1. ضُرِبَت لِزَينَبَ بِالغُوَيرِ خِيامُ

    فَعَلى الغُوَيرِ وَساكِنيهِ سَلامُ

    Tents have been pitched for Zaynab at al-Ghuwayr;

    so peace upon al-Ghuwayr and its inhabitants.

  2. تِلكَ المَرابِعُ تصرَعُ الآسادَ بِال

    لَحَظاتِ في عَرَصاتِها الأَيّامُ

    Those springtime abodes—lions are felled with

    glances in their courts by Time.

  3. كَم عُروَةٍ فُصِمَت لِعُروَةَ عِندها

    حَتّى بَكى أَسَفاً عَلَيهِ حَزامُ

    How many a bond was broken there for ʿUrwa,

    until Hizam wept over him in grief!

  4. أَظُبى جُفونٍ أَم جُفونُ ظِبائِها

    تَرنو فَكُلُّ لِحاظِهِنَّ حُسامُ

    Are these eyelid-blades, or the eyelids of their gazelles

    gazing? Each of their glances is a keen sword.

  5. تِلكَ الحَواجِبُ أَم قِسِيٌّ أُرسِلَت

    عَنهُنَّ مِن أَلحاظِهِنَّ سِهامُ

    Are those eyebrows, or bows from which are loosed

    arrows fashioned from their glances?

  6. مِن كُلِّ واضِحَةِ الثَنايا طَرفُها

    يُبدي السَقامَ وَلَيسَ فيهِ سَقامُ

    From every woman with gleaming front teeth, whose gaze

    displays a languor, though no illness is in it.

  7. لَمَياءُ في فيها لِراشِفِ ثَغرِها

    حَبُّ الغَمامِ مُنَظَّماً وَمُدامُ

    Dark-lipped, she has in her mouth, for one who sips her lips,

    hailstones in a row, and wine.

  8. أَصبو إِلى أَثلاتِ نَجدٍ كُلَّما

    وَمضُ البَريقِ عَلى الغُوَيرِ يُشامُ

    I yearn for Najd's tamarisks whenever

    lightning is glimpsed flashing over al-Ghuwayr.

  9. وَيَشوقُني ضالُ العُذَيبِ وَظِلُّهُ ال

    ضافي وَرَندٌ بِالحِمى وَبشامُ

    And I long for al-ʿUdhayb's wild lote tree and its

    spreading shade, and laurel and balsam in al-Hima.

  10. كَيفَ السَبيلُ وَقَد قَضى قاضي الهَوى

    فيهِ بِقَتلي وَالغَريمُ غَرامُ

    What way is there, when love's judge has ruled

    that I must die, and passion is the claimant?

  11. وَلَّت لُيَيلاتٌ وَأَيّامٌ مَضَت

    نِعمَ اللَيالي كُنَّ وَالأَيّامُ

    Little nights are gone, and days have passed—

    what splendid nights and days they were!

  12. مَع كُلِّ واضِحَةِ اللِّثامِ لَها فَمي

    بِاللَثمِ في ضَمِّ العِناقِ لِثامُ

    With every woman radiant beneath her veil, my mouth

    was her veil of kisses in the clasp of an embrace.

  13. زارَ الحَبيبُ ولاتَ حينَ زِيارَةٍ

    إِذ لَم يَرُعهُ عَنِ اللِّمامِ مَلامُ

    The beloved visited, though it was no time for a visit,

    for no reproach deterred him from coming.

  14. في لَيلَةٍ مُتَرَجِّلاً مِن حاجِرٍ

    عَسفاً وَقَد رَكِبَ الظَلامَ ظلامُ

    One night, on foot from Hajir,

    venturing tracklessly, while the cruel one rode the darkness.

  15. يَخطو أَفاحيصَ القَطا وَيَدوسُ أُد

    حِيَّ النَعامِ وَهُنَّ مِن قُدّامُ

    He steps over sandgrouse nests and treads upon

    ostrich nesting hollows lying before him.

