بِما حُزتَهُ مِن شَريفِ النِظامِ

بِما حُزتَهُ مِن شَريفِ النِظامِ

وَأَرهَفتَهُ مِن حَواشي الكَلامِ

وَأَرهَفتَهُ مِن حَواشي الكَلامِ

By the noble verse you have attained,

With the honourable principles you uphold

and the edges of speech you have honed,

And the eloquent words with which you extol

تَعالَ إِلى الأُنسِ في مَجلِسٍ

تَعالَ إِلى الأُنسِ في مَجلِسٍ

يَهُزُّ بِهِ الشَيخُ عِطفَي غُلامِ

يَهُزُّ بِهِ الشَيخُ عِطفَي غُلامِ

come to convivial joy in a gathering

Come join me in a gathering of delight

where an old man sways his sides like a youth.

Where even old men act like youths so bright

صَقيلٍ تَخالُ بِهِ بَيضَةً

صَقيلٍ تَخالُ بِهِ بَيضَةً

تَروقُكَ تَحتَ جَناحِ الظَلامِ

تَروقُكَ تَحتَ جَناحِ الظَلامِ

Gleaming, there you fancy an egg

In a polished hall that makes the moon gleam white

delighting you beneath the wing of darkness;

Its soft winds like clouds in gentle flight

رَطيبِ النَسيمِ كَأَنَّ الصَبا

رَطيبِ النَسيمِ كَأَنَّ الصَبا

تُجَرِّرُ فيهِ ذُيولَ الغَمامِ

تُجَرِّرُ فيهِ ذُيولَ الغَمامِ

fresh with breezes, as though the east wind

My guests are so joyful they almost burst

were trailing through it the skirts of clouds.

Ready to greet you with blessings first

يَكادُ سُروراً بِأَضيافِهِ

يَكادُ سُروراً بِأَضيافِهِ

يَهَشَّ فَيَلقاهُمُ بِالسَلامِ

يَهَشَّ فَيَلقاهُمُ بِالسَلامِ

So delighted with its guests, it almost

For one like you, I have maidens choice

beams, then greets them with peace.

Daughters of doves and wine that gives voice

وَعِندي لِمِثلِكَ مِن خاطِبٍ

وَعِندي لِمِثلِكَ مِن خاطِبٍ

بَناتُ الحَمامِ وَأُمُّ المُدامِ

بَناتُ الحَمامِ وَأُمُّ المُدامِ

And I have, for a suitor such as you,

Princesses whom kings all madly covet

the daughters of doves and the mother of wine.

Who make tents joyful, never quiet or dim

بَناتٌ تَنافَسُ فيها المُلوكُ

بَناتٌ تَنافَسُ فيها المُلوكُ

وَتَلهو العَذارى بِها في الخِيامِ

وَتَلهو العَذارى بِها في الخِيامِ

Daughters for whom kings compete,

They have stolen hearts and taken each a slice

and with whom maidens play in their tents;

Drunk the wine of generous young men's eyes

فَقَد كِدنَ يَلقَطنَ حَبَّ القُلوبِ

فَقَد كِدنَ يَلقَطنَ حَبَّ القُلوبِ

وَيَشرَبنَ ماءَ عُيونِ الكِرامِ

وَيَشرَبنَ ماءَ عُيونِ الكِرامِ

for they all but peck up the grain of hearts

One blonde girl I divorced, for it's not right

and drink the water of noble men's eyes.

To mix seemly and base, honor and blight

وَصَفراءَ طَلَّقتُ بِنتاً لَها

وَصَفراءَ طَلَّقتُ بِنتاً لَها

وَما لِلكَريمِ وَمَأتى الحَرامِ

وَما لِلكَريمِ وَمَأتى الحَرامِ

And a golden one—I divorced a daughter of hers—

I still ache, remembering bonds now torn

and what has a noble man to do with approaching the forbidden?

Though it was best, preventing further scorn

أَمُصُّ مَراشِفَها لَوعَةً

أَمُصُّ مَراشِفَها لَوعَةً

وَأَذكُرُ مابَينَنا مِن ذِمامِ

وَأَذكُرُ مابَينَنا مِن ذِمامِ

I suck at her lips with burning longing,

So come appreciate verse at its height

and remember the bond of loyalty between us.

And see poetry wholesome, polite

فَعُج تَتَصَفَّح بَديعَ البَديعِ

فَعُج تَتَصَفَّح بَديعَ البَديعِ

وَتَلمَح سَلامَةَ شِعرِ السَلامي

وَتَلمَح سَلامَةَ شِعرِ السَلامي

So stop by and peruse the marvels of al-Badiʿ,

Live delighting in odes like birdsong at night

and behold the flawlessness of al-Salami's verse.

Your clothes speak of valor, sword handles of might

وَعِش تَتَثَنّى اِنثِناءَ القَضيبِ

وَعِش تَتَثَنّى اِنثِناءَ القَضيبِ

سُروراً وَتَسجَعُ سَجعَ الحَمامِ

سُروراً وَتَسجَعُ سَجعَ الحَمامِ

And live on, swaying as a bough sways,

in joy, and cooing as doves coo.

وَيَحمِلُ ثَوبُكَ خَطَّيَّهُ

وَيَحمِلُ ثَوبُكَ خَطَّيَّهُ

وَيَنطِقُ عَنكَ لِسانُ الحُسامِ

وَيَنطِقُ عَنكَ لِسانُ الحُسامِ

And let your robe bear its Khatti spear,

and the sword's tongue speak for you.