أَخَذتُ عَلَيهِ بِالمَحَبَّةِ موثِقاً

أَخَذتُ عَلَيهِ بِالمَحَبَّةِ موثِقاً

وَمازالَ قَلبي مِن تَجَنّيهِ مُشفِقا

وَمازالَ قَلبي مِن تَجَنّيهِ مُشفِقا

I took from him, concerning love, a solemn covenant,

I took from him a binding pledge of love,

yet still my heart fears his cruelty.

yet my heart remains fearful of his unjust treatment.

وَقَد كُنتُ أَرجو طَيفَهُ أَن يُلِمَّ بي

وَقَد كُنتُ أَرجو طَيفَهُ أَن يُلِمَّ بي

فَأَسهَرَني كَي لا يُلِمَّ وَيَطرُقا

فَأَسهَرَني كَي لا يُلِمَّ وَيَطرُقا

I had hoped his phantom would visit me,

I had hoped his phantom would visit me,

but he kept me wakeful, so it could neither visit nor come by night.

so he kept me awake, lest it visit and come by night.

وَلي فيهِ قَلبٌ بِالغَرامِ مُقَيَّدٌ

وَلي فيهِ قَلبٌ بِالغَرامِ مُقَيَّدٌ

لَهُ خَبَرٌ يَرويهِ دَمعِيَ مُطلَقا

لَهُ خَبَرٌ يَرويهِ دَمعِيَ مُطلَقا

For him I have a heart fettered by passion;

I have a heart bound to him by passion;

its tale is freely told by my tears.

it has a tale my tears relate, unfettered.

كَلِفتُ بِهِ أَحوى الجُفونِ مُهَفهَفاً

كَلِفتُ بِهِ أَحوى الجُفونِ مُهَفهَفاً

مِنَ الظَبيِ أَحلى أَو مِنَ الغُصنِ أَرشَقا

مِنَ الظَبيِ أَحلى أَو مِنَ الغُصنِ أَرشَقا

I am enamored of a slender beauty with dark-lashed eyes,

I became enamored of him, dark-lidded and slender-waisted,

sweeter than a gazelle and more graceful than a bough.

sweeter than a gazelle, or more graceful than a bough.

وَمِن فَرطِ وَجدي في لَماهُ وَثَغرِهِ

وَمِن فَرطِ وَجدي في لَماهُ وَثَغرِهِ

أُعَلِّلُ قَلبي بِالعُذيبِ وَبِالنَقا

أُعَلِّلُ قَلبي بِالعُذيبِ وَبِالنَقا

So consuming is my longing for his dark lips and bright teeth

And from my excessive longing for his dusky lips and mouth,

that I console my heart with al-ʿUdhayb and al-Naqā.

I soothe my heart with al-Udhayb and al-Naqa.

كَذَلِكَ لَولا بارِقٌ مِن جَبينِهِ

كَذَلِكَ لَولا بارِقٌ مِن جَبينِهِ

لَما شِمتُ بَرقاً أَو تَذَكَّرتُ أَبرَقا

لَما شِمتُ بَرقاً أَو تَذَكَّرتُ أَبرَقا

Likewise, were it not for the gleam of his brow,

Likewise, were it not for a gleam from his brow,

I would never have glimpsed lightning or remembered al-Abraq.

I would not have watched for lightning or recalled Abraq.

وَلي حاجَةٌ مِن وَصلِهِ غَيرَ أَنَّها

وَلي حاجَةٌ مِن وَصلِهِ غَيرَ أَنَّها

مُرَدَّدَةٌ بَينَ الصَبابَةِ وَالتُقى

مُرَدَّدَةٌ بَينَ الصَبابَةِ وَالتُقى

I long for union with him, but that longing

I have a wish for union with him, yet it

wavers between passionate desire and piety.

wavers between ardent longing and piety.

