لو كنتَ حاضر طرفِهِ وفؤادِهِ

لو كنتَ حاضر طرفِهِ وفؤادِهِ

أشْفَقْتَ من زَفَراتِهِ وسُهادِهِ

أشْفَقْتَ من زَفَراتِهِ وسُهادِهِ

Had you been there to witness his eye and heart,

If you had been present to see his condition,

you would have felt pity at his sighs and sleeplessness.

You would have pitied his sighs and pillow.

قد كانَ يرجو أن يلمّ ببرئِه

قد كانَ يرجو أن يلمّ ببرئِه

لو أنَّ طيفك كانَ من عوَّاده

لو أنَّ طيفك كانَ من عوَّاده

He had hoped to draw near to recovery,

He was hoping to reunite with his beloved,

if only your apparition had been among his sickbed visitors.

If only your specter had visited him.

عذَّبتَ طرفي بالسُّهاد ولم تبُت

عذَّبتَ طرفي بالسُّهاد ولم تبُت

إلاَّ وطرفك في لذيذ رقاده

إلاَّ وطرفك في لذيذ رقاده

You tormented my eye with sleeplessness, yet spent no night

You have tormented my eyes with grief, and yet

except with your eye enjoying sweet slumber.

Your eyes enjoy the comforts of slumber.

ما لي أُعَذِّب في هواكَ حشاشتي

ما لي أُعَذِّب في هواكَ حشاشتي

وأذودُ حرَّ القلب عن إبراده

وأذودُ حرَّ القلب عن إبراده

Why do I torment my life's last spark in love for you,

Why should I torment myself with love for you

and keep my heart's burning from cooling?

And protect my burning heart from respite?

وإذا أخَذْتَ بما يبوحُ به الجوَى

وإذا أخَذْتَ بما يبوحُ به الجوَى

أخذ الجوى إذ ذاك في إيقاده

أخذ الجوى إذ ذاك في إيقاده

And when you heed what love's anguish discloses,

If you heed the confessions of the risen dawn,

love's anguish then sets about kindling it.

The dawn at that time takes to fueling it.

هذا الغرامُ وما مرادك بعده

هذا الغرامُ وما مرادك بعده

ممَّا يحولُ جفاك دون مراده

ممَّا يحولُ جفاك دون مراده

This is passion—what do you desire beyond it

Such is this passion, and what you intend after it,

of things whose fulfillment your coldness prevents?

Turning your aloofness from its purpose.

من كنت أستصفي الحياةَ لقربه

من كنت أستصفي الحياةَ لقربه

أصْبَحْتُ أرتقبُ الرَّدى لبعاده

أصْبَحْتُ أرتقبُ الرَّدى لبعاده

He for whose nearness I once savored life—

The one for whose company I sought life,

now I await death because of his distance.

I now await demise due to his distance.

أطلقتُ بعدكم الدُّموع وإنْ أكنْ

أطلقتُ بعدكم الدُّموع وإنْ أكنْ

فيكم أسيرَ الحبّ في أقياده

فيكم أسيرَ الحبّ في أقياده

After your departure I set my tears free, though I remain

After you, I let flow rivers of tears, though

for your sake love's captive, bound in its chains.

I remain enslaved to love in its shackles.

ولقدْ سَدَدْتُ عن العَذول مسامعي

ولقدْ سَدَدْتُ عن العَذول مسامعي

ورأيتُ أنَّ الرَّأي غير سداده

ورأيتُ أنَّ الرَّأي غير سداده

I have indeed stopped my ears against the reproacher,

I turned a deaf ear to separation;

and found sound judgment elsewhere than in his counsel.

I saw that opinion lacked correctness.

يا مَن يلوم على الهوى أهل الهوى

يا مَن يلوم على الهوى أهل الهوى

كيف اقتناءُ الصَّبر بعد نفاذه

كيف اقتناءُ الصَّبر بعد نفاذه

O you who blame lovers for their love,

O you who blame the enamored for their love,

how can patience be acquired once it is spent?

How does one acquire patience once it runs out?

