ضاحَكنَ مِن أَسَفِ الشَبابِ المُدبِرِ
وَبَكَينَ مِن ضَحِكاتِ شَيبٍ مُقمِرِ
They laughed at the grief of departing youth,
And cried at the laughter of shimmering old age.
ناوَشنَ خَيلَ عَزيمَتي بِعَزيمَةٍ
تَرَكَت بِقَلبي وَقعَةً لَم تُنصَرِ
They gnawed at the steeds of my resolve with resolve,
Leaving in my heart an irremediable wound.
وَلَقَد بَلَونَ خَلائِقي فَوَجَدنَني
سَمحَ اليَدَينِ بِبَذلِ وُدٍّ مُضمَرِ
And they tested my nature to find me
Magnanimous in giving, though vexed within.
يَعجَبنَ مِنّي أَن سَمَحتُ بِمُهجَتي
وَكَذاكَ أَعجَبُ مِن سَماحَةِ جَعفَرِ
They were amazed I relinquished my treasured belongings,
Just as Ja'far was amazed at such magnanimity.
مَلِكٌ إِذا الحاجاتُ لُذنَ بِحِقوِهِ
صافَحنَ كَفَّ نَوالِهِ المُتَيَسِّرِ
A king whose desires incline to benefaction
Will clasp the palm of one made prosperous by him.
مَلِكٌ مَفاتيحُ الرَدى بِشِمالِهِ
وَيَمينُهُ إِقليدُ قُفلِ المُعسِرِ
A king whose keys to munificence are in his left hand,
While his right hand holds the shackle-key of the destitute.
مَلِكٌ إِذا ما الشِعرُ حارَ بِبَلدَةٍ
كانَ الدَليلَ لِطَرفِهِ المُتَحَيِّرِ
A king, when poetry is bewildered by eloquence,
Becomes its guide out of perplexity.
يا مَن يُبَشِّرُني بِأَسبابِ الغِنى
مِنهُ بَشائِرُ وَجهِهِ المُستَبشِرِ
O you who give me glad tidings of wealth's causes,
In your face are glad tidings for the hopeful!
إِفخَر بِجودِكَ دونَ فَخرِكَ إِنَّما
جَدواكَ تَنشُرُ عَنكَ ما لَم تَنشُرِ
Boast of your generosity, not your pride, for
Your generosity spreads what your pride concealed.
إِنّي اِنتَجَعتُكَ يا أَبا الفَضلِ الَّذي
بِالجودِ قَرَّبَ مَورِدي مِن مَصدَري
O Abu l-Fadl, who by his generosity
Brought my watering-place near to my spring,
عِش سالِماً تَبني العُلا بِيَدِ النَدى
حَتّى تَكونَ مُناوِئاً لِلمُشتَري
Live in safety, and build greatness with the hand of bounty,
So you may be a foe to the profiteer.
إِنّي أَرى ثَمَرَ المَدائِحِ يانِعاً
وَغُصونَها تَهتَزُّ فَوقَ العُنصُرِ
I see the fruit of praise burgeoning,
Its branches trembling over the palace pillars.
لَولاكَ لَم أَخلَع عِنانَ مَدائِحي
أَبَداً وَلَم أَفتَح رِتاجَ تَشَكُّري
Were it not for you, I'd never have slipped the bridle of eulogy
Or opened the saddlebags of my gratitude,
وَلَقَلَّما عَبَّيتُ خَيلَ مَدائِحي
إِلّا رَجَعتُ بِهِنَّ غَيرَ مُظَفَّرِ
And I'd scarcely have saddled the steeds of praise
Except to return from them unsuccessful.
أَوَلَم يَكُن وَطَني بِأَرضِكَ وَالهَوى
بِدِمَشقَ يَرتَعُ في دِيارِ البُحتُري
Was not my homeland in your lands, and passion
Grazing in the abode of al-Buhturi?
وَأَعوذُ بِاِسمِكَ أَن تَكونَ كَعارِضٍ
لا يُرتَجى وَكَنابِتٍ لَم يُثمِرِ
I take refuge in your name from your being like one
Whose help is not to be hoped for or who yields no fruit.
وَاِعلَم بِأَنّي لَم أَقُم بِكَ فاخِراً
لَكَ مادِحاً في مَدحِهِ لَم أُنذِرِ
And know that I stand not boasting of you,
Though I praise without forewarning in my praise of you.
