يَشكو إِلَيكِ هَواكِ المُدنَفُ الوَصِبُ

يَشكو إِلَيكِ هَواكِ المُدنَفُ الوَصِبُ

بِواكِفٍ يَنهَمي طَوراً وَيَنسَكِبُ

بِواكِفٍ يَنهَمي طَوراً وَيَنسَكِبُ

The wasted, ailing lover complains to you of his love for you,

The lovelorn, tearful one complains to you of your love,

With tears that stream at times and pour forth.

Tossing and turning, consumed with anguish.

إِذا يُقالُ اِتَّئِب رَدَّت صَبابَتُهُ

إِذا يُقالُ اِتَّئِب رَدَّت صَبابَتُهُ

إِلَيهِ ثابِتَ وَجدٍ لَيسَ يَتَّئِبُ

إِلَيهِ ثابِتَ وَجدٍ لَيسَ يَتَّئِبُ

Whenever he is told, "Have shame," his longing restores

If he is told, "Be patient," his youthfulness

To him an abiding passion that knows no shame.

Returns to him, with constant passion that knows no patience.

وَما اِجتَنَبتُكِ إِلّا لِلوُشاةِ وَكَم

وَما اِجتَنَبتُكِ إِلّا لِلوُشاةِ وَكَم

مِن مُغرَمٍ كَلِفٍ بِالوَجدِ يَجتَنِبُ

مِن مُغرَمٍ كَلِفٍ بِالوَجدِ يَجتَنِبُ

And I avoided you only because of the slanderers; how many

I avoided you only because of the slanderers, and how many

A love-stricken man, consumed by passion, keeps away!

Lovers burdened with passion avoid the beloved.

وَلَو وَجَدتُ سُلُوّاً ما تَخَوَّنَني

وَلَو وَجَدتُ سُلُوّاً ما تَخَوَّنَني

لَمّا تَبَسَّمتِ ذاكَ الظَلمُ وَالشَنَبُ

لَمّا تَبَسَّمتِ ذاكَ الظَلمُ وَالشَنَبُ

And had I found release from love, I would not have been betrayed

Had I found a confidant, betrayal would not have pained me

When you smiled, by that lustre and cool freshness of your teeth.

When that injustice and mustache smiled.

وَلا اِستَخَفَّ غَرامي يَومَ وَقفَتِنا

وَلا اِستَخَفَّ غَرامي يَومَ وَقفَتِنا

عَلى الوَداعِ بَنانٌ مِنكِ مُختَضَبُ

عَلى الوَداعِ بَنانٌ مِنكِ مُختَضَبُ

Nor would my passion have been stirred, on the day we stood

My love was not trivial the day we bid farewell,

To say farewell, by your dye-stained fingertips.

With your rouged fingertips at the parting.

ما لي وَلِلشَيبِ آباهُ وَيَتبَعُني

ما لي وَلِلشَيبِ آباهُ وَيَتبَعُني

وَلِلصَبابَةِ أَنآها وَتَقتَرِبُ

وَلِلصَبابَةِ أَنآها وَتَقتَرِبُ

What have I to do with gray hair? I reject it, yet it follows me,

What business do I have with old age pursuing me,

And with longing? I shun it, yet it draws near.

And youthfulness sighing and drawing near me?

وَقَد حَرِصتُ عَلى جَدّي يُصاحِبُني

وَقَد حَرِصتُ عَلى جَدّي يُصاحِبُني

عَلى الشَبابِ لَوَ أَنَّ الحَظَّ يُكتَسَبُ

عَلى الشَبابِ لَوَ أَنَّ الحَظَّ يُكتَسَبُ

And I have longed for my good fortune to stand beside me

I was keen to accompany my seriousness with youth,

In youth—if only good fortune could be earned.

If only fortune could be seized.

هَذا الرَبيعُ يُسَدّي مِن زَخارِفِهِ

هَذا الرَبيعُ يُسَدّي مِن زَخارِفِهِ

وَشياً يَكادُ عَلى الأَلحاظِ يَلتَهِبُ

وَشياً يَكادُ عَلى الأَلحاظِ يَلتَهِبُ

This spring weaves from its adornments

This spring presents its adornments,

A brocade that all but blazes before the eyes.

