عَرَفَ الحَبيبُ مَكانَهُ فَتَدَلَّلا

عَرَفَ الحَبيبُ مَكانَهُ فَتَدَلَّلا

وَقَنِعتُ مِنهُ بِمَوعِدٍ فَتَعَلَّلا

وَقَنِعتُ مِنهُ بِمَوعِدٍ فَتَعَلَّلا

The beloved knew his standing and grew coy.

The lover knew his place so he cajoled,

And I was content with a promise from him, so he made excuses.

And I was satisfied with his promise though he made excuses.

وَأَتى الرَسولُ وَلَم أَجِد في وَجهِهِ

وَأَتى الرَسولُ وَلَم أَجِد في وَجهِهِ

بِشراً كَما قَد كُنتُ أُعهَدُ أَوَّلا

بِشراً كَما قَد كُنتُ أُعهَدُ أَوَّلا

And the messenger came, but I found no trace on his face

The messenger came but I did not find in his face,

of the cheerfulness I had known before.

Good news as I used to in the beginning.

فَقَطَعتُ يَومي كُلَّهُ مُتَفَكِّراً

فَقَطَعتُ يَومي كُلَّهُ مُتَفَكِّراً

وَسَهِرتُ لَيلي كُلَّهُ مُتَمَلمِلا

وَسَهِرتُ لَيلي كُلَّهُ مُتَمَلمِلا

So I spent my whole day pondering,

So I spent my whole day thinking,

and lay awake all night, restless.

And I stayed up all night tossing and turning.

وَأَخَذتُ أَحسَبُ كُلَّ شَيءٍ لَم يَكُن

وَأَخَذتُ أَحسَبُ كُلَّ شَيءٍ لَم يَكُن

مُتَجَلِيّاً في فِكرَتي مُتَخَيَّلا

مُتَجَلِيّاً في فِكرَتي مُتَخَيَّلا

And I began to ponder everything that had not been

And I began to calculate everything that had not

clear in my thoughts, lost in conjecture.

Been clear in my thoughts or just imagined.

فَلَعَلَّ طَيفاً مِنهُ زارَ فَرَدَّهُ

فَلَعَلَّ طَيفاً مِنهُ زارَ فَرَدَّهُ

سَهَري فَعادَ بِغَيظِهِ فَتَقَوَّلا

سَهَري فَعادَ بِغَيظِهِ فَتَقَوَّلا

So perhaps his dream-phantom visited, only to be driven away by

Perhaps a vision of him visited and his sleeplessness drove him back,

my sleeplessness; it went back in anger and told lies.

Returning in anger so he became cross.

وَعَسى نَسيمٌ بِتُّ أَكتُمُ سِرَّنا

وَعَسى نَسيمٌ بِتُّ أَكتُمُ سِرَّنا

عَنهُ فَراحَ يَقولُ عَنّي قَد سَلا

عَنهُ فَراحَ يَقولُ عَنّي قَد سَلا

And perhaps a breeze—I spent the night hiding our secret

Or a gentle breeze passed by the one I secretly loved,

from it—went off saying of me, “He has forgotten.”

So he went and said I had become indifferent.

وَلَقَد خَشيتُ بِأَن يَكونَ أَمالَهُ

وَلَقَد خَشيتُ بِأَن يَكونَ أَمالَهُ

غَيري وَطَبعُ الغُصنِ أَن يَتَمَيَّلا

غَيري وَطَبعُ الغُصنِ أَن يَتَمَيَّلا

And I feared that he might have been swayed by

And I feared that he might be hoping for another,

someone other than me; a bough's nature is to sway.

Since it is the nature of a branch to sway.

وَأَظُنُّهُ طَلَبَ الجَديدَ وَطالَما

وَأَظُنُّهُ طَلَبَ الجَديدَ وَطالَما

عَتَقَ القَميصُ عَلى اِمرِئٍ فَتَبَدَّلا

عَتَقَ القَميصُ عَلى اِمرِئٍ فَتَبَدَّلا

And I think he sought something new; how often

And I think he sought something new, for very often

a shirt has grown old upon a man, and he has changed it.

A shirt is removed from one man and put on another.

