وَنَمى إِلَيَّ مِنَ العَجائِبِ أَنَّهُ

لَعِبَت بِعَقلِكَ حيلَةُ الخَوّانِ

He told me of the strange things and said

Your mind was tricked by the cunning of traitors

وَتَمَلَّكَتكَ خَديعَةٌ مِن قَولَةٍ

غَرّارَةِ الأَقسامِ وَالأَيمانِ

And you were captured by the deceit of one who makes false oaths

With misleading vows and false promises

حَقّاً سَمِعتُ وَرُبَّ عَيني ناظِرٍ

يَقِظٍ تَقومُ مَقامَها الأُذُنانِ

Indeed I heard, though my wakeful eyes see for themselves

Replacing what my ears convey

أَينَ الَّذي أَضمَرتُهُ مِن بُغضِهِ

وَعَقَدتَهُ بِالسِرِّ وَالإِعلانِ

Where is what I felt of my hatred for him

That I kept secret and made public

أَم أَينَ ذاكَ الرَأيُ في إِبعادِهِ

حَنَقاً وَأَينَ حَمِيَّةُ الغَضبانِ

Or where is my opinion to keep him away

Out of resentment? And where is the zeal of the angry?

سُبحانَ خالِقِ كُلَّ شَيءٍ مُعجِبٍ

ما فيكُمُ مِن كَثرَةِ الأَلوانِ

Glory to the Creator of every wondrous thing

So much diversity among you

يَومٌ لِذا وَغَدٌ لِذاكَ وَهَذِهِ

شِيَمٌ مُقَطِّعَةٌ قُوى الأَقرانِ

One day belongs to this, the next to that

Varying strengths among peers

فَالآنَ مِنكَ اليَأسُ يَنقَعُ غُلَّتي

وَاليَأسُ يَقطَعُ غُلَّةَ الظَمآنِ

Now from you comes the despair that deflates my pride

And despair cuts off the thirst of the thirsty

فَاِذهَب كَما ذَهَبَ الغَمامُ رَجَوتُهُ

فَطَوى البُروقَ وَضَنَّ بِالهَتّانِ

So go, as the hoped-for clouds went away

Lightning flashed and rumbled with thunder

أَو بَعدَ أَن أَدمى مَديحُكَ خاطِري

بِصِقالِ لَفظٍ أَو طِلابِ مَعاني

Or after praising you bruised my dignity

With polished words or lyrical meanings

لا بارَكَ الرَحمَنُ في مالٍ بِهِ

يُعدى البَعيدُ عَلى القَريبِ الداني

May the Merciful not bless wealth used

To harm the near from afar

لي مِثلُ مُلكِكَ لَو أَطَعتُ تَقَنُّعي

وَذوو العَمائِمِ مِن ذَوي التيجانِ

If I obeyed, I would have wealth like yours

And turbans like those with crowns

وَلَعَلَّ حالي أَن يَصيرَ إِلى عُلىً

فَالدَوحُ مَنبِتُها مِنَ القُضبانِ

Perhaps my state will reach heights

Palms grow from shoots

فَاِحذَر عَواقِبَ ما جَنَيتَ فَرُبَّما

رَمَتِ الجِنايَةُ عُرضَ قَلبِ الجاني

So beware the consequences of your crimes

Often a crime wounds the heart of the criminal

أَعطَيتُكَ الرَأيَ الصَريحَ وَغَيرُهُ

تَنسابُ رَغوَتُهُ بِغَيرِ بَيانِ

I gave you candid advice, the rest

Babbles foam without clarity

وَعَرَضتُ نُصحي وَالقَبولُ إِجازَةٌ

فَإِذا أَبَيتَ لَوَيتُ عَنكَ عِناني

I presented my advice; accepting is approving

If you refuse, I will pull my reins from you

وَلَقَد يَطولُ عَليكَ أَن أُصغي إِلى

ذِكراكَ أَو يُثني عَليكَ لِساني

It would be hard for me to listen to

Talk of you or my tongue praise you