أسَيْفٌ سُلَّ أمْ ذَرِبٌ نطوق

ونارُ أبي المُهَنَّدِ أمْ بُروقُ

Is it a sword unsheathed or lightning flashing bright?

Or is it Abu Al-Muhannad's fire ablaze with light?

تألَّقَتِ المَدائِحُ والعَطايا

فكلٌّ في الفَخارِ لهُ شُروقُ

Eulogies and gifts all gleam and shine,

Each like the dawn radiating from its niche.

نطْقتُ فأفْحمَ الفُصحاءَ شعري

وجادَ فَدونهُ الغْيثُ الدَّفوقُ

My poetry astounded eloquent men when recited,

And freely flowed the plenteous, gushing rain.

لقد سعدتْ زُهيْرٌ منْ تميمٍ

وخيرُ سَعادةٍ حَمْدٌ يَروقُ

Zuheir was blessed, being of Tamim's line,

And best of all blessings is praise men find fine.

بهنْديٍّ إِلى مدْحي تَرقَّوْا

وقد يُهْدي بخِرِّيتٍ فَريقُ

With Indian blades to eulogize me they aspired,

Though some may be gifted a sword of steel so fine.

بسهْلِ الوجه صعْب البأس جلْدٍ

على الحَدثانِ يحْمدهُ الرَّفيقُ

Gentle of mien, fierce of might, brave and bold,

Among comrades is he whom youths extol.

يُحاذر بأسَهُ ونَدى يديهِ

كَميُّ الرَّوْع والمَحْلُ العَروق

They fear his might and the flash of his hands

Like the steed's ferocity and the blade that makes men howl.

فيشْقى الدارِ عُونَ به صباحاً

وكومٌ تحت جُنْحِ الليلِ روقُ

To bring gladness to his abode at dawn

Is a heap of straw gathered in night's dark shoal.

تيَقَّنَتِ الفَناءَ عِدىً واِبْلٌ

اذا يبدو لصارمهِ بُروقُ

Certainty of death the foe realized

When his keen blade for them would dawn and shine.

كأنَّ ضيوفَ فخر الدينِ وُلْدٌ

يَضمُّهُمُ أبٌ بَرٌّ شَفيقُ

As if Fakhr Al-Din's guests were his sons,

Whom a righteous father, benign, would enfold.

يجوعُ وزادُهمْ بُرٌّ وضَأنٌ

ويعْرَوْري ولِبْسُهمُ الرَّقيقُ

He hungers while food for them is righteousness and lamb,

And he lightly clad while their garb is fine.

اذا الليلُ اكفَهرَّ بطارقيهِ

تَبلَّجَ منهُ بَسَّامٌ طَليقُ

When night was pitch black with its sneaking thieves,

A cheerful dawn from it would shine.

يُروِّي القَيْلُ أعْظمهم لديهِ

ويْرْغِدهمْ صَبوحٌ أو غَبوقُ

The sayl refreshes the greatest among them,

Or a plenteous sabuħ would them entwine.

ويزدحمون عند ذَرا حِماهُ

كأنَّ حَريمَ مَنْزلهِ طَريقُ

They crowd together where his protection lies

As if the harem's path they tread and align.

وجيَّاش الغوار ذي زَهاءٍ

يضيقُ بجيشهِ المَرْتُ السَّحيقُ

A mounted band of the Ghiyath's attack

So crammed the wide field would confine.

عُبابيٌّ لباسُ الموتِ فيه

لدى أبْطالهِ لُجٌّ عَميقُ

On his heroes garb of death is glory,

To meeting him they rush with design.

سَوابحُه سَوابقُه ومنهُ

عيونُ دَمٍ مَنابعُها العُروقُ

His chargers, his advance guard, and his blood

From their springs flow out in a line.

يَضيقُ القاعُ منْ صفَّيْهِ حتى

تَشكَّى طَرْدهُ رَعْنٌ ونيقُ

So congested his two lines the field,

That the thrusting and piercing made it confine.

تميسُ على مَذاكيهِ كُماةٌ

كأنَّ الضَّرْبَ بينهمُ حَريقُ

Swords flash brightly upon his white steeds

As if the blows between them were fire divine.

يُسيغونَ المَنيَّةَ منْ إباءٍ

كأنَّ شَرابَ موتهمُ رَحيقُ

They accept death with proud disdain

As if the death-drink for them is fine wine.

دِلاصٌ سابغٌ وظُبيَ حِدادٌ

وخَيْلٌ سُبَّقٌ وقَناً لُحوقُ

Valiant heroes, mourning-clad, Arab steeds raced,

And sturdy bows with taut strings align.

هزمْتهمُ بحملةِ شَمَّريٍّ

فهانَ الخطُبُ واتَّسعَ المَضيقُ

I routed them with the Shammary's brave attack,

So tribulations diminished and straits did decline.

وأقسمُ لو نزلْتَ بجدْبٍ قاعٍ

تَفرَّعَ عندهُ العودُ الوَريقُ

I swear, if you descended on arid sands,

The fresh boughs would manifold twine.

ولو لمَسَتْ بداكَ صُخورَ طوْدٍ

لَطاحَ الرِّيمُ والوَعَلُ الفريقُ

If the boulders of Tud touched your hands,

The remnants and fragments apart would recline.

كأنَّكَ بالمكارِمِ والمَعالي

وكسبِ المجدِ مشعوفٌ مَشوقُ

As if you, by your noble deeds,

Are urged and inspired glory to gain and shine.

يعودكَ منْ هَواها عيدُ مَدْحٍ

كما يعتادُكَ الضَّيْفُ الطَّروقُ

Your praise's feast returns your lover,

As the guest accustomed returns to dine.

تَسَلَّى العاشقونَ وأنتَ صَبٌّ

بطيبِ الذكْرِ وجْدُكَ ما يُفيقُ

Those who love are gladdened, as you are a joyous youth,

By your sweet mention - nothing more fine!

لقد حُكِّمْتَ في شعري فأضْحى

لكَ الماثورُ منه والزَّنيقُ

You have judged my poetry, so its choice parts

And its rubbish to you I assign.

وأعْرضَ عنْ رجالٍ أهْلِ عِزٍّ

سَما عنهمْ فُبخْلُهمُ نَتوقُ

And I care not for men, though great in lineage -

If stingy their souls, I decline!