إِلى كَمِ الطَرفُ بِالبَيداءِ مَعقودُ

وَكَم تَشَكّى سُرايَ الضُمَّرُ القودُ

To what far horizon is my glance confined

And how much does my heart's abode lament being shackled

تَعِلَّةٌ لِيَ بَعدَ القُربِ تَولِيَةٌ

عَنِ المَقامِ وَبَعدَ النَومِ تَسهيدُ

Averting after nearness is an ailment to me

And after sleep, rousing is difficult

يا دارَ ذُلٍّ لِمَن فارَقتِ قَعدَتَهُ

وَالعِزُّ أَولى بِمَن عُلِّقتِ يابيدُ

O home of humiliation, farewell to the one who left your dwelling

Honor is more fitting for the one to whom you bid adieu

أَرمي بِأَيدي المَطايا كُلَّ مُشتَبِهٍ

تَنبو بِأَخفافِها عَنهُ الجَلاميدُ

I cast off with the hands of resolve all dubious things

With their trotters, the thoroughbreds warn them away

وَكُلَّ لَيلٍ تُضِلُّ النُجمَ ظُلمَتُهُ

قَلبُ الدَليلِ بِهِ حَيرانُ مَزؤودُ

And every night its darkness misleads the stars

The hearts of guides wander confused by it

وَغِلمَةٍ في ظُهورِ العيسِ أَرَّقَهُم

هَمٌّ شُعاعٌ وَآمالٌ عَباديدُ

And young men's steeds were distressed at eve

By cares, hopes, and youthful aspirations

مُلَثَّمينَ بِما راخَت عَمائِمَهُم

وَكُلُّهُم طَرِبٌ لِلبَينِ غَرّيدُ

Wearing garb low drawn o’er their faces

Melodies of parting make them quaver

لا آخُذُ الطَعنَ إِلا عَن رِماحِهِمُ

إِذا تَطاعَنَتِ الشُمُّ المَناجيدُ

I take no wounds but from their lances

When the sharp blades held by white hands charge

وَرُبَّ أَمرٍ بَعيدِ الغايِ قَرَّبَني

مِنهُ السَوابِقُ وَالبُزلُ المَقاحيدُ

And many a matter distant in its ends

Has been brought near me by the excellent and the valorous cavalry

وَخِطَّةٍ بَينَ أَرماحِ العِدى ضَمِنَت

نَجايَ مِن ضيقِها سَمراءُ قَيدودُ

And a strategy amid the enemy's spears

Secured my escape through the bravery of the brown-skinned horsemen

مالي بِغَيرِ العُلى في الأَرضِ مُضطَرَبٌ

وَلا لِجَنبي بِغَيرِ العِزِّ تَمهيدُ

I have no peace in the lands except in glory

Nor comfort beside me except in honor

وَلا خَطَوتُ إِلى بَأسٍ وَلا كَرَمٍ

إِلّا وَمَوضِعُ رِجلي مِنهُ مَوجودُ

And I have not stepped toward harm or nobility

Except that the place where I stepped is present

ضاعَ الشَبابُ فَقُل لي أَينَ أَطلُبُهُ

وَاِزوَرَّ عَن نَظَري البيضُ الرَعاديدُ

Youth is lost, so tell me where shall I seek it

While the white hairs grow thick before my sight

وَجَرَّدَ الشَيبُ في فودَيَّ أَبيَضَهُ

يالَيتَهُ في سَوادِ الشَعرِ مَغمودُ

And old age bared its whiteness in my temples

Would that it remained concealed in the blackness of my hair

بيضٌ وَسودٌ بِرَأسي لا يُسَلِّطُها

عَلى الذَوائِبِ إِلّا البيضُ وَالسودُ

White and black are in my head, commanded by neither

Except the white and the black

يُؤَمِّلُ الناسُ أَن يَبقَوا وَما عَلِموا

أَنَّ الفَتى لِيَدِ الأَقدارِ مَولودُ

People hope to remain though they know not

That a man is born in the hands of destinies

شُغِلتُ بِالهَمِّ حَتّى ما يُفَرِّحُني

لَولا الخَليفَةُ نوروزٌ وَلا عيدُ

I am preoccupied with worries until nothing delights me

Except the caliph, Norouz, and the feast

أَهوى لَهُ كُلَّ أَيّامٍ يُسَرُّ بِها

وَإِن طَغى بَينَنا نَأيٌ وَتَبعيدُ

I yearn for him every day he is joyous

