أَيا مَن يُهابُ وَمَن يُتَّقى
وَمَن لَيسَ يَرقى اِمرُؤٌ ما اِرتَقى
O you who are revered and pious
None can rise as high as you have risen
وَمَن يُمطِرُ الخَوفَ أَعداءَهُ
إِذا هُوَ أَرعَدَ أَو أَبرَقا
You rain fear upon your foes
When you thunder and lightening
وَمَن نَبتُ سُؤدُدِهِ قَد نَمى
وَغَرسُ مَعاليهِ قَد أَورَقا
The roots of your glory have grown
And the shoots of your virtues have leafed
وَمَن لَيسَ يَخذُلُ مُستَنجِداً
وَمَن لَيسَ يَحرِمُ مُستَرزِقا
You never fail those seeking aid
Or deprive those begging sustenance
وَمَن لَيسَ يَترُكُ في بَلدَةٍ
إِذا ما أَناخَ بِها مُملِقا
You leave no region you visit
Without gaining sincere allegiance
تَمَتَّع بِعُمرِكَ وَاِنعَم بِهِ
وَإِلّا سَتَندَمُ إِن أَخلَقا
Enjoy your life and delight in it
Or you'll regret once life has passed
وَزُرني عَلى الظَهرِ مَن عَزمَةٍ
تَفوتُ بِكَ الخَيلُ وَالأَينُقا
Visit me with resolute intent
My steeds and camels outpace yours
فَقَد دَهِمَ الفَجرُ طَرفَ الدُجى
فَصَيَّرَ أَدهَمَهُ أَبلَقا
Dawn has approached, dimming the gloom
And turned the darkness to twilight
وَأَبدى لَنا الزَهرُ يا قوتَةً
فَمِن مُستَجادٍ وَمِن مُنتَقى
The flowers have bloomed, a wondrous sight
The finest of the fine, handpicked
وَزَخرَفَ جَنَّةَ بُستانِنا
وَأَلبَسَها مِنهُ إِستَبرَقا
Our garden is now ornamented
Dressed in the finest silken fabrics
وَفَتَّحَتِ القَضبُ أَحداقَها
فَزادَت حَدائِقُها رَونَقا
The branches have opened their eyes
Adding charm to the gardens
فَما كانَ مِنها وَقاحاً رَنا
وَما كانَ مُحتَشِما أَطرَقا
Some blossoms blush while others bow
The hyacinth shines though earth still barren
وَلاحَ الشَقيقُ وَلَو لَم يَلُح
لِما نَعِمَ التُربُ بَعدَ الشَقا
Spring has adorned the hillside abodes
And removed all previous decor
وَزَمَّ الرَبيعُ قِبابَ الرُبى
وَأَذهَبَ مِنها الَّذي زَوَّقا
It comes dressed in patchwork attire
Not forgetting any branch to adorn
وَجاءَ مِنَ الوَشيِ في مُعلَمٍ
إِذا ما تَسَربَلَهُ مُخرَقا
It has scattered the crowns of its lights
Not overlooking any divided limb
وَفَرَّقَ تيجانَ نَوّارِهِ
فَلَم يَنسَ مِن غُصُنٍ مَفرِقا
The waters - their camphor is mixed
With the musk of lilac so strong
فَأَمّا المِياهُ فَكافورُها
بِمِسكِ البَنَفسَجِ قَد أَحدَقا
Its snakes slither and glide
When the winds bring the moisture
تَدُبُّ وَتَسعى ثَعابينُها
إِذا ما الرِياحُ أَتَت بِالرُقى
The air too inclined towards its own
Mending all it had torn
بَلى الجَوُّ حَنَّ إِلى جَوِّهِ
فَرَقَّعَ مِنهَ الَّذي خَرَّقا
So we see it glistening like silver
Though just moments ago sapphire
فَصِرنا نُشاهِدُهُ فَضَّةً
وَقَد كانَ فَيروزَجاً أَزرَقا
Do not be distracted from those who have gone
To leisure, which they prefer to all else
فَلا تَلهُ بِالشُغلِ عَمَّن غَدا
إِلى اللَهوِ مِن غَيرِهِ أَشوَقا
Our skilled cook has risen early