  16. واهاً لَهُ أَنّى اِهتَدى لَمّا سَرى

    مِن حاجِرٍ نَحوي وَداري الشامُ

    Ah, how did he find his way when he journeyed by night

    from Hajir toward me, while my home is al-Sham?

  17. وافى إِلَيَّ مُخاطِباً في النَومِ مَن

    لَم يَبدُ لي يَقظانَ مِنهُ كَلامُ

    He came to me speaking in sleep, one

    from whom I had heard no word while awake.

  18. ما أَنسَ لا أَنسَ الحَبيبَ وَقَولَهُ

    أَزِفَ الرَحيلُ غَداً وَعَزَّ مَقامُ

    Whatever I forget, I shall not forget the beloved and his words:

    “Departure is imminent tomorrow, and staying is hard.”

  19. زَمّوا مَطاياهُم فَكُلُّ نَجيبَةٍ

    في رَأسِها بِيَدِ الفِراقِ زِمامُ

    They bridled their mounts; every noble she-camel

    has on her head a rein in separation's hand.

  20. قالوا غَداً يَومُ النَوى فَأَجَبتُهُم

    لا بَل يُحَمُّ لَدى الفِراقِ حِمامُ

    They said, “Tomorrow is the day of parting,” and I replied,

    “No: at separation, death is decreed.”

  21. وَسَفَرنَ لي عَن أَوجُهٍ وَغَدائِرٍ

    فَتَعانَقَ الإِصباحُ وَالإِظلامُ

    They unveiled for me their faces and their tresses,

    and dawn and darkness embraced.

  22. هُنَّ الحَبائِبُ راشِقاتُ قُلوبِنا

    مِن لَحظِ أَعداءٍ لَهُنَّ سِهامُ

    They are the beloved women who shoot at our hearts;

    their arrows are drawn from the glances of enemies.

  23. لَولا اِتِّقاءُ اللَهِ قادَتنا لِدي

    نِ الجاهِلِيَّةِ هَذِهِ الأَصنامُ

    Were it not for fear of God, we would be led to

    the religion of the pagan age by these idols.

  24. ذَهَبَ الأَعاريبُ الَّذينَ لَدَيهِمُ

    يُحمى الذِمارُ وَلا يَضيعُ ذِمامُ

    Gone are the Bedouins among whom

    honor was defended, and pledges of protection never betrayed.

  25. وَبَقيتُ في سُفَهاءَ كَالأَنعامِ في

    عَهدٍ وَهُم عِندَ اللِقاءِ نَعامُ

    I remain among fools, like livestock in

    keeping a pledge, and ostriches when battle comes.

  26. لَأُقَوِّضَن عَنهُم خِيامي قاصِداً

    دارَ النَعيمِ بِظِلِّها الإِنعامُ

    I shall surely strike my tents and leave them, bound for

    the abode of bliss, with bounty in its shade.

  27. هِيَ بَعلَبَكُّ سَمَت بِمَجدِ الدينِ بَه

    رَم شاهَ دانَ لِشَأوِهِ بَهرامُ

    It is Baalbek, exalted by Majd al-Din

    Bahram Shah, to whose eminence Bahram submits.

  28. فَجُنودُهُ الأُسدُ الضَواري ما لَها

    إِلّا القَنا يَومَ الوَغى آجامُ

    His soldiers are predatory lions, who have

    no thickets on battle day but spears.

  29. وَجُيوشُهُ كَالرُمحِ وَهوَ سِنانُهُ

    عَن قَلبِ جَيشٍ ما لَهُ إِحجامُ

    His armies are a spear, and he its point,

    from the heart of an army that knows no retreat.

  30. وَلِقَوسِهِ رُسُلُ المَنونِ إِلى العِدا

    تُصمي النُفوسَ فَتَسقُطُ الأَجسامُ

    His bow has messengers of death bound for the foes;

    they slay souls outright, and bodies fall.

