1. A promise to Alwah in Liwa has become intricate
Though its beginning was most beautiful and graceful
١. عَهدٌ لِعَلوَةَ بِاللِوى قَد أَشكَلا
ما كانَ أَحسَنُ مُبتَداهُ وَأَجمَلا
2. Forget our nights there though they're gone
And what's passed of our amusement in its shade
٢. أَنسى لَيالينا هُناكَ وَقَد خَلا
مِن لَهوِنا في ظِلِّها ما قَد خَلا
3. A fleeting life - if I could own the past
I would bring it back to make the future more beautiful
٣. عَيشٌ غَريرٌ لَو مَلَكتُ لِما مَضى
رَدّاً إِذاً لَرَدَدتُهُ مُستَقبَلاً
4. They blamed my long night and the more
They returned with blame, the longer my night became
٤. لاموا عَلى لَيلي الطَويلِ وَكُلَّما
عادوا بِلَومٍ كانَ لَيلي أَطوَلا
5. Follow your love to the beloved for he is
Guidance, and leave the blamer to keep blaming
٥. اِتبَع هَواكَ إِلى الحَبيبِ فَإِنَّهُ
رَشَدٌ وَخَلِّ لِعاذِلٍ أَن يَعذُلا
6. By God, I won't ask even if the one who
Reproaches perseveres, for a lover has no excuse to ask
٦. وَاللَهِ لا أَسلو وَلَو جَهِدَ الَّذي
يَلحى وَما عُذرُ المُحِبِّ إِذا سَلا
7. It revived hope and refuted the accusation of passion
The words "yes, after no" from the one I love
٧. أَحيا الرَجاءَ وَرَدَّ عادِيَةَ الجَوى
قَولُ الَّذي أَهوى نَعَم مِن بَعدِ لا
8. And his disposition is like my cup with its coolness
That chilled the heart of his lover, so it dripped
٨. وَمِزاجُهُ كَأسي بِريقَتِهِ الَّتي
ثَلَجَت فُؤادَ مُحِبِّهِ فَتَبَلَّلا
9. Don't wonder if a lover acts mad
Or a lover acts devoted
٩. لا تَعجَبي لِمُعَشَّقٍ أَن يَرعَوي
عَن هَجرِهِ وَلِعاشِقٍ أَن يُوصَلا
10. We stayed awake as two moons while the face of my aide shone
And the full moon rose to its apex and became complete
١٠. بِتنا وَلي قَمرانِ وَجهُ مُساعِدي
وَالبَدرُ إِذ وافى التَمامَ وَأَكمَلا
11. The signs of autumn appeared, and the pieces
Of clouds turned away and were about to pour down
١١. لاحَت تَباشيرُ الخَريفِ وَأَعرَضَت
قِطَعُ الغُيومِ وَشارَفَت أَن تَهطِلا
12. So enjoy Sha'ban, for after it is a month
That will prevent us from sipping the soft nectar
١٢. فَتَرَوَّ مِن شَعبانَ إِنَّ وَراءَهُ
شَهراً يُمانِعُنا الرَحيقَ السَلسَلا
13. Dijla is best seen with its tents and camp
And the chirp in the bosoms of Dijla is home
١٣. أَحسِن بِدِجلَةَ مَنظَراً وَمُخَيَّماً
وَالغَردِ في أَكنافِ دِجلَةَ مَنزِلا
14. The grass of the courtyard - when you step on its soil
You'd say the clouds poured down on it, so it flushed
١٤. خَضِلُ الفِناءِ مَتى وَطِئتَ تُرابَهُ
قُلتَ الغَمامُ انهَلَّ فيهِ فَأَسبَلا
15. The waves gathered for him, exceeding motivations
Quickened the wheels for him to slow down
١٥. حَشَدَت لَهُ الأَمواجُ فَضلَ دَوافِعٍ
أَعجَلنَ دولابَيهِ أَن يَتَمَهَّلا
16. Its dome shines white and its light beams
Until eyes tire of it and recoil
١٦. تَبيَضُّ نُقبَتُهُ وَيَسطَعُ نورُهُ
حَتّى تَكِلَّ العَينُ فيهِ وَتَنكَلا
17. Like the brilliant star, it manifests its light
The darkness surrounds it until it glitters and shines through
١٧. كَالكَوكَبِ الدُرِيِّ أَخلَصَ ضَوءَهُ
حَلَكُ الدُجى حَتّى تَأَلَّقَ وَانجَلى
18. Domes flank its right and left, lowering
Themselves before it, submitting to its reign
١٨. رَفَدَت جَوانِبَهُ القِبابُ مَيامِناً
وَمَياسِراً وَسَفَلنَ عَنهُ وَاعتَلى
