1. لَيسَ الزَمانُ بِمُعتِبٍ فَذَريني

    أَرمي تَجَهُّمَ خَطبِهِ بِجَبيني

    Time grants no redress, so let me be;

    I meet its calamity's scowl with my brow.

  2. وَخذُ القِلاصِ يَرُدُّني لَكِ بِالغِنى

    في بَعضِ ذا التَطوافِ أَو يُرديني

    The young she-camels' swift pace will bring me back to you with wealth,

    On one of these wanderings—or bring me to my death.

  3. وَالرِزقُ لِليَقِظِ المُشَيَّعِ رَأيُهُ

    بِالعَزمِ لالِلعاجِزِ المَأفونِ

    And sustenance is for the vigilant, whose judgment is strengthened

    By resolve, not for the helpless fool.

  4. لَولا أَبو إِسحاقَ لَم أَلحَق بِمَن

    فَوقي وَلَم أَفضُل عَلى مَن دوني

    Were it not for Abu Ishaq, I would not have caught up with those

    Above me, nor surpassed those below me.

  5. أَقسَمتُ لا يَخشى الحَوادِثَ جارُهُ

    وَيَمينُهُ قَمِنٌ بِبِرِّ يَميني

    I have sworn: his neighbor need fear no calamities,

    And his right hand is well able to fulfill my oath.

  6. سَمحُ اليَدَينِ لَهُ أَيادٍ جَمَّةٌ

    عِندي وَمَنٌّ لَيسَ بِالمَمنونِ

    Open-handed, he has bestowed abundant favors

    On me, and bounty that is never cut off.

  7. وَلَقَد بَعَثتُ لَهُ الثَناءَ فَلَم يَقُم

    جُهدُ الثَناءِ بِعَفوِ ما يوليني

    I have indeed sent him praise, yet never has

    The utmost praise matched his effortless gifts to me.

  8. جودٌ يَبُذُّ الغَيثَ أَحفَلَ ما جَرَت

    بِسِجالِهِ فِيَقُ السَحابِ الجونِ

    Generosity that outstrips rain at its most abundant,

    When the dark clouds' showers pour forth its bucketfuls.

  9. أَنّى يَكونُ لَهُ اتِّصالٌ في النَدى

    وَوُقوعُهُ في الحينِ بَعدَ الحينِ

    How can it be constant in generosity,

    When it falls only from time to time?

  10. أَفديكَ وَالنَعماءُ عِندي جَمَّةٌ

    قَد كَثَّرَت في الناسِ مَن يَفديني

    I would ransom you, and the favors I enjoy are abundant;

    They have multiplied those among men who would ransom me.

  11. إِنَّ الَّذي حُمِّلتُهُ فَحَمَلتَهُ

    ماكانَ مِن خُلُقي وَلا مِن ديني

    Indeed, what I was charged with and you accepted as true

    Was neither in my character nor in my faith.

  12. أَيَخونُ في سِرِّ الصَديقِ لِسانُ ذي

    كَرَمٍ عَلى سِرِّ العَدُوِّ أَمينِ

    Would a friend's secret be betrayed by the tongue of a man

    Of honor, trusted with an enemy's secret?

  13. هَذا وَماصَدري بِمُنصَرِفِ الهَوى

    عَنكُم وَلا أَنا فيكُمُ بِظَنينِ

    All this, while the love in my breast has not turned

    Away from you, nor am I suspect in my loyalty to you.

  14. أَبَني المُدَبِّرِ لاتَزَل أَيّامُكُم

    مَوصولَةً بِالعِزِّ وَالتَمكينِ

    O sons of al-Mudabbir, may your days remain

    Joined to glory and firm authority.

  15. فَالمَجدُ يَعلَمُ أَنَّكُم لَم تُقصِروا

    إِلّا عَلى سَبقٍ إِلَيهِ مُبينِ

    For glory knows that you have never rested content

    With anything but a clear lead in attaining it.