تَجالَلتُ عَن فِهرٍ وَعَن جارَتَي فِهرِ

وَوَدَّعتُ نُعمى بِالسَلامِ وَبِالهَجرِ

I turned away from Fahr and his two neighbors

And bade farewell to Nu'aima in peace and alienation

وَقالَت سُلَيمى فيكَ عَنّا تَثاقُلٌ

مَحَلُّكَ ناءٍ وَالزِيارَةُ عَن غَفرِ

Sulaima said, your burden on us has become heavy

Your abode is to come and go, not settle down

أَخي في الهَوى مالي أَراكَ هَجَرتَنا

وَقَد كُنتَ تَقفونا عَلى العُسرِ وَاليُسرِ

My brother in love, why do I see you shunning us

When you used to accompany us in hardship and ease?

صُدودُكَ عَنّا غَيرُ ناءٍ لِطِيَّةٍ

وَلَيسَ سُؤالي بِالعَجيبِ وَلا النُكرِ

Your aloofness from us is not out of hatred

Nor is my question strange or absurd

فَكُن كَأَخٍ لاقى أَخاً فَأَباحَهُ

أَحاديثَ لَيسَت مِن سِرارٍ وَلا جَهرِ

So be like a brother who meets his brother

And converses openly, no secrets or pretense

رَأَيتُكَ قَد شَمَّرتَ تَشميرَ باسِلٍ

وَقَد كُنتَ ذَيّالَ السَرابيلِ وَالأُزرِ

I saw you attired like a knight ready for battle

When you used to be relaxed, in shirt and robe

تَطَرَّفُ بِالرَوحاءِ صَرّامَ خُلَّةٍ

وَوَصّالَ أُخرى ما يُقيمُ عَلى أَمرِ

Brandishing a sharp sword in your right hand

While holding another to settle affairs as they come

وَرَكّابَ أَفراسِ الصَبابَةِ وَالصِبا

جَرَت حِجَجاً ثُمَّ اِستَقَرَّت فَما تَجري

Riding the steeds of youth and early manhood

That raced wildly before settling down

فَقُلتُ لَها إِذ وُقِّفَت في سُروجِها

بِعاقِبَةٍ أَقرو الحَديثَ وَلا أَمري

So I said to them when they were halted in their trappings

Speak gently and do not race ahead

ثَنى وَجهَها المَهدِيُّ يَومَ لَقيتُها

وَقَد زانَها الحِنّاءُ في قَصَبٍ عَشرِ

Al-Mahdi one day reined them in

When henna adorned them in the meadows

فَأَصبَحنَ لا يُركَبنَ إِلاّ إِلى الوَغى

وَأَصبَحتُ لا يُزرى عَلَيَّ وَلا أُزري

So they would only be ridden to battle

While I would no longer be visited or visit

تَثاقَلتُ إِلاّ عَن يَدٍ أَستَفيدُها

وَزَورَةِ أَملاكٍ أَشُدُّ لَها أَزري

I have become too heavy except for a hand I can grasp

Or the visit of a dear friend who I hold so dear

تَعَبَّي سُلَيمى بِالرِضى أَو تَبَدَّلي

مِنَ الناسِ قَدري إِن أَصَبتِ فَتىً قَدري

Sulaima, be content with me or change

My fate if you find a man of my fate

نَهاني أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ فَبَرَّكَت

رِكابُ الصِبى حَتّى وَعَيتُ إِلى كَسرِ

The Commander of the Faithful prohibited me

So the colts were blessed till I came to my senses

وَأَخرَجَني مِن وِزرِ سَبعينَ حِجَّةً

فَتىً هاشِمِيٌّ يَقشَعِرُّ مِنَ الوِزرِ

And rescued me from the burden of seventy pilgrimages

A Hashimite youth averse to burdens

فَلا تَعجَبي مِن خارِجٍ مِن غوايَةٍ

نَوى رَشَداً قَد يَعرِضُ الأَمرُ في الأَمرِ

So do not wonder at one who emerges from misguidance

With good intentions, matters can become confused

فَهَذا أَواني قَد شَرَعتُ مَعَ التُقى

وَماتَت هُمومي الطارِقاتُ فَما تَسري

This is the time I have embarked on piety

And my disturbing thoughts of the night have died out

دَفَنتُ الهَوى حَيّاً فَلَستُ بِزائِرٍ

سُلَيمى وَلا صَفراءَ ما قَرقَرَ القُمري

I have buried my passion alive, so I shall not visit

Sulaima or Safraa, however long the moon shines

وَمِل الآنَ لا أَصبو تَناهَت لَجاجَتي

وَماتَ الهَوى وَاِنشَقَّ عَن هامَتي سُكري

Now I am weary, my obstinacy has ended

Passion has died and my intoxication has lifted

عَلى الغَزَلى مِنّي السَلامُ فَرُبَّما

لَهَوتُ بِها في ظِلِّ مَرؤومَةٍ زُهرِ

Convey my greetings to the coquettish girls

I would sometimes play with in the shade of a lovely blossom

وَمُصفَرَّةٍ بِالزَعفَرانِ جُلودُها

إِذا حَلِيَت مِثلَ الهِرَقلِيَّةِ الصُفرِ

And the yellow-skinned ones scented with saffron

When adorned are like golden Greek maidens

وَغَيرى ثَقالِ الرِدفِ هَبَّت تَلومُني

وَلَو شَهِدَت قَبري لَصَلَّت عَلى قَبري

Others burdened me with reproach

If my grave witnessed, it would have prayed over my grave

تَرَكتُ لِمَهدِيِّ الصَلاةِ رُضابَها

وَراعَيتُ عَهداً بَينَنا لَيسَ بِالخَترِ

I left the prayers of Mahdi content

And honored a pact between us, no treachery

وَكُنتُ إِذا اِعتَلَّت عَلَيَّ قَرينَةٌ

مَلأَت بِأُخرى غادَةٍ لَدنَةٍ حِجري

Whenever a girlfriend turned against me

I would replace her with another, gentle and affectionate

وَعارِضَةٍ سِرّاً وَعِندي مَنادِحٌ

فَقُلتُ لَها لا أَشرَبُ الماءَ بِالخَمرِ

One who caresses in secret, though wine is at hand

So I said to her, “I do not mix water with wine”

