يا أَيها السيِّدُ الذي وهَنَتْ

يا أَيها السيِّدُ الذي وهَنَتْ

أنصارُ أموالِهِ ولم يَهِنِ

أنصارُ أموالِهِ ولم يَهِنِ

O master, whose hopes’ champions have grown weak,

O lord, whose

though he himself has not grown weak;

wealth's defenders have weakened, yet who has not,

فأصبحتْ في يدِ الضعيفِ وذي ال

فأصبحتْ في يدِ الضعيفِ وذي ال

قُوَّةِ والباقليِّ واللَّسنِ

قُوَّةِ والباقليِّ واللَّسنِ

those hopes are now in the hands of the weak and of the—

so it has come into the hands of the weak and the

strong, of the Bāqil-like stammerer and the eloquent—

strong, the tongue-tied like Bāqil and the eloquent—

غَيْرِي على أنني مُؤمِّلُكَ ال

غَيْرِي على أنني مُؤمِّلُكَ ال

أقدُم سائلْ بذاك وامتحنِ

أقدُم سائلْ بذاك وامتحنِ

everyone’s but mine, though I am their oldest rightful claimant.

all but me, although I am your

I come as a petitioner for that; now test,

longest-standing hopeful; inquire about that and test it.

مادحُ عشرين حجةً كَمَلاً

مادحُ عشرين حجةً كَمَلاً

محرومُها منك غيرَ مضطغِن

محرومُها منك غيرَ مضطغِن

upon a panegyrist of twenty full years,

A praiser for twenty full years,

deprived by you of their recompense yet free of rancor,

unrewarded for them by you, yet bearing no grudge.

فضلُك أو عدلك الذي ائتمن ال

فضلُك أو عدلك الذي ائتمن ال

له علينا أجلَّ مؤتَمن

له علينا أجلَّ مؤتَمن

your bounty—or your justice, with which

Your bounty—or your justice, entrusted by

God entrusted you over us, noblest of trustees.

God with our care as the noblest trustee.

إن كنتَ في الشعر ناقداً فَطِناً

إن كنتَ في الشعر ناقداً فَطِناً

فليعطني الحقُّ حصةَ الفَطِنِ

فليعطني الحقُّ حصةَ الفَطِنِ

If you are a shrewd, discerning judge of poetry,

If you are a discerning critic of poetry,

then let justice grant me the discerning poet’s share.

then let justice give me the discerning man's share.

وإن أكن فيه ساقطاً زَمِناً

وإن أكن فيه ساقطاً زَمِناً

فليعطني الحقُّ حصةَ الزَمِنِ

فليعطني الحقُّ حصةَ الزَمِنِ

And if I am hopelessly infirm in it,

And if I am inept and infirm in it,

then let justice grant me the invalid’s share.

then let justice give me the infirm man's share.

سِمْ بيَ ديوانك الذي عدلت

سِمْ بيَ ديوانك الذي عدلت

جدواه بين الصحيح والضَّمِن

جدواه بين الصحيح والضَّمِن

Mark out my place within your register, whose largesse

Mark your register with me, where you have apportioned

has dealt equally with the sound and the infirm.

its bounty equally between the healthy and the infirm.

كَثِّرْ بشخصي مَنِ اصطنَعْتَ من ال

كَثِّرْ بشخصي مَنِ اصطنَعْتَ من ال

ناس وإن لم أَزِنْكَ لم أشِن

ناس وإن لم أَزِنْكَ لم أشِن

By adding me, swell the ranks of those you have favored among—

By including me, increase the number of those you have favored among the

mankind; even if I add no weight to you, I shall bring no shame.

people; even if I do not adorn you, I do not disgrace you.

ما حقُّ مَنْ لان صدرُهُ لك بال

ما حقُّ مَنْ لان صدرُهُ لك بال

ودِّ لقاءٌ بجانبٍ خَشِن

ودِّ لقاءٌ بجانبٍ خَشِن

Is the due of one whose heart has softened toward you in—

One whose breast softens toward you with

love an encounter with a harsh side?

affection does not deserve to be met with a harsh demeanor.