أَمسِك دارِينَ أَم أَنفاسُ أَنقاسِ

أَمسِك دارِينَ أَم أَنفاسُ أَنقاسِ

وَوَشيُ صَنعاءَ أَم نَقشٌ بِقرطاسِ

وَوَشيُ صَنعاءَ أَم نَقشٌ بِقرطاسِ

Is it Darin's musk, or breaths of ink?

Holding two houses or breaths counting breaths,

And Sana'a's brocade, or a pattern on paper?

And the whispers of Sanaa or engraving on paper,

أَم رَوضَةٌ جَمَعت أَشتاتَ زَهرتِها

أَم رَوضَةٌ جَمَعت أَشتاتَ زَهرتِها

أَشخاصُ نورٍ لأَنواعٍ وَأَجناسِ

أَشخاصُ نورٍ لأَنواعٍ وَأَجناسِ

Or a garden that has gathered its scattered blossoms—

Or a garden that gathered the scattered flowers,

Forms of flowers of many kinds and species?

Figures of light for kinds and races,

نَظمٌ توَدُّ الغَواني لَو يَكونُ لَها

نَظمٌ توَدُّ الغَواني لَو يَكونُ لَها

عِقداً عَلى النَحرِ أَو تاجاً عَلى الراسِ

عِقداً عَلى النَحرِ أَو تاجاً عَلى الراسِ

Verse that beautiful women wish were theirs,

A string that the lyrical poems would want to be

As a necklace upon the breast, or a crown upon the head.

A necklace around the neck or a crown on top of the head,

محبَّرٌ بِسَوادِ الحِبرِ أَبيضُهُ

محبَّرٌ بِسَوادِ الحِبرِ أَبيضُهُ

يا حُسنَهُ من دُجى في نورِ نِبراسِ

يا حُسنَهُ من دُجى في نورِ نِبراسِ

Its white is adorned with the blackness of ink;

Inked with the blackness of ink, its whiteness,

How beautiful it is: darkness in a lamp's light!

Oh how beautiful is its gloominess with the light of the lamp,

حَيّا فَأَحيا أبا حَيّان وافِدُهُ

حَيّا فَأَحيا أبا حَيّان وافِدُهُ

وَآنس النَفسَ مِنهُ أَيَّ إِيناسِ

وَآنس النَفسَ مِنهُ أَيَّ إِيناسِ

His visitor greeted Abu Hayyan and revived him,

It revived so it revived Abu Hayyan its newcomer,

And brought the soul such comfort from him!

And delighted the soul with whatever companion,

يا يَومَ سَعدٍ مُتاحٍ قَد غَدا مَلَكي

يا يَومَ سَعدٍ مُتاحٍ قَد غَدا مَلَكي

بِهِ قَريباً وَشَيطاني بِهِ خاسِ

بِهِ قَريباً وَشَيطاني بِهِ خاسِ

O day of granted good fortune! My angel has drawn

O day of happiness accessible, it has become mine

Near through it, and through it my devil is abased.

With it soon and my devil with it disgraced,

أَطلَعتَ أَنجُمَ سَعدي إِذ أَفَلنَ كَما

أَطلَعتَ أَنجُمَ سَعدي إِذ أَفَلنَ كَما

شَبَبتَ بَعدَ خُبُوءٍ ضوءَ مِقباسِ

شَبَبتَ بَعدَ خُبُوءٍ ضوءَ مِقباسِ

You made my lucky stars rise when they had set, just as

You brought out the stars of my happiness when they disappeared as

You rekindled a firebrand's light after it had gone out.

You ignited after obscurity the light of the wick,

ما ظَنت النَفسُ أَن تَسخو الدُهورُ بِما

ما ظَنت النَفسُ أَن تَسخو الدُهورُ بِما

ضَنَّت بِهِ إِذ أَلانَت قَلبَها القاسي

ضَنَّت بِهِ إِذ أَلانَت قَلبَها القاسي

The soul never thought time would be generous with what

The self did not think that time would be generous with what

It had withheld, when it softened its hard heart.

It was stingy with when its heart was cruel,

عادَ المشيبُ شَباباً وَالأَسى فرحا

عادَ المشيبُ شَباباً وَالأَسى فرحا

فَقَلبيَ الأُمَوي وَالرَأس عَباسِي

فَقَلبيَ الأُمَوي وَالرَأس عَباسِي

Gray hair became youth again, and sorrow joy;

Grey hair returned to youth and sorrow to joy

So my heart is Umayyad, and my head Abbasid.

