خلا منكِ طرفي والحشا لكِ أوطانُ

خلا منكِ طرفي والحشا لكِ أوطانُ

فلي ولشأني بعد وشك النوى شانُ

فلي ولشأني بعد وشك النوى شانُ

My gaze is empty of you, yet my inmost heart is your dwelling.

My gaze is bereft of you, but my heart holds homelands for you.

My affairs, with separation drawing near, are grave indeed.

So, after parting drew near, I and my plight have a story.

حويتِ جمالاً لم يفارقهُ قسوةٌ

حويتِ جمالاً لم يفارقهُ قسوةٌ

وحسناً ولكن لم يصاحبهُ إحساتنُ

وحسناً ولكن لم يصاحبهُ إحساتنُ

You encompass a beauty from which cruelty has never parted,

You possessed loveliness that cruelty never left,

and a loveliness that kindness has never accompanied.

and beauty, but kindness did not accompany it.

ولحيِ وماج الرّدف واهتزّ قدّكِ الق

ولحيِ وماج الرّدف واهتزّ قدّكِ الق

ويم فحارَ البدرُ والدّعصُ والبان

ويم فحارَ البدرُ والدّعصُ والبان

My gaze—and the rounded hip swayed, and your stature trembled, up—

[Unclear opening] your hips swayed and your upright figure trembled;

—right and erect; moon, dune, and willow stood bewildered.

then the full moon, the sand dune, and the ban-tree were bewildered.

فمثلان في التشبيه رمحٌ وقامةٌ

فمثلان في التشبيه رمحٌ وقامةٌ

وسيّان في قلبي سنان ووسنان

وسيّان في قلبي سنان ووسنان

Thus two things resemble each other in the image: a lance and a figure;

In comparison, a spear and a figure are twins,

and in my heart, a spearhead and a languid-eyed beauty are alike.

and in my heart a spearhead and a sleepy-eyed beauty are alike.

خذي الحذر من قلبي وفيض مدامعي

خذي الحذر من قلبي وفيض مدامعي

فقلبي ودمع العين نارٌ وطوفان

فقلبي ودمع العين نارٌ وطوفان

Beware, beloved, my heart and the flood of my tears:

Beware my heart and the overflow of my tears,

for my heart and my weeping eye are fire and deluge.

for my heart and the eye's tears are fire and a deluge.

لقد خانني فيها النسيم بضوعه

لقد خانني فيها النسيم بضوعه

فيا للغوالي كيف يؤمنُ خوّان

فيا للغوالي كيف يؤمنُ خوّان

The breeze betrayed her to me by spreading her fragrance.

Indeed, the breeze betrayed me concerning her with its wafted fragrance.

Alas for precious beauties—how can one be safe from a habitual traitor?

O precious perfumes, how can a habitual betrayer be trusted?

وقفنا كأنّا في الهوى جاهلية

وقفنا كأنّا في الهوى جاهلية

وسعدى وهاتيك الكواكب أوثان

وسعدى وهاتيك الكواكب أوثان

In love we stood as though in pagan ignorance,

We stood as though, in love, we were people of the pagan age,

with Suʿdā and those stars as idols.

and Sa'da and those stars were idols.

مهاً شدهتنا بالتثني وحسنهِ

مهاً شدهتنا بالتثني وحسنهِ

فقلنا قدودٌ لدنةٌ وهي أغصان

فقلنا قدودٌ لدنةٌ وهي أغصان

Oryx-eyed beauties captivated us with their graceful sway and beauty,

Oryxes bewildered us with their swaying and its beauty;

so we said: supple figures—yet they are branches.

so we said, 'Supple figures!'—yet they were branches.

لقد قنصتنا والجفونُ حبائل

لقد قنصتنا والجفونُ حبائل

ومن عجب أن تقنص الأسدَ غزلان

ومن عجب أن تقنص الأسدَ غزلان

They surely ensnared us, their eyelids serving as traps.

Indeed, they hunted us, their eyelids snares,

One marvel is that gazelles should capture lions!

and how strange that gazelles should hunt lions!

فيا ليت سقمي لم تهنهُ جفونها

فيا ليت سقمي لم تهنهُ جفونها

فسقمي على طيِّ الصّبابة عنوان

فسقمي على طيِّ الصّبابة عنوان

Would that her eyelids had not scorned my sickness;

Would that her eyelids had not belittled my sickness,

for my sickness is the outward mark of love concealed within.

for my sickness is a heading upon the folds of passion.

