من ذا رأتْ عيناه مثلي في الشَّجا

من ذا رأتْ عيناه مثلي في الشَّجا

أهدى إليَّ النرجسُ البنفسَجا

أهدى إليَّ النرجسُ البنفسَجا

Who is there whose eyes have seen my like in sorrow?

Who has seen eyes like mine shed tears in anguish,

The narcissus has presented me with violets.

The narcissus gifted me a hyacinth.

ما أحسنَ الشكلين زوجاً مُزْوَجَا

ما أحسنَ الشكلين زوجاً مُزْوَجَا

ما أَملح الزوجين بل ما أَغْنجا

ما أَملح الزوجين بل ما أَغْنجا

How beautiful the two forms, paired together!

How beautiful are these two flowers paired,

How charming the pair—rather, how coquettish!

How fragrant are these two mates, nay, how delightful!

كلاهما مسكٌ إذا تأرَّجا

كلاهما مسكٌ إذا تأرَّجا

أبلغ سِراجَ الحُسْن ذاك المُسْرجا

أبلغ سِراجَ الحُسْن ذاك المُسْرجا

Both are musk when they give off fragrance.

Both are musk when they exude fragrance,

Tell that kindled lamp of beauty

The lamp of beauty reached its highest brilliance.

أن الهوى مرَّ به فعرَّجا

أن الهوى مرَّ به فعرَّجا

لما رأى ذاك الجبين الأبلجا

لما رأى ذاك الجبين الأبلجا

that love passed by him, then turned aside,

Passion passed by it, so it shuddered,

when it saw that radiant forehead

When it saw that shining forehead,

منه وذاك الحاجب المزَجَّجا

منه وذاك الحاجب المزَجَّجا

والناظرَ الساحر منه الأدعجا

والناظرَ الساحر منه الأدعجا

of his, and that finely shaped eyebrow,

Those knitted eyebrows,

and his enchanting, wide, dark eye,

And that captivating glance,

ذا الحركاتِ في الحشا وإن سَجا

ذا الحركاتِ في الحشا وإن سَجا

وصحنَ تلك الوجنة المضرَّجا

وصحنَ تلك الوجنة المضرَّجا

which stirs within the heart even while still,

With movements in the cheeks, even when still,

and the expanse of that crimson-flushed cheek,

And the surface of that smoothly soft cheek,

والثغرَ منه الواضح المفلَّجا

والثغرَ منه الواضح المفلَّجا

والشَّعَر المحلَوْلك المدرَّجا

والشَّعَر المحلَوْلك المدرَّجا

and his bright mouth with its delicately spaced teeth,

And those lips clearly divided,

and his pitch-black, layered hair,

And those soft, curling tresses,

والخَلْق منه العمَمَ الخَدَلَّجا

والخَلْق منه العمَمَ الخَدَلَّجا

والخَلُقَ القيِّمَ لا المعوَّجا

والخَلُقَ القيِّمَ لا المعوَّجا

and his tall, full-limbed form,

And that perfect, flawless physique,

and his upright character, not crooked,

And good character, not crooked,

والعقل والوصل الممرَّ المدْمَجا

والعقل والوصل الممرَّ المدْمَجا

أذكى شهابَ الحسن لا بل أَجّجا

أذكى شهابَ الحسن لا بل أَجّجا

and his intellect, and his firm, tightly knitted bond,

And the mind and intimacy, strongly cemented,

it kindled beauty's flame—no, set it ablaze—

It made the flame of beauty brighter, nay, it ignited,

فوهّج القلبَ كما توهَّجا

فوهّج القلبَ كما توهَّجا

أقسمتُ بالليلِ إذا الليلُ دجا

أقسمتُ بالليلِ إذا الليلُ دجا

and made the heart glow as it itself glowed.

