ما لِلمَليحَة لا تُبيحُ رُقادي

ما لِلمَليحَة لا تُبيحُ رُقادي

وَيَسُرّها أَرقي وَطولُ سُهادي

وَيَسُرّها أَرقي وَطولُ سُهادي

What ails the fair one, that she will not let me sleep,

Why does my beauty not grant me sleep

and delights in my sleeplessness and long wakefulness,

While it pleases her to keep me awake and prolong my insomnia

بُخلاً وَضَنّا أَن يَزورَ خَيالُها

بُخلاً وَضَنّا أَن يَزورَ خَيالُها

وَيُلمَّ بي فَيَبُلَّ غُلةَ صادي

وَيُلمَّ بي فَيَبُلَّ غُلةَ صادي

out of stinginess and reluctance to let her phantom visit

Is she miserly and stingy that her image should visit me

and come to me, to slake a parched man's burning thirst?

And join me and thus increase my misery

أَبَخيلَةً بالطيف مَن لمُتَيَّم

أَبَخيلَةً بالطيف مَن لمُتَيَّم

قَد كانَ طالِب خلّةٍ وَوداد

قَد كانَ طالِب خلّةٍ وَوداد

O you who begrudge even your phantom, who will help a lovesick man

Is she miserly with her apparition, she who

who once sought friendship and affection,

Was once seeking my companionship and affection

والآنَ يَعثِر في عُقود دُموعِهِ

والآنَ يَعثِر في عُقود دُموعِهِ

قَولي لعاً أَطمعهُ في الإِسعاد

قَولي لعاً أَطمعهُ في الإِسعاد

and now stumbles amid the necklaces of his tears?

And now stumbles over the beads of his teardrops

Say, 'May you recover!' and give him hope of solace.

Saying to the desperate one, I give him hope of happiness

فَإِذا أَبل فَواصِلي أَو صارِمي

فَإِذا أَبل فَواصِلي أَو صارِمي

غَلَبَ الغَرامُ فَما تُريدُ مُرادي

غَلَبَ الغَرامُ فَما تُريدُ مُرادي

Then, when he recovers, grant him union or break with him;

So if she becomes kind or turns cruel

love has triumphed, so what you wish is my wish.

Passion prevails, so she gets what she wants from me

يا ضَرَّةَ البَدرِ المُنير وَحَسرَةَ

يا ضَرَّةَ البَدرِ المُنير وَحَسرَةَ

الغُصنِ النَضير وَفِتنَةَ الزُهاد

الغُصنِ النَضير وَفِتنَةَ الزُهاد

O rival of the radiant full moon, and despair

O light of the shining full moon, O sorrow

of the fresh green bough, and temptation of ascetics,

Of the delicate branch, O seduction of the ascetics

ما كانَ ضَرَّكَ يَوم زُمَّ ركابُنا

ما كانَ ضَرَّكَ يَوم زُمَّ ركابُنا

وَالعيس مُصغية لِصَوت الحادي

وَالعيس مُصغية لِصَوت الحادي

what harm would it have done you, when our mounts were bridled,

How could it harm you the day our camel litter was loaded

and the pale camels listened to the camel-driver's song,

And the camel driver was listening to the guide

أَن لَو نَظَرتِ إِلى قَتيلك نَظرَةً

أَن لَو نَظَرتِ إِلى قَتيلك نَظرَةً

فَتَكون في جَوب المَهاوي زادي

فَتَكون في جَوب المَهاوي زادي

if you had given your victim a single glance,

If only you had looked at your slain victim with one glance

to be my provisions as I crossed the chasms?

It would be provision on the journey to the abyss

يا عاذِلي لا تُفشِ مِن سِرِّ الهَوى

يا عاذِلي لا تُفشِ مِن سِرِّ الهَوى

سِرَّ امرىء ذي خِبرَة نقّاد

سِرَّ امرىء ذي خِبرَة نقّاد

O my reproacher, do not reveal, among love's secrets,

O my critic, do not divulge the secret of my love

the secret of an experienced, discerning man.

It is the secret of one knowledgeable and critical

أَهوى المُمنَع وَصلها وَيَصُدَها

أَهوى المُمنَع وَصلها وَيَصُدَها

مَهما تُريدُ جَدى عَدى وَعَواد

مَهما تُريدُ جَدى عَدى وَعَواد

I love her whose union is guarded, but she is kept away,

I love she who is out of reach, I try to be close to her

whenever she wishes to show favor, by enemies and assailants.

