1. صرفت فعلي في الأسى وقولي

    بحمدِ ذي الطُّول الشديد والحول

    I directed my deeds amid sorrow, and my words,

    to praising the One of mighty bounty and power.

  2. يا لائماً ملامه يطول

    إسمع هديت الرشد ما أقول

    O reproacher whose reproach drags on,

    listen—may you be guided aright—to what I say.

  3. كلامك الفاسد لست أتَّبع

    حدّ الكلام ما أفاد المستمع

    I do not follow your faulty speech;

    speech is defined as what benefits the listener.

  4. أفدي غزالاً مثلوا جماله

    في مثل قد أقبلت الغزاله

    I would ransom a gazelle whose beauty they exemplified

    in such a phrase as 'The she-gazelle has come.'

  5. ما قالَ مذ ملَّك قلبي واسترقّ

    كقولهم ربَّ غلامٍ لي أبق

    Since possessing my heart and enslaving it, he has not said

    anything like their saying, 'Many a slave-boy of mine has fled.'

  6. للقمرين وجهه مطالع

    فهي ثلاث ما لهنَّ رابع

    His face is a rising-place for the two moons;

    so they are three, and have no fourth.

  7. لأحرف الحسن على خدّيهِ خط

    وقال قول إنَّها اللام فقط

    Beauty's letters have a script upon his cheeks;

    and one saying has it: 'It is only the lām.'

  8. داني المزار يحذر الضنين

    عليهِ مثل بان أو يبين

    Near to visit, yet the possessive one fears

    for him words like 'he departed' or 'he departs.'

  9. كتمته والحسن ليسَ يجتلى

    والاسم لا يدخله من وإلى

    I concealed him, and beauty was not beheld;

    and neither 'from' nor 'to' enters the noun.

  10. منفرد بالحبِّ في دار الهنا

    مثاله الدار وزيد وأنا

    Alone in love within the abode of bliss,

    its examples are 'the house,' 'Zayd,' and 'I.'

  11. لا يختشي ملاعب الظنون

    والأمر مبنيٌّ على السكون

    He does not fear the playgrounds of suspicion;

    and the imperative is built on sukūn.

  12. في خدِّه التبريّ هانَ نشبي

    وقيمة الفضَّة دون الذهب

    For his golden cheek, my wealth became a trifle;

    and silver's value is below that of gold.

  13. فاصْرف عليها ثروةً تستام

    فما على صارفِها ملام

    So spend upon it a fortune to buy it;

    there is no blame upon its spender.

  14. وانْفق له دينار من ضنٍّ وشح

    ولا تبل أخفّ وزناً أم رجح

    And spend a dinar for him from what you hoard and begrudge;

    do not care whether it is lighter in weight or heavier.

  15. وإن رأيت قدّه العالي فصف

    وقف على المنصوبِ منه بالألف

    And if you see his lofty stature, describe it,

    and pause at its accusative form with an alif.

  16. والعارض النونيّ ما أنصفته

    وإن تكن باللام قد عرفته

    You have not done justice to his nūn-shaped cheek down,

    even if you have identified it by the lām.

  17. في مثله انظم إن نظمت محسناً

    وإن ذكرت فاعلاً منوَّنا

    Compose verse about his like, if you compose it well,

    and if you mention a subject bearing nunation.

  18. واهاً لها بحرفِ نونٍ قد عرف

    كمثل ما تكتبه لا يختلف

    Ah for it—recognized by the letter nūn,

    just like what you write, with no difference.

  19. يأتي بنقطِ الخال في إعجام

    وتارةً يأتي بمعنى اللام

    It comes with the beauty spot's distinguishing dot,

    and sometimes comes with the meaning of lām.

  20. دونكَ إن عشقتهُ بين الورَى

    معظماً لقدره مكبرا

    Take him, if you love him among mankind,

    exalting his worth and magnifying him.

  21. وإن ترد وجنته المنيرة

    فصغر النار على نويره

    And if you desire his radiant cheek,

    form the diminutive of 'fire': 'nuwayra.'

  22. كم ومتى جادلت فيه من عذلٍ

    ولا حتَّى ثم أو وأم وبل

    How often, and when, have you argued about him because of reproach?

