1. أَصونُ سَمعَك عن شَكْوايَ إجْلالاً

    وقد لَقِيتُ من الأيّامِ أَهْوالا

    I shield your hearing from my complaint, out of reverence,

    though I have faced terrors at the hands of time.

  2. تَجمّعَتْ عِلَلٌ شَتَّى فما تَركَتْ

    عليّ جِسماً ولا فِكْراً ولا حَالا

    Various ailments have gathered, leaving

    me neither body, nor thought, nor well-being.

  3. أشكو إلى اللهِ مَن عادَتْ بهمْ حُرَقاً

    بَناتُ صَدْري وكانتْ قبلُ آمالا

    I complain to God of those who made burning grief

    of the daughters of my breast, which once were hopes.

  4. وسَفرةٌ سَفَرَتْ لي في فِنائِهمُ

    عن وجْهِ شَمطاءَ لا حُسْناً ولا مالا

    And a journey unveiled for me in their courtyard

    the face of a gray-haired woman—neither beauty nor wealth.

  5. لمَّا طَرَقْتُهمُ مُستَبضِعاً أَدَباً

    وأين مَن كان يَقْرى الفَضْلَ أفضالا

    When I came to them, offering learning as merchandise,

    and where is one who would welcome merit with favors?

  6. حَمّلتُ عِيسي إليهمْ ثَروةً وصِباً

    وعُدْتُ مُحتقِباً شَيْباً وإقْلالا

    I loaded my pale camels for them with wealth and youth,

    and returned laden with gray hair and poverty.

  7. فإنْ جرَتْ عَبَراتي لم يكنْ عجَباً

    فالخَدُّ كالقاع يَجْلو الماءَ والآلا

    So if my tears flow, that is no wonder:

    for the cheek, like a level plain, reveals water and mirage.

  8. وزادني أسَفاً أنّي غداةَ غَدٍ

    أُسامُ يا ابْنَ المُعافَى عنك تَرْحالا

    And it deepens my sorrow that tomorrow morning

    I am forced, O son of al-Muʿāfā, to depart from you,

  9. مُفارِقاً منك نَفْساً حُرّةً ونُهىً

    جَمّاً وعذْباً من الأخلاق سَلْسالا

    parting from your noble soul and wisdom

    in abundance, and a sweet, flowing stream of character,

  10. وعالياً من هِضابِ المَجْدِ مُمتَنِعاً

    وحالياً من رياضِ الفَضْلِ مِحْلالا

    and a lofty, unassailable height among the hills of glory,

    and a lovely, hospitable meadow among the gardens of virtue.

  11. ومن سجايا اللّيالي سَعْيهُا أبَداً

    حتّى تَعودَ مَغاني الأُنْسِ أطلالا

    And it is the nature of nights to strive forever

    until the dwellings of fellowship become ruins.

  12. لا أصبحَ المجدُ من بالي ومن أربَى

    إن كنتُ عنكَ بسَيْري ناعِماً بالا

    May glory be no part of my thoughts or desires

    if I am at peace in my departure from you.

  13. لولا الفُرَيْخانِ والوَكْرُ الَّذي بَرّحَتْ

    به الحوادثُ والمُكْثُ الّذي طالا

    Were it not for the two little fledglings and the nest ravaged

    by calamities, and the stay that has grown long,

  14. لَما تَبدّلْتُ من دارٍ تَحُلُّ بها

    داراً ولو مُلِئتْ عَيْنايَ إبْلالا

    I would not have exchanged a dwelling where you abide

    for another, even were my eyes filled with restored well-being.

  15. ولا سلَلْتُ يدي من بَعْدِ ما عَلِقتْ

    لديكَ من بُردةِ العَلياءِ أذْيالا

    Nor would I have withdrawn my hand after it had grasped,

    at your side, the hems of eminence's mantle.

  16. وكيف أَجْحَدُ ما أَولَيْتَ من نِعَمٍ

    يا أكرمَ النّاسِ كُلِّ النّاسِ أفْعالا

    And how could I deny the blessings you bestowed,

    O most generous of people—of all people—in deeds?

  17. ساروا يُريدونَ أمراً حاولوا أَمَماً

    مُعَلِّقينَ به الآمالَ ضُلاّلا

    They journeyed seeking a goal, pursuing a trifling thing,

    hanging their hopes upon it, astray.

  18. وأكبَرُ الحَظِّ في الأيّامِ قُربُكمُ

    مَن فاتَهُ ليتَ شِعْري ما الّذي نالا

    And the greatest fortune through the days is nearness to you;

    whoever misses it—would that I knew what he gained!