No matter how much enmity, transgression and return she wants

غَرّاء يَحميها الجَمالُ وَتارَةً

غَرّاء يَحميها الجَمالُ وَتارَةً

تُحمى بِأَطراف القَنا المَيّاد

تُحمى بِأَطراف القَنا المَيّاد

Radiant, she is protected by beauty, and at times

A coquette protected by her beauty, and at times

guarded by the points of swaying spears.

Protected by the tips of the sharp spears

تَنبو عَلى خُضرِ الزَمان خَلائِقي

تَنبو عَلى خُضرِ الزَمان خَلائِقي

وَتَصَدُّ عَنهُم مُهجَتي وَتُعادي

وَتَصَدُّ عَنهُم مُهجَتي وَتُعادي

My nature recoils from the prosperous men of the age,

She blames the manners of the times upon me

and my soul turns away from them and opposes them.

And turns away from them while she is hostile to me

وَأعفُّ أَحياناً وَأصرفُ هِمَّتي

وَأعفُّ أَحياناً وَأصرفُ هِمَّتي

لِمَديح مالِك خِلَّتي وَوِدادي

لِمَديح مالِك خِلَّتي وَوِدادي

And sometimes I remain chaste and turn my purpose

And sometimes I pardon and divert my resolve

to praising the master of my friendship and affection,

To praise the owner of my companionship and affection

الفاضِل الصَدر المُقَرَب أَحمَدٍ

الفاضِل الصَدر المُقَرَب أَحمَدٍ

أَعني أَبا الأَضيافِ وَالقُصّادِ

أَعني أَبا الأَضيافِ وَالقُصّادِ

the virtuous, favored dignitary, Ahmad—

The excellent, generous Ahmed

I mean the father of guests and petitioners.

I mean the host of guests and the one who feeds others

سِرُّ الكِتابَةِ وَهوَ كاتِبُ سِرِّها

سِرُّ الكِتابَةِ وَهوَ كاتِبُ سِرِّها

أَبدَتهُ يَنقَعُ غُلَّةَ الأَكبادِ

أَبدَتهُ يَنقَعُ غُلَّةَ الأَكبادِ

He is writing's secret, and the scribe of its secret;

He is the secret of writing and he is the scribe of its secret

it has revealed him, quenching the burning thirst of hearts,

It appeared dripping the quintessence of livers

مِن بَعدِ ما كادَت رُسومُ طُروسِها

مِن بَعدِ ما كادَت رُسومُ طُروسِها

تَمحى كأن سَقيَت بِصَوب عهادِ

تَمحى كأن سَقيَت بِصَوب عهادِ

after the markings on its sheets had nearly

After its customs were almost erased

been erased, as though drenched by recurring rain.

As if they were watered with the juice of crushed grapes

فَأَتى يُجَدِدُ فَخرَها وَيُمُدُّها

فَأَتى يُجَدِدُ فَخرَها وَيُمُدُّها

بِبَدائِعٍ كالحلي في الأَجيادِ

بِبَدائِعٍ كالحلي في الأَجيادِ

Then he came, renewing its glory and enriching it

So he came renewing its pride and extending it

with marvels like jewels upon necks,

With wonders like jewelry on the necks of steeds

أَشهى عَلى الأَسماعِ مِن نَيل المُنى

أَشهى عَلى الأَسماعِ مِن نَيل المُنى

وَأَلَذَّ مِن صِلَةٍ بِلا ميعادِ

وَأَلَذَّ مِن صِلَةٍ بِلا ميعادِ

more pleasing to the ears than the attainment of wishes,

More delicious to the ears than attaining what is wished for

and sweeter than an unexpected gift.

And sweeter than a reunion without an appointed time

آياتُ إِحسانٍ جَعَلتُ فُصولها

آياتُ إِحسانٍ جَعَلتُ فُصولها

تُتلى عَلى الأَحقابِ وَالآبادِ

تُتلى عَلى الأَحقابِ وَالآبادِ

Signs of excellence, whose passages I have made

Tokens of benevolence, I made its seasons

to be recited through the ages and forevermore.

