ألْحِقْ بَنَفْسِجَ فَجْرِي وَرْدَتَيْ شَفَقِي

ألْحِقْ بَنَفْسِجَ فَجْرِي وَرْدَتَيْ شَفَقِي

كافُورَةُ الصُّبْحِ فَتَّتْ مِسْكَةَ الغَسَقِ

كافُورَةُ الصُّبْحِ فَتَّتْ مِسْكَةَ الغَسَقِ

Join my dawn's violet to my twilight's two roses.

My purple flower at dawn and my blushing rose

Morning's camphor has crumbled the musk of nightfall.

The camphor of morning has melted the musk of dusk

قد عطَّلَ الأُفْقُ من أَسْمَاطِ أَنْجُمِهِ

قد عطَّلَ الأُفْقُ من أَسْمَاطِ أَنْجُمِهِ

فاعْقِدْ بخَمْرِكَ فينا حِلْيَةَ الأُفُقِ

فاعْقِدْ بخَمْرِكَ فينا حِلْيَةَ الأُفُقِ

The horizon has shed the necklaces of its stars;

The horizon has unfastened from its starry tents

so string its adornment among us with your wine.

So adorn yourself with its wine in our gathering

قُمْ هاتِ جامَكَ شمساً عند مُصْطَبَحٍ

قُمْ هاتِ جامَكَ شمساً عند مُصْطَبَحٍ

وخَلِّ كأْسَكَ نَجْماً عندَ مُغْتَبِقِ

وخَلِّ كأْسَكَ نَجْماً عندَ مُغْتَبِقِ

Rise; bring your goblet as a sun at the morning draught,

Arise, bring your cup, a sun at dawn

and let your cup be a star at the evening draught.

And pour your goblet, a star at dusk

واقسِمْ لكُلِّ زمانٍ ما يليقُ به

واقسِمْ لكُلِّ زمانٍ ما يليقُ به

فإِنَّ للزَّنْدِ حَلْياً ليس لِلْعُنُقِ

فإِنَّ للزَّنْدِ حَلْياً ليس لِلْعُنُقِ

And allot to each time what befits it,

And allot to each era what befits it

for the wrist has adornment not meant for the neck.

For the bracelet has an ornament the necklace does not

هبَّ النسيمُ وهبَّ الرّيم فاشتركا

هبَّ النسيمُ وهبَّ الرّيم فاشتركا

في نَكْهِةٍ من نسيمِ الرَّوْضَةِ العَبِقِ

في نَكْهِةٍ من نسيمِ الرَّوْضَةِ العَبِقِ

The breeze stirred, and the gazelle rose, and they shared

The breeze blew, and the gentle rain, and they shared

a fragrance from the scented garden's breeze.

A scent of the breeze from the fragrant garden

واسْتَرْقَصَتْنِيَ كاسْتِرْقَاصِ حامِلِها

واسْتَرْقَصَتْنِيَ كاسْتِرْقَاصِ حامِلِها

مُخْضَرَّةُ الوُرْقِ أَو مُخْضَرَّةِ الوَرَقِ

مُخْضَرَّةُ الوُرْقِ أَو مُخْضَرَّةِ الوَرَقِ

And it set me dancing as it set its bearer dancing—

It intoxicated me, like its carrier intoxicated

a green-hued gray dove, or a green-leafed bough.

The green leaves or the green paper

وبتُّ بالكأْسِ أَغنَى الناسِ كُلِّهِمُ

وبتُّ بالكأْسِ أَغنَى الناسِ كُلِّهِمُ

فالخمرُ من عسجدٍ والكأْسُ من وَرِقِ

فالخمرُ من عسجدٍ والكأْسُ من وَرِقِ

And I spent the night with the cup, richer than everyone,

I spent the night drunk with the cup, the richest of all people

for the wine was gold, and the cup was silver.

For the wine is from stems and the cup from paper

كم ورَّدَتْ وجناتُ الصِّرْفِ في قدحٍ

كم ورَّدَتْ وجناتُ الصِّرْفِ في قدحٍ

فتحت بالمزج ما يعلوه من حذقِ

فتحت بالمزج ما يعلوه من حذقِ

How often the cheeks of unmixed wine turned rosy in a goblet!

How often the gardens of the valley poured into a goblet

By blending, I revealed the artistry that crowned it.

