طَما بَحرُ الهُمومِ بِهِ فَمادا
وَعَوَّضَهُ مِنَ الغمضِ السُهادا
Often has the sea of worries foamed because of him,
Yet he has compensated it with serenity instead of gloom.
وَأَنساهُ الصَبابَةَ رَيبُ دَهرٍ
يُجَرِّدُ مِن مَكائِدِهِ عِنادا
The vicissitudes of time forgot to trouble his youth,
Stripping obstinacy of its schemes.
إِذا قُلت اِرعوى أَبدى غَراماً
وَأَربى في تَخايُلِهِ وَزادا
When I said he will forever love passionately,
And increase in his imaginations and excess.
شَكَوتُ الجَورَ وَالعُدوانَ مِنهُ
فَقالَ شَكَوتَ عَدلاً وَاِقتِصادا
I complained of tyranny and aggression from him,
So he said you complained of justice and moderation!
وَصَيَّرَني لِما أَلقاهُ أَرضى
مِن التَمرينِ أَسرَتنا وَسادا
And made me satisfied with what he throws at me,
Of training he made our night a pleasurable one.
أَلا خِلٌّ عَلى الأَيّامِ نَدبٌ
يُشاطِرُني الصَبابَةَ وَالسُهادا
Alas! A sincere friend sharing my youth and tranquility,
Who complains with me of the days and condoles.
أُعاهِدُهُ بِأَن لا خانَ عَهداً
وَلا جَعَلَ المحالَ لَهُ عَتادا
I vow to him not to betray a pledge,
Nor make the impossible an attempt.
وَأَنّى لي بِذاكَ وَهَل كَحُرٍّ
أَخِي ثِقَةٍ إِذا ما الأَمرُ آدا
How can I do that when a free man’s pledge,
If the matter becomes serious, is unsafe.
وَأُقسِمُ لَو طَمِعتُ بِهِ بِمصرٍ
لَجُبتُ لَهُ الغَوائِرَ وَالنِّجادا
And I swear if I hoped to gain something in Egypt,
I would bring to him the deep valleys and elevated tracts.
قَقَد قَضَّيتُ عُمري في أُناسٍ
يَرَونَ الغَدرَ دِيناً وَاِعتِقادا
Indeed I spent my life among people,
Who see betrayal as religion and creed.
كَأَنّي بَينَهُم نِضوٌ يُعاني
وَقَد أَفضى بِجَرَّتِهِ اِزدِرادا
It is as if I am a gazelle among them suffering,
Having poured out its complaint scornfully.
أَهيمُ وَلا أَريمُ حذارَ أَمرٍ
يهيجُ بِحامِلِ الدّاءِ الغِدادا
I hesitate and do not know, fearing a matter,
That stirs the sickness in one prone to madness.
أُريهِم مَنطِقاً عَيّاً وَإِنّي
لَأُفحِمُ في بلاغَتِهِ زِيادا
I show them a clear proof but I,
Surpass them in eloquence increasingly.
وَأُغضي ناظِري حَتّى كَأَنّي
حَديثُ عَمىً يُحرِّجُ أَن يُقادا
And I turn my eyes away until it is as if,
I am a new blind man embarrassed to be led.
وَنارُ الزَندِ تُدرِكُها لِحاظي
وَإِن لَم يُورِ قادِحُهُ الزِنادا
And the spark's fire reaches my glances,
Even if the flint striker produced no sparks.
وَأُبدي فيهِمُ صَمَماً وَسَمعي
يُحِسُّ النَّملَ إِذ يُخفي السَوادا
And I show them deafness while my hearing,
Can sense an ant creeping in the darkness.
سَأُرحِلُها مُجَلَّلَةً بِعَزمٍ
إِذا يُدعى هَلا وَهَبٍ تَمادى
I will set forth covered in determination,
If the heedless and rash persist.
وَأُقحِمُها المَهالِكَ لا أُبالي
أَغَيّاً كانَ ذَلِكَ أَم رَشادا
And I will plunge into destruction without care,
Whether that leads to misguidance or righteousness.
فَفي عُرضِ البَسيطَةِ لي مَجالٌ
إِذا مُتأَجِّمٌ أَلِفَ الوِسادا
So in the expanse of the plain I have scope,
If the frowning one makes a pillow his companion.
فَإِن أُدرِك مُنايَ فَكَم هُمامٍ
أَفادَ المَجدَ أَن جابَ البِلادا
If death takes me many brave deeds,
Have gained glory traveling through the lands.
