إِيهاً أَبا حَسَنٍ حللت من العُلى

بَينَ السَنامِ وَبَينَ ذرو الكَاهِلِ

Oh Abu Hasan, you descended from high mountains

Between peaks and shoulders' heights

أَنّى سحا بك ذا الزَمان وَإِنَّهُ

لمبخِّلٍ بِالكامِلِ ابن الكامِلِ

How did this time treat you badly

When it is miserly towards the perfect son of the perfect

يا أَيُّها الأُستاذُ لا من غَفلَةٍ

وَاللَهُ قَد يُدعى وَلَيسَ بِغافِلِ

O teacher, not out of heedlessness

By Allah, He may be called and is not inattentive

قُل للأَميرِ وَلَيسَ كُلُّ مُحَرِّكٍ

لِلِسانِهِ عند المُلوكِ بِقائِلِ

Tell the prince, not everyone who moves

His tongue with kings can speak

أُهدي وَيُهدي آخرون فَنَستَوي

ما الفرف بَينَ فَضولهم وَفَضائِلي

I give gifts and others give too, so we are equal

No difference between their superfluities and my merits

زهرُ الرَبيع وَكَيف يَحيا مَوضع

لَم يُحيِهِ سَحُّ الرَبيع الوابِلِ

Spring flowers, and how can a place live

If reviving spring rain does not restore it

وَاِعلَم يَقيناً أَنَّ كُلَّ صَنيعَة

عِندي تُعَدُّ ذَخيرَة في الحاصِلِ

And know for certain that every skill

I have is stored gain in the harvest

لَو كُنتُ بِالبَيداء لَم يَكُ بِدعَةً

عَطَشي وَلَكِنّي بِجَنب الساحِلِ

If I were in the desert, my thirst would be no innovation

But I am next to the coast

وَهوَ الرَبيع وَكَيف يَحيا مَوضِع

لَم يُجيهِ سَحُّ الرَبيع الهاطِلِ

It is spring, and how can a place live

If reviving spring rain does not restore it