أَما وَهَوىً عَصَيتُ لَهُ العَواذِل

لَقَد أَسمَعتَ نُصحَكَ غَيرَ قابِل

Although I disobeyed the chastisers for passion

You have certainly heard advice unaccepting

وَما سَمعي إِلى العُذّالِ مُصغٍ

وَلا قَلبي عَنِ الأَحبابِ ذاهِل

My hearing pays no heed to the blamer

Nor my heart forgets the loved ones

وَلَو أَنصَفتَ لَم تُنكِر وُقوفي

عَلى طَلَلٍ بِذاتِ الضالِ ماثِل

Had you been fair, you'd not deny my standing

At the ruins of one with beauty unrivaled

أَأَجحَدُ رَبعَ رَيّى وَهوَ عافٍ

زَماناً مَرَّ فيهِ وَهوَ آهِل

Shall I deny a quarter of my meadow in bloom

A time has passed with it verdant

وَما أَعطى الصَبابَةَ ما اِستَحَقَّت

عَلَيهِ وَلا قَضى حَقَّ المَنازِل

The youth was not given what it deserved

Nor the rights of homes fulfilled

مُلاحِظُها بِعَينٍ غَيرِ عَبرى

وَزائِرُها بِجِسمٍ غَيرِ ناحِل

I observe it with unweeping eyes

And visit with a body unwaning

يُمَيِّلُني إِلى وَطَني هَناتٌ

جَرَت ما بَينَ عِلمِيَةٍ وَداعِل

Inclinations draw me to my homeland

Flowing between Ilmeeyah and Da'eel

وَأَذكُرُ دائِماً ثَمَراتِ عَيشٍ

جُنينَ بِدَيرِ قانونٍ وَآبِل

And I constantly remember fruits of living

Harvested at Deir Kanoon’s orchards

تَهيجُ بَلابِلي نَغَمُ الأَغاني

مُجاوِبَةً لِأَصواتِ البَلابِل

Warbling birds stir melodies of song

Responding to nightingales' refrains

لَيالِيَ لي إِلى ما أَشتَهيهِ

تَلَطُّفُ وارِخٍ وَهُجومُ واغِل

Nights gentle to me whatever I desire

Relaxed hiding and passionate siege

وَمَحموداتُها أَتباعُ أَمري

وَمَذموماتُها عَنّي غَوافِل

Its virtues are my emir’s followers

Its vices from me are distant

وَكَم قَطَعَ الظَلامَ بِغَيرِ وَعدٍ

غَزالٌ دَأبُهُ قَطعُ الحَبائِل

How often has the darkness without promise been cut

By a doe whose habit is severing ropes

بِراحٍ باتَ يَمزُجُها بَريقٍ

كَفاها المَزجُ بِالعَذبِ السَلاسِل

With a breath it mixes throughout the night

Sufficed by blending with the sweetest chains

وَأَشرَبُها عَلى ظَمَإٍ فَأَروى

كَرُمحِ الخَطِّ يَروى وَهوَ ذابِل

I drink it for a thirst and thus quench

Like spears they quench though dried out

وَلَمّا راحَتِ الأَظعانُ باحَت

بِما نُخفي مَدامِعُنا الهَوامِل

When the gazelles were at rest they divulged

What we hid – our tearful glances

وَقَفنا وَالإِشارَةُ ثَمَّ رُسلٌ

مُعَبِّرَةٌ وَأَدمُعُنا الرَسائِل

We stood and the gesture, then messengers

Expressive, and our tears epistles

فَعَقراً لِلرِكابِ غَداةَ وَلَّت

بِنُزّالِ الحِمى تَطوي المَراحِل

So galloping after the caravan turned at dawn

With the departure of the fever, the stages crossed

فَقَد حَمَلَت جَمالاً وَاِعتِدالاً

تُجِنُّهُما البَراقِعُ وَالغَلائِل

For it carried beauty and grace

Hidden by veils and wrappings

لِمُفغِمَةٍ بُيوتَ الحَيَّ طيباً

وَمُفعَمَةِ الأَساوِرِ وَالخَلاخِل

Filling the houses of the neighborhood with fragrance

Occupying the bracelets and anklets

وَمُفرَدَةٍ وَما وَضَعَت حَبيباً

كَما اِنفَرَدَت عَنِ السِربِ الخَواذِل

Singular, though it placed no lover

As it singularly seceded from the flock

