يبتُ أخو البلوى إذا الخِلوُ غمَّضا

وفي قلبه جمر من الوجد لا الغضا

My friend who is the brother of affliction weeps when alone,

His heart burning with passion, not indifference,

وأيّةُ بلوى كالبياض الذي بدا

وأيُّ فقيدٍ كالسَّواد الذي نضا

And what affliction is like the whiteness that appeared,

And what loss is like the darkness that vanished.

خليليّ إني نادبٌ عهد صاحبٍ

سقتْني لياليه الزُلال المرضرضا

My friend, I lament the passing of an era with my companion,

Whose nights quenched me with pure, limpid water,

ولاح بديلٌ منه رذل كأنما

سقتني لياليه الزُعاف المخضخضا

Only to be replaced by a contemptible substitute,

Whose nights gave me bitter, fetid water to drink.

بعيشكما لا تُكثرا عذل مكثرٍ

ملامةَ دهرٍ قد أغصَّ وأجرضا

In your life together, do not overly blame the excessive fault-finder,

Cursing an era that has oppressed and been harsh.

شعارُ الفتى ذمُ الزمان الذي أتى

ومن شأنه حمدُ الزمانِ الذي مضى

The motto of the noble youth is to blame the present time,

And praise the time that has passed.

ولمْ لا وفي الآتي أخو العيش يُجتوَى

وفي الزمن الماضي أخو العيش يُرتَضى

Why not, when the future holds a brother of life to embrace,

And the past holds a brother of life to be content with.

شبابٌ وشيبٌ ما استدار على الفتى

شبيهُهُما إلا أمرَّ وأنقضا

Neither youth nor old age remain constant for the youth,

Except in vicissitude and passing away.

نهارٌ وليلٌ أكّد الحلْفُ أنه

إذا بَنَيا مبنىً فشاداه قَوَّضا

Night and day swore that if they built,

Together they would demolish and destroy it.

مضى زمنُ اللحظ الذي كان يستبي

قُلوبَ المها فاجعله دمعاً مُغيَّضا

The days of joy that enraptured hearts have passed,

So shed tears for it that pour down.

أرى مُطرياتي عِبنَني ورفَضْنني

وذو الشَيب أهلٌ أن يُعاب ويرفضا

I see my love has abandoned and rejected me,

Yet it is right that one with white hair be blamed and spurned.

وما انفكَّ موتوراً من ابيض رأسهُ

لَقىً للهوى لا ينقُضُ الوترَ مَنْقضا

Still he never ceased, with his white head bowed,

Devoted to passion, with an unbroken vow.

وتلقى أخا الفرع البهيم مظفَّراً

إذا شاء أضْنى ذاتَ دلٍّ وأحْرضا

He meets the foolish youth, bedazzled,

If he wishes, drawing near a tender branch or shedding leaves.

كذا الجند منصورٌ بتسويد زيّه

وتلقاهُ مخذولاً إذا هو بيَّضا

That is how victorious armies are with their black uniforms,

Yet they meet him defeated when he dons white.

لشتّانَ ما بين الشباب وضدّه

شبابُ الفتى يُصمي إذا الشيبُ أنبضا

Far apart are the differences between youth and its opposite -

The youth of the noble one prays when old age moans.

ينفِّرُ هذا كل صيدٍ محصَّلٍ

ويصطادُ هذا كل صيدٍ تعرّضا

This repels all acquired gain,

While that hunts any prey exposed.

تحبَّب دهري بالشباب مُلاوةً

فلما أحل الشيبَ رأسي تبغّضا

My lifetime was sweetened by youth,

But when old age whitened my head, it was embittered.

كأن شباباً كان لي فسُلبتُهُ

كسانيَ منه سالفُ الدهرِ مِعْرضا

It was as if I had a youth that was stolen from me,

Leaving me deprived of it from time past.

سأثني بآلاء الشبيبةِ باسِطاً

لساني بها حتى أحينَ فأُقبَضا

I will praise the virtues of my youth,

My tongue occupied with it until I breathe my last.

