هلا سألت معالم الأطلال

والرسم بعد تقادم الأحوالِ

Why did you not question the landmarks of the ruins

and the traces, after long years had passed—

دِمناً تهيج رسومها بعد البلى

طرباً وكيف سؤال أعجم بالي

camp-site remnants whose traces, after decay, stir

longing? Yet how can one question a mute, worn ruin?

يمشين مشي قطا البطاح تأوَّداً

قبُّ البطون رواجح الأكفالِ

They walk like the sandgrouse of the broad flats, swaying,

slender of belly, heavy of haunch.

يرمين بالحدق القلوب فما ترى

إلا صريع هوى بغير نبالِ

They shoot at hearts with their eyes, so you see

only one felled by love, without arrows,

من كل آنسة الحديث حييةٍ

ليس بفاحشة ولا متفالِ

by each modest woman, pleasant in conversation,

neither indecent nor unperfumed.

أقصى مذاهبها إذا لاقيتها

في الشهر بين أسرة وحجالِ

Her farthest wanderings, if you meet her,

in a month, are between beds and curtained chambers.

وتكون ريقتها إذا نبهتها

كالشهد أو كسُلاف الجريالِ

And her saliva, when you awaken her,

is like honey or the choicest red wine.

وإذا أردن زيارة فكأنما

ينقلن أرجلهن من أوحال

And when they wish to visit, it is as though

they lift their feet out of mud.

قاد الجيوش لخمس عشرة حجة

ولداته عن ذاك في اشغال

He led armies at fifteen years of age,

while his age-mates were occupied with other things.

قعدت بهم هِمَّاتهم وسمت به

همم الملوك وسورة الأبطال

Their ambitions held them down, while he was lifted high

by the ambitions of kings and the fierce vigor of heroes.

فكأنما عاش المهلب بينهم

باغرَّ قاس مِثالَه بمثال

So it was as though al-Muhallab lived among them

in a radiant nobleman who measured his likeness against a model.

في كفه قصباتُ كل مقلد

يوم الرهان وفوز كل نصالِ

In his palm are the prize-reeds of every garlanded steed,

on race-day, and the triumph of every arrowhead.

ومتى أزنك بمعشر وأزنهم

بك أُلْفِ وزنَك أرجح الأثقالِ

And whenever I weigh you against a group and weigh them

against you, I find your weight the heaviest of weights.