جَيبُ الرَّبيعِ عَلى الإحسانِ مَزرورُ

جَيبُ الرَّبيعِ عَلى الإحسانِ مَزرورُ

وَذَيلُهُ بِبَديعِ الحُسنِ مَجرورُ

وَذَيلُهُ بِبَديعِ الحُسنِ مَجرورُ

Spring's neckline is buttoned over bounty,

The spring's pocket is filled with kindness

and its hem trails in wondrous beauty.

And its tail is drawn with the finest beauty

فَصلٌ تَبَسَّمَ عَن زُهرٍ وَعَن زَهَرٍ

فَصلٌ تَبَسَّمَ عَن زُهرٍ وَعَن زَهَرٍ

فَلاحَ لِلناظِرينَ النَّورُ وَالنورُ

فَلاحَ لِلناظِرينَ النَّورُ وَالنورُ

A season smiled, revealing brightness and blossoms,

A season that smiled with blossoms upon blossoms

so blossom and light shone before the beholders.

Its light and light shone for onlookers

لِلمِسكِ في الزَّهرِ فاراتٌ يُذَبِّحُها

لِلمِسكِ في الزَّهرِ فاراتٌ يُذَبِّحُها

نَسيمُهُ فَهوَ مَسحوقٌ فَمَذرورُ

نَسيمُهُ فَهوَ مَسحوقٌ فَمَذرورُ

Musk has pods amid the flowers, slaughtered by

The musk has sighs in the flowers which

its breeze: it is ground, then scattered.

Its breeze slaughters, so it is crushed and scattered

عَن زَعفَرانٍ رَنَت أَحداقُ نَرجِسِهِ

عَن زَعفَرانٍ رَنَت أَحداقُ نَرجِسِهِ

عَلى الزُمُرُّدِ وَالأَجفانُ كافورُ

عَلى الزُمُرُّدِ وَالأَجفانُ كافورُ

Its narcissus eyes gaze out of saffron

The narcissus blossoms rang out saffron

upon emerald, their eyelids camphor.

On emeralds and eyelids like camphor

أَما تَرى كيّماوِيَّ الرَبيع وَقَد

أَما تَرى كيّماوِيَّ الرَبيع وَقَد

وافاهُ بِالنجحِ تَصعيدٌ وَتَقطيرُ

وافاهُ بِالنجحِ تَصعيدٌ وَتَقطيرُ

Do you not see spring's alchemist, when

Don’t you see how the spring rains down its bounty

sublimation and distillation have brought him success?

With success, ascent, and dripping

نِثارُهُ كُلَّما هَبَّ النَسيمُ عَلى ال

نِثارُهُ كُلَّما هَبَّ النَسيمُ عَلى ال

أَرضِ الدَراهِمُ بيضاً وَالدَنانيرُ

أَرضِ الدَراهِمُ بيضاً وَالدَنانيرُ

The gifts it strews, whenever the breeze blows over the

Its scattering whenever the breeze blows upon the

earth, are white dirhams and dinars.

Land silver coins and gold dinars

كَأَنَّ غُدرانَهُ راحٌ مُشَعشَعَةٌ

كَأَنَّ غُدرانَهُ راحٌ مُشَعشَعَةٌ

فَرَوضُهُ مُنتَشٍ وَالزَهرُ مَخمورُ

فَرَوضُهُ مُنتَشٍ وَالزَهرُ مَخمورُ

Its pools seem wine diluted with water,

As if its meadows are shining comets

its meadow tipsy and its flowers drunk.

Its horses frisky and the flowers intoxicated

وَلِلطُيورِ عَلى دَوحاتِهِ طَرَبٌ

وَلِلطُيورِ عَلى دَوحاتِهِ طَرَبٌ

كَأَنَّما تُلِيَت فيها المَزاميرُ

كَأَنَّما تُلِيَت فيها المَزاميرُ

The birds find rapture upon its great trees,

And for the birds upon its prairies, delight

as though the Psalms were recited among them.