هل أنتَ يومَ البين من شهدائهِ

هل أنتَ يومَ البين من شهدائهِ

أم أنتَ يومَ الجزع من أشهاده

أم أنتَ يومَ الجزع من أشهاده

Were you among its martyrs on the day of parting,

Were you on the day of estrangement among its martyrs,

or among its witnesses on the day of anguish?

Or were you on the day of anguish among its witnesses?

مَن ذا يُجيرك من لواحظ سربه

مَن ذا يُجيرك من لواحظ سربه

ويفكُّ قلبك من يدي صيَّاده

ويفكُّ قلبك من يدي صيَّاده

Who can shield you from the glances of its gazelle-herd,

Who can protect you from the fangs of its serpents,

and free your heart from the hands of its hunter?

And untie your heart from the hands of its hunters?

يا ربع بلّ لك الأوام متيَّمٌ

يا ربع بلّ لك الأوام متيَّمٌ

إنْ جَفَّ ناظره بماءِ فؤاده

إنْ جَفَّ ناظره بماءِ فؤاده

O dwelling, a love-besotted man has quenched your thirst,

O partridge, the pure of heart are lovesick for you,

if his eye runs dry, with the water of his heart.

When your sight abandons the water of their hearts.

حَكَمْت بما حكم الغرامُ بأهلِهِ

حَكَمْت بما حكم الغرامُ بأهلِهِ

آرامُه فقَضَتْ على آساده

آرامُه فقَضَتْ على آساده

As passion judged its people, so judged

It has judged as passion judges its people,

its gazelles, passing sentence upon its lions.

And so it ruled over their misery.

وكأَنَّما كانت لذائذنا بها

وكأَنَّما كانت لذائذنا بها

روضاً جَنَيْتُ الغضّ من أوراده

روضاً جَنَيْتُ الغضّ من أوراده

And it was as though our pleasures there

It was as if our pleasures with it

were a garden from whose roses I plucked the freshest.

Were a meadow whose fruits I plucked.

لم أنسَ عهدكِ يا أُميمة باللّوى

لم أنسَ عهدكِ يا أُميمة باللّوى

فسقى الغمام العهد صوب عهاده

فسقى الغمام العهد صوب عهاده

I have not forgotten your tryst, Umaymah, at al-Liwa;

I never forgot my pact with you, O Umayma, though

may the clouds water that tryst with their recurring showers.

Clouds watered the pact from its place of storage.

أيَّام أصطبحُ المراشف عذبةً

أيَّام أصطبحُ المراشف عذبةً

ويفوزُ رائد لذَّةٍ بمراده

ويفوزُ رائد لذَّةٍ بمراده

In those days I took my morning draught from sweet lips,

Days when I awake on scented pillows,

and the seeker of pleasure attained his desire,

And a happy leader attains what he desires.

حيثُ الشَّبابُ قشيبةٌ أبراده

حيثُ الشَّبابُ قشيبةٌ أبراده

إذ كنتُ أرفلُ منه في أبراده

إذ كنتُ أرفلُ منه في أبراده

when youth's robes were fresh,

Where youth withers away its blossoms,

as I strode proudly in its robes.

When I was adorned by it in its blossoms.

ومضرَّج الوَجَنات من دمِ عاشقٍ

ومضرَّج الوَجَنات من دمِ عاشقٍ

يسطو بذابل أسْمَرٍ ميَّاده

يسطو بذابل أسْمَرٍ ميَّاده

And one whose cheeks were crimsoned with a lover's blood

With the cheeks of the passionate stained

struck with his swaying, slender, brown spear.

By the blood of a lover extolling his beloved.

عاطَيْتُهُ ممَّا يَمُجُّ لُعابُهُ

عاطَيْتُهُ ممَّا يَمُجُّ لُعابُهُ

صَهْباء تكْشِفُ عن صميمِ فؤاده

صَهْباء تكْشِفُ عن صميمِ فؤاده

I exchanged with him, from what his saliva poured forth,

I gave him that which whets his appetite,

a tawny wine that laid bare his inmost heart.

An intoxicant revealing the depths of his heart.

