هَفا طرَبي الى عافي الرسومِ

هَفا طرَبي الى عافي الرسومِ

فلا روّى الغَمامُ رُبى الغميمِ

فلا روّى الغَمامُ رُبى الغميمِ

My rapture fluttered toward the faded traces;

My fondness moved to the ruins of Afai

so may no rain-cloud water the hills of al-Ghamim.

Where clouds did not water the withered trees

وهبّتْ ريحُ سُلواني فمرّتْ

وهبّتْ ريحُ سُلواني فمرّتْ

من الشّرقِ القديمِ على هَشيمِ

من الشّرقِ القديمِ على هَشيمِ

And the wind of my forgetting blew and swept

The wind of Sulwan blew and passed

over the dry brushwood of old anguish.

From the ancient east over the rubble

وكنتُ أبا المنازلِ والفيافي

وكنتُ أبا المنازلِ والفيافي

فصِرْتُ أخا المُدامةِ والنَديمِ

فصِرْتُ أخا المُدامةِ والنَديمِ

I was a father to dwellings and wastelands;

And I was a lodger of dwellings and tents

then I became a brother to wine and the boon companion.

So I became a brother of wine and boon companions

أميلُ الى سُلافةِ بنتِ كرْمٍ

أميلُ الى سُلافةِ بنتِ كرْمٍ

وأدنو من سوالفِ أمّ ريمِ

وأدنو من سوالفِ أمّ ريمِ

I incline toward the choicest wine, daughter of a vine,

I incline towards the charm of Sulafa daughter of Karam

and draw close to the sides of Umm Rim's neck.

And I approach the tales of mother Raim

هدَتْنا للسّرور نجومُ راحٍ

هدَتْنا للسّرور نجومُ راحٍ

بها قذفَتْ شياطينَ الهُمومِ

بها قذفَتْ شياطينَ الهُمومِ

The stars of wine guided us to joy;

The stars of repose gladdened us

with them it pelted the devils of care.

With which they threw away the devils of worries

تبسّم دنّها فألاحَ برقاً

تبسّم دنّها فألاحَ برقاً

يطرّزُ حُلّةَ الليلِ البَهيمِ

يطرّزُ حُلّةَ الليلِ البَهيمِ

Its wine-jar smiled and flashed forth lightning

Her smile shone with lightning

that embroiders the robe of pitch-dark night.

That embroidered the dress of the splendid night

وأودعَ نشرُها الأرواحَ سرّاً

وأودعَ نشرُها الأرواحَ سرّاً

فباحَ بحَمْلِه صدرُ النسيمِ

فباحَ بحَمْلِه صدرُ النسيمِ

Its fragrance entrusted the winds with a secret,

And its diffusion deposited spirits secretly

and the breeze's breast disclosed what it bore.

So the breast of the breeze disclosed its burden

فإنْ توجتُ راحي كأسَ راحٍ

فإنْ توجتُ راحي كأسَ راحٍ

فشُرْبُ الإثْمِ أوْلى بالأثيمِ

فشُرْبُ الإثْمِ أوْلى بالأثيمِ

So if I crown my palm with a cup of wine,

If I crown my rest with a cup of tranquility

then drinking sin is more fitting for the sinner.

Drinking sin is more worthy for the sinner

بساطُ الرّوضِ موشيُّ الحواشي

بساطُ الرّوضِ موشيُّ الحواشي

وثوبُ الغيمِ مِسكيُّ الأديمِ

وثوبُ الغيمِ مِسكيُّ الأديمِ

The garden's carpet has embroidered edges,

The carpet of the garden embroidered with edges

and the cloud's robe has a musk-hued surface.

And the dress of the cloud musky leather

وكفُّ الصبحِ يلقُطُ ما تبدّى

وكفُّ الصبحِ يلقُطُ ما تبدّى

بجيدِ الليلِ من درهِ النجومِ

بجيدِ الليلِ من درهِ النجومِ

And dawn's hand gathers what has appeared

And the palm of dawn picks up what appeared

upon night's neck—its pearls, the stars.