Nearly igniting the glances with its splendor.

هَل تَغلِبَنّي عَلى الساجورِ حينَ زَهَت

هَل تَغلِبَنّي عَلى الساجورِ حينَ زَهَت

أَنوارُهُ وَتَناهى نورَهُ حَلَبُ

أَنوارُهُ وَتَناهى نورَهُ حَلَبُ

Will you draw me away from the Sajur, when splendid are

Can it make me overcome the wine cup when its lights have shone

Its blossoms, and Aleppo reaches the height of its bloom?

And its illumination reached Halab?

دَعِ المَطِيَّ مُناخاتٍ بِأَرحُلِها

دَعِ المَطِيَّ مُناخاتٍ بِأَرحُلِها

لَم يُنضَ عَنهُنَّ تَصديرٌ وَلا حَقَبُ

لَم يُنضَ عَنهُنَّ تَصديرٌ وَلا حَقَبُ

Leave the riding camels kneeling, their saddles still on,

Leave the camels with their saddle-bags—

With neither breast-girth nor hind-girth taken off them.

No loads have been removed from them nor burdens.

فَما تَزيدُ عَلى إِلمامَةٍ خُلَسٍ

فَما تَزيدُ عَلى إِلمامَةٍ خُلَسٍ

بِأَحمَدَ بنِ عَلِيٍّ ثُمَّ تَنقَلِبُ

بِأَحمَدَ بنِ عَلِيٍّ ثُمَّ تَنقَلِبُ

For you will do no more than pay a brief, snatched visit

So it amounts to no more than a furtive turban

To Ahmad ibn Ali, then return.

With Ahmad ibn ‘Ali, then it turns away.

قَضاءُ حَقٍّ وَما نَقضي بِطاقَتِنا

قَضاءُ حَقٍّ وَما نَقضي بِطاقَتِنا

مِن ذَلِكَ الحَقِّ إِلّا بَعضُ ما يَجِبُ

مِن ذَلِكَ الحَقِّ إِلّا بَعضُ ما يَجِبُ

A duty discharged—and with all our strength we discharge no more

Fulfilling a right is ordained, though we cannot

Of that duty than a portion of what is owed.

Fulfill that right except partially, as duty requires.

عَفٌّ كَريمٌ مَتى عُدَّت مَناقِبُهُ

عَفٌّ كَريمٌ مَتى عُدَّت مَناقِبُهُ

كانا سَواءً لَدَيهِ الدينُ وَالحَسَبُ

كانا سَواءً لَدَيهِ الدينُ وَالحَسَبُ

Upright and generous, whenever his virtues are counted,

Nobility is gracious—when its virtues are counted,

Faith and ancestral honor stand equal in him.

Faith and merit are equal in its view.

آلُ الجُنَيدِ بنِ فَوريدٍ أَرومَتُهُ

آلُ الجُنَيدِ بنِ فَوريدٍ أَرومَتُهُ

وَالفَرُّخانُ لَهُ مِن قَبلِ ذاكَ أَبُ

وَالفَرُّخانُ لَهُ مِن قَبلِ ذاكَ أَبُ

The house of al-Junayd ibn Fawrid is his ancestral stock,

The Junayd clan of Furayd raised him,

And al-Farrukhan, earlier still, is his forefather.

And the Farrokhans before that were his ancestors.

وَقَد أَنافَ بِهِ الصَبّاحُ مُعتَلِياً

وَقَد أَنافَ بِهِ الصَبّاحُ مُعتَلِياً

في رُتبَةٍ تَتَكافا تَحتَها الرُتَبُ

في رُتبَةٍ تَتَكافا تَحتَها الرُتَبُ

And al-Sabbah has raised him high,

Therewith the morning star rose up high

To a rank beneath which all ranks stand equal.

To a rank beneath which all ranks bow.

