لذاك الحبيب وهذي الدمنْ

لذاك الحبيب وهذي الدمنْ

خلعتُ عذار الهوى والشجن

خلعتُ عذار الهوى والشجن

For that beloved and these ruined encampments,

For that beloved and this closeness

I cast off the bridle of passion and grief.

I shed the adornments of passion and yearning

فللحسن من أدمعي ما هوى

فللحسن من أدمعي ما هوى

وللبين من جلدي ما وهن

وللبين من جلدي ما وهن

For beauty are my tears that fell,

So for the beauty tears fell from me

and for separation, my endurance that failed.

And for separation my skin weakened

وقفتُ وما كان ذاك الوقو

وقفتُ وما كان ذاك الوقو

فُ إلاَّ لسعي الأسى والحزن

فُ إلاَّ لسعي الأسى والحزن

I stood, and that standing was nothing

I stood though it was not the stance

but to set anguish and sorrow in motion.

Except for the striving of sorrow and sadness

فضيَّع سمعي قرطَ الملام

فضيَّع سمعي قرطَ الملام

وشقت جفوني جيب الوسن

وشقت جفوني جيب الوسن

So my hearing lost the earring of reproach,

So it wasted my hearing the blame beads

and my eyelids tore the collar of sleep.

And my eyelids split open the wound's dressings

فيا راوي الحبّ عن أدمعي

فيا راوي الحبّ عن أدمعي

عرفت ولوعي ولكن بمن

عرفت ولوعي ولكن بمن

O narrator of love on the authority of my tears,

So O carrier of love from my tears

you know my ardor—but for whom?

You knew my agony but who with?

وإني لأخشى عليه الظنون وق

وإني لأخشى عليه الظنون وق

د ينتج العلمُ بعد الظنن

د ينتج العلمُ بعد الظنن

And I do fear suspicions concerning him;

And I fear suspicions about him while he

for knowledge may emerge after conjecture.

Is learned after the suspicions

بروحي أحور ساجي اللحا

بروحي أحور ساجي اللحا

ظ وما فترَ اللحظ إلاَّ فتن

ظ وما فترَ اللحظ إلاَّ فتن

My soul be ransom for a dark-eyed one of tranquil

By my soul a passionate dark-eyed beauty

glances; his gaze never languished without beguiling.

Whose glance did not falter except to captivate

وإني وأني لعينُ الحنيف

وإني وأني لعينُ الحنيف

لمن جاهليّة ذاك الوثن

لمن جاهليّة ذاك الوثن

And I—though the very model of an upright believer—

And I, by God, am to the ardent lover

am surely of that idol's pagan age.

An ignorant pagan to that idol

قضيت هوّى وقضى بالهوى

قضيت هوّى وقضى بالهوى

فأطلق دمعي وقلبي سجن

فأطلق دمعي وقلبي سجن

I perished of passion; he pronounced judgment by passion,

I fulfilled a passion and with passion he passed judgement

then set my tears free and imprisoned my heart.

So my tears flowed and my heart imprisoned

وعلَّمني فيه ندب الحمول

وعلَّمني فيه ندب الحمول

وجدٌ دمعي وقلبي سجن

وجدٌ دمعي وقلبي سجن

And I was taught, for his sake, to lament the laden camels

And he taught me therein how to blame the departed

by yearning—my tears, and my heart imprisoned [wording unclear].

My flowing tears and my heart imprisoned

إلى الله من مغرمَ بالوفاء

إلى الله من مغرمَ بالوفاء

كأني من غير أهل الزمن

كأني من غير أهل الزمن

To God goes the plea of one enamored of fidelity,

To God from one enamored with loyalty

as though I were not of the people of this age.

As if I am not one of this age’s people

وكيف يلام غريبٌ بكى

وكيف يلام غريبٌ بكى

لقرب المشيب وبعد الوطن

لقرب المشيب وبعد الوطن

How can a stranger be blamed for weeping

And how can a stranger who cried be blamed

at the nearness of gray hair and the remoteness of home?

For the nearness of old age and the distance of homeland?

