من عذيري من الطَّلا والأغاني

من عذيري من الطَّلا والأغاني

وليالٍ مرَّت على حلوان

وليالٍ مرَّت على حلوان

Who will defend me against wine and song,

Who will be my defender against wine and songs,

and nights that passed over Hulwan?

and nights that passed at Helwan?

ذهبت بالذي ملكت من الما

ذهبت بالذي ملكت من الما

ل كأنيَ سبكة في القناني

ل كأنيَ سبكة في القناني

They carried off all the wea—

They carried off the money I possessed,

—lth I possessed, as though I were an ingot among the bottles.

as though I were an ingot in the bottles.

ونديم يسعى بكأسيهِ مسعى

ونديم يسعى بكأسيهِ مسعى

قمر التّم حوله الفرقدان

قمر التّم حوله الفرقدان

And a boon companion bustling with his two cups,

And a boon companion moves with his two cups in the manner

like the full moon with the two Farqad stars around it;

of the full moon, the two Farqad stars around him.

أهيف قسمت لواحظه السو

أهيف قسمت لواحظه السو

د زكاة الغنى على الغزلان

د زكاة الغنى على الغزلان

slender—his dark glances apportioned

Slender-waisted, his dark glances have apportioned

the zakat due on beauty's riches among the gazelles.

the alms of their wealth among the gazelles.

يتثنى وحليه يتغنى

يتثنى وحليه يتغنى

هل سمعت الحمام في الأغصان

هل سمعت الحمام في الأغصان

He sways, and his ornaments sing;

He sways, and his jewelry sings—

have you ever heard doves among the branches?

have you heard the doves among the branches?

وغوانٍ تغني عن الطيب والح

وغوانٍ تغني عن الطيب والح

لي لهذا تسمى الملاح غواني

لي لهذا تسمى الملاح غواني

And beauties needing neither perfume nor jew—

And beauties who need no perfume or adornment—

—elry; for this self-sufficiency, fair women are called ghawānī.

hence the lovely are called ghawani, self-sufficient beauties.

ضاربات الدفوف في جيشِ لهوٍ

ضاربات الدفوف في جيشِ لهوٍ

طاعنات الهموم بالعيدان

طاعنات الهموم بالعيدان

Beating tambourines in an army of revelry,

Beating tambourines in an army of revelry,

thrusting at sorrows with their wooden instruments.

piercing cares with their lutes.

يا نديميّ في المدام فداءٌ

يا نديميّ في المدام فداءٌ

لكما في المدامة العاذلان

لكما في المدامة العاذلان

O my two companions over wine, a ransom

O my two companions over wine, may a ransom

for you both be the two who censure wine!

for you both in drinking be the two reprovers.

خلقا البيت بالكؤسِ سروراً

خلقا البيت بالكؤسِ سروراً

واشْرباها صفراء كالزعفران

واشْرباها صفراء كالزعفران

Perfume the house with the cups' delight,

Perfume the house with cups, rejoicing,

and drink it yellow as saffron.

and drink it yellow as saffron.

واسْقياني فإن اشْتكيت داءً

واسْقياني فإن اشْتكيت داءً

فاسْقياني إن شئتما تشفياني

فاسْقياني إن شئتما تشفياني

Give me drink: if I complain of an illness,

And give me drink; if I complain of an illness,

give me drink—if you wish, you may cure me.

give me drink, if you two wish to heal me.

وإذا ما قتلت بالراح سكراً

وإذا ما قتلت بالراح سكراً

فادْفناني في بعض تلكَ الدِّنان

فادْفناني في بعض تلكَ الدِّنان

And when wine has killed me with drunkenness,

And if ever I am slain by wine in drunkenness,

bury me in one of those great wine jars.

bury me in one of those wine jars.

وانْضحا من دمِي عليهِ فقد كا

وانْضحا من دمِي عليهِ فقد كا

ن دمِي من نداه لو تعلمان

ن دمِي من نداه لو تعلمان

Sprinkle some of my blood upon it, for my blood had

And sprinkle some of my blood upon it, for

come from its dew—if only you knew.

my blood came from its bounty, if you two but knew.

جدّدا لي عيشاً على السفحِ قدماً

جدّدا لي عيشاً على السفحِ قدماً

أيّ عيشٍ مضى وأيّ مكان

أيّ عيشٍ مضى وأيّ مكان

Renew for me my former life upon the slope—

Renew for me the life of old upon the slope—

what a life has passed, and what a place!

what a life has passed, and what a place!

