فُديتَ أَبا عَمروٍ مِن فَتى

فُديتَ أَبا عَمروٍ مِن فَتى

مَتى يُختبر غيبُه يُحمَدِ

مَتى يُختبر غيبُه يُحمَدِ

May I be your ransom, Abu Amr—what a youth!

I ransom Abu Amr from a young man

Whenever his private conduct is tested, he wins praise.

When will his unseen merits be tested and praised?

وِدادٌ صَحيح وَخُلقٌ مَليحٌ

وِدادٌ صَحيح وَخُلقٌ مَليحٌ

وَنُطقٌ فَصيحٌ لَدى المشهدِ

وَنُطقٌ فَصيحٌ لَدى المشهدِ

True affection and a pleasing character,

True affection and beautiful morals,

and eloquent speech before the gathering.

Eloquent speech before witnesses.

أَتَتني البَديهَةُ تندى بَديعاً

أَتَتني البَديهَةُ تندى بَديعاً

وَأَبدَعُ ما في الرياضِ النَدِي

وَأَبدَعُ ما في الرياضِ النَدِي

The impromptu poem reached me, dewy with marvels—

Spontaneity came to me composing wonders,

and dew is the loveliest thing in gardens—

And composing the finest in gardens and meadows.

أزاهِرُ لَم تُنتشق بالأنو

أزاهِرُ لَم تُنتشق بالأنو

فِ لُطفا وَلا جُنِيَت باليَدِ

فِ لُطفا وَلا جُنِيَت باليَدِ

flowers never smelled by noses,

Flowers not yet smelled or plucked

so delicate, nor plucked by hand.

With gentle hands or grasped tightly.

خجِلتُ لِشَكواكَ في طيِّها

خجِلتُ لِشَكواكَ في طيِّها

فَما كِدتُ أَسمَعُ لِلمُنشِدِ

فَما كِدتُ أَسمَعُ لِلمُنشِدِ

I felt ashamed at your complaint folded within it,

I'm shy to complain of its folds,

so I could scarcely listen to the reciter.

I can barely hear the reciter.

وَقَد عَبّرتْ لَكَ تِلكَ الرُؤى

وَقَد عَبّرتْ لَكَ تِلكَ الرُؤى

لِيَشبَعَ طاوٍ وَيَروى صدِي

لِيَشبَعَ طاوٍ وَيَروى صدِي

And those visions have been interpreted for you,

And those visions have expressed to you

so a hungry man may be sated and a thirsty man quenched.

To satisfy a yearning and quench a thirst.

فَهَوِّن عَلَيكَ مِنَ النائِبات

فَهَوِّن عَلَيكَ مِنَ النائِبات

إِذا كانَ نَصري بالمرصدِ

إِذا كانَ نَصري بالمرصدِ

So take misfortunes lightly,

So lighten your burdens from adversities

when my aid stands on watch.

If my help is at the watch.

وكن مُخبِري إِنَّني سائِلٌ

وكن مُخبِري إِنَّني سائِلٌ

سُؤالَ مُدلٍّ عَلى مُسعَدِ

سُؤالَ مُدلٍّ عَلى مُسعَدِ

And tell me, for I am asking,

And inform me, for I ask

with an intimate's confidence toward a favored man:

A question that points to good fortune.

فَجاءَتكَ صَفراءَ عِندَ المَنا

فَجاءَتكَ صَفراءَ عِندَ المَنا

مِ تَسري مِنَ الأُفُق الأَبعَدِ

مِ تَسري مِنَ الأُفُق الأَبعَدِ

then a yellow-hued visitor came to you in sleep,

So it came to you yellow at dusk

journeying by night from the farthest horizon.

Flowing from the furthest horizon.

فَحَيتكَ بِالنَفسِ النَرجسيّ

فَحَيتكَ بِالنَفسِ النَرجسيّ

وَلاقَتكَ بِالمَلبس العَسجَدي

وَلاقَتكَ بِالمَلبس العَسجَدي

Then she greeted you with narcissus-scented breath,

I greeted you with a conceited soul

and met you in golden raiment,

And it met you in splendid attire.

وَعَلَّتكَ بالريقِ لَو أَنَّهُ

وَعَلَّتكَ بالريقِ لَو أَنَّهُ

أُبيحَ لِذي الزُهدِ لَم يَزهَدِ

أُبيحَ لِذي الزُهدِ لَم يَزهَدِ

and gave you another draught of her saliva—had it

And exalted you with saliva, if only

been permitted to an ascetic, he would not have abstained.

The ascetic would not abstain if allowed.