1. I am an ardent lover
Of one whose love is forbidden

2. My nights are sleepless because of him
And my wine is my solace

3. His prose is elegant and well-ordered
While his poetry is witty and delightful

4. His smile could slay me
If it ever showed a hint of joy

5. With the charm of a fawn and a bud
No flaw in him can I see

6. In his face two opposites meet
Light and darkness perfectly entwined

7. By night he is my sun
Above him darkness piles up

8. His cheeks hold such contradiction
Water blended with blazing fire

9. So the water flows gently
While the flames burn with passion

10. Just a glance from those weak eyes
Shot arrows through my ailing heart

11. His grip is weak, but from him
I cannot wrest satisfaction

12. One from the nation of beauty
Who else but he could my love claim?

13. Or one who came after that nation
He precedes all in beauty and fame

14. He is a maiden in tenderness
And a youth in his splendor

15. To the lovers' hearts he holds
Sway, rule and arbitration

16. With his love he afflicted me
With something ceaseless and untamed

17. Something beyond all solace
Or healing herbs to cure my frame

18. He took on a heavy burden
With patience and hardened bones

19. O heedless one, unaware
Of one who never sleeps!

20. How happily the lover spends his nights,
While the ardent one only despairs

21. Long has your disdain afflicted me
While my passion is unlawful for me to declare

22. You are forever self-satisfied, while my gaze
Is forbidden from resting upon your face

23. Sweet consent from you is unlawful
For me, though I wish it night and day

24. Do you have another eye above your eye
Or is there a seal upon your gaze?

25. My master, if there is no embrace
Or whispered words from your lips to take

26. Then let there be a lightning glance
A flash from you on the horizon that I can partake

27. If you think that too much, and modesty
Prevents such a gesture, then let there be

28. A letter, a messenger, with just
A greeting - that would suffice for me

29. Just to see you or get a hint
An encounter - or even just your veil

30. You refuse to love one who loves you
Should the lover be rebuked for his ail?

31. I complain of you to the one
Who is justice, wise and firm

32. I complain of you to the one
Before whom the wicked quake and squirm

33. I complain of you to the one
Whose might and aid we constantly yearn

34. I complain of you to the one
Who upholds the truth when conflicts burn

35. The lord of propriety and honor
Whose justice none can suborn

36. A leader whose taste of evil
Was brief, like weaning of a newborn

37. So evil learned to shun the taste
And for the people become scorn

38. No place for the treacherous there
Or the fraudulent and forsworn

39. The dragon and lion alike
Succumb to his compelling charm

40. Whenever they seek corruption
His resolve their schemes disarm

41. He thwarted them, devoted to truth
Most eminent of Abbas' line

42. A tribe whose glorious deeds
Will for all time brightly shine

43. While all men are but dust
They are luminaries sublime

44. O Abu al-Abbas no lack
Of perfection can in you be found

45. Gratitude and increase are joined
Continuity in you abound

46. You harness the times when they run wild
With a bridle to ease their pace

47. While men slumber, you watchful stay
Your stand is justice, theirs disgrace

48. With resolve your sturdy sword
Prevailed, doubt could not make you waver

49. With aid of your noble kin
You rose up to fiercely favor

50. For falsehood you are a scourge
While for truth you give order

51. You curb wealth and greed
While praising restraint and accord

52. The home of your glory overflows
With bounty ever-streaming greater

53. The station of your honor competes
To host all who on you do wait

54. In rituals of greeting and reverence
From you only peace do they take

55. Your open hands have granted
Unity, largesse in your wake

56. In you, truth finds a witness
Decoration and partition make

57. And in times long gone it was said
The trait of good is its decoration

58. No beauty but has a blemish
You have no defect or aberration

59. You are a lamp, a raincloud
Giving life to all creation

60. In you are wisdoms and a face
Radiant lights and estimation

61. A lofty palm whose charity
Pours forth, streaming without cessation

62. With your light we become radiant
And darkness turns to elation

63. With your rain, the barren earth
Turns fertile, sprouting vegetation

64. Bring us the new moon and rainfall
When clouds are dry and neglect their station

65. Your shining face light-giving
Your great gifts true liberation

66. Each of your days is a day
Of sun and also cloud formation

67. With your dawn, obscurity flees
Leaving only illumination

68. With your rain, the barren earth
Sprouts greenery across each nation

69. So wear the feast day joyfully
And may your years be elongation

70. A thousand years, and each year be
Even better than its graduation

71. Only felicity keeps you
From base minds' domination

72. May God protect you from them
Though they hurl only accusation

73. Not one pure drop of blood
No virtue or flesh salutation

74. Though it's said the vile who ransom
Are better than the worthless charges

75. For them is the sword and flame
Though they are the lowest of all contagion

76. Rejoice in Abu Ishaq and gain
All that the white-collared do sing

77. The morning star, the crescent moon
You are the horizon's bejeweled ring

78. Or perhaps you see them as misfortune
After you they bring only sorrowing

79. With God you keep connected
Triumph and steadfastness He is bringing

80. In your hands, should mighty waves crash
The ship of mankind you are winging

81. When ruin looms, when evil stirs
A bond that will never be severing

82. No injustice in your rule
No plunging without due measuring

83. Plant no orchard whose fruits
Could later bring you regretting

84. Stay this way, while green
The gardens and blossoms youthful springing

85. There is salvation in this line
Prosperity and peace its sweetness bringing