أحنُّ ولا عجبٌ للكريم

أحنُّ ولا عجبٌ للكريم

تذكَّر عهداً كريماً فحن

تذكَّر عهداً كريماً فحن

I yearn; no wonder for a noble man

I yearn and no wonder for the generous man

who remembers a noble covenant and yearns.

Remembered a generous past so he yearned

ويكفيك أني بسهم الفراق

ويكفيك أني بسهم الفراق

كليمُ الفؤاد سليمُ البدن

كليمُ الفؤاد سليمُ البدن

Let it suffice you that, by separation's arrow,

And it suffices you that I by the arrow of separation

my heart is wounded, my body unharmed.

Am wounded in spirit safe in body

فللدهر منى شنيه الملام

فللدهر منى شنيه الملام

ولأبن الحسين الثناء الحسن

ولأبن الحسين الثناء الحسن

For Time, from me, there is harsh reproach;

So time has from me the blame of malice

and for Ibn al-Husayn there is fair praise.

And for the son of Husayn the finest praise

هو النجمُ لا العرضُ منهُ يباح

هو النجمُ لا العرضُ منهُ يباح

كلاَّ ولا مالهُ يختزن

كلاَّ ولا مالهُ يختزن

He is the star; his honor cannot be violated,

He is the star not the good name from him taken

certainly not, nor is his wealth hoarded.

No, and not his money hoarded

جوادٌ يعمُّ الورى والوغى

جوادٌ يعمُّ الورى والوغى

بنشر العطايا وطيّ المحن

بنشر العطايا وطيّ المحن

A generous man, embracing mankind and war

Generous whom the world and turmoil surround

by spreading gifts and folding troubles away.

With spreading gifts and covering tribulations

لقد قعدتُ حين قام الخطوبُ

لقد قعدتُ حين قام الخطوبُ

فأحيى المنى وأمات الفتن

فأحيى المنى وأمات الفتن

Indeed, I sank down when calamities arose;

I have sat when obstacles stood up

he revived hopes and put strife to death.

So he brought life to purpose and stopped strife

ولم يفترق فعلهُ والتقى

ولم يفترق فعلهُ والتقى

ولم يجتمع حكمهُ والغبن

ولم يجتمع حكمهُ والغبن

His deeds and piety never parted,

And his action did not separate from concord

nor did his judgment and injustice ever meet.

And his wisdom did not meet with loss

رفيع العماد طويلُ النجاد

رفيع العماد طويلُ النجاد

حديدُ الفؤاد رحيبُ العطن

حديدُ الفؤاد رحيبُ العطن

Lofty of tent-pole, long of sword-belt,

Of lofty pillars, long right hand

steely of heart, spacious of watering-ground.

Firm of heart, vast of giving

إذا جمد العام في المحل ذاب

إذا جمد العام في المحل ذاب

وأن أمسك القطرُ بخلاً هتن

وأن أمسك القطرُ بخلاً هتن

When the year freezes in drought, he melts;

If the clouds congeal in place they melt

and if rain holds back in stinginess, he pours down.

And if the rain withholds stingily it slides

وأن طاش ثهلان حلماً رسا

وأن طاش ثهلان حلماً رسا

أناةً وأن خفَّ خوفٌ رصن

أناةً وأن خفَّ خوفٌ رصن

And if Thahlan reels, he stands firm in forbearance,

And if courage exceeds forbearance

with patience; and if fear turns flighty, he remains steady.

It bows in humility and if fear decreases determination

فليتك تشهده خاطباً

فليتك تشهده خاطباً

وقد سلَّ في الخطب سيف اللَّسن

وقد سلَّ في الخطب سيف اللَّسن

If only you could witness him speaking,

If only you could see him speaking

having drawn in his address the sword of eloquence,

Having unleashed in his sermon the sword of tongues

وسدَّد أسهمَ أقلامهِ

وسدَّد أسهمَ أقلامهِ

وضاعف بالجود سرد الجنن

وضاعف بالجود سرد الجنن

and aimed the arrows of his pens,

And directing the arrows of his pens

and with generosity doubled the weave of protective armor,

And doubling gifts to flow generosity

وأقبل في جيش أفكاره

وأقبل في جيش أفكاره

وقد عرَّضتهُ شهودُ الفطن

وقد عرَّضتهُ شهودُ الفطن

and advanced amid the army of his thoughts,

And he came in an army of his thoughts

already reviewed by the witnesses of keen insight.

