طَيفٌ تَأَوَّبَ مِن سُعدى فَحَيّاني

طَيفٌ تَأَوَّبَ مِن سُعدى فَحَيّاني

أَهواهُ وَهوَ بُعَيدَ النَومِ يَهواني

أَهواهُ وَهوَ بُعَيدَ النَومِ يَهواني

A phantom from Su'da came by night and greeted me.

A vision came to me from Su’day, reviving me,

I love it, and soon after I fall asleep, it loves me.

I loved him though he was deep in slumber unaware of me.

فَيا لَها زَورَةً يُشفى الغَليلُ بِها

فَيا لَها زَورَةً يُشفى الغَليلُ بِها

لَو أَنَّها جُلِبَت يَقظى لِيَقظانِ

لَو أَنَّها جُلِبَت يَقظى لِيَقظانِ

And oh, what a visit, quenching burning longing—

Oh, such a lovely vision that heals my torment,

if only she were brought awake to one awake!

If only it came when I was awake to awaken me!

مَهزوزَةٌ إِن مَشَت لَم تُلفَ هِزَّتُها

مَهزوزَةٌ إِن مَشَت لَم تُلفَ هِزَّتُها

لِلخَيزُرانِ وَلَم توجَد مَعَ البانِ

لِلخَيزُرانِ وَلَم توجَد مَعَ البانِ

She sways when she walks; no such sway is found

Swaying as she walked, her swaying could not be hidden

in bamboo, nor in the bān tree.

By the scent of mint, nor was mint found with sweet basil.

يُدني الكَرى شَخصَها مِنّي وَيوقِظُني

يُدني الكَرى شَخصَها مِنّي وَيوقِظُني

وَجدٌ فَيُبعِدُ مِنّي طَيفَها الداني

وَجدٌ فَيُبعِدُ مِنّي طَيفَها الداني

Slumber draws her form near me, and I am awakened

Fate brought her image near me and awoke me,

by longing, which drives her nearby phantom far from me.

Then passion took her phantom image away from me.

حَلَفتُ بِالقُربِ بَعدَ البُعدِ مِن سَكَنٍ

حَلَفتُ بِالقُربِ بَعدَ البُعدِ مِن سَكَنٍ

وَبِالوِصالِ أَتى في إِثرِ هِجرانِ

وَبِالوِصالِ أَتى في إِثرِ هِجرانِ

I swore by nearness after distance from a beloved,

I swore by nearness after distance from a home,

and by reunion that came in the wake of estrangement,

And union that came after separation's adversity.

أَنَّ اِبنَ مِصقَلَةَ البَكرِيَّ دافَعَ لي

أَنَّ اِبنَ مِصقَلَةَ البَكرِيَّ دافَعَ لي

عَن نِعمَتي وَكفاني العُظمَ مِن شاني

عَن نِعمَتي وَكفاني العُظمَ مِن شاني

that Ibn Misqala al-Bakri defended on my behalf

That the son of Miskalah al-Bakri protected me

my prosperity, and handled the bulk of my affairs.

And sufficed me from the greatness of my troubles.

مُهَذَّبٌ لَم يَزَل يَسمو إِلى كَرَمٍ

مُهَذَّبٌ لَم يَزَل يَسمو إِلى كَرَمٍ

مُجَدَّدٍ لَيسَ يُبليهِ الجَديدانِ

مُجَدَّدٍ لَيسَ يُبليهِ الجَديدانِ

A man of refinement, ever rising toward nobility

Well-mannered, he continued to rise to generosity,

renewed, which the two ever-new ones—night and day—cannot wear away.

Renewed, not worn by time or fate.

خِرقٌ مَتى خِفتُ مِن دَهرٍ تَصَرُّفُهُ

خِرقٌ مَتى خِفتُ مِن دَهرٍ تَصَرُّفُهُ

كانَ المُجيرَ عَلَيهِ دونَ إِخواني

كانَ المُجيرَ عَلَيهِ دونَ إِخواني

A resourceful man: whenever I feared the turns of Time,

A refuge - when I feared the turns of fate -

he, not my companions, was my protector against it.

Was my protector, unlike any brethren.

أَغَرُّ كَالقَمَرِ المَسعودِ طَلعَتُهُ

أَغَرُّ كَالقَمَرِ المَسعودِ طَلعَتُهُ

إِذا تَبَلَّجَ عَن طولٍ وَإِحسانِ

إِذا تَبَلَّجَ عَن طولٍ وَإِحسانِ

Radiant as the moon whose rising is auspicious,

Dazzling as the auspicious rising moon

when he shines forth with bounty and beneficence.

When it shines after a long time and well-being.

يَندى حَياءٍ وَتَندى كَفُّهُ كَرَماً

يَندى حَياءٍ وَتَندى كَفُّهُ كَرَماً

كَاللَيثِ تَخلِجُهُ في الجَوِّ ريحانِ

كَاللَيثِ تَخلِجُهُ في الجَوِّ ريحانِ

He grows dewy with modesty, and his palm with generosity,

Modesty makes him blush, generosity makes his palm bleed

like a lion tugged by two winds in the air.

Like a lion stirred in its den by the scent of basil.

إِسلَم أَبا الصَقرِ لِلمَعروفِ تَصنَعُهُ

إِسلَم أَبا الصَقرِ لِلمَعروفِ تَصنَعُهُ

وَالمَجدِ تَبنيهِ في ذُهلِ بنِ شَيبانِ

وَالمَجدِ تَبنيهِ في ذُهلِ بنِ شَيبانِ

Remain safe, O Abu al-Saqr, for the kindness you bestow,

Submit, Abu Sakhr, to benevolence, it is your making,

and the glory you build in the clan of Dhuhl ibn Shayban.

And glory, built in the awe of Bani Shayban.

قَد أَلقَتِ الغَرَبُ الآمالَ راغِبَةً

قَد أَلقَتِ الغَرَبُ الآمالَ راغِبَةً

إِلَيكَ مِن مُجتَدٍ جَدوى وَمِن جانِ

إِلَيكَ مِن مُجتَدٍ جَدوى وَمِن جانِ

The West has eagerly cast its hopes

The West has surrendered its hopes, desiring you,

on you—from bounty-seeker and offender alike.

Whether from a new endeavor or an old companionship.

فَالنَيلُ لِلمُعتَفي يَلقَونَهُ أَبَداً

فَالنَيلُ لِلمُعتَفي يَلقَونَهُ أَبَداً

لَدَيكَ مُقتَبَلاً وَالفَكُّ لِلعاني

لَدَيكَ مُقتَبَلاً وَالفَكُّ لِلعاني

So bounty is for the supplicant; they always find it

So the Nile meets the confessor eternally through you,

fresh with you, and release is for the captive.

Welcomed, while disappointment is for the complainer.