يجور كما شاءَ الدلال ويعدل

يجور كما شاءَ الدلال ويعدل

ويتعب فيه من يلوم ويعذل

ويتعب فيه من يلوم ويعذل

He wrongs and deals justly as his coyness wills.

He travels as the guide pleases, and sets right,

And whoever blames and reproaches him grows weary.

And toils in it, he who blames and makes excuses,

هو الشمس إشراقاً ولكنني أرى

هو الشمس إشراقاً ولكنني أرى

من الحرمِ إني عنهُ لا أتحوَّل

من الحرمِ إني عنهُ لا أتحوَّل

He is the sun in radiance, yet I consider

It is the sun rising, but I see

it a sacred duty that I never turn away from him.

That I do not change from the sanctuary,

بروحِي ربيع من عذاريه آخر

بروحِي ربيع من عذاريه آخر

نماه ربيعٌ من أسيليه أوَّل

نماه ربيعٌ من أسيليه أوَّل

I would ransom with my soul a later spring on his two side-whiskers,

With my soul a spring from his virgins another

nurtured by an earlier spring on his two smooth cheeks.

Spring raised from his pouring first,

وثغر يعير الجوهريّ صحاحه

وثغر يعير الجوهريّ صحاحه

ووجه له من رائق الحسن مجمل

ووجه له من رائق الحسن مجمل

And a mouth that lends al-Jawhari his Sihah,

And a mouth that mocks the lexicographer his correctness

and a face holding a compendium of exquisite beauty.

And a face that has from the saliva of beauty a wrap,

لناظره الفتَّان بالسحرِ آيةٌ

لناظره الفتَّان بالسحرِ آيةٌ

على مثلها دمعي من العينِ مرسل

على مثلها دمعي من العينِ مرسل

His bewitching eye has a marvel of magic,

For its charmer viewer an evidence of magic,

at whose like my tears are sent streaming from my eye.

At the like of it my tear from the eye is sent,

ومن عجب إني بعادل قدّه

ومن عجب إني بعادل قدّه

أجنّ ودمع العين دوني المسلسل

أجنّ ودمع العين دوني المسلسل

And it is strange that, through his balanced figure,

And from wonder that I equal his stature

I go mad, while my tears, not I, are chained.

I moan and the tear of the eye continues below me,

لئن جلبت شجوي كسالى جفونه

لئن جلبت شجوي كسالى جفونه

لمثلك يا قلبي عن الصبرِ أكسل

لمثلك يا قلبي عن الصبرِ أكسل

If his languid eyelids have brought me sorrow,

If I brought my passion the laziness of his eyelids

one like you, my heart, is still less inclined to patience.

To your like, O my heart, of patience I am most lazy,

وإن غزلت لي من ضنا الجسم حلةً

وإن غزلت لي من ضنا الجسم حلةً

لما حلتُ عن أني بها أتغزَّل

لما حلتُ عن أني بها أتغزَّل

And even if they spin me a robe from my body's wasting,

And if the thinness of body knitted a garment for me

I would not turn from composing love-verses about them.

When I took it off, that I be adorned with it,

نعم في جفونِ التركِ للنفسِ صبوةٌ

نعم في جفونِ التركِ للنفسِ صبوةٌ

وللقلب في تلك المضائق مدخل

وللقلب في تلك المضائق مدخل

Yes, in the Turks' eyelids the soul finds infatuation,

Yes, in the eyelids of the Turks for the soul alertness

and the heart has an entrance into those narrow passes.

And for the heart in those straits an entrance,

تجرَّح قلبي تارةً بعد تارة

تجرَّح قلبي تارةً بعد تارة

وتشهد أني عاشق فتعدَّل

وتشهد أني عاشق فتعدَّل

They wound my heart time after time,

My heart gets wounded sometimes after sometimes

and testify that I am a lover, and so are deemed trustworthy.

And testifies that I am a lover, so it makes excuses,

وربَّ عذولٍ لامني فتركته

وربَّ عذولٍ لامني فتركته

يقول وقلبي في الصبابة ينهل

يقول وقلبي في الصبابة ينهل

And many a reproacher blamed me, so I left him

And how much a blamer blamed me, so I left him

speaking, while my heart drinks its fill of love.

To say and my heart in youth gets its fill,

ولو أن عذَّالي على الحسنِ أخوتي

ولو أن عذَّالي على الحسنِ أخوتي

لقلت لهم طوعِي لدى الحسن أجمل

لقلت لهم طوعِي لدى الحسن أجمل

Even if my reproachers for loving beauty were my brothers,

And if my blamers on beauty were my brethren

I would tell them: "My submission before beauty is more beautiful."

