عرضَتْ لمُعتَرضِ الصّباحِ الأبلجِ

عرضَتْ لمُعتَرضِ الصّباحِ الأبلجِ

حوراءُ في طرفِ الظلامِ الأدعجِ

حوراءُ في طرفِ الظلامِ الأدعجِ

Against the spreading, radiant dawn appeared

The radiant dawn revealed to the objector

A dark-eyed beauty at the edge of pitch-black night.

A houri amidst the darkness of gloomy night

فتمزّقَت شيّة الدُجى عن غُرّتَيْ

فتمزّقَت شيّة الدُجى عن غُرّتَيْ

شمسَيْنِ في أفُقٍ وكِلّةِ هودجِ

شمسَيْنِ في أفُقٍ وكِلّةِ هودجِ

Then night's coloring tore away from the twin radiant brows

So the veil of darkness was torn from the cheeks

Of two suns: on the horizon and within a howdah's veil.

Of two suns in a horizon bound tightly

ووراء أستارِ الحُمولِ لواحظٌ

ووراء أستارِ الحُمولِ لواحظٌ

غازَلْنَ معتدِلَ الوشيجِ الأعوج

غازَلْنَ معتدِلَ الوشيجِ الأعوج

And behind the curtains of camel-borne litters, glances

And behind the curtains of clouds was a watcher

Flirted with the straight shafts of crooked spear-reeds,

Who courted the evenly balanced, bent twig

من كل مبتَسِمِ السنانِ إذا جرى

من كل مبتَسِمِ السنانِ إذا جرى

دمعُ النجيعِ من الكميّ الأهوجِ

دمعُ النجيعِ من الكميّ الأهوجِ

Each with a smiling spearhead, when there flowed

From every smiling tooth when it flowed

Tears of fresh blood from a reckless armored warrior.

The tears of the sleeper from the twisted creek

ومروّعٍ وطِئَ الحُقودَ بشفْرَتَي

ومروّعٍ وطِئَ الحُقودَ بشفْرَتَي

متوسِّعٍ في ضيق ذاك المنهجِ

متوسِّعٍ في ضيق ذاك المنهجِ

And many a fearsome man, who trampled grudges with the twin edges

And a startled one whose hatred was trampled by

Of a blade making room in that narrow path,

My two lips expanding in that narrow path

قارعْتُه وعلِمْتُ أني ناكحٌ

قارعْتُه وعلِمْتُ أني ناكحٌ

طَمعاً متى ألقَحْتُه لم يَنتُجِ

طَمعاً متى ألقَحْتُه لم يَنتُجِ

I contended with, knowing I was marrying

I faced him and knew I was a penetrator

A hope that, whenever I made it conceive, would not give birth.

Greedily, whenever I inspired him, he did not yield

ولرُبّ بابٍ مرتَجٍ حاولتُه

ولرُبّ بابٍ مرتَجٍ حاولتُه

بلطافةٍ ففتحتُه للمرتجي

بلطافةٍ ففتحتُه للمرتجي

And many a shut door I tried

And for every tightly closed door I tried

With gentleness, and opened it for the hopeful.

Gently, so I opened it for the beseecher

ومولّعٍ بالصّدِّ هزّتْ عِطفَه

ومولّعٍ بالصّدِّ هزّتْ عِطفَه

خُدَعُ الهوى فأمال جيدَ معوّجِ

خُدَعُ الهوى فأمال جيدَ معوّجِ

And many a devotee of rebuff had his flank stirred

And a coddled one, I shook his shoulder

By love's deceits, so he bent his averted neck.

The tricks of passion inclined his twisted neck

وإذا الفتى تبعَ الصّبابةَ والصِّبا

وإذا الفتى تبعَ الصّبابةَ والصِّبا

وجدَ المنيّة سهلة المتولَّجِ

وجدَ المنيّة سهلة المتولَّجِ

And when a youth follows longing and youthful folly,

When the youth pursued playfulness and flirtation

He finds death easy to enter.

He found death easy, twisted and coiled

لا تنكِرَنّ عليّ عاديةَ الأسى

لا تنكِرَنّ عليّ عاديةَ الأسى

فالحبُّ كأسٌ خمرُها لم يُمزَجِ

فالحبُّ كأسٌ خمرُها لم يُمزَجِ

Do not reproach me for sorrow's onslaught;

Do not deny me the normality of sorrow

For love is a cup whose wine has not been diluted.

