حقُّ الأديب لازمٌ لذي الكرَمْ

فإن تناسى حقَّه فقد ظلَمْ

The right of the literary man is owed to the generous

If he forgets his right then he has wronged

أما رآه لم يزل أعنَى الخَدمْ

بالأدبِ الشعريِّ طوراً والحِكمْ

Has he not seen that he continues to serve

With literary knowledge, wisdom, and poetry

مستملياً من عَرَب ومن عجمْ

مُنحرِفاً عن كلّ كسبٍ يُغتنمْ

Deriving from Arabs and non-Arabs alike

Deviating from any profitable pursuit

حتَّى إذا ما قام في شخصٍ عَمَمْ

من أدبٍ ذي قيمةٍ تعلو القيمْ

Until when one endowed with valued literature arises

With wisdom surpassing all values

باتَ الخليُّ نائماً ولم ينمْ

فتّاق أرتاقٍ وغوَّاصَ حُوَمْ

The unwise remains asleep and does not sleep

A digger and diver into worries and sorrows

بل بات يمري فكره تحت الظُّلمْ

مريَ أنوف البهم أطراف الحُلَمْ

Rather he spends the night with thoughts in darkness

The thoughts of the perplexed, the edges of dreams

بمِدَحٍ أحسن من نشر الرممْ

أو من شباب ناشئ بعد هرمْ

With praise better than the diffusion of defects

Or the rise of youth after old age

أو من شفاء طاردٍ ضيفَ سقمْ

أو نعمٍ ملبوسة بعد نقمْ

Or the healing that dispels the guest of illness

Or blessings worn after curses

أو من ثغورٍ واضحات تبتسمْ

أو من صدور كاعبات تُلتزَمْ

Or from blossoming borders that smile

Or from disciplined chests that are restricted

أو من ثُدِيّ ناهداتٍ تُستَلمْ

أو من تناغي النَّقرات والنغمْ

Or from supple breasts that are received

Or from the melody of starlings and tunes

بين رياض أقلعتْ عنها دِيَمْ

وأعقبتْها بعدها عُقبى رَهَمْ

Among gardens that have abandoned rain

And were succeeded after it by torrents of desolation

أَرضعَ فيها الغيثُ شتّى ونظمْ

بكى على عابسها حتى ابتسمْ

In which the rain nursed various compositions and rhythms

He cried over its frown until it smiled

ذو غُمة ضامنةٍ كشفَ الغُممْ

مُتَّصل الإيماض رجَّاس الهزمْ

The frown guaranteed to uncover the frowns

Continuous winking, energetic in defeat

قصائد نُظمْن كالدُّر التُّوَمْ

مثلَ التلاقي واقعاً بعد الندمْ

Poems composed like precious pearls

As true as reconciliation after regret

أو من هُدوّ بعد إقلاقٍ ألمّْ

كأنها من كلّ قلبٍ تُنتظمْ

Or like guidance after disturbing adversity

As if it were the heart's compositions

يخْترمُ الدهر وليست تُختَرمْ

ألَّفها ذو طَبن وذو فَهَمْ

It defeats time and is not defeated

Composed by one of insight and wisdom

وسُهمة في الفكر ليست كالسُّهَمْ

مُؤتَمنٌ في علمه لامتّهمْ

With an acumen in thought unlike arrows

Trustworthy in his knowledge, not accused

يُلقَى إليه سَلَمٌ بعد سلمْ

مُعوّلاً على كريم ذي نعمْ

Upon whom greetings of peace continue

Relying upon the generous one of bounty

متَّكلاً فيما بنى وما نظمْ

وما رجا من الأُحاظي والقِسمْ

Trusting in what he has built and composed

And hoping for destiny’s fortunes and fate

على كريمِ حرب لا سلمِ نَغَمْ

مُستحسنِ الشاهد محمود الشّيمْ

From the generous one whose war is not the tunes of passivity

Appreciating the example, praised for his virtues

منخفضِ النظرة طمَّاحِ الهممْ

حلاَّه من جوهره الغالي القيمْ

Lowering his gaze, ambitious in his aspirations

His adornment is from his precious essence

وهّابُ أمداحٍ لوهَّاب نعمْ

يأمُل أن ترعَى له تلك الحُرَمْ

Bestower of praises to the Giver of bounty

Hoping that those sanctuaries would care for him

وأن تثاب بالغنى منه القدمْ

ما حقُّ هذا دفعهُ إلى العدمْ

And that his feet would be rewarded with wealth

Is not this right to save him from nothingness?

حكَّمتُ فيه قاسماً نعم الحَكمْ

بَخْبِخ لشمس الأوْج لا نارِ الظُّلمْ

I judged him as an excellent judge

Searcher of the sun of glory, not the fire of injustice