محل العلا لولا الدني شريف

وظل النهى لولا الغبي وريف

The abode of glory is ignoble without faith,

And the shade of prohibition is base without an ignorant rustic.

وحب الدنا يدني إلى الذل دله

ويعطف عطف العز وهو غروف

And love of the world debases one to humiliation,

And inclines with the inclination of honour while it is fickle.

وركن الهدى واهي الدعائم واهن

إذا لم تشده بالأكف سيوف

The pillar of guidance has weak pillars, feeble,

If swords of hands do not strengthen it.

وراجي العدا لم يدخل الأمن من قلبه

ولما يذدد عنه المخوف مخيف

And he who hopes for harm will not feel safe in his heart,

Nor will the frightening thing that wards it off frighten him.

وطي الفلا اجرى بحر همومه

وهمته تطفو به وتطوف

And to wrap up glory brought forth a sea of worries,

And his ambition floats on it and roams around.

ونيل السها عن غير ادراك حازم

منيع مقام لا يرام منيف

And attaining pleasure without realizing the resolve

Of an unassailable position not to be desired.

ونفس المنى بالندب تستقرب المدا

وان طال تقريب لها ووجيف

And the soul of wishes through lamenting seeks to draw nearer to the beloved,

Though to draw nearer is distant and winding.

ترى للردى جأشاً قوياً على الردى

وقد راح عنها الحظ وهو ضعيف

You see it has a strong inclination towards ruin,

When fortune has abandoned it and it is weak.

ومن كلفته المجد نفس أبية

فأهون محتوم عليه حتوف

And he whom the glory of a noble soul has burdened

The least destined for him is skulls.

خليلي تقديم التوقي مضلة

وعقل أخي المرمى البعيد سخيف

My friend, to prefer hope is misleading,

And the intellect of my brother - the distant goal - is foolish.

يروم تصاريف المقادير دهره

وتغلب أقدار له وصروف

It contemplates the schemes of fate in its time,

And overpowers destinies for it with twists and turns.

هي الدار ما دامت لدار أو ان تكن

أضيفت لها الأشباح فهي ضيوف

It is the house for as long as it is for the house, or if

Spirits were attributed to it, then they are guests.

سقي اللَه ربعاً بالعواصم ما سقي

لذكراه دمعي الخد وهو ذروف

May God water a land with downpours that He has watered

For its memories my cheek's tears which are pouring.

وحيا بذاك الحي عيشاً جنيته

وقد ذللت من جانبيه قطوف

And give life by that Living One a life whose fruits I have reaped,

And whose sides I have smoothed of locks.

بناعمة الأطراف اهصر عطفها

وكفى لطرف النايبات طروف

With the softness of limbs, crawl gently,

And enough for the eyelids' glance to crawl.

تعادل فيه الدهر اما مصيفه

ربيع واما قره فخريف

The seasons equalize in it - either its summer

Spring or its rest autumn.

تذكرينه بالأصائل والضحي

صدوح بأفنان الأراك هتوف

You remember it with night talks and the dawn

Noisy with the anklets' rings of the sand grouse.

تنوح وأبكيها كلانا لغربة

وكل غريب للبكاء الوف

I and you cry over it for the estrangement,

And every stranger cries for the loyal love.

لعل زماناً فوقت لي صروفه

سهام فراقٍ ملن حفيف

Maybe a time its twists will give me

Arrows of separation filled with sighing.

يخفف عبء البعد عني بأوبة

فعب النوي غب اللقاء خفيف

It alleviates the burden of distance from me with longings -

So the difficulty of estrangement is easy.

وآنس خلان الأباعد نافر

واقسي أولي القربى عليك عطوف

And it makes the far-off companion oppose,

And the closest of kin are gentle with you.

ومن جهل الدنيا فأني بعامها

وخبر بنيها ان سئلت عروف

And from ignorance of the world, so inform me about it,

And news of its sons, if asked, is well-known.

لئن خلتهم مثل النضار نظارة

فأنهم بالأختبار زيوف

If I left them like the youthful youthful of sight,

Then in trials they are feeble.

فصيحهم عند النصيحة ألكن

واصحاهم عقلا لديك نزيف

Their eloquence when advising is soft,

And sober of mind with you bleeding.

فلا تطمعن في رأفة من قلوبهم

وهل امرؤ غير الأمير رؤف

So do not covet any tenderness from their hearts,

Is there anyone kind except the prince?

هو ابن علي بن سيفا أخو العلا

أبو الفضل خدن المكرمات حليف

He is the son of Ali son of Saif, brother of glory,

Abu Fadl, singer of favours, ally.

كريم لروّاد الكلا في فنائه

ربيع وفي المشتا الجديب مصيف

Generous to visitors of food in his courtyard,

Spring, and in winter a pleasant summer residence.

جواب مرجيه أجل ولحبذا

وما سمعت منه لعل وسوف

Answering a suitor is sublime and excellent,

And I have not heard from him "maybe" and "hopefully".

لركب أياديه إذا بعد المدا

ذميل لراجي فضله وخفوف

To the convoy of his hands when distant from the beloved

A twig for one hoping for his favour and light.

