عَجَباً لِمَملوكي الَّذي مُلِّكتُهُ

عَجَباً لِمَملوكي الَّذي مُلِّكتُهُ

هُوَ مالِكي وَلِمُهجَتي مَلَّكتُهُ

هُوَ مالِكي وَلِمُهجَتي مَلَّكتُهُ

Wonder at my slave whom I possessed:

How strange my slave, whom I was given to possess!

he is my master, and I have given him mastery of my soul.

He is my master, and I gave him mastery over my heart's blood.

ومُنَعَّمٍ لا مُنعِمٍ بِالمَنعِ مِن

ومُنَعَّمٍ لا مُنعِمٍ بِالمَنعِ مِن

عِصيانِهِ أَمرَ الهَوى فَأَطَعتُهُ

عِصيانِهِ أَمرَ الهَوى فَأَطَعتُهُ

A pampered one, no giver of grace, by barring me from

And a pampered one, no giver of favors: abstaining from

disobeying him—passion commanded, and I obeyed it.

disobeying him was Love's command, and I obeyed him.

ريمٌ رَماني عامِداً بِصُدودِهِ

ريمٌ رَماني عامِداً بِصُدودِهِ

وَأَبى انقِياداً لي إِلى ما رُمتُهُ

وَأَبى انقِياداً لي إِلى ما رُمتُهُ

A gazelle who deliberately shot me with his aloofness

A gazelle deliberately struck me with his aversion,

and refused to yield to what I sought.

and refused to yield to me in what I sought.

أَحوى حَوى قَلبي فَصارَ حِواؤُهُ

أَحوى حَوى قَلبي فَصارَ حِواؤُهُ

يَرعى حِماهُ آمِناً ما رُعتُهُ

يَرعى حِماهُ آمِناً ما رُعتُهُ

A dark-lipped beauty held my heart, and it became his enclosure;

A dark-eyed one captured my heart, which became his enclosure;

he grazes safely in its preserve, unstartled by me.

he grazes in his sanctuary, safe; I never frightened him.

قالَ العَذولُ وَقُلتُ إِذ مانَعتُهُ

قالَ العَذولُ وَقُلتُ إِذ مانَعتُهُ

ما نَعتُه مَه كُلُّ حُسنٍ نَعتُهُ

ما نَعتُه مَه كُلُّ حُسنٍ نَعتُهُ

The censurer spoke; I replied as I resisted him:

The reproacher spoke, and I answered, opposing him:

“How can I describe him? Hush—every beauty is his attribute.

“What is he like?” “Enough! Every beauty describes him.”

دُرِّيُّ لَونِ الوَجهِ لَكِن ثَغرُهُ ال

دُرِّيُّ لَونِ الوَجهِ لَكِن ثَغرُهُ ال

حَبَبيُّ فيما في المُدامَةِ نَبتُهُ

حَبَبيُّ فيما في المُدامَةِ نَبتُهُ

His face is pearl-bright, but his front teeth—

Pearl-bright is his face's color; but his mouth—

bubble-bright, as though they sprouted in wine.

bubble-like—has its source in what is in the wine.

حَنَشُ الذُؤابَةِ لَيتَني إِذ ماجَ في

حَنَشُ الذُؤابَةِ لَيتَني إِذ ماجَ في

أَعلا القَضيبِ عَلى الكَثيب حَوَيتُهُ

أَعلا القَضيبِ عَلى الكَثيب حَوَيتُهُ

His forelock is a serpent; if only, when it billowed

His forelock is a snake—would that, when it swayed at

atop the branch above the dune, I had embraced it!”

the top of the branch above the dune, I had clasped it!

أَقسَمتُ لَو عايَنتَهُ يا عاذِلي

أَقسَمتُ لَو عايَنتَهُ يا عاذِلي

لَعَشِقتهُ وَمِن العَناءِ عَشِقتُهُ

لَعَشِقتهُ وَمِن العَناءِ عَشِقتُهُ

I swear, had you seen him, my censor,

I swore: had you seen him, O my reproacher,

you would have loved him; in my misery, I loved him.

you would have loved him; to my torment, I loved him.

