يا صاحِبَيَّ العَشِيَّةَ اِحتَسِبا

جَدَّ الهَوى بِالفَتى وَما لَعِبا

O my friends in the evening, be patient

Love has seriously afflicted the young man, and he did not play

وَاللَهِ وَاللَهِ ما أَنامُ وَلا

أَملِكُ عَيني دُموعَها طَرِبا

By Allah, by Allah, I do not sleep, and

I cannot control my teary eyes out of agitation

أَبقى لَنا الدَهرُ مِن تَذَكُّرِ مَن

قَد كانَ جاراً فَبانَ وَاِغتَرَبا

Will time let us remember one

Who was a neighbor, then became estranged and went away?

لِلَّهِ دَمعي أَلّا أُكَلِّمَهُ

يَومَ غَدا في السُلافِ مُنشَعِبا

To Allah my tears! I shall not speak to him

Tomorrow morning in the house, downcast

ما كانَ ذَنبي أَنّي شَقيتُ بِهِ

وَشُؤمَ عَينٍ كانَت لَنا سَبَبا

It was not my sin that I suffered because of him

And the evil eye of someone was the reason between us

أَفرَغتُ دَمعي عَلى الحَبيبِ فَأَع

جَبتُ رِجالاً وَلَم أَكُن عَجَبا

I shed my tears over the beloved, so I astonished

Men, while I was not wonderful

قَبلي تَصابى الفَتى وَمالَ بِهِ

حُبُّ المَعاصيرِ عَفَّ أَو طَلَبا

Before me, the young man was loyal, but

Love of parting came over him, or he sought another

ما كانَ حُبّي سَلمى وَرُؤيَتُها

إِلّا قَذىً في مَدامِعي نَشِبا

My love for Salma and seeing her

Was but a speck in my overflowing tears

أُريدُ نِسيانَها فَيُذكِرُني

ما باتَ في الجارَتَينِ مُكتَسَبا

I want to forget her, but he reminds me of

What he gained with the two neighbors

لِلَّهِ سَلمى إِذ لا تُطيعُ بِنا ال

واشي وَإِذ لا نُطيعُ مَن عَتَبا

How much pleasure we got, enjoying it

And a gathering the memory of which became anguish

تَدنو مَعَ الذِكرِ كُلَّما نَزَحَت

حَتّى أَرى شَخصَها وَما اِقتَرَبا

There remains only the imagination, reminding me

Of what she was, and what I desired

وَيَومَ أَشكو إِلى أُسامَةَ مَك

نونَ الهَوى فَاِستَطارَ وَاِلتَهَبا

Leave Salma, whose yearning causes anguish for her seeker

Reason cannot precede what is destined

قالَت سُلَيمى أَعِندَنا شُغُلٌ

عَنكَ وَلَكِن لا تُحسِنُ الحَلَبا

I shall leave insanity to the eyes, and not

Leave drinking wine in the evenings and at dusk

أَكرِم خَليطاً تَنَل كَرامَتَهُ

لَستَ بِجانٍ مِن شَوكِهِ عِنَبا

And a king whom kings bow down to

Just, providing sustenance for the Arabs

زَينَ الجَواري خُلِقتِ مِن عَجَبٍ

وَالحِرصُ عَجلانُ يَفضَحُ الأَدَبا

Looking after our affairs and honor

Spending the day in prosperity and prestige at night

وَبِالنَقى وَالعُيونُ حاضِرَةٌ

عَيَّنَّنا كُلَّ شارِقٍ عَقِبا

Fortune and mules continually

Collecting land tax which is taken to him

دَسَّت إِلَيَّ البَنّانَ تُخبِرُني

عَنها فَمَنّى وَرُبَّما كَذَبا

And sometimes the eyes flash

Lightning for him against those who rebel

كانَت عَلى ذاكَ ثُمَّتَ اِنقَلَبَت

كَما دَعَوتُ الزَماعَ فَاِنقَلَبا

A man of Quraysh in religion and nobility

I gave him my love for what he gave

كَم مِن نَعيمٍ نِلنا لَذاذَتَهُ

وَمَجلِسٍ عادَ ذِكرُهُ نَصَبا

Resentment of a friend does not deceive him

Nor does his anger overcome him if he is angry

لَم يَبقَ إِلّا الخَيالُ يُذكِرُني

ما كانَ مِنها وَكانَ مُطّلَبا

He gives you what the winds blow, and does not

Covet anyone's religion, even if they are close

دَع عَنكَ سَلمى شَجىً لِطالِبَها

لا يَسبِقُ الرَأيُ دونَ ما كُتِبا

Courageous, dignified, his arrogance adorned

With forbearance, and dignity along with what he avoided

سَأَترُكُ الغُرَّ لِلعُيونِ وَلا

أَترُكُ شُربَ الصَهباءِ وَالغَرَبا