    And 'not,' 'until,' 'then,' 'or,' 'or else,' and 'rather,'

  23. حتَّى تولَّت أوجه العذَّال

    وأقبلَ الغلام كالغزال

    until the reproachers' faces turned away,

    and the lad approached like a gazelle.

  24. للحظهِ المسكر فعل يطرب

    مفعولهُ مثل سقى ويشرب

    His intoxicating glance has an action that delights;

    its effect is like 'he gave drink' and 'he drinks.'

  25. فلا تلم عويشقاً فيه تلف

    ولا سكيران الذي لا ينصرف

    So do not blame a little lover who perished for him,

    nor the little drunkard who never departs.

  26. لا تلح قلبي في الهوى فتتعبا

    وما عليكَ عتبهُ فتعتبا

    Do not reproach my heart in love and weary yourself;

    nor is its reproach your duty, that you should reproach it.

  27. جسمي وذاكَ الخصر والجفن الدنف

    هنَّ حروف الاعتدال المكتنف

    My body, that waist, and the ailing eyelid—

    they are the letters of encompassing balance.

  28. بجفنِهِ نادى الهوى يا للشجي

    وكلُّ ياءٍ بعد مكسورٍ تجي

    Through his eyelid Love cried, 'O, for the grieving one!'

    And every yāʾ follows a kasra-marked letter.

  29. يا جفنهُ الناصب فيه فكري

    ونصبهُ وجرُّه بالكسر

    O his eyelid, which wearies my thoughts of him,

    its accusative and genitive are marked by kasra.

  30. إن قيل للظبيِ هنا إلمام

    فاكْسر وقل ليقم الغلام

    If they say the gazelle is visiting here,

    use kasra, and say, 'Let the lad stand.'

  31. ويا مليحاً عنهُ أخّرت القمر

    إمَّا لتهوان وإمَّا لصغر

    And O handsome one, behind whom I have placed the moon,

    either to belittle it or because it is small,

  32. كرِّر فما أحلى لسمعي السامي

    قولك يا غلام يا غلامي

    repeat—for how sweet to my exalted hearing

    are your words, 'O lad! O my lad!'

  33. وارْفق بمضناك فما سوى اسمه

    ولا لغير ما بقى من رسمه

    And be gentle with your love-wasted one: nothing remains but his name,

    and nothing else but what remains of his trace.

  34. فقد حكى العداة بالوقوف

    فاعْطف على سائلك الضعيف

    For he has resembled the foes in standing still;

    so show compassion to your weak petitioner.

  35. أفقرت في الحسنِ الغواني مثلما

    قالوا حذامي وقطامي في الدما

    You have impoverished the beauties in beauty, just as

    they said 'Ḥadhāmi' and 'Qaṭāmi' among the doll-like beauties.

  36. فافْخر بمعنى لحظكَ المعشوق

    في كلِّ ما تأنيثهُ حقيقي

    So boast of the meaning of your adored glance

    in everything that is genuinely feminine.

  37. يا لكَ لحظاً بسعاد أزرى

    وجاءَ في الوزنِ مثال سكرى

    What a glance you have, that put Suʿād to shame,

    and came in the same pattern as 'sakrā'—'drunken.'

  38. حتَّى اسمه منتقص لمنْ وعى

    كما يقال في سُعاد يا سُعا

    Even his name is shortened, for whoever understands,

    as Suʿād is addressed: 'O Suʿā!'

  39. يا واصفاً أوصاف ذيَّاك الصّبا

    تمَّ الكلام عنده فلينصبا

    O describer of the qualities of that youthful passion,

    the utterance is complete with him; let it then take the accusative.

  40. هيهات بلْ دع عنكَ ما أضنى وما

    وعاص سبَّاب الهوى لتسلما

    Far from it! Rather, put aside what has exhausted you—and what...

    and defy love's reviler, so that you may be safe.

  41. وحبر الأمداح في عليّ

    قاضي القضاة الطاهر التقيّ

    And embellish praises of ʿAlī,

    the chief judge, the pure and pious,

  42. بكلِّ معنى قد تناها واسْتوى

    في كلمٍ شتى رواها من روى

    with every meaning that has reached its utmost and become complete,

    in varied words transmitted by whoever transmitted them.

