1. It quenched her thirst with the wine of passion so she reeled,
And the guide of misfortunes stirred her when he turned aside.

2. So she continued to waver between longing and fever,
Folding and unfolding her robe in sadness.

3. The morning breeze rends her, a desolate wind,
Till from excess of rapture she seemed about to flare up.

4. When the standards of the camp of Thi 'l-Fazā appeared,
Passion brought back to her the old desire as it was.

5. So the branches of tree-like man cannot but pull at her heart
Whenever lightning flashed in al-Yaman and Najd.

6. And O Sa'd, beware of losing control from the bendings of passion,
Haply I may see in it one aided in love.

7. Leave her to slake her thirst for anguish with tears,
And when did tears flow from a lover who revealed his secret?

8. You try to cure a tortured heart with consolation,
And shed a torrent of tears from an overburthened eye!

9. And you let loose a flood at every task,
As if, from intensity of purpose, you were a rock!

10. By my life! Her camp, though far off, bars the lovers from her,
A passion which prevents the victims from showing patience.

11. By the life of Laylā are we undone! She has not kept her word to a lover,
And when did 'the fair slim-waisted ones' keep tryst?

12. When the shining light moves away from a herd of wild cows,
We see the Pleiades as inky spots.

13. I take delight in union with her and find separation bitter,
And he who lives in parting lives wearily.

14. By her radiance and his forehead her showed me guidance from error,
So that I knew not what misguidance was nor guidance.

15. The hearts of lovers bow before his decree,
Though he has been unjust in his decree and exceeded due bounds.

16. From that wanton one I have taken my share of bliss and joy,
I have contended with lions and sported with cubs.

17. At one time I found myself blamed in the east,
At another fate brought me praise in the west.

18. I will never cease to complain of time, and cares nip me,
An epoch when merit belonged to the aggregate of the enemy host.

19. Were it not for the flame of the Faith naught would exalt the virtuous,
Nor would he ever gain glory and handsomeness of praise.

20. The man of glory whom his generous deeds enrich
Will leave behind a fine tradition that endures.

21. When his breast and right hand overflow,
Take from the two seas a union of rich pearls !

22. High shall he ever float on the clouds of glory and favour,
Until in isolation aloft he unites the chief grace.

23. I saw his radiance, his glory and his praise,
I witnessed all that eye had ever seen most glorious.

24. Who congratulates newcomers on entering his court
With gifts more generous than he gave, guidance better than he guided?

25. Nor has the pearl of the mouth ceased to smile at men
Till his palm rained bounty prostrate in humble obeisance.

26. Who can be more immaculate than dear Jadd of exalted lineage?
No wonder if he cleanse and purify a Najjār and dustman!

27. O ocean of bounty, never have we seen thee troubled,
O star of munificence, when hast thou been clouded?

28. None but thy sublime ambitions are sought after,
None but thy propitious fingers pointed out are asked for.

29. In truth thou camest to this age as a mercy to men,
So that the buttress of the Faith by thee was strengthened.

30. And thou revivedst in the land of Irāq its sciences,
Otherwise, my lord, the case would have remained in loss.

31. I see everyone who transmits praise and eulogy
Therein relating to thee fair temper and supports.

32. Honour be thine! Baffled are the describers in describing thee,
And the ideas fail to define thine attributes.

33. When from thee gleams a ray of eloquence, however slight,
Pens fall to the ground before thee prostrate.

34. Through thee freshness and bounty slake his eyes,
Nor hath he blackened them save with thy writing in gall-nut ink.

35. Thou hast visited all the perfect the whole band,
And the wont of the great is to make personal inquiries.

36. How many a bounty thou hast conferred and then bestowed!
Thou hast made the Grandees docile slaves.

37. Had it not been for thee, I had obtained no glory and no rest,
Nor reached but by thy heights a goal.

38. Still am I, if in the world thou art my patron;
And whosoever is thy protege continues lordly.

39. Ever thou remainest, though the new moons wax, unharmed,
Through thy munificence needing naught, through thy decrees followed.

40. And thou remainest as long as the antimony blackens the eyelids sound,
by thy gifts independent and through thy judgments imitated.