يصفو بها عيشُ النَّديم كأَنَّما

يصفو بها عيشُ النَّديم كأَنَّما

أخَذَتْ عليه العهد من أنكاده

أخَذَتْ عليه العهد من أنكاده

Through it the boon companion's life grew clear, as though

With it the drinker's life becomes serene, as though

it had taken a pledge from his troubles to spare him.

It had sworn to him to provide him comfort.

حتَّى إذا ألقى الظَّلام رداءه

حتَّى إذا ألقى الظَّلام رداءه

واستلَّ سيف الصُّبح من أغماده

واستلَّ سيف الصُّبح من أغماده

Until, when darkness cast off its cloak

Until the night cast off its cloak,

and morning's sword was drawn from its sheaths,

And the sword of dawn unsheathed from its scabbard,

قلتُ اسمحنْ لي ما بخلت بزورةٍ

قلتُ اسمحنْ لي ما بخلت بزورةٍ

وهل المحبّ بها على ميعاده

وهل المحبّ بها على ميعاده

I said, 'Be generous to me; you have not begrudged a visit—

I said, “Permit me, withhold not a visit,”

and does a lover keep his appointed time for it?'

Does the lover spend his promised time devoid of you?

لا ذاقَ ريقك بعد ذلك إنْ صحا

لا ذاقَ ريقك بعد ذلك إنْ صحا

أو كانَ يعثر غيّه برشاده

أو كانَ يعثر غيّه برشاده

May he never taste your saliva thereafter if he sobers,

Thereafter your saliva knew no sweetness when awake,

or if his waywardness stumbles upon his right guidance.

Or stumbled confusedly to guidance.

فَسَدَتْ معاملة الحسان لمَفْرِقٍ

فَسَدَتْ معاملة الحسان لمَفْرِقٍ

نَزَلَ البياضُ به مكان سواده

نَزَلَ البياضُ به مكان سواده

Dealings with beauties have soured for a head

Dealings of kindness ceased for one who parts;

where whiteness has settled in place of its blackness.

Pallor settled on him in place of darkness.

وثنى المشيب من الشَّباب عنانه

وثنى المشيب من الشَّباب عنانه

عن ودِّ زينبه وعشق سعاده

عن ودِّ زينبه وعشق سعاده

And gray hair has turned his reins away from youth,

And grey hair turned youth’s rein

from love of his Zaynab and passion for his Su'ad.

From love of Zainab and passion for Su’ad.

ونفاسة الصّمصام في إفرنده

ونفاسة الصّمصام في إفرنده

لا في نفاسة غمده ونجاده

لا في نفاسة غمده ونجاده

A keen sword's worth lies in its blade's luster,

The elegance of wine in a crystal vessel,

not in the preciousness of its sheath and baldric.

Not in the elegance of its scabbard and sheath.

سالمت أيَّامي فقال لي العُلى

سالمت أيَّامي فقال لي العُلى

إنْ كانَ عاداك الزَّمان فعاده

إنْ كانَ عاداك الزَّمان فعاده

I made peace with my days; then glory said to me:

I bid farewell to my days, and Al-‘Ula said to me,

'If time has opposed you, oppose it.'

“If time betrays you, then betray it.”

ولقد يعزُّ على المعالي أنْ ترى

ولقد يعزُّ على المعالي أنْ ترى

مثلي بهذا الدهر طوع قياده

مثلي بهذا الدهر طوع قياده

It would indeed pain the heights of honor to see

Indeed, it pains the glorious to see the likes of me

one like me, in this age, submitting to its reins.

In the grip of fate, complying with its lead.

صافيتُ أخلاقي الأَبيَّة دونه

صافيتُ أخلاقي الأَبيَّة دونه

فلينطو أبداً على أحقاده

فلينطو أبداً على أحقاده

I stayed true to my unyielding nature rather than to it;

I refined my noble, defiant nature beyond it,

so let it forever fold itself around its grudges.

So let it forever seethe in its grudges.

وأنا القويُّ على شدائد بطشه

وأنا القويُّ على شدائد بطشه

عاندته فرَغِمْتُ أنفَ عناده

عاندته فرَغِمْتُ أنفَ عناده

I am strong enough to withstand the severities of its onslaught;

And I am strong against its tyrannical injustices;

I defied it, rubbing the nose of its defiance in dust.

