إِن كانَ دينُكَ في الصَبابَةِ ديني
فَقِفِ المَطِيَّ بِرَملَتَي يَبرينِ
My religion is in chivalry, if your religion is in youthfulness
Then stop the riding camel at the sands of Rabat
وَالثِم ثَرىً لَو شارَفَت بي هُضبَهُ
أَودي المَطِيِّ لَثَمتُهُ بِجُفوني
And kiss the ground even if its peaks come close to me
The camel’s lips would kiss it with my eyelids
وَاِنشُد فُؤادي في الظِباءِ مُعَرِّضاً
فَبِغَيرِ غِزلانِ الصَريمِ جُنوني
And set my heart free in the beautiful wild deer, preoccupied
So without the roes of the plain, it cures my madness
وَنَشيدَتي بَينَ الخِيامِ وَإِنَّما
غالَطتُ عَنها بِالظِباءِ العَينِ
And my poem amongst the tents when
I was distracted from it by the most beautiful of eyes
لَولا العِدى لَم أَكنِ عَن أَلحاظِها
وَقُدودِها بِجَوازِئٍ وَغُصونِ
If not for the enemies, my eyes would not
Turn away from their glances and tendrils and branches
لِلَّهِ ما اِشتَمَلَت عَليهِ قِبابُهُم
يَومَ النَوى مِن لُؤلوءٍ مَكنونِ
By God, what their domes contained
The day they packed up, of concealed pearls
مِن كُلِّ تائِهَةٍ عَلى أَترابِهِا
بِالحُسنِ غانِيَةٍ عَنِ التَحسينِ
Every confused beauty happy with herself
Not needing to beautify
خَودٍ تُري قَمَرَ السَماءِ إِذا بَدَت
ما بَينَ سالِفَةٍ وَبَينَ جَبينِ
A cheek that shows the moon of the sky when it appears
What is between a braid and a forehead
غادَينَ ما لَمَعَت بُروقُ ثُغورِهِم
إِلّا اِستَهَلَّت بِالدّموعِ جُفوني
When the lightening of their spearheads flashed
My eyelids would only start flowing with tears
إِن تُنكِروا نَفَسَ الصَبا فَلِأَنَّها
مَرَّت بِزَفرَةِ قَلبي المَحزونِ
If you deny that youth was itself
It passed by my sad heart
وَإِذا الرَكائِبُ في الجِبالِ تَلَفَّتَت
فَحَنينُها لِتَلَفُّتي وَحَنيني
And when the riding camels in the mountains wandered
Their longing was for my wandering and my longing
يا سُلمَ إِن ضاعَت عُهودي عِندَكُم
فَأَنا الَّذي اِستَودَعتُ غَيرَ أَمينِ
O Sulayma, if my promises were lost with you
Then I am the one who entrusted an untrustworthy person
أَو عُدتُ مَغبوناً فَما أَنا في الهَوى
لَكُمُ بِأَوَّلِ عاشِقٍ مَغبونِ
Or I returned cheated but I am not in love
The first cheated lover amongst you
رِفقاً فَقَد عَسَفَ الغَرامُ بِمُطلَقِ ال
عَبَراتِ في أَسرِ الغَرامِ رَهينِ
Gently - for the intensity of love made
A prisoner of me, crying in the shackles of passion
مالي وَوَصلَ الغانِياتِ أَرومُهُ
وَلَقَد بَخِلنَ عَلَيَّ بِالماعونِ
And why would I hope for union with the singing girls
When they were stingy to me with even a little property
وَعَلامَ أَشكو وَالدِماءُ مُطاحَةٌ
بِلِحاظِهِنَّ إِذا لَوَينَ دُيوني
And who can I complain to when blood drips
From their glances when they twist my debts
هَيهاتَ ما لِلبيضِ في وُدِّ اِمرِئٍ
أَرَبٌ وَقَد أَربى عَلى الخَمسينِ
