يَشكو إِلَيكِ هَواكِ المُدنَفُ الوَصِبُ
بِواكِفٍ يَنهَمي طَوراً وَيَنسَكِبُ
The lovelorn, tearful one complains to you of your love,
Tossing and turning, consumed with anguish.
إِذا يُقالُ اِتَّئِب رَدَّت صَبابَتُهُ
إِلَيهِ ثابِتَ وَجدٍ لَيسَ يَتَّئِبُ
If he is told, "Be patient," his youthfulness
Returns to him, with constant passion that knows no patience.
وَما اِجتَنَبتُكِ إِلّا لِلوُشاةِ وَكَم
مِن مُغرَمٍ كَلِفٍ بِالوَجدِ يَجتَنِبُ
I avoided you only because of the slanderers, and how many
Lovers burdened with passion avoid the beloved.
وَلَو وَجَدتُ سُلُوّاً ما تَخَوَّنَني
لَمّا تَبَسَّمتِ ذاكَ الظَلمُ وَالشَنَبُ
Had I found a confidant, betrayal would not have pained me
When that injustice and mustache smiled.
وَلا اِستَخَفَّ غَرامي يَومَ وَقفَتِنا
عَلى الوَداعِ بَنانٌ مِنكِ مُختَضَبُ
My love was not trivial the day we bid farewell,
With your rouged fingertips at the parting.
ما لي وَلِلشَيبِ آباهُ وَيَتبَعُني
وَلِلصَبابَةِ أَنآها وَتَقتَرِبُ
What business do I have with old age pursuing me,
And youthfulness sighing and drawing near me?
وَقَد حَرِصتُ عَلى جَدّي يُصاحِبُني
عَلى الشَبابِ لَوَ أَنَّ الحَظَّ يُكتَسَبُ
I was keen to accompany my seriousness with youth,
If only fortune could be seized.
هَذا الرَبيعُ يُسَدّي مِن زَخارِفِهِ
وَشياً يَكادُ عَلى الأَلحاظِ يَلتَهِبُ
This spring presents its adornments,
Nearly igniting the glances with its splendor.
هَل تَغلِبَنّي عَلى الساجورِ حينَ زَهَت
أَنوارُهُ وَتَناهى نورَهُ حَلَبُ
Can it make me overcome the wine cup when its lights have shone
And its illumination reached Halab?
دَعِ المَطِيَّ مُناخاتٍ بِأَرحُلِها
لَم يُنضَ عَنهُنَّ تَصديرٌ وَلا حَقَبُ
Leave the camels with their saddle-bags—
No loads have been removed from them nor burdens.
فَما تَزيدُ عَلى إِلمامَةٍ خُلَسٍ
بِأَحمَدَ بنِ عَلِيٍّ ثُمَّ تَنقَلِبُ
So it amounts to no more than a furtive turban
With Ahmad ibn ‘Ali, then it turns away.
قَضاءُ حَقٍّ وَما نَقضي بِطاقَتِنا
مِن ذَلِكَ الحَقِّ إِلّا بَعضُ ما يَجِبُ
Fulfilling a right is ordained, though we cannot
Fulfill that right except partially, as duty requires.
عَفٌّ كَريمٌ مَتى عُدَّت مَناقِبُهُ
كانا سَواءً لَدَيهِ الدينُ وَالحَسَبُ
Nobility is gracious—when its virtues are counted,
Faith and merit are equal in its view.
آلُ الجُنَيدِ بنِ فَوريدٍ أَرومَتُهُ
وَالفَرُّخانُ لَهُ مِن قَبلِ ذاكَ أَبُ
The Junayd clan of Furayd raised him,
And the Farrokhans before that were his ancestors.
وَقَد أَنافَ بِهِ الصَبّاحُ مُعتَلِياً
في رُتبَةٍ تَتَكافا تَحتَها الرُتَبُ
Therewith the morning star rose up high
To a rank beneath which all ranks bow.
أَمّا الخَراجُ فَقَد أُعطي مَقادَتَهُ
وَاِستُؤنِفَ الجِدُّ فيهِ وَاِنقَضى اللَعِبُ
The land tax has been granted its due measure
And seriousness has been restored to it, playfulness concluded.
قَد سُمِّحَ القَومُ عَنهُ بَعدَما مَنَعوا
وَخُفِّضَ القَولُ فيهِ بَعدَما شَغَبوا
The people were allowed it after being deprived of it,
And talk of it was softened after they clamored.
ظَلّوا يُؤَدّونَ حَقَّ اللَهِ عِندَهُمُ
وَيَعجَبونَ وَما في ما أَتَوا عَجَبُ
They continued to pay God His right with them,
And they are amazed, though there is no wonder in what they came to.
جِدُّ اِمرِئٍ لَم يُلَبَّث عَن عَزيمَتِهِ
وَلا يُشارِفُ إِفراطاً بِهِ الغَضَبُ
The dedication of a man whose resolve has not weakened,
Nor does excess anger infect it.
إِن سارَعوا كانَ بَذلُ العُرفِ غايَتَهُ
وَإِن وَنَوا كانَ مِنهُ الجِدُّ وَالطَلَبُ
If they are quick, fulfilling custom is its goal,
And if they deliberate, earnestness and seeking are from it.
وَبارِزُ الوَجهِ يُبديهِ البَيانُ وَكَم
عَيٍّ تُغَطّي عَلى مَكنونِهِ الحُجُبُ
Eloquent speech reveals it, though how many
Blemishes does it cover over its hidden parts?
لا يَبلُغُ الناسُ جَهداً عَفوَ سُؤدُدِهِ
وَلا تُعيرُ أَكُفَّ الناسَ ما يَهَبُ
People cannot fully attain the forgiveness of its severity,
Nor does the refusing of hands censure those who bestow.
تومي إِلى العَدَدِ الأَقصى مَآثِرُهُ
حَتّى يُنافِسَ فيهِ عُجمَهُ العَرَبُ
Count its remarkable deeds up to the greatest number,
Until among them the non-Arabs rival the Arabs.