As if lutes were played among them

عيدانُ ناياتِها تَحتَ البَلابِلِ كَال

عيدانُ ناياتِها تَحتَ البَلابِلِ كَال

قِيانِ ناياتُها تِلكَ المَناقيرُ

قِيانِ ناياتُها تِلكَ المَناقيرُ

Their flute-stems beneath the nightingales are like

The sticks of their lutes beneath the nightingales like

singing girls whose flutes are those beaks.

The sticks of those beaks are those feathers

كَم بُلبُلٍ وَهَزارٍ ما دَعا سحراً

كَم بُلبُلٍ وَهَزارٍ ما دَعا سحراً

إِلّا وَلَبّاهُ قُمرِيٌّ وَشَحرورُ

إِلّا وَلَبّاهُ قُمرِيٌّ وَشَحرورُ

Many a bulbul and nightingale called before dawn,

How many nightingales and thousands, the dawn didn’t call

only to have a turtledove and blackbird answer.

Except they answered, moons and Pleiades

فَكُلُّ عودٍ بِها عودٌ يُحَرَّقُ أَو

فَكُلُّ عودٍ بِها عودٌ يُحَرَّقُ أَو

عودٌ يُحَرَّكُ مِنهُ البَمُّ وَالزيرُ

عودٌ يُحَرَّكُ مِنهُ البَمُّ وَالزيرُ

Thus every branch there is aloeswood burned, or

So every branch among them is a branch set aflame or

a lute whose bass and treble strings are set vibrating.

A branch stirred from which comes the bass and melody

دِمَشقُ جَنَّةُ عَدنٍ ما يُفارِقُها

دِمَشقُ جَنَّةُ عَدنٍ ما يُفارِقُها

رضوانُ ذو البشرِ وَالوِلدانُ وَالحورُ

رضوانُ ذو البشرِ وَالوِلدانُ وَالحورُ

Damascus is a Garden of Eden, never forsaken by

Damascus is the Garden of Eden, never leaving it

cheerful Ridwan, the youths, and the houris.

Are Ridwan, the black-eyed boys, and the houris

ما هَبَّ لِلصَبِّ مَمدودُ الهَواءِ بِها

ما هَبَّ لِلصَبِّ مَمدودُ الهَواءِ بِها

إِلّا اِستَقَرَّ هَوىً في القَلبِ مَقصورُ

إِلّا اِستَقَرَّ هَوىً في القَلبِ مَقصورُ

No lengthened 'air' ever blows there upon the lover

No zealous youth came to it

but shortened 'love' settles in the heart.

Except settled desire dwelled confined in his heart

وَوَردُها كَخُدودِ الغيدِ رانِيَةً

وَوَردُها كَخُدودِ الغيدِ رانِيَةً

سيقَت إِلى سوقِها مِنهُ بَواكيرُ

سيقَت إِلى سوقِها مِنهُ بَواكيرُ

Its roses are like the cheeks of gazing beauties;

And its roses like reddened cheeks brought early

their earliest blooms were brought to its market.

To its market from it the first fruits

تَقولُ حينَ بِها أَنهارُها اِصطَفَقَت

تَقولُ حينَ بِها أَنهارُها اِصطَفَقَت

أَحَلَّ ثَلجٌ بِها أَم ذابَ بَلّورُ

أَحَلَّ ثَلجٌ بِها أَم ذابَ بَلّورُ

You say, when its rivers surge together,

You would say when its rivers gurgle

'Has snow settled here, or has crystal melted?'

Did snow settle in it or melted crystal

كَم جَدوَلٍ عِندَهُ سِربٌ يُسَرُّ بِهِ

كَم جَدوَلٍ عِندَهُ سِربٌ يُسَرُّ بِهِ

فَسِربُهُ آمِنٌ وَالماءُ مَذعورُ

فَسِربُهُ آمِنٌ وَالماءُ مَذعورُ

Many a brook has a flock beside it, gladdened by it;

How many streams among which are flocks delighted

its flock is safe, while the water is frightened.