Alas! What benefit is there for the white hair
In the love of a man who exceeded fifty
وَمِنَ البَلِيَّةِ أَن تَكونَ مَطالِبي
جَدوى بَخيلٍ أَو وَفاءَ خَؤونِ
And of calamities that my requests be
The use of a stingy man or the loyalty of a betrayer
لَيتَ الضَنينَ عَلى المُحِبِّ بِوَصلِهِ
لَقِنَ السَماحَةَ مِن صَلاحِ الدينِ
If only the stingy would learn generosity from the one who loves them
He would take righteousness from the goodness of Saladin
مَلِكٌ إِذا عَلِقَت يَدٌ بِذِمامِهِ
عَلِقَت بِحَبلٍ في الوَفاءِ مَتينِ
A king whom when a hand takes his reigns
It holds onto a strong rope of loyalty
قادَ الجِيادَ مَعاقِلاً وَإِن اِكتَفى
بِمَعاقِلٍ مِن رَأيِهِ وَحُصونِ
He led the thoroughbred horses and sufficed
With strongholds of his opinion and his castles
وَأَعَدَّ لِلأَعداءِ كُلَّ مُهَنَّدٍ
وَمُثَقَّفٍ وَمُضاعَفٍ مَوضونِ
And prepared for his enemies every shooter
And literary scholar and everything strong and secure
سَهِرَت جُفونُ عِداهُ خيفَةَ ماجِدٍ
خُلِقَت صَوارِمُهُ بِغَيرِ جُفونِ
The eyelids of his enemies stayed awake fearful of Mujahid
Whose swords were created without eyelids
لَو أَنَّ لِلَّيثِ الهِزَبرِ سُطاهُ لَم
يَلجَأ إِلى غابٍ لَهُ وَعَرينِ
If the lion had his canine teeth resources
He would not resort to a forest that is his den
وَالبَحرُ لَو مُزِجَت بِهِ أَخلاقُهُ
عادَت مِياهُ البَحرِ غَيرَ أُجونِ
And if the sea was mixed with his ethics
The water of the sea would not become salty
وَالأَرضُ لَو شيبَت بِطيبِ ثَناهُ لَم
تُنبِت سِوى الخَيرِيِّ وَالنِسرينِ
And if the earth greyed with the aroma of his breath
It would only grow clover and lilies
وَالدَهرُ لَو أَعداهُ طيبَ طِباعِهِ
ما شينَ مِن أَبنائِهِ بِضَنينِ
And if time were his enemy, the goodness of his nature
Would not taint it with any stinginess from its children
قَسَماً لَقَد فَضَلَ اِبنُ أَيّوبَ الحَيا
بِسَماحِ كَفٍّ بِالنُضارِ هَتونِ
By God, the son of Ayyub excelled over all people
With the generosity of palm full of youthful overflowing
مَخلوقَةٍ مِن سودَدٍ وَنَدىً وَقَد
خُلِقَ الأَنامُ سُلالَةً مِن طينِ
Created from blackness, dew, and a complexion
While people were created from a clay lineage
يا مَن إِذا نَزَلَ الوُفودُ بِبابِهِ
نَزَلوا بِجَمٍّ مِن نَداهُ مَعينِ
Oh you who when delegations come to your door
They come down with a bounty flowing from your caller
أَضحَت دِمَشقُ وَقَد حَلَلتَ بِرَبعِها
مَأوى الطَريدِ وَمَوإِلَ المِسكينِ
Damascus became with your justice since you stayed in its quarters
A refuge for the exiled and destination for the deprived
وَغَدَت بِعَدلِكَ وَهِيَ أَكرَمُ مَنزِلٍ
تُلقى الرِحالُ بِهِ وَخَيرُ قَطينِ
And with your justice it became the most generous house
Where trips are welcomed, the best host
يُثني عَليكَ المُعتَفونَ بِها كَما