Opening with blending what surpasses it in skill

يَسْعَى بها رَشَأٌ عيناه مُذْ رَمَقَتْ

يَسْعَى بها رَشَأٌ عيناه مُذْ رَمَقَتْ

لم يُبْقِ فِيَّ ولا فيها سوى الرَّمَقِ

لم يُبْقِ فِيَّ ولا فيها سوى الرَّمَقِ

A fawn bears it round; since his eyes cast their glance,

A young man with eyes that since they winked

he left nothing in me or in it but life's last flicker.

Left me and it neither life remaining nor vigor

حَبَابُها وأَحادِيثي ومَبْسِمُهُ

حَبَابُها وأَحادِيثي ومَبْسِمُهُ

ثلاثَةٌ كلُّها من لؤلؤٍ نَسَقِ

ثلاثَةٌ كلُّها من لؤلؤٍ نَسَقِ

Its bubbles, my conversations, and his smiling mouth—

Her coquetry, my conversations, and his smile –

three things, all of them pearls strung in order.

Three all of strung pearls

حتى إِذا أَخَذَتْ منا بسَوْرَتِها

حتى إِذا أَخَذَتْ منا بسَوْرَتِها

ما أَخَذَ النَّوْمُ من أَجفانِ ذي أَرَقِ

ما أَخَذَ النَّوْمُ من أَجفانِ ذي أَرَقِ

Until, when its potency had taken from us

Until sleep took from us with its drowsiness

what sleep takes from the eyelids of the sleepless,

What it takes from the eyelids of one suffering insomnia

ركبتُ فيه بحاراً من عجائِبها

ركبتُ فيه بحاراً من عجائِبها

أَنِّي سَلِمْتُ وما أَدرِي من الغَرَقِ

أَنِّي سَلِمْتُ وما أَدرِي من الغَرَقِ

I sailed seas therein, among whose wonders was

I sailed in it oceans of its wonders

that I escaped drowning without knowing it.

I arrived safely though I know not from drowning

ولم أَزَلْ في ارْتِشافِي منه رِيقَ فم

ولم أَزَلْ في ارْتِشافِي منه رِيقَ فم

أَطفأْتُ في بردِهِ مشبوبةَ الحُرَقِ

أَطفأْتُ في بردِهِ مشبوبةَ الحُرَقِ

And I kept sipping from him the moisture of a mouth;

And I did not cease sipping from it a juice of mouth

in its coolness I quenched the kindled fires of longing.

That extinguished with its coolness my inflamed thirst

يا ساكنَ القلبِ عما قد رَمَيْتَ بِهِ

يا ساكنَ القلبِ عما قد رَمَيْتَ بِهِ

من ساكنِ القلبِ مُغْمًى فيه من قَلَقِ

من ساكنِ القلبِ مُغْمًى فيه من قَلَقِ

O dweller in the heart, unmoved by what you have inflicted

O you who settled the heart from what you have cast into it

on one dwelling there, senseless from anxiety.

Of one settled of heart plunged into anxiety

لا تَعْجَبَنَّ لكل الجسمِ كيف مَضَى

لا تَعْجَبَنَّ لكل الجسمِ كيف مَضَى

وإِنَّما اعْجَبْ لبعضِ الجِسْمِ كيفَ بَقِي

وإِنَّما اعْجَبْ لبعضِ الجِسْمِ كيفَ بَقِي

Do not marvel at how the whole body has vanished;

Do not wonder that all the body is gone

rather, marvel at how some of the body remains.

Rather wonder that some of the body remains

لم أَستَرِقْ بمنامي وصلَ طيفِهِمُ

لم أَستَرِقْ بمنامي وصلَ طيفِهِمُ

فما لهُ صارَ مقطوعًا على السَّرَقِ

فما لهُ صارَ مقطوعًا على السَّرَقِ

I did not steal union with their phantom in my sleep;

I did not steal in my sleep the apparition of their likeness

why, then, has my sleep been cut off for theft?

So why did it become severed by theft?

ولا اجْتَلَى الطَّرْفُ برقًا من مباسِمٍهٍمْ

ولا اجْتَلَى الطَّرْفُ برقًا من مباسِمٍهٍمْ

فما له مثلَ صوبِ العارِضِ الغَدِقِ

فما له مثلَ صوبِ العارِضِ الغَدِقِ

Nor did the eye behold lightning from their smiling mouths;

Nor did my eye secretly glimpse a lightning flash of their smiles

why, then, is it like the downpour of a rain-laden cloud?