  43. باكر إلى ذاكَ الحما العالي وصفْ

    إذا درجت قائلاً ولم تقفْ

    Go early to that lofty sanctuary, and describe it,

    if you proceed speaking without a pause.

  44. دونكَ والمدح ذكيًّا معجبا

    نحو لقيت القاضيَ المهذَّبا

    Here is praise, fragrant and delightful,

    as in 'I met the refined judge.'

  45. ذو الجود والعلم عليه أرسى

    وهكذا أصبحَ ثمَّ أمسى

    Possessor of bounty, upon whom learning has anchored,

    and thus he entered morning, then evening.

  46. فاضْرع إلى قارٍ لقاء نافع

    واقْرع إلى حامي حماه المانع

    So humbly seek a host whose meeting brings benefit,

    and knock at the door of the protector defending his sanctuary.

  47. يقول للضيفِ نداه حب وهل

    ومثله ادْخل وانْبسط واشْرب وكل

    His bounty says to the guest, 'Love!' and 'Will you?'

    and likewise, 'Enter, relax, drink, and eat.'

  48. إذا ظفرت عندهُ بموعدٍ

    يقول كم مال أفادته يدي

    If you obtain a promise from him,

    he says, 'How much wealth my hand has bestowed!'

  49. له يراع كم له في خطرهِ

    حماية منظومة مع درَّه

    He has a reed pen—how much there is in its sweep:

    protection strung together with its pearls.

  50. في الجود والبأس وفي العلمِ وفي

    ذلكَ منسوب إليه فاعْرف

    In generosity and valor, and in learning, and in

    that, it is attributed to him—so recognize it.

  51. فقولهم أبيض في الهبات

    كقولهم أحمر في الصفات

    Their saying 'white' of gifts

    is like their saying 'red' of attributes.

  52. شم حدّه يوم الندَى والبأس

    فإنَّه ماضٍ بغير لبس

    Observe his edge on the day of bounty and battle,

    for it cuts through without ambiguity.

  53. لله ما أليَنهُ عند العطا

    وما أحدّ سيفه حين السطا

    By God, how gentle he is when giving,

    and how sharp his sword when he attacks!

  54. يهزّه ذو الرفع في العلاء

    والجزم في الفعلِ بلا امْتراء

    The possessor of high rank brandishes it on high;

    and the jussive applies to the verb, beyond dispute.

  55. حبر له يثني الثناء قصدهُ

    وخلفهُ وإثرهُ وعنده

    A scholar—praise turns toward him to extol him,

    behind him, in his wake, and in his presence.

  56. إن قالَ قولاً بين الغرائبا

    وقام قسّ في عكاظ خاطبا

    If he utters words, he makes marvels clear,

    and Quss rises as an orator at ʿUkāẓ.

  57. وإن سخا أتى على ذي العددِ

    والكيل والوزن ومذروع اليدِ

    And if he gives freely, he exhausts all that is counted,

    measured by volume, by weight, and by the hand's cubit.

  58. معطَّل السمع من العذَّال

    فحالهُ مغير بحال

    His hearing is closed to reproachers;

    so his condition is altered by circumstance.

  59. الفضل جنس بيته المهنى

    ونوعه الذي عليه يبنى

    Excellence is the genus of his blessed house,

    and the species upon which it is built.

  60. سامَ بهِ أهل العلا جميعاً

    وادْفع ولا ردًّا ولا تفريعا

    Through him, all people of high rank have risen;

    and press forward: no rebuttal, no subdivision.

  61. وإن ذكرت أفق بيتٍ قد نما

    فانْصب وقل كم كوكباً يحوي السما

    And if you mention the horizon of a house that has grown,

    use the accusative and say, 'How many stars does the sky contain?'

  62. بين نظيم المجد والعلاء

    عند جميع العرَبِ العرباء

    Amid the ordered string of glory and elevation,

    in the eyes of all the pure-blooded Arabs,

  63. يقرُّ من يأتي له أو اقْترب

    وكل منسوب إلى اسمٍ في العرب

    whoever comes to him or draws near rests content,

    and everyone linked to a name among the Arabs.

  64. تقول مصر في علاه الواجبه

    كقول سكَّان الحجاز قاطبَه

    Egypt speaks of his rightful eminence,

    as do all the inhabitants of the Hijaz.