وَإِن أَهلَك فَقَد أَبلَيتُ عُذراً
أَقومُ بِهِ وَلَم آلُ اِجتِهادا
And if I perish I have presented an excuse,
I stand by it and did not fail trying.
وَما طَلَبي سِوى لِقيانِ مَلكٍ
يَلوحُ ضِياءُ غُرَّتِهِ اِتِّقادا
And my only desire is the vision of a King,
The light of whose glory burns kindled.
لِأَقضِي بَعضَ واجِبِهِ وَأَحظى
بِلَفظٍ مِنهُ كَالدُرِّ اِنتِقادا
So I may fulfill some of his due and gain,
Speech from him like a perfect pearl.
يُؤَيِّدُ خاطِري وَيُجيدُ فِكري
وَأَجعَلُهُ لِما أَبني عِمادا
It will support my spirit and skill in thought,
And I will make it the pillar of what I build.
وَمَن ينزِل بِشَمسِ الدينِ يَصحَب
عَلى العِلّاتِ بَسّاماً جَوادا
And whoever descends at the sun of religion accompanies,
On the highbred horses a joyful generous one.
يُجالِسُ مِنهُ قَعقاعَ بنَ شَورٍ
وَكَعباً مُلبِسَ النَعما إِيادا
He sits with the like of Qa'qa' bin Shur at-Tamimi,
And Ka'b donned with favors bestowed.
مَليكٌ إِن يَقُل يَفعَل وَإِن يَس
تَزِد مِن نَيلِهِ العافونَ زادا
A King whom if he says he does and if he is silent,
The righteous gain from his attainment increase.
يُشبِّهُ كَفَّهُ بِالغَيثِ قَومٌ
وَما من رامَ تَشبيهاً أَجادا
A people compare his palm to rain,
But none intending a simile succeeded.
لَوَ اِنَّ الغَيثَ يُشبِهُ راحَتَيهِ
نَدىً لَم تَحمِلِ الإِبلُ المَزادا
If only the rain resembles his palms,
With soft water the camels would not pace.
فَأَبلِغ ساكِنَ الزَوراءِ عَنّي
رِسالَةَ مُخلِصٍ لَهُمُ الوِدادا
So convey to the inhabitant of Zawra', a message,
From a loyal one to him full of affection.
فَإِنّي لَم أَحُطَّ قُيودَ رَحلِي
بِإمَّعَةٍ يُذعلِبُ إِذ يُنادى
For I did not set the reins of my ride,
With one who yells if called.
وَلَم أَنزِل بِزِعنِفَةٍ لَئيمٍ
يَصُرُّ لِوَفدِهِ النُكدَ الجِلادا
Nor have I descended with a mean vulgar one,
Who traces harshness for his delegation.
وَلَكنّي نَزَلتُ نُزولَ حُرٍّ
بِأَسراها وَأَوراها زِنادا
Rather I descended the descent of a freeman,
With a wrap and cloak, flint and steel.
وَأبسطها يَداً وَأَمَدّ باعاً
إِلى العَليا وَأَطوَلِها نِجادا
With a hand that reaches out and extended arms,
To the lofty and long noble steeds.
وَأَسرَعِها إِلى الغاياتِ سَعياً
عَلى قَدَمٍ وَأَرساها عِمادا
The quickest to the goals exerting effort,
On a foot firm-planted as pillars.
وَأَكرَمِها إِذا ما العامُ أَبدى
لِأَكلِ المالِ أَنياباً حِدادا
The most generous when the year discloses,
For wealth greedy mouths like snakes.
وَأَبيَضُ كَالمُهنَّدِ أَيهَمِيٌّ
جَوادٌ ما بَدا إِلّا أَعادا
Whiter than arrowheads its verses virtuously flow,
A generous one never manifesting but to repeat.
هُمامٌ سادَ قَبلَ تَمامِ عَشرٍ
وَمَن ذا قَبلَهُ لِلعَشرِ سادا
Brave since before completing ten years of age,
And who before him ruled at ten?
وَقَبلَ الإِحتِلامِ سَقى المَواضي
دَمَ الأَعداءِ ريّاً وَالصِعادا
And before puberty he quenched the meadows,
With the blood of enemies moistening the roads.
وَيَومٌ تَشخَصُ الأَبصارُ فيهِ
وَيُشبِهُ فَحمُهُ اللَيلَ اِسوِدادا
And a day when the sights squint on it,
And its hot breath resembles blackest dark.