قَسماً بِمَن هُوَ خَيرُ أُسرَةِ هاشِمٍ

قَسماً بِمَن هُوَ خَيرُ أُسرَةِ هاشِمٍ

وَبِسَيِّدٍ أَلفَتهُ كفؤاً بِنتُهُ

وَبِسَيِّدٍ أَلفَتهُ كفؤاً بِنتُهُ

By him who is the best of Hashim’s house,

An oath by him who is the best of Hashim's family,

and by a lord whose daughter found him a worthy match;

and by a lord whom his daughter found a worthy match.

وَلِهاشِمٍ يَومَ الفِخارِ يَفاعُهُ

وَلِهاشِمٍ يَومَ الفِخارِ يَفاعُهُ

وَلِغَيرِها مِنهُ الحَضيضُ وَختُّهُ

وَلِغَيرِها مِنهُ الحَضيضُ وَختُّهُ

for Hashim he is its summit on the day of glory,

On the day of glory, its summit belongs to Hashim,

while all besides it have the low ground and its abasement.

while others receive from it the depths and lowliness.

وَكَفاهُ مَدحاً ما أَتى في هَل أَتى

وَكَفاهُ مَدحاً ما أَتى في هَل أَتى

هَزَّ اللِواءَ وَلاؤُهُ فَتَبِعتُهُ

هَزَّ اللِواءَ وَلاؤُهُ فَتَبِعتُهُ

Praise enough is what came in “Has There Come”;

Enough praise for him is what came in “Has There Come.”

loyalty to him raised the banner, and I followed it.

Loyalty to him waved the banner, and I followed it.

أَنا كُلُّ مَن وَالى الإِمامَ وَمَقتُهُ

أَنا كُلُّ مَن وَالى الإِمامَ وَمَقتُهُ

وَلِمَن يُعاديهِ قِلايَ وَمَقتُهُ

وَلِمَن يُعاديهِ قِلايَ وَمَقتُهُ

I am for everyone who befriends the Imam; and my loathing

I love all who are loyal to the Imam;

and hatred are for whoever opposes him.

and whoever opposes him has my loathing and hatred.

لا عادَ لي يا عاذِلي عَزمٌ إِلى

لا عادَ لي يا عاذِلي عَزمٌ إِلى

ما تَبتَغي مِن شادِنٍ عُلِّقتُهُ

ما تَبتَغي مِن شادِنٍ عُلِّقتُهُ

Never again, my censor, shall I resolve to

No resolve remains in me, O my reproacher, for

seek what you desire in a fawn to whom I am bound.

what you seek concerning a young gazelle to whom I am attached.

ما الأَمرُ في حُكمِ الصَبابَةِ في هَوى ال

ما الأَمرُ في حُكمِ الصَبابَةِ في هَوى ال

تُركِيِّ لي لَو كانَ لي لَتَرَكتُهُ

تُركِيِّ لي لَو كانَ لي لَتَرَكتُهُ

In passion’s judgment, what say have I in loving the—

Under passion's rule, control of love for the

Turk? Had I any say, I would have left him.

Turk is not mine; were it mine, I would abandon him.

أَغناهُ عَن نَثلِ الكِنانَةِ رَانِياً

أَغناهُ عَن نَثلِ الكِنانَةِ رَانِياً

نَبلُ اللحاظِ وَفي الحَشا أَكنَنتُهُ

نَبلُ اللحاظِ وَفي الحَشا أَكنَنتُهُ

His glances spare him drawing from the quiver when he shoots:

As he gazed, he was spared the emptying of his quiver by

I have hidden their arrows in my heart.

the arrows of his glances; I hid him within my breast.

لا يَحجُبُ الزِرَدُ المُضاعَفُ سَهمَهُ

لا يَحجُبُ الزِرَدُ المُضاعَفُ سَهمَهُ

وَلَو انَّني كُلُّ الدِلاصِ لَبِستُهُ

وَلَو انَّني كُلُّ الدِلاصِ لَبِستُهُ

Layered mail cannot draw out his arrow,

Double-layered mail cannot block his arrow,

even if I clad my whole body in plate armor.

even if I wore every polished coat of armor.