For love is a cup whose wine is not mixed

ولئن أرادَتْني الخُطوبُ بمرّها

ولئن أرادَتْني الخُطوبُ بمرّها

فالريحُ تزلَقُ عن ثنايا منعِجِ

فالريحُ تزلَقُ عن ثنايا منعِجِ

And though calamities target me with their bitterness,

And if hardships wanted me with their bitterness

The wind slips off the ridges of Man'ij.

The wind slides off the folds of my thick coat

أو رحْتُ في سمَلِ الثياب فإنني

أو رحْتُ في سمَلِ الثياب فإنني

كالعَضْبِ يَفري وهو رثُّ المنسِجِ

كالعَضْبِ يَفري وهو رثُّ المنسِجِ

Or if I go in tattered clothes, I am

Or if I walked in the raggedness of clothes, I

Like a keen sword that cleaves, though its covering is threadbare.

Am like dry plants, shabby and worn

ولقد صحبْتُ الليلَ قلّصَ بُردَه

ولقد صحبْتُ الليلَ قلّصَ بُردَه

لعُبابِ بحرِ صباحه المتموّجِ

لعُبابِ بحرِ صباحه المتموّجِ

And I kept night company as it gathered up its cloak

I accompanied the night, its cold contracted

Before the surge of its morning's billowing sea.

For the open sea of its bright morning rippling

وكأن منتثرَ النجومِ لآلئٌ

وكأن منتثرَ النجومِ لآلئٌ

نُظمَتْ على صرْحِ من الفيروزَجِ

نُظمَتْ على صرْحِ من الفيروزَجِ

And the scattered stars seemed pearls

As if the scattered stars were strung pearls

Strung upon a palace of turquoise.

Arranged over a structure of turquoise

وسهرْتُ أرقُبُ من سُهيلٍ خافقاً

وسهرْتُ أرقُبُ من سُهيلٍ خافقاً

متفرِّداً فكأنه قلبُ الشّجي

متفرِّداً فكأنه قلبُ الشّجي

And I kept vigil, watching Suhayl's flickering light,

I stayed up watching Suhail quiver

Solitary, as though it were the heart of one in grief.

Alone, as if it were the throbbing heart

واستعبرَتْ مُقلُ الغَمام فأضحكتْ

واستعبرَتْ مُقلُ الغَمام فأضحكتْ

منها ثغورَ مفوّفٍ ومدبّجِ

منها ثغورَ مفوّفٍ ومدبّجِ

And the clouds' eyes wept, making smile

The rain clouds' lashes wept, bringing smiles

With their tears, the mouths of striped and brocaded flowers.

To their awning-shaded and embroidered lids

وفضضْتُ عن مدحِ السديدِ خِتامَها

وفضضْتُ عن مدحِ السديدِ خِتامَها

فغَنيتُ عن زهرِ الرُبى المتأرّجِ

فغَنيتُ عن زهرِ الرُبى المتأرّجِ

And I broke its seal, unveiling praise of al-Sadid,

I ignored praising the righteous at its end

So I had no need of the fragrant blossoms of the hills.

So I was needless of the blossoms' bouquet

ودعوْتُ يا هبةَ الإلهِ فقال لي

ودعوْتُ يا هبةَ الإلهِ فقال لي

لفظُ النّجاحِ الْهَجْ بذلك تنهجِ

لفظُ النّجاحِ الْهَجْ بذلك تنهجِ

And I called, 'O Hibat al-Ilah!' Then spoke to me

I called, "O gift of God!" and he said to me

The voice of success: 'Repeat that, and you will find the way.'

"Speak of success - walk that path"

هو كعبةُ الإفضالِ إلا أنها

هو كعبةُ الإفضالِ إلا أنها

بعُدَتْ ومن لم يسَطِعْ لم يحْجُجِ

بعُدَتْ ومن لم يسَطِعْ لم يحْجُجِ

He is generosity's Kaaba, except that it

It is the Kaaba of favors, though it is

Is far away; whoever is unable makes no pilgrimage.