وأُعنَى وأُغرى بالخضابِ ممرِّضاً

شباباً مريضاً حقُه أن يُمَرَّضا

And I will be preoccupied and tempted by henna, nursing,

A sick youth who deserves to be nursed.

وأُقسم أني لا أرى من شبيبتي

سوى قاسمٍ مستخلَفاً متعوَّضا

I swear I see nothing left of my youth

Except a remainder, a substitute that replaces it.

هو المرء نعماهُ شبابٌ مجدَّدٌ

وإن حث شيبي بالشباب فأوفضا

One's person - his youth is renewed bounty,

Even if my old age urges me to youth, and so I yield.

فتىً لم يزل مذ عدَّ عشراً وأربعاً

لكل جليلٍ مرتضىً أو مُربَّضا

A youth who, since he reached fourteen,

Was agreeable to every venerable and sheltered one.

لو امتحنَ الله البحارَ بجوده

لأضحتْ وأمست من عطاياه غُيَّضا

If God had tried the seas with his generosity,

They would have overflowed with his gifts.

ولو لمستْ صُمَّ الصخورِ يمينُهُ

لأضحَتْ بسلسالٍ من الماء فيَّضا

If his right hand had touched barren rocks,

They would have streamed forth with water bursting out.

وإن راض للسلطان خشناءَ صعبةً

فناهيكَ روّاضا به ومروِّضا

And if he was compliant to the Sultan's rugged, difficult task,

Let alone being a tender tamer and trainer to him.

متى سلَّ سيفاً مارقٌ سلَّ رأيَهُ

فقطّعه والسيفُ للسيف يُنتضى

Whenever an unsheathed sword rebelled, he swung at it,

And the sword is made to clang against a sword.

وأحسنُ من روض الربيع خلائقاً

إذا ذهَّبَ النَوْرَ الربيعُ وفضَّضا

Far better than the garden of spring in character

Is he when spring's blossoms wither and are gone.

إذا الناس أضحوا ظاعنين عن امرئٍ

نبا بهمُ أضحوا ببابيه خُفَّضا

When people slander a man,

They become humbled at his door.

أقاسمُ يا من يقسمُ الجودُ ماله

أثِبْ مِدَحاً غرَّاً وودّاً مُمحَّضا

O Qasim, O you who generosity shares his wealth,

Confirm sincerity and affection absolutely pure!

ألم ترني أقرضْتُك الودّ طائِعاً

ولم تر قبلي مُعسراً قط أقرضا

Did you not see me willingly lending you affection?

Never before have you seen me refuse to lend to one in need.

فلم برتُ حتى قيل في ظل سخطةٍ

وأصبحتُ للتَّرحيم نَصباً معرَّضا

Yet no sooner had I shone before being told, in the shade of disfavor,

I had become an object of condemnation exposed.

ولمْ لَمْ تُخيِّب ظن من قال خائبٌ

وهزَّ لظنّي فيك رأساً وأنغضا

Why did you not belie who said 'he fails,'

Shaking his head at my hopes in you in rejection?

إذا ما أشاعَ الناسُ أنْ قد حبسْتني

ولم أتدرّع بينهم خِلعةَ الرضا

When people spread that you had imprisoned me

And I did not arm myself with consent's armor,

فقد نالني بعضُ الذي رضخُوا به

فهل لك في أن تُرحضَ الشكَّ مَرحضا

Then I was afflicted with some of what those who yielded accepted,

Is it yours to erase this doubt entirely?

وما ذاك إلا بالذي أنتَ أهلهُ

وإن لم يُطق شُكري بنعماك مَنْهضا

That is only fitting for you,

Even if my gratitude cannot match your blessings, rising up.

لعمري لقد صوِّرتَ أبيضَ مُشرقاً

فلم لا تُريني وجه نُعماك أبيضا

By my life, you portrayed a shining bright white,

Why do you not show me the face of your favors white?

