لم يدر حي وقد جاء البشير به

لم يدر حي وقد جاء البشير به

أن الزمان لما نرجوه متسعُ

أن الزمان لما نرجوه متسعُ

No living soul knew, though the herald had brought word of him,

He knew not, when the herald brought the news,

that time had room for what we hoped for.

That time for what we hope is ample yet;

فزارها ليث غاب تحته فرس

فزارها ليث غاب تحته فرس

وبدرتم عليه التاج والخلع

وبدرتم عليه التاج والخلع

Then a lion of the thickets visited her, a horse beneath him,

So visited her as a lion in the dark,

and a full moon wearing the crown and robes of honor.

Beneath him his steed vanquished and sword wet,

لما تطلع والرايات تكتمه

لما تطلع والرايات تكتمه

في ظلها وشاع الشمس مرتفع

في ظلها وشاع الشمس مرتفع

When he rose into view, the banners concealed him

Until the standards rose, obscuring him,

in their shade, while the sun's radiance stood high.

And the sun shone, exalted and bright set.

أعدى بإقباله من أهلها نفراً

أعدى بإقباله من أهلها نفراً

لم يعلموا أن در السعد يرتضع

لم يعلموا أن در السعد يرتضع

He infected some of her people with his good fortune,

He came with fortune, though some it made weep;

who had not known that fortune's milk could be suckled.

They knew not sweet elixir is drunk but;

فليهنها منه روض زهره درر

فليهنها منه روض زهره درر

فتن العقود ومزن قطره دفع

فتن العقود ومزن قطره دفع

So may she delight in a garden from him, its blossoms pearls—

Let it make the garden of her being bloom,

the enchantment of necklaces—and a rain cloud whose drops are torrents.

With buds the necklaces, its drops plentiful.

لاحظ أباك فهذي مصر معرضة

لاحظ أباك فهذي مصر معرضة

وأنت يوسف والاسباط قد جمعوا

وأنت يوسف والاسباط قد جمعوا

Look upon your father: here is Egypt laid before you,

Behold your father! See, Egypt lies exposed!

and you are Yusuf, and the tribes have been gathered.

You are Joseph come, and brethren gather.

لكنهم ما نووا غدراً ولا نقضوا

لكنهم ما نووا غدراً ولا نقضوا

عهداً ولا اضمر واغلاو ولا ابتدعوا

عهداً ولا اضمر واغلاو ولا ابتدعوا

Yet they intended no treachery, nor broke

Yet no treachery did they plan, nor treaties break,

a pledge, nor harbored rancor, nor introduced innovations.

No rancor in their hearts, no plots they nurtured.

أيا أخا الجود وابن المجد لا بلد

أيا أخا الجود وابن المجد لا بلد

إلا بذكرك أو بالسيف يفترع

إلا بذكرك أو بالسيف يفترع

O brother of generosity and son of glory, no land

O brother in munificence, child of glory!

is conquered save through your name or by the sword.

No land but speaks of you or craves your sword!

فدى لجودك آمالي وسابقها

فدى لجودك آمالي وسابقها

ومطمع من بحار الشعر ممتنع

ومطمع من بحار الشعر ممتنع

May my hopes and what outstrips them be ransom for your generosity,

For your bounty my hopes lifelong sacrifice,

and a coveted prize, beyond reach, from the seas of poetry.

And dreams from seas of poetry difficult draw.

فالقائلون بطاء عن مداي وإن

فالقائلون بطاء عن مداي وإن

أبدعت معنى فهم في أخذه سرع

أبدعت معنى فهم في أخذه سرع

So the poets are slow to match my reach; yet if

Those who say my verse comes slow, though in it

I create a meaning, they are swift to take it.

I craft fine meaning, are swift to take but dense.

هم إذا خلطوا شعري بشعرهم

هم إذا خلطوا شعري بشعرهم

كالطير يهذون أو يحكمون ما سمعوا

كالطير يهذون أو يحكمون ما سمعوا

When they mix my poetry with their own,

When with my verse they mix their own, like birds

they are like birds: babbling or rendering well what they have heard.

They twitter or recite what they have heard.