So why is it like the fleeing lightning in the dark clouds?

في الهندِ قد قيل أَسيافُ الحديدِ ولو

في الهندِ قد قيل أَسيافُ الحديدِ ولو

لا هندُ ما قيلَ أَسيافٌ من الحدقِ

لا هندُ ما قيلَ أَسيافٌ من الحدقِ

In India, iron swords have indeed been spoken of; and were it

In India, it is said swords of iron, even if

not for Hind, no one would speak of swords made of eyes.

There was no India, it would be said swords of sharpness

نسيتُ ما تحت تفتيرِ الجفونِ أَمَا

نسيتُ ما تحت تفتيرِ الجفونِ أَمَا

خُلُوقَهُ الجَفْنِ أَثْرُ الصَّارِمِ الذَّلِق

خُلُوقَهُ الجَفْنِ أَثْرُ الصَّارِمِ الذَّلِق

I forgot what lies beneath those languid eyelids; is not

I forgot what is beneath the fluttering of eyelids, though

its saffron stain on the eyelid the trace of the keen sword?

Its creation by eyelids is the trace of the polished blade

وبِتُّ بالجِزْعِ في آثارهم جَزَعاً

وبِتُّ بالجِزْعِ في آثارهم جَزَعاً

إِن جرّد البَرْقُ إِيماضاً على البُرَقِ

إِن جرّد البَرْقُ إِيماضاً على البُرَقِ

And I spent the night at the valley bend, distraught upon their trail,

I spent the night grieving their traces grievously

whenever lightning unsheathed a flash over the rocky rises.

If lightning bared a flash upon the shining clouds

في نار وجدِيَ مغْنًى من تَلَهُّبِهِ

في نار وجدِيَ مغْنًى من تَلَهُّبِهِ

وفي فؤادِيَ ما فيه من الوَلَقِ

وفي فؤادِيَ ما فيه من الوَلَقِ

The fire of my longing could dispense with its blaze,

In my passion’s fire is solace from its flames

and my heart held the same frenzy it possessed.

And in my heart is what is in it of disquiet

خوفٌ أَبو القاسِمِ الأَرزاقَ قَسَّمَهُ

خوفٌ أَبو القاسِمِ الأَرزاقَ قَسَّمَهُ

عني فقد صحَّ إِفْراقِي منَ الفَرَقِ

عني فقد صحَّ إِفْراقِي منَ الفَرَقِ

Fear—Abu al-Qasim, apportioner of livelihoods, has removed it

A fear, Abu al-Qasim divided sustenance

from me; my recovery from dread is now assured.

From me, so separating from friends proved true

القائدُ الضِّدَّيْن في شِيَم

القائدُ الضِّدَّيْن في شِيَم

كالماءِ يجمع بينَ الرِّيِّ والشَّرَقِ

كالماءِ يجمع بينَ الرِّيِّ والشَّرَقِ

He commands two opposites in his character,

The leader of two opposites in nature

like water, which combines quenching thirst with choking.

Is like water combining sweet and brackish

تهلَّلَ الوجهُ منه مثلَ شمسِ ضُحًى

تهلَّلَ الوجهُ منه مثلَ شمسِ ضُحًى

وانهَلَّتِ اليدُ مثل العارضِ الغَدقِ

وانهَلَّتِ اليدُ مثل العارضِ الغَدقِ

His face shone like the sun of midmorning,

Joy lit his face like the morning sun

and his hand poured forth like a rain-laden cloud.

And his hand poured like the flowing stream

وجدَّد النِّعَمَ اللاتي نَثَرْتُ لها

وجدَّد النِّعَمَ اللاتي نَثَرْتُ لها

أَزاهِرَ الرَّوْضِ باسْمِ المَلْبَسِ الخَلَقِ

أَزاهِرَ الرَّوْضِ باسْمِ المَلْبَسِ الخَلَقِ

And he renewed the favors for which I scattered

And he renewed favors which I scattered

the garden's blossoms in the name of worn-out clothing.