  31. وَالسَيفُ في يُمناهُ بَرقٌ لامِعٌ

    يُجري دِماءً وَالعَجاجُ غَمامُ

    The sword in his right hand is flashing lightning,

    pouring blood, while battle-dust is a cloud.

  32. تَبكي عُيونُ الشِركِ مِنهُ لِفَتكِهِ

    بِالمُشرِكينَ وَيَضحَكُ الإِسلامُ

    The eyes of polytheism weep because of him, for his slaughter

    of the polytheists, while Islam laughs.

  33. وَعَلَيهِ دِرعٌ فاضَةٌ مِن نَسجِ دا

    وودَ النَبِيِّ لِسَردِها إِحكامُ

    Upon him is an ample coat of mail, woven by

    the prophet David, its links wrought to perfection.

  34. وَحِصانُهُ بَحرٌ يَموجُ بِسَرجِهِ

    بَحرٌ وَيَزأَرُ فَوقَهُ ضِرغامُ

    His stallion is a sea; upon its saddle surges

    a sea, and above it roars a lion.

  35. ما رامَ أَمراً في المَعالي راقِياً

    إِلّا وَأَصبَحَ فيهِ لَيسَ يُرامُ

    Never has he sought a goal, ascending to high honors,

    but he has become beyond reach within it.

  36. لَم تَحلُ مِن أَعدائِهِ مِن خَوفِهِ

    قُرباً وَبُعداً يَقظَةٌ وَمَنامُ

    His enemies, through fear of him, find no sweetness,

    near or far, in waking or in sleep.

  37. كَاللَيثِ مُنتَفِضاً لِوَثبَتِهِ عَلى

    شَثنِ البَراثِنِ دَأبُهُ الإِقدامُ

    Like a lion, bristling for his leap on

    thick, rough paws; his habit is bold advance.

  38. يا ذا الأَيادي البيضِ وَالمِنَنِ الَّتي

    تَحيا بِها الفُقَراءُ وَالأَيتامُ

    O you of white hands and favors through which

    the poor and the orphans live!

  39. لِلَهِ رَبِّكَ صَلِّ وَاِنحَر مُخلِصاً

    فَلِشانِئيكَ الذُلُّ وَالإِرغامُ

    Pray to God, your Lord, and offer sacrifice sincerely;

    humiliation and abasement are your haters' lot.

  40. وَبِكَفِّكَ القَلَمُ الَّذي دانَت لَهُ

    شَرقاً وَغَرباً في العُلا الأَقلامُ

    In your palm is the pen to which

    all pens bow in eminence, east and west.

  41. فَاِعجَب لِمَشقوقِ اللِسانِ بِنَقشِهِ ال

    إِغرابُ وَالإِعرابُ وَالإِعجامُ

    Marvel at its split tongue: in its inscriptions are

    novel artistry, vowel marks, and distinguishing dots.

  42. فَكَأَنَّما الأَرزاقُ وَالآجالُ قَس

    سَمَها بِهِ بِيَمينِهِ القَسّامُ

    It is as though livelihoods and lifespans were

    apportioned by the Allotter with it in his right hand.

  43. إِن دَقَّ خَطاً جَلَّ خَطباً فَهوَ في

    يُمنى يَدَيكَ الأَرقَمُ الرَقّامُ

    If fine in script, it is mighty in import; it is, in

    your right hand, a spotted serpent that writes.

  44. رَفَعَت لَكَ الهِمَمُ العَوالي في الوَغى

    عَلَماً تَنَكَّسُ دونَهُ الأَعلامُ

    Your lofty ambitions raised for you, in battle,

    a banner before which other banners droop.

  45. فَالنَصرُ وَالتَأييدُ مَعقودانِ في

    عَذَباتِهِ وَالنَقضُ وَالإِبرامُ

    Victory and support are bound into

    its streamers, with the power to annul and affirm.