So it stirred the heart, as it was stirred,

I swore by the night when night grows dark,

I swore by the night as the night darkened,

بل بِسنا الصبح إذا تبلَّجا

بل بِسنا الصبح إذا تبلَّجا

لأكسُونَّ الكَلِمَ المدبَّجا

لأكسُونَّ الكَلِمَ المدبَّجا

rather, by dawn's radiance when it breaks bright:

Nay, by the radiant dawn as it shone,

I shall surely clothe in finely embroidered words

That I would clothe poetry adorned with jewels,

وهباً رجائي ورجاءَ من رَجا

وهباً رجائي ورجاءَ من رَجا

لا أخطأتْ وهباً نجاةُ من نجا

لا أخطأتْ وهباً نجاةُ من نجا

Wahb, my hope and the hope of all who hope.

Gifted freely, hoping and the hope of one who hopes,

May the deliverance of those delivered never pass Wahb by,

The gift of salvation of one saved did not miss,

ولا يزل همٌّ له مفرَّجا

ولا يزل همٌّ له مفرَّجا

فقد علا من كل رُشدٍ مَنهجا

فقد علا من كل رُشدٍ مَنهجا

and may his every worry always be relieved,

And a worry for it always finds relief,

for he has risen along every path of right guidance.

For he transcended every righteous approach,

أكسوه مدحي طائعاً لا مُحْرجا

أكسوه مدحي طائعاً لا مُحْرجا

عن مِقَةٍ تلقى الضمير مُشْرجا

عن مِقَةٍ تلقى الضمير مُشْرجا

I clothe him in my praise willingly, not under duress,

I clothe him in my willing praise, not reluctantly,

out of affection: you find the heart fastened shut

Safe from blame the conscience would spurn,

من دونها بحفظها بل مُرتجا

من دونها بحفظها بل مُرتجا

ماذا يعوق مدحتي أن تُنْسَجا

ماذا يعوق مدحتي أن تُنْسَجا

around it to keep it safe—indeed, locked tight.

With him it finds safety, nay, calm,

What prevents my praise from being woven

What could hinder my praises woven?

لمحسنٍ أسلفني فروَّجا

لمحسنٍ أسلفني فروَّجا

أيسرُ ما استوجب أن يُتوَّجا

أيسرُ ما استوجب أن يُتوَّجا

for a benefactor who advanced me favors and helped me thrive?

For a benefactor who granted me relief,

The least he has earned is to be crowned.

The easiest thing to deserve being crowned,

حرٌّ إذا استُنجِد يوماً أَرْهَجا

حرٌّ إذا استُنجِد يوماً أَرْهَجا

وحرَّك الهمة لا بل أزعجا

وحرَّك الهمة لا بل أزعجا

A noble man who, whenever called for aid, raises the dust,

A freeman, when called upon one fateful day, stirred

and stirs resolve—no, rouses it mightily—

And roused determination, nay ignited it,

وراح للخيراتِ ثم أدلجا

وراح للخيراتِ ثم أدلجا

ولم يزل منذ تعاطى المُدْرجا

ولم يزل منذ تعاطى المُدْرجا

and goes forth for good deeds at evening, then journeys by night,

And went about doing good, then brought it to fruition,

and has never ceased, since he took to the road,

He has always been pursuing perfection,

يهتاج للمعروف لا مُهيَّجا

يهتاج للمعروف لا مُهيَّجا

خِرْقاً يؤاتي مدحُه من لجلجا

خِرْقاً يؤاتي مدحُه من لجلجا

to stir himself to kindness, without being prompted:

Rejoicing in kindness, not provoked,

a resourceful man whose praise even a stammerer finds easy;

My praise of him tears through barriers,

ولا يعفّي فضلَه من مَجْمجا

ولا يعفّي فضلَه من مَجْمجا

يأمر جدواه بأن تبرَّجا

يأمر جدواه بأن تبرَّجا

nor can a mumbler obscure his excellence.

And does not rest from heaping virtues upon him,

He bids his bounty display its beauty;

It orders his generosity to spread about,

فإن رأى كفّاً كريماً زوّجا

فإن رأى كفّاً كريماً زوّجا

جَدوى ترى منها الغِنى مُسْتَنْتَجَا

جَدوى ترى منها الغِنى مُسْتَنْتَجَا

and if he sees a noble hand, he weds it

So if he saw a noble palm, he joined it in marriage

to bounty from which you see wealth brought forth,

To bounty, from which wealth is derived,

صَتْماً تماماً خَلْقُهُ لا مُخْدَجَا

صَتْماً تماماً خَلْقُهُ لا مُخْدَجَا

من ناله حاذر أن يُستَدرجا

من ناله حاذر أن يُستَدرجا

whole and fully formed, not prematurely born.

