وأبْلَجَ سَمْحٍ من ذؤابة خندفٍ
لهُ من عُلاهُ صَفْوهُ ولُبابُ
With open-handed generosity and kindly disposition,
Of noble ancestry and gentle upbringing.
يُصبِّحُهُ مني ثَناءٌ مُحَسَّدٌ
فإنْ لم أجدْهُ مُجْزياً فَثَوابُ
My morning greetings are tinged with envy,
And if he does not reward me, his recompense awaits.
إذا ضاق شُكري عن نداهُ الذي له
بكُلِّمقامٍ زَخْرَةٌ وعُبابُ
When gratitude for his bounty exceeds my capacity
He prepares at every station provisions and refreshments.
جعلتُ بني الحاجات عوني بسُبَّقٍ
إلى العرش ما إِنْ دونهنَّ حجاب
I made all human needs my helpers, thanks to his precedence,
To reach the Throne though no veil lies between.
ليبقَ وزير الخير للناس والنَّدى
إذا ذَلَّ هِنْدِيٌّ وعَزَّ سَحابُ
May he remain minister of benevolence to mankind and fresh water
When the Indian bows low and the clouds pour down.
أبو جعفرٍ تاجُ الملوكِ الذي سَما
إلى المجْدِ طفلاً والنِّجادُ سِخاب
Father of Ja'far, crown of kings, who ascended
To glory as a child while men of purpose walked.
يلوذُ به أبناءُ خَطْبٍ وفاقَةٍ
إذا إِزَمٌ غالَتْهُمُ وصِعابُ
The sons of misfortune and want take refuge in him
When crisis overcomes them and roads are blocked.
فيَبْدَهُهُمْ منه على غيرِ موْعِدٍ
بشيرُ نَوالٍ صيِّبٍ وصَوابُ
He surprises them with gifts they did not expect
Herald of ease, welcome showers, and righteousness.
طليقُ المُحَيَّا بِشْرُهُ لِعُفاتِهِ
مَطاعِمُ من قبْلِ القِرى وشراب
His cheer makes lawful pleasures accessible to the chaste,
Banquets from the countryside and wine.
تقوتُ نفوسَ القوْمِ قبل جسومهم
سَجاياً كماءِ المُعْصراتِ عِذابُ
They revive the souls of the people before their bodies,
Potions like juice pressed from grapes, sheer torment.
تكونُ على نُجْحِ المَباغي طليقةً
كما لاحَ برْقٌ واستهلَّ سَحابُ
They are freely available when enterprises succeed
Like lightning that flashes and clouds that pour down.
تَسنَّى مراحاً للأبيِّ كأنها
رحيقُ مُدامٍ لم يَشِبْهُ قِطابُ
They come in waves to gladden his noble father
As if it were the pure nectar of vines aged long.
وزيرٌ يرى أن الغنى الجودُ بالغنى
وأنَّ ادِّخارَ الفانياتِ مَعابُ
A minister who sees that wealth’s purpose is generosity,
And hoarding fleeting things is utterly vain,
وأنَّ الغِنى فقرٌ إذا فاتهُ النَّدى
وكُلُّ سَحابٍ لا يَسحُّ ضَبابُ
That wealth itself is poverty if benevolence is lacking,
And every cloud that fails to rain is but haze,
إذا ما الفُراتُ الجمُّ لم يكُ ناقِعاً
غليلاً فَتَيَّارُ الفُراتِ سَرابُ
When the swelling Euphrates is not pouring something
To quench thirst, the Euphrates itself is mirage.
حُسامٌ له من ساعدِ العزمِ شاهرٌ
ومن حَزْمِهِ مُسْتودَعٌ وقِراب
A sword from his arm of resolve always drawn
And stocks in his prudence preserved safe and close.
تَسُرُّك منه نضرةٌ في فِرِنْدِهِ
ويحْميكَ منهُ مضْرِبٌ وذُبابُ
His presence delights, his noble cheeks are radiant,
His strongholds protect you from flies and gnats.
أغَرُّ رحيبُ الصدر سامٍ إلى العُلى
منازِلُهُ للطَّارقينَ رِحابُ
More alluring than his spacious, lofty breast
Are his dwellings open to callers, with ample room,
ويسْبقُ أطرافَ الرِّماحِ برأيه
إذا قَصَّرَتْ بالسَّمْهريِّ كِعاب
His reasoning outpaces the speed of spear-tips
When the slim have fallen behind in attack.
إذا ما دعتْهُ للنِّزالِ كتيبةٌ
كفاه قِراعَ الدّارعينَ كِتابُ
If a battalion calls him to battle
The clanging of armored men’s weapons responds.
تَقاصَرَ لَيْلي عندهُ بعد طولِهِ
وكان بعيد الصُّبْحِ حينَ يُجابُ
My night turned brief in his company after its length,
And the late morning came before any response.
وعادَ سُروري بعد ما كانَ عازِباً
ولو أمْكنَ المَمْنوع عادَ شبابُ
After long absence, my cheer returned
And if the impossible could happen, so would my youth.