  46. لَكَ مَنصِبٌ لَم يَشأَهُ في دَهرِنا

    إِلا الَّذي هُوَ لِلزَّمانِ إِمامُ

    Yours is a rank none has surpassed in our age,

    except he who is the imam of the age.

  47. فَلكَ البَقاءُ مَدى الزَمانِ وَلِلَّذي

    خُلِّفتَ عَنهُ تَحِيَّةٌ وَسَلامُ

    May you endure for all time; and to the one

    for whom you serve as deputy, greetings and peace.

  48. شَجَراتُ عيصِكَ في بَني أَيّوبَ يا

    نِعَةٌ يَزينُ ثِمارَها الأَكمامُ

    The trees of your grove among the sons of Ayyub are

    fruitful; calyxes adorn their fruit.

  49. فَاِبجَح فَما لَكَ في المُلوكِ مُساجِلٌ

    إِذ يُذكَرُ الآباءُ وَالأَعمامُ

    Rejoice: among kings you have no rival

    when fathers and paternal uncles are named.

  50. أَنتَ الَّذي في كُلِّ مَنبِتِ شَعرَةٍ

    مِنهُ هِزَبرٌ عاصِمٌ وَعِصامُ

    You are he at whose every hair-root

    there is a protecting lion and a safeguard.

  51. هَذا مقامٌ فيهِ كُلُّ مُفَوَّهٍ

    غَيري لَدَيكَ مُفَهَّهٌ تَمتامُ

    This is a station where every eloquent speaker

    other than me is before you tongue-tied and stammering.

  52. لَكَ دَولَةٌ دُوَلُ المُلوكِ بِأَسرِها

    في كُلِّ مَكرُمَةٍ لَها خُدامُ

    Yours is a realm to which the realms of all kings

    are servants in every noble deed.

  53. أَعضاؤُها مُتَناسِباتٌ في العُلا

    مِثلُ الفَرائِدِ زانَهُنَّ نِظامُ

    Its members are harmoniously matched in eminence,

    like choice pearls made beautiful by their string.

  54. أَبقى مُعِزُّ الدينِ عِزّاً أَقعَساً

    لِلدينِ مِنكَ بِهِ العَدُوُّ يُضامُ

    Muʿizz al-Din has left an unyielding might

    for the faith in you, by which the foe is humbled.

  55. وَلَكَ القُصورُ المُنشَآتُ فَكُلُّها

    في بَحرِ ما تُستَحسَنُ الأَعلامُ

    Yours are the towering palaces; every one

    stands in a sea; mountains win no admiration.

  56. دورٌ حَوَت بِركاتُها بَرَكاتِها

    فَالسَلسَبيلُ بِها لَدَيكَ رُخامُ

    Houses whose pools hold their blessings;

    there, with you, Salsabil is marble.

  57. وَلَكَ البَنونَ الأَكرَمونَ مَغارِساً

    لا غَروَ أَن تَلِدَ الكِرامَ كِرامُ

    Yours are sons of the noblest roots;

    no wonder that the noble bear the noble.

  58. لا فارَقوا حُلَلَ السُعودِ مَلابِساً

    ما أُلبِسَت أَطواقَهُنَّ حَمامُ

    May they never shed the robes of good fortune they wear,

    so long as doves are clothed in their neck-rings.

  59. فَهُمُ الأَهِلَّةُ نامِياتٌ أَو تَرى

    مِنهُم بُدورَ المُلكِ وَهيَ تَمامُ

    They are growing crescents—or you may see

    in them full moons of kingship, perfectly complete.

  60. فَاِسلَم وَدُم ما صاحَبَت أَلِفاً بِالاس

    مِ السابِقِ المَعهودِ يَوماً لامُ

    Stay safe and endure as long as an alif is joined

    by a lam in the familiar name already mentioned.

  61. وَتَهَنَّ بِالأَعيادِ ما اِستَغنَت عَنِ ال

    أَلِفاتِ في تَعريبِها الأَعلامُ

    And rejoice in the festivals as long as there is no need for

    alifs in the Arabic inflection of proper names.