I resisted it, overriding its recalcitrance.

وأراه يمكر بي ويحسَبُ أنَّه

وأراه يمكر بي ويحسَبُ أنَّه

يضطرُّني يوماً إلى أوغاده

يضطرُّني يوماً إلى أوغاده

I see it plotting against me, imagining that it

I see it plotting against me, thinking

will one day force me to resort to its scoundrels.

It will one day force me into its lowliness.

هيهات قد تربَّت يداك فدون ما

هيهات قد تربَّت يداك فدون ما

قد رامَ هذا الدهر خرط قتاده

قد رامَ هذا الدهر خرط قتاده

Never! May your hands be dust-soiled: to attain what

Never! Your hands have withered, before what

this age has sought, it must first strip its thorny qatad.

This fate intended in knotting its cord.

ولمنْ أراد من الأَكارم بغية

ولمنْ أراد من الأَكارم بغية

ألفى أبا سلمان فوقَ مراده

ألفى أبا سلمان فوقَ مراده

Whoever seeks a boon from the noble

For whoever desires the generous deeds,

finds Abu Salman surpassing his desire:

He will find Abu Salman above his purpose.

بأسٌ يذوب له الحديد ونائلٌ

بأسٌ يذوب له الحديد ونائلٌ

كالعارض المنهلّ في إرفاده

كالعارض المنهلّ في إرفاده

might before which iron melts, and bounty

A hero whose might melts iron, an attainer

like a pouring rain-cloud in its giving.

Like lightning that flashes in its pouring.

النَّاس مغتنمون في إبراقه

النَّاس مغتنمون في إبراقه

طوراً ومحترزون من إرعاده

طوراً ومحترزون من إرعاده

People profit from his lightning

People exploit his shining,

at times, and guard themselves against his thunder.

At times, and protect themselves from his thunder.

مستنزل الإِحسان صادق وعده

مستنزل الإِحسان صادق وعده

ومزلزل الأَركان في إيعاده

ومزلزل الأَركان في إيعاده

He brings kindness down, true to his promise,

The abode of kindness, true to his promise,

and shakes foundations when he threatens.

And the shaker of pillars in his threats.

حسدت مناقبه الكواكبُ في العُلى

حسدت مناقبه الكواكبُ في العُلى

حتَّى رأيت البدر من حسَّاده

حتَّى رأيت البدر من حسَّاده

The stars in the heights envied his virtues,

The stars in the celestial realm envied his virtues,

until I saw the full moon among his enviers.

Until I saw the moon among his enviers.

أمَّا العيال عليه فهي أماجد

أمَّا العيال عليه فهي أماجد

والمجد لا ينفكُّ عن أمجاده

والمجد لا ينفكُّ عن أمجاده

As for those dependent on him, they are men of nobility,

As for his family, they are glories,

and glory never departs from his glories.

And glory is never divorced from glories.

يتطفَّلون على موائد فضله

يتطفَّلون على موائد فضله

يتبرَّكون بمائه وبزاده

يتبرَّكون بمائه وبزاده

They feast unbidden at the tables of his bounty,

They beg from the tables of his bounty,

seeking blessings in his water and his provisions.

Blessed by his water and provision.

طرب الشَّمائل كلَّما استجديته

طرب الشَّمائل كلَّما استجديته

طرب الشّجاع لحربه وجلاده

طرب الشّجاع لحربه وجلاده

His disposition rejoices whenever I beg his bounty,

The noble spirits are delighted whenever I petition him;

as a brave man rejoices in his battle and combat.

The brave are aroused for his battle and execution.

ولربَّما أجرى اليراعَ فلاحَ لي

ولربَّما أجرى اليراعَ فلاحَ لي

بيض الأَيادي من سواد مداده

بيض الأَيادي من سواد مداده

Often he set his reed pen moving, and there appeared to me

And perhaps he made well the stricken, so there came to me

white hands of bounty from the blackness of his ink.

White hands from the darkness of his ink.

