أَعْطى الشَّبابَ مِنَ الآرابِ ما طَلبَا

وَراحَ يَخْتالُ في ثَوْبَيْ هَوىً وَصِبا

Youth granted me whatsoever I desired

And donned the garb of passion and constancy

لَمْ يُدْرِكِ الشَّيْبُ إِلاّ فَضْلَ صَبْوَتِه

كَما يُغادِرُ فَضْلَ الْكَأْسِ مَنْ شَرِبا

Grey hairs attained naught but his youth’s remainder

As the last drops remain when the cup is drained

رَأَى الشَّبِيبَةَ خَطّاً مُونِقاً فَدَرى

أَنَّ الزَّمانَ سَيَمْحُو مِنْهُ ما كَتَبا

When hoariness wrote its faint line

He knew time would blot out all it had penned

إِنَّ الثَّلاثِينَ لَمْ يُسْفِرْنَ عَنْ أَحَدٍ

إِلاّ ارْتَدى بِرِداءِ الشِّيْبِ وانْتَقَبَا

Thirty brought forth in any man

Save he who wore grey hair’s gown and turban

وَالْمَرْءُ مَنْ شَنَّ فِي الأَيّامِ غارَتَهُ

فَبادَرَ الْعَيْشَ بِاللَّذّاتِ وَانْتَهَبا

He who sharpened time’s arrows at morn

And hastened after pleasures to plunder them

ما شاءَ فَلْيَتَّخِذْ أَيّامَهُ فُرَصاً

فَلَيْسَ يَوْمٌ بِمَرْدُودٍ إِذا ذَهَبَا

Let him make of his days opportunities

No day returns once gone, no breath recalled

هَلِ الصِّبي غَيْرُ مَحْبُوبٍ ظَفِرْتُ بِهِ

لَمْ أَقْضِ مِنْ حُبِّهِ قَبْلَ النَّوى أَرَبا

Was not my love an unloved boy I gained?

Before I’d had my fill, the stars set at dawn

إِنِّي لأَحْسُدُ مَنْ طاحَ الْغَرامُ بِهِ

وَجَاذَبَتْهُ حِبالُ الشَّوْقِ فَانْجَذَبا

How I envy him consumed by love-fires

Whose heartstrings passion tugged till they snapped

وَالْعَجْزُ أَنْ أَتْرُكَ الأُوْطارِ مُقْبِلَةً

حتّى إِذا أَدْبَرَتْ حاوَلْتُها طَلَبا

How powerless am I to leave the wine-cups

Till they’re empty, then seek them though fled

مالِي وَلِلْحَظِّ لا يَنْفَكُّ يَقْذِفُ بِي

صُمِّ الْمَطالِبِ لا وِرْداً وَلا قَرَبا

My fate and luck relent not tossing me

Hardships, no gifts or wishes granted

أَصْبَحْتُ فِي قَبْضَةِ الأَيّامِ مُرْتَهَناً

نائِي الْمَحَلِّ طَرِيداً عَنْهُ مُغْتَرِبا

I pledged myself to the grip of time

Far from home, an exile chased away

أَلَحَّ دَهْرٌ لَجُوجٌ فِي مُعانَدَنِي

فَكُلَّما رُضْتُه فِي مَطْلَبٍ صَعُبا

Relentless time persisted tormenting me

If I sought an arduous desire from it

كَخائِضِ الُوَحْلِ إِذْ طالَ الْعَناءُ بِهِ

فَكُلَّما قَلْقَلَتْهُ نَهْضَةٌ رَسَبا

Like one toiling in mud when tired of strife

Each effort to escape it bogged him deeper

لأَسْلُكَنَّ صُرُوفَ الدَّهْرِ مُقْتَحِماً

هُوْلاً يُزَهِّدُ فِي الأَيّامِ مَنْ رَغِبا

I will brave the turns of time undaunted

Fears that would make the bold flee terrified

غَضْبانَ لِلْمَجْدِ طَلاّباً بِثَأْرِ عُلاً

وَاللَّيْثُ أَفْتَكُ ما لاقى إِذا غَضِبا

Let no fear of it curb your desire

The exalted soul disdains unease

عِنْدِي عَزائمُ رَأْيٍ لُوْ لَقِيتُ بِها

صَرْفَ الزَّمانِ لَوَلىّ مُمْعِناً هَرَبا

Be as you wish if you bring no disgrace

No shame to a sword but to be called “blunt”

