أمرَّ بها مع الأرواح رَنْدُ

أمرَّ بها مع الأرواح رَنْدُ

فَشَوَّقها إلى الأطلال وَجْدُ

فَشَوَّقها إلى الأطلال وَجْدُ

Did laurel waft past her with the breezes,

The wind blew by it with the spirits.

so that yearning drew her toward the ruined dwellings?

So it yearned for the ruins and fervor.

أمْ ادَّكَرَتْ أحبَّتُها بسلع

أمْ ادَّكَرَتْ أحبَّتُها بسلع

فهيَّجها بذات الأثلِ عهد

فهيَّجها بذات الأثلِ عهد

Or did she remember her loved ones at Salʿ,

Or did it recall its loved ones in Sallaj

and a memory stir her at Dhat al-Athl?

So it stirred in it the covenant of ages past.

أراها لا تُفيقُ جوىً ووجداً

أراها لا تُفيقُ جوىً ووجداً

وشبَّ بقلبها للشوق وقد

وشبَّ بقلبها للشوق وقد

I see her unable to recover from heartache and longing,

I see it cannot keep composure or fervor

and longing's fire has blazed in her heart.

And longing took hold in its heart and kindled.

حدا فيها الهوى لديار ميٍّ

حدا فيها الهوى لديار ميٍّ

فَثَمَّ مسيرُها في البيد وخد

فَثَمَّ مسيرُها في البيد وخد

Love's driving song urged her toward Mayy's dwellings,

Love sharpened in it the longing for the abode of Mayy.

and there she sped through the wastes with a swift gait.

So its journey came to a halt in the desert and cheek.

وتَيَّمها صبا نجدٍ غراماً

وتَيَّمها صبا نجدٍ غراماً

فما فَعَلَتْ بها سَلْعٌ ونجد

فما فَعَلَتْ بها سَلْعٌ ونجد

Najd's east wind enslaved her with passion—

And passion for Najd's youth obsessed it.

what have Salʿ and Najd done to her!

So neither Sallaj nor Najd granted it respite.

ولي كدموعها عبراتُ جَفْنٍ

ولي كدموعها عبراتُ جَفْنٍ

لها في وجنتي عكس وطرد

لها في وجنتي عكس وطرد

I too have tears from my eye, like hers,

And my tears are like the flowing tears

which course back and forth across my cheek.

That flow back and forth on my cheeks.

بودِّي أنْ تعيدا لي حديثاً

بودِّي أنْ تعيدا لي حديثاً

بأحبابٍ لهم في القلب ودّ

بأحبابٍ لهم في القلب ودّ

I wish you two would recount to me a tale

I wish you both would relate to me

of loved ones for whom my heart holds affection.

About loved ones who in my heart have affection.

لهم منِّي غرامٌ مستزادٌ

لهم منِّي غرامٌ مستزادٌ

ولي منهم منافرةٌ وصدّ

ولي منهم منافرةٌ وصدّ

For them I have an ever-growing passion,

For them I have an increasing passion

while from them I receive aversion and rejection.

While they shun and avoid me.

ضَللْتُ عن التَصَبُّر في هواهم

ضَللْتُ عن التَصَبُّر في هواهم

وعندي أنَّه هديّ ورشد

وعندي أنَّه هديّ ورشد

I strayed from patient endurance in loving them,

I lost patience in their love

yet I deem that guidance and right judgment.

Yet I feel it is guidance and righteousness.

فأخْلَقَ حبُّهم ثوبَ اصطباري

فأخْلَقَ حبُّهم ثوبَ اصطباري

وثَوْبُ الوَجْد فيهم يُسْتَجدُّ

وثَوْبُ الوَجْد فيهم يُسْتَجدُّ

Love for them wore out the garment of my patience,

So their love created my cloak of endurance

while the garment of longing for them is renewed.

While the cloak of fervor in them is renewable.

صَبَوْتُ إليهمُ فاستعْبَدوني

صَبَوْتُ إليهمُ فاستعْبَدوني

وإنَّ الصَّبَّ للمعشوق عبد

وإنَّ الصَّبَّ للمعشوق عبد

I yearned for them, and they enslaved me;

I poured myself out to them so they enslaved me

indeed, the lovesick one is a slave to the beloved.

And pouring oneself out to the beloved is to be a slave.