His nature most perfect, not defective,

Whoever receives it fears being drawn gradually into ruin.

Whoever attains his company guards against being lured away,

أنشَرَ من شكري مَواتاً مُدْرَجا

أنشَرَ من شكري مَواتاً مُدْرَجا

حتى غدا عبداً له مستعْلَجا

حتى غدا عبداً له مستعْلَجا

He raised my dead, shrouded gratitude to life,

He has spread from my gratitude plains outstretched,

until it became his slave, held in subjection.

Until he became a devoted slave to it, cured,

لكنَّني أشكو إليه الأنبجا

لكنَّني أشكو إليه الأنبجا

فإنه لجَّ إلى أن لجَّجَا

فإنه لجَّ إلى أن لجَّجَا

But I complain to him of the anabaj preserve:

But I complain to him of the unripe fruit,

it persisted, then went to extremes

For he was determined until he was stubborn,

في هجره إيايَ حتى سمَّجا

في هجره إيايَ حتى سمَّجا

بل أغلق الحانوت ثم شَرّجا

بل أغلق الحانوت ثم شَرّجا

in forsaking me, until it made itself odious.

In shunning me until he became unbending,

Indeed, it closed its shop, then bolted it

Nay, he closed up shop, then bolted it,

دوني وأَعدى هجرهُ الهفْشرَّجا

دوني وأَعدى هجرهُ الهفْشرَّجا

ولم أزل بالطيبات مُلْهجا

ولم أزل بالطيبات مُلْهجا

against me, and spread its desertion to the hafsharaj.

Turning me away, and his shunning was most severe,

And I have always been fond of delicacies,

While I have always been fragrant with kindnesses,

لا بل إلى ذات الصَّلاح مُحوَجا

لا بل إلى ذات الصَّلاح مُحوَجا

فَليُلْجِمِ المعروف حرٌّ أَسْرجا

فَليُلْجِمِ المعروف حرٌّ أَسْرجا

no, rather, in need of wholesome ones.

Nay, inclined toward moral excellence,

So let the noble man who saddled his kindness now bridle it

So let the virtuous freeman be restrained, tamed,

ببعض ما صفَّر أو ما سَذّجا

ببعض ما صفَّر أو ما سَذّجا

لا بأس إن أقرع أو إن أَتْرَجا

لا بأس إن أقرع أو إن أَتْرَجا

with some of what he has yellowed or left plain.

With some of what he hoarded or stinted,

No matter whether he prepares gourds or citron;

No harm if he is made bald or limps,

كُلا وإن جلَّبَ أو إن سَكبجا

كُلا وإن جلَّبَ أو إن سَكبجا

واذكر بَنَفْشا يَخْلفُ الهَلِيلَجَا

واذكر بَنَفْشا يَخْلفُ الهَلِيلَجَا

eat, you two, even if he makes sweet syrup or vinegar stew.

Either one, even if he is made deaf or blinded,

And remember a violet preparation to replace myrobalan,

And recall the marigold succeeding the amaryllis,

سَمَانَجُونَ اللونِ يحكي النِّيْلَجَا

سَمَانَجُونَ اللونِ يحكي النِّيْلَجَا

فإنه إن زار عَوْداً أبهجا

فإنه إن زار عَوْداً أبهجا

sky-blue in color, resembling indigo.

Saffron in color, mimicking the water lily,

For if it comes visiting again, it brings delight,

For if he visits a friend, he delights him,

ولم يزل في مرج شكري مُمْرِجا

ولم يزل في مرج شكري مُمْرِجا

وفي ودادٍ لم يكن مُمَزَّجا

وفي ودادٍ لم يكن مُمَزَّجا

and will ever graze in the meadow of my gratitude,

He has always been plunging into my pool of gratitude,

and in affection never adulterated.