So their flocks are safe and the water tumultuous

وَكَم أَكُفِّ يَواقيتٍ مُخَتَّمَةٍ

وَكَم أَكُفِّ يَواقيتٍ مُخَتَّمَةٍ

وَحَليُها ذَلِكَ المَنظومُ مَنثورُ

وَحَليُها ذَلِكَ المَنظومُ مَنثورُ

And many hands of rubies are ring-adorned,

And how many clenched fists of sealed rubies

their jewelry, those strung gems, scattered.

And their jewelry is that strung scatter

كَأَنَّما اِنبَسَطَت تَدعو لِخالِقِنا

كَأَنَّما اِنبَسَطَت تَدعو لِخالِقِنا

أَن لا يَمَسَّ ضياءَ الدينِ مَحذورُ

أَن لا يَمَسَّ ضياءَ الدينِ مَحذورُ

As though they spread themselves to pray to our Creator

As if laid out calling for our Creator

that no dreaded harm should touch Diya al-Din.

That the light of faith not be touched by harm

هُوَ الإِمامُ الَّذي مَدحُ العُفاةِ لَهُ

هُوَ الإِمامُ الَّذي مَدحُ العُفاةِ لَهُ

حَقٌّ وَكُلُّ مَديحٍ غَيرَهُ زورُ

حَقٌّ وَكُلُّ مَديحٍ غَيرَهُ زورُ

He is the imam for whom the bounty-seekers' praise

He is the Imam whom the chaste praise

is rightfully due; all praise of another is false.

Is right and any other praise is false

في كُلِّ فَضلٍ لَهُ فَصلُ الرَبيعِ فَذا

في كُلِّ فَضلٍ لَهُ فَصلُ الرَبيعِ فَذا

كَ الفَصلُ في الزَمَنِ المشكُوِّ مَشكورُ

كَ الفَصلُ في الزَمَنِ المشكُوِّ مَشكورُ

In every excellence, spring's season is his; thus that

In every virtue he has a spring chapter so that

season is praised in an age men complain of.

Chapter is like the auspicious time, honored

أَضحى بِهِ الجَورُ مَطوِيَّ البِساطِ فَلَم

أَضحى بِهِ الجَورُ مَطوِيَّ البِساطِ فَلَم

يُنشَر وَمِنهُ بِساطُ العَدلِ مَنشورُ

يُنشَر وَمِنهُ بِساطُ العَدلِ مَنشورُ

Through him, tyranny's carpet lies rolled up and has not

Through him oppression folded its carpet so it wasn’t spread

been spread; from him justice's carpet lies spread.

And through him the carpet of justice spread

يا مَن يُساجِلُهُ اِربَع عَلى ظَلَعٍ

يا مَن يُساجِلُهُ اِربَع عَلى ظَلَعٍ

عَجزاً فَإِنَّكَ في التَقصيرِ مَعذورُ

عَجزاً فَإِنَّكَ في التَقصيرِ مَعذورُ

O you who rival him, go gently with your limp,

O you who compete against him by fours bound together

in your weakness, for you are excused for falling short.

In falling short you are excused

وَإِن أَبَيتَ لَهُ إِلّا مُسابَقَةً

وَإِن أَبَيتَ لَهُ إِلّا مُسابَقَةً

فَاِعلَم بِأَنَّكَ فيما رُمتَ مَغرورُ

فَاِعلَم بِأَنَّكَ فيما رُمتَ مَغرورُ

And if you insist on nothing but racing him,

And if you insist to race him

know that you are deluded in what you seek.

Know that you are deluded in what you attempted

لَو سابَقَتهُ الرِياحُ الهوجُ لَاِنخَزَلَت

لَو سابَقَتهُ الرِياحُ الهوجُ لَاِنخَزَلَت

طَريحَةً لَم يبن عَن جَريِها المورُ

طَريحَةً لَم يبن عَن جَريِها المورُ

If the raging winds raced him, they would fall back,

If the head winds raced him they would stumble

cast down, with no turbulence of their racing apparent.

