بك طالت يد الزمان القصيرِ

فاستهلَّت بكلّ خيرٍ وخير

Time's short hand embraced you,

Bringing every good and blessing.

وصفا جودها وطاب وقد كا

ن شديدَ الأجون والتكدير

Describing your generosity and kindness was pleasant,

Even when times were difficult and distressing.

حيثما سرت كان صبحاً منيراً

ومسير النجوم في الديجور

Wherever you went, it was a radiant morn,

And the stars coursed calmly through the night.

طالعتني بشرى القدوم فلـ

ـو يملك حرُّ وهبتني لبشير

The tidings of your coming brought me joy—

Had I owned anything precious I'd have gifted it to the bearer.

ولو أنَّ الديار تنطق قالت

أيُّ ملكٍ يسمو بأيّ وزير

If these abodes could speak, they would say

"Which great king takes counsel from his minister?"

سحب الفضلُ من مدادك

والقس رداءً محبَّر التشهير

Merit drew its ink from your inkstand,

And the judge donned his black robes in your honor.

راق بشراً ولذَّ نشراً فهـ

ـل أنت بمسكٍ تخطُّ في كافور

You brought men joy and comfort when you scattered your gifts—

Are you not musk-scented aloeswood in camphor?

ربما نقطةٍ تكوَّنَ منها

ليلُ خالِ من فوق وجنة نور

Perhaps a single drop formed a night

Devoid of darkness, filled with shining light.

وصفوفٍ رماحها الشَّكلُ ور

راها حسودٌ فلقبت بالسَّور

Ranks of lances in ordered rows

That the envious named "the wall."

كل حرفٍ يحلُّهُ كفؤ معنى

تتهانى به بناتُ الصُّدور

Each letter solved by a befitting meaning—

The hearts' daughters delight in this.

ما سمعنا بمن يزفُّ المعاني

ثمَّ يحبو خطابها بالمهور

Never did we hear of one who gave meanings in marriage

Then honored their words with gifts and dowers.

واطَّبتنا أقلامك الهيف لمَّا

شبهت من سقامها بالخصور

Your gentle pens reproached us when they likened

Our bodies' weakness to withered, fragile branches.

راتعاتٍ من طرسها ودويّ الد

دست ما بين روضةٍ ودير

Thunderbolts from their power, and the echo of drums

Between garden and monastery they struck.

يا أمير الكلام والجندُ لا يأتـ

ـون أمراً إلاَّ بأذن الأمير

O prince of speech—the troops do nothing

Unless by order of their prince.

قطعتني عن الزيادة أحوا

لٌ أعاضت سرورنا بالشرور

Circumstances cut me short, darkened

Our joy with their strife and commotion.

أنا منا ما بين رزقٍ قليلٍ

أترَّجى بهِ وهمٍّ كبير

I am one whose meager lot

I hope in, though my desire is great.

أفجار على التطوُّل في عر

ض مديحي أم آمري بالحضور

Shall I overstep in praising you, or are you

Commanding me to attend you?

لا تدعني مذبذبَ العزم ما

بين مقامٍ أخافهُ ومسير

Leave me not suspended between a stance I fear

And a journey I dread to make.

وتنجَّز لي خلعةً هي والرو

ضُ سواءٌ خلال يومٍ مطير

Grant me a robe—it and dew-kissed flowers

Are equal gifts on a rainy day.

لو رآها السحاب نقَّطها

واليومُ مصحٍ باللؤلوه المنثور

If clouds saw it they would rain on it,

And today is blessed with scattered pearls.

حسنت منظراً وخبراً فما

تصلحُ إلاّ لمنبرٍ أو سرير

You perfected manner and report—only fitting

For a pulpit or throne to bear you.

كثرت قيمةً وقلَّت جزاء

فتعجَّب من القليل الكثير

You gained such worth but diminished reward—

So the little marvels at the much.

قد أجدتُ التجبير جهدي فلا

تقنع بها غير نضرة التحبير

I tried my best in this eulogy—do not

Be content with aught but the finest adornment.