يا نديمي قد سبتني — عبد اللطيف بن إبراهيم آ…

يا نَدِيمي قَد سَبَتنِي

غَادَةٌ شِبهُ الهِلالِ

O my boon companion, she has captivated me—

a tender maiden like the crescent moon.

تَيَّمَتنِي حِينَ أَضحَت

تَتَثَنَّى مِن دَلالِ

She enslaved me with love when she began

to sway with coquetry.

يا لَهَا خَدٌ أَسِيلٌ

مَع رُدَيفاتٍ ثِقالِ

Oh, what a smooth cheek she has,

with heavy haunches.

وَلَها خَصرٌ لَطِيفٌ

مائِلٌ للانتِحالِ

And she has a delicate waist,

verging on emaciation.

وَلَها كَشحٌ هَضِيمٌ

وَجَبِينٌ كالهِلالِ

And she has a slender flank,

and a forehead like the crescent moon.

يا لَها ظَبيَةُ إِنسٍ

قَد حَوَت تاجَ الجَمالِ

Oh, what a gazelle in human form she is!

She has gained the crown of beauty.

حُسنُها قَد فاقَ طُرّاً

حُسنَ رَبَّاتِ الحِجَالِ

Her beauty has surpassed, without exception,

the beauty of ladies in bridal chambers.

إِنَّها خَودٌ عَرُوبٌ

مِن عَدِيمَاتِ المِثالِ

She is a tender maiden, full of affection,

one of those without compare.

لَيتَها تَرثِي لِمَن هُو

عَن هَواهَا غَيرُ سالِ

Would that she pitied one who

cannot forget his love for her.

وَعَسى للصَبِّ يَوماً

تُسعِفَنهُ بالوِصالِ

And may she one day, for the lovesick man,

grant him the favor of union,

وَتُعاطِيهِ كُؤُوساً

مِن ثَنايا كالَّلآلِ

and offer him cups

from front teeth like pearls.

أَشتَري مِنها رِضَاها

بِحَيَاتِي ثُمَّ مَالِي

I would buy her favor

with my life, and then my wealth.

لَم يَلَذَّ العَيشُ صَفواً

مُذ تَصَدَّت لِقِتَالِي

Life has held no unclouded delight

since she set herself to fighting me.

خَلَّفَتنِي إِلفَ سُهدٍ

طُولَ لَيلِي فِي مَلالِ

She left me a companion to sleeplessness,

all through my night, in weariness.

أَوقَدَت في القَلبِ جَمراً

مِن جَوَاها بِاشتِعَالِ

She kindled embers in my heart,

ablaze with anguish for her.

غادَرَت دَمعَ جُفُونِي

في انسِجامٍ وانهِمَالِ

She left my eyelids' tears

flowing and pouring down.

وَرَمَت قَلبِي بِسَهمٍ

مِن لِحَاظٍ كالنِبَالِ

And she struck my heart with an arrow

from sidelong glances like arrows.

صَيَّرتنِي مُستَهَاماً

في سَقامٍ وانتِحالِ

She made me distraught with love,

in sickness and wasting.

لَم أجِد خِلاً نَصِيراً

مُسعِداً لي لا يُبالي

I found no friend to champion me,

to support me without a care,

غَيرَ ذِي المَفخَرِ مَن هُو

صارَ فَخراً لِلرِّجَالِ

except that man of glory who

has become the pride of men:

صاحِبِي عَبدِ العَزيزِ

ماجِدٍ مَرجُو النَوَالِ

my friend, Abd al-Aziz,

a noble man whose bounty is hoped for,

مَن أَشادَ المَجدَ طِفلاً

وَبَنى بَيتَ الكَمالِ

who raised up glory as a child

and built the house of perfection.

سَيِّدٌ لا زالَ يَسمُو

في ذُرى أَعلى المَعَالِي

A lord—may he ever rise

to the summits of the loftiest honors.

يا خَلِيلي لَكَ أَشكُو

مِن جَفا أُختِ الغَزالِ

O my dear friend, to you I complain

of the coldness of the gazelle's sister.

فَعَسى تُسعِفُ مَن هُو

في هَوَاهُ في نَكالِ

So may you help one who

in his love endures torment.

إِذ تَرانِي لَو رَأَتني

عُذَّلِي رَقُّوا لِحَالي

For you see me: if they saw me,

my reproachers would pity my plight.

وَلَكَ اللَهُ مُدِيماً

كافِياً صَرفَ اللَيَالي

And may God ever stand by you,

shielding you from the vicissitudes of nights.

وَصَلاةُ اللَهِ تَغشَى

أَحمَداً زاكي الخِصالِ

And may God's blessing enfold

Ahmad, whose qualities are pure,

وَكَذا صَحبٌ كِرامٌ

ثُمَّ أَتباعٌ وَآل

and likewise his noble Companions,

then his followers and family.