ديمَةٌ سَمحَةُ القِيادِ سَكوبُ
مُستَغيثٌ بِها الثَرى المَكروبُ
The gentle rain whose downpour brings relief,
To parched earth and its creatures, distraught and brief.
لَو سَعَت بُقعَةٌ لِإِعظامِ نُعمى
لَسَعى نَحوَها المَكانُ الجَديبُ
If space allowed to extol its bounty rife,
The barren tracts would hasten to its life.
لَذَّ شُؤبوبُها وَطابَ فَلَو تَس
طيعُ قامَت فَعانَقَتها القُلوبُ
Its drops are sweet, its spirit stirs delight,
Our hearts would rise to greet it, if they might.
فَهيَ ماءٌ يَجري وَماءٌ يَليهِ
وَعَزالٍ تَهمي وَأُخرى تَذوبُ
It flows, recedes, ebbs, wanes, dies away,
And swelling clouds dissolve at close of day.
كَشَفَ الرَوضُ رَأسَهُ وَاِستَسَرَّ ال
مَحلُ مِنها كَما اِستَسَرَّ المُريبُ
The meadow bares its head, the valley hides
In modesty, as darkness spreads its tides.
فَإِذا الرَيُّ بَعدَ مَحلٍ وَجُرجا
نُ لَدَيها يَبرينُ أَو مَلحوبُ
Where caravans once crossed, a pool now lies,
Or salt pan glistens when the moisture dries.
أَيُّها الغَيثُ حَيِّ أَهلاً بِمَغدا
كَ وَعِندَ السُرى وَحينَ تَؤوبُ
O welcome rain to bid farewell or greet
Both settled folk and nomads when you meet!
لِأَبي جَعفَرٍ خَلائِقُ تَحكي
هُنَّ قَد يُشبِهُ النَجيبَ النَجيبُ
Good deeds that emulate Abu Ja'far's ways;
So like himself, each noble act displays.
أَنتَ فينا في ذا الأَوانِ غَريبٌ
وَهوَ فينا في كُلِّ وَقتٍ غَريبُ
You're stranger here while he in every age
Remained a stranger, whatever the stage.
ضاحِكٌ في نَوائِبِ الدَهرِ طَلقٌ
وَمُلوكٌ يَبكينَ حينَ تَنوبُ
Laughing through misfortunes, ever gay,
While weeping kings rule but a single day.
فَإِذا الخَطبُ راثَ نالَ النَدى وَال
بَذلُ مِنهُ ما لا تَنالُ الخُطوبُ
when speeches stirred, his lips dropped pearls of dew,
With bounty kings can scarcely hope to do.
خُلُقٌ مُشرِقٌ وَرَأيٌ حُسامٌ
وَوِدادٌ عَذبٌ وَريحٌ جَنوبُ
His nature shone, his wisdom struck its mark,
His friendship gentle, his humor left its spark.
كُلَّ يَومٍ لَهُ وَكُلَّ أَوانٍ
خُلُقٌ ضاحِكٌ وَمالٌ كَئيبُ
However you draw near him or apart,
He still showed kindness, if no evil art.
إِن تُقارِبهُ أَو تُباعِدهُ ما لَم
تَأتِ فَحشاءَ فَهوَ مِنكَ قَريبُ
Who vied with him or hoped to win the race
But found himself left far behind in place?
ما اِلتَقى وَفرُهُ وَنائِلُهُ مُذ
كانَ إِلّا وَوَفرُهُ المَغلوبُ
Lavish of wealth, yet loathing greed's excess,
Detesting wealth, yet beloved no less.
فَهوَ مُدنٍ لِلجودِ وَهوَ بَغيضٌ
وَهوَ مُقصٍ لِلمالِ وَهوَ حَبيبُ
His hospitality no man could shun,
Though it led down the greenest, sweetest run.
يَأخُذُ الزائِرينَ قَسراً وَلَو كَف
فَ دَعاهُم إِلَيهِ وادٍ خَصيبُ
Only the skillful archer needs insist
On rectitude, though sure to hit the mark.
غَيرَ أَنَّ الرامي المُسَدِّدَ يَحتا
طُ مَعَ العِلمِ أَنَّهُ سَيُصيبُ