ذاكَ دهرٌ كأنَّني كنتُ فيه

ذاكَ دهرٌ كأنَّني كنتُ فيه

بين حال الوسنان واليقظان

بين حال الوسنان واليقظان

That was an age in which I seemed to hover

That was an age in which I seemed to be

between the states of the drowsing and the wakeful.

between the state of the drowsy and the wakeful.

أحتسي الراح لا بكيلٍ وأعطي

أحتسي الراح لا بكيلٍ وأعطي

كرماً ذا وذا بلا ميزان

كرماً ذا وذا بلا ميزان

I sipped wine without measure and bestowed

I sipped wine, not by measure, and gave

generously—this and that, without a scale.

generously to this one and that, without a scale.

وأعاني العيش الهنيّ وأهنى ال

وأعاني العيش الهنيّ وأهنى ال

عيش يا صاح عيشةُ النشوان

عيش يا صاح عيشةُ النشوان

I enjoyed the pleasant life; and the happiest living,

And I pursued the pleasant life; the most pleasant

friend, is the life of one drunk with joy.

life, my friend, is the life of the tipsy man.

مستريحاً من حرفتي أدبي الغ

مستريحاً من حرفتي أدبي الغ

ضّ وعقلي في مثل هذا الأوان

ضّ وعقلي في مثل هذا الأوان

At ease from my craft—my fresh poetry—

Resting from my two callings—my fresh literary art

and from my reason at such a time.

and my reason—at a time like this.

إثن عني يا دهر نارك إنِّي

إثن عني يا دهر نارك إنِّي

لحمى الأحمديّ ثاب عناني

لحمى الأحمديّ ثاب عناني

Turn your fire away from me, O Time, for

Turn your fire away from me, O Time, for

my rein has turned toward al-Ahmadi's sanctuary:

my reins have returned to al-Ahmadi's sanctuary.

الكبير الذي تُعلم نعمى

الكبير الذي تُعلم نعمى

كفه الناس سحرَ هذا البيان

كفه الناس سحرَ هذا البيان

the great one, whose hand's beneficence all

The great one, whose hand's bounty teaches

people know—the very sorcery of this eloquence;

people the magic of this eloquence.

قاتل المال بالنوال فما أك

قاتل المال بالنوال فما أك

ياس أمواله سوى أكفان

ياس أمواله سوى أكفان

a slayer of wealth through largesse—his

He slays wealth through giving; the bags

wealth is nothing but shrouds;

of his riches are nothing but shrouds.

جار حتى ظنَّ الغريب ندى كفّ

جار حتى ظنَّ الغريب ندى كفّ

يه هزؤاً بالمقتر اللهفان

يه هزؤاً بالمقتر اللهفان

whose bounty flowed until the stranger thought the dew of his

He went so far that a stranger took the bounty of his hands

two hands mocked the desperate, impoverished man;

for mockery of the anguished pauper.

وتعدى الكرام سبقاً إلى أن

وتعدى الكرام سبقاً إلى أن

قيل ما ذا في قدرة الإنسان

قيل ما ذا في قدرة الإنسان

who outstripped the generous so far that

And he outraced the generous, until

people asked, “Can this lie within human power?”

it was said, 'This is beyond human power.'

همَّة جازت السماك وفي عق

همَّة جازت السماك وفي عق

ل الأعادِي وحالها دبران

ل الأعادِي وحالها دبران

An aspiration passing al-Simak, while among

An ambition surpassing al-Simak, though in the minds

his enemies Aldebaran is its station;

of enemies its station is Aldebaran.

وندًى شبَّ ذكره فنسينا

وندًى شبَّ ذكره فنسينا

ما سمعناه عن فتى شيبان

ما سمعناه عن فتى شيبان

and a generosity the Arabs celebrated until

And generosity whose fame has blazed, so we forgot

it effaced what we had heard of the young man of Shayban;

what we had heard of the youth of Shayban.

وفخار ما بين عرضٍ عزيزٍ

وفخار ما بين عرضٍ عزيزٍ

قد تربت وبين مال مهان

قد تربت وبين مال مهان

and pride poised between cherished honor

And glory that, between a cherished honor

made rich, and riches held cheap;

and wealth held cheap, has been nurtured.