وَلَولا أَميرُ المُؤمِنينَ مُحَمَّدٌ

لَقَبَّلتُ فاها أَو جَعَلتُ بِها فِطري

And were it not for Commander of Faithful Muhammad

I would have kissed her mouth or made her my breaking of fast

لَعَمري لَقَد أَوقَرتُ نَفسي خَطيئَةً

فَما أَنا بِالمُزدادِ وِقراً عَلى وِقرِ

By my life, I have burdened myself with a sin

So I shall not increase my burden upon burden

وَفاسِقِ قَومٍ قَد دَنا بِنَصيحَةٍ

فَأَزرَيتُهُ قَد يَنفَعُ العاشِقُ المُزري

And the corrupt man who came to advise me

I admonished - the lover can benefit one he admonishes

أَقولُ لِعَمرٍو يَومَ غابَ اِبنُ عَمِّهِ

وَلا بُدَّ مِن قَولٍ يُؤَدّى إِلى عَمرِو

I say to Amr the day his cousin was absent

One must say what needs to be said to Amr

سَعى في فَسادي مَرّةً فَشَفَيتُهُ

مِراراً كِلا يَومَيَّ شَرّاً مِنَ الدَهرِ

He once tried to corrupt me, so I healed him

Each and every day, evil upon evil

وَلا يَضبِطُ العَثراءَ إِلّا اِبنُ حُرّةٍ

سَبوقٌ بِحَدِّ السَيفِ مُطَّلِعُ العُذرِ

None can restrain the transgressor but the son of Hurrah

Foremost with the sword, excusing others

وَلَولا اِصطِناعي مالِكاً وَابنَ مالِكٍ

قَديماً لَما زَلَّت بِهِ النَعلُ في البَحرِ

Were it not that I befriended Malik and Ibn Malik

Their slippers would not have slipped in the sea

وَلَمّا رَأَيتُ القَومَ خَفَّت حُلومُهُم

يَرومونَ بَحراً لَم أُعَرِّج عَلى بَحرِ

When I saw the people's lax hearts

Inclined to a sea I did not sail upon a sea

تَرَكتُ الهُوَينا لِلضَّعِيفِ وَشَمَّرَت

بِي الحَربُ تَشميرَ الحَرورِيِّ عَن فَترِ

I left passion to the weak and battled

Girded for war, too honorable to be inactive

وَعَذراءَ لا تَجري بِلَحمٍ وَلا دَمٍ

بَعيدَةِ شَكوى الأَينِ مُلحَمَةِ الدَبرِ

A chaste woman who sheds no blood or flesh

Safe from the cries of the fleeing, bold against attacks

إِذا طَعَنَت فيها القَبولُ تَشَمَّصَت

بِفُرسانِها لا في سُهولٍ وَلا وَعرِ

When spears pierce her, she is clad

With her horsemen, not in plain or rugged terrain

وَإِن قَصَدَت دَلَّت عَلى مُتَنَصِّبٍ

ذَليلِ القَرى لا شَيءَ يَفري كَما تَفري

And if she heads out, she points the way

To the disgraced ruler - nothing can escape as she does

تُلاعِبُ نينانَ البُحورِ وَرُبَّما

رَأَيتَ نُفوسَ القَومِ مِن جَريِها تَجري

She plays with sea serpents, and perhaps

You see the souls of men flee from her advance

تَحَمَّلتُ مِنها صاحِبَيَّ وَمِنصَفي

تَزِفُّ زَفيفَ الهيقِ في البَلَدِ القَفرِ

She carried my companion and arbitrator

Swaying like a lost camel in the barren desert

إِلى مَلِكٍ مِن هاشِمٍ في نُبوءَةٍ

وَمِن حِميَرٍ في المُلكِ وَالعَدَدِ الدَثرِ

To a king of Hashim in holy station

And donkeys in kingdom and ample numbers

مِنَ المُشتَرينَ الحَمدَ تَندَى مِنَ النَدى

يَداهُ وَتَندى عارِضاهُ مِنَ العِطرِ