Though remoteness and separation come between us

مُحَسَّدُ المَجدِ مَغبوطٌ مَناقِبُهُ

مُتَيَّمُ القَلبِ بِالعَلياءِ مَعمودُ

He whose glory is envied, his merits make him blessed

His heart inclined toward the sublime, steadfast

كَريمُ ما ضَمَّ بُرداهُ وَعِمَّتُهُ

عَفيفُ ما ضُمَّنَت مِنهُ المَراقيدُ

Noble in what his mantle conceals and encompasses

Chaste in what his medals contain

مُطَهَّرُ القَلبِ لا اِنهَلَّت مَدامِعُهُ

وَجداً وَما حَقَّرَ الأَنفاسَ تَصعيدُ

Pure of heart, his tears have never flowed

Out of sorrow, and he has never underestimated breaths drawn

ما راقَ عَينَيهِ إِلّا ما أَقَرَّهُما

مِنَ المَكارِمِ لا عَينٌ وَلاجيدُ

Naught has pleased his eyes except what they have approved

Of noble deeds - no eye nor brow

المَورِدُ الرَمحَ ما نالَت عَوامِلُهُ

وَالمُطعِمُ العَضبَ ما عَزاهُ تَجريدُ

The rainer of spears whose stratagems avail him not

The feeder of the horses when loss of provender distressed them not

وَالقائِدُ الخَيلَ يَمطو في أَعِنَّتَها

مَطوَ النَعامِ أَضَلَّتها القَراديدُ

The leader of steeds galloping with their large pearls

Like the gait of ostriches confused by trinkets

في كُلِّ يَومٍ لَهُ نُعمى يُجَدِّدُها

تَملا يَدي وَلَقولي فيهِ تَجديدُ

Every day he renews bounties that fill my hands

And renews my words - innovation in speech

وَما أُسَرُّ بِمالٍ لا أَعُزُّ بِهِ

وَلا أَلَذُّ بِرَأيٍ فيهِ تَفنيدُ

I delight in no wealth by which I am not honored

Nor in any view containing refutation

لَيسَ السَراءُ بِغَيرِ المَجدِ فائِدَةٌ

وَما البَقاءُ بِغَيرِ العِزِّ مَحمودُ

Without glory, comfort has no benefit

And without honor, survival has no praise

جُرحُ الحِمامِ وَلا جُرحُ الأَذى أَبَداً

وَالمَوتُ عِندَ طُروقِ الضَيمِ مَورودُ

The wound of doves, not the wound of harm, ever

And death when injustice draws near is desirable

صارَت إِلَيكَ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ عَلى

غَرّاءَ أَحرَزَها آباؤُكَ الصيدُ

The lofty exploits came to you, O Commander of the Faithful

Upon steeds gray as mountain grouse caught by your ancestors

مِن هاشِمٍ أَنتَ في صَمّاءَ شاهِقَةٍ

لَها رِواقٌ بِباعِ المَجدِ مَعمودُ

You are from glorious Hashim in an exalted line

With a portico built by the cubits of glory

نِهايَةُ العِزِّ أَن تَبقى لَهُ أَبَداً

وَغايَةُ الجودِ أَن يَبقى لَكَ الجودُ

The utmost of honor is that it remain yours always

And the epitome of generosity is that your generosity remains

لِأَيِّ حالٍ يُداري القَلبُ غُلَّتَهُ

رَجاءَ وِردٍ وَوِردي مِنكَ تَصريدُ

For what state can the heart contain its anguish

While my return and return to you are hoped for

قَد كُنتُ عَن عَدَدِ الأَيّامِ في شُغُلٍ

فَاليَومَ عامي لِوَعدٍ مِنكَ مَعدودُ

I was heedless of the count of days preoccupied

Today my year is appointed by a promise from you

أُلامُ فيكَ وَأُذني غَيرُ سامِعَةٍ

فَاللَومُ مُطَّرَحٌ وَالعَذلُ مَردودُ

I blame you while my ear hears nothing

So blame is dismissed and excuse refused

يَرومُ مُلكَكَ مَن لا رَأيَ يُنجِدُهُ

وَلا فَخارٌ وَلا بَأسٌ وَلا جودُ

He who covets your kingdom, no view aids him

No pride, might, or generosity has he

وَكَيفَ يَطلُبُ شَأواً مِنكَ ذو ظَلَعٍ

باقي غُبارِكَ في عَينَيهِ مَوجودُ