  65. أبنية الأنصار طلاَّع الفنن

    وزادَ مبنى حسنه أبو الحسن

    The Anṣār's buildings climb to the bough;

    and Abū al-Ḥasan has added to the structure of their beauty.

  66. جار إذا ما امْتدَّت الأيادِي

    تقول هذا طلحة الجواد

    A protector when hands stretch out,

    you say, 'This is Ṭalḥa the generous.'

  67. إذا اجْتليت في العطا جبينهُ

    أو اسْتشرت للرجا يمينه

    When, amid giving, you behold his brow,

    or consult his right hand in hope,

  68. تقول قد خلتُ عنه تولى راحل

    وواقف بالبابِ أضحى السائل

    you say, 'I thought a traveler had turned away from him,'

    while the petitioner now stands at the door.

  69. فياض سيب في الورَى فلم يقل

    في هبةٍ يا هب مَن هذا الرجل

    Overflowing with bounty among mankind, he never said

    when giving, 'O, give! Who is this man?'

  70. قال لهُ الشرع امْض ما تحاوله

    وأقْض قضاء لا يردّ قائله

    The Law said to him, 'Proceed with what you attempt,

    and deliver a judgment whose speaker cannot be gainsaid.'

  71. وأنتَ يا قاصدهُ سرْ في جددْ

    واسع إلى الخيرات لقّيت الرّشد

    And you who seek him, travel on a clear road,

    and strive toward good deeds—may you be granted right guidance.

  72. إن تكتحل سناه تلقى الرشدا

    وأين ما تذهب تلاق سعدَا

    If you line your eyes with his radiance, you find guidance,

    and wherever you go, you meet Saʿd—good fortune.

  73. فافْخر به سحب الحيا إن صابا

    واسْتوتْ المياه والأخشابا

    So boast through him over the rain-clouds, if rain pours,

    and the waters rise level with the timbers.

  74. ولا تقل كانَ غماماً ورحل

    كانَ وما انْفكَّ الفتى ولم يزل

    And do not say, 'He was a cloud, and departed';

    he was—and the young man has not ceased, and still remains.

  75. باب سواه اهْجر عداك عيب

    وصغِّر الباب فقل بويب

    Abandon any door but his—may disgrace pass you by—

    and make 'door' diminutive: say 'buwayb.'

  76. هذا الذي يفعل فينا الطولا

    فقدم الفاعل فهو أولى

    This is he who bestows bounty upon us;

    so put the subject first: it has greater claim.

  77. جود به أنسى أحاديثَ المطر

    فليسَ يحتاج لها إلى خبر

    A generosity by which he made us forget tales of rain;

    thus he needs no report of them.

  78. مثل الهبا فيه كلام العذَّل

    والريح تلقاء الحيا المنهل

    Reproachers' talk of him is like dust,

    and wind confronting pouring rain.

  79. وبحر شعر خضتهُ لذكرهِ

    وغصت في البحرِ ابْتغاء درِّه

    And a sea of verse I waded through to mention him,

    and dived into the sea in quest of its pearls,

  80. حتَّى ملا عيني نداه عينا

    وطبتُ نفساً إذ قضيتُ دينا

    until his bounty filled my eyes with ready money,

    and I felt content when I discharged a debt.

  81. دونكها معسولة الآداب

    ممزوجة بملحةِ الإعراب

    Take it, honey-sweet in its refinements,

    blended with the wit of grammatical inflection.

  82. مضى بها الليل مضيِّ الأنجم

    وبات زيدٌ ساهراً لم ينم

    The night passed with it as the stars pass,

    and Zayd spent the night awake, without sleeping.

  83. فافْتح لها باب قبول يجتلى

    وإن تجد عيباً فسدّ الخللا

    So open for it a manifest door of acceptance,

    and if you find a flaw, mend the breach.

  84. لا زلتَ مسموع الثنا ذا مننِ

    جائِلة دائرة في الألسن

    May you ever be praised aloud, possessed of favors

    roaming and circulating upon tongues.

  85. ما لعداك راية تقام

    وليس غير الكسر والسلام

    No banner is raised for your enemies,

    and there is nothing but defeat—and peace.