I would say to them, my obedience to beauty is more beautiful,

أقيموا بنو أمي صدور مطيّكم

أقيموا بنو أمي صدور مطيّكم

فإني إلى قومٍ سواكم لأمْيَل

فإني إلى قومٍ سواكم لأمْيَل

Set your mounts' chests straight ahead, sons of my mother,

Stand, O sons of my mother, your riding animals

for I incline more toward a people other than you.

For I incline to a people other than you,

إلى كلِّ غصنٍ مال تيهاً على نقا

إلى كلِّ غصنٍ مال تيهاً على نقا

تكاد به أردافه تتهيَّل

تكاد به أردافه تتهيَّل

Toward every bough that bends proudly over a dune,

To every branch it bent wandering on soft sand

whose haunches almost spill over it like sand.

Its hips almost twist,

وبدر مضى وقتِي مضيئاً بوصله

وبدر مضى وقتِي مضيئاً بوصله

فلا غَرْوَ أني بعد بدرِي مضلَّل

فلا غَرْوَ أني بعد بدرِي مضلَّل

And a full moon whose union made my days pass brightly;

And the full moon passed my time shining with its conjunction

so no wonder I am lost after my full moon is gone.

So no wonder that after my full moon I am lost,

تشرب تربُ الأرض ماءَ مدامعي

تشرب تربُ الأرض ماءَ مدامعي

وبين ضلوعي جمرة تتأكَّل

وبين ضلوعي جمرة تتأكَّل

The earth's dust drinks the water of my tears,

The dust of earth drinks the water of my tears

and between my ribs an ember eats itself away.

And between my ribs a burning ember eats away,

وأهتزُّ للتذكار حتَّى كأنما

وأهتزُّ للتذكار حتَّى كأنما

يعاودني من بارحِ الذكرِ أفكل

يعاودني من بارحِ الذكرِ أفكل

I tremble at remembrance, until it is as though

And I tremble with remembrance until as if

a shudder returns to me from the torment of remembrance.

What I ate yesterday of the mention repeats itself to me,

سقى الغيثُ أوقاتي إذا العيش ممكنٌ

سقى الغيثُ أوقاتي إذا العيش ممكنٌ

وخدَّام أمري بالهنا تتعجَّل

وخدَّام أمري بالهنا تتعجَّل

May rain water my days when living was easy,

The rain watered my times when living was possible

and the servants of my bidding hastened with joy.

And servants of my matter with bliss hurry,

زمانيَ مختارٌ وقصدِي منجحٌ

زمانيَ مختارٌ وقصدِي منجحٌ

وراحيَ ريحانٌ وبدريَ مقبل

وراحيَ ريحانٌ وبدريَ مقبل

My days were as I chose, my purpose successful,

My time is well-chosen and my aim successful

my wine was sweet basil, and my full moon drew near.

And my comfort is aromatic and my full moon rising,

مدا الليل فيه ناظري متعلّلٌ

مدا الليل فيه ناظري متعلّلٌ

إلى لثمِه من ضمِّه أتنقَّل

إلى لثمِه من ضمِّه أتنقَّل

All night long, my eye found solace in him;

The night stretched my seeing eye, complaining,

I moved from embracing him to kissing him.

To its kiss from its embrace I move about,

فأحبب بذاك الحسن وهو مدا الدجى

فأحبب بذاك الحسن وهو مدا الدجى

بلثميَ مختومٌ وضمِّيَ مقفل

بلثميَ مختومٌ وضمِّيَ مقفل

How dear, then, that beauty, which all through the dark

So I fell in love with that beauty, and it is the night that stretched

is sealed with my kisses and locked in my embrace!

With my kiss sealed and my embrace locked,

إلى مثله يهدى تغزُّل ناظمٍ

إلى مثله يهدى تغزُّل ناظمٍ

وللصاحب ابن الصاحب المدح يحمل

وللصاحب ابن الصاحب المدح يحمل

To one like him a poet's love-verses are offered,

To its like the love poem of a composer is gifted

and to al-Sahib, son of al-Sahib, praise is borne.

And for the fellow son of a fellow the praise carries,

إذا قالَ معنى في ابن يعقوب ناظمٌ

إذا قالَ معنى في ابن يعقوب ناظمٌ

فإن المعاني باسمه تتكمَّل

فإن المعاني باسمه تتكمَّل

When a poet expresses a thought about Ibn Yaqub,

If a composer says a meaning in the son of Ya'qub

meanings themselves are perfected by his name.

Then the meanings with his name are perfected,

إذا عدَّ أهل العلم والحلم والتقى

إذا عدَّ أهل العلم والحلم والتقى

وصنع الأيادِي فابن يعقوب أوَّل

وصنع الأيادِي فابن يعقوب أوَّل

When those of learning, forbearance, and piety are counted,

If he counts the people of knowledge, forbearance and piety

and of beneficence, Ibn Yaqub comes first.