أَبَداً يَرى بُعدي وَأَطلُبُ قُربَهُ

أَبَداً يَرى بُعدي وَأَطلُبُ قُربَهُ

وَلَو أَنَّني جارٌ لَهُ لَتَحَوَّلا

وَلَو أَنَّني جارٌ لَهُ لَتَحَوَّلا

He always wishes me far away, while I seek his nearness;

and even if I were his neighbor, he would move away.

He sees me as distant while I seek his nearness,

وَعَلِقتُهُ كَالغُصنِ أَسمَرَ أَهيَفاً

وَعَلِقتُهُ كَالغُصنِ أَسمَرَ أَهيَفاً

وَعَشِقتُهُ كَالظَبِيِ أَحوَرَ أَكحَلا

وَعَشِقتُهُ كَالظَبِيِ أَحوَرَ أَكحَلا

And I became attached to him, brown and slender as a bough,

And if I were his neighbor, things would change.

and adored him like a gazelle, his eyes black against white, their rims dark as kohl.

I clung to him like a dark, slender branch,

فَضَحَ الغَزالَةَ وَالغَزالَ فَتِلكَ في

فَضَحَ الغَزالَةَ وَالغَزالَ فَتِلكَ في

وَسَطِ السَماءِ وَذاكَ في وَسَطِ الفَلا

وَسَطِ السَماءِ وَذاكَ في وَسَطِ الفَلا

He put the sun and the gazelle to shame: the one is in

And loved him like a black-eyed gazelle.

the midst of the sky, the other in the midst of the wastes.

So the gazelle and the gazelle‐herd were exposed—one

عَجَباً لِقَلبٍ ماخَلا مِن لَوعَةٍ

عَجَباً لِقَلبٍ ماخَلا مِن لَوعَةٍ

أَبَداً يَحِنُّ إِلى زَمانٍ قَد خَلا

أَبَداً يَحِنُّ إِلى زَمانٍ قَد خَلا

How strange a heart never free of anguish,

In the middle of the sky and the other in the middle of nowhere.

forever yearning for a time now gone!

How strange is a heart that is never without sorrow,

وَرُسومِ جِسمٍ كادَ يُحرِقُهُ الجَوى

وَرُسومِ جِسمٍ كادَ يُحرِقُهُ الجَوى

لَو لَم تَدارَكهُ الدُموعُ لَأُشعِلا

لَو لَم تَدارَكهُ الدُموعُ لَأُشعِلا

And the remnants of a body that love's anguish nearly burned—

Always yearning for a time now past.

had tears not rescued it, it would have been set ablaze.

And the figure of a body that burning passion would have ignited,

وَهَوىً حَفِظتُ حَديثَهُ وَكَتَمتُهُ

وَهَوىً حَفِظتُ حَديثَهُ وَكَتَمتُهُ

فَوَجَدتُ دَمعي قَد رَواهُ مُسَلسَلا

فَوَجَدتُ دَمعي قَد رَواهُ مُسَلسَلا

And a love whose tale I memorized and concealed—

Had not tears come to extinguish the flames.

yet I found my tears had told it in an unbroken chain.

It was a love whose conversation I kept secret,

أَهوى التَذَلُّلَ في الغَرامِ وَإِنَّما

أَهوى التَذَلُّلَ في الغَرامِ وَإِنَّما

يَأبى صَلاحُ الدينِ أَن أَتَذَلَّلا

يَأبى صَلاحُ الدينِ أَن أَتَذَلَّلا

I love abasement in passion, but

Yet I found my tears had conveyed it in an unbroken stream.

Salah al-Din refuses to let me abase myself.

I love to show tenderness in love, but my faith

مَهَّدتُ بِالغَزَلِ الرَقيقِ لِمَدحِهِ

مَهَّدتُ بِالغَزَلِ الرَقيقِ لِمَدحِهِ

وَأَرَدتُ قَبلَ الفَرضِ أَن أَتَنَفَّلا

وَأَرَدتُ قَبلَ الفَرضِ أَن أَتَنَفَّلا

I paved the way for his praise with tender love-poetry,

Refuses to let me be so humble.

and wished to offer a voluntary prayer before the obligatory one.