On the cheek of night from its scattered pearls

فحيَّ على الشَمولِ وإن عُنينا

فحيَّ على الشَمولِ وإن عُنينا

بخَمْرِ شمائلِ الرشأ الرّخيمِ

بخَمْرِ شمائلِ الرشأ الرّخيمِ

So come to wine, though we are engrossed

So greet the communion even if we are busied

in the wine of the soft-voiced fawn's graces.

With wine the traits of the supple young maid

مقطّبةٌ يريكَ المزْجُ منها

مقطّبةٌ يريكَ المزْجُ منها

طلاقةَ منظرِ الوجهِ العظيمِ

طلاقةَ منظرِ الوجهِ العظيمِ

It frowns; dilution shows you in it

Adorned whom the mixture shows you

the cheerful aspect of a majestic face.

The fluency of the view of the great face

أتتْ عُطْلاً فقلّدَها حَباباً

أتتْ عُطْلاً فقلّدَها حَباباً

جَلاها منهُ في درٍّ نظيمِ

جَلاها منهُ في درٍّ نظيمِ

It came unadorned; he garlanded it with bubbles,

She came in leisure so he threaded her pearls

unveiling it in pearls strung from those bubbles.

He stripped them over her in an organized pearl necklace

يطوفُ بشمسِها قمرٌ تثنّتْ

يطوفُ بشمسِها قمرٌ تثنّتْ

به أعطافُ خوطِ نقاً قَويمِ

به أعطافُ خوطِ نقاً قَويمِ

A moon passes round with its sun; there sway

The crescent revolves around her sun

within him the limbs of an upright shoot upon a dune.

With which the sides of the straight prominent line bent

حمىً بعقاربِ الأصداغِ وَرْداً

حمىً بعقاربِ الأصداغِ وَرْداً

جنيتُ به الشقاءَ من النعيمِ

جنيتُ به الشقاءَ من النعيمِ

He guarded roses with the scorpions of his temple-locks,

I gained well-being from bliss with the needles of the temples as fever

where I harvested misery from bliss.

And roses I reaped thereby misery from the bliss

تسالمُه وتُلْبسني اعتداءً

تسالمُه وتُلْبسني اعتداءً

فمن يُعدي السّليمَ على السليمِ

فمن يُعدي السّليمَ على السليمِ

They make peace with him, but clothe me in assault;

She greets me and clothes me with transgression

who, then, will aid the stung against the unharmed?

For who transgresses upon the healthy but the healthy?

ويُعجبُني السقامُ لأن جسمي

ويُعجبُني السقامُ لأن جسمي

تحلّى باسمِ ناظرِه السقيمِ

تحلّى باسمِ ناظرِه السقيمِ

And sickness pleases me, because my body

And sickness appeals to me because my body

has adorned itself with the name of his languid eye.

Was adorned with the name of its sick gazer

ولما أقفرتْ أوكارُ صَبْري

ولما أقفرتْ أوكارُ صَبْري

عمرْتُ بعزْمَتي أكوارُ كُومِ

عمرْتُ بعزْمَتي أكوارُ كُومِ

And when the nests of my patience grew deserted,

And when the dens of my patience were deserted

I filled the saddles of high-humped camels with my resolve.

I populated with my resolve the burrows of sand dunes

سريْتُ بها وللإصباحِ سرٌّ

سريْتُ بها وللإصباحِ سرٌّ

طوتْهُ جوانحُ الليلِ الكَتومِ

طوتْهُ جوانحُ الليلِ الكَتومِ

I journeyed by night upon them; daybreak had a secret

I roamed them and the dawn has a secret

that the ribs of secretive night had enfolded.