And how can one of blemished qualities seek distinction from you

While the dust of your procession remains in his eyes

ما كُلُّ بارِقَةٍ تَحدو السَحابَ وَلا

كُلَّ السَحابِ مَباريقٌ مَراعيدُ

Not every lightning bolt contends with clouds nor

Are all clouds thunderbolts and lightning

يَستَفرِهُ الخَيلَ وَالأَقدارُ تَحصُرُهُ

وَيَستَطيلُ العَوالي وَهوَ رِعديدُ

It incites horses while fate restrains it

And it aspires to lofty ends while it thunders

لا تَحفَلَن بِوَعيدٍ زَلَّ عَن فَمِهِ

فَما يَضُرُّ مِنَ المَغرورِ تَوعيدُ

Pay no heed to threats falling from his mouth

For the threats of the arrogant are inconsequential

وَلا يُؤمَّلُ أَن يَلقاكَ في عَدَدٍ

إِن أَصحَرَ اللَيثُ أَخفى شَخصَهُ السيدُ

And it is not expected that he will meet you in number

If the lion has withdrawn, the master concealed his person

وَلو بَسَطتَ يَميناً بِالعِراقِ إِذاً

نالَتهُ وَهوَ بَعيدُ الدارِ مَطرودُ

And if you extended your right hand over Iraq

It would take it while it is distantly expelled

أُعيذُ مَجدَكَ أَن أَبقى عَلى طَمَعٍ

وَأَن تَكونَ عَطايايَ المَواعيدُ

I protect your glory from remaining hopeful

And from my gifts being mere promises

وَإِن أَعيشَ بَعيداً مِن لِقائِكُمُ

ظَمآنَ قَلبٍ وَذاكَ الوِردُ مَورودُ

And if I live far from meeting you

A thirsty heart, and that sweet water is present

ما لي أُحِبُّ حَبيباً لا أُشاهِدُهُ

وَلا رَجايَ إِلى لُقياهُ مَمدودُ

Why would I love one I do not look upon

Nor is my hope of attaining him extended

وَأُتعِبُ القَلبَ فيمَن لا وِصالَ لَهُ

يا لِلرِجالِ أَقَلَّ الخُرَّدُ الغيدُ

I weary my heart with one whose company I have not

Oh for men, the mean are few

أَكثَرتُ شِعري وَلَم أَظفَر بِحاجَتِهِ

فَسَقَّني قَبلَ أَن تَفنى الأَغاريدُ

I have composed much verse and have not attained its need

So it has quenched me before the melodies end

قَد جاءَ عيدٌ وَعيدُ المَرءِ لَذَّتُهُ

وَأَنتَ فيهِم عَظيمُ القَدرِ مَحمودُ

A feast has come, and the feast of a man is his joy

While you among them are great in esteem and praise

عَيشُ الفَتى كُلُّهُ وَقتٌ يُسَرُّ بِهِ

مِنَ الدُنا وَجَميعُ العَيشِ مَفقودُ

The life of a man, all of it, is the time he delights in

And all of life without it is lost

فَاِسعَد بِهِ وَبِأَيّامٍ طُرِفنَ بِهِ

إِنَّ العَزيزَ عَلى العِلّاتِ مَسعودُ

So delight in it and in days adorned by it

The dear one is surely fortunate despite tribulations

قَليلُ مَدحِكَ في شِعري يُزَيِّنُهُ

حَتّى كَأَنَّ مَقالي فيكَ تَغريدُ

Little is my praise of you in my verse beautifying it

Until my words about you seem like warbling

كَم خَوَّضَ الناسُ في قَولي وَقائِلِهِ

وَكَم غَلا بِيَ إِغراقٌ وَتَجويدُ

How much have people waded into my words and their sayer

And how much have I been inundated by chanting and declaiming

أُذَمُّ مِن أَجلِ أَشعاري فَواعَجَبا

تُذَمَّ إِن جَنَتِ الخَمرَ العَناقيدُ

I am blamed because of my poems, how wondrous!

Grapes are blamed if the wine turns intoxicant

وَما شَكَوتُ لِأَنَّ العِزَّ يُقعِدُني

وَأَنتَ سَيفي وَيَومَ الرَوعِ مَشهودُ

I have not complained that honor keeps me seated

While you are my sword on the day of clamor that is witnessed