And in an affection never adulterated,

يا صاحب البرِّ الذي تولَّجا

يا صاحب البرِّ الذي تولَّجا

قسراً بلا إذن وما تحرَّجا

قسراً بلا إذن وما تحرَّجا

O giver of the kindness that made its way in

O you of kindness which spread about!

by force, without permission, and without scruple,

Against my will, without my approval or embarrassment,

تمِّمْ وإلا كان بِرّاً أعرجا

تمِّمْ وإلا كان بِرّاً أعرجا

إنك إن تمَّمتَ برّاً هَمْلَجَا

إنك إن تمَّمتَ برّاً هَمْلَجَا

complete it, or it will be a limping kindness.

Complete it, else it would be a crooked kindness,

Truly, if you complete a kindness, it will amble swiftly;

If you complete a steady, gentle kindness,

بل أهذبَ الإِحضار مأمونَ الوجى

بل أهذبَ الإِحضار مأمونَ الوجى

إلى نهايات العلا واستخرجا

إلى نهايات العلا واستخرجا

no, gallop at full speed, safe from sore hooves,

Nay, the most well-mannered hospitality, safe and sound,

toward the utmost heights of glory, and bring out

To the highest extents of glory extract and bring out,

ما لك عندي من خراج فزَجا

ما لك عندي من خراج فزَجا

وهو الثّناءُ المستماح المرتجى

وهو الثّناءُ المستماح المرتجى

the tribute you are owed by me, sending it forth.

What you owe me in taxes paid up in full,

That is the praise sought as a gift and hoped for,

Which is praise sought and desired,

ذاك الذي من اكتساه استبهجا

ذاك الذي من اكتساه استبهجا

والشكرُ إن أنضجْت جاء مُنْضَجا

والشكرُ إن أنضجْت جاء مُنْضَجا

which brings joy to whoever clothes himself in it.

That which gladdens he who attains it,

And gratitude, if you cook it well, comes well cooked

Gratitude, if you make it ripe, comes ripe,

يُرْضِي وإن لهوجْتَهُ تَلهوَجا

يُرْضِي وإن لهوجْتَهُ تَلهوَجا

فلا يَعُدْ كَرْمُ كريم عَوْسَجَا

فلا يَعُدْ كَرْمُ كريم عَوْسَجَا

and pleasing; but if you half-cook it, it stays half-cooked.

It pleases, and if you make it pleasing, it is pleasing,

So let no generous man's grapevine become a thornbush

So the generosity of a generous one is never unripe

على أخ حرٍّ كريم المنْتَجَى

على أخ حرٍّ كريم المنْتَجَى

لم يَنْتَقِدْهُ العلماء بَهْرَجا

لم يَنْتَقِدْهُ العلماء بَهْرَجا

toward a freeborn brother, honorable in private counsel,

For a noble, generous brother of good company,

whom the learned have not found counterfeit,

Not criticized by scholars as confused babble,

ولم يجِدْهُ الجهلاءُ أهوجا

ولم يجِدْهُ الجهلاءُ أهوجا

وانظر ولا تَغْشَ الطريق الأعوجا

وانظر ولا تَغْشَ الطريق الأعوجا

nor the ignorant found foolishly rash.

Nor deemed foolish by ignoramuses,

Take heed, and do not enter the crooked path.

And see, follow not the crooked path,

كم فُرِّجَتْ غَمَّاءُ عمن فَرَّجا

كم فُرِّجَتْ غَمَّاءُ عمن فَرَّجا

فلينتظرْ مُثْرٍ مُضِيقاً مُحْرَجَا

فلينتظرْ مُثْرٍ مُضِيقاً مُحْرَجَا

How often grave distress is lifted from one who brings relief!

How many clouds of gloom were dispelled by one providing relief!

So let the wealthy be patient with the needy and hard-pressed.

So let one suffering constriction and distress await relief,

سيجعل اللَّهُ لكلٍّ مَخرجا

سيجعل اللَّهُ لكلٍّ مَخرجا

ويعْرُجُ البرُّ إليهِ مَعْرَجا

ويعْرُجُ البرُّ إليهِ مَعْرَجا

God will make a way out for each,

God will make a way out for each,

and kindness will ascend to Him on its upward course.

And virtue will ascend to Him by a path,