أَمّا أَبو بِشرٍ فَقَد أَضحى الوَرى

كَلّاً عَلى نَفَحاتِهِ وَنَوالِهِ

As for Abu Bishr, he has become a model

Of generosity in his breath and drink.

فَمَتى تُلِمُّ بِهِ تَؤُب مُستَيقِناً

أَن لَيسَ أَولى مِن سِواهُ بِمالِهِ

So if you find fault with him, you will repent, certain

That none is worthier of his wealth than he.

كَرَمٌ يَزيدُ عَلى الكِرامِ وَتَحتَهُ

أَدَبٌ يَفُكُّ القَلبَ مِن أَغلالِهِ

A nobility exceeding all nobles, and beneath it

A refinement that frees the heart of its fetters.

أُبلِيتُ مِنهُ مَوَدَّةً عَبدِيَّةً

راشَت نِبالي كُلَّها بِنِبالِهِ

I have received from him a sincere devotion

That has pierced all my arrows with his arrows,

حَتّى لَوَ اَنَّكَ تَستَشِفُّ ضَميرَهُ

لَرَأَيتَني في الصَدرِ مِن آمالِهِ

So that if you could see into his conscience

You would see me in his breast among his hopes.

أَوَ ما رَأَيتَ الوَردَ أَتحَفَنا بِهِ

إِتحافَ مَن خَطَرَ الصَديقُ بِبالِهِ

Or have you not seen the roses with which he gifted us

A gift from one whose friend came to mind?

وَرداً كَتَوريدِ الخُدودِ تَلَوَّنَت

خَجَلاً وَأَبيَضَ في بَياضِ فَعالِهِ

Roses blushing red like cheeks, variegated

With shyness, white in the whiteness of his deeds.

وَالقَهوَةُ الصَهباءُ ظَلَّت تُستَقى

مِن طَيِّباتِ المُجتَنى وَحَلالِهِ

And coffee, pale, kept being served

From the pure joys and the lawful gains.

مَشمولَةً تُغني المُقِلَّ وَإِنَّما

ذاكَ الغِنى التَزييدُ في إِقلالِهِ

Inclusive, giving joy to the destitute, and yet

That wealth is but increase in his austerity.

وَمُلَحَّباً لاقى المَنِيَّةَ حاسِراً

وَالمَوتُ أَحمَرُ واقِفاً بِحِيالِهِ

And he met his death disappointed,

While death stood red before him.

فَكَبا كَما يَكبو الكَمِيُّ تَصَرَّفَت

أَيّامُهُ وَاِنبَتَّ مِن أَبطالِهِ

So he fell as the brave fall; his days

Passed and the heroes sprang from his loins.

فَأَتى وَقَد عَرَّتهُ مُرهَفَةُ المُدى

مِن روحِهِ جَمعاً وَمِن سِربالِهِ

He came, and the miles had ravaged him,

Stripping his soul and his garments.

لَو كانَ يُهدى لِاِمرِئٍ ما لا يُرى

يُهدى لِعُظمِ فِراقِهِ وَذِيالِهِ

Had it been proper to give to one unseen

What cannot be seen, to his sublime absence and train -

لَرَدَدتُ تُحفَتَهُ عَلَيهِ وَإِن عَلَت

عَن ذاكَ وَاِستَهدَيتُ بَعضَ خِصالِهِ

I would have returned his gift to him, though exalted

From that, I have drawn some of his qualities.