خفِّضا لا موتَ اِلا بأجَلْ

واحذراني سَبَقَ السيفُ العذلْ

Lower your voices, death comes only at its appointed time

And beware of me, the sword precedes justice

ورِدا بي كبَّةَ الخيلِ ضُحىً

لضرابِ الهامِ أو طعنِ المُقَلْ

And answering the call of war horses at dawn

With blows to the skull or stabs of the spear

واذكراني بتراتي انما

هُدْنةُ الحَيِّ رياءٌ ودَخَلْ

And remember me by my spear, which is only

A pretense of peace and deceit

لا تَظُنَّا ضَحِكي عن طَربٍ

فالسَّنا يُخْبرُ عن فرْط الشُّعل

Do not think my laughter is from joy

For the tooth shows excessive mirth

ضِقتُ ذرعاً ببني اللُّؤمِ فما

تَركَتْ شكوايَ للشعر غَزلْ

I am weary of the sons of vileness, yet

My poetry left no complaint unsung

وغَدا ترتيلُ ذمي لهمُ

شاغِلَ القولِ عن الثَّغر الرَّتلْ

And tomorrow my censure of them

Will preoccupy speech, not the loose tooth

مِلءُ اُهْبِ القومِ اِنْ فتَّشتها

يا أخا سُفْيانَ كِبْرٌ وبَخلْ

The bosoms of the people, if probed

O brother Sufyan, show pride and stinginess

جهلوني والعُلى عارفةٌ

بمقامي في نِزالٍ وجَدَلْ

They are ignorant of me, though the eminent

Know my status in attacks and disputes

واطْمأنَّتْ لهم عُلويَّةٌ

دونَ أقْصاها من المجْد زُحَلْ

And the lofty were content for them

While the summit of glory was disputed

فتولَّوا ثُمَّ قالوا فَشِلٌ

ولأمِّ القائِل الزُّورَ الهَبَلْ

So they turned away and said failure

May evil befall the speaker of vain lies

يُغْمدُ الصارمُ حتى يُنتضي

ولا يُجَمُّ اللَّدنُ حتى يُعْتَقَلْ

The sword remains sheathed until it is called for

And the serpent is not grabbed until it is restrained

ومن العَزْمِ أناةٌ فاصْطبِرْ

لصروِ الدهر والخطبِ الجَللْ

And of resolve there is composure, so be patient

For the turns of fate and grave matters

ليس فرطُ الصبر مني دِلَّةً

بل رويداً يلحقُ الهَيْجا حَمَلْ

My lack of patience is no indication

Rather fury gradually gives way to burden

يسكنُ الراشقُ في نزْعَتهِ

ورواءَ الرَّشْقِ طيَّارٌ عَجِلْ

The horse calms in its excitement

While behind excitement lies a swift bird

كيف يعدو العزمُ مَنْ آباؤه

منْ تميمٍ صفْوةُ المجدِ النُّبُلْ

How can resolve escape one whose forefathers

Are the finest of glory and nobility from Tameem

المَطاعيمُ إِذا عَزَّ الحيَا

والمَطاعينُ إِذا جَدَّ الوَهَلْ

The grafted ones when glory is difficult

And the grafters when calamity is severe

والمَقاديمُ إِذا هيبَ الرَّدى

والمساميحُ إِذا الجدْبُ أظَلْ

The leaders when ruin is dreaded

And the daggers when drought takes hold

غُلُبُ الأعْناقِ فيهم صَيَدٌ

يُلْحفون الأرض هُدَّابَ الحَلل

Subduing their necks is easy prey

Crawling on the ground, their garments trailing

بين خوّاضِ غِمارٍ باسِلٍ

ومُطاعٍ في نديٍّ مُحْتفِلْ

Among attackers in thick battle

And obeyed in easy comfort

لا ترانا غُفُلاً عن نجْدةٍ

لا ولا فينا عن الضَّيْفِ كَسَلْ

Think not us neglectful of help

Nor lacking in hosting guests

طالَ اِجمامي عن شأو المَدى

واذا يُرتبطُ الطِّرْفُ صَهلْ

My determination wandered from glory's path

And when the gaze wanders, it is humbled

ولقد مَلَّ مُقامي أسْرتي

جارَ بغدادَ ومثْلي لا يُملْ

My sojourn wearied my family

Neighbors of Baghdad, and the likes of me are not wearied

فشِموا عارضَها مُبْتسماً

عن ظُبى البيض وأطرافِ الأسلْ

So smell its temples smiling

At the white forelocks and hands of youth

دانيَ الهيدبِ عُلْويَّ المَدى

حالكاً يغدو له الظُّهْرُ طَفَلْ

Fate brought me low, though my ambition was lofty

To the point that my back became bent

راعِداً ما ارتفعَ الطَّرْد به

فإذا ما ارتفعَ الضْربُ هَطَلْ

Thundering, though rising was difficult for him

But when rising was called for, he poured down

في عيونِ الحُمْسِ منه شَوَشٌ

وعيونِ الخيلِ فيهنَّ قَبَلْ