وَأَخالُ خالاً لاحَ لي في خَدِّهِ

وَأَخالُ خالاً لاحَ لي في خَدِّهِ

هُوَ حَبَّةُ القَلبِ الَّذي أَودَعتُهُ

هُوَ حَبَّةُ القَلبِ الَّذي أَودَعتُهُ

I fancy a mole has appeared to me upon his cheek:

And I fancy that a mole which appeared to me on his cheek

it is the kernel of the heart I entrusted to him.

is the kernel of the heart I entrusted to him.

أَحبَبتُ مَن هُوَ كِابنِ يَعقوبٍ وَيَع

أَحبَبتُ مَن هُوَ كِابنِ يَعقوبٍ وَيَع

قوبَ الوَزيرِ وَنعمَ مَن أَحبَبتُهُ

قوبَ الوَزيرِ وَنعمَ مَن أَحبَبتُهُ

I loved one who is like the son of Ya—

I loved one like Yaqub's son, and Ya-

qub, the vizier—excellent is the one I loved.

qub the vizier—excellent is the one I loved!

شَرَفٌ لِدينِ اللَهِ يَحسُنُ نُطقُهُ

شَرَفٌ لِدينِ اللَهِ يَحسُنُ نُطقُهُ

في كَسبِهِ حُسنَ الثَناءِ وَصَمتُهُ

في كَسبِهِ حُسنَ الثَناءِ وَصَمتُهُ

An honor to God’s faith, his speech excels

An honor to God's faith, his speech is excellent

in winning fair praise—and so does his silence.

in winning him fine praise, and so is his silence.

يَلقى السُرورَ وَلِيُّهُ مِن كُتبِهِ

يَلقى السُرورَ وَلِيُّهُ مِن كُتبِهِ

وَلِمَن يُعاديهِ السُرورُ وَكَبتُهُ

وَلِمَن يُعاديهِ السُرورُ وَكَبتُهُ

His friend receives delight from his letters,

His ally finds joy in his letters,

while whoever opposes him meets our joy and his own chagrin.

and for whoever opposes him, joy and his humiliation.

كَم مِن مَقامٍ قُمتُهُ بِمَديحِهِ

كَم مِن مَقامٍ قُمتُهُ بِمَديحِهِ

فَهُناكَ إِذ أَصغى الحَسودُ وَقَمتُهُ

فَهُناكَ إِذ أَصغى الحَسودُ وَقَمتُهُ

How many a station I have taken to praise him;

How many a station I stood in to praise him!

there envy listened—and I mastered it.

There, when the envious man listened, I humbled him.

قَد كُنتُ آملُ مِن جَهاركسَ نصرَةً

قَد كُنتُ آملُ مِن جَهاركسَ نصرَةً

أَلقى بِها زَمَني إِذا اِستَنصَرتُهُ

أَلقى بِها زَمَني إِذا اِستَنصَرتُهُ

I once hoped for support from Jaharkas,

I had hoped for help from Jaharkas,

with which to face my times whenever I appealed to him.

with which to face my times when I sought his aid.

فَحُرِمتُ ذَلِكَ مِنهُ مَع شُكري لَهُ

فَحُرِمتُ ذَلِكَ مِنهُ مَع شُكري لَهُ

وَرُميتُ مِنهُ بِضِدِّ ما أَمَّلتُهُ

وَرُميتُ مِنهُ بِضِدِّ ما أَمَّلتُهُ

But he denied me that, despite my gratitude,

Yet I was denied that by him, despite my gratitude to him,

and from him I met the opposite of what I hoped.

and was struck by him with the opposite of what I hoped for.

هَذا وَإِنَّ لَهُ دُعاءً صالِحاً

هَذا وَإِنَّ لَهُ دُعاءً صالِحاً

مِنّي إِلى رَبِّ السَماءِ رفَعتُهُ

مِنّي إِلى رَبِّ السَماءِ رفَعتُهُ

Even so, he has a righteous prayer

All this, though for him there is a worthy prayer,

from me, raised to the Lord of heaven,

raised by me to the Lord of heaven,

وَبَديعُ نَظمٍ رائِق في حُسنِهِ

وَبَديعُ نَظمٍ رائِق في حُسنِهِ

أَخجَلتُ مِنهُ الدُرَّ حينَ نَظَمتُهُ

أَخجَلتُ مِنهُ الدُرَّ حينَ نَظَمتُهُ

and an exquisite poem, radiant in its beauty,

and wondrous verse, limpid in its beauty,

with which I shamed the pearls when I strung it.

with which I shamed pearls when I strung it together.