خَليلَيَّ كُفّا عَن مَلامَةِ مُغرَمٍ

خَليلَيَّ كُفّا عَن مَلامَةِ مُغرَمٍ

تَذَكَّرَ أَيّاماً مَضَت فَتَشَوَّقا

تَذَكَّرَ أَيّاماً مَضَت فَتَشَوَّقا

My two friends, cease reproaching a lover;

My two friends, cease blaming a lover

remember, you two, bygone days—and yearn.

who remembered days gone by and yearned.

وَلا تَحسِبا قَلبي كَما قُلتُما سَلا

وَلا تَحسِبا قَلبي كَما قُلتُما سَلا

وَلا تَحسِبا دَمعي كَما قُلتُما رَقا

وَلا تَحسِبا دَمعي كَما قُلتُما رَقا

Do not suppose, as you two have said, that my heart has forgotten,

Do not think my heart has forgotten, as you both said,

nor that my tears, as you two have said, have ceased.

nor think my tears have ceased, as you both said.

فَما اِزدادَ ذاكَ القَلبُ إِلّا تَمادِياً

فَما اِزدادَ ذاكَ القَلبُ إِلّا تَمادِياً

وَما اِزدادَ ذاكَ الدَمعُ إِلّا تَدَفُّقا

وَما اِزدادَ ذاكَ الدَمعُ إِلّا تَدَفُّقا

That heart has only gone further in persistence,

For that heart has only grown more persistent,

and those tears have only poured more profusely.

and those tears have only flowed more freely.

إِلى كَم أُرَجّي باخِلاً بِوِصالِهِ

إِلى كَم أُرَجّي باخِلاً بِوِصالِهِ

وَحَتّى مَتى أَخشى القِلى وَالتَفَرُّقا

وَحَتّى مَتى أَخشى القِلى وَالتَفَرُّقا

How long shall I pin my hopes on one who withholds the gift of union?

How long shall I pin my hopes on one who grudges union?

And how long must I fear estrangement and separation?

And how long shall I fear aversion and separation?

فَحَسبُ فُؤادي لَوعَةً وَصَبابَةً

فَحَسبُ فُؤادي لَوعَةً وَصَبابَةً

وَحَسبُ جُفوني عَبرَةً وَتَأَرُّقا

وَحَسبُ جُفوني عَبرَةً وَتَأَرُّقا

Enough—my heart has had its anguish and yearning,

Enough anguish and yearning for my heart,

and my eyelids their tears and sleeplessness.

and enough tears and sleeplessness for my eyelids.

عَلى أَنَّها الأَيّامُ مَهما تَداوَلَت

عَلى أَنَّها الأَيّامُ مَهما تَداوَلَت

سُرورٌ تَقَضّى أَو جَديدٌ تَمَزَّقا

سُرورٌ تَقَضّى أَو جَديدٌ تَمَزَّقا

Such are the days, however they may turn:

Yet such are the days, however they alternate:

a joy passes away, or a new garment is torn.

a joy that has passed away, or something new torn apart.

وَلَستَ تَرى خِلّاً مِنَ الغَدرِ سالِماً

وَلَستَ تَرى خِلّاً مِنَ الغَدرِ سالِماً

وَلا تَنتَقي يَوماً صَديقاً فَيَصدُقا

وَلا تَنتَقي يَوماً صَديقاً فَيَصدُقا

You will never find a friend safe from betrayal,

You will find no intimate friend free of treachery,

nor ever choose a friend and find him true.

nor ever choose a friend who proves true.

إِذا نِلتَ مِنهُ الوُدَّ كانَ تَكَلَّفاً

إِذا نِلتَ مِنهُ الوُدَّ كانَ تَكَلَّفاً

وَإِن نِلتَ مِنهُ البِشرَ كانَ تَمَلُّقا

وَإِن نِلتَ مِنهُ البِشرَ كانَ تَمَلُّقا

If you gain his affection, it is affectation;

If you win his affection, it is affectation;

if you gain his smiles, they are mere flattery.

and if you receive his smiles, they are flattery.

