أهكذا يَسْري القَمَرْ

أهكذا يَسْري القَمَرْ

واللّيلُ مُسوَدُّ الطُّرَرْ

واللّيلُ مُسوَدُّ الطُّرَرْ

Is this how the moon travels by night?

Does the moon thus move,

And the night's forelocks are black;

While the night is clad in black?

لم يَجْلُ منه ما اعتكَر

لم يَجْلُ منه ما اعتكَر

ولم يَرَ النّاسُ أَثَر

ولم يَرَ النّاسُ أَثَر

it has not cleared away its gathered murk,

No stain mars its light,

nor have the people seen a trace.

Unseen are any tracks.

لا بل هو الطّيْفُ عَبَر

لا بل هو الطّيْفُ عَبَر

مُنتقِباً وما سَفَر

مُنتقِباً وما سَفَر

No, rather, it was a dream-phantom passing,

Rather it is a phantom passing by,

veiled, without uncovering its face

Stalking yet not traveling afar,

فيتْرُكَ اللّيلَ أَغَرّ

فيتْرُكَ اللّيلَ أَغَرّ

ويَشْفيَ العينَ نَظَر

ويَشْفيَ العينَ نَظَر

to leave the night radiant

Leaving the night most strange,

and soothe the eye with a look.

Relieving the eye that did yearn and starve.

يا زائراً ولم يُزَر

يا زائراً ولم يُزَر

دَلّس بُخْلاً بخفَر

دَلّس بُخْلاً بخفَر

O visitor who was never visited,

O visitor who was not visited!

who disguised stinginess as bashfulness,

Secretly he came, a miser - stealthy and sparse.

ولم يَصِلْ حتّى هَجَر

ولم يَصِلْ حتّى هَجَر

وسبَقَ الوِرْدَ الصَّدر

وسبَقَ الوِرْدَ الصَّدر

and had not joined before forsaking:

He did not arrive till he went away,

departure from water preceded arrival.

And the blossoms preceded his approach.

وكان ظِلاًّ فانحَسَر

وكان ظِلاًّ فانحَسَر

إلاّ بقايا مِن ذِكَر

إلاّ بقايا مِن ذِكَر

It was a shadow, then receded,

He was but a shadow, then he did wane,

save remnants of memories

Save some memories that do remain,

تكْحَلُ عَيناً بسَهَر

تكْحَلُ عَيناً بسَهَر

فقُمْتُ والدَّمعُ درَر

فقُمْتُ والدَّمعُ درَر

that line an eye with sleeplessness as kohl.

To soothe an eye with vigil and wake.

So I rose, and my tears were pearls,

So I rose with tears that fell like pearls,

أَكُفُّ منه ما بَدَر

أَكُفُّ منه ما بَدَر

وأكتُمُ الصّحْبَ الخَبر

وأكتُمُ الصّحْبَ الخَبر

restraining those that sprang forth,

I refrain what did exude and hurl,

and hiding the news from my companions.

And from companions conceal and veil,

ودوننا خافي الأثر

ودوننا خافي الأثر

وليلُه إذا افتقَر

وليلُه إذا افتقَر

And before us lay a trackless expanse,

While between us faint are the trails.

whose night, when it falls into want,

His night, when it is poor and bare

يَسوفُ أنفاسَ العُفُر

يَسوفُ أنفاسَ العُفُر

إلى شديدِ المُضْطَمر

إلى شديدِ المُضْطَمر

sniffs the breaths of tawny gazelles.

Is fraught with the scents of camphor and myrrh

Toward a mount of strong, lean flanks,

From a steed that was kept well prepared,

مِن المَطيِّ المُدَّخَر

مِن المَطيِّ المُدَّخَر

مُلِّكتُه مِلْكَ الظّفَر

مُلِّكتُه مِلْكَ الظّفَر

among the riding camels held in reserve,

Whose reign was that of triumph and victory.

I was granted it as a prize of victory;

In it, with freedom, peril was rife

فيه معَ العِتْقِ أَشَر

فيه معَ العِتْقِ أَشَر

رعَى بأعلى ذي عُثَر

رعَى بأعلى ذي عُثَر

in it, high spirits joined noble breeding.

