جاءت العاذلات شيئاً فريا

وظمئنا إلى لقاكَ فريّا

The reproachers came lightly

And we thirsted to meet you quickly

يا قريباً من المحبِّ بعيداً

وعذاباً إلى المحبِّ شهيّا

O one near to the lover, yet far

And a torment to the lover, yet delightful

وغزالاً لناظريه فتورٌ

تركا القلب كالزناد وريّا

And a gazelle to its onlookers, yet languid

Leaving the heart like tinder, ablaze

غلب الصبر في هوى ناظريه

وضعيفان يغلبان قويّا

Patience was overcome by the passion of its glance

And two weak ones overcome one strong

وعلى وجنتيه نارٌ أراني

إن تسلَّيتُ عن هواها شقيّا

And upon his cheeks a fire I saw

If I distracted myself from his love, miserable

يا خليليّ عندها خلِّياني

أنا أولى بوجنتيه صليّا

O my intimate, leave me with him

For I am most deserving of his cheeks, pray

أنا أدري بأنَّ لي من سناها

في الجبينِ طالعاً قمريّا

I know that for me from his radiance

There is an auspicious moon on his forehead

لا أدري حينَ حلَّ عقرب صدغ

سفر القلب في هواها رديّا

I know not when the scorpion of his temple arrived

The heart's journey in his love backfires

بأبي غصن معطفيه على القر

بِ وفي البعدِ جانياً وجنيّا

By my father, a branch pleating his cloak

From afar it came, coveting and craving

ويتيم من لؤلؤِ الثغر حلوٌ

راح في مثله الرشيد غويّا

An orphan from the pearl of his smile, sweet

Traveling in its likeness, the right-minded go astray

ذو ابْتسامٍ بالسهدِ أرمدَ عيني

مع أنِّي اكْتحلتهُ لؤلؤيّا

With a smile that dazzles, he blinded my eyes

Despite that I lined them with my pearl

تارةً في بضائعِ الحسنِ يأتي

جوهريًّا وتارةً سكَّريّا

Sometimes in the wares of beauty he comes

Precious, and other times sugary

فتنة الحسن فوقَ خدَّيه لا تب

رح قيسيّ رأيه يمنيّا

The temptation of beauty above his cheeks does not depart

It confused Qays’ perspective, right or left

أنظم الشعر وهو يبسم عجباً

ولهذا أتى به جوهريّا

I compose poetry and he smiles in wonder

And so he came with it, of precious things

عامريًّا من التغزُّل فيه

ومن المدحِ بعده قرشيّا

Flourishing in singing his praises

And after praise, Qurashi

حبَّذا من قريش في الشامِ فرع

أبطحيّ أكرم به بهنسيّا

Blessed among Quraysh in Syria a branch

Abu Taheeya, most generous of the Bahnasi

شمس عليا عمَّت منافعها الخ

لق قريباً من الورَى وقصيّا

The sun of the eminent, its benefits encompassed people

Both near and far from the lands and distant

وكريمُ زاكي الأصول هززنا

منه للمكرماتِ فرعاً زكيّا

And the generous, pure lineage, we were shaken

By him for favors, a branch most pure

فإذا ما دعى رسول رجاء

فضل أبوابه دعى خزرجيّا

So if a messenger of hope calls

The plenty of his doors calls a Khazraji

وإذا ما سقى نداهُ نباتي

طابَ مدحي في الحالتين رويّا

And if his voice gives drink to my plants

My praise smells good in both states, well-watered

كم سبرنا لهُ تقىً ونوالاً

فوجدنا في الحالتينِ وليّا

How we traversed for him piety and intimacy

And found in both states a guardian

كم ثناءً والى لعلياه مدحاً

حسناً في الورَى وقدراً عليّا

How much praise and passion for his eminence in eulogy

Good among all people and a station most high

ومعانٍ يحيى لها فلقد أو

تي حكم الفخار فيها صبيّا

And insights that give life, and indeed

I was granted the judgment of pottery in them, childish

تالياً في العلى وزيراً شهدنا

ه لآمالنا وفيًّا حفيّا

Ascending in the sublime, a minister we witnessed

For our hopes, faithful, protecting

قالَ إحسانهُ تهنُّوا نوالاً

وزكاة منه وكانَ تقيّا

His benevolence said: congratulate an intimacy

And purification from him, for he was devout

حبَّذا تلو ذاك شمساً تلونا

مدح أيامه جليلاً جليّا

Blessed after that a sun followed us

Praising his days, great and splendid

خطبته مناصب الدِّين والدن

يا كما قد نرى فكانَ الكفيّا

His sermon the positions of religion and life

As we may see, thus he was sufficient

عن تفاريق يمنه فاسأل الجا

مع تسئل لسان صدق عليّا

About his right hand’s separating, so ask the entirety

You ask, and the tongue of truth will say “Ali”

