قَلبٌ يذوبُ عليك وَجْدا

قَلبٌ يذوبُ عليك وَجْدا

وحشًى تَوَقَّدُ منك وَقدا

وحشًى تَوَقَّدُ منك وَقدا

A heart melts with yearning for you,

A melting heart for you, burning with love,

and a breast blazes with fire because of you;

And ardent longing kindled by you like a flame,

وجفون صبٍّ لا تزال

وجفون صبٍّ لا تزال

بهذه العَبرات تَنْدى

بهذه العَبرات تَنْدى

and a lovesick lover's eyelids never cease

Tears keep falling

to grow moist with these tears,

From this woeful lament

من زفرةٍ تحت الضلوع

من زفرةٍ تحت الضلوع

ومُقْلَةَ الرَّشأِ المفَدَّى

ومُقْلَةَ الرَّشأِ المفَدَّى

from a sigh beneath the ribs,

And the whimpers beneath my ribs,

and the eye of the gazelle for whom I'd give my life.

O slender form of the juicy branch,

يا قامةَ الغصنِ الرطيبِ

يا قامةَ الغصنِ الرطيبِ

قَد جاوزت في القتل حدَّا

قَد جاوزت في القتل حدَّا

O stature of the tender bough,

You have exceeded in killing any limit,

you have exceeded all bounds in killing.

Hours between us I still count

ساعات بينك لا أزال

ساعات بينك لا أزال

أعدُّها للهجر عدا

أعدُّها للهجر عدا

The hours of separation from you I never cease

And say: will union draw near

to count, tallying them for estrangement.

And hopes be fulfilled as promised?

وأقولُ هل يدنو الوصالُ

وأقولُ هل يدنو الوصالُ

وتنجز الآمال وعدا

وتنجز الآمال وعدا

And I ask: Will union draw near,

I have no respite from loving you

and will hopes fulfill a promise?

And this fervor has no bed,

ما لي مراحٌ من هواك

ما لي مراحٌ من هواك

ولا لهذا الشوق مغدى

ولا لهذا الشوق مغدى

I have no evening refuge from your love,

How many reproachers blamed me

nor does this longing have a morning refuge.

So I blocked my hearing altogether,

كم عازلٍ قد لامني

كم عازلٍ قد لامني

فسدَدتُ عنه السمع سدَّا

فسدَدتُ عنه السمع سدَّا

How many a would-be separator has blamed me,

And disobeyed my blamer over you

so I have firmly stopped my ears against him.

And said to the critic: away!

وعصيت عذَّالي عليك

وعصيت عذَّالي عليك

وقلت للوّام بعدا

وقلت للوّام بعدا

And I defied my reproachers over you,

I tend to the pact of one

and told the blamers: Away!

Who did not tend to the pact of love,

إنِّي لأَرعى عهدَ من

إنِّي لأَرعى عهدَ من

لم يرعَ لي في الحبِّ عهدا

لم يرعَ لي في الحبِّ عهدا

I indeed honor the pledge of one

Oh my soul! I kept my pact

who has honored no pledge to me in love.

While the loved ones wasted affection,

يا ويحَ نفسي قد حفِظْتُ

يا ويحَ نفسي قد حفِظْتُ

وضيَّع الأَحبابُ وُدَّا

وضيَّع الأَحبابُ وُدَّا

Alas for my soul! I have kept faith,

And I bought their love

while the loved ones have squandered affection.

With my soul before today in cash,

ولقد شَرَيتُ هواهم

ولقد شَرَيتُ هواهم

بالرُّوح قبل اليوم نقدا

بالرُّوح قبل اليوم نقدا

I purchased their love,

And after them I lost my patience

paying in ready coin with my soul before today.

Having not tasted the loss of my loved ones,

وفَقَدتُ صبري بعدهم

وفَقَدتُ صبري بعدهم

لا ذاقَ من أهواه فقدا

لا ذاقَ من أهواه فقدا

And I lost my patience after their departure;

And I ransom the one

may the one I love never taste loss.

Who did not satisfy me in love as a slave,

وأنا الفداءُ لمالكٍ

وأنا الفداءُ لمالكٍ

لم يرضني في الحبِّ عبدا

لم يرضني في الحبِّ عبدا

I would give my life for a master

Like the juicy branch, violets

who would not accept me as a slave in love:

Appearing, and the cheeks of roses,

كالغصن قدًّا والبنفسج

كالغصن قدًّا والبنفسج

عارِضاً والوردِ خدَّا

عارِضاً والوردِ خدَّا

like a bough in stature, and a violet

O gazelle! how many times did you fell

in his cheek's down, and a rose in cheek.

