ما نال من وصلكم بعضَ الذي وجبا

ما نال من وصلكم بعضَ الذي وجبا

قلبٌ إليكم ومنكم طالما وجبا

قلبٌ إليكم ومنكم طالما وجبا

It has not gained from union with you even part of what was due—

My attaining some of what was owed from your union

A heart that has long throbbed for you and because of you.

A heart turned to you, and from you long owed

أمليتم الشوقَ دمعي يومَ كاظمةٍ

أمليتم الشوقَ دمعي يومَ كاظمةٍ

فكم محا آية منها بما كتبا

فكم محا آية منها بما كتبا

You dictated longing to my tears on the day at Kazimah;

You dictated yearning, my tear on the day of restraint

And how many of its traces they erased with what they wrote!

So how many verses of it were erased by what was written

ما ضرَّ دهراً زوى عنّي لقاءكمُ

ما ضرَّ دهراً زوى عنّي لقاءكمُ

لو ردَّ من عهده بعض الذي سلبا

لو ردَّ من عهده بعض الذي سلبا

What harm would it have done to Time, which denied me meeting you,

No time harmed me, narrating from me the meeting with you

Had it restored from its former days some of what it stole?

If only some of what it stole were returned from its era

من لي بأيّام وصلٍ منكم سلفت

من لي بأيّام وصلٍ منكم سلفت

قدماً وعصرِ شباب فيكمُ ذهبا

قدماً وعصرِ شباب فيكمُ ذهبا

Who will bring back to me days of union with you that passed

Who can provide me days of union with you I had

Long ago, and a season of youth that passed in your company?

Steps and the prime of my youth in you passed

وما الليالي التي ولّت براجعةٍ

وما الليالي التي ولّت براجعةٍ

وطالما خابَ باغٍ أكثرَ الطلبا

وطالما خابَ باغٍ أكثرَ الطلبا

And the nights that have passed will never return;

And the nights that turned to me with disappointment

And many a seeker has failed, though he pressed his quest.

And many times the ardent lover failed obtaining the sought

كم صنت نفسي فلما أن عرفتكمُ

كم صنت نفسي فلما أن عرفتكمُ

بذلتها للهوى والبينِ محتسبا

بذلتها للهوى والبينِ محتسبا

How long I guarded my soul! But once I knew you,

How many times I protected myself, but when I knew you

I surrendered it to love and separation, hoping for recompense.

I surrendered it to passion and separation, hoping

لا صحَّ نشرُ الخزامى في دياركم

لا صحَّ نشرُ الخزامى في دياركم

كلاَّ ولا اعتلَّ من بعدي نسيمُ صبا

كلاَّ ولا اعتلَّ من بعدي نسيمُ صبا

May lavender's fragrance never thrive in your lands—

Neither did the perfume of meadows spread in your homes

No, nor may the east wind's breeze grow languid after me.

No, nor did the morning breeze continue to blow after me

كأنَّ كلَّ سحابٍ خاف بينكم

كأنَّ كلَّ سحابٍ خاف بينكم

مثلي فأقبل باكي العين منتحبا

مثلي فأقبل باكي العين منتحبا

As though every cloud feared parting from you,

As if every cloud between you feared

Like me, and came with weeping eyes, sobbing.

So it came crying, dripping blobs

أحبابنا كم عتبتُ الدهر مجتهداً

أحبابنا كم عتبتُ الدهر مجتهداً

لو كان يعتب صرفُ الدهر من عتبا

لو كان يعتب صرفُ الدهر من عتبا

Our beloved ones, how often I reproached Time, striving earnestly—

Our loved ones, how many times I blamed fate striving

If only Time's vicissitudes would appease whoever reproached them!

If only the turns of fate could be blamed

قد كنت أسالكم قلباً أعيش به

قد كنت أسالكم قلباً أعيش به

لو أنَّ لي في حياةٍ بعدكم أربا

لو أنَّ لي في حياةٍ بعدكم أربا

I would indeed have asked you for a heart to live by,

I would have asked you for a heart to live with

Had I any desire for life after you.

If only for me in life after you there was profit

سلوا طيوف الدُّجى هل دار كاسُ كرى

سلوا طيوف الدُّجى هل دار كاسُ كرى

فلذَّ في الجفن بعد البين أو عذبا

فلذَّ في الجفن بعد البين أو عذبا

Ask the phantoms of night whether a cup of slumber has passed round,

Ask the specters of night, did the cup of torment circulate

And proved pleasant or sweet within the eyelid since our parting.

