لقد أسرفت في بخس حظي وواجبي

صروف ليال ثرن من كل جانب

They have gone too far in diminishing my lot and rightful due—

the vicissitudes of nights that rose from every side.

وحاربنني أيامها فاعانني

على حربها قلب كثير التجارب

Their days fought me, but I was helped

against their warfare by a heart rich in experience.

فما اكلها لحمي ولا شربها دمي

ولا كل ما تجنى على بعائب

Neither their eating my flesh nor their drinking my blood,

nor all they inflict upon me, brings me disgrace.

سل البدر هل أزرى به أكلها له

وهل زاد ما قد وفرت في الكواكب

Ask the full moon: has their devouring it diminished it?

And has what they spared added anything to the stars?

إذا أسلمت ديني وأبقت لي الحجا

فقد ظفرت كفى بأسني المطالب

If they leave my faith unharmed and preserve my reason,

then I have prevailed; that suffices as the loftiest of goals.

ولائمة في الحظ تحسب أنه

على قدر فضل المرء نيل المواهب

A woman who reproaches me over fortune supposes

that gifts are attained in proportion to a person's merit.

ولم تدر أن الحظ أعمى يقوده

إلى المرء دهر عاشق للمثالب

She does not know that fortune is blind, led

to a person by Time, enamored of faults.

إلى الله من باغ على كانه

تذكر ظغنا فهو بالثأر طالبي

I appeal to God against an aggressor who, it seems,

has recalled a grudge and pursues me for revenge.

يحاول مني عورة كي يذيعها

ودون لقاها ألف ستر وحاجب

He seeks a shameful fault in me to broadcast,

but a thousand veils and screens bar its discovery.

لقد أوجع الحساد من صان عرضه

ونزه نفسا عن دني المكاسب

He who guards his honor truly pains the envious,

and keeps his soul above base earnings.

يعيرني إن بلت الثوب نطفة

غريق إلى آذانه والشوارب

He reproaches me if a drop wets my robe—

though he is drowned up to his ears and whiskers.

وعد على الفضل ذنبا ومن له

بأن يتجلى بالذي هو عائب

He counted my excellence a sin; yet who can assure him

that he can shine with the very quality he condemns?

وآزره قوم وهم أكبر العدى

له لو درا والطبع أغلب غالب

Some people backed him, though they are the greatest enemies

he has, if he only knew; nature is the strongest conqueror.

تراهم إذا ما غاب يفرون عرضه

ويثنون خيرا ن يكن غير غائب

You see them tear his honor apart when he is absent,

and speak well of him when he is not absent.

وما العار إلا أن تصادق حاضراً

وتختله في الغيب ختل الثعالب

Disgrace is nothing but befriending someone in his presence,

then deceiving him in his absence with the cunning of foxes.

إلى الله أن ألقى الجليس أغره

بسلمى وقد دبت إليه عقاربي

To God I appeal against meeting a companion and beguiling him

with my peace, while my scorpions have crept toward him.

ولي همة يرضى الإله انتسابها

إلى غير أخلاق الذياب الكواسب

I have an ambition whose allegiance God approves—

to one unlike the gain-seeking wolves in character:

مليك أبت أن تقبل المجد نفسه

إذا لم يسهل وطىء هام الكواكب

a king whose soul refuses to accept glory

unless treading the heads of stars becomes easy.

كريم السجايا مبطئ في انتقامه

سريع إلى الخيرات غير مغالب

Noble in character, slow to take revenge,

swift to good deeds, with none to outdo him.

إذا زلزلت شم الرواسي وجدته

رصين حصاة العلم غير مواثب

When the lofty, firmly rooted mountains quake, you find him

firm in learned judgment, not impetuous.

يقطب تأديبا وفي قلبه الرضى

ويبسم إمهالاً بقلب مغاضب

He frowns to discipline, though his heart is pleased,

and smiles to grant respite, with an angry heart.