وَمِمّا دَهاني حِرفَةٌ أَدَبِيَّةٌ

وَمِمّا دَهاني حِرفَةٌ أَدَبِيَّةٌ

غَدَت دونَ إِدراكِ المَطالِبِ خَندَقا

غَدَت دونَ إِدراكِ المَطالِبِ خَندَقا

Among my afflictions is the literary profession,

And among my afflictions is the ill fortune of letters,

which has become a trench barring me from my aims.

which became a trench barring the attainment of my aims.

وَإِن شَمَلَتني نَظرَةٌ صاحِبيَّةٌ

وَإِن شَمَلَتني نَظرَةٌ صاحِبيَّةٌ

فَلَستُ أَرى يَوماً مِنَ الدَهرِ مُملِقا

فَلَستُ أَرى يَوماً مِنَ الدَهرِ مُملِقا

Yet if a patron’s favor should embrace me,

Yet if a glance from the minister embraces me,

I shall never see myself destitute all my days.

then I shall never see a day of destitution.

وَزيرٌ إِذا ما شِمتَ غُرَّةَ وَجهِهِ

وَزيرٌ إِذا ما شِمتَ غُرَّةَ وَجهِهِ

فَدَع لِسِواكَ العارِضَ المُتَأَلِّقا

فَدَع لِسِواكَ العارِضَ المُتَأَلِّقا

A vizier—whenever you behold him, the radiance of his face is a blaze;

A minister—whenever you behold the radiance of his face,

leave the brilliantly flashing raincloud to someone else.

leave the flashing raincloud to someone else.

ذَمَمتُ السَحابَ الغُرَّ يَومَ نَوالِهِ

ذَمَمتُ السَحابَ الغُرَّ يَومَ نَوالِهِ

وَحَقَّرَ عِندي وَبلَها المُتَدَفِّقا

وَحَقَّرَ عِندي وَبلَها المُتَدَفِّقا

On the day of his largesse, I belittled the bright clouds

I disparaged the bright clouds on the day of his bounty,

and despised, in my own eyes, their streaming rain.

and he made their gushing downpour seem paltry to me.

وَجَدتُ جَناباً فيهِ لِلمَجدِ مُرتَقىً

وَجَدتُ جَناباً فيهِ لِلمَجدِ مُرتَقىً

وَفيهِ لِذي الحاجاتِ وَالنُجحِ مُلتَقى

وَفيهِ لِذي الحاجاتِ وَالنُجحِ مُلتَقى

I found a court where glory has an ascent,

I found a court where glory may ascend,

and where needs and success have a meeting place.

and where those in need and success come together.

إِذا قُلتُ عَبدَ اللَهِ ثُمَّ عَنَيتَهُ

إِذا قُلتُ عَبدَ اللَهِ ثُمَّ عَنَيتَهُ

جَمَعتَ بِهِ كُلُّ التَعاويذِ وَالرُقى

جَمَعتَ بِهِ كُلُّ التَعاويذِ وَالرُقى

When you say “ʿAbd Allāh” and mean him,

When I say 'Abd Allah,' and you then have him in mind,

you gather in his name every talisman and healing charm.

you gather in him every protective charm and incantation.

يَقيكَ مِنَ الأَيّامِ كُلَّ مُلِمَّةٍ

يَقيكَ مِنَ الأَيّامِ كُلَّ مُلِمَّةٍ

وَيَكفيكَ مِن أَحداثِها ما تَطَرَّقا

وَيَكفيكَ مِن أَحداثِها ما تَطَرَّقا

He shields you from every calamity the days may bring

He shields you from every calamity the days bring,

and spares you whatever vicissitudes come knocking.

and spares you whatever of their misfortunes comes calling.

وَكَم لَكَ فينا مِن كِتابٍ مُصَنَّفٍ

وَكَم لَكَ فينا مِن كِتابٍ مُصَنَّفٍ

تَرَكتَ بِهِ وَجهَ الشَريعَةِ مُشرِقا

تَرَكتَ بِهِ وَجهَ الشَريعَةِ مُشرِقا

How many a book have you composed for us,

And how many a book you have composed for us,

leaving through it the face of the Sacred Law radiant.

with which you left the face of the Sharia radiant!