فيا عاذلي في الدمع يوم سويقةٍ

فيا عاذلي في الدمع يوم سويقةٍ

أسارت نفوسٌ أم حمول وأظعان

أسارت نفوسٌ أم حمول وأظعان

O you who blame my tears on the day of Suwayqa,

O you who reproach my tears on the day of Suwayqa,

did souls journey away, or merely litters and caravans?

was it souls that departed, or laden camels and traveling litters?

دموعٌ ولكن ليس تطفئُ لوعةً

دموعٌ ولكن ليس تطفئُ لوعةً

وعذلٌ ولكن أين منّي سلوان

وعذلٌ ولكن أين منّي سلوان

They are tears, yet tears cannot quench a burning anguish;

Tears, but they do not extinguish burning grief,

and there is blame—but where can I find consolation?

and reproach—but where is solace for me?

لقد حدثت أجفانها في رسومها

لقد حدثت أجفانها في رسومها

بما صنعتْ فينا لحاظٌ وأجفان

بما صنعتْ فينا لحاظٌ وأجفان

Her eyelids have made fresh traces among love’s ruins,

Indeed, her eyelids spoke among the traces she left,

through what her glances and eyelids have done to us.

of what glances and eyelids had done to us.

أكلف قلبي حملَ ما لا يطيقه

أكلف قلبي حملَ ما لا يطيقه

وهل ممكن ضدان حبٌّ وكتمان

وهل ممكن ضدان حبٌّ وكتمان

I burden my heart with a load it cannot bear—

I burden my heart with bearing what it cannot endure.

can two opposites, love and concealment, coexist?

Can two opposites coexist: love and concealment?

ألمّت بنا طيفاً يخادعها الكرى

ألمّت بنا طيفاً يخادعها الكرى

وما طيفها إلاّ ولوع وأشجان

وما طيفها إلاّ ولوع وأشجان

She visited us as a phantom, while sleep beguiled her;

She visited us as an apparition, slumber beguiling her,

yet her phantom brought nothing but passion and sorrows.

and her apparition is nothing but infatuation and sorrows.

أبى الوجد إلاّ أن أدين بحبها

أبى الوجد إلاّ أن أدين بحبها

وللناس حتى في الصّبابة أديان

وللناس حتى في الصّبابة أديان

Longing rejects all but my avowal of her love;

Passion insisted that I profess her love as my faith,

even in ardent passion, people have different creeds.

and people have creeds even in passionate love.

أهيم إليها والحسانُ كثيرةٌ

أهيم إليها والحسانُ كثيرةٌ

وهل هائم إلاّ إلى الورد ظمآن

وهل هائم إلاّ إلى الورد ظمآن

I wander madly toward her, though beauties are many;

I yearn for her, though beautiful women are many.

but what does a thirsty wanderer seek except the watering-place?

Does a thirsty wanderer yearn for anything but the watering place?

واشتاق نعماناً وسالف عهدها

واشتاق نعماناً وسالف عهدها

وإن لم تفدْ إلاّ الكآبة نعمان

وإن لم تفدْ إلاّ الكآبة نعمان

I yearn for Nuʿmān and the bygone days of her covenant,

And I long for Nu'man and the bygone days with her,

though Nuʿmān’s dunes yield nothing but grief.

although Nu'man yielded nothing but melancholy.

حرامٌ على الأفواه تقبيلُ تربها

حرامٌ على الأفواه تقبيلُ تربها

وإن عبقتْ منها ذيول واردان

وإن عبقتْ منها ذيول واردان

It is forbidden for lips to kiss her earth,

It is forbidden for mouths to kiss its soil,

though hems and sleeves that trail upon it breathe fragrance.

though hems and sleeves have taken fragrance from it.

إذا جادها جفني بوابل مزنةٍ

إذا جادها جفني بوابل مزنةٍ

فلا جادها جفنٌ من الغيث هتّان

فلا جادها جفنٌ من الغيث هتّان

Whenever my eye rains upon it with a cloudburst,

If my eyelid waters it with a rain-cloud's downpour,

may no cloud’s eye rain upon it, however abundantly.

then may no streaming eyelid of rain water it.