تُثني الرِياضُ عَلى السَحابِ الجونِ
Those who confess to it praise you
Like prairies praise ascending clouds
لَكَ عِفَّةٌ في قُدرَةٍ وَتَواضُعٌ
في عِزَّةٍ وَشَراسَةٍ في لينِ
You have honour in power and humility in glory
And gentleness in hardness
قَسَمَت يَمينُكَ في الوَرى الأَرزاقَ وَالآ
جالَ بَينَ مُنىً وَبَينَ مَنونِ
Your right hand divided provisions and lifespans
Between wishes and death in the world
وَأَرَيتَنا بِجَميلِ صُنعِكَ ما رَوى ال
راوونَ عَن أُمَمٍ خَلَت وَقُرونِ
You showed us from your beautiful favours what storytellers told
About past nations and centuries
وَضَمِنتُ أَن تُحيِي لَنا أَيّامَهُم
بِالمَكرُماتِ وَكُنتَ خَيرَ ضَمينِ
And I guaranteed that you will revive their days for us
With gifts and you were the best guarantor
كادَ الأَعادي أَن يُصيبَكَ كَيدُها
لَو لَم تَكِدكَ بِرَأيِها المَأفونِ
The enemies were about to take you with their plots
If you had not schemed against their hidden plots
تُخفي عَداوَتَها وَراءَ بَشاشَةٍ
فَتَشِفُّ عَن نَظَرٍ لَها مَشفونِ
They hide their animosity behind amiability
Exposing a look they have concealed for you
دَفَنَت حَبائِلَ مَكرِها فَرَدَدتَها
تَدوى بِغَيظِ صُدورِها المَدفونِ
They buried their conspiracies so you threw them back
Moaning inside their buried chests
وَعَلِمتَ ما أَخفوا كَأَنَّ قُلوبَهُم
أَفضَت إِلَيكَ بِسِرِّها المَحزونِ
And you knew what they hid as if their hearts
Poured their secret sorrow to you
كَمِنوا وَكَم لَكَ مِن كَمينِ سَعادَةٍ
في الغَيبِ يَظهَرُ مِن وَراءِ كَمينِ
How much good fortune lies in wait for you
In the unseen to appear from behind waiting
فَهَوَت نُجومُ سُعودِهِم وَقَضى لَهُم
بِالنَحسِ طائِرُ جَدِّكَ المَيمونِ
The stars of their fortune fell and the bird of your grandfather decided
Misfortune and bad luck for them
وَتَمَلَّ دَولَتَكَ الَّتي حَكَمَت لَكَ ال
أَقدارُ بِالتَأيِيدِ وَالتَمكينِ
Your everlasting kingdom which fate ruled for you
With confirmation and enablement
وَإِلَيكَ بِكراً مِن ثَنائِكَ حُرَّةً
تَختالُ في وَشي القَوافي العونِ
Pure praise comes to you prancing
In the harmony of poetry helping
غَرّاءَ ما دَنِسَت مَلابِسُها عَلى
أَيدي اللِئامٍ بِنائِلٍ مَمنونِ
She has not been dirtied by the hands of villains
With accepted wishes thrown at the riding camels
أَرَجُ الثَناءِ يَفوحُ مِن أَثنائِها
وَكَأَنَّما جاءَتكَ مِن دارينِ
The pleasant praise rises from its praises
As if she came to you from my house
كَم سامَني فيها البَخيلُ وَلَم أَكُن
لَأَشينَ رَونَقَ حُسنِها بِمَشينِ
How much did the stingy blame me yet I could not
Disturb its splendor with something ugly
أَتَراهُ يَطمَعُ أَن يَصونَ ثَراءَهُ
عَنّي وَوَجي عَنهُ غَيرُ مَصونِ
Does he hope to protect his wealth from me
While revealing it unprotected from others!