وجواد إذا اجْتبى وحبا الما

وجواد إذا اجْتبى وحبا الما

ل فقل في السيول من ثهلان

ل فقل في السيول من ثهلان

a munificent man—when he gathers and grants wea—

And a generous man who, when he gathers and bestows wealth—

—lth, then speak of torrents pouring from Thahlan.

then speak of the torrents from Thahlan.

فاطْلب رفده إذا كنت ممَّن

فاطْلب رفده إذا كنت ممَّن

يرتقي كائناً على كيوان

يرتقي كائناً على كيوان

Seek his largesse, if you are one who

Then seek his bounty, if you are among those

would climb, though it be as high as Saturn.

who rise, even while dwelling upon Saturn.

ذاك قدرٌ نائي المكان ولكن

ذاك قدرٌ نائي المكان ولكن

ذاك رفدٌ لطالب الرّفد داني

ذاك رفدٌ لطالب الرّفد داني

That is a rank whose place is far away, but

That rank stands far away, but

that largesse lies near whoever seeks largesse.

that bounty is near to the seeker of bounty.

ومحل سامي السماك إلى أن

ومحل سامي السماك إلى أن

حررته كواكب الميزان

حررته كواكب الميزان

His lofty station reached al-Simak, until

And a station that rivaled al-Simak, until

the stars of Libra fixed its measure.

the stars of Libra fixed its measure.

شمْ نداه وذهنه الصفو واحْذر

شمْ نداه وذهنه الصفو واحْذر

من عوادِي الطوفان والنيران

من عوادِي الطوفان والنيران

Breathe in his bounty and the purity of his mind, and beware

Behold his bounty and his lucid mind, and beware

the assaults of flood and fire.

the ravages of the flood and the fires.

أيّ ذهنٍ وأيّ برٍّ وحامٍ

أيّ ذهنٍ وأيّ برٍّ وحامٍ

كله قد حلا لذوق الجاني

كله قد حلا لذوق الجاني

What a mind, what goodness, what a protector—

What a mind, what goodness, and what a protector!

all of it sweet to whoever gathers its fruit.

All of it has grown sweet to the gatherer's taste.

وكلام لو قلد الغيد عقداً

وكلام لو قلد الغيد عقداً

فرَّطت في قلائد العقيان

فرَّطت في قلائد العقيان

Words that, were secluded maidens adorned with them as fine gold,

And speech—if fair women wore it as a necklace,

would make them neglect necklaces of purest gold.

they would forsake their necklaces of pure gold.

قسما من طروسه الغرّ بالنو

قسما من طروسه الغرّ بالنو

ر ومن نفس خطها بالدّخان

ر ومن نفس خطها بالدّخان

Some of his radiant pages are inscribed in li—

I swear by the light of his radiant pages,

—ght, and his very breath traced others in smoke.

and by the smoke of their very script:

إنَّها كالظباء في أعين الخل

إنَّها كالظباء في أعين الخل

ق ومثل الشنوف في الآذان

ق ومثل الشنوف في الآذان

They are like gazelles in the eyes of human—

they are like gazelles in people's eyes,

—kind, and like earrings in the ears;

and like earrings in their ears.

من نظام يعشو له الأعشيان

من نظام يعشو له الأعشيان

ونثارٍ يعنو له العبدان

ونثارٍ يعنو له العبدان

ordered verse so dazzling that even two dim-sighted ones blink,

Verse toward which the two A‘shas strain their dim eyes,

and scattered prose before which two servants bow.

and prose before which the two ‘Abds bow.

ويراع بكفِّه هو عندي

ويراع بكفِّه هو عندي

قصب السبق حازه والرهان

قصب السبق حازه والرهان

The pen in his hand has, to my mind,

And the reed pen in his hand is, to my mind,

won the palm of precedence and the wager.

the reed of victory—he has won it and the stakes.

خطه والكلام حلوان لكن

خطه والكلام حلوان لكن

هو يوم الوغى من المرَّان

هو يوم الوغى من المرَّان

His script and speech are sweet as Hulwan, but

His script and speech are both sweet, but

on battle-day he is made of hard spearwood.

on battle day it is made of spearwood.