The blossoms of the garden in the name of the created robe

وحازَ وَصْفِي رقيقٌ رائِقٌ فَلَهُ

وحازَ وَصْفِي رقيقٌ رائِقٌ فَلَهُ

تَشَابَهَ الحُسْنُ بيْنَ الخَلْقِ والخُلُقِ

تَشَابَهَ الحُسْنُ بيْنَ الخَلْقِ والخُلُقِ

A gentle, gracious man has won my praise; in him

And he attained my description, refined and delightful, so for him

beauty is alike in outward form and inward character.

Beauty resembled between creation and character

وثقَّل المَنَّ حتى رُمْتُ أَحمِلُهُ

وثقَّل المَنَّ حتى رُمْتُ أَحمِلُهُ

على عواتِقِ أَمْداحِي فَلَمْ أُطِق

على عواتِقِ أَمْداحِي فَلَمْ أُطِق

And he made his bounty so heavy that I tried to bear it

And kindness weighed heavily until I, its bearer, bent

on the shoulders of my praises, but could not.

Upon the shoulders of my praises, unable to bear it

فلَسْتُ أَعرِفُ عَمَّا ذا أَقولُ له

فلَسْتُ أَعرِفُ عَمَّا ذا أَقولُ له

خَفِّفْ عُنق الأَشعارِ أَم عُنُقي

خَفِّفْ عُنق الأَشعارِ أَم عُنُقي

So I do not know what to say to him:

So I do not know what to say to him

'Lighten the neck of the poems, or my own neck?'

Lighten the neck of poems or my neck?

مُضَمَّرُ العَزْمِ لو جاراهُ في طَلَقٍ

مُضَمَّرُ العَزْمِ لو جاراهُ في طَلَقٍ

من بَطْشَةِ البَرْقِ لم يُوجَدْ بمُنْطَلِقِ

من بَطْشَةِ البَرْقِ لم يُوجَدْ بمُنْطَلِقِ

Lean and trained in resolve: should a rival race him at full gallop,

Resolute in purpose, if he met it with ease

with lightning's very force, that rival would be found motionless.

He would not be found with a place from which to set out

رياسَةٌ تَطَأُ الأَعناقَ صاعِدَةً

رياسَةٌ تَطَأُ الأَعناقَ صاعِدَةً

فلا كَبَتْ وَهْيَ بَيْنَ النَّصِّ والعَنَقِ

فلا كَبَتْ وَهْيَ بَيْنَ النَّصِّ والعَنَقِ

A leadership that treads upon necks as it ascends—

Leadership that treads upon necks rising

may it never stumble, between full gallop and easy trot!

Without repressing while delicate between text and neck

خُصَّتْ بنِي الحَجَرِ الياقوتِ واعْتَزَلَتْ

خُصَّتْ بنِي الحَجَرِ الياقوتِ واعْتَزَلَتْ

قوماً همُ الحَجَرُ المَرْمِيُّ في الطُّرُقِ

قوماً همُ الحَجَرُ المَرْمِيُّ في الطُّرُقِ

It favored the sons of al-Hajar—the ruby-stone—and shunned

It was particularized for the Children of the Stone ruby and withdrew

people who are stones flung into the roads.

From people who are the stone cast in roads

تخالَفَ الناسُ إِلا في فضائِلِهِمْ

تخالَفَ الناسُ إِلا في فضائِلِهِمْ

فليسَ تُبْصِرُ فيها غيرَ مُتَّفِقِ

فليسَ تُبْصِرُ فيها غيرَ مُتَّفِقِ

People disagree, except about their virtues;

People only differ in their virtues

there you see only those in accord.

It does not discern in them other than agreement

مراتبٌ لأَبي بكرٍ بلها سَبَقٌ

مراتبٌ لأَبي بكرٍ بلها سَبَقٌ

كما أَبو بكرٍ المخصوصُ بالسَّبَقِ

كما أَبو بكرٍ المخصوصُ بالسَّبَقِ

Ranks for Abu Bakr, watered by precedence,

Steps for Abu Bakr, but precursorship

like Abu Bakr, singled out for precedence.

As Abu Bakr was particularized with being first

مُهِمَّةُ عُمَرٌ فيها رأَى عُمَرًا

مُهِمَّةُ عُمَرٌ فيها رأَى عُمَرًا

فضمَّها عنده الفاروقُ في فَرَق

فضمَّها عنده الفاروقُ في فَرَق

A weighty affair: Umar saw Umar in it,

A commission for Umar in which he saw Umar

so al-Faruq drew it to himself in fear.

