كلّما اشتَقْتُ يا خَليلَيَّ نَجْدا

عَنَّ صَرْفُ الزّمانِ فازدَدْتُ بُعْدا

Whenever I long for you, my friend, for Nejd

Time's changes make me wander farther yet

كلَّ يومٍ أزيدُ بالقلبِ إقْبا

لاً عليه يَزيدُ بالوجْهِ صَدّا

Each day within my heart a deeper love

Grows, whilst your face shows greater scorn of me

فمتى نَلْتَقي ونحن على ذا

أَيَّ قُرْبٍ رُمْنا إلى البُعْدِ أَدّى

When shall we meet, while such doth separate us?

What brings us nearer that has led to this?

قد بلَونا الهوى وكان شديداً

ولَقِينا النّوى فكان أَشَدّا

We've tasted passion and 'twas bitter-sweet

Met hopes and dreams and yet they seemed to cheat

ووصَلْنا الحنينَ لو جَرَّ نَفْعاً

وأَدَمْنا البكاءَ لو كان أَجْدى

We've tasted yearning and, if it helped,

We would have wept until no tear was left

وقطَعْنا البلاد سَهْلاً وحَزْنا

وَبرَيْنا الرِّكابَ حَلاً وشَدّا

We've traveled many lands through joy and pain

Endured the saddle whether calm or strain

وانتظَرْنا الزّمانَ يوماً فيَوْماً

واعتنَقْنا الخطوبَ وَفْداً فَوفْدا

Waited through time, day upon passing day

Borne sorrows, one by one, come what may

كُلُّ شَيءٍ لَقِيتُه دونَ نَجْدٍ

حين يَمَّمْتُه ولم ألْقَ نَجدا

All I have gained, if distant from Nejd's heart

Is lost when gained, being kept apart

غُربةٌ لم تدَعْ من العزْمِ فَضْلاً

ونوىً لم تدَعْ معَ العيسِ جَهْدا

A stranger's loneliness leaves no resolve

A wish dies fruitless though I strive and delve

غَرْبةُ الجَدِّ أَينَما أَتوجَّهْ

من تمادِي أيّامِها أَلْقَ سَعدا

Where'er I wander, ever I feel strange

Too many days bring sorrow, not joy's change

إنْ تَعدَّى بها الزّمانُ علينا

فعلَى كم هذا الزّمانُ تَعَدّى

If time breeds discontent twixt me and you

O time, how far does your injustice accrue!

لا تَلُمْهُ فاللّومُ ينجَحُ في الحُرْ

رِ وكان الزمانُ مُذْ كان وَغْدا

Yet do not blame, for blame helps no man's cause

Time was, is now, and ever onward draws

يَصِلُ المالَ بالهوانِ لراجي

هِ وكان الهوانُ للحُرِّ طَردا

To humble hearts it brings prosperity

Yet honor rises above indignity

وأخو الهِمّةِ الأبيّةِ فيه

من بنيهِ يَختارُ عِزّاً وجُهدا

The brother of high hope and purpose will

From among his kin choose glory's course and skill

أيّها الرّاكبُ المُغِذُّ مُجِدّاً

وأَراه لعهدِ نجدٍ مُجِدّا

O rider who speeds to glory and great deeds

And sees in Nejd's lands all honour proceeds

قُلْ لنجدٍ عنّا سقَى اللّهُ نجداً

قولَ مَن ضَمَّ منه في القلبِ وَجدا

Say unto Nejd, whom Allah waters well

The words of one who in his heart does dwell

أَنت والسّاكنوك فيما عَهِدْنا

هِجْتُما لي جوىً أعادَ وأَبدا

You and your people, what we knew of old

For me were warmth and kindness manifold

فإذا ذُمَّتِ العهودُ فإنِّا

ما ذمَمْنا منهم ولا منكَ عَهدا

If loyalties should fade as time does tell

We'll keep our faith, stay true and serve you well

فرعَى اللّهُ ذلك العهدَ عَهدا

وأَرى اللّهُ ذلك الحَيَّ سَعدا

May Allah tend that bond forevermore

And bless that life with goodness evermore

وكسا اللّهُ ذلك العهَدَ رَوْضاً

وكسا اللّهُ ذلك الرَّوضَ وَرْدا

May Allah dress that land in meadows green

And may those meadows grow with leaves serene

رُبَّ مُستَجهلِ العواذلِ فيه

بتُّ منه بمقلةٍ ليس تَهدا

There many a maid whose charms I understand

I've gazed upon, enraptured, lost, unmanned

قَمرٌ بِتُّ ساهراً فيه حتّى

كدْتُ أُفْني له الكواكبَ عَدّا

A moon, I've stayed awake still dawns first light

The stars themselves cannot match that sweet sight

لو بخَدِّي منه يكون غليلي

لأبتْ مُقلتايَ أن تَتندّى

If on her cheek I laid my weary head

My eyes could gaze, then close, fulfilled, and dread no morrow's dawn or difficult tomorrow