ولي في حيّهم رشَأ غرير

ولي في حيّهم رشَأ غرير

تخاف لحاظَهُ بالفتك أُسْد

تخاف لحاظَهُ بالفتك أُسْد

In their encampment I have an innocent fawn,

And in their district I have a sly fox

whose deadly glances even lions fear.

Whose glance the valiant lions dread.

إذا ما ماس أزرى بالعوالي

إذا ما ماس أزرى بالعوالي

وكم طَعَنَ الجوانحَ منه قَدُّ

وكم طَعَنَ الجوانحَ منه قَدُّ

When he sways, he puts lofty spears to shame;

Whenever it rubbed against the lofty sands

how often his figure has pierced the ribs!

And how many times it stabbed the tender breasts.

وليلٍ بالأُبيرقِ بِتُّ أُسقى

وليلٍ بالأُبيرقِ بِتُّ أُسقى

ثناياه ونَقْلي منه خد

ثناياه ونَقْلي منه خد

Many a night at al-Ubayriq I spent drinking

And a night at Al-Ubayriq where I spent

from his front teeth, with his cheek for my sweetmeat.

Its folds and my cheek carried from it.

يميل بنا التصابي حيث مِلْنا

يميل بنا التصابي حيث مِلْنا

وأمَّا عيشُنا فيه فرغد

وأمَّا عيشُنا فيه فرغد

Youthful dalliance swayed us wherever we turned,

Inclination makes us lean wherever we incline

and our life there was ease and abundance.

While our livelihood in it is plentiful.

رَكِبْنا من ملاهينا جُموحاً

رَكِبْنا من ملاهينا جُموحاً

فنحنُّ عن المسرَّة لا نُردُّ

فنحنُّ عن المسرَّة لا نُردُّ

We rode an unbridled mount of our pleasures,

We rode our whims to exhaustion.

and we could not be turned away from joy.

So we do not refuse delight.

لَيالي أوْرَثَتْنا حين وَلَّتْ

لَيالي أوْرَثَتْنا حين وَلَّتْ

تَصَعُّدَ زفرةٍ فينا تجدّ

تَصَعُّدَ زفرةٍ فينا تجدّ

Nights that, when they passed, bequeathed to us

Nights that passed down to us when they turned -

the rising of a sigh, ever renewed within us.

A moan arises in us that finds.

فهل يا سعد تُسْعِدُني فإني

فهل يا سعد تُسْعِدُني فإني

فَقَدْتُ الصَّبر لا لاقاك فقد

فَقَدْتُ الصَّبر لا لاقاك فقد

O Saʿd, will you come to my aid? For I

So will you bring me happiness, Saad?

have lost patience—may no loss ever befall you.

For I lost patience from not seeing you lost.

وما كلٌّ يُرَجَّى عند خطبٍ

وما كلٌّ يُرَجَّى عند خطبٍ

إذا ما خاصَمَ الدهرُ الألدّ

إذا ما خاصَمَ الدهرُ الألدّ

Not everyone can be counted on in a crisis,

And not all can be hoped for in time of need

when time, that relentless adversary, picks a quarrel,

When the timeless one disputes.

سوى محمود محمود السجايا

سوى محمود محمود السجايا

فلي من عطفه الركن الأَشدّ

فلي من عطفه الركن الأَشدّ

except Mahmud, praiseworthy in character;

Except Mahmoud, Mahmoud of excellent traits.

his kindness gives me the strongest support.

For me he is the firmest pillar.

إذا عُدَّتْ خِصالُ كريمِ قومٍ

إذا عُدَّتْ خِصالُ كريمِ قومٍ

فأَوَّلُ ما خصائله تعدّ

فأَوَّلُ ما خصائله تعدّ

When the virtues of a people's noble man are counted,

When the traits of a people's generous one are counted

his virtues are the first to be reckoned.

The first of his traits to count.

سروري في الهموم إذا اعترتني

سروري في الهموم إذا اعترتني

وعيشي الرغد حيث العيش كدّ

وعيشي الرغد حيث العيش كدّ

He is my joy amid troubles when they beset me,

My joy in worries when they beset me

and my life of ease when living is toil.

And my plentiful life wherever life is arduous.

