وبَرقُ مَشيبٍ في ظلامِ ذَوائبٍ

له قَطْرُ دمعٍ من غمامِ جُفونِ

The lightning of hoariness in the darkness of vicissitudes

Has a drop of tears from the cloud of my eyelids

أَرِقْتُ له لمّا أَضاء وَميضُه

أُقلِّبُ منّي فيه طَرْفَ حَزين

I was awake for it when its flash illuminated

I turn in it my sorrowful glance

وقلتُ له يا برقُ هل أَنت زائدي

على حُرَقي أَم تاركي وشُجوني

And I said to it, “O lightning, are you my excess

On my burning or leaving my passions?”

بُروقُ الورَى تَبْدو وتَخْفَى سريعةً

وبَرْقي مُقيمٌ ليس يَرحَلُ دوني

The lightnings of the earth appear and disappear quickly

While my lightning remains, it does not depart from me

ومن عَجَبٍ أَنّي لدى لَمعانِه

عَلِقْتُ بحَبْلٍ للوَقارِ مَتين

And it is wondrous that when its flashing

I clung to a strong rope of dignity

وعَهْدي بنَفْسي قبلَ ذلك لم أَشِمْ

سَنا بارقٍ إلاّ وجُنَّ جُنوني

And my pact with myself before that I did not perceive

Any good in lightning except it drove me insane

فأصبحتُ قد ودَّعتُ عهدَ شَبيبتي

وقلتُ لأطْرابي حَرُمْتِ فَبِيني

So I became having bidden farewell to the era of my youth

And I said to my craziness, “You are forbidden from me”

وكلُّ حَراكٍ كان بي نحْوَ لذّةٍ

تَبدَّلَ منّي عَهْدُه بسُكون

And all the commotion that was in me towards pleasure

Its pact with me changed into tranquility

سوى واحدٍ أَنّي إذا ذُكرَ الصِّبا

وماضيهِ لم أَملِكْ إليه حَنيني

Except one thing, that whenever the adolescence was mentioned

And its past, I could not help but yearn for it

سأُمسك عن قَدْحي لنارِ بلابلٍ

غدَتْ في زِنادِ القَلْبِ ذاتَ كُمون

I will refrain from igniting the sparks of thrushes

That have become with kindling in the flint of my heart latent

أَروحُ على عَزْمٍ جَموحٍ إلى العُلا

مُسايرَ جَدٍّ في الجُدودِ حَرون

I will go with resolute, sweeping determination to the heights

Accompanying the serious in their seriousness, zealous

وأَظْهَر لي ما أَضمرَ الدّهرُ حقْبةً

ودهرُ الفتَى ذو أَظهُرٍ وبُطون

And it has revealed to me what the days concealed for a period

And the youth of the young man has apparent and hidden

ولمّا رأَيتُ الرّأسَ جَنَّحَ نَمْلُه

وقلتُ نذيرٌ باقْتِرابِ مَنون

And when I saw the head, its ants took wing

And I said, “A warner of the approach of death”