Praised through prosperity, blessed through prosperity

His hands and thighs scented with perfume

كَأَنَّ المُلوكَ الزُهرَ حَولَ سَريرِهِ

وَمِنبَرِهِ الكِروانُ أَطرَقنَ مِن صَقرِ

As if kings are blossoms around his throne

And ostriches surround his pulpit out of awe

أَعاذِلَ قَد أَكثَرتِ غَيرَ مُطاعَةٍ

وَما كُلُّ ما يَخشى النَواضِحُ بِالنَقرِ

Rebelling woman, you have transgressed too often

Not all that is feared by the outspoken merits poking

دَعيني فَإِنّي مُعصِمٌ بِمُحَمَّدٍ

سَمِيِّ نَبِيِّ اللَهِ وَالمَلِكِ الحُرِّ

Leave me be, for I am protected by Muhammad

Noble Prophet of God and free King

نَشُمُّ مَعَ الرَيحانِ طِيباً فَعالَهُ

ذَكاءً وَنَرجوهُ عِياضاً مِنَ القَطرِ

We smell the sweet basil, brilliant in fragrance

Hoping for showers from the rain clouds

إِذا سامَني خَسفاً زَعيمُ قَبيلَةٍ

أَبَيتُ فَلَم أُعطِ المَقادَ عَلى القَسرِ

When a tribal chief challenges me to dive

I refuse and do not give in to force

وَأَلزَمتُ حَبلي حَبلَ مَن لا تُغِبُّهُ

عُفاةُ النَدى مِن حَيثُ يَدري وَلا يَدري

And hold fast to the rope of one the drizzle of clouds

Does not miss wherever he turns or halts

فَتيقُ بَني العَبّاسِ يَدعو إِلى النَدى

وَيُمسي دُواراً في المُقامِ وَفي السَفرِ

The youth of Abbas calls to harmony

Spending his evenings settled or travelling

إِذا ما دَعا ثابت إِلَيهِ عَصائِبٌ

كِرامٌ أُعينوا بِالصَلاةِ وَبِالصَبرِ

Whenever the devout call him

Noble, aided by prayer and patience

كُهولٌ وَشُبّانٌ عَلَيهِم مَهابَةٌ

وَفيهِم غَناءٌ لِلعَوانِ وَلِلبَكرِ

Elders and youth exuding reverence

With joy for supporters and maidens

بَنو هاشِمٍ لا يَشرَبونَ عَلى القَذى

مَصاليتُ لَعّابونَ بِالأَسَلِ السُمرِ

The sons of Hashim do not drink from a cup

My tame deer, slippery with smooth round swords

يَهُزّونَ صُمّاً مُرقِلاتٍ إِلى العِدى

لَها نَفَذٌ بَينَ الرَهانَةِ وَالكِبرِ

Agitating deaf lions heading to the fray

With powerful thrusts, not in plain or rugged terrain

عُرِفتَ أَميرَ المُؤمِنينَ بِرِقَّةٍ

عَلَينا وَلَم تُعرَف بِفَخرٍ وَلا كِبرِ

O Commander of Faithful, I recognized you by gentleness upon us

Not by boasting or arrogance

بَنى لَكَ عَبدُاللَهِ بَيتَ خِلافَةٍ

نَزَلتَ بِها بَينَ الفَراقِدِ وَالنِسرِ

Abdullah built you a house of caliphate

Where you dwelled between the departed and the preying eagle

وَعِندَكَ عَهدٌ مِن وَصاةِ مُحَمَّدٍ

فَرَعتَ بِها الأَملاكَ مِن وَلَدِ النَضرِ

In your possession is a covenant from the trustees of Muhammad

You shepherded kingdoms from the sons of al-Nadhr

وَرِثتَ عَلِيّاً شيمَةً أَريَحِيَّةً

وَصُنتَ اِبنَ عَبّاس وَأُيِّدتَ بِالشُكرِ

You inherited the traits of Ali, pure Arab virtues

And protected Ibn Abbas, aided by gratitude