A rain pool after rain quenches you

With fresh cool water flowing for whoever drank

وَمَلِكٌ تَسجُدُ المُلوكُ لَهُ

موفٍ عَلى الناسِ يَرزِقُ العَرَبا

With his skin the clothes smell fragrant, and with his

Touch he makes people and lineage fragrant

راعٍ لِأَحسابِنا وَذِمَّتِنا

يُمسي دُواراً وَيَغتَدي نُصُبا

You can smell his slippers in the replacement

Like the repentant smell fragrant basil

لا يَفتُرُ البُختُ وَالبِغالُ مَوا

قيراً خَراجاً يُجبى لَهُ دَأَبا

I wore iron and coats of mail besides him

And a Mahri she-camel, a noble creature

وَرُبَّما شَبَّتِ العُيونُ لَهُ

بَرقاً فَكانَت رُؤُسَ مَن شَغَبا

Of supplies in the packsaddles and saddlebags

For persistent anxiety or overwhelming calamity

فَتى قُرَيشٍ ديناً وَمَكرُمَةً

وَهَبتُ وُدّي لَهُ بِما وَهَبا

When I remember a man spending the night

Giving thanks, we rode the usual mounts

لا يَأثَرُ الغِلَّ لِلخَليلِ وَلا

تَغلِبُهُ طَيرُهُ إِذا غَضِبا

Stamping the embers of anger, while the

Family was in turmoil and its youths in confusion

يُعطيكَ ما هَبَّتِ الرِياحُ وَلا

يُطمَعُ في دينِهِ وَإِن قَرُبا

She-camels arriving from every emigrant woman

In the heat and noon sun you can see following him

شَهمٌ وَقورٌ يَزينُ غُرَّتَهُ

حِلمٌ وَزانَ الوَقارُ ما اِجتَنَبا

Crooked, consecutive on the curved road when the

Rider takes shade from the heat of his day

يَكفيكَ مِن قَسوَرٍ أَجَشَّ وَكَال

ماءِ زُلالاً يَجري لِمَن شَرِبا

They swim in the heaven's pond as if

The wild asses cut straight through the clamor

بِجِلدَةٍ طابَت الثِيابُ وَبِال

مَسِّ يُطيبُ العِيانَ وَالحَسَبا

Until when they alight at the abode

Of kinswomen and maternal aunts, relieving distress

تُشَمُّ نَعلاهُ في النَديِّ كَما

شَمَّ النَدامى الرَيحانَ مُعتَقَبا

Between Abu Ja'far and Abu al-'Abbas

Like a mirage taking cover

ساوَرتُ مِن دونِهِ العَقَنقَلَ وَال

جَوفَ أُزجّي المَهرِيَّةَ النُجُبا

No! He is rather the annihilator of cares when

A person's heart feels them, out of necessity

مِنَ المُعَدّاتِ في اللُجَينِ وَفي ال

عَيصِ لِهَمٍّ أَلَحَّ أَو غَلَبا

I greeted him at daybreak while his palms

Poured gold for the visitors of his house

إِذا ذَكَرتُ اِمرَأً يَبيتُ عَلى ال

حَمدِ رَكِبنا العادِيَّةَ الرُكَبا

He gave such bracelets, slaves, and

Real estate that I thought it was play

يَخبُطنَ جَمرَ الغَضى وَقَد خَفَقَ ال

آلُ وَغَشّى رَيعانُهُ الحَدَبا

With blessing that carries loyalty, following it

From death after hardship

مُستِقبِلاتٍ مِن كُلِّ هاجِرَةٍ

قَيظاً وَقَيضاً تَرى لَهُ حَبَبا

He hurries to reward this and that and that other, and does not

Count his reward like one who counts

عوجٌ تَوالى عَلى الذَميلِ إِذا ال

راكِبُ مِن حَرِّ يَومِهِ اِنتَقَبا

Indeed, he whose rule

Blessed people until they disputed over the reason

يَسبَحنَ في عَدرَةِ السَماءِ كَما

شَقَّ العَدَولِيُّ زاخِراً صَخِبا

Is the brother of the one prayers were established for

He does not act stingily or speak falsely

حَتّى إِذا خَيَّمَت بِعاقِبَةٍ

جاراتِ والٍ يُفَرِّجُ الكُرَبا

His manners have made his nature white-haired

And he has inherited it if he claims affiliation

بَينَ أَبي جَعفَرٍ وَبَينَ أَبي ال

عَبّاسِ مِثلُ الرِئبالِ مُحتَجِبا

He starts the day with the blessings of prophethood; his

Banner does not lag if it stirs

لا بَل هُوَ المُخدِرُ الهُمامُ إِذا

أَحسَّ قَلبُ اِمرِئٍ بِهِ وَجَبا

And our land gave glad tidings to the sky through him

