أُعيذُكَ مِن هِجاءٍ بَعدَ مَدحِ
فَعُذني مِن قِتالٍ بَعدَ صُلحِ
I seek refuge for you from blame after praise
So seek refuge for me from fighting after peace
مَنَحتُكَ جُلَّ أَشعاري فَلَمّا
ظَفِرتَ بِهِنَّ لَم أَظفَر بِمَنحِ
I gave you all my poems, but when
You won them, I gained no reward
كَبا زَنَدي بِحَيثُ رَجَوتُ مِنهُ
مُساعَدَةَ الضِياءِ فَخابَ قِدحي
Like tinder I hoped it would help kindle
The light, but my flint failed
وَكُنتَ مُضافِري فَثَلَمتَ سَيفي
وَكُنتَ مُعاضِدي فَقَصَفتَ رُمحي
You were my ally but you broke my sword
You were my aide but you shattered my lance
وَكُنتُ مُمَنَّعاً فَأَذَلَّ داري
دُخولُكَ ذُلَّ ثَغرٍ بَعدَ فَتحِ
I was protected but my house was disgraced
By your entrance, a gaping breach after opening
فَيا لَيثاً دَعَوتُ بِهِ لِيَحمي
حِمايَ مِنَ العِدى فَاِجتاحَ سَرحي
O lion I called on to protect me
From harm but he ravaged my fold
وَيا طِبّاً رَجَوتُ صَلاحَ جِسمي
بِكَفَّيهِ فَزادَ بَلاءَ جُرحي
O doctor I hoped would heal my body
With his hands but increased my wounds
وَيا قَمَراً رَجَوتُ السَيرَ فيهِ
فَلَثَّمَهُ الدُجى عَني بِجِنحِ
O moon I hoped to travel by its light
But darkness veiled it from me with its wings
سَأَرمي العَزمَ في ثَغرِ الدَياجي
وَأَحدو العيسَ في سَلَمٍ وَطَلحِ
I will fling my resolve into the mouth of the night
And spur on the stallion across the salty ground
لِبَشَرٍ مُصَفَّقِ الأَخلاقِ عَذبٍ
وَجودٍ مُهَذَّبِ النَشَواتِ سَمحِ
For a man of refined nature, gentle
Generosity with graceful giving, open-handed
وَقورٍ ما اِستَخَفَّتهُ اللَيالي
وَلا خَدَعَتهُ عَن جِدٍ بِمَزحِ
Dignified, not taken lightly by the nights
Or fooled from seriousness into joking
إِذا لَيلُ النَوائِبِ مَدَّ باعاً
ثَناهُ عَن عَزيمَتِهِ بِصُبحِ
When the night of trials stretches out a hand
He straightens it with his resolve by morning
وَإِن رَكَضَ السُؤالُ إِلى نَداهُ
تَتَبَّعَ إِثرَ وَطأَتِهِ بِنُجحِ
And if questioning runs to his help
He follows its path with success
وَأَصرِفُ هِمَّتي عَن كُلِّ نِكسٍ
أَمَلَّ عَلى الضَمائِرِ كُلَّ بَرحِ
And I turn my thoughts from all who forebode
Evil upon consciences after every comfort
يُهَدِّدُني بِقُبحٍ بَعدَ حُسنٍ
وَلَم أَرَ غَيرَ قُبحٍ بَعدَ قُبحِ
He threatens me with ugliness after beauty
And I have seen none but ugliness after ugliness
