَبوابه وَقفت
حُجّابُه ليصدّوا عَنهُ مَن زاروا
For at his gates stood his guards
Who barred the way from those who visited.
وَقابَلوهم بِمَنع عَن مَوارده
عِندَ الصُدور وَهُم لا شَك أَغمار
They met them with refusal at his resources
When they were in utmost need.
وَكُل مَن كانَ قَبل الآن يَعرفه
بَدا له مِنهُ فيما بَعد إِنكار
And all who knew him before
Now see in him something to deny.
وَقال يا وَيح مَغرور بِمنصبه
أَما له في قبيل العَزل إِنذار
And say: "Woe to the man deluded by his office!
Does he not see that dismissal is near?
أَما دَرى أَن أَيام الوَرى دول
وَهَكَذا الدَهر إِقبال وَادبار
Does he not know that the days of life pass,
And thus is the fate of glory and decline?"
وَأنَّ ما اندثرت
لِحُسن صنعهما بِالمَوت آثار
"That which the best two did has passed away with their death
Due to their righteous deeds."
إِني عَزمت عَلى أَن لا أَسالمه
ما دُمت حَياً وَلَو شطّت بي الدار
I am determined not to greet him
As long as I live, even if that angers me.
وَإِنَّني غَير راض عَنهُ ما بَرحت
تَطوف مِن حَوله بِاللؤم أَشرار
And indeed, I am not pleased with him as long as
The wicked keep circling around him.
فَلا تَلمني عَلى الإعراض عَنهُ وَقَد
تَغيرت مِنهُ أَحوال وَأَطوار
So do not blame me for turning away from him,
When his state and circumstances have changed.
لا سيما حينَ أَضحى في مَصالحه
مميزاً وَلَهُ قَد زادَ مِقدار
Especially since in his affairs, he has become
Distinguishing, and his station has increased.
وَقلدته يَدُ التَشريف ثالثةً
مِن المجيدي لَها بِالصَدر أَنوار
The hand of honor has given him three,
Shining lights upon the chest.
فَما فَوائد تاريخٍ تنمِّقه
لِمَن لِغَيرك في ناديهمُ اِختاروا
Of what use is a decorated history
To one whom they chose another over you in their circle?
وَآثروا مِن بَني الدُنيا عَليك أَخا
تَملقٍ لَيسَ يَدري ما هُوَ العار
And they preferred over you a flattering brother
Who knows not what is disgrace.
وَما مُرادك فيهم بِالمَديح وَهُم
نَسوا وَما عِندَهُم لِلخلِّ تِذكار
What is your purpose in praising them, when they
Have forgotten and have no thoughts of friendship?
فَاِقطَع عَلائقهم ما دامَ سَيرهم
قَد أَنكرته مَواليهم وَأَحرار
So sever ties with them as long as their path
Has been denied by their allies and the free.
وَاقبل نَصيحة شَهم لا تُغيِّره
عَن الصَداقة طُولَ الدَهر أَغيار
And accept the advice of one whose friendship
Many strangers have not changed over time.
لا زلت تُطرب مِن سحر تسير بِهِ
في كُل واد مع الرُكبان أَشعار
You continue to be enchanted by the magic
With which poetry flows in every valley with travelers.
ما أَشرَقت شَمسُ نظمٍ في سَما أَدَبٍ
أَو أَزهَرَت في بُروج النَثر أَقمار
No sun of verse in the sky of literature has dawned,
No moons have blossomed in the constellations of prose,
أَو قُلت في حسن تَنديدي بمطلعه
لا يُرتجَى سائرٌ يَوماً وَلا حار
Nor have I said in praising your excellent beginning:
"No righteous man hopes for an ally, nor does an ally exist."