Lions that were before us in time,

يا ظبيُ كم صَرَعت عي

يا ظبيُ كم صَرَعت عي

ونُك قبلَنا في الدهر أُسْدا

ونُك قبلَنا في الدهر أُسْدا

O gazelle, how many have your

And shot your glance but never pierced

eyes felled—lions in ages before us!

With that look’s arrow deliberately,

ورَمَت فلم تُخْطِ الفؤاد

ورَمَت فلم تُخْطِ الفؤاد

بسهم ذاك اللحظ عمدا

بسهم ذاك اللحظ عمدا

And they shot, never missing the heart,

And the sickness of those eyes

deliberately, with the arrow of that glance.

Afflicted me, rather exceeded,

وسقام هاتيك الجفون

وسقام هاتيك الجفون

لقد عداني بل تعدَّى

لقد عداني بل تعدَّى

And the languor of those eyelids

And I recalled you while worries

has infected me—indeed, exceeded all bounds.

Pass by me backwards and driven away,

ولقد ذكرتك والهموم

ولقد ذكرتك والهموم

تمرُّ بي عكساً وطردا

تمرُّ بي عكساً وطردا

I remembered you while cares

And the night ignites its falling stars

passed through me, to and fro,

In the darkness of gloom like sparks,

واللَّيل يقدح شهبه

واللَّيل يقدح شهبه

في فحمة الظلماء زندا

في فحمة الظلماء زندا

and night struck sparks from its shooting stars

So I shed my tears out of duty

in the charcoal of darkness, as from a fire-stick.

When I recall you, to be fulfilled,

فقضت دموعي واجباً

فقضت دموعي واجباً

في مثل ذكرك أنْ يُؤدَّى

في مثل ذكرك أنْ يُؤدَّى

Then my tears discharged a duty

I revived it with you regrettably

that must be fulfilled in such remembrance of you.

And spent it sleepless and wakeful,

أحييْتُهُ بك حَسْرَةً

أحييْتُهُ بك حَسْرَةً

وقَضَيتُه أرقاً وسُهدا

وقَضَيتُه أرقاً وسُهدا

I kept it alive, grieving for you,

My patience in your estrangement faltered

and spent it in wakefulness and sleeplessness.

And the fervor of passion became serious,

هزل اصطباري في جفاك

هزل اصطباري في جفاك

وعاد هزل الوجد جدا

وعاد هزل الوجد جدا

My endurance grew frail under your coldness,

And hostile time softened me

and love's jest turned to earnest.

And guided me to separation gently,

وألانني الدهر المشومُ

وألانني الدهر المشومُ

وهدَّني بالبين هدَّا

وهدَّني بالبين هدَّا

And ill-omened time softened me,

Were it not for you I would be

and crushed me utterly with separation.

As prudence wants, firm,

لولاكَ كنتُ على الزَّمان

لولاكَ كنتُ على الزَّمان

كما يريدُ الحزمُ صَلْدا

كما يريدُ الحزمُ صَلْدا

But for you, I would have been, against time,

You who unjustly torment me

hard as firm resolve demands.

Stubbornly, bitterly, and harshly,

أمُعَذِّبي من غير ذنبٍ

أمُعَذِّبي من غير ذنبٍ

صَبوةً وجوًى وصدَّا

صَبوةً وجوًى وصدَّا

O you who torment me without a fault,

You are the one who tempted me

with passion, heartache, and rejection,

Until I saw misguidance as guidance,

أنتَ الَّذي أغويتني

أنتَ الَّذي أغويتني

حتَّى رأيت الغيَّ رشدا

حتَّى رأيت الغيَّ رشدا

you are the one who led me astray,

And your love emaciated me so

until I saw error as right guidance.

I became skin and bones from grief,

وهواك أضناني فك

وهواك أضناني فك

نتُ من الضنى عظماً وجلدا

نتُ من الضنى عظماً وجلدا

And your love has wasted me, so I have

You freed my tears after you

become bone and skin through wasting sickness.

Had shackled me in fervor,

أطْلَقْتَ دمعي بعدما

أطْلَقْتَ دمعي بعدما

قيَّدتني بالوجد قيدا

قيَّدتني بالوجد قيدا

You set my tears free after

And I accompanied my fervor in loving you

binding me tightly with yearning.