As it roamed atop rugged life,

It grazed in the uplands of Dhu ʿUthar,

Between gardens and acts of deceit

بين رياضٍ وغُدُر

بين رياضٍ وغُدُر

أَوديةً حُوَّ السُّرَر

أَوديةً حُوَّ السُّرَر

among meadows and pools,

And valleys, haunts of pleasure and cheer,

in valleys dark-green in their hollows,

In which flows the ink of the pen,

بها كَتَوشيع الحِبَر

بها كَتَوشيع الحِبَر

أَوّلُ ما فاحَ الزَّهَر

أَوّلُ ما فاحَ الزَّهَر

with patterns like variegated cloth,

First, when blossoms did exude their scent,

when the flowers first released their fragrance.

It waded them, reckless and negligent

فخاضَها على غَرَر

فخاضَها على غَرَر

من القَنا بمُشتَجَر

من القَنا بمُشتَجَر

So it waded through them at risk,

Through the branches, clutching some, leaving some,

among reeds in a tangled thicket,

With the maids in greenery clad,

يأخذُ نَبتاً ويَذَر

يأخذُ نَبتاً ويَذَر

معَ الجواري بالخُضَر

معَ الجواري بالخُضَر

taking some herbage and leaving some,

From a waist that was slender and slim,

with the swift females in green pastures,

Until he came, after desire was fed,

عن نُطَفٍ فيها خَصَر

عن نُطَفٍ فيها خَصَر

حتّى أتى وقد أَشِر

حتّى أتى وقد أَشِر

away from waters with a chill in them.

Filling the eyes of whoever did glance,

Until it came, already high-spirited,

With the best kind of licit significance,

يَملأُ عينَيْ مَن نظَر

يَملأُ عينَيْ مَن نظَر

فيه على العيسِ الخِيَر

فيه على العيسِ الخِيَر

filling the eyes of whoever looked.

Far from him in settlements and thorns

It held excellence over the pale camels;

After a wink from a coquettish glance,

يَبعُدُ عنه في الحُضَر

يَبعُدُ عنه في الحُضَر

بعدَ تماحٍ من أَثر

بعدَ تماحٍ من أَثر

others fell far behind it in the run,

So if we were ardent or if we were tamed

after vying to follow its trail.

Between clarity and gloom we became

فإن نَشِطْنَ وفَتَر

فإن نَشِطْنَ وفَتَر

بين صَفاءٍ وكَدَر

بين صَفاءٍ وكَدَر

For if they grew lively and it slackened,

Like lines in an ode brought together

amid clearness and murk,

Thus he passed like a gazelle took flight

كألِفٍ بَيْنٍ سَطَر

كألِفٍ بَيْنٍ سَطَر

فمَرّ كالظّبْيِ نَفر

فمَرّ كالظّبْيِ نَفر

it was like an alif within a written line.

Or did not, and rushed like torrents at night

Then it sped like a gazelle that bolts,

Or did not, and faded like a star losing light

أو لا فكالسّيلِ انحدَر

أو لا فكالسّيلِ انحدَر

أو لا فكالنّجمِ انكَدَر

أو لا فكالنّجمِ انكَدَر

or no—like a torrent pouring downhill,

Or did not, and passed like a notion took flight,

or no—like a star falling,

Due to a valley stream's striking might,

أو لا فكالوَهْمِ خَطَر

أو لا فكالوَهْمِ خَطَر

من وَقْعِ مَجْدولِ المِرَر

من وَقْعِ مَجْدولِ المِرَر

or no—like a thought flashing by,

He turned away from it in sham and spite,

at the stroke of a whip of plaited strands,

Until when the guide made a call,

بعِطْفِه عنه زَوَر

بعِطْفِه عنه زَوَر

حتّى إذا الحادي نَعر

حتّى إذا الحادي نَعر

its flank swerving away from it.