19. Above it is an overseer who doesn't
Sleep, assigned with turning the winds
١٩. فَتَخالُهُ وَتَخالُهُنَّ إِزاءَهُ
مَلِكاً تَدينُ لَهُ المُلوكُ مُمَثَّلا
20. It turns to wherever it turns, seeking its direction
Doing what a warrior does - it goes forth then turns back
٢٠. وَعَلى أَعاليهِ رَقيبٌ ما يَني
كَلِفاً بِتَصريفِ الرِياحِ مُوَكَّلا
21. A miracle upon miracle in generosity that you see
Of its affair only the wondrous and astonishing
٢١. مِن حَيثُ دارَت دارَ يَطلُبُ وَجهَها
فِعلَ المُقاتِلِ جالَ ثُمَّ استَقبَلا
22. It has excelled people in famous and well-known
Piety and generosity among people, excelling them
٢٢. بِدَعٌ لِبِدعٍ في السَماحَةِ ما تَرى
مِن أَمرِهِ إِلّا عَجيباً مُجذِلا
23. Caution can hold back its first moves
And sometimes its resolve would be rash
٢٣. فَضَلَ الأَنامَ أَرومَةً مَذكورَةً
وَتُقىً وَأَنعَمَ في الأَنامِ وَأَفضَلا
24. It inherited from the Prophet a pleasing disposition
And an approach of moderation in words and deeds
٢٤. تَثني بَوادِرَهُ الأَناةُ وَرُبَّما
سارَت عَزيمَتُهُ فَكانَت جَحفَلا
25. So when it resolves complex matters, consecutive
Wisdoms come that show you how revelation descended
٢٥. وَرِثَ النَبِيَّ سَجِيَّةً مَرضِيَّةً
وَطَريقَةً قَصَداً وَقَولاً فَيصَلا
26. O son of the rightly guided leaders, upon whom
The foundations of our religion were built and sculpted
٢٦. فَإِذا قَضى في المُشكِلاتِ تَرادَفَت
حِكَمٌ تُريكَ الوَحيَ كَيفَ تَنَزَّلا
27. A persona whose morals have reached a peak, so it rose high
And the splendor of its face brightened and sparkled
٢٧. يا اِبنَ الهُداةِ الراشِدينَ وَمَن بِهِم
أَرسَت قَواعِدُ دينِنا فَتَأَثَّلا
28. When it rises on a fitting occasion and takes pride
In a fatherhood succeeded by the latter over the former
٢٨. خِرَقٌ سَمَت أَخلاقُهُ فَتَرَفَّعَت
وَأَضاءَ رَونَقُ وَجهِهِ فَتَهَلَّلا
29. It counts the auspicious stars, qualified
For authority, deputized or sent
٢٩. فَإِذا تَرَفَّعَ في المُناسِبِ وَاعتَزى
لِأُبُوَّةٍ يَتلو الأَخيرُ الأَوَّلا
30. I accompanied it with my hopes, and the likes of its perfection
Were generous, giving the seeker what he wished for
٣٠. عَدَّ النُجومَ الطالِعاتِ مُؤَهَّلاً
لِلأَمرِ أَو مُستَخلَفاً أَو مُرسَلا
31. If you wanted, a blessing would come from it and be granted
And a request made easy, so it flowed
٣١. أَصحَبتُهُ أَمَلي وَمِثلُ خِلالِهِ
كَرُمَت فَأَعطَت راغِباً ما أَمَّلا
32. All that remains is for you to will and it vanishes -
What was delayed or divided will then be separated
٣٢. إِن شِئتَ جاءَت نِعمَةٌ فَتُلُقِّيَت
مِنهُ وَسُهِّلَ مَطلَبٌ فَتَسَهَّلا
33. I have spoken, so do what you intend for it is the way of
Your generosity to tell and then act accordingly
٣٣. لَم يَبقَ إِلّا أَن تَهُمَّ فَيَنقَضي
ما قَد تَطاوَلَ أَو تَجُزَّ فَتَفصِلا
34. And if you hasten what you grant, then that is enough
To attain it, that the granted would have come fast
٣٤. قَد قُلتُ فَاِفعَل ما وَأَيتَ وَإِنَّ مِن
عاداتِ جودِكَ أَن تَقولَ فَتَفعَلا
35. Live the long lifetime happily
Filled with reign - an everlasting life
٣٥. وَلَئِن عَجِلتَ بِما تُنيلُ فَإِنَّهُ
حَسبٌ لِنَيلِكَ أَن يَكونَ مُعَجَّلا
٣٦. عِش مُدَّة الزَمَنِ الطَويلِ مُمَتَّعاً
وَمُمَلَّأً بِالمُلكِ عُمراً مُكمَلا