فلا تأمنن من سخطه أن ترى الرضى

ولا تيأسن من قربه إن يجانب

Do not feel safe from his wrath because you see contentment,

nor despair of his nearness if he keeps aloof.

وكن معه ما بين خوف مؤدب

وبين رجاء مؤذن بالرغائب

Remain with him between a fear that disciplines

and a hope that heralds desired gifts.

وليس بديع خوف من أنت ترتجي

أما البرق يخشى في انسكاب السحائب

It is no marvel to fear the one in whom you hope:

is lightning not feared as the clouds pour down?

يهاب وما للمآرقة خلقه

ويخشى وما قد عد زلة تائب

He inspires awe, though his character is not that of renegades,

and is feared, though he has never held a penitent's lapse against him.

ويغفر لا ذنب المنازع في العلا

ويظلم لا غير العدو المحارب

He forgives, but not the sin of one who rivals him in greatness,

and wrongs none but an enemy at war.

فسالمه تسلم واعتصم من حسامه

برغبة مطلوب ورغبة طالب

Make peace with him and be safe; seek shelter from his sword

through the desire of one sought and the desire of one seeking.

بنفسي أفديه وبالناس كلهم

أقاربي الادنين بعد الاجانب

With my own life I would ransom him, and with all people—

my nearest kin, after the strangers.

هو الناصر ابن الاشرف الملك أحمد

سلالة إسمعيل ليث الكتائب

He is al-Nasir, son of al-Ashraf, King Ahmad,

scion of Isma'il, lion of the battalions.

أبو الملك وابن الملك فانسب جدوده

إلى آدم في الملك أبنا إلى اب

Father of kingship and son of kingship: trace his ancestors

back to Adam in kingship, from son to father.

لقد جمع الله المحاسن كلها

لأ طيب فرع في أصول أطائب

God has gathered all beauties

for the finest branch among the finest roots.

حلفت لقد كررت في كل حاضر

عيوبي وقد فكرت في كل عائب

I swear I have repeated, before everyone present,

my faults, and considered every faultfinder.

فما أبصرت عيني ولا سمعت بمن

يدانيك أذني في الملوك الذواهب

My eyes have never seen, nor have my ears heard of anyone

who approaches you among the kings of bygone days.

خلقت كما شئنا وشاءت لك العلا

فمازجت حبا كل قلب وقالب

You were created as we wished, and as greatness wished for you,

so you mingled as love with every heart and body.

وجئت لتنفيس الكروب عن الورى

كأنك لطف الله عند النوائب

You came to relieve the sorrows of humankind,

as though you were God's kindness amid calamities.

فو الله لا ينسى لك الله ما به

تعامل أرباب الهوى في المناصب

So, by God, God will not forget to your credit the way

you deal with followers of caprice in positions of authority.

تركت قوى المبطلين ترا الذي

يعادي شجا في حلقه والترائب

You left the wrongdoers' strength severed, and whoever

opposes you with a choking bone in his throat and breast.

فلم يشف غيظا ذو هوى بابتداره

ولا بات خوفا خصمه كالمراقب

No follower of caprice slaked his anger through a headlong attack,

nor did his adversary spend the night afraid, like a watchman.

وقد ترك الناس الهوى حين أبصروا

وقوع ذويه عندكم في المعاطب

People abandoned caprice when they saw

its followers fall into ruin before you.

لساني عن شكري تجاريك عاجز

وألسن أهل الأرض ذات المناكب

My tongue is powerless to offer thanks that match you,

as are all the tongues upon the earth's shoulders.

أخذت بضبعي والخطوب تنوشني

فأفلت من أنيابها والمخالب

You took me by the upper arm while calamities assailed me,

so I escaped their fangs and claws.

ومشيتني فوق الرقاب فاطرقت

عيون قد امتدت لأخذ سلائبي

You made me walk above their necks, and downcast became

eyes that had reached out to seize my spoils.

فعدت بحمد الله عودة ظافر

بما يبتغيه صالح الحال تائب

So, with praise to God, I returned as a victor returns,

with what he seeks, in good condition and repentant.