Fallen, from his running the poles wouldn’t steadfast remain

وَالبَحرُ يَعجَزُ عَن يُمناهُ مُطلَقَةً

وَالبَحرُ يَعجَزُ عَن يُمناهُ مُطلَقَةً

بِجودِهِ فائِضاً وَالبَحرُ مَسجورُ

بِجودِهِ فائِضاً وَالبَحرُ مَسجورُ

The sea falls short of his right hand, freely

And the sea falls short of his open-handedness

overflowing with his bounty, while the sea is held in bounds.

Overflowing though confined

دِمَشقُ ظاهِرُها أَضحى وَباطِنُها

دِمَشقُ ظاهِرُها أَضحى وَباطِنُها

كِلاهُما مُشرِقٌ بِالحُسنِ مَعمورُ

كِلاهُما مُشرِقٌ بِالحُسنِ مَعمورُ

The outer and inner parts of Damascus have become

Damascus’s exterior and interior

both radiant and filled with beauty.

Both have become radiant with beauty, prosperous

هُناكَ دارا ضِياءِ الدينِ يَقصُرُ عَن

هُناكَ دارا ضِياءِ الدينِ يَقصُرُ عَن

هُما قُصورُ المُلوكِ الشُمِّ وَالدورُ

هُما قُصورُ المُلوكِ الشُمِّ وَالدورُ

There are Diya al-Din's two houses; falling short of

Therein are the houses of Dhiya al-Din that palaces of

them both are the palaces and dwellings of lofty kings.

Kings and abodes fall short of

لما أُديرَت بِباناسَ النَواعيرُ

لما أُديرَت بِباناسَ النَواعيرُ

بِالدارِ قُلنا أُثيرَت بِالنَّوَى عيرُ

بِالدارِ قُلنا أُثيرَت بِالنَّوَى عيرُ

When the waterwheels were set turning at Banas,

When the channels were turned in it with spouts

in the house, we said, 'A caravan is stirred by parting.'

We said millet was threshed in it

يَدعُّ في صَدرِها دَعّاً بِراحَتِهِ

يَدعُّ في صَدرِها دَعّاً بِراحَتِهِ

فَتَنثَني وَلَها جدٌّ وَتَشميرُ

فَتَنثَني وَلَها جدٌّ وَتَشميرُ

He thrusts hard against her breast with his palm,

He pats with his calm therein

and she turns, full of zeal and exertion.

So it sways having backbone and resolve

تَبكي عَلَيهِ اِشتِياقاً إِذ يُعانِقُها

تَبكي عَلَيهِ اِشتِياقاً إِذ يُعانِقُها

كَما بَكى في زَمانِ الهَجرِ مَهجورُ

كَما بَكى في زَمانِ الهَجرِ مَهجورُ

She weeps for him in longing as he embraces her,

It weeps longing when he embraces it

as one forsaken wept in a time of estrangement.

Like the abandoned wept in the time of estrangement

لَها حنينٌ حَنينَ النيبِ تُفصَلُ عَن

لَها حنينٌ حَنينَ النيبِ تُفصَلُ عَن

فصلانِها فَهيَ صُعرٌ نَحوَها صورُ

فصلانِها فَهيَ صُعرٌ نَحوَها صورُ

Her moaning is the moaning of aged she-camels parted from

It has a yearning, the yearning of the Prophet when separated

their calves, necks bent and turned toward them.

From his separations, so it sways toward him, images

كَذاكَ كَفُّ ضِياءِ الدينِ نائِلُها

كَذاكَ كَفُّ ضِياءِ الدينِ نائِلُها

بِالبَدءِ وَالعَودِ مَشهودٌ وَمَشهورُ

بِالبَدءِ وَالعَودِ مَشهودٌ وَمَشهورُ

So too is Diya al-Din's hand: its bounty,

Thus is the palm of Dhiya al-Din, attaining it

in first giving and renewed giving, is witnessed and renowned.