ولم أَك للعُقْبَى قطعْتُ علائقي

ولم أَك للدُّنيا قضَيْتُ شُؤوني

And I was not for fate, so I cut off my ties

And I was not for the life, so I finished my affairs

أَسِفْتُ على عُمْرٍ تَصرَّمَ ضائع

وجُدْتُ بدَمْعٍ يَسْتَهِلُّ هَتون

I regretted a life that grew old wasted

And I wept with tears recklessly falling

وآنسَني بُعْدي من النّاسِ جانباً

وإنْ هُمْ على أَحْداقهم حَملوني

And my remoteness from people made me feel secluded

Even if they carried me on their eyelids

فلمّا غدا عِبْئاً على جَفْنِ ناظري

لقاءُ الورَى من صاحبٍ وخَدين

So when meeting the people became a burden on my sight

From a companion or cheek

أَلِفْتُ الفلا مُستوطناً ظهْرَ ناقةٍ

تَلُفُّ سُهولاً دائماً بحُزون

I became accustomed, dwelling on the back of a she-camel

That ceaselessly circles the plateaus sadly

وما سِرْتُ إلاّ في الهَواجرِ وحْدَها

كراهةَ ظلّي أنْ يكونَ قَريني

And I walked only in the desolate places alone

Disliking that my shadow be my companion

وآلَيتُ لا استَخْلصْتُ لي غيرَ صاحبٍ

حفيظٍ على سِرِّ الخليلِ أَمين

And I did not gain except a discreet friend

Who keeps his friend’s secret faithfully

صَموتٍ فإن جَرَّدْتَه فجَميعُه

لسانٌ مُبينُ الهامِ غيرُ مُبين

Silent, so if you unveil him, then all of him

Is an eloquent tongue that makes obscure ideas clear

نَزيلِ شِمالي الدّهرَ ما نام جَفنُه

فإن أَيقظتْهُ الحربُ حَلَّ يَميني

An ever wakeful comrade, the days have not slept his eyelids

So if war awakens him, he attends on my right side

ومَطْويّةِ الأقرابِ طاويةِ الفلا

بطُولِ نَجاءٍ بالنَّجاحِ ضَمين

Folding forelegs, folding the expanses

With the length of ostrich’s running and success implicit

تُوسِّدُني إحدى يدَيْها وتارةً

بأربَعِها أطْوي البلادَ أَمون

Cushioning me with one of its hands and sometimes

With all four of them I fold the lands safely

فيا صاحبيَّ اليومَ والدّهرُ رائعي

بأعجَبِ أبكارٍ طَرقْنُ وعُون

So my friend today and fate is amazing us

With the most wondrous virgin acts of help and support

لِيَهْنِكُما أنّي الغداةَ إليكما

على عِزِّ أَنصاري جَعلْتُ ركوني

In order to destroy them, that tomorrow morning to you both

I have made my strength’s leaning my stability

ألا فصِلاني بارك اللهُ فيكما

ولا تَعْبآ بالصَّحْبِ إن هَجَروني

Lo, so part me, may God bless you both

And do not weary of companionship if they shun me

فما هيَ إلاّ عزْمةٌ بعْدها الغِنَى

وتَرويحُ رَحْلٍ عنْدَها ووَضين

For it is only a firm resolve, after which is needlessness

And easing a saddle that has a slender and thick rope with it

بنا ظَمأٌ بَرْحٌ وبالرَّيِّ رِيُّنا

وما تلك عندي من نوىً بشَطون

We have a thirst, boundlessness, and with watering we are sated

And that is not meagre to me with a water-skin

وما تُنكِرُ الأقوامُ يومَ بلُوغِها

لئنْ صدقَتْ فيما رجَوْتُ ظُنوني

And the people will not deny on the day of its attainment

If my hopes in it prove true, my conjectures

إذا راحَ بعدَ اللهِ يا دهرُ أو غدا

عليكَ مُعينُ الدّينِ وهْو مُعيني

When, after God, O fate, you help the supporter of religion, and he helps me

When my hands cling to the rope of his hope

إذا عَلِقَتْ كَفّي بحَبل رجائهِ

فَقُلْ لِلّيالي كيف شِئْتِ فكُوني

Then say to the nights however you wish, so be it

A man who when needing support finds assisting the deen or aiding the faith in his opinion

فتىً عنده للمُستَعينِ برأيهِ

إغاثةُ دُنياً أو إعانَةُ دِين

High-minded, when he meets delegations, he attains for them

All wishes, then says “Ask me!”

