قمراً نراهُ أم مليحاً أمردا

قمراً نراهُ أم مليحاً أمردا

ولحاظهُ بين الجوانح أم ردى

ولحاظهُ بين الجوانح أم ردى

Do we see a moon, or a handsome beardless youth?

Is it a full moon that we see, or a handsome beloved,

And are those his glances within the ribs, or death?

With his cheeks between my ribs, or a beloved friend?

من آل بدرٍ طلعةً أو نسبةً

من آل بدرٍ طلعةً أو نسبةً

والرقمتين سوالفاً أو موْلدا

والرقمتين سوالفاً أو موْلدا

Of Badr's house, in countenance or lineage,

Descended from the family of Full Moon, or related,

And of al-Raqmatayn, in the sides of his neck or his birthplace.

And the two eyelids conversers, or born?

آهاً لمنطقه البديع معرَّبا

آهاً لمنطقه البديع معرَّبا

ولسيفِ ناظرِهِ الكحيل مهندا

ولسيفِ ناظرِهِ الكحيل مهندا

Ah, for his wondrous speech, eloquently expressed,

Alas! His eloquent speech is Arabized,

And for his kohl-dark eye's sword, of Indian steel!

And the sword of his kohl-lined eyes slaying.

لم يجرِ دمعي في هواه مسلسلا

لم يجرِ دمعي في هواه مسلسلا

حتَّى ثوى قلبي لديهِ مقيَّدا

حتَّى ثوى قلبي لديهِ مقيَّدا

My tears did not flow in an unbroken chain for love of him

My tears did not flow ceaselessly in his love,

Until my heart lay fettered at his side.

Until my heart rested with him, fettered.

أدعو السيوف صقيلةً من لحظهِ

أدعو السيوف صقيلةً من لحظهِ

وإذا دعوت لماه جاوَبني الصدى

وإذا دعوت لماه جاوَبني الصدى

I summon swords burnished by his glance,

I call upon swords, polished by his glance,

And when I call to his dusky lips, the echo answers me.

And when I call his water answers me with an echo.

وإذا دعوت بنان أَحمدَ جاوبت

وإذا دعوت بنان أَحمدَ جاوبت

سُحب الندى من قبلِ ما سمعَ النَّدا

سُحب الندى من قبلِ ما سمعَ النَّدا

And when I call upon Ahmad's fingertips, I am answered

And when I call the son of Ahmed he answers me,

By clouds of bounty, before he even hears the call.

The clouds of dew before the call reaches them.

لشهاب دين الله وصفٌ ضاءَ في

لشهاب دين الله وصفٌ ضاءَ في

أفقٍ فقل نجم السما رَجمَ العِدى

أفقٍ فقل نجم السما رَجمَ العِدى

Shihab, the meteor of God's faith, has an epithet that shone on

About the flame of Allah’s religion an illuminating attribute shone,

A horizon—say: heaven's star has pelted the foes.

In a horizon, so say the star of sky pelted the enemies.

كمْ صافحت من راحتيهِ يد امرئ

كمْ صافحت من راحتيهِ يد امرئ

عشراً وصبحه الهناءُ فعيَّدا

عشراً وصبحه الهناءُ فعيَّدا

Many a man's hand has clasped, from his two palms,

How many times have I shook the hand of a man

Ten fingers; joy greeted him at dawn, and he kept festival.

Whose morning is filled with joy repeated ten times over.

يا خيرَ من علقت يدي بولائهِ

يا خيرَ من علقت يدي بولائهِ

أقسمت ما سدت الأكارم عن سدى

أقسمت ما سدت الأكارم عن سدى

O best of those to whose patronage my hand has clung,

O best of those whose loyalty my hands cling to,

I swear, not for nothing have you surpassed the noblest.

I swear the generous did not close from generosity.

يا مسدِي النعمى التي قد أصبحت

يا مسدِي النعمى التي قد أصبحت

سنداً لمن يشكو الزمان ومسندا

سنداً لمن يشكو الزمان ومسندا

O bestower of the bounty that has become

O fulfiller of bounties that have become

A support for those who lament the times, and a mainstay.

A support for those who complain of fate and tribulations.

أحسنْ بجاهكَ شافعي يا مالكاً

أحسنْ بجاهكَ شافعي يا مالكاً

أروي بجودِ يديهِ مسندَ أحمدا

أروي بجودِ يديهِ مسندَ أحمدا

How excellent is your standing as my intercessor, O Malik,

Do good with your status my advocate Malik,

Through whose hands' bounty I narrate Ahmad's Musnad.

Water with your generous hands the pillar of Ahmed.

كم راحةٍ أوليتها من راحةٍ

كم راحةٍ أوليتها من راحةٍ

ويدٍ صنعت بها لمفتقرٍ يدا

ويدٍ صنعت بها لمفتقرٍ يدا

How much comfort you have bestowed from your palm,

How much comfort I have been granted from comfort

And with your hand, how often you have given the needy a helping hand!

And a hand I have used to help the needy their hands.

والله لا أجريت في عددِ الورى

والله لا أجريت في عددِ الورى

خبرَ الثنا إلاَّ وأنتَ المبتَدا

خبرَ الثنا إلاَّ وأنتَ المبتَدا

By God, never among the ranks of mankind shall I utter

By Allah, I will not count among the people

A predicate of praise unless you are its subject.

News of praise except with you first.

ولقد تزيّد شعرُ من اسْتعفته

ولقد تزيّد شعرُ من اسْتعفته

بنداكَ حسناً في الزمانِ مجددا

بنداكَ حسناً في الزمانِ مجددا

And indeed, the verse of one whose favor you sought has grown

And indeed the poetry increased beautifully

More beautiful through your bounty, renewed with time.

With your gift in the times again magnificent.

والشعر مثل الروض يعجب حسنه

والشعر مثل الروض يعجب حسنه

لا سيما إن كانَ قد وقعَ الندى

لا سيما إن كانَ قد وقعَ الندى

And poetry is like a garden: its beauty delights,

And poetry is like a garden, its beauty pleasing,

Especially if the dew has fallen.

Especially if the dew has fallen on it.