أَصُونُ لِسانِي وَالْجَنانُ يُذالُ
وَأَقْصِرُ بَثِّي وَالشُّجُونُ طِوالُ
I guard my tongue though yearning still prevails,
And make my longings brief though grief assails,
وَأَحْبِسُ عَنْ قَوْمٍ عِنانَ قَصائِدِي
وَقَدْ أَمْكَنَ الطَّرْفَ الْجَوادَ مَجالُ
Withholding from a folk my poetry’s rein—
Though the noble eye prevails in its domain.
تُذَمُّ اللَّيالِي إِنْ تَعَذَرَ مَطْلَبٌ
وَأَوْلى لَعَمْرِي أَنْ تُذَمَّ رِجالُ
The nights are blamed if wishes are denied,
Yet I blame men if wishes are defied.
وَما أُلْزِمُ الأَيّامَ ذَنْبَ مَعاشِرٍ
لِدَرِّهِمُ قَبْلَ الرَّضاعِ فِصالُ
I do not blame the days for people’s sins,
For suckling babes ere dirhams recompense.
وَآلِ غِنىً جَمٍّ هُمُ الْبَحْرُ ثَرْوَةً
وَلكِنَّهُمْ عِنْدَ النَّوائِبِ آلُ
House of Munificence, they are the sea of wealth,
Yet at calamities, they are a folk in stealth.
لَوَ أنَّ بِلالاً جاءهُمْ بِمُحَمَّدٍ
لَعادَ وَما فِي فِيهِ مِنْهُ بِلالُ
Had Bilal come to them with Muhammad in tow
He would return, with Bilal having nothing to show.
خَلِيلَيَّ ما كُلُّ الْعَسِيرِ بِمُعْجِزٍ
مَرامِي وَلا كُلُّ الْيَسِيرِ يُنالُ
My friend, not everything dire is a miracle,
Not everything easy is attainable.
وَلَيْسَ أَخُو الْحاجاتِ مَنْ باتَ راضِياً
بِعَجْزٍ عَلَى الأَقْدارِ فِيهِ يُحالُ
He who’s resigned to his incapacity for fate
Is no true brother of exigencies to sate.
تَقَلَّبْتُ فِي ثَوْبِي رَخاءٍ وَشِدَّةٍ
كَذلِكَ أَحْوالُ الزَّمانِ سِجالُ
In luxury and woe I tossed and turned.
Such are the ways of time—an endless spurned.
وَقَدْ وَسَمَتْنِي الأَرْبَعُونَ بِمَرِّها
وَحالَتْ بِشَيْبِي لِلْشَّبِيبَةِ حالُ
My forties scarred me with their bitterness,
And turned my hair’s raven to gray in remiss.
فَلَيْتَ الَّذِي أَرْجُو مِنَ الْعُمْرِ بَعْدَها
يَطِيبُ بِهِ عَيْشٌ وَيَنْعَمُ بالُ
Would that the life I hope for after them
Be sweet living and blessedness to the brim;
يَقُولُ أناسٌ كَيْفَ يُعْجزُكَ الْغِنى
وَمِثْلُكَ يَكْفِيهِ الْفِعالَ مَقالُ
That some may say “Does wealth fail you with might?”
When words for me suffice, not needing to fight.
وَما عِنْدَهُمْ أَنَّ السُّؤالَ مَذَلَّةٌ
وَنَقْصٌ وَما قَدْرُ الْحَياةِ سُؤالُ
Unaware that asking is in itself disgrace,
A shortcoming—for life is but a chase.
تَرَفَّعَتُ إِلاّ عَنْ نَدى ابْنِ مُحَسِّنٍ
وَخَيْرُ النَّدى ما كانَ فِيهِ جَمالُ
I refused none but Ibn Muḥassin’s boon.
The best gifts are those of beauty as opportune.
وَعِنْدَ وَجِيهِ الدَّوْلَةِ ابْنِ رَشِيدِها
سَماحٌ وَبَذْلٌ غامِرٌ وَنَوالُ
The Chief Minister, Pride of the State,
Is open-handed—an overflowing plate.
وَأَخْلاقُ غَيْثٍ كُلما جِئْتُ صادِياً
وَرَدْتُ بِهِنَّ الْعَيْشَ وَهْوَ زُلالُ
Ghauth’s nature, whenever I come a-begging,
Restores my life as fresh water welling.
وَبِشْرٌ إِلى الزُّوّارِ فِي كُلِّ لَزْبَةٍ
بِهِ تُلْقَحُ الآمالُ وَهْيَ حِيالُ
Good tidings to visitors during hardships
Impregnate hopes once infertile and crisp.
تَدانَتْ بِهِ الْغاياتُ وَهْيَ بَعِيدَةٌ
وَخَفَّتْ بِهِ الْحاجاتُ وَهْيَ ثِقالُ
Through him far goals come within reach,
Light burdens once so heavy and bleak.
وما البِشْرُ إِلاّ رائِدٌ بَعْدَهُ الْحَيا
أَلا إِنَّما وَعْدُ السَّحابَةِ خالُ
Yet omens except what comes after are hollow.
Lo, the promise of clouds is only to follow.
مَتى أَرجُ إِسمعيلَ لِلْعِزِّ وَالْغِنى
فَما هُوَ إِلاّ عِصْمَةٌ وَثِمالُ
When shall I await Ismāʿīl’s return to glory and riches?