بفضل يَمينه وظبا يَدَيْه

بفضل يَمينه وظبا يَدَيْه

يفوز مصاحبٌ ويخيب ضدّ

يفوز مصاحبٌ ويخيب ضدّ

Through his right hand's bounty and the blades in his hands,

By the grace of his right hand and prey of his hands -

a companion triumphs, and an enemy fails.

One accompanied succeeds and one opposed fails.

وفيض علومه للناس جهراً

وفيض علومه للناس جهراً

يدلُّ بأنَّهُ بحرٌ مُمدّ

يدلُّ بأنَّهُ بحرٌ مُمدّ

The outpouring of his knowledge, offered openly to people,

And the overflow of his knowledge openly

shows that he is an ever-giving sea.

Indicates he is an abundant sea.

وقد عَذُبَتْ موارده فأَمسى

وقد عَذُبَتْ موارده فأَمسى

لكلِّ النَّاس من صافيه وِرْد

لكلِّ النَّاس من صافيه وِرْد

His watering places have grown sweet, so now

His springs have been sweetened so he has become

everyone has a draught of his clear waters.

For all people from his purity a drink.

طمى علماً ومكرمةً وجوداً

طمى علماً ومكرمةً وجوداً

خضَمٌّ ليس يستقصيه حدّ

خضَمٌّ ليس يستقصيه حدّ

It swells with knowledge, noble deeds, and generosity—

He has mastered knowledge, kindness and generosity -

a vast sea no boundary can encompass.

A confluence that no limit can take stock of.

فجود لسانه درٌّ ثمينٌ

فجود لسانه درٌّ ثمينٌ

وجود بنانه كرم ورفد

وجود بنانه كرم ورفد

The bounty of his tongue is precious pearls,

The generosity of his tongue is a precious pearl

and the bounty of his fingers is largesse and aid.

And the generosity of his mind is generosity and boons.

تَقَلَّدَ صارمَ التقوى همام

تَقَلَّدَ صارمَ التقوى همام

له في هيبة الرحمن جند

له في هيبة الرحمن جند

A high-minded man has girded on piety's keen sword;

He has assumed the sword of piety, ardor -

in awe of the All-Merciful, he has an army.

For him is the awesomeness of the Merciful an army.

سَلُوا منه الغوامض في علوم

سَلُوا منه الغوامض في علوم

فما في الكشف أسْرَعَ من يردّ

فما في الكشف أسْرَعَ من يردّ

Ask him about the obscurities of the sciences:

Ask him the obscure points in sciences -

how swift the one who answers is at elucidation!

None quicker to reveal than him in response.

علومٌ نصْبَ عينيه أَحارَتْ

علومٌ نصْبَ عينيه أَحارَتْ

عقولَ طلابها أنَّى تجدّ

عقولَ طلابها أنَّى تجدّ

The sciences set before his eyes have confounded

Sciences he set before his eyes dazzled

the minds of their seekers, however hard they strive.

The minds of its seekers however they can find.

ذكيٌّ ثاقبُ الأَفكار ذهناً

ذكيٌّ ثاقبُ الأَفكار ذهناً

فلم يَصْلد له بالفكر زند

فلم يَصْلد له بالفكر زند

Keen in mind, incisive in thought,

Brilliant, penetrating of thoughts in his mind -

no fire-striker of his ever failed to spark in thinking.

So no flint to his mind can strike fire.

تسائله فيبدي الدّرّ سيلاً

تسائله فيبدي الدّرّ سيلاً

ويُنبي عن حُسام العَضب قدُّ

ويُنبي عن حُسام العَضب قدُّ

You question him, and he pours forth pearls in a torrent,

Question him and he reveals a stream of pearls

and a cut reveals the keen sword.

And reveals from the sword of severity a flame.

وكم قد أعْجَزَ الأَغيار ردًّا

وكم قد أعْجَزَ الأَغيار ردًّا

بأجوبةٍ لعمرك لا تردّ

بأجوبةٍ لعمرك لا تردّ

How often he has left others unable to reply,

And how he has rendered the pretentious helpless in response

with answers that, by your life, cannot be refuted!

With answers, by your life, that cannot be countered.

إذا كشف الحقائق في كلام

إذا كشف الحقائق في كلام

كأَنَّ نظامه في النثر عقد

كأَنَّ نظامه في النثر عقد

When he unveils truths in speech,

When he uncovers the truths in his discourse

his arrangement of prose is like a necklace.