So the Discerner folded it with him in the separation

وبَسْطَةٌ يرتقي عثمانُ هَضْبَتَها

وبَسْطَةٌ يرتقي عثمانُ هَضْبَتَها

رُقِيَّ عثمانَ إِلا ساعة الزَّلَقِ

رُقِيَّ عثمانَ إِلا ساعة الزَّلَقِ

And an expanse whose hill Uthman climbs,

An outstretching that Uthman ascends its slope

with Uthman's ascent, except at the hour of slipping.

None ascended Uthman except at the moment of slipping

فضلٌ أَبو القاسِمِ المشهورُ قَسَّمَهُ

فضلٌ أَبو القاسِمِ المشهورُ قَسَّمَهُ

فيهم فهُمْ في بهيمِ الدّهرِ كالبَلقِ

فيهم فهُمْ في بهيمِ الدّهرِ كالبَلقِ

An excellence apportioned by the famed Abu al-Qasim

A favor, Abu al-Qasim the Famed divided it

among them: in time's blackness, they are like piebald steeds.

Among them, so they in the time of life are like insignia

ولم تَزَلْ لعليٍّ فيه أَوْ حَسَنٍ

ولم تَزَلْ لعليٍّ فيه أَوْ حَسَنٍ

فَألٌ عُلُوٌّ وحُسْنٌ غير مُعْتَلَقِ

فَألٌ عُلُوٌّ وحُسْنٌ غير مُعْتَلَقِ

There has always been for Ali or Hasan, in it,

And for Ali or Hassan there was always

an omen of loftiness and beauty beyond grasp.

Sublimity, beauty, and loftiness without instability

وطاهِرٌ طاهِرٌ الأَعراضِ من دَنَسٍ

وطاهِرٌ طاهِرٌ الأَعراضِ من دَنَسٍ

يدنو وخيرونُ ضَيْرُ الرَّاهِنِ الغَلَقِ

يدنو وخيرونُ ضَيْرُ الرَّاهِنِ الغَلَقِ

And Tahir is pure in honor, free of stain;

And a pure one, pure of nature from blemish

he draws near; Khayrun is the bane of the defaulting pledger.

Who approaches while the ignorant of this time are bleary

وللفتوحِ من الخيراتِ أَجْمَعُها

وللفتوحِ من الخيراتِ أَجْمَعُها

أَبو الفتوحِ الذي صُفِّي من الرَّنَقِ

أَبو الفتوحِ الذي صُفِّي من الرَّنَقِ

And for conquests, the sum of all blessings is

And for the openings of all good things

Abu al-Futuh, who has been purified of murk.

Abu al-Futuh who was cleansed of pretentiousness

تباركَ اللُّه بارِي المجدِ من حَمَإِ

تباركَ اللُّه بارِي المجدِ من حَمَإِ

وخالِقُ الكَرم الفيَّاضِ من عَلَقِ

وخالِقُ الكَرم الفيَّاضِ من عَلَقِ

Blessed be God, the maker of glory from dark mud,

Blessed is God, Maker of Glory from fervor

and the creator of overflowing generosity from blood-clots.

And Creator of Bounty pouring from clot

فشِدْ وسُدْ واستزدْ واسعَدْ وجُدْ وأَجِدْ

فشِدْ وسُدْ واستزدْ واسعَدْ وجُدْ وأَجِدْ

وسُق وأَرْق وفُقْ واسْمُق وشِقْ ورُقِ

وسُق وأَرْق وفُقْ واسْمُق وشِقْ ورُقِ

So build, and rule, and seek more, and prosper, and give, and excel;

Pull and block and gain more and be felicitous and struggle and find

and lead, and elevate, and surpass, and tower high, and stir longing, and delight.

And pour and be easy and succeed and rise high and split and heal

وإِنْ يَكُنْ فِيَّ جسمٌ عن ذَراكَ مَضَى

وإِنْ يَكُنْ فِيَّ جسمٌ عن ذَراكَ مَضَى

فإِنَّ عندكَ قلبًا في ذراك يَقِي

فإِنَّ عندكَ قلبًا في ذراك يَقِي

And though my body has departed from your shelter,

And if there was in me a body from your presence gone

yet with you is a heart that guards within your shelter.

Then there remains with you a heart in your presence residing