And the works of hands, the son of Ya'qub is first,

إذا اسْتمسكت منه الأماني بناصرٍ

إذا اسْتمسكت منه الأماني بناصرٍ

فبشرى الأماني إنها ليسَ تخذل

فبشرى الأماني إنها ليسَ تخذل

When hopes hold fast to him as their champion,

If hopes held on to a supporter from him

glad tidings to those hopes: they shall not be forsaken.

Then glad tidings, the hopes will not be disappointed,

إذا عدَّد المثني مناصب مجده

إذا عدَّد المثني مناصب مجده

منصباً على التمييز لا يتبدَّل

منصباً على التمييز لا يتبدَّل

When the eulogist enumerates the ranks of his glory,

If he counts the positions of his glory twice over

each is a rank founded on distinction, never changing.

A position over distinction that does not change,

سريّ سراةٍ قبل ما اكْتمل الصبا

سريّ سراةٍ قبل ما اكْتمل الصبا

وشيخ شيوخ قبل ما يتكهَّل

وشيخ شيوخ قبل ما يتكهَّل

A noble of nobles before his youth had fully ripened,

A confidential confidant before youth is completed

and an elder of elders before he reached middle age.

And a sheikh of sheikhs before he is aged,

وقاضي قضاةٍ معرب بكمالِه

وقاضي قضاةٍ معرب بكمالِه

تقىً ليسَ يخفى أو لهىً ليسَ يجهل

تقىً ليسَ يخفى أو لهىً ليسَ يجهل

And a judge of judges, declaring through his perfection

And a judge of judges correct in his perfection

piety never hidden, or largesse never unknown.

Pious, nothing of him is hidden or distracted in error,

وكافي كفاة ما ابن عبَّاد صائد

وكافي كفاة ما ابن عبَّاد صائد

لديه ولا القاضي الملقَّب أفضل

لديه ولا القاضي الملقَّب أفضل

And the ablest of the able: Ibn Abbad is no hunter

And sufficient for the sufficient what Ibn Abbad hunts

in his presence, nor is the titled judge superior.

For him nor the titled judge is superior,

أقامَ بمغنى الشام صدراً لسرِّهِ

أقامَ بمغنى الشام صدراً لسرِّهِ

وأمداحه في الغرب والشرق ترحل

وأمداحه في الغرب والشرق ترحل

He dwells in al-Sham's abode as chief of its secret counsel,

He established in the haven of Damascus a breast for his confidential talk

while praises of him travel through west and east.

And his praises in west and east travel,

تنادِي الورَى نعماه واللفظ والسنا

تنادِي الورَى نعماه واللفظ والسنا

ألا فاجْتدوا ثمَّ اجْتنوا ثمَّ فاجْتلوا

ألا فاجْتدوا ثمَّ اجْتنوا ثمَّ فاجْتلوا

His favors, his speech, and his radiance call to mankind:

The people call his favors and diction and brilliance,

Come, seek bounty, then gather fruits, then behold!

Yes, so be creative, then choose, then excel,

ولا عيبَ فيه غير أنَّ له ندىً

ولا عيبَ فيه غير أنَّ له ندىً

يجيب ندا العافين من قبل يسأل

يجيب ندا العافين من قبل يسأل

He has no fault, save that his bounty

And no shortcoming in him but that he has a companion

answers the seekers' call before he is asked.

Who answers the call of the healthy before he asks,

مواهب كفَّيه وألفاظ كتبه

مواهب كفَّيه وألفاظ كتبه

على اليمن ما بين الورَى تترسَّل

على اليمن ما بين الورَى تترسَّل

The gifts of his two hands and the words of his writings

Gifts of his palms and wordings of his books

flow with blessings among mankind.

Upon Yemen what between peoples are sent,

وللدرج بعد الدرس منهُ فوائد

وللدرج بعد الدرس منهُ فوائد

تفضل في أسلاكها وتفصَّل

تفضل في أسلاكها وتفصَّل

And the scrolls, after study, hold insights from him

And for steps after study from him benefits

that excel upon their strings and are set out in detail.

That prefer in their channels and detail,

علوم بآفاق المدارس تنتقى

علوم بآفاق المدارس تنتقى

وسجع بأفنان الدواوين تنقل

وسجع بأفنان الدواوين تنقل

Sciences selected across the horizons of the schools,

Sciences from the horizons of schools are picked out

and rhymed prose transmitted along the branches of the chancelleries.

