باكر يجلو بكرا

معيرها من لحاظه السكرا

He came at dawn, unveiling virgin wine,

lending it intoxication from his glances.

أحور ساجي الجفون مقلته

تخلق صبري وتخلق السحرا

Dark-eyed, with languid lids—his eye

wears out my patience and creates enchantment.

حمّل ضعفي في الحبّ أَضعاف ما

حمّل من ثقل ردفه الخصرا

He loads my frailty in love with many times the burden

his heavy hips lay upon his waist.

هز الصبا عطفه فمال كما

هزت صبا غصن بانة نضرا

Youth set his form swaying, and he bent just as

the east breeze stirred a fresh branch of the bān tree.

أَغيد ما شان ورد وجنته

شوك عذار يكلّف العذرا

Lithe: the rose of his cheek has not been marred

by thorny cheek-down that calls for excuses.

يا رب ليل جلوت طرته

سهرت أسعد الورى طرا

Ah, many a night whose forelock I unveiled,

I stayed awake, happiest of all humankind.

أشربها من يديه صافية

صرفا تبارى بلونها التبرا

I drink it clear from his hands,

undiluted, rivaling gold in its color.

يقمر عقلي بكأسها قمر

جعلت روحي لراحه مهرا

With its cup, a moon wins my mind away;

I made my soul the bride-price for his wine.

فيا نديمي قم غير مستمع

عذلا وبادر تنادم البدرا

So, my drinking companion, rise without heeding

reproach, and hasten to drink with the full moon.

تمنح راح الدنان شاربها ال

غر وتمتاح ذلك الثغرا

You offer the wine of the jars to its drinker, the

guileless one, and draw a draught from that mouth.

واعمر رباع السرور مجتهدا

عمرك إلا تفارق العمرا

Inhabit joy's dwellings, striving

throughout your life never to leave the monastery.

أما ترى البرق وهو مبتسم

والشرق أجفان سحبه عبرى

Do you not see the lightning smiling,

while the eyelids of the east's clouds brim with tears?

في كل قطر وكل ناحية

مغادر قطرها به غدرا

In every region and every quarter,

its rainfall leaves pools behind.

تجري وكف الأجل مؤتمن الدو

لة والدين بالندى أجرى

They flow, yet the hand of the illustrious Trustee of the

State and Faith flows more freely with bounty.

صدر تراه بالجود منشرحا

لوارد بعد صادر صدرا

A chief you see open-hearted with generosity,

his breast welcoming each comer after another departs.

ترى ثريّ الفخار تلحق جد

واه مقلا منا بمن أثرى

You see one rich in glory, whose bounty brings

a poor man among us abreast of the wealthy.

أسمح من يممته قاصدة

كل أَمون نضَّاخة الذفرى

The most generous of those approached in earnest

by every trusty she-camel, sweat streaming behind her ears.

ما اصفر بالرد وجه مادحه

ولا رأى راحة له صفرا

His panegyrist's face never paled at rejection,

nor has he seen his palm empty.

نبهت منه لحاجتي عمرا

ولم انبّه من رقدةٍ عمرا

I roused an Amr in him to meet my need,

yet did not wake an Amr from slumber.

فر به العدم هاربا وغدا

ثغر المنى للعفاة مفترا

Poverty fled before him, and

the mouth of hope smiled for those seeking gifts.

طلق المحيّا كم عاد نائله

مبدّلا عسر آمل يسرا

Cheerful of face—how often his bounty has served

to turn a hopeful man's hardship into ease!

تهز من عطفه مدائحنا

كبير قدر لا يعرف الكبرا

Our praises set his side swaying—

a man of great worth who knows no arrogance.

لا يعشر الغيث وهو محتفل

أَناملا في بنانه عشرا

The rain, even at its fullest, does not reach a tenth

of the ten fingertips upon his hands.

أعزل يعطي عفاته أبدا

شفعا ويلقى عداته وترا

Unarmed, he always gives his petitioners

paired gifts, and meets his foes alone.

فاسلم لراجي نداك يا شرف ال

إسلام في ظلّ نعمة تترى

So remain safe for those hoping for your bounty, O Honor of

Islam, in the shade of blessings in succession.

واخلد عميد الكفاة ما خلد ال

له سِماكَ السماء والنسرا

Live forever, pillar of the capable, as long as

God keeps heaven's Simak and al-Nasr enduring.

ودم حريا يا ابن الدوامي بالس

سؤدد ما استعبد الندى حرا

And remain worthy, O Ibn al-Dawami, of

preeminence, as long as bounty enslaves a free man.

يا من حوى برده الغمامة وال

غيث سماحا واللّيث والبحرا

O you whose mantle holds the cloud and

rain in generosity, the lion and the sea!

أقسمت ما إن رأيت من بشر

غيرك هذا السماح والبئرا

I swear I have never seen in any mortal

other than you such generosity and such a well of bounty.

وإن من قال أن برّك قد

جازَ مدى حدّه فقد برا

And whoever says that your goodness has

gone beyond its utmost limit has spoken truly.

أسمع برائية مهذبة

ساند في الحسن طبعها الفكرا

Hear a polished ode rhyming in rā,

whose natural inspiration has joined thought in beauty.

ذات معان كأن ناظمها

عليك بالمدح ناثر درا

Bearing meanings, as though its composer

were scattering pearls over you in praise.

لا زلت يا غرة الزمان كذا

تسدي وتسني الصنائع الغرا

May you ever remain, O radiant brow of time, like this,

bestowing and magnifying splendid benefactions,

ما ابتسم الزهر بكاء حيا

واطلع اللّيل أنجما زهرا

as long as blossoms smile at rain's weeping,

and night brings forth radiant stars.