لا يَمْنَعَنَّكَ مِنْ أَمْرٍ مَخافَتُهُ

لَيْسَ الْعُلى النَفِيسِ يَكْرَهُ الْعَطَبا

Seek not the aloof with irksome persistence

Rarely is an eager lover appeased

كُنْ كَيْفَ شِئْتَ إِذا ما لَمْ تَخِمْ فَرَقاً

لا عَيْبَ لِلسَّيْفِ إِلاّ أَنْ يُقالَ نَبا

Time’s daughters will know what they have wrought

Should creative thought’s daughters rage at me

لا تَلْحَ فِي طَلَب الْعَلْياءِ ذا كَلَفٍ

فَقَلَّما أَعْتَبَ الْمُشْتاقُ مَنْ عَتَبا

These meters - if a theme arm itself against me

They are what my resolve desires - spear or gazelle

لَتَعْلَمَنَّ بَناتُ الدَّهْرِ ما صَنَعَتْ

إِذا اسْتَشاطَتْ بَناتُ الْفِكْرِ لِي غَضَبا

Rare beauties led to a king

Save he allowed them love and dalliance

هِيَ الْقَوافِي فَإِنْ خَطْبٌ تَمَرَّسَ بِي

فَهُنَّ ما شاءَ عَزْمِي مِنْ قَنَاً وَظُبا

Wondrous ones the caravan attained not

Save their guides lamented the return

عَقائِلٌ قَلَّما زُفَّتْ إِلى مَلِكٍ

إلاّ أَباحَ لَهُنَّ الْوُدَّ وَالنَّشَبا

From each beauty who takes souls captive

If her voice echoes, it stirs confusion

غَرائِبٌ ما حَدا الرَّكْبُ الرِّكابَ بِها

إِلاّ تَرَنَّحْنّ مِنْ تَرْجِيعهِا طَرَبا

Dawn’s lightning flashed and the night fires blazed

Each gust of wind enflamed them further

مِنْ كُلِّ حَسْناءَ تَقْتادُ النُّفُوسَ هَوىً

إِذا أَلَمَّ بِسَمْعٍ رَجْعُها خَلَبا

The paths of hopes were illuminated

Abandoning kings for their superiors

شامَتْ بُرُوقَ حَياً باتَتْ تَشِبُّ كَما

تُجاذِبُ الرِّيحُ عَنْ أَرْماحِها الْعَذَبا

Seeking the most luminous, generous and noble

The proudest, strongest and best descended

وَاسْتَوْضَحَتْ سبُلً الآمالِ حائِدَةً

عَنِ الْمُلُوكِ إِلى أَعْلاهُمُ حَسَبا

It spread the glory-kingdom’s shade

Rejoicing where the halo of rule poured forth

تَؤُمُّ أَبْهَرَهُمْ فَضْلاً وَأَغْمَرَهُمْ

بَذْلاً وَأَفْخَرَهُمْ فِعْلاً وَمُنْتَسَبا

Impregnable, flourishing, victorious

In purpose and thought – the elite

تَفَيَّأَتْ ظِلَّ فَخْرِ الْمُلْكِ وَاغْتَبَطَتْ

بِحَيْثُ حُلَّ عِقالُ الْمُزْنِ فَانْسَكَبا

Of a people who always roused against each foe

Fires whose flames punished their enemies

حَتّى إِذا وَرَدَتْ تَهْفُو قَلائِدَها

أَلْفَتْ أَغَرَّ بِتاجِ الْمَجْدَ مُعْتَصِبا

Flashing blades in their hands like lightning

When it dwells in heavy rainclouds

أَشَمَّ أَشْوَسَ مَضْرُوباً سُرادِقُهُ

عَلى الْمَالِكِ مُرْخٍ دُونَها الْحُجُبا

Of each most splendid one, when the steps

Of defenders fell short facing hated things

مُمَنَّعَ الْعِزِّ مَعْمُورَ الْفِناءِ بِهِ

مُظَفَّرَ الْعَزْمِ وَالآراءِ مُنْتَجَبا

Not like one whose aspirations fell short

Deeming far that which had drawn near

مِنْ مَعْشَرٍ طالَما شَبُّوا بِكُلِّ وَغىً

ناراً تَظَلُّ أَعادِيهِمْ لهَا حَطَبا

With resolute purpose their blows would have cracked

Impenetrable cliffs of the towering mounts

بِيضٌ تَوَقَّدُ فِي أَيْمانِهِمْ شُعَلٌ

هِيَ الصَّواعِقُ إِذْ تَسْتَوْطِنُ السُّحُبا

Open-veined, with a lineage from Tayyi’

His eloquence, had it been mere words, would suffice

مِنْ كُلِّ أرْوَعَ مَضّاءٍ إِذا قَصُرتْ

خُطى الْمُحامِينَ فِي مَكْرُوهَةٍ وَثَبا

Destroyers of wealth never built it up

Cultivators of hopes never destroyed them

ذا لا كَمَنْ قَصَّرَتْ فِي الْمَجْدِ هِمَّتُهُ

فَباتَ يَسْتَبْعِدُ الْمَرْمى الَّذِي قَرُبا

Kin of generosity, his origins were pure

Generosity flows in one of such descent

عَضْبِ الْعَزِيمَةِ لَوْ لاقَتْ مَضارِبُها

طُوْداً مِنَ الْمُشْرِفاتِ الصُّمِّ لاَنْقَضَبا

As for kings, why heed my ambitions?