At first and return witnessed and well-known

أَقسَمتُ ما الرّاحُ راحُ الشامِ أَبرَزَها ال

أَقسَمتُ ما الرّاحُ راحُ الشامِ أَبرَزَها ال

راوونَ فَاِمتَلَأَت مِنها قَواريرُ

راوونَ فَاِمتَلَأَت مِنها قَواريرُ

I swear, no wine—Syria's wine, brought forth by the

I swear the Damascus wind didn’t bring out

bearers, so that flasks were filled with it,

An aroma except it filled from it flasks

صَفَت وراقَت فَأَهدَت مِن أَشِعَّتِها

صَفَت وراقَت فَأَهدَت مِن أَشِعَّتِها

لِلشَّربِ أَردِيَةً مَنسوجُها نورُ

لِلشَّربِ أَردِيَةً مَنسوجُها نورُ

clear and lovely, bestowing from its rays

It was fragrant and tendered from its radiance

on the drinkers robes woven of light,

For drinking a satin its weave light

تَأَرَّجَت فَتَوَلّى المِسكُ مُنخَزِلاً

تَأَرَّجَت فَتَوَلّى المِسكُ مُنخَزِلاً

وَقَلبُهُ حَسَداً لِلعَرفِ مَكسورُ

وَقَلبُهُ حَسَداً لِلعَرفِ مَكسورُ

wafting fragrance till musk withdrew defeated,

It was aromatic so musk went gathering

its heart broken with envy of that perfume,

Its heart jealous of the scent broken

وَماءُ وَردِ نَصيبين اِنثَنى خَجَلاً

وَماءُ وَردِ نَصيبين اِنثَنى خَجَلاً

مِن نَشرِها فَهوَ مَغلوبٌ فَمَقهورُ

مِن نَشرِها فَهوَ مَغلوبٌ فَمَقهورُ

and Nisibin's rosewater turned aside in shame

And the Naseebiin rose water bent shyly

before its scent, vanquished and overpowered—

From its scattering, so it is defeated, subdued

يَوماً بِأَصفى وَلا أَذكى إِذا ذُكِرَت

يَوماً بِأَصفى وَلا أَذكى إِذا ذُكِرَت

في الدَهرِ أَخلاقُهُ الغُرُّ المَشاهيرُ

في الدَهرِ أَخلاقُهُ الغُرُّ المَشاهيرُ

was ever purer or more fragrant, when one recalls

One day, the purest and brightest, when his sublime character

through time his radiant, renowned virtues.

Is mentioned in time, the illustrious

أَنتُم بَنو الشَهرَزورِيِّ الكِرامُ لَكُم

أَنتُم بَنو الشَهرَزورِيِّ الكِرامُ لَكُم

مَدحٌ يَسيرُ بِهِ الراوونَ مَأثورُ

مَدحٌ يَسيرُ بِهِ الراوونَ مَأثورُ

You, noble sons of al-Shahrazuri, have

You are the noble Shaahruuri, for you

handed-down praise that reciters carry abroad.

Is easy praise the reciters repeat

لَكُم طَيالِسَةٌ لَم تَألُ تَحسُدُها ال

لَكُم طَيالِسَةٌ لَم تَألُ تَحسُدُها ال

التيجانُ مِنها لِواءُ العِلمِ مَنصورُ

التيجانُ مِنها لِواءُ العِلمِ مَنصورُ

You have mantles, ceaselessly envied by the

For you are marks never envied

crowns; through them the banner of learning triumphs.

By crowns through which the banner of knowledge victorious

تَعلو المَناكِبَ في قَلبِ المَواكِبِ تَس

تَعلو المَناكِبَ في قَلبِ المَواكِبِ تَس

مو كَالكَواكِبِ مِنها الضِدُّ مَدحورُ

مو كَالكَواكِبِ مِنها الضِدُّ مَدحورُ

They rise above shoulders amid processions and soar

It ascends the shoulders in the heart of processions proceeding

like stars; through them the foe is driven off.

Like the stars through which adversity banished

أَبا الفَضائِلِ أَبّاءَ الرَذائلِ مَن

أَبا الفَضائِلِ أَبّاءَ الرَذائلِ مَن

يَحلُل بِواديكَ يَرحَل وَهوَ مَسرورُ

يَحلُل بِواديكَ يَرحَل وَهوَ مَسرورُ

O father of virtues, spurner of vices, whoever

O father of virtues, destroyer of vice, whoever

alights in your valley departs rejoicing.