فَاِجعَل قَبولَكَ وَاِهتِزازَكَ مَهرَها
وَاِظفَر بِعِلقٍ في الثَناءِ ثَمينِ
So make your acceptance and throbbing her price
And win a precious jewel in praise
وَأَبيكَ ما سامَحتُ في إِرسالِها
دوني لِأَنّي قانِعٌ بِالدونِ
And I swear by your father I did not rush in sending it
Before me while I am content with less
كَلّا وَلا أَنّي أُراعُ لِنِيَّةٍ
قَذَفٍ عَلى أَيدي المَطِيِّ شَطونِ
No but nor am I wary of an intention
Thrown at the hands of riding poets
لَكِن أُصَيبِيةٌ لِوَقعِ فِراقِهِم
في القَلبِ وَقعُ اللَهذَمِ المَسنونِ
But the calamity of them leaving
Falls on my heart like nails being driven
لَولاهُمُ ما قادَني أَمَلٌ وَلا
عَلِقَت بِأَسبابِ الرَجاءِ ظُنوني
If not for them no hopes made me desire
Nor tied the reasons for wishes my suspicions
قَسَماً بِما قَصَدَ الحَجيجُ لَهُ وَما
ضَمَّتهُ مَكَّةُ مِن صَفاً وَحَجونِ
I swear by the sacred places the pilgrims head for
And what Mecca comprised of clear plain and pebbles
وَبِكُلِّ أَشعَثَ كَالحَنِيَّةِ شاحِبٍ
يَهوي بِهِ حَرفٌ كَحَرفِ النونِ
And by every unkempt person pale like a temple
Whose condition fell like the letter noon
وَبِكُلِّ دامِيَةِ الأَظُلِّ شِمِلَّةٍ
وَجناءَ فَتلاءِ الذِراعِ أَمونِ
And by every blood-stained black robe
And rough skin on the forearm, trusted
مَنظومَةٍ نَظمَ السُطورِ يَعومُ بَح
رَ الآلِ مِنها رَكبُها بِسَفينِ
A constructed poem where the lines float on an ocean
From it the ship of progeny set sail with boats
لَولاكَ لَم يُشدَد عَلى ظَهرِ المُنى
رَحلي وَلَم يُعلَق عَليهِ وَضيني
If not for you my travel provisions would not be loaded
Onto the back of my wish nor my budget tied to it
وَلَطالَما عُفتُ المَطالِبَ قَبلَها
وَنَفَضتُ مِن جَدوى المُلوكِ يَميني
And I have often been discreet about requests before them
And shaken off the use of kings, my helper
فَإِذا أُنيخَت فيِ عِراصِكَ عيسُها
فَاِعلَم أَبيتَ اللَعنَ عِلمَ يَقينِ
So when her saddle rests in your yard
Know I will curse whoever knows with certainty
أَنّي اِمرُوءٌ هَجرُ المَطامِعِ مَذهَبي
وَالصَونُ عادي وَالقَناعَةُ ديني
That I am a man who deserted greed as my approach
And protection is my enemy and contentment my religion
لا الفَقرُ يُلبِسنُي لِباسَ مَذَلَّةٍ
ضَرَعاً وَلا ثَوبُ الغِنى يُطغيني
Neither does poverty dress me in clothes of humiliation
Pleading nor does the garment of wealth make me transgress
وَالبَحرُ عِندي حينَ أَطمَعُ نَغبَةٌ
وَإِذا قَنِعتُ فَبُلغَةٌ تَكفيني
And the sea to me when greed desires
Is endless; and when I am content a span suffices me
قَد هَذَّبتَبي لِلزَمانِ تَجارِبٌ
فَأَقادَ صَعبي وَاِستَلانَ حَروني
Time’s trials have disciplined me well
My difficulties taught me and its good times trained me
شَحَذَت لَياليهِ غِرارَ خَلائِقي
بِصَياقِلٍ مِن صَرفِها وَقُيونِ
Its nights sharpened the instincts of my manners
With whetstones from its cycles and its spears
فَاليَومَ لا أَنا حاسِدٌ لِثَراءِ مَن
فَوقي وَلا زارٍ عَلى مَن دوني
Today I am not jealous of the money of those
Above me nor visiting those below me
وَلَقَد رَقَدتُ وَلِلزَمانِ قَوارِضٌ
تَعتادُني وَشَوائِبٌ تُصميني
I have slept while time has talons
That domesticate me and impurities that make me deaf
أُغضي عَليها وَالإِباءُ يُهِبُّ بي
قِوَّض خِيامَكَ عَن دِيارِ الهونِ
I forgive them while determination makes me rave
Tear down your tents from the lands of humiliation
وَاِقصِد حِمى مَلِكٍ عَزيزٍ جارُهُ
سامي الذَوائِبِ شامِخِ العِرنينِ
And seek refuge in the sanctuary of a mighty king whose neighbor is
One whose banners are high, his trees lofty
وَاِهدِ الثَناءَ إِلى أَعَزَّ فَسيحِ أَق
طارِ المَحامِدِ بِالثَناءِ قَمينِ
And send praise to the most glorious who fills the horizons with praise
The trainer in praise, overseer of poetry
