عسى يُبْلَى العذولُ ببعضِ ما بي

فيَعْذُرَ أو يُقَصِّرَ عن عِتابي

May he feel some of my pain, so he pardons or lessens his reproach,

And his heart clings to hope and despair regarding my condition of remoteness and nearness.

ويَعْلَقَ قلبَه طمعٌ ويأسٌ

على حالَىْ بِعادٍ واقْتراب

And longing springs from him to console me,

As the tattoo springs on dyed skin.

ويَعدوُ الشوقُ منه على التَّسلِّى

كما يعدو النُّصولُ على الخِضاب

Yes, and his father, had the branches of youth not withered in him

And the secret promise did not become a wink

نعم وأبيه لو ماسَتْ لديه

غصونُ الأيْكِ في وَرَق الشَّباب

To him from behind the veil,

And he saw how the nights adorn him

وصار خَفىُّ سِرِّ الوَعْد غَمْزا

إليه بالجفون من النِّقاب

With times of intimacy and caresses,

And how union is stolen without a promise

وأَبْصَرَ كيف تُتْحِفه الليالي

بأوقاتِ الخَلاعة والتَّصابي

After rejection and avoidance,

And words of refusal appear

ومختِلس الوصال بغير وعدٍ

لصَبٍّ بعدَ صَدٍّ واجْتناب

Gently during reproachful conversation,

And he sipped the ripe lips

وألفاظَ التنصُّلِ حين تبدو

بلطفٍ في مُذاكرِة العتاب

Illuminated by the smile of contentment,

And spent the night kissing it insistently

وَرَشْفَ أَقاحِيِ الثَّغْرِ المُنَدَّى

مُنَوَّرُه بمعسولِ الرُّضاب

While the breasts refused hardship,

He would have been my aid and seen my errors

وَضَمّا بات يَلْثَمه التزاما

وَتَأباه النهودُ من الكَعاب

Far from right and proper.

And realized that the reproach of passion is disastrous,

لَكانَ مُساعِدى ورأى مَلامى

من الخطأ البعيدِ من الصواب

Yet living in that torment is sweet.

I will race in love the steeds of intimacy,

وَأَيْقَنَ أَنّ لَوْمَ الصَّبِّ لُؤْمٌ

وعذب العيشِ في ذاك العذاب

And spur them wantonly.

I will drink my share of youth deeply,

سأُركِض في الهوى خيلَ التَّصابِي

وَأُعمِل في غَوايَتِه رِكابي

Before it passes and turns away.

When forty years appear before me,

وَأرشُفُ سُؤْرَ حَظِّى من شبابٍ

يَجِلُّ عن التَّعوُّضِ والإياب

My youth prepares to leave.

If it left, I would achieve more than it,

فعَشْرُ الأربعين إذا بَدا لي

تأهبَتِ الشَّبيبةُ للذهاب

For I would be under the shade of my soil.

A man who gathered all virtues so they are in him

ولو ذهبتْ لنِلْتُ أجَلَّ منها

لكَوْني تحتَ ظِلِّ أبى تُراب

As they were fated to be.

He bought good praise at every price,

فتىً جَمع الفضائلَ فهْى فيه

كما كانت فذلك في الحساب

And walked the path of highness through every door.

So he gained praise and glory

شَرَى طِيبَ الثَّناء بكل سعرٍ

وسار إلى العُلَى من كل باب

Through effort, striving, and earning.

By sword and pen he has pride

فقد نال المحاَمد والمعالى

بِجِد واجْتهادٍ واكتساب

Magnified among fighters and books.

So his hand enriches on days of gifts

له بالسيف والقلم افتخارٌ

تَعاظمَ في الكَتيبة وَالكِتاب

And his sword devastates on days of fighting.

He has a palm that brings back bounty and reveals,

فيُغِنى خَطُّه يوم العَطايا

ويُفنى سيفُه يومَ الضِّراب

Watering seas and clouds.

Through it, freshness overflows to all who are well,

له كفٌ تُعيد ندىً وتُبدى

فتُزْرِى بالبحار وبالسحاب

Like the sea's overflow with foam.

His hands are blessed and grace,

يُفِيض بها النُّضار لكل عافٍ

كَفَيْضِ البحر يَزْخَر بالعُباب

Adorned with the crafts' necklaces.

If you desire a sign of merit,

لقد جَلَّت أياديه وجالتْ

مُقلِّدةَ الصَّنائعِ في الرِّقاب

Yours for the taking without veil.

His generosity benefits you with wealth and status,

إذا يَممت حَيْدرةً لفضلٍ

فدُونَك ما تُريد بلا حجاب

And rises above request and ambition.

You can nearly gain what you seek from him

يُفيدك جودُه مالا وجاها

ويَشْرُف عن مِطال وارتقاب

Of what students desire.

His merit prides itself in every

تكاد تنال ما تبغيه منه

من المطلوب من قبلِ الطِّلاب

Noble deed, for beauty and reward.

For the house of my father Shujaa,

تُباهي فضلُه في كل فعلٍ

شريفٍ للجميل وللثواب

Virtues in reality and words have grown great.

Faces of beauty with chastity,

لقد عَظَمَت لآلِ أبى شجاع

محاسنُ في العِيانِ وفي الخِطاب

And deeds of beauty without conceit.

Your rule, oh Shah of Shahs, has exalted you

وجوهٌ للجمال على عَفافٍ

وفعلٌ للجَميل بلا اعْتِجاب

So through your merit we have the honor of affiliation.

So his praises of you do not cease

عَلاكم مُلْكُ شاهِنْشاهَ حتى

لكم من فضله شرفُ انْتِساب

Succeeding between travel and pouring.

You are between the thankful and praising

فلا زالت منائحه عليكم

تَوالَى بين سَحٍّ وانسكاب

Whose tales spread, and the praying whose prayers are answered.

فأنتم بين ذي شكرٍ ومدحٍ

يذِيعُ وذي دعاءٍ مستجاب