بين حزني وحسنه اليوسفي

بين حزني وحسنه اليوسفي

نسبٌ كالصباح غير دعي

نسبٌ كالصباح غير دعي

Between my grief and his Joseph-like beauty

Between my sorrow and his Yusuf-like beauty

is a kinship clear as morning, not falsely claimed.

There is a relationship like the radiant dawn

لم تغادر لحاظ ذا الغادر الـ

لم تغادر لحاظ ذا الغادر الـ

ـمقلة صبراً للمستهام الوفي

ـمقلة صبراً للمستهام الوفي

The glances of this treacherous-eyed one have left

He did not leave the bed of that betrayer

no patience for the faithful, love-struck man.

Patiently awaiting the faithful beloved

بابلي الجفون نقع غليلي

بابلي الجفون نقع غليلي

منه في رشف ريقه البابلي

منه في رشف ريقه البابلي

Babylonian-eyed: the quenching of my burning thirst

My eyes shed my anguish

lies in sipping his Babylonian saliva.

From his sweet saliva

يتشكى من ردفه دقة الخصـ

يتشكى من ردفه دقة الخصـ

ـر تشتكي الضعيف جور القوي

ـر تشتكي الضعيف جور القوي

His slender waist complains of his rump,

He complains of the hardness of fate

as the weak complain of the strong one's oppression.

The weak complain of the injustice of the strong

من لباكٍ من ضاحكٍ وشج

من لباكٍ من ضاحكٍ وشج

يٍ بخليٍ ومحسنٍ بمسي

يٍ بخليٍ ومحسنٍ بمسي

Who will aid a weeper against a laughing one, a grieving man

For one who cries or laughs or is shy

against a carefree one, and a doer of good against a wrongdoer,

Or stingy or good with mischief

وغني الهوى فقيرٍ من السلـ

وغني الهوى فقيرٍ من السلـ

ـوة فأعجب من الفقير الغني

ـوة فأعجب من الفقير الغني

and one rich in love but poor in

Rich in love, poor in calm

solace? Then marvel at this rich pauper!

So the poor is stranger than the rich

لن يجيب النداء غير بهاء الديـ

لن يجيب النداء غير بهاء الديـ

ـن ترب الندى هلال الندي

ـن ترب الندى هلال الندي

None will answer the call but Baha al-Din,

None will answer the call but the Beauty of Religion

generosity's peer, Hilal the munificent.

The honey of dew, the crescent of faith

ذي نجار مستنزل مدحنا

ذي نجار مستنزل مدحنا

العلوي عن مثل مجده العلوي

العلوي عن مثل مجده العلوي

Of a lineage that draws down our lofty praise

He whose praise we inhabit

from the like of his Alid glory.

Is supremely supreme in his glory

وثناءٍ أفاحه عرض المال

وثناءٍ أفاحه عرض المال

وعرضٍ يزري على المندلي

وعرضٍ يزري على المندلي

And praise made fragrant by the offering of wealth,

And praise that excels the display of wealth

and honor that puts Mandali aloeswood to shame.

And display that looks down on the exhibited

قائلٌ فاعلٌ وتلك خلالٌ

قائلٌ فاعلٌ وتلك خلالٌ

فيه كانت من قبله في النبي

فيه كانت من قبله في النبي

A man of word and deed—these are qualities

A speaker, a doer, and that is grace

that were in the Prophet before they were in him.

That was in the Prophet before him

صادق الوعد ثابت العهد ساري

صادق الوعد ثابت العهد ساري

الذكر ثبت الحيا غزير الحبي

الذكر ثبت الحيا غزير الحبي

True to his promise, firm in his pledge, far-spreading

True to his word, steadfast in his covenant, flowing in remembrance, steadfast in life, abundant in love

in fame, unfailing in rainlike bounty, abundant in gifts.

So for him, apart from his delegation, are the vigils of days in which is either tremors of awe or the thrill of the honored

فله دون وفده يقظة الأيا

فله دون وفده يقظة الأيا

م فيه أو هزة المشرفي

م فيه أو هزة المشرفي

To guard his guests, he has the vigilance of the days

His song stood up for me, so it sufficed me

within him, or the quiver of a Mashrafi sword.

The trouble of attaining the summit and urging the steed

قام دوني غناؤه فكفاني

قام دوني غناؤه فكفاني

هم جوب الفل وحث المطي

هم جوب الفل وحث المطي

His aid stood guard for me and spared me

And I saw the people of loyalty, and how good

the worry of crossing barren wastes and urging on the mounts.