Grey hairs seem white atop white hair

زاكِي الْعُرُوقِ لَهُ مِنْ طَيِّءٍ حَسَبٌ

لُوْ كَانَ لَفْظاً لَكانَ النَّظْمَ وَالْخُطَبا

Save the justice of a king who perfects all hearts

When a lover’s heart is cured, praise flows

الْهَادِمِينَ مِنَ الأَمْوالِ ما عَمَرُوا

وُالْعامِرِينَ مِنَ الآمالِ ما خَرِبا

Time’s darts once pursued me

Today I roam the land in disquiet

رَهْطِ السَّماحِ وَفِيهِمْ طابَ مَوْلِدُهُ

إِنَّ السَّماحَ يَمانٍ كُلَّما انْتَسَبا

Shall I hope, without you, for succour from woes?

Then your palm brought me no relief from them

أَمّا الْمُلُوكُ فَمالِي عِنْدَهُمْ هَمِمِي

وَالْشُّهْبُ تَحْسَبُها مِنْ فَوْقِها الشُّهُبا

Had the days willed, the nearest neighbor

Would have hindered, be the abode vast

خَلا نَدى مَلِكٍ تُصْبِي خَلائِقُهُ

قَلْبَ الثَّناءِ إِذا قَلْبُ الْمُحِبِّ صَبا

Who volunteers wealth, firstly, lastly, asked

Who safeguards glory, inherited, earned

لَقَدْ رَمَتْ بِي مَرامِيها النَّوى زَمناً

فَالْيَوْمَ لا أَنْتَحِي فِي الأَرْضِ مُضْطَرَبا

The green-budding gift he then doubles

Not sparing what he in bounty gave

أَأَرْتَجِي غَيْرَ عَمّارٍ لِنائِبَةٍ

إِذَنْ فَلا آمَنَتْنِي كَفُّهُ النُّوبَا

When I desired, his feelings came to me

Shade that brought ease what fate denied

الْمَانِعُ الْجارَ لُوْ شاءَ الزَّمانُ لَهُ

مَنْعاً لَضاقَ بِهِ ذَرْعاً وَإِنْ رَحُبا

Sincerity and wisdom - the finest gift

Divinely given, but rarely gained

الْبَاذِلُ الْمالَ مَسْئُولاً وَمُبْتَدِئاً

وَالصائِنُ الْمَجْدَ مَوْرُوثاً وَمُكْتَسَبا

Life seems verdant, words reach my ears

When heard they relieve the heart of grief

اَلْواهِبُ النِّعْمَةَ الْخَضْرَاءَ يُتْبِعُها

أَمْثالَها غَيْرَ مُعْتَدٍّ بِما وَهَبا

Noble in deed and word, sight and sound

Profiting wealth and manners

إِذا أَرَدْتُ أَفاءَتْنِي عَواطِفُهُ

ظِلاًّ يُريحُ لِيَ الْحَظِّ الَّذِي عَزَبا

As a garden that gives wanderers perfume

The breeze sweet, vistas wondrous

وَالْجَدُّ وَالْفَهْمُ أَسْنى مِنْحَةٍ قُسِمَتْ

لِلطالِبينَ وَلكِنْ قَلَّما اصْطَحَبا

With your bliss time’s seasons have returned

Still fresh, attainments repeated

أَرانِي الْعَيْشَ مُخْضَراً وَأَسْمَعَنِي

لَفْظاً إِذا خاضَ سَمْعاً فَرَّجَ الْكُرَبا

You have lived in bliss, no loss but gain

No day of drought or rain that harms

خَلائِقُ حَسُنَتْ مَرْأىً وَمُسْتَمَعاً

قَوْلاً وَفِعْلاً يُفِيدُ الْمالَ وَالأَدَبا

Time’s evils are done oppressing me

No drying pool or mirage left

كَالرَّوْضِ أَهْدى إِلى رُوّادِهِ أَرَجاً

يُذْكِي النَّسِيمَ وَأَبْدى مَنْظَراً عَجَبا

It favored much lowered position

And life oft made bitter, then sweet

عادَتْ بِسَعْدِكَ أَعْيادُ الزَّمانِ وَلا

زالَ الْهَناءُ جَدِيداً وَالْمُنى كَثَبا

Naught made my purpose staunch save you