And the journey for the group grew long,

Until, when the camel-driver cried aloud,

And consciousness for the soul grew strong,

وطالَ بالرَّكْبِ السّفَر

وطالَ بالرَّكْبِ السّفَر

وجالَ بالنَّسْعِ الضُّمُر

وجالَ بالنَّسْعِ الضُّمُر

and the journey grew long for the riders,

And dazzle seized the mind and all,

and leanness made the girth-strap shift,

He spanned the horizons wide unfurled,

ومال بالنَّفْسِ البَهَر

ومال بالنَّفْسِ البَهَر

طَوى البلادَ ونَشَر

طَوى البلادَ ونَشَر

and breathlessness bowed the spirit,

Until we knocked on the door of a vanishing world,

it folded the lands up and spread them out,

At the court of a ruler mighty and bold,

حتّى طرقْنا عن عَفَر

حتّى طرقْنا عن عَفَر

فِناءَ عزٍّ مُحْتَضَر

فِناءَ عزٍّ مُحْتَضَر

until, after a long interval, we arrived by night

Whose generosity flowed among men manifold,

at a thronged courtyard of glory,

Like destiny's hands their fates did mould,

عند مليكٍ مقتَدِر

عند مليكٍ مقتَدِر

يَجْري نَداهُ في البَشَر

يَجْري نَداهُ في البَشَر

before a mighty sovereign.

Lofty of station, highest of throne,

His generosity flows among humankind

Rarity of mortals, cream of the crop full-grown,

جَرْيَ القضاء والقَدَر

جَرْيَ القضاء والقَدَر

سامي العُلا عالي السُّرُر

سامي العُلا عالي السُّرُر

like the flow of decree and destiny.

If fate did exact revenge anytime,

Lofty in eminence, high upon thrones,

Or a bone was broken, he would splice and align,

نَزْرُ البُرَى جَمُّ القُدُر

نَزْرُ البُرَى جَمُّ القُدُر

إن وتَرَ الدَّهرُ ثَأَر

إن وتَرَ الدَّهرُ ثَأَر

few his camel nose-rings, many his cooking pots:

Or the clouds ceased, and rain was confined,

if Time bereaves, he avenges;

Or the horses grew weak and resigned,

أو كُسِرَ العَظْمُ جَبَر

أو كُسِرَ العَظْمُ جَبَر

أو جمَدَ النَّوءُ مَطَر

أو جمَدَ النَّوءُ مَطَر

or if a bone is broken, he sets it;

When he saw things were in decline,

or if the rain-star freezes, he rains;

And hardship shone at dawn like a sign,

أو خَفَّتِ الخيلُ وَقَر

أو خَفَّتِ الخيلُ وَقَر

لمّا رأى الإمْرَ احْتَضر

لمّا رأى الإمْرَ احْتَضر

or if the horses grow restless, he stays steady.

He endured it and did not repine,

When he saw the calamity, he came to face it,

With few who offered aid at the time,

وأصبحَ العُسْرُ فَغَر

وأصبحَ العُسْرُ فَغَر

صابَرَ فيهِ وصَبَر

صابَرَ فيهِ وصَبَر

and hardship began to gape,

Until he unsheathed swords that did shine,

he strove patiently and endured,

Sent troops in a great number and line,

في قلّةٍ مِمّنْ نَصَر

في قلّةٍ مِمّنْ نَصَر

حتّى ثنَى البِيضَ كِسَر

حتّى ثنَى البِيضَ كِسَر

with but a few who lent their aid,

Glowering, with armor at the ready, declined,

until he bent the bright swords into shards,

Steadfast under shields they did recline,

وحَلَّ هاماً ونثَر

وحَلَّ هاماً ونثَر

وأَرسَلَ الخَيلَ زُمَر

وأَرسَلَ الخَيلَ زُمَر

and severed heads and scattered them,

Offering prayers when fury was assigned,

and sent the cavalry out in companies,

With swords that sparked like fire refined,

عَوابِساً مَعَ الغُرَر

عَوابِساً مَعَ الغُرَر

وهُنَّ ينفُضْنَ الغُدَر

وهُنَّ ينفُضْنَ الغُدَر

scowling, with white blazes,

A day most defiance did evince,

while they scattered the treacherous,

Bringing for the kingdom triumph so pristine,

صوابِراً تحت صُبُر

صوابِراً تحت صُبُر

تَصلَى إذا الرَّوعُ استَعَر

تَصلَى إذا الرَّوعُ استَعَر

steadfast beneath steadfast riders,

Between purpose and victory made clean,

burning, when battle's terror flared,

O his sword when it found success supreme!