لم يكن قبلَ يُنجِزُ الوَعْدَ حتّى

أَنجَز الدهرُ منه للبَيْنِ وَعدا

He did not break his word, until at last

Time broke between us, sundered our past

جاء يومَ الوداعِ يُنشِدُ فيه

ما ترَى العيسَ في الأزِمّةِ تُحْدى

The day we parted came, he then did sing

Who knows what strength hard times to men can bring?

وبدا للنّوَى به مثْلُ ما بي

كم هوىً كان لازِماً فتعَدّى

Then to my hopes he seemed to bid goodbye

Though many dreams between us there did lie

وتقاضَيتُه وداعاً ولَثْماً

ليكونا لنا سلاماً وبَردا

I bid him come, to share a kiss, and make

Our farewell warmer for affection's sake

فتأبَّى واعتادَه خجَلٌ أَل

هبَ منّي ومنه قلباً وخَدّا

But he refused, was silent, turned his cheek

Ablush with shame for me, my heart to break

ثُمَّ ولّى كالغصْنِ في مَرَحٍ يَفْ

تِلُ منّي ومنه جِيداً وقَدّا

Then turned away like boughs in gentle breeze

That bend and part, so we did take our leave

بعد ما أَنفذَ الحشا بجفونٍ

سحَر القلبَ طَرْفُها حين ردّا

Those eyes, when last their lids were lifted, shed

A spell to charm the heart made heavy as lead

فكأنَّ الأستاذَ قابلَ عينَيْ

هِ بسِحرِ البيانِ منه فَأعْدى

As though a teacher turned his gaze above

And won out with his words against my love

الأديبُ الذي حوىَ الفضلَ طُرّاً

والرْئيسُ الّذي علا الخَلْقَ مَجدا

That poet whose abundance of merit

Showed in his speech, and the great man of spirit

والجوادُ الّذي كفَى الفضلَ رِفْداً

والغمامُ الذي سقى الأرضَ عِدّا

That generous soul who freely gave all he could

That raincloud who showered the land with his flood

كُلُّ مَن مَدَّ في الفصاحةِ باعاً

حَدَّ منها له ذوو الفَهْمِ حَدّا

All who in eloquence progress have made

The wise have judged his skill and theirs have weighed

وأَبو إسماعيلَ إن قال فَصْلاً

ببني إسماعيلَ طُرّاً يُفَدّى

Abu Ismail, if he speaks his thoughts

Is for all Ismail's sons a treasure beyond worth

أَجمَعتْ في البسيطةِ العُرْبُ والعُجْ

مُ على أَنّه تَوحَّد فَردا

Of his unique mastery of the ode

Arab and foreign tongues in concert flowed

لم تكُنْ يَعرُبٌ لِيُعْرِبَ عنها

معه النّاسُ أو يَعُدُّوا مَعَدّا

None shared his gift for composition before

None since has equaled it, nor taught it more

هو أَهدَى فِكْراً وأَشرَفُ ألفا

ظاً وأعلَى رأياً وأثقَبُ زَنْدا

Keener his thought, his words hold greater charm

His wisdom is deeper, his verses disarm

ذو كلامٍ تقولُ يُختارُ لفظاً

عنده لو تَراه يَشتارُ شُهدا

His speech is chosen with such care

As though selecting rhymes most rich and rare

الأجلُّ الأجلُّ يختارُ منه

حين يختاره الأسدّ الأسدّا

The greatest man, when greater lines he seeks

Turns to Abu Ismail, that fountain pure and deep

إن يشأْ عند ذاك يَنثُرُ دُرّاً

أو يشَأْ بعد ذاك يَنظِمُ عِقْدا

Let him scatter pearls or string them in a chain

However he wills, none can his art attain

بِدَعٌ لم تَدعْ لوُسْعِ بليغٍ

صَرْفَ حَرْفٍ له بآخرَ نَقدا

In innovations never heard of before

No eloquent man could strive for more

مُعجِزاتٌ للنّاطِقين فلولا

ما لَهُ من ديانةٍ لتَحَدّى

Wonders that humble speakers high and low

If not for faith, might cause them envy or woe

يَبْتَني رُتبةً على كلِّ حالٍ

لِوَلّيٍ لها ويَكْبِتُ أَعدا

He builds himself a place, steadfast and sure

O'er every king, presses down every cur

