يا ابنَ الوزيرَينِ لا مُواربة

قد مازجَ الصفْوَ عندكَ الكدرُ

O son of two viziers, there is no deviation

The pure and the turbid have mingled in you

أليس بدٌّ من الذعاف مع ال

شهد بلى والذنوبُ تُغْتَفَرُ

Is it not better than the bitterness with honey?

Yes, and sins can be forgiven

مالي بدار الهوان مُصْطَبَرٌ

ولا بدار الضّياع مصطبر

I have no patience with the house of humiliation

Nor the house of loss

ولو كستْني السماءُ زينتَها

تاجاً وأمضَى احتكاميَ القدر

Even if the sky adorned me with its finery

And destiny carried out my judgment

وأنت إن شِئتَ كان بينهما

مَعْدىً لذي حُرمةٍ ومُعْتصَر

You, if you wish, can make between them

A refuge for one of dignity and one oppressed

أودى بصبري الأذى وبرَّح بي ال

فَقْرُ وأنتَ المَلاذ والعَصَر

My patience brought me harm and my poverty relieved me

While you are the refuge and the pressing need

قد رفع اللَه قدر مثلِك بال

قدْرة يا من يُطيعُهُ القَدر

God has raised the worth of your like through

Power, O you whom power obeys

أن تمنح الصفوَ جُلُّهُ كدرٌ

أو تمنح النفعَ جُلُّهُ ضرر

To grant all purity as turbid

Or grant all benefit as harm

حسبي نصيراً على أخي كرم

أنْ ليس لي مِنْ أذاه منتصَر

It suffices me to have a protector over my brother of generosity

That I have none to avenge me for his harm

هبْني امرَأً لم يكن له خطرٌ

ولم يزل يُزدرَى ويحتقر

Make me a man who had no consequence

And was always scorned and disdained

جاءك مستشفِعاً بطَولك أن

تَزْهاهُ حتى يُرى له خَطر

Who came to you entreating your length

That you may give him splendor so he is seen to have consequence

ألم يكن واجباً عليك له

ذاك بحقٍّ إنْ صُحِّحَ النظر

Was it not incumbent upon you for him

That, if the view is corrected?

بلى فما بالُ من له خطرٌ

ومدحُهُ فيك كله غُرر

Yes, so what of one who has consequence

And whose praise in you is all counterfeit?

جاءك يبغي المزيد منك فقد

صار حديثاً وعندك الخبر

He came to you seeking more from you, for he

Has become talked about, and you are aware

أضحى عدوٌّ قد كان يَحْسدُهُ

ودمعُهُ رحمةً له دِرَر

An enemy who used to envy him

His tears for him are pearls of mercy

أظْلمَ ليلي وأنت لي قمرٌ

فَنَوِّرِ الليلَ أيها القمر

My night has darkened, and you are my moon

So illuminate the night, O moon

أجدَبَ سرحي وأنت لي مَطرٌ

فزحزح الجدبَ أيها المطر

My meadow has dried up, and you are my rain

So push away the drought, O rain

أرابَ دهري وأنت لي وَزَرٌ

فدافع الريبَ أيها الوَزَر

My time has failed me, and you are my provision

So drive away the doubt, O provision

أخطأتُ قصدي وأنتَ لي بصرٌ

فاركبْ بيَ القصد أيها البصر

I missed my aim, and you are my sight

So steer me to the aim, O sight

كم قائل حين جاءهُ خَبري

تاللَّه ما قُدِّرتْ له الخِبَر

How many a sayer, when my news came to him

By God, the news was not destined for him

إنْ لا يغادر وشِلْوُهُ جَزَرٌ

بين سباع فقدْرُهُ جَزر

If his cheeks do not spare a bit of stubble

Among lions, his bit is stubble.