So it became a most hostile adversary,

وصَحِبتُ وجدي في هواك

وصَحِبتُ وجدي في هواك

فكان لي خصماً ألدَّا

فكان لي خصماً ألدَّا

I kept my passion company in loving you,

By God, I do not find wine

and it became my most relentless adversary.

Sweet and life prosperous,

تالله لا أجدُ المدامَ

تالله لا أجدُ المدامَ

لذيذةً والعيش رغدا

لذيذةً والعيش رغدا

By God, I find no wine

Since the gazelles marched away

delightful, nor life easy,

And headed to separation,

مذ قَوَّضَتْ عنِّي الظعون

مذ قَوَّضَتْ عنِّي الظعون

وأزْمَعَتْ للبين سُعدى

وأزْمَعَتْ للبين سُعدى

since the camel-borne travelers struck camp away from me,

For there I gain what I wish

and Suʿdā resolved on separation.

And succeed in its pursuit intentionally,

فهناك أظفرُ بالمنى

فهناك أظفرُ بالمنى

وأفوزُ في جدواه قصدا

وأفوزُ في جدواه قصدا

There I attain my wishes,

Sweet is humor if I taste it

and win my aim through his bounty.

And find it wine and honey,

حلو الفكاهة لو تذاق

حلو الفكاهة لو تذاق

وَجَدْتُهَا خمراً وشهدا

وَجَدْتُهَا خمراً وشهدا

Sweet is his wit; if it could be tasted,

And I go about, visiting,

I would find it wine and honey.

The happiest prince, Saad,

وأَروحُ أزجرُ طائراً

وأَروحُ أزجرُ طائراً

في أسعدِ الأُمراء سَعْدا

في أسعدِ الأُمراء سَعْدا

And I go forth, reading a bird's omen

Among men there is no peer

of good fortune in the most fortunate of princes.

For this hero an equal,

ما في الرجال نظيرُه

ما في الرجال نظيرُه

فيهم لهذا القرم ندَّا

فيهم لهذا القرم ندَّا

Among men there is none like him,

He continues to suppress rivals

none among them a peer to this great lord.

In his glory, angering enemies,

لا زالَ يُكْبِتُ حاسداً

لا زالَ يُكْبِتُ حاسداً

في مجده ويغيظُ ضدَّا

في مجده ويغيظُ ضدَّا

May he never cease to humble the envious

So his reward and recompense

with his glory, and vex an adversary.

Were wondrous, taking and responding,

فجوابه وثوابه

فجوابه وثوابه

قد أعجبا أخذاً وردَّا

قد أعجبا أخذاً وردَّا

His reply and his reward

And virtues told in prose

have both won admiration, in receiving and giving back.

I compiled in the necklace of time,

ومناقب مأثورة

ومناقب مأثورة

نظمت بجيد الدهر عقدا

نظمت بجيد الدهر عقدا

And his celebrated virtues

How excellent Iraq is for having

have been strung as a necklace on time's neck.

Majid who increased its honor and glory,

نَعِمَ العراقُ بماجدٍ

نَعِمَ العراقُ بماجدٍ

قد زادَه عزًّا ومجدا

قد زادَه عزًّا ومجدا

Iraq has prospered through a noble man

With the greatest of rulers

who has increased its might and glory:

Who gifted it solutions and jewels,

بأجلّ من ولي الأُمور

بأجلّ من ولي الأُمور

وجادها حلاًّ وعقدا

وجادها حلاًّ وعقدا

the most illustrious of those who governed affairs

It reached through him its highest

and dealt with them nobly, loosening and binding.

Goals and did not reach maturity,

بلغت به غاياتها

بلغت به غاياتها

العليا ولم يبلغ أَشُدَّا

العليا ولم يبلغ أَشُدَّا

Through him they reached their

His hands carried like the clouds

loftiest goals, though he had not reached full maturity.

Dew, lightning, and thunder,

حَمَلَتْ يداه كالغمامة

حَمَلَتْ يداه كالغمامة

للنَّدى برقاً ورعدا

للنَّدى برقاً ورعدا

His two hands bore, like a rain cloud,

So guide him in all goodness

lightning and thunder for bounty.