So it sweetened in the eyelid after separation, or was bitter

أرضى بحكم الليالي وهي ظالمة

أرضى بحكم الليالي وهي ظالمة

واجتنى من غصون الراحة التّعبا

واجتنى من غصون الراحة التّعبا

I accept the judgment of the nights, though they are unjust,

I accept the judgment of the dark nights

And gather weariness from the branches of rest.

And avoid the branches of comfort and fatigue

وأطولَ لوعةِ أيامي وإن قصرتْ

وأطولَ لوعةِ أيامي وإن قصرتْ

وبعدًَ عهدكمُ منّي وإن قربا

وبعدًَ عهدكمُ منّي وإن قربا

And how long the anguish of my days, though they are short!

I lengthen the agony of my days though they are short

And how far from me the time spent with you, though it is near!

And your long absence from me though it is near

وأيُّ بدعٍ لصبٍّ هزَّهُ شجنٌّ

وأيُّ بدعٍ لصبٍّ هزَّهُ شجنٌّ

إذا صبا نحو إلفٍ أو شكا وصبا

إذا صبا نحو إلفٍ أو شكا وصبا

And what wonder is there in a lover shaken by sorrow,

And which innovation is there for a lover shaken by yearning

If he yearns toward a beloved or complains of pain?

If he pours toward a habit, or complains and pours out

وكم أخٍ باسمٍ والحالُ عابسةٌ

وكم أخٍ باسمٍ والحالُ عابسةٌ

يرضى إذا قلتُ عاف الضيمَ أو غضبا

يرضى إذا قلتُ عاف الضيمَ أو غضبا

And many a brother smiles while circumstances frown,

And how many brothers in name while the state is gloomy

Pleased when I say, 'He spurned humiliation,' or, 'He grew angry.'

Who would be content if I said the wrong has been pardoned or angered

فإن صبرتُ فإنا معشرٌ صبرٌ

فإن صبرتُ فإنا معشرٌ صبرٌ

وإن شكوت الذي ألقى فلا عجبا

وإن شكوت الذي ألقى فلا عجبا

If I endure, we are a steadfast people;

So if I am patient, we are a people of patience

And if I complain of what I suffer, there is no wonder.

And if I complain of what has befallen me, no wonder

يا حاديَ العيس خفّف عن مسامعها

يا حاديَ العيس خفّف عن مسامعها

ذكرَ الفراق فقد حّملتها نصبا

ذكرَ الفراق فقد حّملتها نصبا

O driver of the pale camels, trouble their ears less

O guide of the camel train, lighten your pace about it

With talk of parting; you have burdened them with weariness.

The mention of parting - for indeed it has burdened her

عوجا بكاظمةٍ عوجا لنسأل عن

عوجا بكاظمةٍ عوجا لنسأل عن

أشباهها تلكمُ الأغصانَ والكثبا

أشباهها تلكمُ الأغصانَ والكثبا

You two, turn aside at Kazimah, turn aside, so we may question

Winding through Kadhimah, winding so we may ask about

Those branches and sand dunes about her likenesses.

Its like - those branches and hillocks

دارٌ إذا خطرت فيها يمانيةٌ

دارٌ إذا خطرت فيها يمانيةٌ

ترنَّح الركب في أكوارهم طربا

ترنَّح الركب في أكوارهم طربا

A dwelling where, when a Yemeni breeze glides through,

A house, if you mentioned it, the riders in their saddles

The riders sway in their camel-saddles with delight.

Would sway in rapture

لله ما شقّ من جيب الرياض بها

لله ما شقّ من جيب الرياض بها

وحبّذا من ذيول السحب ما سحبا

وحبّذا من ذيول السحب ما سحبا

How wondrous the meadows' bosoms rent open there!

By God, nothing was as difficult as parting in its meadows

And how lovely the trailing skirts of the clouds!

And nothing sweeter than its trailing clouds’ trails

يا ضاحكَ الومض والأنواءُ باكيةٌ

يا ضاحكَ الومض والأنواءُ باكيةٌ

أشبهتّ لمياءَ إلاَّ الظَّام والشّنبا

أشبهتّ لمياءَ إلاَّ الظَّام والشّنبا

O you who laugh with lightning, while the rain-clouds weep,

O you who smile at the gleam while the gusts cry

You resemble Lamya, save for the teeth's sheen [uncertain reading] and cool sweetness.

Resembling not tears except obscurity and clustering

ما كان أغنى المغاني بعد ساكنها

ما كان أغنى المغاني بعد ساكنها

لو قد حكيتَ ابن أيّوبٍ وما وهبا

لو قد حكيتَ ابن أيّوبٍ وما وهبا

How rich the dwellings would have been after their inhabitant left,

No melodies were richer after its dweller

Had you emulated Ibn Ayyub and what he bestowed!

If you told the son of Ayyub what was bestowed