وَأَحرَزتَ مِيراثَ النَبيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

عَلى رَغم قَومٍ يَنظُرونَ عَلى دَعرِ

And claimed the inheritance of the Prophet Muhammad

Despite a people looking askance in enmity

وَأَبقى لَكَ العَبّاسُ يَوماً مُشَهَّراً

إِذا سِرتَهُ في الذِكرِ جَلَّ عَنِ الذِكرِ

And Abbas will reserve for you a glorious day

When you mention him in gatherings, he shines among all gathered

مُجالَدَةٌ دونَ النَبيِّ بِسَيفِهِ

بِوادي حُنَينٍ غَيرِ وانٍ وَلا غُمرِ

A stalwart by the Prophet with his sword

At Hunayn unfailing and unfaltering

كَأَنَّ دِماءَ القَومِ يَومَ لِقائِهِ

رُداعُ عَروسٍ بِالذِراعَينِ وَالنَحرِ

As if the people's blood that day of meeting him

Was the train of a bride's dress and bosom

عَشِيَّةَ يَدعو المُسلِمينَ بِصَوتِهِ

وَقَد نَفَروا وَاِستَطلَعَ الصوتَ عَن نَفرِ

In the evening he calls the Muslims with his voice

And they flock once hearing his voice from afar

وَأَنتَ اِمرُؤٌ تَهوي إِلَيكَ قُلوبَنا

وَأَلبابُنا يَومَ الهِياجِ مِنَ الذُعرِ

You are a leader whom our hearts and minds incline to

On the day of panic and confusion

وَقَفتَ عَلى أَمرٍ فَأَصبَحتَ عارِفاً

بِما يُتَّقى مِن بَطنِ أَمرٍ وَمِن ظَهرِ

You have grasped an affair and become knowing

Of what is to be feared, overt or covert

إِذا القَطرُ لَم تَغزِر عَلَينا سَماؤُهُ

بِأَرضٍ وَثِقنا مِن سَمائِكَ بِالغُزرِ

When the rain clouds do not pour heavily upon us

In a land, we trust your skies to shower abundantly

وَخَمرٍ كَبَردِ الماءِ في خَمرِ بابِلٍ

جَمَعتَ فَما تَنفَكُّ كَالماءِ وَالخَمرِ

And wine like cool water, though it is Babylonian wine

You have gathered, never to separate, like water and wine

وَسَيفُكَ مَنصورٌ وَأَنتَ مُشَيَّعٌ

وَمِن نَفَرٍ لا يَعصِمونَ عَلى وِترِ

Your victorious sword, your supported state

And retinue undefended by any pact

قَتَلتَ الشُراةَ الناكِثينَ عَنِ الهُدى

وَقَنَّعتَ بِالسَيفِ المُقَنَّعِ بِالكُفرِ

You killed the treacherous apostates

And the sword sufficed for the one masked in disbelief

فَأَصبَحَ قَد بَدّلتَهُ مِن قَميصِهِ

قَميصاً يَهولُ العَينَ مِن عَلَقٍ حُمرِ

So you replaced his robe in the morning

With one that horrifies the eye with dripping red blood

تَروحُ بِأَرزاق وَتَغدو بِغارَةٍ

عَلى الناكِثِ الضِلّيلِ وَالحاسِدِ المُغري

You venture out with provisions and return with spoils

Upon the treacherous wretch and resentful schemer

كَذاكَ يَدُ المَهدِيِّ تُضحي مَطيرةً

وَتُمسي حُتوفاً لِلجُبارِ وَمَن يَشري

Thus the hand of Mahdi sacrifices bountifully

And returns grasping for the tyrant and his ilk

وَغَيرانُ مِن دونِ النِساءِ كَأَنَّهُ

أُسامَةُ وافى الطارِقاتِ عَلى أَجرِ

Passionate unlike other women, as if

He is Usaymah fulfilling the needs of the vulnerable

جَزى اللَهُ مَهدِيَّ الصَلاةِ كَرامَةً

