أَفَدتَني مِن نَفائِسِ الدُرَرِ
ما أَبرَزَتهُ غَوائِصُ الفِكَرِ
You bestowed on me treasures of precious pearls,
brought forth by the divers of thought:
مِن لَفظَةٍ قارَنَت نَظيرَتَها
قِرانَ سُقمِ الجُفونِ لِلحَوَرِ
a phrase matched with its counterpart,
as languid eyelids are joined to eyes of striking contrast.
أَبدَعَها خاطِرٌ بَدائِعُهُ
في النَظمِ حازَت جَلالَةَ الخَطَرِ
A mind conceived it, whose marvels
in verse attained majestic worth.
العِطرُ مِنهُ سَرى لَهُ نَفَسٌ
مِن نَفَسِ الرَوضِ رَقَّ في السَحَرِ
Its perfume traveled; it carried a breath
from the garden’s own breath, delicate at dawn.
يا راقِمَ الوَشيِ زانَهُ ذَهَبٌ
رَقرَقَ إِذ رَفَّ مِنهُ في الطُرَرِ
O embroiderer of brocade adorned with gold,
which shimmered whenever it fluttered along the borders;
وَناظِمَ العَقدِ نَظمَ مُقتَدِرٍ
يَفصِلُ بَينَ العُيونِ بِالغُرَرِ
and stringer of the necklace with masterly art,
setting radiant beads between its eye-like gems.
لي بِالنِضالِ الَّذي نَشِطَت لَهُ
عَهدٌ قَديمٌ مُعَجَّمُ الأَثَرِ
In the contest to which you eagerly sprang, I have
long familiarity, its trace plainly marked.
هَل أُنصِلُ السَهمَ في الجَفيرِ وَقَد
تَعَطَّلَت فوقُهُ مِنَ الوَتَرِ
Shall I bare an arrowhead while the arrow remains in the quiver, when
the bow above it hangs idle for want of a string?
ما الشِعرُ إِلّا لِمَن قَريحَتُهُ
غَريضَةُ النورِ غَضَّةُ الثَمَرِ
Poetry belongs only to one whose talent
is newly blossomed, its fruit tender,
تَبسِمُ عَن كُلِّ زاهِرٍ أَرِجٍ
مِثلَ الكِمامِ اِبتَسَمنَ عَن زَهَرِ
smiling forth every fragrant bloom,
like buds smiling open to reveal flowers.
إِنَّ الشَفيعَ الهُمامَ سَوَّغَهُ اللَ
هُ اِتّصالَ التَأييدِ بِالظَفَرِ
Indeed, the valiant intercessor—God has granted him
divine aid continuously joined with victory—
الفاضِلُ الخُبرِ في المُلوكِ إِذا
قَصَّرَ خُبرٌ عَن غايَةِ الخَبَرِ
is unsurpassed in experience among kings, whenever
report falls short of experience at its furthest reach;
نَجلُ الَّذي نُصحُهُ وَطاعَتُهُ
كَالحَجِّ تَتلوهُ بَرَّةُ العُمَرِ
scion of him whose counsel and obedience
are like the pilgrimage, followed by lifelong piety.
شاهِدُ عَهدي لَكَ الصَحيحُ بِإِخ
لاصٍ نَأى صَفوُهُ عَنِ الكَدَرِ
The witness to my sound pledge to you is
devotion whose purity lies far beyond all stain.
مَشَيتُ في عَذلِيَ البَرازَ لِمَن
لَم يَرضَ في العُذرِ مِشيَةَ الخَمَرِ
I hurried into the arena for one
who would not accept in an excuse the slow gait of wine.
وَقُلتُ مَطلُ الغَنِيِّ وِردٌ مِنَ ال
ظُلَمِ يُلَقّى مُلاوِمَ الصَدَرِ
And I said: A rich man’s delay is anguish born of
injustice, stirring reproach within the breast.
وَلي مَعاذيرُ لَو تَطَلَّعُ في
لَيلِ سِرارٍ أَغنَت عَنِ القَمَرِ
Yet I have excuses which, if they rose within
a moonless night, would make the moon needless.
مَنها اِتِّقائي لِأَن أَكونَ أَنا ال
جالِبَ ما قُلتُهُ إِلى هَجَرِ
Among them is my caution lest I myself become the
bearer of what I have said to Hajar.
لَكِن سَيَأتيكَ ما يُجَوِّزُهُ
سَروُكَ دَأبَ المُسامِحِ اليَسَرِ
Yet there shall come to you what your nobility will allow,
as befits the custom of the indulgent and generous.
فَاِكتَفِ مِنهُ بِنَظرَةٍ عَنَنٍ
لا حَظَّ فيهِ لِكَرَّةِ النَظَرِ
So content yourself with one passing glance at it,
with no share in it for a second look.