هُمامٌ إذا لاقَى الوفودَ أنالَهمْ

جميعَ الأماني ثُمَّ قال سَلوني

When he buys fair praise with his wealth

He sees himself in that without any defect

إذا ما اشْتَرى حُسنَ الثّناء بمالِه

رأى نَفْسَه في ذاك غيرَ غَبين

Placable, placable are his swords

His forbearance has become a companion of softness

صَفوحٌ عنِ الجاني سَفوحٌ حُسامُه

خُشونتُه أَضحتْ قرينةَ لين

To him belongs the ascription of virtue just as his ascription

To virtue is sincere, so he is not dubious

إليهِ انْتِسابُ الفضْلِ مثْلُ انتسابِه

إلى الفَضْلِ صِدْقٌ فهْو غيرُ ظَنين

You will not meet a superior except by him

He exchanges honor, buying it for less

فلا فاضِلٌ تَلْقاهْ إلاّ وعندَه

يُبدِّلُ عزّاً يَقْتَنيهِ بهُون

He has a gathering that has remained a sign for knowledge

That the people of the land throng, resident and nomad

له مَجلسٌ قد ظَلَّ للعلْمِ مَعْلَماً

مَضمَّ الورى من زائرٍ وقَطين

Groups of the followers of the Two Imams all of them

With him having a place he consents, firmly rooted

جَموعٌ لأصحابِ الإمامَيْنِ كُلِّهمْ

بهِ ذو مكانٍ يَرْتَضيهِ مَكين

When they race in the field of jurisprudence, we crave

The excellent, with him, purebred and thoroughbred

إذا رَكضوا في حَلْبةِ الفِقْهِ راقَنا

بُدُوُّ هجانٍ عندَها وهَجين

The imams of an age like encircling stars

With the full moon for onlookers clear

أئمّةُ عَصْرٍ كالنُّجومِ مُطيفةٌ

ببَدْرِ عُلاً للنّاظرِينَ مُبين

So the unity that he gathers was not parted

By the passing of time, for the noble, melancholy

فلا افْترقَ الشّمْلُ الّذي هو جامعٌ

بصَرْفِ زمانٍ للكرامِ خَؤون

And the faith has not ceased with him to take refuge

In the stronghold of might in grave affairs steadfast

ولا زالَ منه الدِّينُ يُصبحُ لاجئاً

إلى طَوْدِ عزِّ في الخُطوبِ رَزين

Extending shades for subjects sheltered

And a fortress for the secrets of kings impregnable

مَديدِ ظلالٍ للرَّعايا ظليلةٍ

وحِصْنٍ لأسرارِ المُلوكِ حَصين

My brother whose passion for me is increased with two arts

Even if from his benevolence with talents he comes

أخي شَغَفٍ منه بفنِّيْنِ زائدٍ

وإنْ جاء من إحسانهِ بفُنون

By spending wealth to help the destitute

And spending water to give drink in the wastes

بإجْراء مالٍ للعُفاةِ معونةً

وإجراء ماءٍ بالفلاةِ مَعين

So O sea of munificence not bounded by a coast

And a torrent of assistance not restricted by a dam

فيا بَحرَ جودٍ لم يُحَدَّ بساحلٍ

ولَيْثَ وغىً لم يَعْتَزِزْ بعَرين

For us is his call, every full moon and crescent moon

And all precious gained and valuable treasure

لنا من نَداهُ كلُّ بَدْرٍ وبَدْرةٍ

وكلُّ نفيسٍ يُقْتَنى وثَمين

And every notable, honored, veiled

Tied hoori in the wilderness and spring

وكلُّ وجيهيٍّ أغرٍّ مُحجَّلٍ

مُقَيَّدِ حُورٍ بالفَلاةِ وَعين

Preceding the steeds of night and dawn, his pardon

From afar surpasses the vying of the trial horses swift

سَبوقٍ لخيلِ اللّيلِ والصُّبحِ عَفْوُهُ

على بُعْد شأوٍ للرّهانِ بَطين

The morning star shone while it was behind it

So when it gleamed clearly for eyes

جَرى أشهَبُ الإصْباحِ وهْو وراءه

فلمّا تَجلَّى بادياً لعُيون

It refused other than preceding the dawn despite its busyness with it

In a triangle shape after the striking of the forehead

أبَى غيرَ سَبْقِ الصُّبْحِ مَعْ شُغْلِه له

بشَكْلِ ثلاثٍ بعْدَ لَطْمِ جَبين

O two companions who adorned the age with his merit

Do not part from ornamenter and ornament

أيا صاحباً زان الزَّمانَ بفَضْلِه

فلا افْتَرقا من زائنٍ ومَزين

The eggs of India slept securely so they are not seen

Emigrating to the eyelids having fear

لقد نام بيضُ الهندِ أمْناً فما يُرَى

لَهُنَّ غِرارٌ هاجراً لجُفون

And since the edges of his pens saw spearheads