Distant, and whoever cannot, does not perform Hajj

ولقد شداني العزمُ سرْ تلقَ المُنى

ولقد شداني العزمُ سرْ تلقَ المُنى

فشدا له الإمكانُ دونك تمرُجِ

فشدا له الإمكانُ دونك تمرُجِ

Resolve sang to me: 'Go, and attain your wishes';

My determination pulled me, I went to obtain wishes

Then Possibility sang to it: 'Go ahead and roam freely.'

So ability tugged me below you wavering

للهِ منه أغرُّ مزّقَ سعيُه

للهِ منه أغرُّ مزّقَ سعيُه

سدفَ العوارضِ عن أغرّ متوّجِ

سدفَ العوارضِ عن أغرّ متوّجِ

God be praised for him, a radiant man whose striving tore

To God belongs the credit whose effort

The gloom of obstacles from a radiant, crowned lord.

Tore through obstacles to the most excellent adorned

دمثُ الجنابِ تمجُّ تُربةُ أرضهِ

دمثُ الجنابِ تمجُّ تُربةُ أرضهِ

عَرْفاً متى يلقَ الحمامةَ تهزُجِ

عَرْفاً متى يلقَ الحمامةَ تهزُجِ

Gentle to approach; the soil of his land breathes forth

The essence of polite society - if he conversed with an eloquent Arab

A scent that makes a dove sing whenever it reaches her.

He would reveal to him the intricacies of the meandering

يقظانُ يذهبُ بين طرفَي نائلٍ

يقظانُ يذهبُ بين طرفَي نائلٍ

متفخّرٌ في سُؤددٍ متبرّجِ

متفخّرٌ في سُؤددٍ متبرّجِ

Vigilant, he moves between bounty's two bounds,

Awake, walking between the eyes of an attainer

Proud amid nobility in splendid display.

Proud in glorious, embellished attire

طلْقُ الجبين أريجُ أقطارِ الثّنا

طلْقُ الجبين أريجُ أقطارِ الثّنا

حُلوُ السجيّة مُستنيرُ المنهَجِ

حُلوُ السجيّة مُستنيرُ المنهَجِ

Cheerful of brow, fragrant throughout the realms of praise,

Smooth of forehead, fragrant of qualities

Sweet in nature, with an illuminated path.

Clear of approach, diverse of attributes

متنوّعُ الأوصافِ شابَ وقارَه

متنوّعُ الأوصافِ شابَ وقارَه

طرَبٌ فجاءَ بخالصِ المتمزّج

طرَبٌ فجاءَ بخالصِ المتمزّج

Varied in qualities; his dignity was mingled with

Matured despite his youth, and dignified

Mirth, and he brought forth a pure blend.

An agreeable blend came with the genuine amalgamation

حُرُّ الفصاحةِ لو يُساجِلُ يعرُباً

حُرُّ الفصاحةِ لو يُساجِلُ يعرُباً

لأبان فيه لُكْنةَ المتلجْلجِ

لأبان فيه لُكْنةَ المتلجْلجِ

Pure in eloquence; were he to vie with Ya'rub,

Eloquent - if he contended with an Arab

He would expose in him the foreign accent of a stammerer.

He would show him the complexities of the winding

راسي حَصاة الحِلْمِ حيثُ تحللَتْ

راسي حَصاة الحِلْمِ حيثُ تحللَتْ

عُقدُ الحُبا وارتاحَ كلُّ مدجّجِ

عُقدُ الحُبا وارتاحَ كلُّ مدجّجِ

Firm is the stone of his forbearance, where undone

Firm in the foundations of wisdom, where

Were the knee-wraps' knots, and every armored man grew eager.

The knots of love came undone and all that was tangled rested

نشرَ المكارمَ واعتلى فكأنما

نشرَ المكارمَ واعتلى فكأنما

طُويَتْ له العلياءُ طيّ المدْرَجِ

طُويَتْ له العلياءُ طيّ المدْرَجِ

He unfurled noble deeds and rose high, as though

He spread virtues and ascended, as if

The heights were rolled up for him like a scroll.

The high courts were folded for him on the pulpit

متقمّصٌ بالزُهدِ لو بُذِلَتْ له الد

متقمّصٌ بالزُهدِ لو بُذِلَتْ له الد

نْيا وقيلَ ادخُلْ بها لم يخرُجِ

نْيا وقيلَ ادخُلْ بها لم يخرُجِ

Clothed in renunciation: were he offered the

Devoutly ascetic - if the world were granted to him

World and told, 'Wed her,' he would not step out.