وَهوَ الَّذي غَمَر الوَرى بِنَوالِهِ

وَهوَ الَّذي غَمَر الوَرى بِنَوالِهِ

غَيرى فَلِم دونَ الأَنامِ حُرِمتُهُ

غَيرى فَلِم دونَ الأَنامِ حُرِمتُهُ

He is the one whose bounty engulfed all mankind

He is the one who flooded mankind with his bounty,

except me—why, alone among people, was I denied it?

except me; why, alone among mankind, was I denied it?

ما جِئتُهُ أَبغي سِوى إِنعامِهِ

ما جِئتُهُ أَبغي سِوى إِنعامِهِ

لي بِالَّذي قَد كانَ لي فَغُصِبتُهُ

لي بِالَّذي قَد كانَ لي فَغُصِبتُهُ

I came to him seeking nothing but his favor

I came to him seeking nothing but his favor,

regarding what had once been mine and was wrested from me.

in granting me what had been mine before I was robbed of it.

مَن عَزَّ بَزَّ وَقَد غُلِبتُ إِذَن عَلى

مَن عَزَّ بَزَّ وَقَد غُلِبتُ إِذَن عَلى

ما كانَ مُلكي في يَدي فَسُلِبتُهُ

ما كانَ مُلكي في يَدي فَسُلِبتُهُ

“Whoever gains power plunders”; thus I was overpowered in

Whoever prevails plunders; thus I was defeated over

what had been mine in my hand, and I was despoiled of it.

what was my own property in my hand, and was robbed of it.

عَجَباً لِمَن مَلَكَ البِلادَ بِأَسرِها

عَجَباً لِمَن مَلَكَ البِلادَ بِأَسرِها

وَاِبتَزَّني شِبراً بِها مُلِّكتُهُ

وَاِبتَزَّني شِبراً بِها مُلِّكتُهُ

Wonder at one who owns all the lands

How strange that one who possessed all the lands

yet seized from me one span of what he had made mine.

should snatch from me a handspan there that I had been granted!

فَقَضِيَّتي كَالنَصِّ في القُرآنِ مَع

فَقَضِيَّتي كَالنَصِّ في القُرآنِ مَع

داوودَ وَالخَصمِ الَّذي أَشبَهتُهُ

داوودَ وَالخَصمِ الَّذي أَشبَهتُهُ

My case is like the text in the Qur’an concerning

My case is like the text in the Qur'an concerning

David and the litigant whom I resemble.

Dawud and the litigant whom I resemble.

مَولايَ فَخرُ الدينِ يا مَلِكَ الوَرى

مَولايَ فَخرُ الدينِ يا مَلِكَ الوَرى

يا خَيرَ مَن فيهِ القَريضُ رَقمتُهُ

يا خَيرَ مَن فيهِ القَريضُ رَقمتُهُ

My lord Fakhr al-Din, O king of mankind,

My lord Fakhr al-Din, O king of mankind,

O best of those for whom I have fashioned verse:

O best of those about whom I have inscribed verse,

لَو تَمَّ هَذا مِن سِواكَ عَلَيَّ لَم

لَو تَمَّ هَذا مِن سِواكَ عَلَيَّ لَم

أَقصِد سِواكَ لَهُ وَلا اِستَنجَدتُهُ

أَقصِد سِواكَ لَهُ وَلا اِستَنجَدتُهُ

Had this been done to me by anyone but you, I would not

Had this been done to me by anyone but you, I would not

have turned to another over it, nor sought his aid.

have turned to anyone but you about it, nor sought another's aid.

وَلِيَ الشَفيعُ إِلَيكَ أَفضَل شافِعٍ

وَلِيَ الشَفيعُ إِلَيكَ أَفضَل شافِعٍ

يَعقوبُ خَيرُ شَفيع استَشفَعتُهُ

يَعقوبُ خَيرُ شَفيع استَشفَعتُهُ

I have an intercessor before you, the finest intercessor:

I have as my intercessor with you the finest advocate,

Ya‘qub, the best advocate I have asked to intercede.

