وَجَدَ القَريضُ إِلى العِتابِ سَبيلا

فَثَنى مَعاذِرَكَ الوُعورَ سُهولا

The rhymester found the path to reproach clear,

So he smoothed your rugged offenses into gentle slopes.

ما لي أُحَرِّكُ مِن وَفائِكَ ساكِناً

وَأَهُزُّ مِنكَ إِلى الصَفاءِ كَليلا

Why should I stir your dormant loyalty,

And shake off from you pure clarity but little?

طالَ المِطالُ بِرَدِّ وِدٍّ لَم يَزَل

عِندي مَصوناً فيكُمُ مَبذولا

Prolonged hope for a beloved who never changes

Remains guarded in me while in you given.

فَإِلى مَتى يُنشي عِتابُكَ هَبوَةً

وَتَشُنُّها قالاً عَلَيَّ وَقيلا

So how long will your reproach raise a storm,

And sharpen it as words against me and tales?

في كُلِّ يَومٍ غارَةٌ ما تَنقَضي

إِلّا وَتَثني سَيفَهُ مَفلولا

Each day an incursion that does not end

Except to sheathe his sword made blunt.

إِنَّ الَّذي قَصَدَ المَدائِحَ غُلَّةً

أَحرى بِأَن يَجِدَ الهِجاءَ غَليلا

Truly he who sought praise voraciously

More deserves to find censure his companion.

كَم مِن نِظامٍ قَد نَثَرنَ هَواجِسي

حَتّى نَظَمتُ العُذرَ فيهِ فُضولا

How many compositions have my anxieties strewn

Until I wove exoneration into them excessively?

وَقَصائِدٍ سَدَّدتُهُنَّ أَسِنَّةً

وَشَهَرتُهُنَّ قَواضِباً وَنُصولا

And poems I buttressed sturdily

And publicized them ships and convoys.

جُعِلَت لِرَقراقِ السُرورِ جَداوِلاً

نَحوَ القُلوبِ وَلِلهُمومِ سَبيلا

They were made streams for the tinkle of joy

To hearts, and for sorrows an open road.