He is but integrity and the perfect relishes.
فَتىً ظافَرَتْ هِمّاتُهُ عَزَماتِهِ
كَما ظافَرَتْ سُمْرَ الصِّعادِ نِصالُ
A youth whose resolve triumphed like the swords
Prevailed over themountain of al-Saʿd’s hoards.
هُوَ الْبَدْرُ إِلا أَنَّهُ لا يُغِبُّهُ
عَلَى طُولِ أَوْقاتِ الزَّمانِ كَمالُ
He is the moon that never wanes
Throughout the length of time that remains.
مِنَ الْقَوْمِ ذادَ النّاسَ عَنْ نَيْلِ مَجْدِهِمْ
قِراعٌ لَهُمْ دُونَ الْعُلى وَنِضالُ
A people who warded harm from the pride of men—
Against them spears, but for them spears defend.
نِبالُ الْمَساعِي ما تَزالُ ثَوابِتاً
لَهُمْ فِي قُلُوبِ الحاسِدِينَ نِبالُ
Their feats ever fixed in enviers' hearts as arrows,
Should they lunge with their perfect throws,
إِذا قاوَلُوا بِالأَحْوَذِيَّةِ أَفْحَمُوا
وَإِنْ طاوَلُوا بِالْمَشْرَفِيَّةِ طالُوا
Or excel with their lofty highs, they smite their foes.
They are the Prophet’s comrades and his elite.
أُولئِكَ أَنْصارُ النَّبِيِّ وَرَهْطُهُ
إِذا عُدَّ فَخْرٌ باهِرٌ وَجَلالُ
When counted, they are manifest brilliance and feat.
Shall I claim to have naught after this?
أَأَزْعُمُ أَنْ لا مالَ لِي بَعْدَ هذِهِ
وَجُودُكَ ذُخْرٌ لِلْمُقِلّ وَمالُ
For your munificence suffices the destitute.
Whoever journeys to you for wealth
وَمَنْ سارَ يَسْتَقْرِي نَداكَ إِلى الْغِنى
فَلَيْسَ بِمَخْشِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ ضَلالُ
Fears no straying into misery or ill health.
The essence of creation cannot be obscured
وَما جَوْهَرُ الأَشْياءِ وَالْخَلْقِ خافِياً
إِذا ما طِباعٌ مُيِّزَتْ وَخِلالُ
When nature distinguishes them as demurred.
It favored some swords for their flashing light,
لَفَضَّلَ ما بَيْنَ السُّيُوفِ مَضاؤُها
وَفَضَّلَ ما بَيْنَ الرِّجالِ فِعالُ
And favored some men for their deeds and might.
You were late to be praised, but not because
تَأَخَّرَ عَنْكَ الْمَدْحُ لا عَنْ تَجَنُّبٍ
وَلكِنَّهُ الْمَعْشُوقُ فِيهِ دَلالُ
I wished to refrain. For the beloved is the cause.
My praise for you will never weary,
وَعِنْدِي ثَناءٌ لا يُمَلُّ كَما انْثَنى
إِلى عاشِقٍ بَعْدَ الصُّدُودِ وِصالُ
As true love’s relief after being leery.
With it, a man’s honor competes when sublime,
يُزانُ بِهِ عِرْضُ الْفَتى وَهْوَ ماجِدٌ
كَما زانَ مَتْنَ الْمَشْرَفِيِّ صِقالُ
As the excellent blade competes in its shine.
I must have an eminent state through you
وَلا بُدَّ لِي مِنْ دَوْلَةٍ بِكَ فَخْمَةٍ
بِها مِنْ صُرُوفِ النّائِباتِ أُدالُ
Wherefrom I seek respite from fate as it grew.
And a blessing, verdant, fresh bestowed by you,
وَمِنْ نِعْمَةٍ خَضْراءَ عِنْدَكَ غَضَّةٍ
يُمَدُّ عَلَيْها لِلنَّعيمِ ظِلالُ
Whereupon ease extends its shade anew.
Let no ignorant impugn your glory’s time—
فَلا يَسْتَرِثْ مِيعادَ مَجْدِكَ جاهِلٌ
فَما عِنْدَ مَجْدِ الأَسْعَدينَ مِطالُ
For the magnificent have no defined clime.
The stars of night in the dusk’s goblet, hushed,
فَإِنَّ نُجُومَ اللَّيْلِ فِي حِنْدِسِ الدُّجى
يُرَيْنَ بَطِيئاتٍ وَهُنَّ عِجالُ
Though slow, are meteors in a flush.
Does the world rely on other than you?
وَهَلْ لِلْوَرى إِلاّ عَلَيْكَ مُعَوَّلٌ
وَهَلْ لِلعُلى إِلاّ إِلَيْكَ مَآلُ
Or glory aspire but to you as its due?
For is not glory empire for the magnanimous?
فَما الْمَجْدُ إِلاّ لِلْكِرامِ مَمالِكٌ
وَلا النّاسُ إِلاّ لِلْكُفاةِ عِيالُ
And people dependants for the bounteous?
When verses give you the tidings you keep,
إِذا ما الْقَوافِي بَشَّرَتْكَ بِمَطْلَبٍ
وَفى لَكَ مِنْها بِالْحقائِقِ فالُ
Their realities suffice, message complete.