فما بقعة الأسرى جوده بها

كأن الدنا عين ونائله طيف

So there is no spot of captives his generosity does not reach,

As if the world is an eye and its attainer a phantom.

ينوع للعافين جزل عطائه

فمنها تليد يحتذى وطريف

He varies abundant gifts for the healthy,

From which a precedent emulated and a model are taken.

ولا غرو ان اهدت يداه طرائفاً

وباطنها للمكرمات ظروف

And no wonder that his hands bestow subtleties,

And their essence for favours is covered.

جموع لأشتات الثناء والمها

وهوب لما ابقي سواه تلوف

Groups for the various parts of praise and glory,

And talents for what remains besides them diverse.

أخو عزمات تقتضيها عدالة

بها صحب الذئب الضري خروف

A brother of resolves required by justice

Through which the friendly wolf is a lamb.

يقوم بأمر مقعدٍ همم الوري

ويجلس عزاً والأنام وقوف

He takes the place of a paralyzed one - ambitions stand in awe of him,

And he sits proudly while people stand in awe.

ويرهب منه الألف فرداً لدى الوغى

فكيف إذا غال الألوف الوف

And a thousand individually fear him in tumult,

So how when the thousands mass in crowds?

وفور لو ان الطيس حرف مردد

بفيه لما عدت عليه حروف

And abundant, if the spittle were an echoing letter

In his mouth, I would not count his letters.

يعاقب عند الانتقام بعفوه

وبعض الوري عند العقاب عسوف

He punishes during revenge with his pardon,

And some of the guards during punishment are severe.

ويأنف ذكرى من يسيء بغيبة

إذا ساء والحر الكريم انوف

And he disdains to mention one who slanders in absence

If he is evil and the noble free man has a nose.

ألا أيها المولى الذي ليس دونه

حجاب ولم تسدل عليه سجوف

O Master whom there is no veil in front of,

And no eclipse has descended upon Him!

ومن جوده حتى بكل تنوفة

ينوء بما ضن الحيا وينوف

And from His generosity until whenever

The living thing is stingy and He provides.

تهن بعيد النحر وانحر به العدا

ودم عائداً ما عاد وهو نحيف

Make distant necks bow with what the vile life resented,

And the blood of an enemy - and it does not return while weak.

ولا زلت تنثيها سحائب انعم

بها البرق من بشر عليك خطوف

And clouds of blessings do not cease to rain upon you,

Through which the lightning gives good news of sheets for you.

تعاف المنايا ساحتيك وتعتفي

يديك أمانينا وأنت عفيف

Misfortunes avoid your field and clutch

Our wishes while you are chaste.

ويقصر عن ادراك شأوك طالب

ولو سار مسري الريح وهو عصوف

And one seeking your glory falls short

Even if he travelled like the winds while angry.

لأردع اضدادي واقمع حسدي

وتجدع اعناق لهم وانوف

To restrain my enemies, suppress my envy,

And cut off necks for them and make them bow.

يمينا بمزجي اليعملات إلى منى

منى الخفيف ظهراً والحجيج صفوف

Support me by dissolving sorrows into the object of my desire -

The easy destination and the pilgrims rows.

لقد انصفتك الود نفسي واظهرت

صفاء محياً ما عليه نصيف

Sincerity has done me justice, my soul, and shown

Purity of purpose that has no adulteration.

واني لك العبد الدنى وانني

على الغير حر لا الام صلوف

And I am your lowly servant, and I

Am free of others, not wearing a necklace.

همومي من جدواك ان ابلغ العلا

وهم السوى جو دابة ورغيف

My worries, if I reach glory, are from your generosity,

And caring about anything else is air and loaf.

فهل ترتضي ارجو سواك وارتدي

قلاك واني للعنان صروف

So are you pleased I hope for other than you

And wear a necklace while I am turning?

ولو كان جود الغير كأساً على ظما

لما راق لي اني لذاك رشوف

And if the generosity of others were a cup for thirst,

It would not please me while I am gulping it.

وكل له في كل ارض كفاية

ولكن طرفاً لا يراك كفيف

And everyone in every land has sufficient,

But an eye that does not see you is blind.

وان كلفت بالسعي عندك حسدي

فكل حسود بالكريم كلوف

And if my enemies burdened me with effort from you

Then every envier is covered with hatred.

فلا تسمعن ما صنفته رواتهم

فإن أكاذيب اللئام صنوف

So do not listen to what its narrators have fabricated,

For the lies of villains are diverse.

ولي فيك ما يسطو على القلب لفظه

ويقتسر الألباب وهو لطيف

And I have in you what the expression of which captivates the heart,

And the minds fall short, and it is subtle.

قواف على الأفواه سحر وفي الطلا

جمان وفي إذن المصيخ شنوف

Mouth covers on mouths - magic, and in appearance

A beauty spot, and in the ear of the confounded - plugs.

بقيت بقاء النيرين ولا اعترا

علاك كسوف مثلها وخسوف

You remained with the remaining of the two lights, and I do not blame

Elevations like them and setting.

ففضلك در والأماني نواهل

ولفظك دُر والزمان رصوف

So your virtue is a pearl and wishes are chooseers,

And your words a pearl and time assorters.