Recited through the ages and inhabited places

فَضلٌ مِن المَوى عَلَيكَ أَفاضَهُ

فَضلٌ مِن المَوى عَلَيكَ أَفاضَهُ

فاشكُرهُ فَهوَ مُكَرِّرُ الإِمدادِ

فاشكُرهُ فَهوَ مُكَرِّرُ الإِمدادِ

A bounty from the Lord, which He has poured upon you;

A favor from the refuge poured upon you

so thank Him, for He continually renews His aid.

Thank it for it repeats provision

وَاِذكُر أَخاكَ رَهينَ شُكرِكَ إِنَّهُ

وَاِذكُر أَخاكَ رَهينَ شُكرِكَ إِنَّهُ

مِن رَيبِ هَذا الدَهرُ بِالمرَصادِ

مِن رَيبِ هَذا الدَهرُ بِالمرَصادِ

And remember your brother, pledged to thanking you, for he

And remember your brother, hostage to your gratitude, he

stands on guard against the misfortunes of this age.

Is on the watch for the tricks of fate

واخَجلتاهُ وَأَنتَ أَنتَ وَراحَتي

واخَجلتاهُ وَأَنتَ أَنتَ وَراحَتي

مِمّا تُؤَمِّلُ في مَنيع قَيادِ

مِمّا تُؤَمِّلُ في مَنيع قَيادِ

Alas, my shame! You are who you are, while my palm

You embarrassed us while you, you are my comfort

is kept by unyielding reins from what it hopes for.

From what I hope for from the inaccessible leader

لا عاجِزٌ فَأَقولُ مَعذِرَةٌ لَهُ

لا عاجِزٌ فَأَقولُ مَعذِرَةٌ لَهُ

أَوَلَستَ مَوضِعَ زُلفَةٍ وَأَيادِ

أَوَلَستَ مَوضِعَ زُلفَةٍ وَأَيادِ

You are not powerless, that I might say, 'He has an excuse';

I am not helpless so I have no apology for him

are you not a source of favor and bounty?

Are you not the place of intimacy and hands

وَإِليكها غَرّاءَ حُسنُ حَديثِها

وَإِليكها غَرّاءَ حُسنُ حَديثِها

يَستَوقِفُ الأَسماعَ في الإِنشادِ

يَستَوقِفُ الأَسماعَ في الإِنشادِ

And here is a radiant poem for you; the beauty of its words

And to you, O charming, the beauty of her conversation

holds the ears spellbound in recitation.

Captivates the ears with recitation

جاءَت عَلى اِستِحيا تُهَني مَجدُكُم

جاءَت عَلى اِستِحيا تُهَني مَجدُكُم

بالعيدِ دُمتَ الدَهرَ لِلأَعيادِ

بالعيدِ دُمتَ الدَهرَ لِلأَعيادِ

It came shyly to congratulate your glory

She came shyly congratulating your glory

on Eid; may you live forever to celebrate the feasts.

On the feast—may you last for feasts

يَرنو لَها شَزراً حَسودي فيكُمُ

يَرنو لَها شَزراً حَسودي فيكُمُ

لا زلتَ في عَلياكَ ذا حُسّادِ

لا زلتَ في عَلياكَ ذا حُسّادِ

My envier on your account eyes it askance;

While my envious glance envies you

may you always have enviers in your lofty station.

You still remain lofty, with enviers

وَبَقيتَ للعليا تُجَدِدُ رَسمَها

وَبَقيتَ للعليا تُجَدِدُ رَسمَها

وَتُصانُ للإِسعاف وَالإِسعادِ

وَتُصانُ للإِسعاف وَالإِسعادِ

And may you endure for glory, renewing its traces,

And you continue renewing its mark for the lofty

and be preserved to bring aid and happiness,

And are guarded for granting and happiness

ما لاحَ فَجرٌ بَعدَ لَيلٍ دامِسٍ

ما لاحَ فَجرٌ بَعدَ لَيلٍ دامِسٍ

وَتَغَنَّت الوَرقا عَلى الأَعوادِ

وَتَغَنَّت الوَرقا عَلى الأَعوادِ

as long as dawn shines after a pitch-dark night,

No dawn has appeared after a long dark night

and the gray dove sings upon the boughs.

And the leaves sang upon the branches