He is the most guided in goodness,

فاستهدِهِ في كلِّ خيرٍ

فاستهدِهِ في كلِّ خيرٍ

إنَّه في الخير أهدى

إنَّه في الخير أهدى

Seek his guidance in every good deed,

And with that praised character

for he is the surest guide to goodness.

My capacity, thanks and praise,

وبذلك الخلق الحميد

وبذلك الخلق الحميد

وسِعتُه شكراً وحمدا

وسِعتُه شكراً وحمدا

And for that praiseworthy character,

The compounder of virtue who

I have enfolded him in thanks and praise.

In the evening and morning was matchless,

الجامعُ الفضلَ الَّذي

الجامعُ الفضلَ الَّذي

أمسى وأَصبَحَ فيه فردا

أمسى وأَصبَحَ فيه فردا

The gatherer of excellence, in which

Flooded the deprived with gifts

he is peerless, evening and morning.

From him to the prosperous running over,

غَمَرَ العفاة بنائلٍ

غَمَرَ العفاة بنائلٍ

منه إلى العافين يسدى

منه إلى العافين يسدى

He has flooded seekers of bounty with a gift

Whoever came to drink from his rivers

bestowed by him upon those who seek it.

I think time will not prevent him,

من راح يُسقى من نداه

من راح يُسقى من نداه

فلا أظنُّ الدهر يصدى

فلا أظنُّ الدهر يصدى

Whoever goes to drink from his bounty

And if he sets himself to good

will never thirst, I think, for all time.

Trust him in what he undertakes,

وإذا تصدَّى للجميلِ

وإذا تصدَّى للجميلِ

فَثِقْ به فيما تصدَّى

فَثِقْ به فيما تصدَّى

And when he undertakes a noble deed,

O you who can transform its poisons,

trust him in whatever he undertakes.

If he wills, after harm into coolness,

يا مَنْ يُحيل سمومَها

يا مَنْ يُحيل سمومَها

إنْ شاءَ بعد الحرِّ بردا

إنْ شاءَ بعد الحرِّ بردا

O you who turn its scorching winds,

How he gave good news with his optimism

if you wish, to coolness after heat,

Of aid before receiving any aid,

كم بشّر استبشاره

كم بشّر استبشاره

بالرفد قبل النيل رفدا

بالرفد قبل النيل رفدا

how often his glad welcome has heralded

Take it, and do not the camels that roam

bounty—a gift before any gift was received!

With praise of you be challenged,

خُذها ولا الإِبل الشَّوارد

خُذها ولا الإِبل الشَّوارد

بالثناء عليك تحدى

بالثناء عليك تحدى

Take these—not the straying camels

And rhymes I maneuvered

driven onward with praise of you—

So they walked advancing steps,

وقوافياً سيَّرتُها

وقوافياً سيَّرتُها

فمضَتْ تقدّ السَّير قدَّا

فمضَتْ تقدّ السَّير قدَّا

but rhymes I have sent forth;

So delight in an Eid that does not cease

they went on, cleaving their course clean through.

To be hoped continually renewed,

فاهنأ بعيدٍ لا يزال

فاهنأ بعيدٍ لا يزال

كما تُؤمّل مستجدَّا

كما تُؤمّل مستجدَّا

So rejoice in a festival that remains

Do not let any share deprive me

ever renewed, as you hope.

In fatherhood that flowed,

لا يحرمني منك حظٌّ

لا يحرمني منك حظٌّ

بالأُبوَّة قد تردَّى

بالأُبوَّة قد تردَّى

May no fortune deprive me of you,

And he was so wrong in what he reaped

cloaked as it is in fatherhood.

That I filled with hatred toward him,

ولقد أساءَ بما جنى

ولقد أساءَ بما جنى

حتَّى امتليتُ عليه حقدا

حتَّى امتليتُ عليه حقدا

It has done wrong through what it wrought,

How and where and do I see

until I was filled with rancor against it.

In his law, justice and acceptance?

أنَّى وكيف وهل أرى

أنَّى وكيف وهل أرى

في شرعه الإِنصاف وردا

في شرعه الإِنصاف وردا

Whence and how—and shall I see

Whoever was free in his time

a share of fairness within its law?

Time was to him obliging and tomorrow,

من كانَ حُرّ زمانه

من كانَ حُرّ زمانه

كانَ الزَّمان عليه وغدا

كانَ الزَّمان عليه وغدا

Whoever was the noble man of his age

found time a scoundrel toward him.