1. O how I wish my heart had declared its passion
And chosen to wander far from all other affections

2. The jealous blamed it and set their steeds to pursue it
So it took fright and quickly returned to the wilderness

3. But how can a heart be forced back to the thickets
If it has once taken wing out of passionate love?

4. Above that fount how many bright moons arise
Lighting the traveller's way if their radiance is veiled

5. A wild onager, chased from his thicket by night
Seeks the shelter of dawn lest the spears overtake him

6. Unescorted by hounds a hero came riding
On a sleek mare, safe from the pack though they raged for his blood

7. While Waran, grown tame, held the reins for his masters
A gift of his grace had made the halter his crown

8. A steed when the sword has inflamed his excitement
Will straighten the lance though it bow to his chest

9. His kick makes the white spear crimson with blood
And swerves from the blade as it sweeps to his cheek

10. Then my heart, when I said it was lost in the dark,
Revived by the whispering winds in the blackness of night,

11. And when gloom was unfurled, who was left me for company,
Lonely, now passion had severed the ties of old friendship?

12. But then came Love, a bold guest, to beset me
When Night had dispatched her armies across the wide world,

13. I broke my own ribs and went swiftly to meet him,
Taking from lightning the sparks of its glowing ember,

14. And lit up my heart with a fire in the darkness
That my melancholy guest might discern his intention,

15. A foe who presumed to call himself guest! His name
Was unwelcome, yet I did not spurn him away.

16. O who but a flash of lightning that pierced through my eyelids
Could take to swift flight after wounding my eyes!

17. More ardent than hand-clapping, their vanishing image
Opened the way for my tears in unceasing flood,

18. Breaking down restraint between a lover's eyelids
When the tears from his eyes responded to their light.

19. Yet how sweet is the pain of love! How intense its delight!
And how pleasing the anguish that absence evokes!

20. O a wild gazelle with languishing eyes, cropping
My heart for his pasture instead of brooks by the valley,

21. A thirsty one, lapping the wine of soft music,
Cooled for him in the goblet of vines by the winter,

22. Let others envy me, gaunt-ribbed and famished,
My fate and his by those cool waters are equal.

23. Seeking fulfilment, the two stand on common ground,
The goal is attained by those God has destined to win.

24. So the horses relieve their own cares when they gallop
And carry the heroes whose love the fair lost to gladness

25. While the steeds of the knights, trampling hard through the nightlands
Scattered the dark with the stirrups' rich jingle, till sunrise

26. Came, bringing glory and victory, and any who doubted
The power to conquer the legions of darkness were silenced.

27. For long my heart wished to attain this glory
Till now, in my life's final days, I have reached its zenith.

28. The glory I sought has appeared to my eyes, arising
In full, as no vision before had power to perceive.

29. As though all others had tasted its sweetness in jest
While we were reserved till in truth we could feel it,

30. As though their pursuit of glory was merely pretended
While ours was the true goal, the sincere intention.

31. O brother in lofty ambition, the stars in their setting
Attend your triumph, though night has enveloped your ranks,

32. While the heavens revolve in exaltation around you,
Girding their loins to recite your great virtues,

33. By God, did he not transcend even heaven
His feet would not tread but the Empyrean floor,

34. And he whose rank issublime as celestial mountains
Is lowered sometimes to walk upon earth with mankind,

35. A hero whose promise cannot be broken by waiting,
For kindness has killed all the rancour within.

36. His people know no distress that his hands cannot rescue
However much the eyes yearn to look on his face,

37. He outstrips all petition, munificent even before
The plea has been voiced, nor waits to be asked.

38. The throngs that he welcomes o'erflow his pavilions,
Yet awe of his presence reveals them like deserts.

39. His arrogance humbles the proud even while they oppose him,
Forced to concede, should they dare disavow his repute.

40. A foolish pretender to royalty needs but his gesture
To strip the vain tyrant of sceptre and crown.

41. No flatterer ever acclaimed him in hope of his favour,
But the truth leaves his rivals ashamed to deny his renown.

42. The cheeks of earth's kings are envious of his shoes
That tread, in their glory, soil his feet have ennobled.

43. Let him who aspires to surpass his sublime rank
Confess itenhanced by his faith in the name of his God.

44. Can servants of God compare in their glory and grandeur
If he in his pride should enumerate whom he has raised?

45. He cares not for praise that is given for favours,
Or thanks that are owed him for kindnesses shown.

46. Affairs of the state- he entrusts to the worthy,
Content with repute that no panegyric can match.

47. Joining fair deeds to his fear of the Lord, he attains
A degree that no man has equalled in courtesy.

48. What praise he deserves for enabling the pilgrims!
What thanks for preparing to stand before God!

49. Making might in the land a support for religion,
Grace for people, and favour for virtue and knowledge,

50. Transcending the toils that consume common mortals,
His zeal is for God, and God singles him out.

51. The brother who quells any rebel sedition,
Comes armed with a forest of lances to aid you.

52. The monarch of monarchs is ruled by his vision,
Stretching out a hand till the kingdom was secured,

53. And now like Alexander in retaining possession,
Since strategy served as the ladder to triumph.

54. I see glory sprout two branches of high renown
Each casting a shadow that covers the world.

55. Most wondrous in any age, two heroes advancing
Of equal in scale whenever their merits are weighed.

56. O my friend, while your glorious qualities dazzle,
I hone the keen wit of my songs for your name.

57. I compose them deliberately, wasting no labour,
And draw on the richest preserves of my art,

58. Writing proudly in gleaming and exquisite metres,
Admitting the effort would daunt even David.

59. Reproach for a noble is manifold increase
Of my zeal, though my hands cannot match the attempt.

60. Tormenting my readers, but deeper the anguish
Of cares that have poisoned the joy of my life.

61. I have genius to choose apt words for my verses
With potent effect when I stir it to action,

62. And a heart ever brimming, like the hive of the bee, with
Sustaining sweetness to lavish its treasure.

63. My thoughts were to meet you, fulfilling their promise.
Now time has arrived to accomplish that vow.

64. The world and its changes are nothing to me
If you are still there. Let existence exhaust itself!

65. To me all its phases are clothes to be worn for awhile
And discarded, decayed by the years and the seasons.

66. You attained the sublime rank, and so became its adornment.
We excelled, and you were the sum of our glory.

67. What you now have received is a token of blessings to follow
When Morning unveils what the new day will bring.