ناراً لها النَّبْلُ شَرَر

ناراً لها النَّبْلُ شَرَر

يومٌ أَغرُّ مُشتَهر

يومٌ أَغرُّ مُشتَهر

in a fire whose sparks were arrows.

His aid when distress was ongoing, it seems!

A bright, renowned day

His glory when it was towering tall and teeming!

ألّفَ للمَلْكِ الأغَرّ

ألّفَ للمَلْكِ الأغَرّ

بينَ المُرادِ والظّفَر

بينَ المُرادِ والظّفَر

joined, for the radiant king,

You are the minister, and trouble's redeeming.

the desired aim and victory.

All others are base and meaningless, demeaning,

يا سَيفَهُ إذا انتصَر

يا سَيفَهُ إذا انتصَر

وغَوْثَه إذا اعتَصر

وغَوْثَه إذا اعتَصر

O his sword when he prevails,

And who can compare in times uncertain, looming,

and his succor when he seeks refuge,

To the sun at dawn, and the morning star gleaming?

ومجْدَه إذا افتخَر

ومجْدَه إذا افتخَر

أنت الوزيرُ والوَزَر

أنت الوزيرُ والوَزَر

and his glory when he boasts:

No use for a foe, his command we are streaming,

you are the minister and the refuge,

To drive back a matter already schemed,

ومَن سِواكَ مُحتقَر

ومَن سِواكَ مُحتقَر

وهل يُداني في الخَطَر

وهل يُداني في الخَطَر

and all besides you are despised.

Like the ugly face of a waning moon beaming,

And can there be a rival in eminence—

Woe to him, if he persists and esteems,

شمسَ ضُحىً نَجْمُ سَحَر

شمسَ ضُحىً نَجْمُ سَحَر

ما للعدُوِّ لا نُصِر

ما للعدُوِّ لا نُصِر

a predawn star to the midmorning sun?

No curses if he trips or redeems,

What ails the enemy—may he never be aided!—

Make time yield, its wonders supreme,

يَرُدُّ أمراً قد قُدِر

يَرُدُّ أمراً قد قُدِر

كما يَلُحُّ من قُمِر

كما يَلُحُّ من قُمِر

that he resists a matter already decreed,

Place not in it conceits vain or dreaming,

like a gambler insisting after a loss?

Triumphant through you they do gleam,

تَعْساً له إذا استَمر

تَعْساً له إذا استَمر

ولا لَعاً إذا عَثَر

ولا لَعاً إذا عَثَر

Ruin to him if he persists,

If you pricked them with needles fine,

and no 'Rise again!' when he stumbles.

They would turn to spears at the borderline,

مُرِ الزّمانَ يأتَمِر

مُرِ الزّمانَ يأتَمِر

ولا تُضِعْ فيه الغُرَر

ولا تُضِعْ فيه الغُرَر

Command Time, and it will obey,

Vanquishing the foe, so keen, so sublime,

and do not squander its choice occasions.

As they tear the breast plates at the height of their prime,

وأنتَ مَيمونٌ ظَفَر

وأنتَ مَيمونٌ ظَفَر

فلو وخَزْتَ بالإبَر

فلو وخَزْتَ بالإبَر

And you are blessed and victorious;

From each chest that swelled at its time,

so if you were to prick with needles,

O you, when you desire and determine, you climb,

صارتْ رماحاً في الثُّغَر

صارتْ رماحاً في الثُّغَر

فنَلْ بها القومَ الغُدُر

فنَلْ بها القومَ الغُدُر

they would become spears at the frontiers.

Whose gifts when given, do overwhelm and bedim,

So strike the treacherous folk with them,

Until when excuses flow, a trickling stream,

فهنّ يَنزَعْنَ الوَحَر

فهنّ يَنزَعْنَ الوَحَر

من كلِّ صَدْرٍ قد وَغَر

من كلِّ صَدْرٍ قد وَغَر

for they draw out rancor

Until when gratitude surges, no more a whim,

from every breast inflamed with spite.

