أَثقَلَ ظَهري بِالمِنَن

خِدنُ العُلى أَبو الحَسَن

He burdened my back with kindness,

Khidan, lord of nobility, Abul Hasan,

وَصانَني عَن ذِلَّةٍ

لَولاهُ عَنها لَم أُصَن

And protected me from humiliation—

Without him, from it I would not have been protected.

الطاهِرُ الجَيبِ النَقِي

يُ العِرضِ مِن غَيرِ دَرَن

Pure of pocket, of unsullied virtue,

Guarding my honor without flaw,

أَعَزُّ مَيمونٌ عَلى

سِرِّ الصَديقِ مُؤتَمَن

Most honorable trusted Meimoun

With the heart of the Siddiq entrusted,

يَجمَعُ بَينَ الخُلُقِ المَ

حمودِ وَالخَلقِ الحَسَن

Bringing together praiseworthy character

And good manner,

لِلَّهِ ما قَلَّدَني

هِ مِن أَيّادٍ وَمِنَنِ

For what he adorned me with

Of gifts and favors—

راهِنَةٍ شُكري بِها

إِلى المَماتِ مُرتَهَن

My gratitude pledged

Until death held in bond.

يَفديكَ مَن لِقاؤُهُ

يُهدي إِلى القَلبِ الحَزَن

May he who meeting you brings

Joy to the saddened heart ransom you,

مُعَدَّمٌ وُجودُهُ

غَضاضَةٌ عَلى الزَمَن

Renewed is his existence,

A freshness upon time,

جَهمُ الجَبينِ وَجهُهُ ال

كَزُّ وَلا جِلدُ السَفَن

Smooth of brow, his face not frowning

Nor sullen as ship hulls.

قَد جَمَعَ الخِسَّةَ في

طولِ القُرونِ في قَرَن

He gathered in his time’s span

Meanness accrued over generations,

يَشناكَ سِرّاً وَلَقَل

لَ أَن يُعاديكَ عَلَن

He backbites you secretly but would not

Dare oppose you openly.

عَلَوتَ قَدراً وَهوَ في ال

ناسِ وَضيعٌ مُمتَهَن

You rose high while he among the people

Remained despised and disgraced,

مِن مَعشَرٍ قَد رَضِعوا

لُؤمَ الطِباعِ في اللبَنِ

Of a breed nursed on

The milk of corrupt natures.

أَصِخ لَها مَدائِحاً

قَد حَكَمَت لي بِاللَسَن

Sing his praises for me

As my tongue has judged right,

تَبقى عَلى المَرءِ وَيَف

نى ما اِقتَنى وَما اِختَزَن

What a man acquires remains his

After what he hoarded passes.

وَهِيَ وِقايَةٌ لِأَع

راضِ الكِرامِ وَجُنَن

It protects the dignified

From madness and insanity—

فَالحُرُّ لا يَبِغي سِوى ال

حَمدِ عَلى العُرفِ ثَمَن

So the noble ask only for

Praise by custom as their price,

فَاِبقَ طَويلَ العُمرِ ما

صابَ غَمامٌ وَهَتَن

Then live long, however much

Clouds swarm and passions rage,

وَما سَرى بَرقٌ وَما

مالَ بِغِرّيدٍ فَنَن

No lightning flashed or twittering sang

In wild trills and rapture.