تجَمجِمُ بِالإِشعارِ كُلُّ قَبيلَةٍ

وَفي القَولِ مَحفوظٌ عَليها وَضائِعُ

The tribes are stirred with verse to exaltation,

And in speech their glories are preserved from loss,

وَكُلُّ فَتىً بِالشِعرِ تَجلو هُمومُهُ

وَيَكتُبُ ما تُملي عَليهِ المَطامِعُ

Each youth's cares are soothed by the balm of poesy,

And he writes what greed and ambition dictate.

وَشِعرِيَ تَختَصُّ القُلوبُ بِحِفظِهِ

وَتَحظى بِهِ دونَ العُيونِ المَسامِعُ

My verse is treasured in men's hearts for its charm,

And eyes and ears vie for it beyond all else.

وَأولى بِهِ مَن كانَ مِثلَكِ حازِماً

يُذَبِّبُ عَن أَطرافِهِ وَيُقارِعُ

Most fit for it is one staunch and prudent, as thou,

Who guards its gems and confronts detractors bold.

سَتَظفَرُ مِن نَظمي بِكُلِّ قَصيدَةٍ

كَما حَلَّتِ اللَيلَ النُجومُ الطَوالِعُ

From each ode of mine thou'lt gain inspiration,

As nightly the eternal stars rise in their courses,

تُضيءُ قَوافيها وَراءَبُيوتِها

طِراقاً كَما يَتلو النَصولَ القَبائِعُ

Their lines give light beyond the homes they illume,

As lamps held up by slim and cloaked bearers.

إِذا هَزَّها السُمّارُ طارَ لَها الكَرى

وَهَزَّت جُنوبَ النائِمينَ المَضاجِعُ

When the rattle stirs them, the Pleiades take wing,

And rouse the languorous sleepers in their beds.

وَغَيرُكَ يَعمى عَن مَعانٍ مُضيئَةٍ

كَما تَقبِضُ اللَحظَ البُروقُ اللَوامِعُ

Others are blind to meanings that shine brightly,

As vision contracts when lightning rends the glooms.

وَما كُلُّ مَمدوحٍ يَلَذُّ بِمَدحِهِ

أَلا بَعضُ أَطواقِ الرِقابِ جَوامِعُ

Nor does each praised one relish his eulogy,

Some proud necks disdain the yoke they cannot endure.