Not all rain, even torrents upstream,

يا مَن إذا شاءَ قَدَر

يا مَن إذا شاءَ قَدَر

ومَن إذا أعطَى ابتَدَر

ومَن إذا أعطَى ابتَدَر

O you who can achieve whenever you wish,

Its least only a shiny gem,

and who hasten whenever you give,

Unless with goodness it did teem,

حتّى إذا سِيلَ اعتَذَر

حتّى إذا سِيلَ اعتَذَر

حتّى إذا زادَ شَكَر

حتّى إذا زادَ شَكَر

even when asked, you apologize,

From one who did perceive and esteem,

even when you give more, you offer thanks.

Plunged into it, mindful, keen,

ليس النّدى وإنْ غَمُر

ليس النّدى وإنْ غَمُر

وكان أَدناهُ بِدَر

وكان أَدناهُ بِدَر

Generosity, however abundant,

Whose portion is perils unforeseen,

even if its least gift is purses of money,

Extended to all present, careening,

بمُعْقِبٍ حُسْنَ أَثَر

بمُعْقِبٍ حُسْنَ أَثَر

ما لم يكُنْ إذا انهَمَر

ما لم يكُنْ إذا انهَمَر

does not leave a noble remembrance,

Don’t you see the sea, seething and preening?

unless, when it pours forth,

It rained on all, torrents careening,

أَنْفَسُه لِمَنْ شَعَر

أَنْفَسُه لِمَنْ شَعَر

وغاصَ فيه بالفِكَر

وغاصَ فيه بالفِكَر

its finest share goes to one who makes poetry

But preferred some with pearls, pleasing,

and dives into it with thought,

Support of the throne, aid intervening,

وقِسْمُه الأَدنَى خَطَر

وقِسْمُه الأَدنَى خَطَر

نَصْباً لكلِّ مَن حَضَر

نَصْباً لكلِّ مَن حَضَر

while its lesser share is a prize

Beyond this, all is meaningless fleeing,

set out for everyone who attends.

Of what fate, in its caprice, did glean,

أما تَرى البحرَ زَخَر

أما تَرى البحرَ زَخَر

فعَمَّ كلاً بالمَطَر

فعَمَّ كلاً بالمَطَر

Do you not see the sea swell,

All sins are forgiven, it seems,

showering everyone with rain,

If to its heights, excuses careen,

وخَصَّ قَوماً بالدُّرَر

وخَصَّ قَوماً بالدُّرَر

مُؤيَّدُ المُلْكِ وَزَر

مُؤيَّدُ المُلْكِ وَزَر

yet favoring some with pearls?

Most exquisite in conduct serene,

Mu'ayyad al-Mulk is a refuge;

In what it enjoined and made clean,

فما عدا هذا هَذَر

فما عدا هذا هَذَر

مِمّا جنَى دَهْرٌ غِرَر

مِمّا جنَى دَهْرٌ غِرَر

all that goes beyond this is idle talk.

Thus a saying we have seen,

Of the deceptions wrought by Time,

Abu Bakr did surpass Umar pristine,

كلُّ الذّنوبِ تُغتفَر

كلُّ الذّنوبِ تُغتفَر

إذا بعلياهُ اعتَذر

إذا بعلياهُ اعتَذر

all sins are forgiven

If not in jurisprudence, cause no consternation between,

when it pleads his greatness as its excuse.

For the two rightly guided ones are equal in esteem,

أبدَع في حُسْنِ السِّيَر

أبدَع في حُسْنِ السِّيَر

فيما نهَى وما أَمَر

فيما نهَى وما أَمَر

He excelled in the beauty of his conduct,

O you, when a stallion whinnies loud, demeaning,

in what he forbade and what he commanded,

Be it from Yemen, or Mudar intervening,

فقيلَ قولٌ قد ذُكِر

فقيلَ قولٌ قد ذُكِر

فاقَ أبو بَكْرٍ عُمَر

فاقَ أبو بَكْرٍ عُمَر

so a saying was uttered and remembered:

Save for the Prophet and his kin so leaning,

'Abu Bakr surpassed ʿUmar.'