I prepared with delicate flirtation to praise him,

مَلِكٌ شَمَختُ عَلى المُلوكِ بِقُربِهِ

مَلِكٌ شَمَختُ عَلى المُلوكِ بِقُربِهِ

وَلَبِستُ ثَوبَ العِزِّ مِنهُ مُسبَلا

وَلَبِستُ ثَوبَ العِزِّ مِنهُ مُسبَلا

A king, through nearness to whom I rose above kings,

Wanting to be informal before making it obligatory.

and from whom I wore a robe of glory, trailing long.

A king whose nearness let me lord over other kings,

وَرَفَعتُ صَوتي قائِلاً يا يوسُفٌ

وَرَفَعتُ صَوتي قائِلاً يا يوسُفٌ

فَأَجابَني مَلِكٌ أَطالَ وَأَجزَلا

فَأَجابَني مَلِكٌ أَطالَ وَأَجزَلا

And I raised my voice, saying, “O Yusuf!”

And whose garment of honor I donned, trailing its train.

Then a king answered me, bestowing lavishly and generously.

I raised my voice, saying “O Joseph!”

ثُمَّ اِلتَفَتُّ وَجَدتُ حَولي أَنعُماً

ثُمَّ اِلتَفَتُّ وَجَدتُ حَولي أَنعُماً

ما كانَ أَسرَعَها إِلَيَّ وَأَعجَلا

ما كانَ أَسرَعَها إِلَيَّ وَأَعجَلا

Then I turned and found favors all around me—

And a sovereign answered me, most generous and magnificent.

how swiftly, how speedily they had come to me!

Then I turned and found around me treasures,

وَهَصَرتُ أَغصانَ المَطالِبِ مُيَّساً

وَهَصَرتُ أَغصانَ المَطالِبِ مُيَّساً

وَمَرَيتُ أَخلافَ المَواهِبِ حُفَّلا

وَمَرَيتُ أَخلافَ المَواهِبِ حُفَّلا

And I bent down the swaying boughs of my desires,

The swiftest of which to me were the slowest.

and milked the brimming teats of bounty.

And I picked the choicest fruits of wishes, walking at ease,

قَهَرَ الزَمانَ وَقَد عَراني صَرفُهُ

قَهَرَ الزَمانَ وَقَد عَراني صَرفُهُ

حَتّى مَشى في خِدمَتي مُتَرَجَّلا

حَتّى مَشى في خِدمَتي مُتَرَجَّلا

He subdued Time, whose vicissitudes had afflicted me,

While the crowds of gifts followed deferentially behind.

until it walked on foot in my service.

Time overpowered me though its course exposed me

وَإِذا نَظَرتُ وَجَدتُ بَعضَ هِباتِهِ

وَإِذا نَظَرتُ وَجَدتُ بَعضَ هِباتِهِ

فيها المَفاخِرُ وَالمَآثِرُ وَالعُلى

فيها المَفاخِرُ وَالمَآثِرُ وَالعُلى

And when I looked, I found some of his gifts:

Until it walked in my service, humbled.

within them were glories, noble deeds, and eminence.

And when I look, I find among his gifts

يُروى حَديثُ الجودِ عَنهُ مُسنَداً

يُروى حَديثُ الجودِ عَنهُ مُسنَداً

فَعَلامَ تَرويهِ السَحائِبُ مُرسَلا

فَعَلامَ تَرويهِ السَحائِبُ مُرسَلا

The tale of generosity is told on his authority, with its chain intact;

Pride, glory, and loftiness.

so why do the clouds tell it without a chain?

The reputation of his generosity is related from him with direct transmission,

مِن مَعشَرٍ فاقوا المُلوكَ سِيادَةً

مِن مَعشَرٍ فاقوا المُلوكَ سِيادَةً

وَسَعادَةً وَتَطَوُّلاً وَتَفَضُّلا

وَسَعادَةً وَتَطَوُّلاً وَتَفَضُّلا

He is of a people who surpassed kings in sovereignty,

So why do the clouds relate it without a verifiable chain?

in good fortune, munificence, and gracious giving.

