للدهر ما بين الأنام وَزِيفُ

ولصَرفه بين الورى تصريفُ

Time has many deceptions between people,

And its changes among mankind are plentiful.

تلك النوائب وهي مأدبَة الفَتى

والزاعِبيُّ يقيمه التثقيفُ

Those misfortunes are the youth's banquet,

While education makes him more discerning.

غِيَرٌ تُحاجي ذا الحجا عن صبرِهِ

فإذا عرى فقويُّهنَّ ضعيفُ

Another reasons with the reasonable about his patience -

When bare, the weak's excuses are feeble.

وإذا تنكَّرتِ الليالي لن يُرى

نكرانُها إن يُعرَف المعروفُ

When nights are unrecognizable, their denial

Is unknowable if the known is recognizable.

ما تُثقِل الأعناقَ إلا مِنَّةٌ

لفتىً له عن مُثقَلٍ تخفيفُ

Necks are only weighed down by obligation

To a youth who lightens a heavy burden.

نظرتْ إليَّ الحادثاتُ فرَدَّها

عنّي الأميرُ وطرفُها مطروفُ

Circumstances looked upon me, but the prince

Turned them from me while their edges were blunted.

لمّا استعنتُ على الزمان بأيِّدٍ

نكص الزمان فصَرفُه مصروفُ

When I sought help against time with hands,

Time recoiled, so its course was redirected.

لولا خلائق في الكريم كريمةٌ

لم يستَبِن أنَّ الشريف شريفُ

Were it not for noble traits in the generous,

It would not be evident that the noble is noble.

هذا نزارٌ زان فرعَ أرومةٍ

هو تالدٌ في المكرمات طريفُ

This is Nizar, a branch of the lofty palm,

Skillful in bounties, of elegant manners.

تنميه صِيدٌ أُسدُ حربٍ ما لهم

إلا القواضب والرماح غَرِيفُ

He is nurtured by a lion of war who has no

Equipment but slender spears and curved swords.

يمشون في الحَلَق الحَصِيف وتحتها

نَسجُ الشجاعةِ في القلوب حَصيفُ

They walk in close ranks under shields

While bravery's fabric is woven into hearts.

لو أنهم عدمو السيوفَ تحدَّرَت

عزماتُهم في الروع وهي سيوفُ

If they lacked swords, their resolves would flow

Through their souls, which themselves are swords.

تُجري النَّدى مجرى الدماء أكُفُّهم

فهمُ حياةٌ للورى وحتوفُ

They make bounty flow like blood. The most generous of them

Are life itself for the world and its wellbeing.

مَن كان وهّابَ الأُلوف ولم يكن

ليروضه يومَ العِطاف أُلوفُ

One who was lavish with thousands but had no

Harshness to temper him on the day of bestowal -

يقسو ويعنُفُ في الحروب وشأنُه

في السلم بَرٌّ بالأنام رؤوفُ

He would be cruel and violent in war, while his way

In peace would be kindness toward people, gentle.

يدنو ويبعد هيبةً وتواضعاً

فيجلُّ وهو مع الجلال لطيفُ

He draws near and keeps aloof in awe and humility,

So he is majestic yet gentle with grandeur.

يا ابن المكارم إنَّ أولى ما به

تُبنى المكارمُ أن يُغاثَ لهيفُ

O son of bounties, the best thing for one

Whose bounties build bounties is to help the fallen.

وإذا المَنَاسِب لم تكن معدودةً

لصنائع فبَدِينُهُنَّ نحيفُ

If credits went uncounted for your artistry,

Then their slender merits would still be evident.

ذاك الفخار على المساعي دائرٌ

وله إذا وقف السُّعاة وقوفٌ

That potter continues his labors,

And when the laborers stop, he stops.