لله أبلجُ من ذؤابة هاشمٍ

لله أبلجُ من ذؤابة هاشمٍ

لا زالَ حزبُ الله من أجناده

لا زالَ حزبُ الله من أجناده

God be praised for a radiant man from the crest of Hashim's line!

By the most illustrious of Hashim,

May God's party ever remain among his troops.

The party of God never ceased to be among his soldiers.

عقل الحوادث أقْلَعَتْ لهياجها

عقل الحوادث أقْلَعَتْ لهياجها

فكأَنَّها مصفودة بصفاده

فكأَنَّها مصفودة بصفاده

He fettered calamities that had launched into their fury,

The minds of calamities recoiled from his ferocity,

so they seemed shackled in his fetters.

As if fettered by his shackles.

لمَ لا يُؤَمَّل للإِغاثة كلّها

لمَ لا يُؤَمَّل للإِغاثة كلّها

من كانَ قطب الغوث من أجداده

من كانَ قطب الغوث من أجداده

Why should he not be looked to for every rescue—

Why would not all aid be expected

he among whose ancestors was the Pole of Succor?

From one whose ancestors were the pivot of succor?

لحق الكرام الأَوَّلين ولم يزل

لحق الكرام الأَوَّلين ولم يزل

في حَلْبَة النجباء سبق جواده

في حَلْبَة النجباء سبق جواده

He caught up with the noble men of old, and still

He attained the peerage of the generous ancients, and still

his steed holds the lead in the race of the nobly born.

His steed retains precedence in the racecourse of nobles.

فكأنَّما انتقب الصَّباح إذا بدا

فكأنَّما انتقب الصَّباح إذا بدا

إقبالهُ منه على وفَّاده

إقبالهُ منه على وفَّاده

It is as though morning donned a veil when

So it is as if the morning were picking out its splendor

his welcome to his visitors appeared.

When his rising upon his loved ones appears.

لا تعجبوا لجمال آل محمَّد

لا تعجبوا لجمال آل محمَّد

نورُ النَّبيّ سرى إلى أولاده

نورُ النَّبيّ سرى إلى أولاده

Do not marvel at the beauty of Muhammad's house:

Be not astonished at the beauty of Muhammad's progeny;

the Prophet's light has flowed into his children.

The light of the Prophet coursed unto his children.

بيتٌ قواعده قواعدُ يَذْبُلٍ

بيتٌ قواعده قواعدُ يَذْبُلٍ

يَتَعَثَّرُ الحدثان في أوتاده

يَتَعَثَّرُ الحدثان في أوتاده

A house whose foundations are the foundations of Yadhbul,

A house whose foundations are secure,

against whose stakes the blows of time stumble.

Upon which the inexperienced stumble in its pegs.

أطواد مجد في العُلى لم ينزلوا

أطواد مجد في العُلى لم ينزلوا

إلاَّ على الشرُفات من أطواده

إلاَّ على الشرُفات من أطواده

Mountains of glory on high, they have settled nowhere

Pillars of glory in the heights they did not descend,

but on the lofty ledges of its mountains.

Except upon the noblest of its pillars.

من كلِّ بحرٍ يستفاض نواله

من كلِّ بحرٍ يستفاض نواله

يا فوزَ من قد راحَ من روَّاده

يا فوزَ من قد راحَ من روَّاده

Each is a sea whose bounty is sought in abundance—

From every sea its abundance pours forth,

how fortunate is he who goes among its seekers!

Oh, the blessedness of one who frequented its visitors!

قد تستمدّ العارفون وإنَّما

قد تستمدّ العارفون وإنَّما

استمدادها بالفيض من إمداده

استمدادها بالفيض من إمداده

The gnostics may seek sustenance, yet

The gnostics derive from it, and yet

their sustenance, through overflowing grace, comes from his aid alone.

Its derivation for them is from His provision.

يا أهل ذا البيت الرَّفيع عماده

يا أهل ذا البيت الرَّفيع عماده

وانحطَّت الملوان دون عماده

وانحطَّت الملوان دون عماده

O people of this house, whose pillar is lofty,

O people of the lofty House, its pillar!

while day and night sink below its pillar,

And the anchors fell short of its pillar!