Which the wings of the silent night concealed

الى الشيخِ الجليسِ استنْهَضَتْها

الى الشيخِ الجليسِ استنْهَضَتْها

أزمّةُ نجدةٍ وحداةُ خيْمِ

أزمّةُ نجدةٍ وحداةُ خيْمِ

Toward Sheikh al-Jalis, they were urged onward

To the venerable companion the crisis of aid and the desolation of tents aroused it

by reins of valor and camel-drivers of noble character.

So the tongue of fate said this is

فقال لها لسانُ الدهرِ هذا

فقال لها لسانُ الدهرِ هذا

تمامُ الفضلِ أُودِعَ في تَميمِ

تمامُ الفضلِ أُودِعَ في تَميمِ

Then the tongue of Time said to them: 'This is

The perfecting of merit was deposited in Tamim

the fullness of excellence, lodged in Tamim.'

When his traits blow winds

إذا هبّتْ شمائلُه رياحاً

إذا هبّتْ شمائلُه رياحاً

فهنّ لواقحُ الفكْرِ العَقيمِ

فهنّ لواقحُ الفكْرِ العَقيمِ

When his virtues blow as winds,

Then they are lively thoughts of the barren mind

they fertilize barren thought.

The generosity of a hand that made available the sap of a jealous one

سماحُ يدٍ أتاح ندى غيورٍ

سماحُ يدٍ أتاح ندى غيورٍ

يصونُ علاءَهُ صونَ الحَريمِ

يصونُ علاءَهُ صونَ الحَريمِ

His hand's generosity offers the bounty of a jealous guardian,

Who protects its loftiness with the protection of the harem

who guards his eminence as one guards one's womenfolk.

And morals with which he passes around cups

وأخلاقٌ يُديرُ بها كؤوساً

وأخلاقٌ يُديرُ بها كؤوساً

من الصهباءِ تَصبو بالحَليمِ

من الصهباءِ تَصبو بالحَليمِ

And virtues through which he passes round cups

Of unadulterated that matures with the mild

of tawny wine that captivates the sober-minded.

He divided between the sun of morning and a sea

تقسّم بين شمسِ ضحىً وبحرٍ

تقسّم بين شمسِ ضحىً وبحرٍ

هدايةَ خابطٍ وغِنى عَديمِ

هدايةَ خابطٍ وغِنى عَديمِ

He apportioned between a morning sun and a sea

The guidance of the guide and the wealth of the destitute

guidance for the stumbling and wealth for the destitute.

And he clarified my darkness of distressed conditions and aridity

وجلّى ظُلْمَتيْ خَطبٍ وجَدْبٍ

وجلّى ظُلْمَتيْ خَطبٍ وجَدْبٍ

برأيِ مجرّبٍ وندى غَشيمِ

برأيِ مجرّبٍ وندى غَشيمِ

And he dispelled the twin darknesses of calamity and drought

With the counsel of the experienced and the dew of the cloud

with a veteran's judgment and a novice's bounty.

And enabled his enviers so his morals incited them

وملّك حاسديهِ فجادبتْهُ

وملّك حاسديهِ فجادبتْهُ

خلائقُهُ الى الطبعِ الكريمِ

خلائقُهُ الى الطبعِ الكريمِ

And he was given mastery over his enviers, yet was drawn

To the generous disposition

by his character toward his generous nature.

And he came with the awe of the Almighty when

وجاءَ بهيبةِ الجبّار لمّا

وجاءَ بهيبةِ الجبّار لمّا

ثَنى عطفَيْهِ في بُرْدَي رحيمِ

ثَنى عطفَيْهِ في بُرْدَي رحيمِ

And he came with the mighty one's majesty, when

He bent his sides in a merciful fur garment

he wrapped both his sides in a merciful man's two cloaks.

And the heedlessness did not erode his loftiness

ولم يهضِمْ معاليَهُ التفاتٌ

ولم يهضِمْ معاليَهُ التفاتٌ

يملّ به الى كشحٍ هَضيمِ

يملّ به الى كشحٍ هَضيمِ

Nor did a glance diminish his lofty virtues,

With which he inclines to miserliness and greed

drawing him toward a slender waist.

