عَلَقنا بِأَسبابِ الوَزيرِ وَلَم نَجدِ
لَنا صَدَراً دونَ الوَزيرِ وَلا وِردا
We clung to the minister's ties, and found
We clung to the ties of the minister but found
No departure or approach to water apart from the minister.
No access to him, nor gifts from his hand.
جَرى فَحَوى سَبقَ المُجِدّينَ وادِعاً
وَأَعطى فَما أَعطى قَليلاً وَلا أَكدى
He raced and, at ease, won the lead over those who strove,
He flowed on leaving the boastful behind
And gave—never little, nor did he cease to give.
And gave, but gave sparingly, nothing grand.
وَلَم يُبدِ أَفضالاً عَلى مُتَطَلِّبٍ
فَواضِلَهُ إِلّا أَعادَ الَّذي أَبدا
Nor did he grant favors to anyone seeking
No special favors he showed petitioners;
His bounties without renewing what he had bestowed.
His gifts to seekers were only what they had.
طَويلُ اليَدَينِ ما تُعَدِّدُ وائِلٌ
أَباً كَأَبيهِ عِندَ فِعلٍ وَلا جَدّا
His hands reach far in bounty; Wa'il cannot name
Long of hand, his gifts were never assessed
A father like his in deeds, nor a grandfather.
As sire’s; in deed and gift he was not like dad.
إِذا سادَ شَيبانَ بنِ ثَعلَبَةَ اِرتَضَت
رِياسَةَ عالي البَيتِ يَفرَعُها مَجدا
When he leads Shayban ibn Tha'labah, the tribe accepts
When Shaiban ibn Tha'alaba held sway
The rule of one of lofty lineage, who towers above it in glory.
He gladly let the noble house rule, spread its glory.
رَعَينا بِهِ السَعدانَ إِذا رَطُبَ الثَرى
لَنا وَوَرَدنا مِن نَدى كَفِّهِ صَدّا
Through him we grazed on sa'dan when the earth grew moist
We were blessed through him when the land was wet,
For us, and from his palm's dew we drank at Sadda.
And got from the dew of his palm freshness and glee.
وَما الغَيثُ مُنهَلّاً تَوالى عِهادُهُ
بِأَروَحَ مِنهُ بِالسَماحِ وَلا أَغدى
And rain, pouring down with shower upon shower,
No rain whose procession his rule maintained
Is no readier than he to give at evening or at dawn.
With more liberal mood or plenty, I say.
لَكَ الخَيرُ مِن مُستَبطِئٍ في تَأَخُّري
تَرى أَنَّني آثَرتُ هِجرانُهُ عَمدا
Blessings on you, impatient at my delay;
Good for me that you delayed and tarried
You think I have deliberately chosen to forsake him.
As if you thought I’d abandoned you purposely!
مَتى كُنتَ يا خَيرَ الأَخِلّاءِ عائِداً
بِلَومِ عَلى أَلّا تَراني فَلُم سَعدا
Whenever, O best of friends, you return
When will you, best companion, return
With reproaches because you do not see me, blame Sa'd.
With blame that you see me no more merry?
وَما أَصطَفي لَونَ الحِدادِ وَلا أَرى
لِعَينَيَّ حَظّاً في الرَمادِ إِذا اسوَدّا
I do not favor the color of mourning, nor see
I wear no mourning, see no good in dust
Any pleasure for my eyes in ashes when they turn black.
If eyes in the blackened get no victory.
لَئِن كُنتَ نوراً ساطِعاً فَطَريقُنا
إِلَيكَ عَلى ظَلماءَ داجِيَةٍ جِدّا
If you are indeed a shining light, then our road
If you're a beaming light, our path to you
To you lies through utterly pitch-black darkness.
Is over darkness dismally obscure, I guarantee.
وَلَو أَنجَحَت بَغدادُ مَوعِدَ واسِطٍ
لَما عَدِمَت مِنّي عَلى نُجحِها حَمدا
And had Baghdad fulfilled Wasit's promise,
Had Baghdad kept tryst like Wasit’s
It would not have lacked my praise for its success.
I'd have failed not to hymn its success sincerely.
وَما خِلتُكَ ابنَ الأَنجُمِ الزُهرِ سائِراً
وَتارِكَ نُعماكَ الَّتي شُهِرَت عَدّا
I never thought you, son of the bright stars, would depart
Nor did I, Ibn Al-Anjum’s bright star, leave you
And leave your bounty, famed as an unfailing spring.
Forsaking your famed gifts completely.
أُعيذُكَ أَن يُعتَدَّكَ القَومُ إِسوَةً
إِذا عَزَموا في إِثرِ مَسأَلَةٍ رَدّا
I would shield you from being taken by people as a model
I pray, don't let people take you
When, after a request, they resolve to refuse.
As model when seeking rejection coldly.
وَما كانَ ما سَيَّرتُ فيكَ نَسيئَةً
فَلِم لا يَكونُ البَذلُ في عَقبِهِ نَقدا
What I sent forth in your praise was not on credit;
My song to you was no forgetfulness;
So why should the gift not follow it in ready cash?
Why then no cash for it forthrightly?
Sol 6.1