ألم تر فعلة ابن الياس يوما

ألم تر فعلة ابن الياس يوما

وقد وافى به شوق وقصد

وقد وافى به شوق وقصد

Did you not see what Ibn Ilyas did one day,

Did you not see what Ibn al-Yas did one day

When longing and purpose brought him along?

When longing and purpose led him

أمال إليّ عارضه وفيه

أمال إليّ عارضه وفيه

لطاخ مسيل غالية وندّ

لطاخ مسيل غالية وندّ

He inclined his cheek toward me, and upon it

To turn his steed towards me, and it bore

Was a smear of flowing ghaliya and nadd perfumes.

The tracks of a precious, generous camel

وشبّب في قصائده بدعد

وشبّب في قصائده بدعد

ولم يرها ولا حضرته دعد

ولم يرها ولا حضرته دعد

And in his poems he sang of love for Da'd,

He composed novelties in his poems out of love

Yet he had never seen her, nor had Da'd visited him.

Though he did not see me nor was I present

فقلت ألست تعرفني عليما

فقلت ألست تعرفني عليما

بحالك كلها قبل وبعد

بحالك كلها قبل وبعد

So I said: Do you not know me to be well informed

So I said: Do you not know me, O learned one

About all your circumstances, before and after?

In your every state, before and after?

قديما لم تزل تحبى وتكسى

قديما لم تزل تحبى وتكسى

وتوعدُ بالندى وعليك وعد

وتوعدُ بالندى وعليك وعد

Long have you been given gifts and clothed,

Of old, you did not cease to love and honor me

And promised bounty, with a promise binding on you;

And promise me the dew, and you were true to your word

فلا تسمح بثوبي مستميح

فلا تسمح بثوبي مستميح

على عزماته حلّ وشدّ

على عزماته حلّ وشدّ

Yet you will not give a supplicant two robes,

So do not deny me a borrowed robe

Whose resolves are loosened and tightened.

When resolutions weaken and slacken

فما كل الرجال لك ابن ورقا

فما كل الرجال لك ابن ورقا

ولا كل الزمان عليك سعد

ولا كل الزمان عليك سعد

For not every man is an Ibn Warqa to you,

For not all men are to you Ibn Warqa

Nor is all time auspicious for you.

Nor is all time upon you good fortune

يريني ما أفادته الليالي

يريني ما أفادته الليالي

وفي حركاته برق ورعد

وفي حركاته برق ورعد

He shows me what the nights have brought him,

My nights show me what they have brought him

And in his movements are lightning and thunder.

In his gestures lightning and thunder

مدحت الناس والدنيا عروس

مدحت الناس والدنيا عروس

على أثوابها ورس وورد

على أثوابها ورس وورد

I praised people while the world was a bride,

You praised people and the world like a bride

With wars dye and roses upon her robes;

In her clothes, myrtle, and roses

وعفت الشعر والدنيا عجوز

وعفت الشعر والدنيا عجوز

وقد أثرى بها نذل ووغد

وقد أثرى بها نذل ووغد

And I shunned poetry while the world was an old woman,

And you reviled poetry and the world like an old woman

And a base fellow and a scoundrel had grown rich through her.

Though the base and vile have enriched themselves through her