He turns not intoxicated or careening,

إن لم يَفُقْهُ لم يُضَر

إن لم يَفُقْهُ لم يُضَر

فقد تَساوَى المُختَبر

فقد تَساوَى المُختَبر

If he did not surpass him, no harm was done,

So the pride of the proud did teem and preen,

for they proved equal when tested.

And was wholesome in the experienced and keen,

يا مَن إذا الفَحْلُ هَدَر

يا مَن إذا الفَحْلُ هَدَر

مِن يَمَنٍ أو مِن مُضَر

مِن يَمَنٍ أو مِن مُضَر

O you who, when a stallion bellows,

In nature, desire, and mien,

from Yemen or from Mudar,

There reside as long as life's cloth is gleaming,

إلاّ النّبيَّ والعِتَر

إلاّ النّبيَّ والعِتَر

أَقبلَ لا يَمْشي الخَمَر

أَقبلَ لا يَمْشي الخَمَر

excepting the Prophet and his kin,

Lasting while destiny's arrows careening,

come forward, never walking under cover,

Achieving in glory towers looming,

فطالَ فَخْرُ مَن فَخَر

فطالَ فَخْرُ مَن فَخَر

وطاب عند مَن خَبَر

وطاب عند مَن خَبَر

so the boast of those who boast grows lofty,

You gained a kingdom, so polish and screen,

and you please those who know you

From others' malice so sullying and mean,

طبْعاً ونَفْساً ونَفَر

طبْعاً ونَفْساً ونَفَر

هَناكَ ما شِئتَ العُمُر

هَناكَ ما شِئتَ العُمُر

in temperament, soul, and retinue.

With the white and reddish yeast so steaming,

May life delight you as long as you wish,

Thus remain patient if worries convene,

ودُمتَ ما حَنَّ الوَتَر

ودُمتَ ما حَنَّ الوَتَر

ونلْتَ في العِزِّ الوَطَر

ونلْتَ في العِزِّ الوَطَر

and may you endure as long as the string sings,

Each heart perturbed and demeaning,

and attain your desire in glory.

Its first state chaos and darkening,

أَنطْتَ مُلْكاً فَطَهُر

أَنطْتَ مُلْكاً فَطَهُر

من بَينِ أحشاءِ الغِيَر

من بَينِ أحشاءِ الغِيَر

You made a kingdom fast, and it was purified

Then pure, as trails thereafter careening,

from amid the entrails of changing fortune,

Enough of my words, no more fire in the kiln steaming,

بجِدِّ بِيضٍ وسُمُر

بجِدِّ بِيضٍ وسُمُر

فكن رَبيطَ المُصطَبَر

فكن رَبيطَ المُصطَبَر

through the earnest work of bright blades and brown spears.

Of meanings novel, each verse preening,

So be firm of endurance,

In couplets pithy, concise and lean,

إن طَرقَتْ فيه فِكَر

إن طَرقَتْ فيه فِكَر

كُلُّ قَليبٍ مُحتَفَر

كُلُّ قَليبٍ مُحتَفَر

if thoughts come there by night.

As if destiny itself intervening,

Every well that is dug

A day of joy from life's fabric gleaning,

أَوّلُه كان كَدَر

أَوّلُه كان كَدَر

ثُمّ صفا على الأَثَر

ثُمّ صفا على الأَثَر

is turbid at the start,

Graceful, benign, serene,

then soon grows clear.

كفاكَ مِن قَوْلي فِقَر

كفاكَ مِن قَوْلي فِقَر

من كُلِّ معنىً مُبتكَر

من كُلِّ معنىً مُبتكَر

Passages of my verse suffice you,

drawn from every freshly invented meaning,

في كلِّ بيتٍ مُخْتَصَر

في كلِّ بيتٍ مُخْتَصَر

كأنّه على القَدَر

كأنّه على القَدَر

in each concise verse,

as though, in its measure,

يومٌ سُرورٍ من عُمُر

يومٌ سُرورٍ من عُمُر

حُسْناً وطِيباً وقِصَر

حُسْناً وطِيباً وقِصَر

it were a joyous day from a lifetime,

in beauty, sweetness, and brevity.