أَمّا الخَراجُ فَقَد أُعطي مَقادَتَهُ

أَمّا الخَراجُ فَقَد أُعطي مَقادَتَهُ

وَاِستُؤنِفَ الجِدُّ فيهِ وَاِنقَضى اللَعِبُ

وَاِستُؤنِفَ الجِدُّ فيهِ وَاِنقَضى اللَعِبُ

As for the land tax, he has been handed its reins;

The land tax has been granted its due measure

And earnest work in it has resumed, and frivolity is over.

And seriousness has been restored to it, playfulness concluded.

قَد سُمِّحَ القَومُ عَنهُ بَعدَما مَنَعوا

قَد سُمِّحَ القَومُ عَنهُ بَعدَما مَنَعوا

وَخُفِّضَ القَولُ فيهِ بَعدَما شَغَبوا

وَخُفِّضَ القَولُ فيهِ بَعدَما شَغَبوا

The people have been made willing to yield it, after withholding it,

The people were allowed it after being deprived of it,

And talk about it has been quieted, after they raised a clamor.

And talk of it was softened after they clamored.

ظَلّوا يُؤَدّونَ حَقَّ اللَهِ عِندَهُمُ

ظَلّوا يُؤَدّونَ حَقَّ اللَهِ عِندَهُمُ

وَيَعجَبونَ وَما في ما أَتَوا عَجَبُ

وَيَعجَبونَ وَما في ما أَتَوا عَجَبُ

They continued paying God's due in their keeping,

They continued to pay God His right with them,

And marveling, though nothing they did was marvelous.

And they are amazed, though there is no wonder in what they came to.

جِدُّ اِمرِئٍ لَم يُلَبَّث عَن عَزيمَتِهِ

جِدُّ اِمرِئٍ لَم يُلَبَّث عَن عَزيمَتِهِ

وَلا يُشارِفُ إِفراطاً بِهِ الغَضَبُ

وَلا يُشارِفُ إِفراطاً بِهِ الغَضَبُ

The earnestness of a man never held back from his resolve,

The dedication of a man whose resolve has not weakened,

And in whom anger never verges on excess.

Nor does excess anger infect it.

إِن سارَعوا كانَ بَذلُ العُرفِ غايَتَهُ

إِن سارَعوا كانَ بَذلُ العُرفِ غايَتَهُ

وَإِن وَنَوا كانَ مِنهُ الجِدُّ وَالطَلَبُ

وَإِن وَنَوا كانَ مِنهُ الجِدُّ وَالطَلَبُ

If they act promptly, his aim is to bestow kindness;

If they are quick, fulfilling custom is its goal,

And if they slacken, from him come firmness and demands.

And if they deliberate, earnestness and seeking are from it.

وَبارِزُ الوَجهِ يُبديهِ البَيانُ وَكَم

وَبارِزُ الوَجهِ يُبديهِ البَيانُ وَكَم

عَيٍّ تُغَطّي عَلى مَكنونِهِ الحُجُبُ

عَيٍّ تُغَطّي عَلى مَكنونِهِ الحُجُبُ

And open-faced, revealed by eloquence—how many

Eloquent speech reveals it, though how many

A tongue-tied man's hidden nature is shrouded by veils!

Blemishes does it cover over its hidden parts?

لا يَبلُغُ الناسُ جَهداً عَفوَ سُؤدُدِهِ

لا يَبلُغُ الناسُ جَهداً عَفوَ سُؤدُدِهِ

وَلا تُعيرُ أَكُفَّ الناسَ ما يَهَبُ

وَلا تُعيرُ أَكُفَّ الناسَ ما يَهَبُ

People cannot reach by striving his effortless nobility,

People cannot fully attain the forgiveness of its severity,

Nor do people's hands lend what he freely gives.

Nor does the refusing of hands censure those who bestow.

تومي إِلى العَدَدِ الأَقصى مَآثِرُهُ

تومي إِلى العَدَدِ الأَقصى مَآثِرُهُ

حَتّى يُنافِسَ فيهِ عُجمَهُ العَرَبُ

حَتّى يُنافِسَ فيهِ عُجمَهُ العَرَبُ

His glorious deeds point toward the highest tally,

Count its remarkable deeds up to the greatest number,

Until Arabs vie with his non-Arab kin in that reckoning.

Until among them the non-Arabs rival the Arabs.