I hoped in none but you, and deemed it worship

وَعِشْتَ ما شِئْتَ لا زَنْدٌ يُقالُ كَبا

يُوْماً وَلا بَرْقُ غَيْثٍ مِنْ نَداكَ خَبا

O Lord, a smooth-flanked steed

Whose cloak seems aflame in the gloaming

إِنَّ الزَّمانَ بَرَتْ عُودِي نَوائِبُهُ

فَما أُعَدُّ بِهِ نَبْعاً وَلا غَرَبا

Dawn reveals his bay robe

Morning showers gold on his shoulders

وَغالُ بِالْخَفْضِ جَدّاً كانَ مَعْتَلِياً

وَبِالْمَرارَةِ عَيْشاً طالَما عَذُبا

He flows, the eye retreats beholding

As lightning flashes and is gone

فَما سَخا الْعَزْمُ بِي إِلاّ إِلَيْكَ وَلا

وَقَفْتُ إِلاّ عَلَيْكَ الظَّنَّ مُحْتَسِبا

Full of vitality, though tiredness takes him,

Playing while exerting himself

يا رُبَّ أَجْرَدَ وَرْسِيٍّ سَرابِلُهُ

تَكادُ تَقْبِسُ مِنْهُ فِي الدُّجَى لَهَبا

He gallops, the neighing attends him

As the tumultuous sea foams and rages

إِذا نَضا الْفَجْرُ عَنْهُ صِبْغَ فِضَّتِهِ

أَجْرى الصَّباحُ عَلَى أَعْطافِهِ ذَهَبا

Your hand freely granted him when you gave

Before asking, be as generous today

يَجْرِي فَتَحْسُرُ عَنْهُ الْعَيْنُ ناظِرَةً

كَما اسْتَطارَ وَمِيضُ الْبَرْقِ وَالْتَهَبَا

Gently, House of Ammar, when your

Horses of munificence race the plain

جَمِّ النَّشاطِ إِذا ظُنَّ الْكَلالُ بِهِ

رَأْيتَ مِنْ مَرَحٍ فِي جِدّهِ لَعِبا

Send them not armies on your day of bounty

Vanguards suffice to reach the goal

يَرْتاحُ لِلْجَرْيِ فِي إِمْساكِهِ قَلِقاً

حَتّى كَأَنَّ لَهُ فِي راحَةٍ تَعَبا

Your virtues exhaust all praise

I have none left before praising you

يَطْغى مِراحاً فَيَعْتَنُّ الصَّهِيلُ لَهُ

كَالْبَحْرِ جاشَ بِهِ الآذِي فَاصْطَخَبا

If I strung stars praising you

I could not fulfil a shred of what you merit

جادَتْ يَداكَ بِهِ فِي عُرْضِ ما وَهَبْتْ

قَبْلَ السُّؤَالِ وَأَحْرِ كالْيَوْمَ أَنْ تَهَبا

I thank time whose events

And betrayals to me were means to your bounty

رفْقاً بِنا آلَ عَمّارٍ إِذا طَلَعَتْ

خَيْلُ السَّماحِ عَلَى سَرْحِ الثَّنا سُرَبا

How often the basest of its vestments

Were finer than what it stripped away

لا تَبْعَثُوها جُيُوشاً يَوْمَ جُودِكُمُ

إِنَّ الطَّلائِعَ مِنْها تَبْلُغُ الأَرَبا

I tasted not the fruits of life with you

Save I found your munificence mixed in

قَدْ أَنْضَبَ الْحَمْدَ ما تَأْتِي مَكارِمُكُمْ

ما خِلْتُ أَنَّ مَعِيناً قَبْلَهُ نَضَبا

Human:

وَلَوْ نَظَمْتُ نُجُومَ اللَّيْلِ مُمْتَدِحاً

لُمْ أَقْضِ مِنْ حَقِّكُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي وَجَبا

لأَشْكُرَنَّ زَماناً كانَ حادِثُهُ

وَغَدْرُهُ بِي إِلى مَعْرُوفِكُمْ سَبَبا

فَكَمْ كَسا نِعْمَةً أَدْنى مَلابِسِها

أَسْنى مِنَ النِّعْمَةِ الأُولى الَّتِي سَلَبا

وَما ارْتَشَفْتُ ثَنايا الْعَيْشِ عِنْدَكُمُ

إِلاّ وَجَدْتُ بِها مِنْ جُودِكُمْ شَنبَا