يا أَيُّها الشاعِرُ المكارمُ بال

يا أَيُّها الشاعِرُ المكارمُ بال

مَدحِ رِجالاً لكنَّهُم فَعَلوا

مَدحِ رِجالاً لكنَّهُم فَعَلوا

O poet who vies in generosity by

O poet who praises men of no merit

praising men—yet they have acted.

It is enough that your words oppose

حسبكَ من قولك الخلافَ كَما

حسبكَ من قولك الخلافَ كَما

نَجا خِلافاً ببولهِ الجَمَلُ

نَجا خِلافاً ببولهِ الجَمَلُ

Enough of your contrary talk, like

As the camel was saved by its urine

the camel discharging its urine backward.

Now say what you wanted, for the paths

الآن فاِنطق بِما أَردتَ فَقد

الآن فاِنطق بِما أَردتَ فَقد

أَبدَت بهاجاً وجوهَها السبُلُ

أَبدَت بهاجاً وجوهَها السبُلُ

Now speak as you wish, for indeed

Have shown joyful faces

the paths have revealed their faces, radiant with joy.

And tell Dawood a eulogy from you

وَقُل لداودَ منكَ مَمدَحةً

وَقُل لداودَ منكَ مَمدَحةً

لهازها من خَلفِها نغلُ

لهازها من خَلفِها نغلُ

And recite to Dawud a praise-poem of your own,

Delightful, not failing foes, nor hindered

whose assailant from behind is a bastard.

By questioning reasons

أَروَعُ لا يُخلِفُ العداة وَلا

أَروَعُ لا يُخلِفُ العداة وَلا

تمنعُ منه سؤالهُ العِللُ

تمنعُ منه سؤالهُ العِللُ

An illustrious man who never breaks his promises, nor

But bestowing generosity fully

do excuses keep his petitioners away from him.

Reaching what they asked

لكنَّهُ سابِغٌ عَطِيَّتهُ

لكنَّهُ سابِغٌ عَطِيَّتهُ

يُدركُ منه السؤالُ ما سألوا

يُدركُ منه السؤالُ ما سألوا

Rather, his bounty is abundant;

Neither failing valor

petitioners obtain from him what they ask for.

Nor weak in judgment ever wavering

لا عاجِزٌ عازبٌ مروءَتَهُ

لا عاجِزٌ عازبٌ مروءَتَهُ

وَلا ضَعيفٌ في رأيهِ زَلَلُ

وَلا ضَعيفٌ في رأيهِ زَلَلُ

He is no helpless man whose honor has deserted him,

Praised by neighbor, pursuer, and kin

nor a weakling with flawed judgment.

Commending his excellent connections

يَحمدُهُ الجارُ وَالمعقِّبُ وال

يَحمدُهُ الجارُ وَالمعقِّبُ وال

أَرحامُ تُثني بحسنِ ما يَصِلُ

أَرحامُ تُثني بحسنِ ما يَصِلُ

The neighbor and the returning petitioner praise him, and the

Exceeding hopes of his friends

kinfolk extol the goodness of what he bestows.

Slaying dullness, known for hastiness

يسبقُ بالفضلِ ظَنَّ صاحبهِ

يسبقُ بالفضلِ ظَنَّ صاحبهِ

وَيقتلُ الريثَ عرفهُ العَجلُ

وَيقتلُ الريثَ عرفهُ العَجلُ

In generosity he outstrips his companion's expectations,

Settled into the best place for glory and bounty

and his swift kindness kills delay.

A man could settle

حَلَّ مِن المَجدِ وَالمَكارِم في

حَلَّ مِن المَجدِ وَالمَكارِم في

خيرِ محلٍّ يحلّه رَجلُ

خيرِ محلٍّ يحلّه رَجلُ

He has settled, among glory and noble virtues, in

What he said, he fulfilled

the finest abode a man can inhabit.

Without excuses made against him

ما قالَ أوفَت بِهِ مقالتَهُ

ما قالَ أوفَت بِهِ مقالتَهُ

عَفواً وَلَم تَعتَرِض لَهُ العِلَلُ

عَفواً وَلَم تَعتَرِض لَهُ العِلَلُ

Whatever he says, his word makes good,

Flowing with faithfulness

readily, with no excuses standing in his way.

To where the plains and mountains end

سالَت بِهِ شعبةُ الوَفاءِ إِلى

سالَت بِهِ شعبةُ الوَفاءِ إِلى

حيثُ اِنتَهى السَهلُ وَاِنتَهى الجبلُ

حيثُ اِنتَهى السَهلُ وَاِنتَهى الجبلُ

A branch of faithfulness has flowed through him to

where the plain ends and the mountain ends.