لَسْتُ أَدرِي أَتُحْفَةٌ تُتَهادَى

لَسْتُ أَدرِي أَتُحْفَةٌ تُتَهادَى

أَم عَروسٌ في حَلْيِها تَتَهَادى

أَم عَروسٌ في حَلْيِها تَتَهَادى

I do not know: is it a precious gift being exchanged,

I know not if it is a gift being passed around

or a bride gliding gracefully in her jewels?

Or a bride in her finery swaying to and fro

أم عهودٌ قد أَضْحَكَ الدهرُ فيها

أم عهودٌ قد أَضْحَكَ الدهرُ فيها

مَبْسِمَ الزهرِ حين أَبْكَى العِهادا

مَبْسِمَ الزهرِ حين أَبْكَى العِهادا

Or seasons in which Time made

Or covenants that time has mocked

the blossoms' mouth smile, while making the rains weep?

With the smile of flowers while still shedding tears

أَم بياضُ الخدودِ نَشْرَ طِرْساً

أَم بياضُ الخدودِ نَشْرَ طِرْساً

وسوادُ الأَصداغِ سالَ مِدادا

وسوادُ الأَصداغِ سالَ مِدادا

Or did the whiteness of cheeks unfold a page,

Or the whiteness of cheeks unfolding like pages

and the blackness of sidelocks flow as ink?

And the blackness of eyelids flowing like ink

بل قريضٌ من سِّيدٍ سَدَّ عَنِّي

بل قريضٌ من سِّيدٍ سَدَّ عَنِّي

لَهَواتِ العِدَا وشَدَّ وشَادا

لَهَواتِ العِدَا وشَدَّ وشَادا

Rather, verse from a lord who sealed off from me

Nay, it is an ode from a master who protected me

the throats of my foes, and strengthened and raised me up.

From the cravings of enemies, strengthening and supporting me

فاحَ من مِجْمَرِ القريحةِ منه

فاحَ من مِجْمَرِ القريحةِ منه

نَدُّ شعرٍ قد أَعْجَزَ الأَنداد

نَدُّ شعرٍ قد أَعْجَزَ الأَنداد

From him, from the censer of inspiration, wafted

There diffused from the embers of his genius

the fragrant incense of verse that has outdone its peers.

A fire of poetry that surpassed all rivals

ورأَتْ ما رأَتْ صِقِلِّيَّةٌ من

ورأَتْ ما رأَتْ صِقِلِّيَّةٌ من

هُ فَحَقٌّ أَنْ فاخَرَتْ بغدادا

هُ فَحَقٌّ أَنْ فاخَرَتْ بغدادا

And Sicily saw what it saw of

And what the maid of Sicily saw in him

him, so rightly did it vie in glory with Baghdad.

Is true, so rightfully did Baghdad boast

ماجِدٌ جَدَّ في اكتساب المعالي

ماجِدٌ جَدَّ في اكتساب المعالي

والمعانِي فأَتْعَبَ الأَمجادا

والمعانِي فأَتْعَبَ الأَمجادا

A noble man who strove to acquire lofty honors

Majid, excelling in acquiring virtues

and meanings, thereby exhausting the illustrious.

And meanings, exhausting all glories

زادَ عن رُتْبَةِ المُنَظِّمِ للشع

زادَ عن رُتْبَةِ المُنَظِّمِ للشع

ر ولو شاءَها لكانَ زِيادا

ر ولو شاءَها لكانَ زِيادا

He surpassed the rank of a composer of

Surpassing the rank of composer of verse

verse; and had he wished for it, he would have been Ziyad.

Though, had he wished, he could have been greater

ولقَدْ أَظْلَمَ الزَّمانُ لِعَيْني

ولقَدْ أَظْلَمَ الزَّمانُ لِعَيْني

وأَرانِيه كوكباً وَقَّادا

وأَرانِيه كوكباً وَقَّادا

And Time had indeed grown dark before my eyes,

Verily time has wronged my eyes

and showed him to me as a blazing star.

Showing me him as a guiding star

فَحَمِدْتُ المُرادَ ِفي ظِلِّ نُعْما

فَحَمِدْتُ المُرادَ ِفي ظِلِّ نُعْما

هُ على بَسْلِهِ ونِلْتُ المُرادا

هُ على بَسْلِهِ ونِلْتُ المُرادا

So I praised the one I sought beneath the shade of his bounty,

I thanked the Desired One in the shade of His blessings

for his valor, and attained my desire.

And attained my wishes from His grace

ومضَى يدفَعُ الشَّدائدَ عَنِّي

ومضَى يدفَعُ الشَّدائدَ عَنِّي

ويشُدُّ القُوَى ويُولِي الرَّشادا

ويشُدُّ القُوَى ويُولِي الرَّشادا

And he went on driving hardships away from me,

He continued removing adversities from me

strengthening my powers and bestowing right guidance,

Strengthening my powers and guiding me aright

شاهِراُ سَيْفَ عَزْمِهِ في مُلِمَّا

شاهِراُ سَيْفَ عَزْمِهِ في مُلِمَّا

ت أُموري لا يَعْرِفُ الأَغْمَادا

ت أُموري لا يَعْرِفُ الأَغْمَادا

brandishing the sword of his resolve amid the calamities

Brandishing the sword of his resolve in the tribulations of my affairs

of my affairs—a sword that knows no sheaths.

Not knowing rest or repose

يا عِمادِي وقد حُرِمْتُ العِمادا

يا عِمادِي وقد حُرِمْتُ العِمادا

ووِدادي وقد نَسِيتُ الوِدادا

ووِدادي وقد نَسِيتُ الوِدادا

O my support, when I had been deprived of support,

O my pillar, though I was deprived of pillars

and my love, when I had forgotten love,

And beloved, though I forgot to love

والذي يَمْلأُ الزمانَ اتِّقاداً

والذي يَمْلأُ الزمانَ اتِّقاداً

في دياجِي خطوبهِ وانْتِقادا

في دياجِي خطوبهِ وانْتِقادا

and you who fill Time with blazing light

He who fills time with flames

amid the darkness of its trials, and with discernment:

In the battles and trials of my life

من يُجارِيكَ فِي العلومِ وقد مَلَّ

من يُجارِيكَ فِي العلومِ وقد مَلَّ

كَكَ الفضلُ والكمالُ القِيادا

كَكَ الفضلُ والكمالُ القِيادا

who can rival you in learning, when

Who can compare with you in knowledge, when

excellence and perfection have given you the reins?

Merit and perfection are led by you?

فَابسُطِ العُذْرَ إِنَّها بِنْتُ فِكْرٍ

فَابسُطِ العُذْرَ إِنَّها بِنْتُ فِكْرٍ

لَيْسَ يَزْوَى وَلَيْسَ يُورِي زِنادا

لَيْسَ يَزْوَى وَلَيْسَ يُورِي زِنادا

So grant pardon: she is the daughter of a mind

So make excuses, for it is the product of a thought

that neither shrinks nor kindles fire-sticks.

That finds no rest or respite from firing up