عَكَفنا عَلَيهِ نَجتَني مِن فُنونِهِ

عَكَفنا عَلَيهِ نَجتَني مِن فُنونِهِ

فَعَلَّمَنا هَذا الكَلامَ المُؤَنَّقا

فَعَلَّمَنا هَذا الكَلامَ المُؤَنَّقا

We devoted ourselves to it, reaping from its many arts,

We devoted ourselves to it, gathering fruit from its arts,

and it taught us this elegantly adorned discourse.

and it taught us this finely adorned speech.

وَكَم شاعِرٍ وافى إِلَيكَ بِمَدحَةٍ

وَكَم شاعِرٍ وافى إِلَيكَ بِمَدحَةٍ

فَزَخرَفَها مِمّا أَفَدتَ وَنَمَّقا

فَزَخرَفَها مِمّا أَفَدتَ وَنَمَّقا

How many a poet has come to you with a panegyric,

And how many a poet came to you with a panegyric,

then embellished and adorned it with what you imparted.

then embellished and polished it with what you imparted!

فَإِن حَسُنَت لَفظاً فَمِن رَوضِكَ اِجتَنى

فَإِن حَسُنَت لَفظاً فَمِن رَوضِكَ اِجتَنى

وَإِن عَذُبَت شُرباً فَمِن بَحرِكَ اِستَقى

وَإِن عَذُبَت شُرباً فَمِن بَحرِكَ اِستَقى

If its wording is beautiful, it was culled from your garden;

If its wording was fine, he harvested from your garden;

if sweet to drink, it drew its water from your sea.

and if it was sweet to drink, he drew from your sea.

فَلا زِلتَ مَمدوحاً بِكُلِّ مَقالَةٍ

فَلا زِلتَ مَمدوحاً بِكُلِّ مَقالَةٍ

تُريكَ جَريراً عَبدَها وَالفَرَزدَقا

تُريكَ جَريراً عَبدَها وَالفَرَزدَقا

May you never cease to be praised in every poem

May you never cease to be praised in every utterance

that makes Jarīr and al-Farazdaq appear its slaves.

that shows you Jarir and al-Farazdaq as its slaves.

وَما حَسُنَت عِندي وَحَقِّكَ إِذ غَدَت

وَما حَسُنَت عِندي وَحَقِّكَ إِذ غَدَت

هِيَ التِبرُ مَسبوكاً أَوِ الدُرُّ مُنتَقى

هِيَ التِبرُ مَسبوكاً أَوِ الدُرُّ مُنتَقى

By your right, it did not delight me merely because it became

And, by your worth, its beauty to me lay not in becoming

cast gold or carefully chosen pearls,

gold cast into form, or carefully chosen pearls,

وَلا إِن جَرَت مَجرى النَسيمِ لَطافَةً

وَلا إِن جَرَت مَجرى النَسيمِ لَطافَةً

وَلا إِن حَكَت زَهرَ الرِياضِ المُعَبِّقا

وَلا إِن حَكَت زَهرَ الرِياضِ المُعَبِّقا

nor because it flowed with all the delicacy of the breeze,

nor in flowing as gently as the breeze,

nor because it imitated the fragrant blossoms of gardens.

nor in resembling the gardens' fragrant blossoms;

وَلَكِنَّها حازَت مِنِ اِسمِكَ أَحرُفاً

وَلَكِنَّها حازَت مِنِ اِسمِكَ أَحرُفاً

كَسَتها جَمالاً في النُفوسِ وَرَونَقا

كَسَتها جَمالاً في النُفوسِ وَرَونَقا

Rather, it took letters from your name,

but in the letters it held from your name,

which clothed it in beauty within souls and in splendor.

which clothed it in beauty and splendor in people's souls.