In the eyes of the brave, he brings confusion

While in the eyes of steeds, he brings submission

يكْلَحُ الموتُ على أرْجائهِ

بِلدانِ السُّمُرِ فيهنَّ خَطَلْ

Death hovers around its outskirts

With Indian blades among them mixed

كلما لاحظه سِيدُ المَلا

عاسِلَ الأرْماحِ للطَّعن عَسَلْ

Whenever the chief observed him

He made the spears crave his stabbing

تختلي سُبَّقهُ ما لَفظتْ

بيضُه من رَجِلٍ قبل النَّفَلْ

None escaped his early start except what

Ejected its rider before the remainder

حيث لا الضرب اختلاساً في الطُّلى

للغَطاريفِ ولا الطَّعْنُ غَلَلْ

Where slashing in shade sought no covert

And stabbing sought no restraint

يومُ عزٍّ اشْبهتْ نُصْرتُه

نصر عز الدين للجار الأذَلْ

A day of glory where his victory

Resembled the victory of the oppressed over the subjugator

باذلُ الجودِ ومنّاعُ الحِمى

لنزيلٍ خافَ أو ضيفٍ نزَلْ

Open-handed, defending honor

To a guest who feared or traveler who lodged

والذي يَحْسدهُ عندهُما

ساكبُ الدِّيمةِ والعَضْبُ الأفلْ

And the envious among them

Are the pourers of poison and pit vipers

فإذا أنْجدَ أو جادَ جَرتْ

أرضُه للقوم بأساً ونِحَلْ

So when he helped or was generous, his land

Brought affliction and gifts to the people

راسِخٌ يحلُم في حَبْوتهِ

فإذا ما ركبَ العزْمَ قَتلْ

Firm, forebearing in disposition

When roused, he kills

زُرَّ بُردْاهُ على ذي خَطَرٍ

مُحْمَدِ الصُّحْبةِ مأمون الزَّلل

He was raised on the chest of one of peril

Praiseworthy company, protected from slips

فَرعَ المَجْدَ غُلاماً يافِعاً

فأبى اِلا الأعالي والقُلَلْ

So the young man aspired to glory

And refused all but the highest peaks

ناصفُ المِئْزرِ من كسب العُلى

وهو في الحي سَحوبٌ ورَفِلْ

Halving his waistband from seeking exaltation

While among the living, he was dignified and kind

بِشرهُ والسَّهْلُ من أخْلاقهِ

أغْنَيا ضيفانهُ عن َحيَّهَلْ

Good tidings to him, and ease is his nature

Enriching his guests, sparing them begging

فاعِلٌ غيرُ قَؤولٍ فإذا

قال خيراً لُمِرجيِّهِ فَعلْ

A doer, not just talk, so when

He speaks good of his pursuers, he acts

قائِلٌ يَسْحرُ منْ ايجازهِ

فاذِ أسْهب فالسحرُ الأحَلْ

A speaker whose conciseness is charming

But if elaborated, the charm is broken

يَطْربُ الراشِقُ في أنْملهِ

طرب الشاربِ بالصوت الرَّمَلْ

The horseman is delighted by his signals

Like the drinker's delight in song

فَصُحَتْ حتى الاشاراتُ لهُ

توصِلُ المعنى إلى الفَهْم الأكَلْ

So it was as if his gestures spoke

Conveying meaning to the keenest mind

هو بحرٌ من عُلومٍ ونَدىً

وهو في الحلم وفي الصَّبْر جَبلْ

He is an ocean of knowledge and brilliance

And a mountain in wisdom and patience

خَشِنُ البطْشَةِ لا بَغْيَ بهِ

لَيِّنُ الملمس من غير فَشَلْ

Rough in might, but no tyranny in him

Gentle to the touch, far from feeble

ساكِنُ العِطْفِ على اِقْدامهِ

فالمضاءُ الرَّيْث والرَّيثُ عجلْ

Still in his composure

While hastening at appropriate times

فَخَرَ الدهرُ بِنَو شَرْ وانهِ

وأتمَّّ الفخرَ منه من نَجَلْ

So time fell short of their excellence

And the pride in them was perfected by the youth

نَجَلَ الموفي على آبائهِ

كلما شادوا تسامى وأَطَلْ

The excellent, loyal to his forebears

Ever rising as they sought glory

فلهُ من شيخهِ ألطافُه

ومن السيف إِذا هُزَّ قَصَلْ

So from his sheikh he has kindness

And from the sword, when brandished, severing

يا بني خالِدٍ المَدحُ لكمْ

خالدٌ ما لاحَ نجمٌ وأفَلْ

O clan of Khalid, praise to you

Is eternal, while stars set and fade

وخَبوطٍ في دُجى مُعْتمةٍ

عَجِلِ الشَّدِّ وشيكِ المُرْتحلْ

And misguided in the darkness of night

Hastening doom, nearing departure

جائرٍ لو هَتفَ النَّهْجُ بهِ

لأضاعَ القصْدَ ضُرّاً وأضَلْ

Wrongful, though if the path called him

