ألله أعلُم ما السَّبَبُ

حتَّى بَدَا لِي ذا العَجَب

God knows best what the reason was

Until this wonder appeared to me

من صادِق الوُدِّ الذي

عنِّي خَيالُهٌُ ما احتَجَب

Of the sincere affectionate one whose

Imagination about me has not been concealed

أصبُوا لخُلّتِه وآ

مُل وُدَّ مَن مِنه اقترَب

They yearned for his solitude, and I

Became affectionate to whoever approached him

وأجلُّه إجلالَ مَن

يَدري مَكَانَته أدَب

And I revere him the utmost reverence

Who knows his status, politeness

وإذا بَد لِيَ شَخصُه

يَبدُو لقلبِيَ مَا طَلَب

And when his person appears to me

He appears to my heart what it sought

والقَلبُ منجَذِبٌ لدَى

قَلبٍ إليهِ قدِ انجَذَب

And the heart is attracted to

A heart it has been attracted to

لَكِن جَرَى ما قد جَرَى

يا لَيتَ شعري ما السَّبب

But what had happened, happened

Oh how I wish I knew the reason

هَل مِن مَقالةِ شامِتٍ

أم مِن مَلامَةٍ إرتَكَب

Is it because of a gloating saying

Or a mistake that was made

إِن كانتِ الأولَى فَذا

كَ حَسودُ فَضلٍ قد كَذَّب

If it was the first, then that is

A jealous envier who has denied favor

أو كَانتِ الأخرَى فقَد

ضاعَت علاقاتُ الأدّب

Or if it was the latter, then

Relations of courtesy have been lost

لو لَم تكُن ثِقتِي بِوُد

دِكَ لم أُجِبكَ لذَا الآرَب

Had my trust in your

Affection not been, I would not have answered this concern

ولَما عَرفتُ سِوَى أشم

مٍ دُونه شُمُّ العَرَب

And I would not have known anything but the most

Noble fragrance of all Arabs

لا يَرتَضِي بدلاًُ بِعِزِّ

زَتِه ملايينَ الذَّهَب

Who would not accept millions of

Gold in exchange for his precious dignity

إنَّا علَى قُلٍّ بنا

لَسنا بعُشَّاق الرُّتَب

We have little but

We are not lovers of positions

لكننَا نَصفُو لِمن

يَصفُو مِن أربَابِ الأَدب

Rather we treat kindly those

Who are kind, of the people of courtesy

أهوَى مُصَافاةَ الأدي

بِ ومَن إلَى الأدَبِ انتَسَب

I love the company of the cultured

And the young man with whom he loved

وأُحبُّ أهلَ الفضلِ طُرّ

ا والفتَى مَعَ مَن أحب

As for the ignorant, even if he

Filled the space with what he earned

أمَّا الجَهولُ وإن يكُن

ملأَ الفضَا مَا قد كَسَب

I do not choose him as a companion

And I'm happiest when he is concealed from me

لا أَصطَفيه مُخَاطَباً

وأسَرُّ إنعنِّي انحَجَب

Through knowledge the brother of leadership dominated

Not through money or lineage

بالعِلمِ سَاد أخُو السِّيا

دةِ لا بمَالٍ أو نَسَب

The mention of virtues is eternal

While money perishes and lineage

ذِكرُ المَكارِم خالدٌ

والمالُ يَفنَى والنَّسَب

O you who are singular in the stinginess

Of time with his collection in the chosen ones

يا مُفرداً بخِل الزَّما

نُ بجمعِه في مَن نخَب

The Lord of eloquence and clarity when

He speaks or writes

رَبُّ الفصَاحَةِ والبيَا

نِ إذا تكَلَّم أو خَطَب

Magic is a torrent that amazes him

If he says poetry or writes

والسِّحرُ سَيلُ يَراعِه

إِن قَالَ شِعرا أو كَتَب

Why do I see you boycotting me

By God the Lord, truly

مَا لي أراكَ مُقاطِعي

إنِّي وحقٍ الله رَب

I have been provoked by what

Appeared from you, and this is justified

لقَد انفَعَلتُ لِما بَدا

مِنكُم وهذا ما وَجَب