And told "Enter it" he would not have exited

ومُصيبُ سهمِ الظّنّ يُشرقُ رأيُه

ومُصيبُ سهمِ الظّنّ يُشرقُ رأيُه

في حيثُ نورُ الشمسِ لم يتوهّجِ

في حيثُ نورُ الشمسِ لم يتوهّجِ

And his arrow of surmise strikes true; his judgment shines

The arrow of assumption hits its mark, his opinion shines

Where the sun's light has not blazed.

Where the light of sun has not blazed

يَهديه في سُدَفِ الأمورِ قريحةٌ

يَهديه في سُدَفِ الأمورِ قريحةٌ

تمشي على وضَحِ الصّباحِ الأبلجِ

تمشي على وضَحِ الصّباحِ الأبلجِ

An innate insight guides him through the dark veils of affairs,

A talent guides him in the complex matters

Walking in the clear light of radiant dawn.

Walking in the clarity of the brilliant dawn

فلأيّ خَطْبٍ ضيّقٍ أومى بها

فلأيّ خَطْبٍ ضيّقٍ أومى بها

يوماً على عجلٍ ولم يتفرّجِ

يوماً على عجلٍ ولم يتفرّجِ

So at what constricted crisis did he point with it,

So for what worried and rushed affairs did it gesture

One day in haste, without the crisis opening wide?

One day hastily without pondering?

سبقَ الأكارمَ للمكارمِ فانثنى

سبقَ الأكارمَ للمكارمِ فانثنى

يعدو على الغادي بحظِّ المُدلِجِ

يعدو على الغادي بحظِّ المُدلِجِ

He beat the noblest to noble deeds, then turned back

He preceded virtues with virtues, so he leans

To outrun the morning traveler with a night traveler's head start.

To outrun the negligent with the share of the initiator

ومصرِّفُ الأحكامِ لم يعلَقْ بها

ومصرِّفُ الأحكامِ لم يعلَقْ بها

طيشُ الضّجورِ ولا اختلالُ المُحرَجِ

طيشُ الضّجورِ ولا اختلالُ المُحرَجِ

And he dispenses judgments, untouched by

The judge of rulings did not cling to them

The rashness of the fretful or the confusion of the hard-pressed.

With the frivolity of the agitated or plight of the embarrassed

هذا هو البيتُ العتيقُ فمن يُردْ

هذا هو البيتُ العتيقُ فمن يُردْ

وِرْدَ التنسّكِ والتقى فليحجُجِ

وِرْدَ التنسّكِ والتقى فليحجُجِ

This is the Ancient House; whoever desires

This is the ancient house - so whoever desires

A draught of devotion and piety, let him make pilgrimage.

The return of devotion and piety should perform Hajj

فليَهْنِهِ العيدُ الذي هو عبدُه

فليَهْنِهِ العيدُ الذي هو عبدُه

وبعبدِه بالحُسنِ والحُسْنى حَجي

وبعبدِه بالحُسنِ والحُسْنى حَجي

May the festival, which is his servant, gladden him;

So may the Eid in which he is its servant delight him

And through beauty and goodness, he is worthy of his servant.

And with its servant in goodness and beautiful favor perform Hajj

يَقضي فربُّ التاجِ تحت قضائه

يَقضي فربُّ التاجِ تحت قضائه

بالعدل مُنقادٌ لذات الدُمْلُجِ

بالعدل مُنقادٌ لذات الدُمْلُجِ

He judges, and under his judgment the lord of the crown

The Lord of the crown under His judgement

Through justice, submits to the woman wearing an armlet.

Rules with justice obedient to the owner of bliss

لا زالَ كالبدرِ المنيرِ منقّلاً

لا زالَ كالبدرِ المنيرِ منقّلاً

من أبرُجٍ مسعودةٍ في أبرُجِ

من أبرُجٍ مسعودةٍ في أبرُجِ

May he always, like the radiant full moon, pass

He continues like the shining full moon transferring

From auspicious signs of the zodiac into others.

From auspicious mansions to mansions