تَفَرَّدُ بِالتَعَتُّبِ وَالتَجَنّي

وَتَذهَبُ بِالمَحاسِنِ وَالشَمائِل

It secludes in coquetry and affectation

Taking with it beauty and traits

تَروقُ العَينَ راضِيَةً وَغَضبى

وَتُصبى القَلبَ حالِيَةً وَعاطِل

Pleasing the eye whether pleased or angry

And melting the heart whether present or absent

مُذيبَةَ مُهجَتي طالَ اِقتِضائي

عِداتِكِ وَالغَريمُ بِها مُماطِل

Melting my passions, long my craving

For your chattels while the adversary procrastinates

أُمَنّى بِاِنعِطافِكِ وَهوَ غالٍ

وَأُمنى بِاِنحِرافِكِ وَهوَ غائِل

I wish for your kindness though it be costly

And I wish for your turning though it spell ruin

لَقَد أَنفَقتُ في الصَبَواتِ عُمري

وَكُنتُ كَبائِعٍ حَقّاً بِباطِل

Indeed I spent my youth in amuse

And was a vendor selling the worthless as precious

إِلى أَن ثابَ رَأيٌ ضَلَّ حيناً

فَعُدتُ إِلى الفُروضِ مِنَ النَوافِل

Until a lost mind returned

And I came back to duties from niceties

وَزارَت آلَ مِرداسٍ رِكابي

فَأَغنَتني البِحارُ عَنِ الجَداوِل

The ships of Mirdas then visited me

Seas made me needless of rivers

وَكُنتُ أَذُمُّ آمالاً نَحَت بي

مَمالِكَ لَم أَفُز فيها بِطائِل

And I cherished hopes carved into me

Of kingdoms I gained no rewards

بِحَيثُ أَبو سَلامَةَ لَم يَجُدها

وَنَصرٌ بَعدَهُ وَأَبو الفَضائِل

The likes of which Abu Salamah did not find

Nor those after him, Abu Fada'el

مُلوكٌ أَمَّنوا خَيلي وَرَجلي

مُكابَدَةَ الهَواجِرِ وَالهَواجِل

Kings who secured my horses and men

Enduring estrangement and remoteness

وَأَمضَوا في الَّذي يَحوُونَ حُكمي

فَفُزتُ بِعاجِلٍ مِنهُ وَآجِل

And they accomplished what they intended for me

So I succeeded in the timely and later

مَكارِمُ مُبتَغيها مِن سِواهُم

كَباغي الرِسلِ مِن أَخلافِ حائِل

Nobilities I sought from others

Like the seeker from the descendants of Hail

زَرَوا كَرَماً عَلى مَن عاصَروهُ

وَإِقداماً وَأَزرَوا بِالأَوائِل

They visited generosity upon contemporaries

As well as audacity, and took the fore

وَثالِثُهُم وَإِن عَزّوا وَجادوا

أَمَرُّ عَداوَةً وَأَعَمُّ نائِل

The third of them, though mighty and generous

Most obstinate and attaining

أَظَلَّتهُ نَوائِبُ لَم تَنُبهُم

فَقارَعَها بِرَأيٍ غَيرِ فائِل

Adversities befell him but did not deter him

So he confronted them with tireless strategy

وَفَلَّ شَبا المَواضي بِالمَواضي

وَلاقى بِالزَرافاتِ الجَحافِل

The fillies of the meadows clashed with fillies

And met with the dense regiments

مَواقِفُ تَشخَصُ الأَبصارُ مِنها

وَتَعيا عَن إِبانَتِها المَقاوِل

Situations the sights recoil from

Too overwhelming for expressions

وَما خَرِسَت بِها الأَبطالُ حَتّى

تَكَلَّمَتِ الصَوارِمُ وَالصَواهِل

The heroes were not silenced therein

Until the swords and blades spoke

حُروبٌ لَم تَكُن لِبَني بَغيضٍ

وَلا عُزِيَت إِلى أَبناءِ وائِل

Wars not meant for the sons of enmity

Nor blamed on the Banu Wa’il

وَفُرسانٍ تَحِنُّ إِلى رَداها

حَنينَ الهائِماتِ إِلى المَناهِل

And horsemen yearning for their return

With the longing of she-camels for watering holes

