قَرُبَ الحَيا وَاِنهَلَّ ذاكَ البارِقُ

وَالحاجَةُ العُشَراءُ بَعدَكَ فارِقُ

The life is near, and that lightning struck

And the great need after you has parted

إيهٍ أَبا زَيدٍ فَذَرعُكَ واسِعٌ

وَنَداكَ فَيّاحٌ وَمَجدُكَ باسِقُ

Oh Abū Zayd, your arm is generous

And your voice loud, and your glory towering

قَد لانَ أَكثَرُ ما تُريدُ وَبَعضُهُ

خَشِنٌ وَإِنّي بِالنَجاحِ لَواثِقُ

Much of what you want is rough

Though I’m confident of success

في الرَوضِ قُرّاصٌ وَفي سَيلِ الرُبا

كَدَرٌ وَفي بَعضِ الغُيوثِ صَواعِقُ

In the garden a prune tree, and in the flood of calamity

Turbidity, and in some rains there is thunder

زَوَّجتُ أَمري بِالسُعودِ فَأَصبَحَت

مِنهُ النُحوسُ النُكدُ وَهيَ طَوالِقُ

I married my matter to good fortune, so it became

Protected from misfortune and separation

وَمَغارِبُ الإِخفاقِ أَضحَت بِالَّذي

أَولى مِنَ الإِنجاحِ وَهيَ مَشارِقُ

And the sunsets of failure became, in that

Which is more deserving than success – the sunrises

فَأَتَتهُ مَأرُبَتي فَأَدرَكَ شَأوَها

قَرمٌ بِعائِرَةِ المَكارِمِ لاحِقُ

So my wish came to him, and an old man of virtue attained his glory

Chasing the caravan of noble deeds

ما أَوَّلُ السامينَ بِالعالي وَلا

كُلُّ الجِيادِ دُفِعنَ قَبلُ سَوابِقُ

Not every eminent person promotes the lofty, nor

Are all steeds pushed forward before the racers

فَأَتَت عَواناً ثَيِّباً ما سَرَّني

بِمَكانِها مِنّي الكَعابُ العاتِقُ

So help came, experienced – I was not pleased

With its position to me, the stubborn old camel

وَمِنَ الرَزِيَّةِ أَنَّ شُكري صامِتٌ

عَمّا فَعَلتَ وَأَنَّ بِرَّكَ ناطِقُ

And of annoyance is that my gratitude is silent

About what you did, and that your kindness speaks

وَأَخَفُّ ما جَشِمَ اِمرُؤٌ وَسَعى لَهُ

يَوماً لِذي النُعمى الثَناءُ الصادِقُ

The slightest thing a man senses and strives for

One day, for the benevolent, is sincere praise

أَأَرى الصَنيعَةَ مِنكَ ثُمَّ أُسِرُّها

إِنّي إِذاً لِيَدِ الكِرامِ لَسارِقُ

Shall I see graciousness from you, then conceal it?

I would then be a thief of the generous hand