Yaqub, the best intercessor I have asked to intercede.

بِحَياةِ فَخرِ الدينِ كُن لي شافِعاً

بِحَياةِ فَخرِ الدينِ كُن لي شافِعاً

مِنهُ إِلى مَلِكٍ عَظيمٍ دَستُهُ

مِنهُ إِلى مَلِكٍ عَظيمٍ دَستُهُ

By the life of Fakhr al-Din, be my advocate

By the life of Fakhr al-Din, be my intercessor,

from him before a king whose court is mighty.

from him to a king whose throne is mighty.

إِن كانَ يُسعِفُني زَماني بِالرِضا

إِن كانَ يُسعِفُني زَماني بِالرِضا

مِن بَعدِ إِسخاطي فَهَذا وَقتُهُ

مِن بَعدِ إِسخاطي فَهَذا وَقتُهُ

If my time will favor me with contentment

If my times are to grant me contentment

after angering me, now is the moment.

after displeasing me, now is the time.

أَشكو إِلَيهِ جَورَ دَهرٍ قاسِطٍ

أَشكو إِلَيهِ جَورَ دَهرٍ قاسِطٍ

ظُلماً فَكَم كَبَدٍ بِهِ كابَدتُهُ

ظُلماً فَكَم كَبَدٍ بِهِ كابَدتُهُ

To him I complain of an unjust age’s tyranny;

I complain to him of the tyranny of an unjust age—

what wrongs, what anguish I have suffered through it!

wrongfully inflicted; how much anguish I have endured through it!

عِندي أُطَيفالٌ كَأَفراخِ القَطا

عِندي أُطَيفالٌ كَأَفراخِ القَطا

في مَسكَنٍ كَالنافِقاءِ سَكَنتُهُ

في مَسكَنٍ كَالنافِقاءِ سَكَنتُهُ

I have little children like sandgrouse chicks

I have little children like sandgrouse chicks,

in a dwelling like a burrow’s hidden outlet.

in a dwelling like a jerboa's escape hole, which I inhabit.

أَصحو بِلا ماءٍ وَلا شَجَرٍ وَلا

أَصحو بِلا ماءٍ وَلا شَجَرٍ وَلا

بِرٍّ وَلا خُبزٍ لَدَيَّ أَفُتّهُ

بِرٍّ وَلا خُبزٍ لَدَيَّ أَفُتّهُ

I wake with neither water, nor trees, nor

I awaken with no water, no trees, and no

grain, nor bread before me to crumble.

charity, nor bread at hand for me to crumble.

ما كانَتِ الشَكوى لِمِثلي عادَةً

ما كانَتِ الشَكوى لِمِثلي عادَةً

وَلَوَ اَنَّ ما بي بِالعَدوِّ رَحمتُهُ

وَلَوَ اَنَّ ما بي بِالعَدوِّ رَحمتُهُ

Complaint was never the habit of one like me;

Complaint was never the habit of one like me;

even my enemy, afflicted as I am, I would pity.

even if my enemy suffered what afflicts me, I would pity him.

أَنا عَبدُ عَبدِ السَيِّدِ الشَرَفِ الَّذي

أَنا عَبدُ عَبدِ السَيِّدِ الشَرَفِ الَّذي

لَم أَشكُ ما عايَنتُ مُذ عايَنتُهُ

لَم أَشكُ ما عايَنتُ مُذ عايَنتُهُ

I am the servant of the servant of the noble lord

I am the slave of the slave of Lord Sharaf, the man

and have not complained of what I experienced since I beheld him.

since seeing whom I have not complained of what I witnessed.

وَهوَ الَّذي أَبصَرتُ حاتَمَ طَيِّءٍ

وَهوَ الَّذي أَبصَرتُ حاتَمَ طَيِّءٍ

جوداً وَقسَّ عُكاظَ مُذ أَبصَرتُهُ

جوداً وَقسَّ عُكاظَ مُذ أَبصَرتُهُ

He is the one in whom I beheld Hatim of Tayy

He is the one in whom I saw Hatim of Tayy

in generosity, and Quss of Ukaz, from the moment I saw him.

in generosity, and Quss of Ukaz, ever since I beheld him.