تَخالُ بِهِ الأَسِنَّةَ لامِعاتٍ
نُجومَ القَذفِ تَطَّرِدُ اِطِّرادا
It imagines on it the sharp tongues of flashing swords,
Stars pelting so as to repel.
وَتَحكي الهُندُوانِيّاتِ فيهِ
شَقائِقُ تُمتَرى حَتّى تُصادا
And Indian swords on it tell tales,
Of embers that are bought until withdrawn.
وَفيهِ تُشبِهُ الراياتُ طَيراً
يُباري النَحلَ تَحسبُهُ جَرادا
And on it the banners resemble birds,
Rivaling bees you would think them locusts.
تَلقّاهُ بِعَزمٍ لَو ثَبيرٌ
وَثَهلانٌ بِهِ رُديا لَمادا
Thabir and Thahlan would face it with resolve,
If they were to retreat it would not desist.
وَعامٍ تُلحَدُ الأَحياءُ فيهِ
وَيُنسيها المَآثِرَ وَالمَعادا
And a year if the living were to be buried in it,
It makes them forget ruins and homes.
يَظَلُّ بِهِ اللِوى يَنصاعُ حَتّى
كَأَنَّ بِهِ وَلَيسَ بِهِ عدادا
On it Luwa remains compliant until,
It is as if with and without it there is no number.
أَقامَ إِلى نَداهُ بِهِ سَبيلاً
يَرى لِلمُعتَفينَ بِهِ اِرتِيادا
It stood its ground so the protected ones can access it,
And see for the loyal a path to enter.
وَعودٌ في البَلاغَةِ ذو فُنونٍ
يُريكَ بِذِهنِهِ إِرمَاً وَعادا
A matchless one in eloquence of diverse arts,
It shows you in its mind a quick-witted and gentle one.
تَوَهَّمَهُ وَلَم يَلفِظ بِحَرفٍ
فَما أَبدى لَدَيهِ وَلا أَعادا
You imagine it though it utters no letter,
It does not display before it and does not repeat.
وَأَحمَقَ مارِقٍ ناوى عُلاهُ
لِيُدرِكَها فَعادَ وَما أَفادا
And it neglects the fool with ambitions of its heights,
Trying to attain them but benefits nothing.
إِذا أَعداؤُهُ ذكرَتهُ باتَت
كَأَنَّ عَلى مَضاجِعِها القَتادا
When its enemies mention it they become,
As if upon their beds are spiny thorns.
تُقلِّبُ رَأيَها بَطناً وَظَهراً
فَلا خَطاً رَأَتهُ وَلا سَدادا
Tossing their opinion belly up and back,
Seeing no fault in it and no propriety.
حذارَ مُعاوِدِ الهَيجا لَجوجٍ
يَعُدُّ لَجاجَةَ السَرَفِ اِقتِصادا
Beware the habitual stirrer of mischief, obstinate,
Counting obstinacy of profligacy as thrift.
جَرِيءٌ لَم يَصُل إِلّا أَرَتهُ
أُسودَ الغابِ صَولَتُهُ نِقادا
Audacious whom only its she lions have reached,
The lions of the jungle with mighty leaping strides.
بَنى بِالبَصرَةِ الفَيحاءِ سُوراً
يُضاهي السَدَّ سَبكاً وَاِنعِقادا
It built around shining Basra a wall,
Rivaling the dam tight binding and setting.
وَأَيَّدَهُ بِمِثلِ اللَهبِ تَأبى
عَلى الأَيّامِ صُفَّتُهُ اِنهِدادا
And supported it with a blazing flame refusing,
Its attributes to the days to collapse and fall.
وَزَيَّنَها بِأَسواقٍ أَرانا
بِها كُلَّ البِلادِ لَها سَوادا
And adorned it with markets we saw in it,
The whole lands in its midst coursing.
وَأَروى أَهلَها عَذباً فُراتاً
وَلَم يَنفَح لَها عَذبٌ فُؤادا
And irrigated its people with the Euphrates’ sweet water,
No sweet soul irrigated it with sincerity.
وَكَم مِن مَشهَدٍ وَرِباطِ عَدٍّ
وَمَدرَسَةٍ بَنى وَهُدىً أَفادا
And how many institutes and lodges it built,
Schools and guided insights of benefit.
وَجامِعُها المُعَظَّمُ إِذ تَداعى
وَقالَ القائِلونَ عَفا وَبادا
And its grand mosque when it leaned,
And they said it tilted and became ruined.