While the witnesses of insight displayed him

لتعلمَ في الملك كيف الغناءُ

لتعلمَ في الملك كيف الغناءُ

وتعرف في الفضل كيف المنن

وتعرف في الفضل كيف المنن

So you may learn what worthy service to a kingdom is,

That you may know in the kingdom how singing is

and know what favors in excellence are,

And learn in nobility how favors are

وتبصرَ من كفّهِ واليراعِ

وتبصرَ من كفّهِ واليراعِ

ورقاء ساجعةً في فنن

ورقاء ساجعةً في فنن

and see, from his hand and reed-pen,

And see from his palm and banner

a gray dove cooing on a bough.

Papers pleading in rows

فيا مبهجي باختصاص دنا

فيا مبهجي باختصاص دنا

ويا مزعجي بمرادٍ شطن

ويا مزعجي بمرادٍ شطن

O you who gladden me with special favor drawn near,

So O you who gladdened me by special closeness

and unsettle me with a wish far distant,

And O you who saddened me by intended separation

نشرتُ كتابك لمَّا فضضتُ

نشرتُ كتابك لمَّا فضضتُ

فمثَّل لي تبّتاً في عدّن

فمثَّل لي تبّتاً في عدّن

I unfolded your letter when I broke its seal,

I circulated your book when I examined

and it conjured for me Tibet in Aden.

So it portrayed for me repentance in paradise

وقامت غرائبُ إنشائهٍ

وقامت غرائبُ إنشائهٍ

بنظم السرور ونسخ الإحن

بنظم السرور ونسخ الإحن

The marvels of its composition set about

And wonders of his writing stood up

weaving joy and erasing rancor.

In prose of bliss and poetry of sighs

فأفصحُ من نظمنا نثرةُ

فأفصحُ من نظمنا نثرةُ

وأرجحُ من فهمنا ما وزن

وأرجحُ من فهمنا ما وزن

So his prose is more eloquent than our verse,

So his prose is more eloquent than our poetry

and what he weighed is weightier than our understanding.

And his understanding weightier than what we composed

إذِ الألفاتُ كهيف القدود

إذِ الألفاتُ كهيف القدود

ونوناتهُ كقسيّ العكن

ونوناتهُ كقسيّ العكن

For its alifs are like slender figures,

For his friendships are like imprinted amulets

and its nūns like the bows of belly-folds.

And his letters like Yemeni onyx

وتهزأُ ميماتهُ بالثغور

وتهزأُ ميماتهُ بالثغور

وتلك العيونُ بحسنِ العين

وتلك العيونُ بحسنِ العين

Its mīms mock mouths,

While his meems mock the gaps in teeth

and those ʿayns mock the beauty of eyes.

And those eyes by the beauty of eyes

وتخصرُّ منهُ أيادي الندى

وتخصرُّ منهُ أيادي الندى

وتبيضُّ فيهِ وجوهُ المنن

وتبيضُّ فيهِ وجوهُ المنن

And through it the hands of bounty grow green [reading uncertain],

And his hands pick the fruits of dew

and in it the faces of favors grow white.

And whiten in it the faces of favors

لأرعد أعطافَ سمر القنا

لأرعد أعطافَ سمر القنا

وأخجل أوجهَ بيض اليمن

وأخجل أوجهَ بيض اليمن

It truly made the flanks of brown lances tremble,

To quake the limbs of slender waisted dark-eyed beauties

and shamed the faces of bright Yemeni blades.

And shame the faces of the fair cheeked Yemeni women

كأني علقتُ بذيل السّحاب

كأني علقتُ بذيل السّحاب

أجل وحللتُ بركني حضن

أجل وحللتُ بركني حضن

As though I had clung to the hem of a cloud—

As if I clung to the train of clouds

yes, and settled at Hadan's two flanks.

Yes, and lodged in the corner of an embrace

فما شئتَ من نهرٍ في الوهادِ

فما شئتَ من نهرٍ في الوهادِ

وما شئتَ من زهرٍ في القنن

وما شئتَ من زهرٍ في القنن

Rivers as you wish in the lowlands,

So whatever river in the lowlands you wished for

and flowers as you wish upon the peaks.

