أَهذي كَفُّهُ أَم غَوثُ غَيثٍ

أَهذي كَفُّهُ أَم غَوثُ غَيثٍ

وَلا بَلَغَ السَحابُ وَلا كَرامَه

وَلا بَلَغَ السَحابُ وَلا كَرامَه

Is this his hand, or the succor of rain?

Is this his palm or the help of pouring rain,

And the clouds have not matched it—no honor to them.

Nor has the cloud reached its full height and honor,

وَهَذا بِشرُهُ أَم لَمعُ بَرقٍ

وَهَذا بِشرُهُ أَم لَمعُ بَرقٍ

وَمَن لِلبَرقِ فينا بِالإِقامَه

وَمَن لِلبَرقِ فينا بِالإِقامَه

And is this his cheerful countenance, or a flash of lightning?

Is this his good news or the flash of lightning,

And who can make lightning linger among us?

And who will make the lightning stay with us,

وَهَذا الجَيشُ أَم صَرفُ اللَيالي

وَهَذا الجَيشُ أَم صَرفُ اللَيالي

وَلا سَبَقَت حَوادِثُها زَحامَه

وَلا سَبَقَت حَوادِثُها زَحامَه

And is this the army, or the vicissitudes of the nights?

Is this army or the passage of nights,

Nor have their calamities outstripped its throng.

Nor have its events outrun their rush,

وَهَذا الدَهرُ أَم عَبدٌ لَدَيهِ

وَهَذا الدَهرُ أَم عَبدٌ لَدَيهِ

يُصَرِّفُ عَن عَزيمَتِهِ زِمامَه

يُصَرِّفُ عَن عَزيمَتِهِ زِمامَه

And is this Time, or a slave at his side,

Is this time or a slave under its command,

Whose reins he directs as his resolve dictates?

Who turns its will's reins away from it,

وَهَذا نَصلُ غِمدٍ أَم هِلالٌ

وَهَذا نَصلُ غِمدٍ أَم هِلالٌ

إِذا أَمسى كَنونٍ أَم قُلامَه

إِذا أَمسى كَنونٍ أَم قُلامَه

And is this a scabbard's blade, or a crescent,

Is this a sword's blade or crescent moon,

When evening comes, like the letter nūn—or a nail-paring?

When dusk descends, a starling or dove,

وَهذا التُربُ أَم خَدٌّ لَثَمنا

وَهذا التُربُ أَم خَدٌّ لَثَمنا

فَآثارُ الشِفاهِ عَلَيهِ شامَه

فَآثارُ الشِفاهِ عَلَيهِ شامَه

And is this dust, or a cheek we kissed?

Is this dust or a cheek where my kisses

For the traces of lips upon it are a beauty mark.

Left their lip-prints stamped on it forever,

وَهَذا الدُرُّ مَنثورٌ وَلَكِن

وَهَذا الدُرُّ مَنثورٌ وَلَكِن

أَروني غَيرَ أَقلامي نِظامَه

أَروني غَيرَ أَقلامي نِظامَه

And these pearls are scattered, yet

Are these pearls scattered or can you show me,

Show me their string, other than my pens.

A necklace with another sort of thread,

وَهَذي رَوضَةٌ تَندى وَسَطري

وَهَذي رَوضَةٌ تَندى وَسَطري

بِها غُصنٌ وَقافِيَتي حَمامَه

بِها غُصنٌ وَقافِيَتي حَمامَه

And this is a dewy garden, and my written line

This is a garden freshly watered, and branches

Is a branch within it, and my rhyme a dove.

Of verse whose rhymes are like ringdoves,

وَهَذا الكَأسُ رُوِّقَ مِن بَناني

وَهَذا الكَأسُ رُوِّقَ مِن بَناني

وَذِكرُكَ كانَ مِن مِسكٍ خِتامَه

وَذِكرُكَ كانَ مِن مِسكٍ خِتامَه

And this cup was drawn clear from my fingertips,

This is a cup flavored by wild mint,

And mention of you was its seal of musk.

And so was your memory the seal of musk.