مَغانِمُ صَفوِ العَيشِ أَسنى المَغانِمِ
هِيَ الظِلَّ إِلّا أَنَّهُ غَيرُ دائِمِ
The fairest life's rewards are the finest spoils,
Though they are but shadows that do not last.
مَلَكتُ زِمامَ العَيشِ فيها وَطالَما
رَفَعتُ بِها أولى وُقوعِ الجَوازِمِ
I held the reins of life therein, and ofttimes
Raised its prime till the ballistas fell.
مَغاني الحِمى جادَت سَحائِبُ أَدمُعي
عَليكَ إِذا جَفَّت جُفونُ الغَمائِمِ
My battle steeds were roused by the tears I wept
For you when the clouds' eyes were dry.
مَلاعِبُ لَهوٍ كَم قَضَيتُ بِرَبعِها
لُباناتِ أَيّامِ الصِبا المُتَقادِمِ
The sport I had in its gardens, how much of it
Passed in the morn of youth now gone!
مِنَ الجانِبِ الغَربِيِّ مِن أَرضِ بابِلٍ
مَعاهِدُ أُنسٍ مُشرِقاتُ المَباسِمِ
On Babylon's west side were the trysts
Where smiles would greet me at each visit.
مَعالِمُ بَينَ القَلعَتَينِ وَإِنَّما
مَحَلُّ المَعالي بَينَ تِلكَ المَعالِمِ
Between the two fortresses were the landmarks,
Though the nobility was in their people.
مَكَثتُ بِها دَهراً وَعَيني قَريرَةٌ
بِها وَرَواقُ العِزِّ عالي الدَعائِمِ
Long I stayed there, my eye joyous,
While the halls of glory stood tall-pillared.
مَقيلي ظُهورُ الصافِناتِ وَمُؤنِسي
رِياضُ الكَلا دونَ الحَشايا النَواعِمِ
My siesta — leaves' shade, my friends —
Gardens, sans thorns or harshness.
مَنيعُ يَقيني ضَيمُ كُلِّ غَضَنفَرٍ
طَويلِ نِجادِ السَيفِ ماضي العَزائِمِ
My firm friendship spurns each hot-headed fool,
Vain, tall in pride, rash in his aims.
مَتى جادَ نادى مالُهُ يا لِطارِقٍ
وَإِن سارَ نادى عِرضُهُ يا لِسالِمِ
When he was generous, his wealth proclaimed ‘O Tariq!’
When he walked, his honor proclaimed ‘O Salim!’
مَواضي سُرورٍ لا اِنتِفاعَ بِذِكرِها
إِذا لَم أُعِدها بِاِرتِكابِ العَظائِمِ
No use remembering past joys
Unless I seek deeds of great renown.
مُنَبِّهُ عَزمٍ إِنَّهُ غَيرُ راقِدٍ
وَمُوقِظُ حَزمٍ إِنَّهُ غَيرُ نائِمِ
It rouses my resolve — no dormancy here!
It wakes my wisdom — no sleep to fear!
مَطَلتُ السُرى حَتّى مَلَلتُ كَأَنَّما
عَليَّ مَقامُ الذُلِّ ضَربَةُ لازِمِ
My fortuned stars I watched till I was bored
As though staying lowly was fated for me.
مَنَعتُ عَنِ التَرحالِ عيسي وَمَنعُها
عَنِ المَلِكِ المَنصورِ إِحدى العَظائِمِ
Jesus I hindered from roving, and my act
Hindered the great king Mansur's travel.
مَليكٌ جِبالُ الأَرضِ مِن حِلمِهِ اِنتَشَت
وَأَبحُرُها مِن جودِهِ المُتَلاطِمِ
A king whose mildness rent earth's mountains apart
And whose bounty sets the seas a-surge.
مُفَرِّقُ شَملِ المالِ بَعدَ اِجتِماعِهِ
وَفي راحَتَيهِ جَمعُ شَملِ المَكارِمِ
Who splits wealth after its accumulation
And in his comfort brings honors' union.
مَواهِبُهُ وَقفٌ عَلى كُلِّ طالِبٍ
وَأَسيافُهُ حَتمٌ عَلى كُلِّ آثِمِ
His gifts are for each seeker's taking
And his swords certain for each sinner.
مُقيمٌ بِآياتِ النَدى كُلَّ قاعِدٍ
كَما أَقعَدَت أَسيافُهُ كُلَّ قائِمِ
He keeps each settled man in comfort
As his swords unseat each stirring rebel.
مَحَلُّ الرَدى في سَيفِهِ وَسِنانِهِ
وَبَحرُ النَدىفي كَفِّهِ وَالبَراجِمِ
In his blade and its edge lie havoc,
In his palm and fingertips, waves of generosity.
مَحا بِسَطاهُ ذِكرَ عَمروٍ وَعَنتَرٍ
وَأَحيا نَداهُ ذِكرَ مَعنٍ وَحاتِمِ
He erased all mention of Amr and Antarah
And revived the repute of Ma'n and Hatim.
مَكارِمُ كَفٍّ لا تَزالُ بِها الوَرى
مُطَوَّقَةً أَعناقُها كَالحَمائِمِ
The palms' glories, which ever bind the world
About its neck like a ringdove.
مُعَوَّدَةٍ بِالبَسطِ إِلّا إِذا غَدَت
بِمَتنِ يَراعٍ أَو بِقائِمِ صارِمِ
Unwont to hoarding, unless appearing
With a lion's blow or erect, blade-wielding.
مُشيدُ العُلى لا تارِكٌ خِلَّةَ النَدى
وَلا سامِعٌ في الجودِ لَومَةَ لائِمِ
The exalted one leaves no lack of moisture
And hears no blamer's rebuke in his munificence.
مُصِرٌّ عَلى بَذلِ الهِباتِ يَسُرَّهُ
إِذا أَصبَحَت أَموالُهُ بِالمَآتِمِ
Bent on sacrificing wealth, made happy
When his riches greet the morning shrouded.
مَزيدُ العَطا لا يُلحِقُ الجودَ مِنَّةً
وَلا يُتبِعُ الأَموالَ حَسرَةَ نادِمِ
Increased giving cannot match his bounty
Or trail regret like a repentant man.
مَضيفُ الوَرى مِثلُ الرَبيعِ بِرَبعِهِ
وَأَيّامُهُم في ظِلِّهِ كَالمَواسِمِ
A host for all, like springtime in its prime,
Its days in his shade like seasons fair.
مَرَرنا حُفاةً في مَقادِسِ رَبعِهِ
كَأَنّا مُشاةٌ فَوقَ هامِ النَعائِمِ
Barefoot we trod his land's holy ground
As though treading lofty riches.
مَشَينا وَلَو أَنّا وَفَينا بِحَقِّهِ
مَشَينا عَلى الأَحداقِ دونَ المَناسِمِ
Though we fulfilled his due, we'd have walked
Upon live coals instead of cushions.
مَدى الدَهرِ لا زالَت تَحُجُّ بَنو الرَجا
إِلَيهِ وَتَحظى بِالغِنى وَالغَنائِمِ
Time without end, men of pride journey to him
And gain wealth and spoils.
