مدحْتُ أبا المغيرة ذاتَ يومٍ

فخيَّبني وأربحني دراهِمْ

I praised Abu al-Mughira one day,

So he disappointed me and profited me dirhams.

وذلك أنني نافرتُ قوماً

على أنّي سأرجِعُ غيرَ غانمْ

That was because I had estranged some people

On the pretext that I would return without spoils.

وقال القوم بل ستنالُ غُنْماً

لأنك قد مدحْتَ فتى المكارمْ

But the people said, “No, you will gain spoils

Because you have praised a noble youth.”

فصدَّقني جزاهُ اللَّه خيراً

وأكْذَبَهم وألزمهم مغارمْ

He believed me—may God reward him well—

And called them liars and bound them to pay.

ولو فَطِنوا لقالوا قد نَفَرْنا

لأنَّك قد رجَعْتَ وأنت سالمْ

If they had been shrewd, they would have said, “We fled

Because you returned safe and sound.”

أليس أبو المغيرة لم يُصَلَّتْ

عليك بمُرْهَفِ الحدين صارمْ

Did not Abu al-Mughira spare you,

The edge of his sharp sword?

ولم يَسْلُبْك ثوبكَ إنّ هذا

لأعظمُ ما يكونُ من المغانمْ

He did not strip you of your clothes—truly

This is the greatest profit of all.