So my Umayyad heart became Abbasid and the head,

لَما اِنتَمَيتُ لِنَجمِ الدينِ أنجم عَن

لَما اِنتَمَيتُ لِنَجمِ الدينِ أنجم عَن

قَلبي الأَسى وَغَدا لي مسقِمي آسي

قَلبي الأَسى وَغَدا لي مسقِمي آسي

When I attached myself to Najm al-Din, there withdrew from

Since I belonged to the star of religion, the stars disappeared from

My heart its sorrow, and my afflicter became my healer.

My heart the sorrow and my chronic illness became well,

وَمُذ تعرَّف مَنكورِي إِلَيهِ نَأت

وَمُذ تعرَّف مَنكورِي إِلَيهِ نَأت

مَآتِمي وَدَنَت في الوَقتِ أَعراسي

مَآتِمي وَدَنَت في الوَقتِ أَعراسي

And since my unknown self made itself known to him, away went

And since my stranger knew him

My mourning gatherings, and at once my weddings drew near.

My bereavements disappeared and my weddings approached in time,

فَثغرُ دَهرِيَ بَسّامٌ وَجانِبُهُ

فَثغرُ دَهرِيَ بَسّامٌ وَجانِبُهُ

لَينٌ وَكانَ قَديماً عابِساً عاسِي

لَينٌ وَكانَ قَديماً عابِساً عاسِي

So my time's mouth is all smiles, and its side

So my life's mouth is smiling and its side

Is gentle; once it was scowling and harsh.

Is soft, and it used to be frowning and grim,

بِالنَجمِ أَهلُ النُهى هُم يَهتَدونَ وَهَل

بِالنَجمِ أَهلُ النُهى هُم يَهتَدونَ وَهَل

يحارُ مَن يَهتَدي بِالنجمِ في الناسِ

يحارُ مَن يَهتَدي بِالنجمِ في الناسِ

By the star, people of understanding find their way; and can

With the star the people of chastity are guided and does

Anyone guided by the star among men go astray?

He who is guided by the star among people get lost?

رَبُّ المَعارف وَهّابُ العَوارِفِ مُه

رَبُّ المَعارف وَهّابُ العَوارِفِ مُه

دٍ للطائِفِ ذو الإِحسانِ وَالباسِ

دٍ للطائِفِ ذو الإِحسانِ وَالباسِ

Master of knowledge, lavish giver of favors, a bestower

The Lord of knowledges and Granter of spiritual insights, leading

Of fine gifts, endowed with kindness and might.

The gentle one of excellent morals and appearance,

يُولي الجَميلَ وَيَنساهُ وَيذكرُ ما

يُولي الجَميلَ وَيَنساهُ وَيذكرُ ما

تُوليهِ شُكراً لَهُ مِن ذاكِرٍ ناسِ

تُوليهِ شُكراً لَهُ مِن ذاكِرٍ ناسِ

He bestows kindness and forgets it, yet remembers what

He appoints the good and makes it forgotten and remembers what

You bestow on him—thanks to him, who remembers and forgets!

Gives him in gratitude of a remembering companion,

أَحيا بِيَحيى رَخيَّ البالِ ذامِقَةٍ

أَحيا بِيَحيى رَخيَّ البالِ ذامِقَةٍ

وَمَن يُناويهِ في مَقتٍ وَإِفلاسِ

وَمَن يُناويهِ في مَقتٍ وَإِفلاسِ

I live through Yahya, easy of mind and full of affection,

He revived with Yahya one with an easy life and a taster

While whoever opposes him is in hatred and destitution.

And whoever intends him harm or poverty,

لأَشكُرَنَّ الَّذي أَسداهُ مِن نِعَمٍ

لأَشكُرَنَّ الَّذي أَسداهُ مِن نِعَمٍ

شُكرَ الغَمامِ رِياضَ الوردِ وَالآسِ

شُكرَ الغَمامِ رِياضَ الوردِ وَالآسِ

I shall surely give thanks for the blessings he bestowed,

I will thank the One who bestowed on me blessings

As clouds thank gardens of roses and myrtle.

The gratitude of the cloud, the meadows and the myrtle,