وَشَرَّدَها إِباءٌ سابِقِيٌّ

تَعِزُّ بِهِ العَقائِلُ وَالمَعاقِل

And scattered them an unwavering refusal

With which lineages and forts are strengthened

ثَناها عَن مَطامِعِها هُمامٌ

لَهُ بِالنَصرِ رَبُّ العَرشِ كافِل

Dissuading them from their covetousness, protectors

For whom the Lord of the Throne is guarantor

وَما غَمَدَ الظُبى حَتّى أَزالَت

جِبالاً لا تُحَرِّكُها الزَلازِل

They did not sheathe the blades except to remove

Mountains not shaken by tremors

وَكانَ يُزيرُها في كُلِّ عامٍ

عِراباً شُزَّباً قُبَّ الأَياطِل

And every year he would visit them

With hordes swollen like rain clouds

لَها نَظَرُ الأَجادِلِ إِذ تُخَلّى

وَعِندَ الأَرضِ أَجنِحَةُ الأَجادِل

For them are the gazes of men when they are let loose

With the wings of eagles spread on the ground

إِذا نَزَعَ الوَجيفُ اللَحمَ عَنها

كَساها ما تُثيرُ مِنَ القَساطِل

When the carrion peels the flesh off them

It adorns them with what stirs vultures

وَإِن عَضَّت شَكائِمَها وَطاحَت

أَتاحَت لِلعِدى عَضَّ الأَنامِل

And if their lighting bolts strike and fall

They enable the enemy's clawing

وَقَلَّلَتِ المُدافِعَ وَالمُحامي

وَكَثَّرتِ الأَيامى وَالثَواكِل

And they lessened the defenders and protectors

And multiplied the widows and bereaved

وَكَم عَضَدَ الرِماحَ وَمُشرِعيها

بِعَزمٍ كانَ أَعرَفَ بِالمَقاتِل

And how many supported spears and their wielders

With resolves known for their aggression

هُمامٌ خَوَّفَ الأَيّامَ حَتّى

سَعَت أَيّامُها فيما يُحاوِل

Ambitions frightened the days until

Their days widened with what he attempted

وَمَلكٌ لا يُنازَعُ في مَعالٍ

لَهُ الآياتُ مِنها وَالدَلائِل

A king undisputed in possessions

For him are the signs, some apparent

يَعِزُّ جِوارُهُ وَالخَوفُ فاشٍ

وَيُخضَبُ جارُهُ وَالعامُ ماحِل

His neighbor is empowered and fear spreads

As his neighbor's sword drips blood

وَرُبَّ صَوارِمٍ تَلِدُ المَنايا

وَتُلفى بَعدَ ما وَلَدَت حَوامِل

Many blades give birth to deaths

Then after birthing are bundled up

كَيُمناهُ الَّتي تَهمي نَوالاً

يَعُمُّ الخَلقَ طُرّاً وَهيَ حافِل

Like his fortunes which lunge in provisions

Encompassing people in waves while abundant

إِذا سيمَ الغِنى رَوّى الأَماني

وَإِن شَهِدَ الوَغى رَوّى المَناصِل

If destiny is pleasant it waters wishes

And if war calls it waters swords

خِلالٌ في العَطايا وَالرَزايا

بِها عُدِمَ المُساجِلُ وَالمُشاكِل

Therein are neither disputants nor contentious

Due to his justice and even-handedness

تُنَزِّقُهُ الحَمِيَّةُ حينَ يُعصى

فَيَعروهُ التَطَوُّلُ وَهوَ صائِل

Zeal tears him apart when disobeyed

So justification reins it in while ascending

وَلَولا رَأيُهُ في العَفوِ كانَت

أَياديهِ كَأَنعُمِهِ كَوامِل

And were it not for his view of pardon

His hands would be like his gifts, perfect

يَجورُ عَلى الَّذي تَحوي يَداهُ

وَيَحكُمُ في الرَعايا حُكمَ عادِل

He does injustice to one whose hands contain

And rules the subjects with the judgment of justice

وَيَلبَسُ مِن سَجاياهُ ثِياباً

