ما للعذول على هواك وما لي

أفدي بروحي من أحبّ ومالي

What is with avoiding my love, and what is with me?

Would I ransom my soul for the one I love, yet have no money?

يا مجرياً دمعي وموقف لوعتي

من جسمي المضنى على أطلال

O you who makes my tears flow and where my agony stands still,

From my weary body over the ruins.

يا من إذا سألوه عن بدر الدجى

والمسك قال أخي الشقيق وخالي

O you who when asked about the full moon of nightfall

And musk, said "My brother, my cousin, and my uncle."

رفقاً بمن كحل الجفاء جفونه

فغدا الكرى منها على أميال

Be gentle with one whose eyelids are stained with estrangement

Thus sorrow stretches over him for miles.

صبّ إذا ذكر العقيق وأهله

نثر الدموع على هواه لآلي

When carnelian and its people are mentioned,

He sheds tears of longing and pain.

يروي الأمالي عن قلاك طويلة

فإلى متى يروي أمالي القالي

He narrates the hopes of meeting you for long,

So for how long will he narrate the hopes of meeting?

وتقاتل العذّال فيك وربما

قوّى جفاك مطامع العذَّال

And the blamers fight against you, and maybe

Your aloofness strengthened the greed of the blamers.

هيهات ما نزلوا به إلا دعا

بجبينك المشروق يا لهلال

Alas! They did not diminish you, but invoked

Your radiant forehead, O crescent moon.

الطرف في ذاك الجبين منعّمٌ

والقلب من ذاك التجّنب صالي

The gaze in that forehead is soft,

And the heart from that avoidance is inclined.

ضدان مثل ندى ابن ريَّان الفتى

لنزيله والبأس يوم نزال

Two opposites, like the dew of Ibn Rayyan on his guest,

And valor on the day of battle.

يهمي بصابٍ للعدوّ إذا طغى

وإذا الوليّ دعا همت بزلال

He attacks the enemy fiercely when tyranny increases,

And when the ally calls, he is gentle like dripping water.

جاور سليمان المنيع جواره

تأمن به من جنَّة الأهوال

He dwells by invincible Suleiman,

Secured by him from the horrors of jinn.

المعتلي رتباً يشيب لعجزه

عن قدرها الأعلى عذار هلال

The one rising in rank grows old due to his inability

To match its highest worth, the crescent waning.

والساتر الدنيا بذيل مكارمٍ

أحيت أواخرها فعال أوالي

The one veiling the world with the train of generosity

Revived its latter days, so the first became last.

والطالب الأخرى بعزمٍ للكرى

يفني ويحيي بالسجود ليالي

The one seeking the next life with determination,

Obliterates and revives nights by prostrating.

لا تتخذ بدلاً لديه وعدّة

في هذه الدنيا من الأبدال

Do not take anyone else as a substitute for Him

In this life from all the substitutions.

واقصد جنابي جاهه ونواله

إن خفت حالي عسرة ونكال

And approach His majesty and gifts

If you fear my state is difficult and painful.

واقرأ على ريب الزمان براءةً

وعلى رجائك سورة الأنفال

And recite over the corruption of time innocence,

And over your hopes the chapter of "The Spoils of War."

الأصل ريَّانٌ فلا عجبٌ إذا

ما الفرع فاء على الورَى بظلال

The origin is verdant, so no wonder

If the branch surpasses others with shade.

لو لم تصح يمناه حيّ على الندى

ما فاز ظامٍ للندى ببلال

If the auspiciousness from His right hand were not sound,

No dark night would win the dew.

هذا هو الشرف الذي بأقله

ضرب القديم غرائب الأمثال

This is the honor which in smallest portion

Struck amazing examples of proverbs.

رأيٌ إلى طرق الرشاد مسدّدٌ

وسجية جبلت على الإجمال

An opinion directed to the paths of righteousness,

And a nature molded by collectiveness.

وفضائل وضحت وحلت رتبة

فهي الكواكب في سناً ومنال

And virtues that shone and assumed high rank,

Thus they are the stars in eminence and attainment.

ويراعة تذر الركائب والعدى

ما بين نزل مكارمٍ ونزال

And chivalry that wards off enemies and aggression

Between the abode of generosity and battle.

من معطف المران فيه نسبة

ولها جنا يعزى إلى العسَّال

From the coat of training in it is lineage,

And for it a wing attributed to the honey makers.

يا ماجداً أحيى مآثر قومه

بمحامدٍ أرخصن نشر غوالي

O glorious one who revived the feats of his people

With praises that chronicled the spreading of conquests.

لله همتك الممكّن رفعها

ماذا جزمت بها من الأفعال

By God, your determination raised its capacity,

So what deeds did you determine by it?

وهباتك اللاتي تعجّل رفدها

ويجيب طالبها بغير سؤال

And your grants which you hasten to dispense,

And their seeker answers without question.

لا عيبَ في نعماك إلا أنها

مع عدلها ظلاَّمة للمال

There is no flaw in your favors except that they,

With all their justice, are oppressive to wealth.

تجني عليه وإنما تجني به

ثمر المحامد والثناء الغالي

You harvest from it, though you harvest by it,

The fruits of praise and precious eulogy.