He would lose the way, erring and straying

مُسْنتٍ طارتْ به مُجْدِبةٌ

فسرى يخْضبُ خُفّاً واِطَلْ

Arrogant, though if withered

He would go on, blood-stained and gloomy

ثابتٍ في شُعَبِ الرَّحْلِ إِذا

قيلَ ألْقى رحْلهُ قيلَ احْتملْ

Steadfast in the valleys of departure, if

Told to depart, he would say, I shall endure

قَرنَ الذُّعْرَ إلى مَسْغَبةٍ

فهو لو لا الخوفٌ موهونٌ أكَلْ

He paired fear with seeking refuge

For without fear he would be prone to perdition

يحْسبُ المَوْردَ آلاً لامِعاً

وصداهُ الفرد جيشاً ذا زَجَلْ

Deeming the waters bitter and murky

Though its echo alone an army with banners

بِعَراءٍ نازِحٍ ذي غَرَرٍ

يحذرُ القانصُ منه ما اشمَعَلْ

With a naked fugitive, crafty and cunning

The wary are wary of his blaze

تلْعبُ الجِنَّانُ في أجْوازِهِ

فبساريه من الطَّيْفِ خَبَلْ

Jinn play at the edges of his mind

For from specters comes his confusion

كَرَّ ذِكْراكُم على آمالهِ

فاستمرَّ العزمُ منه واسْتقَلْ

Thought of you turned back his hopes

So resolve in him became firm and determined

فأتى كُلَّ طَليقٍ باسمٍ

مانعِ الحوْزَةِ مُخْضَرِّ المَحلْ

And each free man came with a name

Preserving bounty, greening the region

فَحميْتُمْ بعدما أغْنيْتُمُ

وكذا الحافل يُغْني اِذْ أظَلْ

You then protected after enriching

Just as the torrent enriches as it comes

يا سَمِيَّ المُصطفى بَرَّحَ بي

مَطْلُ أيامي بتحقيق الأملْ

O namesake of the Chosen One, may I have

Prolonged days from my hopes being met

وَورودي في زَمانٍ آخِرٍ

مع تبريزي على فضلِ الأوَلْ

And my return in another time

With my superiority to the virtues of the past

ومداراتي جِيْلاً سُوَقاً

ناقصُ الحيِّ لديهم من فَضَلْ

And my cycles, a generation's span

Whose virtues to them are diminished

فَلَئِنْ ضاقَ رَجائي فيهُمُ

فبيوم الثَّأرِ في الطَّعْنِ نَجَلْ

So if hopes in them are dashed

By the day of vengeance in stabbing, slashes

تضوَّع نادي المجد طيباً وملؤهُ

من ابن طِرادٍ بأسهُ وفواضِلُهْ

The abode of glory was perfumed and filled

By the son of Tharad, his might and merits

مرير القوى من آل عدنان رائحٌ

مع الجودِ تشْقى نيبهُ وعواذلُهْ

Bitter of power, of Adnan's clan, paired

With generosity, his biting blade and gifts

يُناط نِجادا سيفه بمُمدَّحٍ

تُخاف عواديه وتُرجى نوافِلهْ

His sword of munificence is entrusted with praise

Feared in suddenness, hoped for in extras

إِذا عَظُم الذنب الجليلُ فصافحٌ

واِنْ فَدحَ الغُرم الثقيلُ فحاملهْ

If the great sin is huge, he forgives

And if the tremendous debt weighs, he carries it

سَحابٌ من النعماءِ جَمٌّ نوالُهُ

ومن بِشْرهِ للمُعتفينَ مَخائلهْ

A cloud of blessings, abundant his bestowal

And his good tidings to the hopeful, his promises

يُخيَّب باغي عيْبهِ واغْتيابهِ

ويصدقُ في شيم المكارمِ آملهُ

He disappoints the critic of his faults and slander

And is true in the traits of nobility, their hopes

هو المرء حُسناهُ دروعٌ حصينةٌ

عليه ومن تقوى الاِلهِ معاقلهْ

The man - his virtues are impenetrable shields

For him, and the protections of revering God, his bastions

ضَروبٌ إِذا ما لفَّهُ رهجُ الوغى

طروبٌ إِذا التفَّتْ عليه وسائله

Bearing down when the heat of battle flares up

Delighting when his means converge upon him

حوى شرف الدين الفَخارَ لنفسه

فأين مُباريهِ وأين مُساجلهْ

He assumed the honor of religion for himself

So where are his equals and where are his adversaries?

كأنَّ رياض الحزن نشرُ ثنائه ال

عميمِ إِذا ما رجَّع الحمد قائله

It is as if the gardens of sorrow spread his praise

Vast, when praise is returned by the speaker

ومنْ يُمنه سَحُّ الغمامِ بأزْمَةٍ

ولو لم يسحُّ الغيثُ أغنت أنامله

He who is shaded by clouds of favor in crisis

Though were the rain not to pour, his hands would suffice