Camps in your valley travels happy

القاسِمُ المُقسِمُ المَجدُ الصَريحُ لَهُ

القاسِمُ المُقسِمُ المَجدُ الصَريحُ لَهُ

أَن لا نَظيرَ لَهُ في الخَلقِ مَنظورُ

أَن لا نَظيرَ لَهُ في الخَلقِ مَنظورُ

Al-Qasim—to him true glory swears

The Just Arbiter, the dividing of glory to him

that no equal to him is seen among mankind.

That he has no peer in creation seen

تُكسى بِهِمَّتِهِ العَليا وَهامَتِهِ

تُكسى بِهِمَّتِهِ العَليا وَهامَتِهِ

طيالِسُ الفَضلِ فَخراً وَالمَنابيرُ

طيالِسُ الفَضلِ فَخراً وَالمَنابيرُ

His lofty resolve and his head invest

The aspirations and ambitions are clothed through his

the mantles of excellence and the pulpits with pride.

Lofty resolve and the banners bow down

أَموالُهُ في اِكتِسابِ المَجدِ يُنفِقُها

أَموالُهُ في اِكتِسابِ المَجدِ يُنفِقُها

لا كَالَّذي مالُهُ بِالذَمِّ مَصرورُ

لا كَالَّذي مالُهُ بِالذَمِّ مَصرورُ

He spends his wealth in acquiring glory,

His wealth he spends in acquiring glory

not like one whose money is tied shut with blame.

Not like one whose wealth is damned accrued

وَخازِنُ المالِ كَي يَحظى سِواهُ بِهِ

وَخازِنُ المالِ كَي يَحظى سِواهُ بِهِ

بَهيمَةٌ قادَها بِالذُلِّ تَسخيرُ

بَهيمَةٌ قادَها بِالذُلِّ تَسخيرُ

And one who hoards wealth for another to enjoy

And the treasurer of money - how can he compared be to him

is a beast driven in abasement by servitude.

A beast that greed drove to vileness

لِم لَم يَكُن كَضِياءِ الدينِ يَرغَبُ في

لِم لَم يَكُن كَضِياءِ الدينِ يَرغَبُ في

حُسنِ الثَنا فَهوَ مَرجُوٌّ وَمَأجورُ

حُسنِ الثَنا فَهوَ مَرجُوٌّ وَمَأجورُ

Why is he not like Diya al-Din, eager for

Why wasn’t he like Dhiya al-Din, hoping for

fine praise? He is looked to with hope and rewarded.

Good praise, so he is hoped for and rewarded

لا زالَ مُرتَفِعاً بِالفِعلِ ناصِبَ مَن

لا زالَ مُرتَفِعاً بِالفِعلِ ناصِبَ مَن

عادى وَشانِئُهُ لِلجَزمِ مَجرورُ

عادى وَشانِئُهُ لِلجَزمِ مَجرورُ

May he ever remain exalted through deeds, wearing down those who

He still rises through action, hostile to whoever

oppose him, his hater dragged toward a decisive end.

Opposes him, and his critic constrained

وَالفَتحُ وَقفٌ عَلَيهِ وَالحَسودُ عَلى

وَالفَتحُ وَقفٌ عَلَيهِ وَالحَسودُ عَلى

وَصمٍ مِنَ الضَيمِ مَبنِيٌّ فَمَكسورُ

وَصمٍ مِنَ الضَيمِ مَبنِيٌّ فَمَكسورُ

Victory is reserved for him, while the envious man, upon

And victory halted around him while the envious

a stigma of humiliation, is fixed and broken.

Deaf to harm, built and shattered

ما عادَ عَن صور سور المَوجِ مُنهَزِماً

ما عادَ عَن صور سور المَوجِ مُنهَزِماً

وَعاشَ في العِزِّ حَتّى يُنفَخُ الصورُ

وَعاشَ في العِزِّ حَتّى يُنفَخُ الصورُ

As long as the waves' surge retreats defeated from Tyre,

He didn’t return from the forms of the tumult of waves defeated

may he live in glory until the Trumpet is blown.

And lived in honor until the trumpet is blown