They refused except recoiling, shaking

ومُذْ شاهدَتْ أطرافَ أقلامهِ القَنا

أَبَتْ خِيفةً إلاّ ارْتعادَ مُتون

And his enviers thirsty throats craved

The drinking of waters in the gullets painful

وحُسّادُه اشْتاقَتِ عطاشُ حُلوقِهمْ

وُرودَ مياهِ في الجُفون أُجون

To release spirits that had become from their bodies

Tormented in the darkness of prisons

ليُطْلِقَ أرواحاً غَدتْ من جُسومهمْ

مُعذَّبةً في مُظْلماتِ سُجون

When the range of pardon was too narrow for the enemy

And they came with a war not to be borne, obstinate

إذا ما نطاقُ العَفْوِ ضاقَ عنِ العدا

وباؤوا بحَرْبٍ لا تُطاقُ زَبون

The vultures began to claw apart to guide themselves

To every rebel in the darkness buried

غدَتْ تَنْبُشُ العِقبانُ عنهمْ لتَهْتدي

إلى كلِّ ثاوٍ في القَتامِ دَفين

You cried, and the meadow became while for the people a Kaaba

Far, not visiting a corner of plain or stony tract

بكَ الرَّيُّ أَضحتْ وهْيَ للنّاسِ كَعبةٌ

بعيدةُ رُكْنٍ من صَفاً وحَجون

And were it not for you, its pastures would not teem

With horses for the disputing of lands, swords drawn

ولولاكَ ما كانتْ تَغَصُّ عِراصُها

بخَيْلٍ لنُزّاعِ البلادِ صُفون

My debtors came the day I intended my journey

While the people granted me respite and awaited me

أَتَى غُرَمائي يومَ أَزمعْتُ رِحْلتي

وقد أَنظروني القومُ وانْتَظروني

And I said, “To the Guardian Lord I head”

So each debtor insisted on the right from me

وقلتُ إلى المولَى المُعينِ تَوجُّهي

فطالَبني بالحَقِّ كُلُّ مُدين

And they counted my hope as riches, so they set about

That, except they stuck with me

وعَدُّوا رَجائيهِ غنىً فتَباشَروا

بذلكَ إلاّ أَنّهمْ لَزِموني

We praised, and in our steeds is the mark of his munificence

As the orators lauded from atop branches

مدَحْنا وفي أَجيادِنا وَسْمُ جُودِه

كما خَطبَتْ خَطْباءُ فوقَ غُصون

It was as if we were doves, when our souls

Met, taking the shape of neck-rings of passions

كأنّا حَمامٌ حينَ لاقتْ نفوسَنا

جزَتْ صَوْغَ أَطواقٍ بصَوْغِ شُجون

And who can I find to thank Ibn Hurra

With the least fulfillment of the right from him protector?

ومَنْ لي لِما تُولي بشكرِ ابْنِ حُرّةٍ

بأدْنَى قضاءِ الحقِّ عنه قَمين

And I have none but thanks, although inadequate

For a benefaction you granted me obligated

وما لي سوى شكرٍ وإنْ كان قاصراً

بسالفٍ ما أَوْلَيْتَنيهِ رَهين

Shy of the time’s rulers when they

See my position in virtue and spurn me

حياءً لأملاكِ الزّمانِ إذا همُ

رأو مَوْضعي في الفَضْلِ واطَّرحوني

My fault is that they did not recognize me, and their fault

Is that they neglected me after they recognized me

فعَيبِيَ أَنْ لم يَعْرِفوني وعيْبُهمْ

إذا ضيّعَوني بعدَ أَنْ عَرَفوني

Who was far from his lands drew near

Your abode, and attained the sought with certainty

دنا مِن مُناهُ مَنْ نأى عن ديارِه

إليكَ ونال المُبتغَى بيقين

When the hopeful offered you his face, you protected him

And you were not stingy to him with wealth

إذا بذَلَ الرَّاجي لك الوجْهَ صُنْتَهُ

وكنتَ له بالمالِ غيرَ ضَنين

You have spent exposed from the face time and again

From the monies each protected

لصَوْنكَ مبذولاً من الوجهِ طالما

بذلْتَ من الأموالْ كُلَّ مَصون

You honored with the merit of wealth when it disgraced him

And was disdained by whoever else was not disgracing

عزَزْتَ بفضْلِ المالِ لمّا أَهنْتهُ

وهان له مَن كان غيرَ مُهين

Your hope after God gave life to my faintness

When my debts were closed at the sanctuary

رجاؤكَ بعدَ اللهِ أَحْيا حُشاشتي

وقد غَلِقَتْ عند الحِمامِ رُهوني

And if I wished also to return my hair to your condition

And the skin of my face other than one with passions

ولو شِئْتُ أَيضاً رَدَّ شَعريَ حالكاً

وجلْدةَ وجهي غيرَ ذاتِ غُضون