And whatever flower in the gardens you wanted

إلا بهما فليكدني الحسود

إلا بهما فليكدني الحسود

جليت القذى وغسلت الدرن

جليت القذى وغسلت الدرن

With those two alone, let the envious man scheme against me!

With them let the envious waste me

I have cleared the motes and washed away the grime.

I have clarified the motes and washed the pearls

إذا المجد لم يقترن بالسماح

إذا المجد لم يقترن بالسماح

فما هو إلا كبعض المهن

فما هو إلا كبعض المهن

If glory is not joined with generosity,

For glory when not paired with nobility

it is no more than one of the trades.

Is nothing but like some of the crafts

وكم في البرَّية من جاهلِ

وكم في البرَّية من جاهلِ

عيّيٍ ويحسبُ أن قد فطن

عيّيٍ ويحسبُ أن قد فطن

How many an ignorant man there is among mankind,

And how many ignorant crude ones in the desert

tongue-tied, yet thinking himself perceptive!

Thinking that they have insight

إذا بكرَ الناس للمكرمات

إذا بكرَ الناس للمكرمات

تخيَّر أثوابهُ وأدَّهن

تخيَّر أثوابهُ وأدَّهن

When people rise early for noble deeds,

If people rise early for generous deeds

he selects his clothes and oils himself.

He selects his clothes and perfumes himself

فياليتهُ وهو غال بذاك

فياليتهُ وهو غال بذاك

شرى عرضهُ بأخسّ الثمن

شرى عرضهُ بأخسّ الثمن

If only he—dear even at that price—

Oh if only while deluded with that

had bought his honor for the paltriest sum!

He had bought his honor with the cheapest price

وما غضبي طعماً في النَّوال

وما غضبي طعماً في النَّوال

ولكنَّهُ غضبٌ للغبن

ولكنَّهُ غضبٌ للغبن

My anger is not for a taste of bounty,

And my anger is not enjoyment of bliss

but it is anger at injustice.

Rather it is anger for loss

جهلتُ فأظلمَ وجهُ العتاب

جهلتُ فأظلمَ وجهُ العتاب

لضيمِ سرى ولهمٍّ كمن

لضيمِ سرى ولهمٍّ كمن

I acted rashly, and the face of reproach darkened

I was ignorant so the face of rebuke darkened

at an injustice that crept in and a worry that lurked.

For the oppression of intimacy and anxiety like a homestead

لدنت بمفترضات النّدى

لدنت بمفترضات النّدى

وكلٍّ نوافلهِ والسنن

وكلٍّ نوافلهِ والسنن

You have truly adhered to bounty's prescribed duties,

I joke with the affectations of dew

and all its voluntary offerings and observances.

And each his supererogatory and required acts

وقدماً جرى لأعثرتَ الكرا

وقدماً جرى لأعثرتَ الكرا

مُ فما سلكوا مثلَ هذا السَّنن

مُ فما سلكوا مثلَ هذا السَّنن

It flowed of old; you have indeed made the noble

While my feet have stumbled the vines

men stumble, for they never followed such a course.

So they did not tread a path like this path

فيا ناشداً غيرهُ لا وجدت

فيا ناشداً غيرهُ لا وجدت

سوى مننٍ كاذبات المنن

سوى مننٍ كاذبات المنن

O seeker of anyone else, may you find nothing

So O you who seeks from others, no! You will only find

save favors whose generosity is false!

Favors lying like the favors

إذا شمت ومض ندى يوسفٍ

إذا شمت ومض ندى يوسفٍ

أصبت الحيا فنبذت الشَّطن

أصبت الحيا فنبذت الشَّطن

If you glimpse the flash of Yusuf's bounty,

If you sense a flash of Yusuf’s light

you find life-giving rain and cast the rope away.

You will hit the mark and discard this arrow

وحيدُ على مثلهُ لم يكن

وحيدُ على مثلهُ لم يكن

وطنّي بهِ أنهُ لا ولن

وطنّي بهِ أنهُ لا ولن

Peerless in eminence—his like has never existed;

Alone in his likeness he has not been

and I believe he has none now, nor ever will.

And my loyalty to him that he will have no equal