أسأتُ فأحسَن بي جُهْدَهُ

ولو شاء عاقَبني وانتصرْ

I wronged him, yet he repaid me with kindness,

Though he could have punished me and claimed revenge.

وكان المقال له واسعاً

ولكنْ تطوَّل لما قَدَرْ

He had ample cause for blame,

But he chose to act with forbearance.

فأصبحتُ بالجود عبداً له

أقرُّ بذاك وإن كنتُ حُرْ

So by his generosity I became his servant -

I admit this, though I was free.

ومن كَثُرَتْ نِعمةٌ عندهُ

عليه أقرّت وإن لم يُقِر

When favors grow many from someone,

I acknowledge them, even if he does not.

فاجأ الناس خالداً وابنَ عشر

قد علاه يخوض بالأير جَعْرَهْ

So Khaled surprised people - he, a lad of ten -

Riding atop a revered old man.

فرأى الناسُ آيةً من صَبِيٍّ

فوق شيخ له جلالٌ وَكَبْره

The people saw a marvel in this boy

Lifted over an elder of dignity and age.

طفِقوا يَعجبون منه فقال ال

شيْخ لا تنْكِرُنَّ للَّهِ قُدْرَه

Amazed, the sheikh spoke: "Do not doubt God's power!

The elephant was subdued for a slight man to ride its back.

سُخِّر الفيلُ وهُوَ أعظم مني

لضئيل الرجال يركب ظهره

Excuse Khaled, do not rebuke him,

O people! His justification is clear to me.

اعذِرُوا خالداً ولا تَعذِلوه

أيها الناس قد تبيَّنتُ عُذرَه

I am an old man made to serve as his mount;

No creature escapes being used by the One who makes him serve.

هو شيخٌ مُسخَّرُ الظهر لا ين

فكُّ من سُخرةٍ على إثر سُخره

I am to you as is Faris to Qahtan -

If I do not make you famed among men.

أنا من فارس كمثلك من قح

طانَ إن لم أدعْك في الناس شُهْره

You are not one who found me first,

Nor are you more entitled to me than a black date is to its pit."

لسْتَ مِمّنْ لقَيتَ قَبليَ أوْلَى

لك مني ما كل سوداءَ تَمْره