أُعيذ نَدى كفَّيك من أن يعوقه

لجاجٌ ومن قيلِ العدى كان فانقضى

I seek refuge for the softness of your palms from ever being fettered

By stubbornness, and from the time of enmity that has passed.

تذكَّر مديحاً لو هززتُ لبعضِه

صفاً قاسياً لاهتز منه وروّضا

Remember praise which if I shook just an iota of it,

It would make the firmly rooted violently quake.

يُمخِّضُ ودي كل يوم وليلةٍ

بذلك صدراً لا يزال ممخّضا

My love gives birth every day and night

To this, a heart that does not cease being in labor.

وألقاك مهزوزاً به وكأنما

ألاقيكَ مشحُوذاً عليَّ مُحرَّضا

And I met you shaken by it as if

I had met you emboldened against me, incited.

لقد خابَ من أضحى إليك مُبغَّضاً

وأمسى إلى الأعداء فيك مُبغَّضا

Lost is he who became hateful to you,

Spending his evenings hating your enemies.

أحاط به شرّان والفقرُ ثالثٌ

وفي واحدٍ ما شفَّ قلباً وأرمضا

Misfortune, poverty, and misery surrounded him,

And with one, how many a heart was softened and blinked away tears!

على أنني ما كنتُ عند ذوي النُهى

مقيتاً ولا بين الكرام مُرفّضا

Yet I was not hated by people of piety,

Nor despised among the generous.

وقد كاد قلبي من جفائكَ ينْتزي

ولكنني خفّضتُ جأشاً مخفَّضا

My heart was almost ripped out by your abandonment,

But I subdued the violent outburst within.

ولم لا وقد جرَّأتَ كل مُضاغنٍ

عليَّ فأضحى سيفُه ليَ مُنتضى

Why not, when you emboldened every deceitful one against me,

So each one's sword was unleashed against me.

وأوهنْتَ ركني للعدى فتركْتَني

لمن رامني بالضَّيم عظماً مُرضَّضا

And you weakened my pillar against the enemies, leaving me

To those who sought to injure me, a bone crushed.

وقد كنتُ للأعداء قبلك مِقمعاً

إذا الحيّةُ النضناضُ يوماً تنضنضا

I used to suppress the enemies before you,

When the hissing serpent would hiss one day.

وكانوا يدبُّون الضَّراء فأصبحوا

وكل مبادٍ يركضُ الغيَّ مَرْكضا

They used to plot harms, but became

Each schemer rushing into folly confused.

فأصبحت مفروضاً عليّ اتقاؤهم

وما كان لو أعززت نصري ليُفرَضا

So I was forced to beware of them

When, had you supported me, it would not have been imposed.

فيا ويح مولاك استغاث بمشربٍ

فأشرقَ واستشفى شفاءً فأمْرضا

My master - one despairing of life cried for help,

And the east shone and was cured - then became sick again!

ولولا اعتقادي أنك الخيرُ كله

لأجمعتُ توديعاً قضى الله ما قضى

Were it not for my conviction that you are all goodness,

I would have bid farewell - God ordain what He ordains.

وإني وإن دارتْ علي دوائرٌ

لأُعرضُ عمَّن صدَّ عني وأعرَضا

Though circles turn against me,

I will turn away from those who turned from me.

وما زلتُ عزّافاً إذا الزادُ رابني

بخبثٍ وعيّافاً إذا الماءُ عَرْمضا

I remain pure when provisions become foul through malice,

And a connoisseur when the water becomes bitter.

ومن عجبٍ أني بسطت بمنطقي

عليك لساناً في الإسارِ مُقبّضا

Wondrous that I unleashed my tongue upon you

In captivity - though it remains restrained.

ولولا رجاَءٌ فيك حيٌّ لما غدتْ

عروقي ولا راحت من الخوفِ نُبَّضا

Were it not for hope in you, alive,

My veins would not have stirred, nor been eased of fear.

