لَسْتُ أَدرِي أَتُحْفَةٌ تُتَهادَى

أَم عَروسٌ في حَلْيِها تَتَهَادى

I know not if it is a gift being passed around

Or a bride in her finery swaying to and fro

أم عهودٌ قد أَضْحَكَ الدهرُ فيها

مَبْسِمَ الزهرِ حين أَبْكَى العِهادا

Or covenants that time has mocked

With the smile of flowers while still shedding tears

أَم بياضُ الخدودِ نَشْرَ طِرْساً

وسوادُ الأَصداغِ سالَ مِدادا

Or the whiteness of cheeks unfolding like pages

And the blackness of eyelids flowing like ink

بل قريضٌ من سِّيدٍ سَدَّ عَنِّي

لَهَواتِ العِدَا وشَدَّ وشَادا

Nay, it is an ode from a master who protected me

From the cravings of enemies, strengthening and supporting me

فاحَ من مِجْمَرِ القريحةِ منه

نَدُّ شعرٍ قد أَعْجَزَ الأَنداد

There diffused from the embers of his genius

A fire of poetry that surpassed all rivals

ورأَتْ ما رأَتْ صِقِلِّيَّةٌ من

هُ فَحَقٌّ أَنْ فاخَرَتْ بغدادا

And what the maid of Sicily saw in him

Is true, so rightfully did Baghdad boast

ماجِدٌ جَدَّ في اكتساب المعالي

والمعانِي فأَتْعَبَ الأَمجادا

Majid, excelling in acquiring virtues

And meanings, exhausting all glories

زادَ عن رُتْبَةِ المُنَظِّمِ للشع

ر ولو شاءَها لكانَ زِيادا

Surpassing the rank of composer of verse

Though, had he wished, he could have been greater

ولقَدْ أَظْلَمَ الزَّمانُ لِعَيْني

وأَرانِيه كوكباً وَقَّادا

Verily time has wronged my eyes

Showing me him as a guiding star

فَحَمِدْتُ المُرادَ ِفي ظِلِّ نُعْما

هُ على بَسْلِهِ ونِلْتُ المُرادا

I thanked the Desired One in the shade of His blessings

And attained my wishes from His grace

ومضَى يدفَعُ الشَّدائدَ عَنِّي

ويشُدُّ القُوَى ويُولِي الرَّشادا

He continued removing adversities from me

Strengthening my powers and guiding me aright

شاهِراُ سَيْفَ عَزْمِهِ في مُلِمَّا

ت أُموري لا يَعْرِفُ الأَغْمَادا

Brandishing the sword of his resolve in the tribulations of my affairs

Not knowing rest or repose

يا عِمادِي وقد حُرِمْتُ العِمادا

ووِدادي وقد نَسِيتُ الوِدادا

O my pillar, though I was deprived of pillars

And beloved, though I forgot to love

والذي يَمْلأُ الزمانَ اتِّقاداً

في دياجِي خطوبهِ وانْتِقادا

He who fills time with flames

In the battles and trials of my life

من يُجارِيكَ فِي العلومِ وقد مَلَّ

كَكَ الفضلُ والكمالُ القِيادا

Who can compare with you in knowledge, when

Merit and perfection are led by you?

فَابسُطِ العُذْرَ إِنَّها بِنْتُ فِكْرٍ

لَيْسَ يَزْوَى وَلَيْسَ يُورِي زِنادا

So make excuses, for it is the product of a thought

That finds no rest or respite from firing up