1. دعوت الغزال نهار السفرْ

    فثنى الغزالة لما سفرْ

    I called the gazelle on the day of departure.

    Then he turned the sun aside when he unveiled his face.

  2. وحذرني من وشاة الحمى

    وقال السلام على من صبر

    And warned me against the protected domain's talebearers.

    And said, "Peace be upon whoever endures."

  3. فما برَّد القلب ذاك السلام

    ولا كفكف الدمع كف الحذر

    But that salutation did not cool my heart,

    nor did caution's hand wipe away the tears.

  4. ولما تدانت نياق النوى

    وعز العناق لدى من حضر

    And when separation's she-camels drew near,

    and embracing grew difficult before those present,

  5. تثنى فمالت غصون النقا

    وولى فماجت جبال القمر

    he swayed, and the dunes' boughs bent;

    and he departed, and the Mountains of the Moon surged.

  6. وصارت دموعي على عارضي

    كنال الوزير على من شكر

    And my tears upon my cheek became

    like the minister's bounty upon those who gave thanks:

  7. مُسَكِّنِ أهل الفساد الكدى

    وصالبِهم في جذوع الشجر

    he who settles the corrupt on stony mounds,

    and crucifies them upon tree trunks,

  8. وصارفِهم بحدود الظبى

    لنار السعير ووادي سقر

    and drives them, with the edges of swords,

    to the blazing fire and the valley of Saqar—

  9. جزاءً من القيدموس الذي

    أفاض النحوس على من كفر

    a recompense from the mighty Sovereign, who

    poured misfortune upon those who disbelieved.

  10. فبالشيروانيّ أحيا الحدود

    إلهُ الوجود وأعفى الضرر

    For through al-Shirwani, the prescribed punishments were revived

    by the God of existence, who removed harm.

  11. فزال الغرور وعاد الحبور

    وعاش السرور ومات الكدر

    So delusion vanished and gladness returned;

    and joy lived, while distress died.

  12. ومن غير قاضي القضاة الرهيب

    ليومٍ عصيب ويومٍ أغر

    And who but the awe-inspiring Chief Judge

    is there for a dire day and a radiant day?

  13. همامٌ يجود بخير الجياد

    وسمر الصعاد وحمر الوبر

    A magnanimous man who bestows the finest steeds,

    and brown lances and red-haired camels;

  14. وحَبر الزمان الذي بالبيان

    وجود البنان سما واشتهر

    and the scholar of the age, who through eloquence

    and the bounty of his fingertips rose high and became renowned.

  15. فما ولدت حرةٌ مثله

    ولا حملت مثله سفنُ بر

    For no freeborn woman has borne his equal,

    nor have ships of the land carried his like.

  16. فيا من بياني على بابه

    يعوذه بالمثاني الغرر

    So, O you at whose door my eloquence

    invokes protection for you with resplendent, oft-repeated verses:

  17. إلامَ اصطبراك في مجلس

    سواك به عالمٌ ما صبر

    how long will you endure in a gathering

    that no scholar other than you could endure?

  18. متى صاحب السن يوم الدجى

    وذا للظلام وذا للسحر

    When did the tooth accompany a day of darkness,

    one belonging to darkness and the other to dawn?

  19. وكيف استوى العلم والجهل وال

    هدى والضلال وكيف استقر

    And how did knowledge and ignorance become equal, and

    guidance and error—and how did this come to be?

  20. صروف لليالي التي أوجبت

    لهذا الخضوع وحكم القدر

    Was it the vicissitudes of nights that imposed

    submission to this, and fate's decree,

  21. أم الشام تفتن زوارها

    بسود العيون وبيض الحبر

    or does al-Sham bewitch its visitors

    with dark eyes and white patterned robes?

  22. فويل الغرام الذي ساءنا

    وصبرٌ جميلٌ على ما أمر

    So woe to the passion that has distressed us,

    and gracious patience with what has been ordained.