وأنّي اهتدت في ليل شعر ودجنة

وأنّي اهتدت في ليل شعر ودجنة

إلى مضجعي والنجمُ في الغرب حيران

إلى مضجعي والنجمُ في الغرب حيران

How did she find her way through a night of hair and darkness

And how did she find her way through a night of hair and deep darkness

to my bed, while the western star stood bewildered?

to my bed, while the star was bewildered in the west?

وما شكَّ قلبي إنَّ بلقيسَ أقبلتْ

وما شكَّ قلبي إنَّ بلقيسَ أقبلتْ

وفي القصر ذو التاج الأعزِّ سليمان

وفي القصر ذو التاج الأعزِّ سليمان

My heart never doubted that Bilqīs, Queen of Sheba, had come,

My heart did not doubt that Bilqis had arrived,

and that Solomon, bearer of the mightiest crown, was in the palace.

while in the palace was Sulayman, wearer of the most glorious crown.

هو الفلك الدوّارُ في الوفد والعدى

هو الفلك الدوّارُ في الوفد والعدى

ففي كفّهِ للخلق رزقٌ وحرمان

ففي كفّهِ للخلق رزقٌ وحرمان

He is the ever-revolving firmament among delegations and enemies;

He is the revolving celestial sphere for delegations and foes;

in his palm lie sustenance and deprivation for all creation.

in his palm lie sustenance and deprivation for all creatures.

أناملهُ في كلِّ جدبٍ وأزمةٍ

أناملهُ في كلِّ جدبٍ وأزمةٍ

بحارٌ بحارُ الأرض فيهنَّ خلجان

بحارٌ بحارُ الأرض فيهنَّ خلجان

His fingertips, in every drought and crisis,

His fingers, in every drought and crisis,

are seas, while all the earth’s seas are but bays within them.

are seas within which the earth's seas are inlets.

شهاب الهدى محيي النّدى قاتل العدى

شهاب الهدى محيي النّدى قاتل العدى

إذا عزَّ مطعامُ العشيات مطعان

إذا عزَّ مطعامُ العشيات مطعان

A beacon of guidance, reviver of generosity, slayer of foes:

A blazing star of guidance, reviver of generosity, slayer of foes—

when a lavish host at evening meals is hard to find, he is a mighty spear-thruster.

when bounty is scarce, a lavish evening host and a fierce spear-thruster.

أظنُّ الندى فيه لقوم لذاذة

أظنُّ الندى فيه لقوم لذاذة

وإلاَّ فلمْ يعطي اللهى وهو جذلان

وإلاَّ فلمْ يعطي اللهى وهو جذلان

I think the generosity within him is a delight to many a people;

I think generosity in him is a delight to people;

otherwise, why does he bestow largesse while exultant?

otherwise, why does he give lavish gifts while joyful?

لذليذٌ إلى الإسماع لفظ ثنائهِ

لذليذٌ إلى الإسماع لفظ ثنائهِ

فهل هو لفظٌ ساغ أم هو ألحان

فهل هو لفظٌ ساغ أم هو ألحان

The phrasing of his praise is sweet to the ears—

Sweet to the ears are the words praising him;

is it fluent speech, or is it melody?

is it speech that goes down smoothly, or is it music?

لئن عرفتْ مصرٌ شواهدَ فضله

لئن عرفتْ مصرٌ شواهدَ فضله

لما جهلتْ ما تدّعيه خراسان

لما جهلتْ ما تدّعيه خراسان

Though Egypt has recognized the proofs of his excellence,

If Egypt has recognized the proofs of his excellence,

Khurasan surely knows what Egypt proclaims.

it has surely not been ignorant of what Khurasan claims.

له شرعُ جودٍ قتلهُ المال بالندى

له شرعُ جودٍ قتلهُ المال بالندى

مباحٌ بهِ والقتلُ في الشرع عدوان

مباحٌ بهِ والقتلُ في الشرع عدوان

His generosity has a law: wealth may be slain through bounty;

He has a law of generosity: his killing of wealth through giving

such killing is lawful, though killing under sacred law is aggression.

is lawful under it, though killing under the law is transgression.

أخو السيف ظمآنٌ إلى مهجِ العدى

أخو السيف ظمآنٌ إلى مهجِ العدى

وذو الوجد من ماء البشاشة ريّان

وذو الوجد من ماء البشاشة ريّان

The sword’s companion thirsts for his enemies’ lifeblood,

The sword's brother thirsts for the lifeblood of foes,

while the impassioned man drinks his fill from the water of smiling welcome.

and the lovesick one is quenched by the water of cheerful welcome.