From a people who surpassed kings in sovereignty,

وَكَأَنَّ مَتنَ الأَرضِ يَومَ رُكوبِهِم

وَكَأَنَّ مَتنَ الأَرضِ يَومَ رُكوبِهِم

يَكسونَهُ بُرداً عَلَيهِ مُهَلهَلا

يَكسونَهُ بُرداً عَلَيهِ مُهَلهَلا

And it is as though the earth's back, on the day they ride,

Felicity, nobility, and excellence.

is draped by them in a loosely woven cloak,

It is as if the surface of the earth they ride upon

مِن كُلِّ أَغلَبَ في الهِياجِ كَأَنَّما

مِن كُلِّ أَغلَبَ في الهِياجِ كَأَنَّما

لَبِسَ الغَديرَ وَهَزَّ مِنهُ جَدوَلا

لَبِسَ الغَديرَ وَهَزَّ مِنهُ جَدوَلا

made of mighty warriors in the fray, each seeming

Dresses itself in silk for them, rippling.

to wear a pool and brandish a stream from it.

Whenever the one with the most vigorous warhorse charges forth,

وَإِذا سَأَلتَ سَأَلتَ غَيثاً مُسبَلا

وَإِذا سَأَلتَ سَأَلتَ غَيثاً مُسبَلا

وَإِذا لَقيتَ لَقيتَ لَيثاً مُشبِلا

وَإِذا لَقيتَ لَقيتَ لَيثاً مُشبِلا

And when you ask, you ask a downpour of rain;

It is as if he donned the torrent and shook a stream from it.

and when you meet, you meet a lion with cubs.

So if you ask, you ask for copious rain,

مَولايَ قَد أَهدَيتُها لَكَ كاعِباً

مَولايَ قَد أَهدَيتُها لَكَ كاعِباً

عَذراءَ تُبدي عُذرَةً وَتَنَصُّلا

عَذراءَ تُبدي عُذرَةً وَتَنَصُّلا

My lord, I have offered her to you, a maiden with budding breasts,

And if you meet him, you meet a rending lion.

a virgin offering an excuse and an apology.

My lord, bashfully I have dedicated it to you,

حَمَلَت ثَناءً كَالهِضابِ فَأَبطَأَت

حَمَلَت ثَناءً كَالهِضابِ فَأَبطَأَت

فَاِعذِر بَطيئاً قَد أَتى لَكَ مُثقَلا

فَاِعذِر بَطيئاً قَد أَتى لَكَ مُثقَلا

She carried praise like hills, and so was slow;

A maiden who shows coyness as she excuses herself.

so pardon one who is tardy, who has come to you heavy-laden.

She carries praise heavy as mountains, and so moved slowly,

عَرَفَت مَحَبَّتَها لَدَيكَ وَحُسنَها

عَرَفَت مَحَبَّتَها لَدَيكَ وَحُسنَها

فَأَتَت تُريكَ تَدَلُّلاً وَتَعَسُّلا

فَأَتَت تُريكَ تَدَلُّلاً وَتَعَسُّلا

She knew your love for her and her own beauty,

Excuse the tardy one who has come to you laden.

so she came displaying coyness and honeyed charm.

She knew your love for her and her beauty before you,

بَدَوِّيَةٌ إِن شِئتَ أَو حَضَرَِيَّةٌ

بَدَوِّيَةٌ إِن شِئتَ أَو حَضَرَِيَّةٌ

جَمَعَ الخُزامى نَشرُها وَالمَندَلا

جَمَعَ الخُزامى نَشرُها وَالمَندَلا

Bedouin, if you wish, or city-bred:

So she came to show you her flirtation and sweetness.

her fragrance mingled lavender and aloeswood.

Bedouin if you wish, or civilized,

وَلَوَ اِنَّها مِمَّن تَقَدَّمَ عَصرُهُ

وَلَوَ اِنَّها مِمَّن تَقَدَّمَ عَصرُهُ

مَنَعَت زِياداً أَن يَقولَ وَجَروَلا

مَنَعَت زِياداً أَن يَقولَ وَجَروَلا

And had she been among those of an earlier age,

The Khuza`i gathered up her cloak, and her wide dress.

she would have kept Ziyad and Jarwal from speaking.