Is the impact of the loyal one with the loyal

ورآني أهل الولاء وما أحـ

ورآني أهل الولاء وما أحـ

ـسن وقع الوالي عند الوالي

ـسن وقع الوالي عند الوالي

He deemed me worthy of his patronage—how fine

I have become, because of him, between a rose from the branches, pure, and between delightsome grass

a loyal friend's standing is with the patron!

I am perplexed, O son of the successor, in words, and in words is maturity, if I say, O son of the successor

بت منه ما بين وردٍ من الأكـ

بت منه ما بين وردٍ من الأكـ

ـدار صافٍ وبين عشبٍ هني

ـدار صافٍ وبين عشبٍ هني

Thanks to him, I passed the night between a draught

A converser from whom every eloquent one learns

clear of murk, and wholesome grass.

A teacher whom every silent one serves

حرت يا ابن الوصي قولاً وحسب الـ

حرت يا ابن الوصي قولاً وحسب الـ

ـقول رشداً أن قلت يا ابن الوصي

ـقول رشداً أن قلت يا ابن الوصي

I am at a loss for words, O son of the Trustee; enough

The lion of Allah, the black dogs of disbelief retreated

wisdom for speech is my saying, 'O son of the Trustee.'

Only from his prophetly staff

مصقعٌ عي منه كل فصيحٍ

مصقعٌ عي منه كل فصيحٍ

معلمٌ حام عنه كل كمي

معلمٌ حام عنه كل كمي

An orator before whom every eloquent man falls speechless;

He filled the earth with the light of manifest knowledge

a marked champion from whom every armored warrior recoils.

He who collects the light of every praiseworthy trait

أسد الله لم تراجع أسود

أسد الله لم تراجع أسود

الكفر إلا عن عيصه النبوي

الكفر إلا عن عيصه النبوي

God's lion: the lions of

How much in discourse he has of insights

unbelief retreated only before his prophetic thicket.

And positions like the outpouring of the pitcher

ملأ الأرض نور علمٍ جليٍ

ملأ الأرض نور علمٍ جليٍ

مجتنٍ نور كل حمد جني

مجتنٍ نور كل حمد جني

He filled the earth with the light of lucid knowledge,

Where the mother of speech is barren

gathering the blossom of every praise ripe for harvest.

And the lines of poetry are like the overflowing of springs

كم له في الخطاب من لفـ

كم له في الخطاب من لفـ

ـظٍ شرودٍ ومن مقام سني

ـظٍ شرودٍ ومن مقام سني

How many an utterance is his in discourse—

A ruler with guidance who hits the mark so do not

far-ranging—and how many a station sublime!

Strike in his yard, deaf to guidance

حيث أم المقال جد عقيم

حيث أم المقال جد عقيم

وقنا الخط مثل فيض القني

وقنا الخط مثل فيض القني

Where the mother of speech is utterly barren,

Has praise like your house come, no praiseworthy one,

and al-Khatt's spears are like the flood of watercourses.

And who can cast the seeds of the comers?

حاكم بالهدى مصيبٌ فلا تقـ

حاكم بالهدى مصيبٌ فلا تقـ

ـرع في ساحتيه صم العصي

ـرع في ساحتيه صم العصي

A judge guided aright, who hits the mark; no

Your worth, no blame, I have failed in words

solid staffs are rapped in his two courts.

Though I am not one who wanders confused

هل أتى مدح مثل بيتك لا مد

هل أتى مدح مثل بيتك لا مد

حي ومن ذا يلقي عباب الأتي

حي ومن ذا يلقي عباب الأتي

Has any praise matched your house? Not my

So overlook with your forbearance the lack

praise—and who can face the oncoming torrent's surge?

Of rhymes, for they have defects

قدك لا لوم قد عجزت عن القو

قدك لا لوم قد عجزت عن القو

ل وان كنت ليس يفرى فري

ل وان كنت ليس يفرى فري

Enough—no blame! I have fallen short in

We have never been devoid of your understanding

speech, though none can cut as I cut.

That does good work with every gentle guide

فتجاوز بفضل حلمك عن نقـ

فتجاوز بفضل حلمك عن نقـ

ـص القوافي فإنها ذات عي

ـص القوافي فإنها ذات عي

So, by virtue of your forbearance, overlook the

shortcoming of these rhymes, for they are tongue-tied.

لا عدمنا من بعل فهمك من

لا عدمنا من بعل فهمك من

يحسن صنعاً بكل خودٍ هدي

يحسن صنعاً بكل خودٍ هدي

May we never lack, in your understanding, a bridegroom

who treats every maiden bride well.