فتى فعلهُ في كلِّ حالٍ محمدٌ

فتى فعلهُ في كلِّ حالٍ محمدٌ

فكلّ فصيحٍ في البريّة حسّان

فكلّ فصيحٍ في البريّة حسّان

A youth whose every deed, in every circumstance, is praised—

A youth whose every deed is praised—'Muhammad'—

so every eloquent man in creation becomes a Ḥassān in his praise.

so every eloquent speaker in creation is a Hassan.

فلو كان في عهدٍ تقادم عهدهُ

فلو كان في عهدٍ تقادم عهدهُ

لما زعموا أنَّ العمائم تيجان

لما زعموا أنَّ العمائم تيجان

Had he lived in an age long bygone,

Had he lived in an age whose days have long passed,

none would have claimed that turbans were crowns.

they would not have claimed that turbans were crowns.

وسلْ ألسن الأعلام عن فتكاته

وسلْ ألسن الأعلام عن فتكاته

غداة ألتقى الجمعان كفرٌ وإيمان

غداة ألتقى الجمعان كفرٌ وإيمان

Ask the tongues of illustrious men about his deadly exploits

Ask the tongues of the banners about his deadly assaults,

on the morning when the two hosts—unbelief and faith—met.

on the morning when the two hosts met: unbelief and faith.

بحيث كلوم الدارعين لدى الوغى

بحيث كلوم الدارعين لدى الوغى

موارد والسّمر الذوابل أشطان

موارد والسّمر الذوابل أشطان

There, amid battle, the wounds of armored warriors

There, the wounds of armored men amid battle

were watering-places, and the slender brown spears their well-ropes.

were watering places, and the slender brown spears were well-ropes.

كأنَّ القنا أغضانُ بانٍ وبيضهم

كأنَّ القنا أغضانُ بانٍ وبيضهم

جداول والزغف المضاعف غدران

جداول والزغف المضاعف غدران

The lances seemed willow branches, while their blades

As though the lances were branches of the ban-tree, and their bright swords

were streams, and the closely woven coats of mail were ponds.

were streams, and the doubled coats of mail were pools.

هناك دماءُ القوم حمر مزاجها

هناك دماءُ القوم حمر مزاجها

مياه المواضي والأسنة ريحان

مياه المواضي والأسنة ريحان

There the warriors’ red blood was mingled with

There the men's blood was red; its admixture

the water of keen swords, while spearheads were sweet basil.

was the water of keen blades, and spearheads were basil.

إذا ما تغنّى السيف في الهام والطلّى

إذا ما تغنّى السيف في الهام والطلّى

حفيفاً تثنّى رمحهُ وهو نشوان

حفيفاً تثنّى رمحهُ وهو نشوان

When the sword sang with a rustle among heads and necks,

When the sword sings among heads and necks

his spear swayed, drunk with triumph.

with a rustle, his spear sways, drunken.

ثنى القوس عنهُ راضياً لبلائهِ

ثنى القوس عنهُ راضياً لبلائهِ

وكم مرَّ دهرٌ دونهُ وهو غضبان

وكم مرَّ دهرٌ دونهُ وهو غضبان

He turned the bow aside, content with its service,

The bow was turned aside from him, his valor winning favor;

and how often time passed beneath him in a rage.

and many an age had passed without him in anger.

بأقمار ليلٍ والترائك هالها

بأقمار ليلٍ والترائك هالها

أسود أقلّتها من الخيل عقبان

أسود أقلّتها من الخيل عقبان

With moons of night whose breastbones were halos around them—

With moons of night, their helmets for halos:

lions borne by eagles among the horses.

lions borne aloft by eagles among the horses.

ولو لم يكن ليلاً مثارُ عجاجهِ

ولو لم يكن ليلاً مثارُ عجاجهِ

لما سارَ فيه صارمٌ وهو عريانُ

لما سارَ فيه صارمٌ وهو عريانُ

Had the dust he raised not made it night,

Were the dust-cloud he raised not night,

no naked sword could have traveled through it.

no naked sword would have marched within it.

تجود بنفس لا يجاد يمثلها

تجود بنفس لا يجاد يمثلها

كذاك نفوس الصّيد للمجد أثمان

كذاك نفوس الصّيد للمجد أثمان

He gives up a soul whose equal no one else would give;

You give freely a soul whose like is never given;

thus the lives of the hunted are the price of glory.

thus noble souls are the prices paid for glory.