ويُمِدُّ الوزيرَ منها بنَصْرٍ

فيكونُ الرُّكنَ الأعزَّ الأشَدّا

Supports the minister in word and deed

Till he's the strongest pillar in time of need

فبِها زادَهُ على النّاسِ قُرْباً

وبها خَصَّهُ من النّاسِ وُدّا

Thus closer to all people does he grow

Thus all people's love for him does flow

وبإصْفائهِ إذا القومُ خانوا

وبتَدبيرِه إذا الأمرُ جَدّا

With honest counsel, when men prove untrue

With wisdom, when events adversity pursue

وبآرائه إذا ما استُضيئتْ

وبأقلامِه إذا ما استمَدّا

With his insight, when we need light revealed

With his words coming fast, when appeals he's yielded

مَأثُراتٌ ما إن يُرَى حين تَتْلو

لك فيها نِدّاً ولا منك بُدّا

Deeds we in wonder behold and relate

None could meet as his equal or adequate

أيّها الماجِدُ الّذي فاقَ مَجْداً

والفتى الواهبُ الّذي طابَ وِرْدا

O you whose glory all others excels!

O prince whose gift all goodness compels!

لي بسامي عُلاك إدْلالُ مثْلِي

إذ تلَقّيتُ في اعتمادِك رُشدا

To me, so little, your greatness is balm

Since in your grace I have found guidance and calm

لا بأنّي عَمِلتُ فيك قصيداً

بل بأَنّي أَعملْتُ نحوَك قَصدا

Not that for you I wrote this, no, instead

I sought in you the path of wisdom to tread

أنا مِمّن عشا إلى ضَوء آدا

بِك في العالمِين حتّى تَهَدّى

For in your light I found my way

And in your words what to speak and say

واقتدَى بالّذي رُوِي لك من شِعْ

رِك حتّى صار المُجِيدَ المُفَدّى

The rays of your poetry were my guide

Though my nights were in sorrow and meaningless void

وسما طَرْفُه إليك من الشّو

قِ ولكنْ كانتْ لياليهِ نُكدا

The fates once laughed with me, now act with disdain

The stars once brought me near you, now keep away

فتعاطَى لك السُّرَى بعدَ لأْيٍ

وتجافَى لك الكرَى واستعَدّا

Yet still I carry your praises on high

Till at your door my gift of words does lie

حمَل الحمدَ نحوَ بابِك فوق ال

عيسِ حتّى هدَى إليك وأَهْدى

The days destroy me, leave me in life's darkest ditch

My talents to the days I've sold too cheap

يَفتِكُ الدّهرُ بي لأدنَى مَعاشٍ

رَخُصتْ مُهجتي على الدّهرِ جِدّا

So use this chance, the hour is at hand

To make my gifts give glory whilst time is spanned

فاغتَنِمْها من فُرصةٍ وانتهِزْها

تَستدِمْ لي ما ساعدَ العُمْرُ حَمدا

Save me from the days that come ever nigher

Ere all is lost and gone, seize what is left entire

وتدارَكْ نَفْسي بها من يَدِ الأيْ

يامِ من قَبْلِ أن تَفوتَكَ فَقْدا

Look on me kindly, for who shines as bright?

The freeman's slave, if treated right

واصطَنِعْني بها فلم أر كالحُرْ

رِ تَراه لدى الصَّنيعةِ عَبدا

Guard what trust we share, though you soar too high

I look above, and strive until I die

وارْعَ ما بيننا منَ الأدبِ المُدْ

ني وإنّ كنتَ أنت أعلى وأَهْدى

Stay, be to each defender, guide, and friend

And gently hold their hands until the end

وابْقَ حتّى تكونَ مع كُّلِّ مولىً

لك عَوْناً على الزّمانِ وَردّا

Taste life's joy, heed no morrow

Hasten to live in delight sans sorrow

وتَمتّعْ بلذّةِ العيشِ رَغْدا

وتعَجّلْ في عَهْدِ دُنياكَ خُلْدا

If Allah grants you years ahead

Praise Him, fear not that they will instead be taken

وإذا ما أعارَك اللّهُ منه

ثوبَ عُمْرٍ أمِنْتَ أن يُستَرَدّا

Seize the moment when time does us befriend

To use our gifts and skills ere comes the end.