ما رأينا كريقه يبرئ الس

ما رأينا كريقه يبرئ الس

مّ إذا اهتزَّ وهو كالثعبان

مّ إذا اهتزَّ وهو كالثعبان

Never have we seen the like of its spittle curing poi—

We have seen nothing like its spittle, which cures poison

—son when it quivers, though it is like a serpent.

when it quivers, though it is like a serpent.

يا جواداً أنشى المدائح معنًى

يا جواداً أنشى المدائح معنًى

بنوالٍ يريك معنًى ثاني

بنوالٍ يريك معنًى ثاني

O generous one, who gave panegyrics meaning

O generous one who has created praise in substance,

through gifts that reveal a second Maʿn;

through bounty that reveals you as a second Ma‘n.

ربَّ ليلٍ قد خضته لك بحراً

ربَّ ليلٍ قد خضته لك بحراً

متعب الحوت واقف السرطان

متعب الحوت واقف السرطان

many a night I crossed for you as though it were an ocean,

Many a night I have crossed for you like a sea,

wearying the Fish and bringing Cancer to a halt,

with Pisces weary and Cancer standing still.

ونهار كأنما الآل فيه

ونهار كأنما الآل فيه

مرهفٌ في الوغى بكفِّ جبان

مرهفٌ في الوغى بكفِّ جبان

and a day whose shimmering mirage seemed

And a day whose mirage seemed

a sharpened sword in battle, held in a coward's hand.

a keen blade in battle, held in a coward's hand.

واثق الوعد من طرابلس الشا

واثق الوعد من طرابلس الشا

م بجودٍ حيث التقى البحران

م بجودٍ حيث التقى البحران

Trusting the promise from Tripoli of al-Sha—

Trusting the promise from Tripoli of al-Sham

—m, of bounty where the two seas meet,

of bounty, where the two seas meet.

مهدياً من مدائحِي لك عذراً

مهدياً من مدائحِي لك عذراً

لها في القريض رفعة شان

لها في القريض رفعة شان

I offer you, from my panegyrics, an apology—

Offering you an apology from my praise-poems,

for in verse they possess a rank of consequence.

which hold a lofty standing in verse.

لم يحكّ وشيها ابن أبي سل

لم يحكّ وشيها ابن أبي سل

مى لرب المكارم ابن سنان

مى لرب المكارم ابن سنان

Their brocade was not woven by Ibn Abi Sul—

Ibn Abi Sulma never wove such brocade

—ma for the lord of noble deeds, Ibn Sinan;

for the lord of noble deeds, Ibn Sinan.

لا ولا قال في القريض شقيقاً

لا ولا قال في القريض شقيقاً

لحلاها زياد في النعمان

لحلاها زياد في النعمان

nor did Ziyad compose in verse a twin

No; nor was a twin uttered in verse

to their beauty for al-Nuʿman.

to their adornments by Ziyad, in praise of al-Nu‘man.

من حسانٍ لديَّ لم تهد إلاَّ

من حسانٍ لديَّ لم تهد إلاَّ

لفلانٍ من الورى وفلان

لفلانٍ من الورى وفلان

Fair poems of mine, offered only

From beauties in my keeping, bestowed only

to this man and that among humankind.

upon so-and-so among mankind, and so-and-so.

فتهنى بها فربَّ كريمٍ

فتهنى بها فربَّ كريمٍ

قبلنا عدَّ مثلها في التهاني

قبلنا عدَّ مثلها في التهاني

Take delight in them: many a noble man

So rejoice in them; many a generous man

before us counted their like among congratulations.

before us counted their like among congratulations.

وابْقَ حتَّى يبلى الجديدان من طو

وابْقَ حتَّى يبلى الجديدان من طو

لِ نواءٍ ويلتقي الخافقان

لِ نواءٍ ويلتقي الخافقان

Remain until the two ever-new ones wear away from long—

And live until the ever-new night and day wear out from

—drawn separation, and the two horizons meet.

long strife, and the two horizons meet.

ليَ ذكر سارٍ بودك في الخل

ليَ ذكر سارٍ بودك في الخل

قِ فلو لم تجد عليّ كفاني

قِ فلو لم تجد عليّ كفاني

I have a remembrance traveling, through your affection, among crea—

My name spreads through mankind by your affection;

—tion; even if you bestowed nothing more upon me, it would suffice.

so even without your generosity to me, that would suffice.