Had she been one whose time preceded,

غَزَلٌ وَمَدحٌ بِتُّ أَغرَقُ فيهِما

غَزَلٌ وَمَدحٌ بِتُّ أَغرَقُ فيهِما

كَالخَمرِ مازَجَتِ الزُلالَ السَلسَلا

كَالخَمرِ مازَجَتِ الزُلالَ السَلسَلا

Love-poetry and praise—I spent the night immersed in both,

She would have kept Ziyad from saying “He mounted his short-haired camel.”

like wine mingled with clear, smoothly flowing water.

Flirtation and praise—I am drowned in them

فَتَأَلَّفَت عِقداً يَروقُ نِظامُهُ

فَتَأَلَّفَت عِقداً يَروقُ نِظامُهُ

وَالعِقدُ أَحسَنُ مايَكونُ مُفَصَّلا

وَالعِقدُ أَحسَنُ مايَكونُ مُفَصَّلا

So she became a necklace whose arrangement delights,

Like wine mixed with pure cold water.

and a necklace is loveliest with its jewels set apart.

They formed a necklace whose composition delights,

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي دانَت لَهُ

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي دانَت لَهُ

كُلُّ المُلوكِ تَوَدُّداً وَتَوَسُّلا

كُلُّ المُلوكِ تَوَدُّداً وَتَوَسُّلا

O king to whom have submitted

For a necklace is best when articulated.

all kings, seeking friendship and favor,

O king to whom all kings are subservient, flattering and beseeching,

فَعَلاهُمُ مُتَطَوَّلاً وَحَباهُمُ

فَعَلاهُمُ مُتَطَوَّلاً وَحَباهُمُ

مُتَفَضَّلاً وَأَتاهُمُ مُتَمَهَّلا

مُتَفَضَّلاً وَأَتاهُمُ مُتَمَهَّلا

who then surpassed them in bounty and bestowed gifts upon them,

Exalted, generous, and coming to them with delayed fulfillment.

graciously, and came to them unhurried.

O you whose praise, all of it, is truthful in me,

يا مَن مَديحي فيهِ صِدقٌ كُلُّهُ

يا مَن مَديحي فيهِ صِدقٌ كُلُّهُ

فَكَأَنَّما أَتلو كِتاباً مُنزَلا

فَكَأَنَّما أَتلو كِتاباً مُنزَلا

O you whose praise from me is wholly true,

As if I am reciting a revealed scripture.

as though I were reciting a revealed scripture!

O you whose loyalty is clear advice in me,

يا مَن وَلائي فيهِ نَصٌّ بَيِّنٌ

يا مَن وَلائي فيهِ نَصٌّ بَيِّنٌ

وَالنَصُّ عِندَ القَومِ لَن يَتَأَوَّلا

وَالنَصُّ عِندَ القَومِ لَن يَتَأَوَّلا

O you, my loyalty to whom is a clear, explicit text,

And advice to people will not be interpreted otherwise.

and an explicit text, in people's judgment, admits no reinterpretation.

Indeed my life with you is sweet, and I have not desired

وَلَقَد حَلا عَيشي لَدَيكَ وَلَم أُرِد

وَلَقَد حَلا عَيشي لَدَيكَ وَلَم أُرِد

عَيشاً سِواهُ وَإِن أَرَدتُ فَلا حَلا

عَيشاً سِواهُ وَإِن أَرَدتُ فَلا حَلا

Life with you has indeed grown sweet for me; I have not wanted

Any other life, even if I had wanted to live.

any other life—and if I do, may it never be sweet!

I thanked your generosity with all thanks, knowing

وَشَكَرتُ جودَكَ كُلَّ شُكرٍ عالَماً

وَشَكَرتُ جودَكَ كُلَّ شُكرٍ عالَماً

أَن لا أَقومَ بِبَعضِ ذاكَ وَلا وَلا

أَن لا أَقومَ بِبَعضِ ذاكَ وَلا وَلا

And I have thanked your generosity with every kind of thanks, knowing

I cannot fulfill even some small part.

that I cannot do justice to even part of it—no, no.