الفِكرُ فيكَ مُقَصِّرُ الآمالِ
وَالحِرصُ بَعدَكَ غايَةُ الجُهّالِ
Thinking of you shortens hopes,
And longing for you is the epitome of ignorance.
لَو كانَ يَخلُدُ بِالفَضائِلِ فاضِلٌ
وُصِلَت لَكَ الآجالُ بِالآجالِ
If the virtuous were immortalized by virtues,
Your life would have been extended endlessly.
أَو كُنتَ تُفدى لَاِفتَدَتكَ سَراتُنا
بِنَفائِسِ الأَرواحِ وَالأَموالِ
Or if you could be ransomed, our valuables
And precious souls would have redeemed you.
أَو كانَ يُدفَعُ عَنكَ بَأسٌ أَقبَلَت
شَرعاً تَكَدَّسُ بِالقَنا العَسّالِ
Or if harm headed your way could be deflected,
Honeycombs would have shielded you completely.
أَعزِز عَلى ساداتِ قَومِكَ أَن تُرى
فَوقَ الفِراشِ مُقَلَّبَ الأَوصالِ
It pains your noble kin to see you
Tossing in bed, writhing in agony.
وَالسُمرُ عِندَكَ لَم تُدَقَّ صُدورُها
وَالخَيلُ واقِفَةٌ عَلى الأَطوالِ
No joyful gatherings are held around you,
As horses stand motionless, swords unused.
وَالسابِغاتُ مَصونَةٌ لَم تُبتَذَل
وَالبيضُ سالِمَةٌ مَعَ الأَبطالِ
Honored wives’ chambers are untouched,
Valiant men and white swords dormant.
وَإِذا المَنِيَّةُ أَقبَلَت لَم يَثنِها
حِرصُ الحَريصِ وَحيلَةُ المُحتالِ
When death approached, no scheming
Or effort of the eager could deter it.
ما لِلخُطوبِ وَما لِأَحداثِ الرَدى
أَعجَلنَ جابِرَ غايَةَ الإِعجالِ
No disasters or strokes of fate
Could hasten the work of the Destined.
لَمّا تَسَربَلَ بِالفَضائِلِ وَاِرتَدى
بُردَ العُلا وَاِعتَمَّ بِالإِقبالِ
When he donned the garb of virtue and wore
The cloak of greatness and came forth gloriously,
وَتَشاهَدَت صَيدُ المُلوكِ بِفَضلِهِ
وَأَرى المَكارِمَ مِن مَكانٍ عالِ
Kings' prey was made visible by his grace,
And he saw generosity from a lofty place.
أَأَبا المُرَجّى غَيرُ حُزنِيَ دارِسٌ
أَبَداً عَلَيكَ وَغَيرُ قَلبِيَ سالِ
Will any but my sorrow last forever over you?
Will any heart but mine continue melting?
لازِلتَ مَغدُوَّ الثَرى مَطروقَهُ
بِسَحابَةٍ مَجرورَةِ الأَذيالِ
You remain shrouded in dust, enwrapped
In a trailing, dragged cloud.
وَحُجِبنَ عَنكَ السَيِّئاتُ وَلَم يَزَل
لَكَ صاحِبٌ مِن صالِحِ الأَعمالِ
Evil was veiled from you, and you always had
A companion of righteous deeds.