And prepared breakfast to sate
فَقَد قامَ طَبّاخُنا فائِقٌ
بِلَيلٍ أَعَدَّ لَنا الفُيَّقا
He has stuffed the geese well
Fearing overcooking would ruin them
وَعَبّا البَوارِدِ في جونَةٍ
أَجَنَّ مِنَ الخَوفِ أَن تُطبِقا
He brought pigeons dressed finely
In a nutmeg infused stew
وَوافى بِقِقيانِ سَنبوسَجٍ
فَأَلبَسَها مِنهُ دَستينَقا
He expertly slit their tender meat
Else the skewers wouldn’t have pierced
وَخَلَّقَ عَنبَرَ طُردينِها
وَلَولا المَقالي لَمّا خُلَّقا
He excelled in boiling the hens
For I had instructed they be boiled
وَأَبدَعَ في سَلقِ هَليونِها
لِأَنّي أَمَرتُ بِأَن يُسلَقا
The pot seemed a bride sent to her groom
Who takes her back each time they disagree
فَزُفَّت عَروساً إِلى خاطِبٍ
يُراجِعُها كُلَّما طَلَّقا
When he beautifies her with herbs
She awaits with desire the first crackling
فَحينَ يَزينُها حُسناً
تَخُصُّ بِشَوقٍ إِذا شُقَّقا
Delectable vinegar, clarified and clear
And seasoned salt so sublime
وَخَلٌّ ظَريفٌ بِذاكَ الصِفاءِ
وَمشلحٌ مَليحٌ بِذاكَ النَقا
He showered upon it caraway
That tears apart my every woe
وَأَلقى عَلَيها بِرازيدَقا
يُمَزِّقُ هَمّي إِذا مُزِّقا
He brought it to us right away
To where we asked it be delivered
وَأَصبَحَ مِنّا عَلىحَملِها
إِلى حَيثُ قَلنا لَهُ أَقلَقا
My cherished friend, I have reserved
Fresh grape juice, from the vine freely flowing
وَعِندي فَدَيتُكَ مِن بَعدِها
عَصيرٌ مِنَ الكَرَمِ قَد عُتِّقا
It comes to you as clear spirits
Or saffron honey if you so wish
يَجيئُكَ مِنهُ الخَلوقُ الَّذي
إِذا شِئتَ صَيَّرتَهُ زَنبَقا
It is carried to our drunkenness
By cups when we imbibe
وَساقٍ يُساقُ إِلى سَكرِنا
بِلُجمِ الكُؤوسِ إِذا ما سَقى
With cheeks excused for their full red blaze
Their flush like embers stoked
يَتيهُ بِخَدَّينِ قَد عُذِّرا
فَصارَ لُجَينُهُما مُحرَقا
It woos those who desire its nearness
And entices before being invited
إِذا ما دَنا الدَنُّ مِنهُ دَنا
إِلى مَن يَروقُ إِذا رُوَّقا
It dances joyfully from its fervor
And bucks before being ridden
وَأَغيَدَ تَطرَبُ مِن حِسِّهِ
وَتَنعَرُ مِن قَبلِ أَن يَنطِقا
It is not withheld by the noble
Whether they withhold or release it
وَلا تُمسِكُ الكاسَ مِنّا يضدٌ
إِذا هُوَ أَمسَكَ أَو أَطلَقا
A vinegar, when visited by its own kind
Is greeted kindly, a beautiful bond
وَخِلٍّ إِذا زارَهُ خِلُّهُ
تَلَقّاهُ مِنهُ جَميلُ اللِقا
It eases its owner’s burdens
And lightens his gloom to glow
يَروحُ عَلى مالِهِ قاسِياً
وَيَغدو عَلى وَفرِهِ مُشفِقا
So do not leave me lonesome today
With a Lord who has granted you long life
فَإِن أَظلَمَ العَيشُ في مَجلِسٍ
أَعادَتهُ أَخلاقُهُ مُشرِقا
Your friend in me is of fine stock
Rarely disagreeing with true friends
فَلا تُبقِني اليَومَ مُستَوحِشاً
بِرَبٍّ يُمَلّيكَ طولَ البَقا
فَإِنَّ صَديقَكَ مِنّي فَتىً
قَليلُ الخِلافِ عَلى الأَصدِقا
