وَأَخي حِفاظٍ ماجِدٍ

وَأَخي حِفاظٍ ماجِدٍ

حُلوِ الشَمائِلِ غَيرِ لاحِ

حُلوِ الشَمائِلِ غَيرِ لاحِ

And a noble man of loyalty,

My brother Hifaz, the glorious one

And a loyal friend, noble,

sweet in character, never reproachful—

Of sweet dispositions, flawless

Sweet of nature, never harsh,

نادَيتُهُ وَاللَيلُ قَد

نادَيتُهُ وَاللَيلُ قَد

أَودى بِسُلطانِ الصَباحِ

أَودى بِسُلطانِ الصَباحِ

I called to him when night had already

I called him while the night had

I called to him when the night had

done away with the dominion of morning.

Vanquished dawn’s rule

Destroyed the dominion of the morning,

يا صاحِ أَشكو حُلوَةَ ال

يا صاحِ أَشكو حُلوَةَ ال

عَينَينِ جائِلَةَ الوِشاحِ

عَينَينِ جائِلَةَ الوِشاحِ

O friend, I complain of the woman with sweet

O friend, I complain of the sweetness of

O friend, I complain of one sweet of

eyes, whose sash hangs loose.

The eyes that glance from beneath the veil

Eyes, with a swaying sash.

فيها اِفتَضَحتُ وَحُبُّها

فيها اِفتَضَحتُ وَحُبُّها

في الناسِ يَسعى بِاِفتِضاحي

في الناسِ يَسعى بِاِفتِضاحي

Because of her I was disgraced, and love for her

Through them I was exposed, and her love

In her I was exposed, and her love

goes among the people, spreading my disgrace.

Spreads among people, exposing me

Strives among the people to disgrace me.

وَلَها وَلا ذَنبَ لَها

وَلَها وَلا ذَنبَ لَها

لَحظٌ كَأَطرافِ الرِماحِ

لَحظٌ كَأَطرافِ الرِماحِ

And she has—though she is blameless—

Yet she bears no fault, no fault at all

She has—and it is no fault of hers—

a glance like the points of spears.

A glance like spearheads

A glance like the points of spears,

في القَلبِ يَجرَحُ دائِماً

في القَلبِ يَجرَحُ دائِماً

فَالقَلبُ مَجروحُ النَواحي

فَالقَلبُ مَجروحُ النَواحي

It wounds the heart incessantly,

That always wounds the heart

That wounds the heart unceasingly,

so the heart is wounded on every side.

So my heart is wounded on all sides

So the heart is scarred on every side.

أَجِنانُ جارِيَةَ المُهَذ

أَجِنانُ جارِيَةَ المُهَذ

ذَبِ بِالفَضائِلِ وَالسَماحِ

ذَبِ بِالفَضائِلِ وَالسَماحِ

O Jinan, slave girl of the man refined

The gardens of the dark-eyed maid

O Jinan, maiden of the one refined

by virtues and generosity,

Overflow with virtue and generosity

With virtues and generosity,

مالي وَلَم أَكُ باذِلاً

مالي وَلَم أَكُ باذِلاً

وُدّاً وَلا فيكُم سَماحِ

وُدّاً وَلا فيكُم سَماحِ

what ails me? I have not been lavish

Why do I possess nothing when I was no miser?

What ails me? Why do I lavish

with affection, nor is there generosity among you.

And you lack no generosity or grace

Love, when there is no grace in you?

فَبَخِلتِ أَنتِ وَلَيسَ أَه

فَبَخِلتِ أَنتِ وَلَيسَ أَه

لُكِ مِن قَبيلِكِ بِالشِحاحِ

لُكِ مِن قَبيلِكِ بِالشِحاحِ

So you yourself were stingy, though your

Yet you were stingy, though your people are no misers

You were stingy, though your people

kinfolk of your clan are not misers.

Are not reckoned among the miserly kind.