أروي لكم خبر الثناء وطالما

أروي لكم خبر الثناء وطالما

أَوْقَفْت راويه على إسناده

أَوْقَفْت راويه على إسناده

I recount to you the tale of praise, and often

I convey to you the tale of praise, and long have I

I have acquainted its narrator with its chain of transmission.

Paused its narrator at its chain of transmission.

مستعبد الحرّ الكريم بفضله

مستعبد الحرّ الكريم بفضله

لا حرَّ في الدُّنيا مع استعباده

لا حرَّ في الدُّنيا مع استعباده

He enslaves the free, noble man by his bounty;

Enslaved to the noble and generous one by his merit,

no man in the world remains free under his enslavement.

No freeman remains in the world despite his enslavement.

شاركت أبناء الرجال بما حَوَتْ

شاركت أبناء الرجال بما حَوَتْ

يمناكَ بين طريفه وتلاده

يمناكَ بين طريفه وتلاده

You have shared with the sons of men what

You shared with the sons of men what your felicity

your right hand holds, both newly gained and inherited.

Contained between its shores and its expanses.

وإذا تفرَّدَ في الزَّمان مهذّب

وإذا تفرَّدَ في الزَّمان مهذّب

ألفيتكَ المعدودَ من أفراده

ألفيتكَ المعدودَ من أفراده

And when a refined man stands alone in an age,

And if one refined stands alone in the age,

I find you numbered among its singular men.

I find you counted among its individuals.

روضي ذوى ولوى الرَّجاء بعوده

روضي ذوى ولوى الرَّجاء بعوده

فليجر منك الماء في أعواده

فليجر منك الماء في أعواده

My garden has withered, and hope has bent its stem;

My garden blossomed and the hope turned to its fragrance,

let water flow from you through its boughs.

So let it draw from you water into its stalks.

يفديك من ملكت يمينُك رقَّه

يفديك من ملكت يمينُك رقَّه

ورآك ملجأ قصدِهِ ومراده

ورآك ملجأ قصدِهِ ومراده

May he be your ransom, whose bondage your right hand owns,

May he who acquired your patronage ransom you

and who sees you as the refuge of his purpose and desire.

With his soul, took you as the goal of his purpose.

منع الوصول إلى ذراك بعيده

منع الوصول إلى ذراك بعيده

لا زلت أنْتَ العيد في أعياده

لا زلت أنْتَ العيد في أعياده

He was denied access to your shelter on his feast day;

Keeping distant from your presence remains far,

may you ever be the feast among his feast days.

You remain the feast during feast days.

والحظّ يصلد في يديَّ زناده

والحظّ يصلد في يديَّ زناده

إنِّي أُعيذُك من صُلود زناده

إنِّي أُعيذُك من صُلود زناده

And fortune's flint yields no spark in my hands;

Misfortune's bolt recoils in my hands from its bow,

I seek protection for you from its flint's failure to spark.

I seek refuge in you from the recoil of its bolt.

يا مَن نَعِمْتُ به وأَيَّة نعمة

يا مَن نَعِمْتُ به وأَيَّة نعمة

وسَعِدْتُ بين النَّاس في إسعاده

وسَعِدْتُ بين النَّاس في إسعاده

O you through whom I have found bliss—and what a blessing!—

O you with whom I was blessed, and what blessing!

and happiness among men through his bringing me happiness,

And I was felicitous among people by gladdening them.

تاجرت في شعري إليك وإنَّما

تاجرت في شعري إليك وإنَّما

نَفَقَ القريض لديك بعد كساده

نَفَقَ القريض لديك بعد كساده

I traded in my poetry with you; it was only

I engaged in poetry to you, and yet

with you that verse found a market after lying unsold.

The verse flowed to you after it waned.

ومن الكلام إذا نظرتَ جواهرٌ

ومن الكلام إذا نظرتَ جواهرٌ

يجبى إلى مَن كانَ من نقَّاده

يجبى إلى مَن كانَ من نقَّاده

And among words, if you look, are jewels

And of speech, when you observe its pearls,

borne as tribute to one among their assayers.

It must be collected by one who is among its appraisers.