لَقَد فَلَّ عَن ديني وَخَفَّفَ مِن ظَهري

May God reward Mahdi the worshipper generously

He eased my debt and lightened my burden

كَساني وَأَعطاني وَشَرَّفَ مَجلِسي

بِمَجلِسِنا يَومَ الحُنَينَةِ وَالعَقرِ

He clothed me, granted me, and honored my council

With our council the day of affection and visiting

فَأَصبَحتُ في ظِلِّ العَشيرَةِ مُشرِقاً

عَلى البَأوِ في بَيتِ العَشيرَةِ بِالعُشرِ

So I have shined in the shade of the clan

Well-off among the clan, enjoying favor

كَأَنّي مِنَ الأَملاكِ أَملاكِ هاشِمٍ

بِأَبوابِهِم مِن مُححَدينَ وَمِن مُثرِ

As if I am from the kingdoms, the kingdoms of Hashim

At their doors, some hosted, some enriched

كَذاكَ قَرابينُ المُلوكِ بُيوتُهُم

مَثاباتُ مِن راحٍ وَمِن سَيِّدٍ غَمرِ

Thus are the domains of kings, their homes

Those hosted rest, and master overwhelms guest

وَكَم رائِشٍ بارٍ وَلَولا مُحَمَّدٌ

طَوَتهُ اللَيالي ما يَريشُ وَلا يَبري

How many bygone arrogant and rainless lords

Whose nights the days would erode, neither hosting nor hosting

وَطاغٍ أَصابَتهُ سُيوفُ مُحَمَّدٍ

فَأَصبَحَ مُلقىً لِلغُرابِ وَلِلنَسرِ

And tyrants struck down by the swords of Muhammad

Left as carrion for crows and eagles

إِذا جَلَسَ المَهديُّ عَمَّت فُضُولُهُ

عَلَينا كَما عَمَّ الضِياءُ مِنَ البَدرِ

When Mahdi sits his virtues pour upon us

As moonlight pours from the full moon

هُوَ العَسَلُ الماذِيُّ طَوراً وَرُبَّما

يَكونُ كَبيرُ القَومِ مُرَّ جَنى الصَدرِ

He is sweet honey, sometimes

The elder can be bitter as chicory

تَدِرُّ لَهُ أَخلافُ دَرٍّ غَزيرَةٌ

وَدَرَّت لَنا كَفّاهُ مِن نائِلٍ تَجري

Abundant riches flow his way

And his palms rain bounty on the recipient

أَلا أَيُّها المُمتاحُ إِنَّ مُحَمَّداً

يَؤولُ إِلى عِزٍّ وَيغدو مَعَ النَصرِ

Lo tribe pampered with favor! Muhammad

Surely rises to power and dawns with victory

مِنَ الصيدِ وَلّاغُ الدِماءِ إِذا غَدا

وَمُستَمطِرُ المَعروفِ وَقراً عَلى وَقرِ

A slaughterer of game when he ventures out

And raincloud of goodness, most generous upon generous

يَقومُ بِأَفعالِ الكِرامِ وَعِندَهُ

شِفاءٌ مِنَ الداءِ المَحَبَّةِ وَالفَقرِ

Upholding acts of nobility, and in his possession

A cure for the illness of love and poverty

لَنا كُلَّ يَومٍ مِن يَدَيهِ سَحابَةٌ

تَجودُ عَلينا بِالإِناثِ وَبِالذُكرِ

From him each day we have a cloud

Raining upon us females and males

إِمامُ هُدىً في الحَمدِ وَالأَجرِ هَمُّهُ

وَلا خَيرَ فيما لَيسَ بِالحَمدِ وَالشُكرِ

A leader of guidance, his concern being praise and reward

No good in what is without praise and gratitude

رَجَعتُ بِهِ جَذلانَ غَيرَ مُقَدِّمٍ

شَفيعاً وَأَرجو أَن أُسَوِّغَهُ عُمري

I have returned with him hastily, without appointing

An intercessor, and I hope to justify my life through him