1. بانُوا وَقَد أَبانُوا

    أَنَّ الهَوى الهَوانُ

    They departed, having made clear

    that love is humiliation.

  2. فَها أَنا الحَرّانُ مِن

    بَعدِهُمُ الحَيرانُ

    So here I am, burning with longing since

    their departure, bewildered.

  3. سَلَوتُ عَن صَبري وَما

    لي عَنهُمُ سُلوانُ

    I have forgotten my patience, yet

    I cannot forget them.

  4. يا واعِظي واضَيعَتي

    إِذ سارَتِ الأَظعانُ

    O my admonisher, alas for my ruin

    when the caravans set out!

  5. كادَ يَلينُ الصَّخرُ لي ال

    آنَ وَهُم ما لانُوا

    Even rock has almost softened toward me

    now, yet they have not softened.

  6. ما هاجَني إِلّا حَما

    ماتٌ لَها أَلحانُ

    Nothing stirred me but

    doves with their melodies.

  7. غَنَّينَ في الباناتِ فَاِه

    تَزَّت بِهِنَّ البانُ

    They sang among the moringa trees, and

    the moringa trees swayed to their song.

  8. كَأَنَّما العيدانُ إِذ

    غَنَّينَنا عِيدانُ

    As though the boughs, when

    the doves sang to us, were lutes.

  9. ذَكَّرنَني بِغادَةٍ

    عادَتُها الهِجرانُ

    They reminded me of a graceful maiden

    whose habit is to forsake.

  10. حورِيَّةٌ جاءَت وَلَم

    يَشعُر بِها رِضوانُ

    A houri who came without

    Ridwan noticing her.

  11. مَتى تَثَنَّت غارَتِ ال

    كُثبانُ وَالأَغصانُ

    Whenever she sways, jealous grow the

    dunes and the boughs.

  12. أَودَعَ صَحنَ خَدِّها

    تُفّاحَهُ لُبنانُ

    On the expanse of her cheek

    Lebanon has laid its apples.

  13. وَقَبلَها لَم يُرَ با

    نٌ حَملُهُ الرُمّانُ

    And before her, no one had seen a

    moringa tree bearing pomegranates.

  14. مِنها اِستَعارَتِ اللِّحا

    ظَ بِالنَّقا الغِزلانُ

    From her their glances were borrowed

    by the gazelles upon the dune.

  15. هاتِ اِسقِني ما أَودَعَت

    صُدورَها الدِّنانُ

    Bring it! Pour me what lies stored

    in the breasts of the wine jars.

  16. حَمراءُ لَم تَعبَث وحا

    شاها بِها النيرانُ

    Red wine, never tampered with—

    far be it!—by the flames.

  17. حَبابُها اللُؤلُؤُ إِذ

    تُجِنُّهُ العِقيانُ

    Its bubbles are pearls, when

    pure gold enfolds them.

  18. في الشربِ ما النَّدمانُ إِذ

    يَشرَبُها نَدمانُ

    In drinking, the boon companion, when

    he drinks it, feels no regret.

  19. كَخُلقِ بَدرِ الدينِ فَه

    يَ الرَوحُ وَالرَيحانُ

    Like Badr al-Din's character, it

    is solace and sweet basil.

  20. أَضحى لِبَدرِ الدينِ في

    كَسبِ المَعالي شانُ

    Badr al-Din has gained, in

    winning high honors, distinction.

  21. فَصارَ بَدراً كامِلاً

    ما شانَهُ نُقصانُ

    Thus he became a perfect full moon,

    unmarred by any waning.

  22. فَمِنهُ يَبدو العمل ال

    صالِحُ وَالإيمانُ

    From him shine forth

    righteous deeds and faith.

  23. مِن أَجلِ ذا سُمِّيَ مَو

    دودَ فَذا بُرهانُ

    For this he was named

    Mawdud—this is the proof.

  24. وافى إِلَيهِ رَجَبٌ

    وَهوَ بِهِ جَذلانُ

    Rajab has come to him,

    and he rejoices in it.

  25. شَهرٌ شَهيرٌ فَضلُهُ

    لَيسَ لَهُ كِتمانُ

    A month whose merit is renowned,

    beyond concealment.

  26. فَفيهِ قِدماً نُصِلَت

    عَنِ القَنا الخِرصانُ

    For in it, long ago, were removed

    from the spear-shafts the spearheads.

  27. صِينَ فَلَم يَلمَع بِهِ

    سَيفٌ وَلا سِنانُ

    It was held inviolate; in it flashed

    neither sword nor spearhead.

  28. هَنَّأَكَ اللَهُ بِهِ

    ما بَقِيَ الزَّمانُ

    May God grant you joy in it

    as long as time endures.