بل العجبُ الوحشيُّ خوفيك بعدما

غدوتَ غياثاً للّهيفِ مُقَيَّضا

Rather, the beastly stranger - my fearing you after

You became a rescuer for the frightened weak!

وماليَ أخشى من عدِمت مَراضعي

من العيش إلا فضلَه المتبرَّضا

Closer than delaying rain is its downpour,

Even if the rain returns the thunder and lightens.

لأقربُ من إصعاق غيثٍ غياثُهُ

وإن رجّع الغيثُ الرعودَ وأومضا

Wondrous that I demanded you fulfill me

When your face is more deserving to endure and seek fulfillment!

ومن عجب أني اقتضيْتك نائلاً

ووجهُك أولى أن يُعانى ويقتضَى

I looked - had you empowered me with what you possess,

I would not have been compensated from that meeting.

نظرتُ فلو ملّكتني ما ملكته

لما كنتُ من ذاك اللقاء معوَّضا

Wondrous that I prolong my reproach against you

When you have become the chosen among people!

ومن عجب أني أطيلُ تعتُّبي

عليكُ وقد أصبحتَ في الخلق مُرتَضى

I wronged you with complaint while you gave me life

And clothed me in the garment of life loose-fitting.

ظلمتُك بالشكوى وأنت انتعشتني

وألبستني ثوبَ الحياة مفضفَضا

How often did I brandish the sword's edge against you tyrannically

Yet your palm did not detach and strike me down!

وكم رمتُ حدّ السيف منك تسلُّطاً

عليك فلم تَنقُضْ بيَ الكفُّ مَنْقضا

Out of shyness, forbearance, and rising above

What would have produced enmity, a crop harvested.

حياءً وحلماً واعتلاءً عن التي

يكون الجنَى منها بناناً معضَّضا

To a master who often overlooked and closed his eyes.

I will surrender all my affairs to your custody,

وها أنا من ذنبي وعتبيَ تائبٌ

إلى سيدٍ كم غَضَّ عنّي وغمّضا

And the like of me to justice like yours delegates.

Still your gaze ascends the heights from you

سأسْلم تفويضي إليك بأسره

ومثلي إلى عدلٍ كعدلك فوَّضا

If you wish, it may come from you, lowered modestly.

Below you - from a poet thankful to you

وما زلتَ تسمو للعلا منك نظرةٌ

إذا شئتَ كانت منك طرفاً مغضَّضا

Though he agitated the noble and pure tents.

Able - if he wishes clarity, he attains it,

ودُونَكها من شاعرٍ لك شاكرٍ

وإن حرّك الخِيمَ الكريم وحضَّضا

And if precision, he refines and makes obscure.

If his path is desolation, he sees in you a caring shepherd

قديرٍ متى شاء الإبانَة نالها

وإن شاء تدقيقاً أدقّ وأغمضا

Seeing clearly what he must watch closely and directly.

And if his path is hopes, he sees in you a rain cloud

إذا سُمته هجراً رأى بك راعياً

بصيراً بما يرعى أخلَّ وأحمضا

Offering its blessing, and bursting forth.

No merit increases in you by praise gaining prominence,

وإن سُمته مطلاً رأى بك عارضاً

من الغيثِ ألقى بَرْكه وتمخَّضا

Rather, it is like musk encountering one who kneads.

For you - remembrance, the only purity, all of it,

وما ازدادَ فضلٌ فيك بالمدح شهرةً

بل كان مثل المسك صادفَ مِخْوَضا

If a mouth one day murmurs it in ablution.

When mouths are devoid due to ignorant base praise,

لك الذِّكَرُ اللاتي هي الطُّهرُ كله

إذا ما فمٌ يوم بهن تمضمضا

They do not become adorned through praising you.

You who are all purity when the ignorant chatter,

إذا حاضت الأفواه من مدح جاهلٍ

لئيمٍ فما أضحت بمدحك حُيَّضا

As if a mouth murmuring your name gargled.