يقولون لي لما مدحت مهذباً

يقولون لي لما مدحت مهذباً

يعد بألفٍ لا يعد بواحد

يعد بألفٍ لا يعد بواحد

They say to me, whenever I praise Muhadhdhab:

They say to me, when I have praised a refined man,

“He promises a thousand, yet is not counted as one.

reckoned as a thousand, not as one:

أما في عباد اللَه حرٌّ كيوسف ال

أما في عباد اللَه حرٌّ كيوسف ال

كحيل رقيق الطبع عبل السواعد

كحيل رقيق الطبع عبل السواعد

Is there not, among the servants of God, a noble man like Joseph,

“Is there no noble among God's servants like Yusuf al-

dark-eyed, gentle in nature, stout of forearm?”

Kahil, gentle in nature, stout of forearm?”

فقلت لهم إن النجوم كثيرةٌ

فقلت لهم إن النجوم كثيرةٌ

ولكن أتم الظرف ظرف عطارد

ولكن أتم الظرف ظرف عطارد

So I tell them: “The stars are many,

So I said to them, “Indeed, the stars are many,

but refinement reaches perfection in Mercury.

yet the most perfect grace is Mercury's grace.

وكم في الرقى من زهرة طلب ريحها

وكم في الرقى من زهرة طلب ريحها

وليست نظير الورد في عين وارد

وليست نظير الورد في عين وارد

How many a village blossom has had its fragrance sought,

And many a flower on the heights has its fragrance sought,

yet it is no equal of the rose in the eye of one who comes upon it.

yet it is no equal to the rose in a visitor's eye.

فإن ساد في مصر ابن يعقوب قومه

فإن ساد في مصر ابن يعقوب قومه

فقد ساد هذا مثله كل ماجد

فقد ساد هذا مثله كل ماجد

If Jacob’s son became lord of his people in Egypt,

For if Jacob's son held sway over his people in Egypt,

then this man, like him, has become lord of every noble soul.”

this man, like him, has held sway over every noble man.

نفضت العنا عن خاطري منذ عرست

نفضت العنا عن خاطري منذ عرست

بسحاته الآمال نفض المزاود

بسحاته الآمال نفض المزاود

I shook hardship from my mind, ever since there camped

I have shaken distress from my mind since hopes encamped

in his courtyard my hopes—as provision-bags are shaken out.

in his courtyard, as one shakes out provision bags.”