أَلا مَن لِمَسجونٍ بِغَيرِ جِنايَةٍ
يُعَدُّ مِنَ المَوتى وَما حانَ يَومُهُ
Is there no one for a prisoner, guilty of no crime—
from whom Death takes its toll though his appointed day has not come?
يُرَوِّعُهُ عِندَ الصَباحِ اِنتِباهُهُ
وَطوبى لَهُ طالَ وَاِمتَدَّ نَومُهُ
At morning, his awakening fills him with terror,
and blessed is he when his sleep is long and stretches on.
جَفاهُ بِلا ذَنبٍ أَتاهُ صَديقُهُ
وَأَسلَمَهُ لِلهَمِّ وَالحُزنِ قَومُهُ
His friend has shunned him for no offense he committed,
and his people abandoned him to care and sorrow.
وَأَرخَصَ مِنهُ الدَهرُ ما كانَ غالِياً
عَلى مُشتَري الأَحزانِ في الناسِ سَومُهُ
And Time has cheapened all in him that once was precious;
among men, his value is set for one who would purchase sorrows.
فَيا اِبنَ الدَوامِيِّ الَّذي جودُ كَفِّهِ
عَميمٌ وَفي بَحرِ المَكارِمِ عَومُهُ
So, O son of al-Dawām, whose hand’s generosity
is all-embracing, and whose course is through the sea of noble deeds:
وَلِيُّكَ ضامَتهُ اللَيالي وَقَد يُرى
حَراماً عَلى الأَيّامِ وَالدَهرِ ضَيمُهُ
The nights have wronged his renown, though it may well be deemed
forbidden for days and Time to do him wrong.
فَزُر عائِداً مِن يَومُ لُقياكَ عيدُهُ
فَقَد طالَ عَن تِلكَ الوَظيفَةِ صَومُهُ
So visit, as one tending the sick, him whose day of meeting you is his feast;
for his fast from that appointed observance has lasted long.
وَقَد كُنتَ قِدماً مُشفِقاً مِن مَلامَةٍ
فَما بالُهُ قَد هانَ عِندَكَ لَومُهُ
Of old, you were apprehensive of reproach—
how, then, has his reproach come to weigh so lightly with you?
Sol 5.6