It is as if its prosody in prose is strung together.

وجاوَبَ عالِمُ الزَّورا بما لا

وجاوَبَ عالِمُ الزَّورا بما لا

تُجاوبُ فيه إيرانٌ وهند

تُجاوبُ فيه إيرانٌ وهند

The scholar of al-Zawra answered matters that

And he answered the scholar of untruth with what

neither Iran nor India could answer.

Neither Iran nor India can answer in response.

وأَمْسَتْ عندَه الأَغيار خرساً

وأَمْسَتْ عندَه الأَغيار خرساً

وبانَ ضلالُهم وأُبينَ رُشْد

وبانَ ضلالُهم وأُبينَ رُشْد

Others stood mute before him,

And in his presence the pretentious became mute

their error was revealed, and right guidance made clear.

And their misguidance and his guidance became manifest.

لد آتاهُ ربُّك أَيّ فضل

لد آتاهُ ربُّك أَيّ فضل

وذلك من إِله العرش وعد

وذلك من إِله العرش وعد

Indeed, what excellence your Lord has bestowed upon him!

Your Lord has certainly given him great bounty

And that is a promise from the God of the Throne.

And that is from the God of the Throne a promise.

أقامَ شريعةَ الغرَّاء فيه

أقامَ شريعةَ الغرَّاء فيه

وشُدَّ به لدين الله عضد

وشُدَّ به لدين الله عضد

He established the radiant sacred law in him,

He upheld the law of the honorable one through it

and through him the arm of God's religion was strengthened.

And with it the religion of God was supported.

إمامٌ قدوةُ العلماء قرمٌ

إمامٌ قدوةُ العلماء قرمٌ

لقد جَمَعَ الفضائل وهو فرد

لقد جَمَعَ الفضائل وهو فرد

An imam, a model for scholars, a noble leader,

A leader, exemplar of the scholars, a date palm -

he has gathered the virtues, though he is but one man.

He has certainly gathered virtues and he is unique.

ففي بَحْرينِ إفضالٍ وعلمٍ

ففي بَحْرينِ إفضالٍ وعلمٍ

يفوزُ بوَفْرها عافٍ ووفد

يفوزُ بوَفْرها عافٍ ووفد

In two seas—of generosity and knowledge—

So in two oceans of grace and knowledge

a supplicant and a delegation gain abundant bounty.

One gifted and visiting gains abundance.

إليك أبا الثناء أبيتُ أُثْني

إليك أبا الثناء أبيتُ أُثْني

وإنْ أَثنى لساني عنك جهد

وإنْ أَثنى لساني عنك جهد

To you, Abu al-Thanaʾ, I spend the night offering praise,

To you, O father of praise, I stay up praising

even if weariness turns my tongue away from you.

Even if my tongue falters in praising you it efforts.

ومن جُمَل الفروض عليك تتلى

ومن جُمَل الفروض عليك تتلى

لشكر صنيعك الإِحسان حمد

لشكر صنيعك الإِحسان حمد

Among my obligations is to recite to you

And of the duties recited to you

praise in gratitude for your kindly deed.

Is thanking your favor, bounty with praise.

ليهْنِك سيِّدي عيدٌ سعيدٌ

ليهْنِك سيِّدي عيدٌ سعيدٌ

عليك له مدى الأَعوام عَوْد

عليك له مدى الأَعوام عَوْد

May a happy feast bring you joy, my master,

May a happy feast delight you my master

and may it return to you through all the years.

For you through the years lasting return.

وهاكَ من الفقير قصيد شعر

وهاكَ من الفقير قصيد شعر

رضاكَ له بها كرم ورفد

رضاكَ له بها كرم ورفد

Accept from this poor man a poem in verse;

And here is from the needy a poem

your approval of it is generosity and aid to him.

Your pleasure with it is generosity and boon.

أَجِزْ لي في مديحك لي بلثمي

أَجِزْ لي في مديحك لي بلثمي

يمينكَ فهو لي أملٌ وقصد

يمينكَ فهو لي أملٌ وقصد

Reward me for praising you by letting me kiss

Permit me in praising you my saliva

your right hand: that is my hope and aim.

For it is to me hope and purpose.