عَلى الجَوزاءِ مُرخاةَ الذَلاذِل

He wears from his fine traits garments

Spacious on beauty's branches

لَها أَرَجٌ تَضَوَّعَ مِن نَداهُ

وَمِن نُوّارِها أَرَجُ الخَمائِل

Their scent is perfumed through his bliss

And through its luminosity the aromas of beauty

نَصِيَّةُ أُسرَةٍ وَلِبانُ بَيتٍ

بِهِ اِفتَخَرَت كِلابُ عَلى القَبائِل

A family's guardian and house's incense

With it the dogs took pride over tribes

لِأَملاكِ العَواصِمِ مِنهُ بَيتٌ

يَفوزُ بِشَطرِهِ أَملاكُ بابِل

Of capital cities' rulers it has a house

Its half outweighs Babylon's kingdom

فَزُرهُ عائِلاً أَو مُستَفيداً

وَجاوِد مَن أَرَدتَ بِهِ وَفاضِل

Visit it either as family or beneficiary

And frequent one you wish to be virtuous

مَناقِبُ لَو تَنالُ الشَمسُ أَدنى

مَداها ما دَنَت مِنها الأَصائِل

Merits the sun itself barely reaches

The lowest of its extensions

تَعالَمَها جَميعُ الناسِ حَتّى

تَساوى عالِمٌ فيها وَجاهِل

Its landmarks all people know

So that scholar therein and ignorant are equal

جَمَعتَ تَوَثُّبَ الأَسَدِ المَنيعِ ال

حِمى بِرَكانَةِ المَلِكِ الحُلاحِل

You combined the lion's pouncing prowess

With the king's flowing severity

وَمِن تَحتِ السَكينَةِ بَحرُ عِلمٍ

بِهِ عُرِفَ المُناظِرُ وَالمُجادِل

And beneath tranquility is a sea of knowledge

With which the debater and polemic were known

مَقالٌ تَعجِزُ البُلَغاءُ عَنهُ

كَعَجزِ المَدحِ عَمّا أَنتَ فاعِل

A saying the eloquent cannot match

Like praising what you have done

يَطولُ وَتُفقَدُ السَقَطاتُ فيهِ

كَفَقدِ الراءِ في أَقوالِ واصِل

It lengthens and omissions are noticed

Like missing the letter ra in the words of Wasil

سَلَكتَ إِلى الثَناءِ بِلا دَليلٍ

سَبيلاً ما تَقَدَّمَ فيهِ سائِل

You treaded to praise without guide

A path no questioner has preceded

وَعِندي مِنهُ ثاوٍ مُستَظِلٌّ

بِظِلِّكَ وَهوَ في الآفاقِ جائِل

And I have therein a shelterer taking shade

In your shadow though the horizons span

وَما تَنفَكُّ تَزدادُ المَعالي

بِهِ شَرَفاً وَتَزدانُ المَحافِل

Continuously you increase in sublimity

Thereby in nobility and decoration of gatherings

تَعَدّى كُلَّ مَن يُرجى نَداهُ

وَمَيَّلَهُ الفُراتُ عَنِ الثَمائِل

You surpassed all whose aid is hoped for

And the Euphrates tilted you from rivals

فَلَيسَ يَزورُ إِلّا مَن كَفاني

تَوَدُّدَ مُعرِضٍ وَسُؤالَ باخِل

So none visit me but one who sufficed me

Affection of one who turns away and stingy asking

بَقيتَ مُمَلَّكاً تُرجى وَتُخشى

وَلا غالَت مَساعِيَكَ الغَوائِل

You remained sovereign, hoped for and feared

And your efforts did not go to waste

وَلا عَدِمَت بِلادُكَ مَن كَفاها

تَغَطرُسَ جائِرٍ وَوُثوبَ خاتِل

Nor did your land lack one it sufficed

The oppression of a tyrant and rape of a raider

يَزولُ الفِطرُ وَالأَضحى جَميعاً

إِلى حينٍ وَمُلكُكَ غَيرُ زائِل

Creation altogether passes

While your kingdom is without passing

وَحَدُّكَ في النَوائِبِ غَيرُ نابٍ

وَنَجمُكَ في السَعادَةِ غَيرُ آفِل

Your limit in tribulations does not waver

And your star in fortunes does not set