همُ القومُ ذادوا بالعوالي عن العلى

همُ القومُ ذادوا بالعوالي عن العلى

فيا شدّ ما صالوا ويا حسنَ ما صانوا

فيا شدّ ما صالوا ويا حسنَ ما صانوا

They are the men who defended high honor with lofty spears.

They are the people who defended eminence with lofty spears.

How fiercely they attacked, and how nobly they preserved it!

How fierce their charges, how fine their guardianship!

مطاعونَ في سلمٍ مطاعينُ في وغى

مطاعونَ في سلمٍ مطاعينُ في وغى

وفي المحل والغمى غيوثٌ وفرسان

وفي المحل والغمى غيوثٌ وفرسان

Obeyed in peace, spear-thrusters in war;

Obeyed in peace, fierce spear-thrusters in battle,

in drought and amid cloud masses, they are rain-showers and horsemen.

and, in drought and distress, rain-clouds and horsemen.

إذا قاتلوا أفنوا وإن حاربوا قسوا

إذا قاتلوا أفنوا وإن حاربوا قسوا

وإن هبوا أقنوا وإن سالموا لانوا

وإن هبوا أقنوا وإن سالموا لانوا

When they fight, they annihilate; when they wage war, they are harsh.

When they fight, they annihilate; when they wage war, they are harsh;

When they bestow, they enrich; when they make peace, they grow gentle.

when they give, they enrich; when they make peace, they are gentle.

وغن حضرَ الطاغي وليمةَ بيضهم

وغن حضرَ الطاغي وليمةَ بيضهم

فليس لهُ إلاّ الندامةَ ندمان

فليس لهُ إلاّ الندامةَ ندمان

When a tyrant attends the banquet served by their white blades,

And if the tyrant attends the banquet of their bright swords,

he has no companion there but regret.

he has no boon companion but remorse.

غداةً لركض الخيل رعدٌ وللظبي

غداةً لركض الخيل رعدٌ وللظبي

وميضٌ وقطر النبل سحٌّ وهتّان

وميضٌ وقطر النبل سحٌّ وهتّان

At dawn, the galloping of horses is thunder, and the swords’

On a morning when the horses' gallop is thunder and the sword-edges

flashing is lightning, while the arrows’ downpour is abundant and unceasing.

flash, while the rain of arrows streams and pours.

همُ رغبوا بي عن إجابةِ حادثٍ

همُ رغبوا بي عن إجابةِ حادثٍ

فلي في خطاب الخطب مطلٌ وتبيان

فلي في خطاب الخطب مطلٌ وتبيان

They raised me above having to answer the blows of fortune;

They deemed me above responding to calamity,

when calamity addresses me, I have leisure and eloquence.

so I may delay and explain in answering misfortune.

وجاز مدى الجوزاء قدري لديهم

وجاز مدى الجوزاء قدري لديهم

فسيّان في العليا مكاني وكيوان

فسيّان في العليا مكاني وكيوان

My rank among them has passed beyond Gemini,

My standing with them has surpassed the height of al-Jawza,

so my station and Saturn stand equal in the heights.

so my place on high and Kaywan's are equal.

إذا كان فضلي عندهم غير خامل

إذا كان فضلي عندهم غير خامل

فما شأنه ألاّ يكون له شان

فما شأنه ألاّ يكون له شان

Since my merit among them is not obscure,

If my excellence is not obscure in their eyes,

how could it fail to possess renown?

then why should it lack distinction?

وما هو إلاّ الصبحُ في ظلم الورى

وما هو إلاّ الصبحُ في ظلم الورى

وهيهاتِ أن ينعى على الصبح برهان

وهيهاتِ أن ينعى على الصبح برهان

It is nothing but dawn amid mankind’s darkness,

He is nothing but dawn amid mankind's darkness,

and far be it from dawn to require proof.

and far be it that any proof should find fault with dawn.

وما الملكُ إلاّ صورةٌ وهو روحها

وما الملكُ إلاّ صورةٌ وهو روحها

وما الدهر إلاّ مقلةٌ وهو إنسان

وما الدهر إلاّ مقلةٌ وهو إنسان

Kingship is only a form, and he is its spirit;

Kingship is only a form, and he is its soul,

time itself is only an eye, and he its pupil.

and time is only an eye, and he is its pupil.