مَلَأتُ بِمَدحي عدةَ مِن مَصاحفِ
بِها سوّد البُهتان بيض الصَحائفِ
I have filled many pages with my praises,
With which falsehood has blackened the pages white.
وَكُل ثَناء فيهِ كانَت جَوائِزي
خلوُّيَ عَما في يَدي مِن وَظائف
And every eulogy in them was my reward
When I was free from the duties I held.
وَما ذاكَ إِلّا مِن نحوس طَوالع
قَد اِقترنت بي في تَليد وَطارف
And that was only due to my ill-omened stars
That have clung to me through twists and turns.
فَما حيلَتي وَالدَهر أَشهر سَيفَه
وَحَث عَلى حَربي جَمع الطَوائف
So what can I do, and time has unsheathed its sword,
And incited all factions to war against me?
وَفي كُل يَوم أَصطلي جَمرة الوَغى
بِقَلب جريء آمن غَير خائف
And every day I kindle the embers of turmoil
With a bold heart, fearless and unafraid.
وَنَفسيَ تَأبى أَن تفرّ مِن اللقا
وَلَو جرّعت كاس الرَدى في المَواقف
And my soul refuses to flee from the encounter,
Even if I drink the cup of misery in trials.
وَلي الآن مَعهُ في الجِهاد ثَلاثة
وَعشرون عاماً وَالثَبات محالفي
And now with it in jihad are twenty-three
Years, and steadfastness is my ally.
وَلما رَآني لا تَلين شَكيمتي
وَلا أَنثنى عَن خَوض بَحر المَخاوف
And when it saw my will unbending,
And I do not bend from plunging into the sea of fears,
تَبسم عَن غَيظ وَأَظهر حبه
وَأَضمر لي بغضاً وَوالى مخالفي
It smiled in anger and feigned its love,
And inwardly harbored hatred and opposed me.
وَآلى عَلى أَن لا يَخون وَأَنَّهُ
يَكون أَميناً وَهوَ أَكذَب حالف
And it vowed not to betray me and that
It would be faithful, while it is the most treacherous ally.
وَكَيفَ وَقَد عاينت للغَدر شاهِداً
بِعَينيه لا يَخفى عَلى كُل عارف
And how could it not, when I witnessed evidence
Of its betrayal with my own eyes, clear to every knowing person?
وَمدّ لي الأَشراك حَتّى يَصيدني
وَيَغتال مِني مُهجَتي وَمَعارفي
It laid snares for me until it traps me
And undermines my passions and knowledge.
وَإِنيَ لا أَخشاه ما دامَ خالِقي
عَلى رغمه قَد حَفَّني بِاللَطائف
But I do not fear it as long as my Creator
Protects me against it with kindnesses.
