وَمِيضُ البَرْقِ أَمْ ثَغْرٌ يَلُوحُ
وَنَشْرُ المِسْكِ أَمْ شَنَبٌ يَفوحُ
The flash of lightning or a smile that shines,
The waft of musk or a bloom that scents divine.
أعَاذِلُ قَدْ نَصَحْتَ وَلَيْسَ وَجْدِي
بِوَجْدٍ يُسْتَشَارُ لَهُ نَصِيحُ
My censurer, though your counsel was sincere,
No heart have I that takes advice as mine.
أَيَخْرِقُ خَدَّهَا مِنّي خَيَالاً
كَلِيمَ القَلْبِ نَاظِرُهُ الذَّبِيحُ
Do my dreams rend her cheek that seems so clear
To this sad victim, slain, his blood like wine?
مَذَقْتُ الدَّمعَ بِالدَّم في هَواها
وَخَلْفَ مَدَامِعِى وِدٌّ صَرِيحُ
For love of her, I've drunk tears mixed with gore;
Behind my flowing tears, a love condign.
وَلَسْتُ أَعَافُ وِرْدَ الموتِ فيها
وَمَعْرُوفُ ابن عِيسَى لي مَسِيحُ
No life there is whose doom I do not brave,
And well I know my Jesus' ways benign.
إذا اسْتَنجَدْتَ مِقْداماً لأَمْرٍ
فَنَمْ والخَطْبُ نَاظِرُهُ طَمُوحُ
When you take arms for some high cause, beware;
Sleep, while events watch on heights unseen!
يُعَاقِبُ مَالَهُ مِن غَيْرِ جُرْمٍ
وَعَمَّا يَجْرِمُ الجَاني صَفُوحُ
He chastens wealth, no crime has been confest;
But over sins he casts his cloak, serene.
فَحَرْسُ المَالِ يَشكي مِن يَدَيهِ
وَلا عَتْبٌ علَى شَاكٍ يَصيِحُ
His treasure plainly cries against his hand,
Yet no reproach is meet for one who's clean.
لِعزِّ الدِّينِ مِقْدامِ بنِ عِيسى
خَلائِقُ كُلُّها حَسَنٌ مَلِيحُ
All virtue in Miqdam of Jesus' line,
For Isa's noble son is pearl pristine.
سُكُونٌ يَرْجَحُ الأجبالَ وَزْناً
وَمَيَّادٌ إذا تُلِيَ المَدِيحُ
Calm that can outweigh hills, eloquence bright
When into praise it flows as streamy sheen.
غدا تَعِباً بِأَعْباءِ المَعَالي
وَمَا حَمَلَ المَعَالي مُسْتَرِيحُ
To-morrow by high thoughts is wearied out;
Who'd carry nobleness is never keen.
يَشِحُّ بِعِرضهِ ويَدُرُّ جُوداً
أَلا يَا حَبَّذا السَّمْحُ الشَّحِيحُ
He's sparing of his name, yet lavish in gifts;
O happy he, close-fisted yet serene!