يا له في الورَى فتىً قرشيًّا

عمَّ بالخيرِ جامعاً أمويّا

O for him among the people a Qurashi lad

Who has spread good, a unifier, Umayyad

ورئيساً نجا ذوو القصد لما

قرَّبت منها الملوك نجيّا

And a chief the people of purpose survived

For when the kings brought them near, rescued

ورأوا عزمه لدينٍ ودنيا

شافياً كافياً غنيًّا مليّا

And they saw his resolve for faith and life

Healing, fulfilling, wealthy, replenished

سائرات أقلامه يوم حفظ

وعطاءً على الصراطِ سويّا

The caravans of his pens the day he memorized

And gifting on the path made smooth

فترى الحقّ كالصباح رواءً

وترى الخير كالغمام رويّا

You see the truth radiant like the dawn

And you see good like the clouds, well-watered

وترى اليراع يجري بجودٍ

وبيان جواده العربيّا

And you see generosity flowing with munificence

And the eloquence of his Arab steed

صانَ وجهي عن الورَى بأيادٍ

وأيادٍ غيَّرن حالي الزريّا

He protected my face from the people with hands

And hands that changed my lowly state, pitiful

فأنا اليوم والزمان بخير

ها كأن السعيد كانَ شقيّا

So today and time for me are good

As if the happy one had been miserable

جنَّة من دمشق نرتعُ فيها

ولنا الرزق بكرةً وعشيّا

A paradise from Damascus we enjoy

And for us provision morning and evening

يا كريماً يخفي أياديهِ لو كا

نَ شذا المسك والصباح خفيّا

O generous one who hides his hands, if only

The chosen musk and dawn were hidden

أصلح الباطن افْتقادك والظا

هر إذ كنت جائعاً وعريّا

Reforming the inward was your visit, and the outward

When you were hungry and bare

فابْقَ ما شئت كيف شئت مرجى

مستفاض النعمى سنيًّا سريّا

So remain however you wish, as you wish, hoped for

With overflowing blessings, fortunate, confidential

يلتقيكَ الثنا ويزداد طيباً

مثلما يلتقي الرياض الوليّا

Praise meets you and grows more beautiful

As the meadows meet the first rains

ودعا وجهك السعيد فما كا

نَ حمى مصر بالدعاء شقيّا

Your happy face prayed, it was not

A protector of Egypt through prayer, miserable

أنتَ بين السادات كالذهب الخا

لص لا غَرْوَ أن يرى مصريّا

You between the nobles are like pure gold

No wonder an Egyptian sees you

أنتَ أولى مدير ومشير

قرَّبته الملوك منها نجيّا

You are most deserving as controller and advisor

The kings brought you near, rescued

أنتَ ترعى الأمور والله يرعا

كَ فلا زلت راعياً مرعيّا

You oversee affairs, and God looks after you

So you remain both shepherd and flock

حبَّذا منكَ للسيادةِ كفؤٌ

وافر الفضل والثناء وفيّا

Blessed from you for leadership is one worthy

Abundant in merit, praise, and loyalty

عرف الملك منه أصلاً عريقاً

بين أوطانه وفرعاً عليّا

The king recognized in him ancient lineage

Between his homelands, and a branch most high

وحوى من علاه كوكب رأيٍ

طالع السعد بكرةً وعشيّا

And drew from his summit a star of insight

Rising in fortune morning and evening

ناظراً ساهراً على الملك يدري

كيف يهدي له المرام الخفيّا

Observing, wakeful over the kingdom, he knows

How to guide its hidden desires for him

إن أردنا التقى لديه أو الجو

د وجدنا في الحالتينِ وليّا

If we want piety from him or generosity

We find in both states a guardian

باهر المطلعين رأياً ومرأًى

حبَّذا الفضل لامعاً ألمعيّا

Dazzling the beholders in insight and perspective

Blessed, splendid merit, most splendid

حاملاً في مواطنِ السلم والحر

ب يراعاً يردِي الزمان الردِيّا

Bearing in the arenas of peace and war a shepherd

Who makes the devious time upright

قلماً جائلاً إذا خطَّ حرفاً

حمدَ الناسُ رمحه الخطّيّا

A sweeping pen, if it traces a letter

The people praise his calligrapher’s pen

يانع الغصن كلَّما هزَّه أس

قطَ مال البلاد منه جنيّا

Budding branch, whenever it is shaken

The country’s wealth falls from it, harvested

يا رئيساً دعا الزمان لهُ الوف

د وقال الرجاء حثُّوا المطيّا

O chief, time called for him loyalty

And hope said: spur on the steed!

دامَ للقاصدين شخصكَ غوثاً

وغماماً للواردين رويّا

For seekers your person remains succor

And a cloud for visitors, well-watered

قالَ إحسانهُ تهنُّوا نوالاً

وزكاةً منه وكانَ تقيّا

His benevolence said: congratulate an intimacy

And purification from him, for he was devout