أَقامَ لَهُ إِلى الأَهوازِ عِيراً
صِلاداً تَحمِلُ الصُمَّ الصِلادا
It mobilized to the marshlands strong camels,
Carrying the deaf their equal the deaf.
وَلِلشِيزى إِلى شيرازَ نُجباً
كَمِثلِ الهُضبِ أَجساداً وَآدا
And to Shiraz choice camels like mountains,
In body and limbs a caravan.
وَبَثَّ بِكُلِّ بَحرٍ مُنشآتٍ
تَفوتُ بِطَيِّها الجُردَ الجِيادا
And across every sea it constructed,
Ships whose speed rivals steeds fleet.
فَحينَ بَكى المُزاود لَيسَ فيها
تَرى أَمتاً يَشينُ وَلا اِتِّئادا
So when the partisan wept no blemish in it,
Do you see or destitution and poverty.
وَما مِن جَوهَرٍ إِلّا وَأَجرى
بِهِ مِن صَفوِ جَوهَرِهِ مِدادا
And not one essence except it let flow,
From its essence’ best ink composing.
فِعالُ مُجاهِدٍ في اللَهِ بَدلٍ
مِنَ الأَبدالِ قَولاً وَاِعتِقادا
The deed of a warrior in God substituting,
For the substitutes words and belief.
فَها هُوَ لَو خَوارِزمٌ رَآهُ
لَأَصغَرَ قَصرَهُ اللَّذ كانَ شادا
There it is if Khwarizm saw it,
It would belittle its delightful palace however lofty.
فَتيهي أَيُّها الرَعناءُ عُجباً
بِهِ وَتَناوَلي السَبعَ الشِدادا
So be astonished O deaf lowly one,
At it and assume the claws of a beast of prey.
فَقَد صارَت شُهورُكِ مُذ تَوَلّى
رَبيعاً لا تُمرُّ بهِ جُمادى
For its months since it assumed rule,
Have become a continuous spring without the passing of Jumada.
فِدىً لَكَ باتَكينُ نُفوسُ قَومٍ
أَجابُوا اللُؤمَ طَوعاً وَاِنقِيادا
Sacrificed for you are souls submissive to it,
Responding to vileness obediently and yielding.
إِنِ اِستَمرَيتَ أَسمَحَهُم فَباباً
تُعَوَّرُ إِذ تَسُدّ بِهِ الوِدادا
If you persist being vile with them,
A door you will damage if through it affection passes.
وَإِن يَوماً دَعَوتَهُمُ لِحَربٍ
أَثَرتَ لِيَومِ عاصِفَةٍ رَمادا
And if one day you call them to battle,
You will stir a day of stormy ashes.
فَدونَكَ عَذبَةَ الأَلفاظِ جاءَت
بِنورٍ ساطِعٍ يَغشى البِلادا
With the sweet words it brought you a light,
Radiant enveloping the lands.
تُريكَ سُطورُها وَاللَيلُ داجٍ
فَريدَ الدُرِّ مَثنىً أَو فُرادى
Its lines show you though the night is dark,
Unique pearls tandem or singular.
لَوِ اِجتازَت بِسامِعَتَي جَريرٍ
لَقامَ لَها جَلالاً وَاِستَعادا
If it reached Jurayr's hearing surely he would stand,
Revering it and reciting repetitively.
وَلَستُ بِحالِبٍ لِسِواكَ شِعراً
فَأَخشى مِن تَعَرُّضِهِ الكَسادا
And I am no underseller of your poetry,
So I fear interacting brings decline.
أَبَت لِي ذاكَ آباءٌ كِرامٌ
إِذا وُلِدَ اِمرُؤٌ مِنهُم أَفادا
That was denied to me by noble fathers,
If one born amongst them benefits.
وَنَفسٌ لا تُريعُ لوِردِ سُوءٍ
تُعابُ بِهِ وَلَو ماتَت جَوادا
And a soul that does not incline to the roses of evil,
Blamed for it even if it dies freely giving.
بَقيتَ بَقاءَ ذِكرِكَ في المَعالي
فَلَيسَ أَرى عَلَيهِ مُستَزادا
You remained with the survival of your fame in greatness,
I do not see upon it increase.
وَعاشَ عَدُوُّ مَجدِكَ لا يُنادي
عَلى طُولِ الحَياةِ وَلا يُنادى
And may your enemy live not calling,
Upon a long lifetime nor being called.