And the people of graves were delighted at what followed

صَبَّحتُهُ في الذَرورِ تُمطِرُ كَف

فاهُ لِزُوّارِ بَيتِهِ ذَهَبا

By Allah, the people of graves, if they were brought back to life,

Would find bliss and acquire proper behavior

لَمّا رَآني بَدَت مَكارِمُهُ

نوراً عَلى وَجهِهِ وَما اِكتَأَبا

And Joseph the rebel, he has prepared for him

Until he fell into Hell, overturned

كَأَنَّما جِئتُهُ أُبَشِّرُهُ

وَلَم أَجِئ راغِباً وَمُحتَلِبا

Away, smashed, with whoever turns away from

The truth and disobeys the Mahdi in fear

فَرَّجَ عَنّي المَهدِيُّ مِن كَرَبِ الض

ضيقِ خِناقاً قاسَيتُهُ حُقَبا

Indeed, the son of Hajjaj's cupbearer is enough for you

Settled and stable, wherever he traveled

أَعطى مِنَ الصُتمِ وَالوَلائِدِ وَال

عُبدانِ حَتّى حَسِبتُهُ لَعِبا

Mahdi of the people of prayers, the fortune-teller reads him

An obscure, covered book, free of doubt

وَبِركَةٍ تَحمِلُ الوَفاءَ تَلا

فاها مِنَ المَوتِ بَعدَ ما كَرَبا

As if those who seek him for their needs

Are pilgrims heading to Mash'ar in groups

يَحثي لِهَذا وَذا وَذاكَ وَلا

يَحسِبُ مَعروفَهُ كَمَن حَسَبا

He adorns the noble pulpit with his

Kindness and words when he preaches

إِنَّ الَّذي أَنعَمَت خِلافَتُهُ

بِالناسِ حَتّى تَنازَعوا سَبَبا

And the land glows with his virtues

As if a light were implanted in the sun

شَقيقُ مَن قامَت الصَلاةُ بِهِ

لَم يَأتِ بُخلاً وَلَم يَقُل كَذِبا

Proudest when his hands drip

As his visitors throng around him in hordes

شيبَت بِأَخلاقِهِ خَلائِقُهُ

وَحازَ ميراثَهُ إِذا اِنتَسَبا

And the utmost extent of the delegations when

They travel, hoping for his connection out of desire

يَغدو بِيُمنٍ مِنَ النُبُوَّةِ لا

يُخلِفُ عَرّاصُهُ إِذا اِضطَرَبا

Their leader says, as they persist

After morning, the joy of one who persists

وَبَشَّرَت أَرضُنا السَماءَ بِهِ

وَسَرَّ أَهلَ القُبورِ ما عَقَبا

When you go to the Mahdi, ask him,

You will find generosity and God-consciousness in him

لِلَّهِ أَهلُ القُبورِ لَو نُشِروا

لاقَوا نَعيماً وَاِستَجلَموا أَدَبا

You see in him the mark of the Prophet, and if

He fought people, he ignited a flame for them

وَيوسُفُ البَرمُ قَد عَبَأتَ لَهُ

حَتّى هَوى في الجَحيمِ مُنقَلَبا

United of heart when meeting, even if

The matter turns away from his heart in war

بُعداً وَسُحقاً لِمَن تَوَلّى عَنِ ال

حَقِّ وَعاصى المَهدِيَّ مُرتَعِبا

Security has emerged in his rule

And he said about it, whoever reads books

إِنَّ اِبنَ ساقي الحَجيجِ يَكفيكَ ما

حَلَّ مُقيماً وَأَيَّةً رَكِبا

Muhammad bequeaths his caliphate to him

Moses and Aaron follow the father

مَهدِيُّ آلِ الصَلاةِ يَقرَؤُهُ ال

قَسُّ كِتاباً دَثراً جَلا رِيَبا

كَأَنَّ طُلّابَهُ لِحاجَتِهِم

حَجٌّ يَأُمّونَ مَشعَراً شُزُبا

يُزَيِّنُ المِنبَرَ الأَشَمَّ بِعِط

فَيهِ وَأَقوالِهِ إِذا خَطَبا

وَتُشرِقُ الأَرضُ مِن مَحاسِنِهِ

كَأَنَّ نوراً في الشَمسِ مُجتَلَبا

أَغَرُّ مُستَمطَرُ اليَدَينِ إِذا

راحَ عَلَيهِ زُوّارُهُ عُصَبا

وَمُنتَهى غايَةِ الوُفودِ إِذا

ساروا يُرَجّونَ وَصلَهُ رَغَبا

يَقولُ ساريهُمُ وَقَد دَأَبوا

بَعدَ الصَباحِ اِغتِباطُ مَن دَأَبا

إِذا أَتَيتَ المَهدِيَّ سَأَلُهُ

لاقيتَ جوداً بِهِ وَمُحتَسَبا

تَرى عَلَيهِ سيما النَبِيِّ وَإِن

حارَبَ قَوماً أَذكى لَهُم لَهَبا

مُجتَمِعُ القَلبِ في اللِقاءِ إِذا ال

أَمرُ تَوَلّى مِن قَلبِهِ حَرَبا

قَد سَطَعَ الأَمنُ في وِلايَتِهِ

وَقالَ فيهِ مَن يَقرَأُ الكُتُبا

مُحَمَّدٌ مورِثٌ خِلافَتَهُ

موسى وَهارونَ يَتبَعانِ أَبا