And rhymed prose from the collections of notebooks is transmitted,

ونطق به للمنطقيّ تأدبٌ

ونطق به للمنطقيّ تأدبٌ

ونحوٌ به للفارسيّ ترجّل

ونحوٌ به للفارسيّ ترجّل

And speech that teaches the logician manners,

And diction with which to the logician manners,

and grammar that makes al-Farisi dismount.

And grammar with which to the Persian firmness,

وخط كما راقت سلاسل عسجدٍ

وخط كما راقت سلاسل عسجدٍ

ونظم كما راق الرحيق المسلسل

ونظم كما راق الرحيق المسلسل

And handwriting as lovely as chains of gold,

And calligraphy as chained bracelets pleased

and verse as pleasing as pure wine flowing in a chain.

And poetry as poured nectar chained,

ورأي على سمت السعود وهمَّة

ورأي على سمت السعود وهمَّة

تظل على زهر الكواكب عسَّل

تظل على زهر الكواكب عسَّل

And judgment set on the course of lucky stars, and aspiration

And an opinion on the path of glory and resolve

that keeps gathering honey upon the stars' blossoms.

That hovers over the flower of stars sweetened by bees,

لنعم الفتى ديناً ودنيا بجمعنا

لنعم الفتى ديناً ودنيا بجمعنا

وفي خطبة الدارين نعم المؤهَّل

وفي خطبة الدارين نعم المؤهَّل

Truly an excellent young man, in faith and worldly life, among us!

For the fine young man in religion and life together we gathered

And, in wooing the two worlds, how worthy a suitor!

And in the sermon of the two houses aptly prepared,

له الله ما أزكى وأشرف همَّة

له الله ما أزكى وأشرف همَّة

وأنجح ما يأتي وما يتأمَّل

وأنجح ما يأتي وما يتأمَّل

God bless him! How pure and noble his aspiration,

For him God whatever most is true and noble resolve

and how successful his undertakings and his hopes!

And successful whatever he does and contemplates,

دَرَى مع دهري كيفَ حال تذلّلي

دَرَى مع دهري كيفَ حال تذلّلي

فلاقاه حتَّى كادَ وهو مذلَّل

فلاقاه حتَّى كادَ وهو مذلَّل

He knew, as my fate did, how low I had been brought,

It saw with my time how my humility was

and confronted it until it was all but subdued.

So it faced it until it almost and it humbled collapsed,

وجلى همومي جامع البرّ والتقا

وجلى همومي جامع البرّ والتقا

بنعماء من بابِ الزيادة تدخل

بنعماء من بابِ الزيادة تدخل

He who unites goodness and piety dispelled my cares

And it relieved my concerns the complete in righteousness and piety

with bounty entering through the gate of increase.

With favors from the door of increase enter,

وما هو إلاَّ حينَ بادر جيشهم

وما هو إلاَّ حينَ بادر جيشهم

فقاموا صفوفاً للدعا وتبتَّلوا

فقاموا صفوفاً للدعا وتبتَّلوا

No sooner had he hastened to meet their army

And it is only when its army took the initiative

than they stood in ranks for prayer and worshipped devoutly.

So they stood ranks for supplication and devoted themselves,

فنظمتها زهراء والشهب روضة

فنظمتها زهراء والشهب روضة

على الأفق تجلى والمجرَّة جدول

على الأفق تجلى والمجرَّة جدول

So I composed it radiant, while the stars were a garden

So I strung them pearls and the meteors a meadow

unveiled upon the horizon, and the Milky Way a stream.

On the horizon it appeared and the galaxy a stream,

وطرق الدجى ذو غرّةٍ من هلاله

وطرق الدجى ذو غرّةٍ من هلاله

إلى أن بدَا بالفجرِ وهو محجَّل

إلى أن بدَا بالفجرِ وهو محجَّل

And night arrived with a white forehead-blaze from its crescent,

And the darkness of night whose crescent has a covering

until it appeared at dawn, white-stockinged.

Until it appeared at dawn and it is wrapped,

فدونكما جهد المحبّ وعشْ كما

فدونكما جهد المحبّ وعشْ كما

تحب لإلفٍ مثلها تتمثَّل

تحب لإلفٍ مثلها تتمثَّل

Here, then, for you both is the lover's effort; live as

So for you two the effort of the loving and live as

you wish, reciting its like to a beloved.

You love for a people like it models itself,

بوديَ لو أنَّ الجوارح كلها

بوديَ لو أنَّ الجوارح كلها

لمدحك سمعٌ في الأنام ومِقْوَل

لمدحك سمعٌ في الأنام ومِقْوَل

I wish that all bodily members

With my love if only all the limbs

were ears and tongues among mankind for your praise.

For your praise hearing among people and speaking,