I wondered at his face and his tranquility

عجبْتُ لوجهه ولراحتَيْهِ

عجبْتُ لوجهه ولراحتَيْهِ

سَنا شمسٍ تبدّتْ في غُيومِ

سَنا شمسٍ تبدّتْ في غُيومِ

I marveled at his face and his two palms:

A sun shone through clouds

the radiance of a sun that appeared amid clouds.

The flowers of manners bloom from him

تزفُّ أزاهرُ الآدابِ منهُ

تزفُّ أزاهرُ الآدابِ منهُ

لما تُسْقاهُ من صوبِ العُلومِ

لما تُسْقاهُ من صوبِ العُلومِ

The blossoms of letters come from him in procession,

When they are watered from the direction of knowledge

because they are watered by the showers of learning.

And an aspirer whose ambition was vast so we said

ومطلّبٍ مداهُ كَبا فقلنا

ومطلّبٍ مداهُ كَبا فقلنا

أليمُ العيشِ أوْلى باللّئيمِ

أليمُ العيشِ أوْلى باللّئيمِ

And a seeker whose reach faltered—we said:

Miserable living is more worthy for the miserable

A painful life is more fitting for the base man.

If the trees of glories prevent you

إذا منعتْكَ أشجارُ المَعالي

إذا منعتْكَ أشجارُ المَعالي

حَباها الغضَّ فاقنعْ بالهَشيمِ

حَباها الغضَّ فاقنعْ بالهَشيمِ

If the trees of high distinction withhold from you

Their unripe fruit, then be content with the debris

their fresh gifts, then be content with dry brushwood.

And with a rhyme I shake when

وقافيةٍ أهزُّ بها إذا ما

وقافيةٍ أهزُّ بها إذا ما

نطقتَ معاطفَ الطربِ الرميمِ

نطقتَ معاطفَ الطربِ الرميمِ

And a rhyme with which I stir, whenever

You speak the coats of melancholic rhythm

you recite, the limbs of moldering rapture.

It walks even if praise stays with it

تسيرُ وإنْ أقامَ به ثناءً

تسيرُ وإنْ أقامَ به ثناءً

وأعجبُ ما ترى سفَرُ المُقيمِ

وأعجبُ ما ترى سفَرُ المُقيمِ

It travels, though it abides with him as praise;

And I am amazed that the resident travels

and the strangest thing you see is the journey of one who stays.

Although I endure the vicissitudes of fate

على أنّى أكابدُ صرْفَ دهرٍ

على أنّى أكابدُ صرْفَ دهرٍ

أثارَ دمي وأثّر في أديمي

أثارَ دمي وأثّر في أديمي

Yet I struggle with the vicissitudes of an age

That stirred my blood and left its trace on my skin

that stirred my blood and marked my skin.

I was afflicted in my state by cold and heat

بُليتُ بحالتَيْ بردٍ وحرٍّ

بُليتُ بحالتَيْ بردٍ وحرٍّ

أليستْ هذه صفةُ الجحيمِ

أليستْ هذه صفةُ الجحيمِ

I have been afflicted with two states—cold and heat;

Are not these traits of hell?

is this not the nature of Hell?

You remained congratulating every day

بقيْتَ مهنِّئاً في كلّ يومٍ

بقيْتَ مهنِّئاً في كلّ يومٍ

بعيشٍ للمسرّةِ مُستديمِ

بعيشٍ للمسرّةِ مُستديمِ

May you remain a bringer of joy every day,

With a life of lasting joy

with a life that forever sustains gladness.

And the events of nights slept away from you

ونامتْ عنك أحداثُ الليالي

ونامتْ عنك أحداثُ الليالي

وشيكاً نومَ أصحابِ الرقيمِ

وشيكاً نومَ أصحابِ الرقيمِ

And may the misfortunes of the nights sleep far from you,

Soon the sleep of the wretched

soon, like the sleep of the Companions of al-Raqim.