ليهن كلاك مَداها القَصيّ
وَمجد يُؤَثَّل عَنها سَنىِّ
Why do you let your determination's scope decline
And glory that was firmly established fade away?
لَقَد حَلَّ سؤددك المُرتَقى
الَّذي لا يَروم إِلَيهِ الهوادِجَ
Your lofty ambition has indeed come to pass
Unattainable to the timid minded
وَذَلَّ بِعَزمِكَ صرف الزَمانِ
حَتّى أَطاعَكَ منه العَصيّ
By your resolve time itself was subjugated
Until even its rebellious nature obeyed you
وَرُضتَ الحَوادِثَ ذا حِنكَةٍ
فَصَيَّرَت ما اِعوَجَّ مِنها سَوي
You welcomed adversities wisely
Straightening all crookedness that came your way
وَأَنتَ عَميد العُلى لَم تَزَل
وَأَنتَ لك اليَعمل الشَد قَميّ
You remain the pillar of the exalted
You alone accomplish the most difficult feats
وَقائلة رَعَتها خِلَّة
أَلَيسَ لَكَ اليَعمل الشَد قميّ
A woman of noble lineage proclaimed
Is it not you who performs the hardest tasks?
وَهَذا ابن يَحيى إِلى فَضلِهِ
تُنَضُّ الرِكابَ وَتنظى المَطيّ
This son of Yahya seeks your favor
Kissing your feet, yearning for your steed
فَعِش في ذُراهُ فَإِنَّ الوَرى
لَهُم رغد العيش مِنهُ الهَنيّ
So live long, for people find
In your presence, pleasant and easy living
جناب مَريع لِوُرّادِهِ
بِوادٍ خَصيب وَشُربٍ رَويّ
A blessed shelter for its visitors
With fertile valleys and plentiful water
فَلَمّا تيممته قاصِداً
تكنَّفني مِنه جود سَنيّ
When I came seeking it
I was overwhelmed by its abundant generosity
وَقابَلَني البَدرُ من وَجهِهِ
وَناطقني مصقع هبرَزيِّ
The full moon welcomed me with its face
And a fiery eloquent speaker addressed me
يَجُرُّ العُقول بِأَلفاظِهِ
فَيَرتَدُّ عَقلاً لَدَيهِ الدَهيِّ
Whose words drag minds forcefully
Leaving the foolish mindless before him
وَقورٌ تُراع لَهُ هَيبَة
لَذيذ الفَكاهِةِ عَذب شَهيّ
Dignified, commanding awe and reverence
Yet gentle and sweetly eloquent
كَأَنَّ تألَّقّ آرائِهِ
سَنا البَرق يَفتَرُّ عَنهُ الحَبيّ
The radiance of his insights
Like sudden lightning illuminating the confused mind
يَشُفُّ العُيون بإِيماضِها
كَأَنَّ القَضاء لَدَيهِ نَجيّ
Delighting eyes with their flashes
As if destiny itself has become favorable
إِذا ما اِنتَضى العَزمُ أَقلامَهُ
تَذَلَّلَ طَوعاً لَهُ السَمهَريّ
When he takes up his pen with determination
Even the obstinate yield effortlessly to him
وَلَم يَنُجُ مِنهُنَّ حَدُّ الظُبى
وَلا الزُعف وَالزَرد التُبَعيّ
Neither the wild beasts nor snakes could resist
Nor the firm mountains or solid rocks
فَتِلكَ اليَراع اللَواتي لَها
شَباة يَفض بِها السابِريّ
It is as if he wields a weapon
With which the valiant warrior thrusts through
يَشُبُّ بِأَطرافِهِنَّ الوَغى
فَتَضحى وَللهام فيها هَويّ
He excites passions into raging fury
Till they overwhelm all reason violently
يزين المَهارِق مِن لُبسِهِ
كَما فَوَّقَ الزَرد الأَتحَميّ
His attire adorns the horizons
As the peacock's plumage outshines gemstones
كَنورِ الحَديقَةِ في رَوضَةٍ
تَتابَع وَسميّها وَالوَليّ
Like the light of an orchard in a meadow
With following beauties and twisting paths
تَروقُ العُيونُ بِأَزهارِها
وَتَبسِمُ عَن نَشرِها العَنبَريّ
Eyes feast on its flowers
Smiling at their joyous blooming
فَحينَ تقيلتُ أَظلالها
ظَلَلتُ وَبالي لَدَيهِ رَخيّ
When I rested in its shades
I stayed there troubled yet at ease
بِحالٍ قَعدتُ بِها عاطِلاً
فَصيغ لَها من نَداهُ الحُليّ
In that condition I remained idle
Until his voice formed meaning for me
فَتىً يَفعَل المكرمات الجِسام
وَيسترهن بِطَرف حَييّ
A noble youth performing greatest deeds
Yet concealing them with a glance of his eyes
وَلما صَفا لي ريق الحَياةِ
وَساغ لي العَذب مِنهُ المَريّ
When the potion of life was refined for me
And its bitter taste turned sweet
بَذَلتُ حَدائِقَ شُكري لَهُ
واِتبعتُ فيهنَّ مَدحاً جَنيّ
I offered gardens of gratitude to him
And complimented him with a harvest of praise
فَقُلتُ الَّذي رامَ مَسعي أَبي حسن
لَقَد خابَ سَعياً بَطيّ
Saying: One who envies Abu Hassan's purpose
Has certainly pursued a futile quest
إِذا هوَ خُودِعَ عَن مالِهِ
تَخادَعَ وَهوَ النَبيه الدَريّ
If he is deceived of his money
He is cunning while unaware of it
منحتك عَذراء زُفَّت إِلَيكَ
كَما اِزدَلَفَت لِلهَداء الهَديّ
You were granted a maiden brought to you
As a gift is presented to one deserving
إِذا ما ثَنى التيه أَعطافها
تَضَوَّع من نشرها المَندَليّ
When the bending branches of the tamarisk tree sway
The sweet smelling menders flower scatters all around
فَقَد قَصَّرَ المَدحُ عَن شُكرِ مَن
أَطاعَ لَهُ الدَهر قَسراً أَبيّ
Praise falls short in thanking one
Whose will the age submits to unwillingly
تَمَلَّ العُلى ما بَدا كَوكَبٌ
وَما أَعقَبَ اللَيلَ صُبحَ ذَكيّ
He fulfilled excellence in all that appeared
Like the shining star or the radiant dawn
