سَبِّح خَليلي وَقُل يا حُسنَ تَصويرِ

سَبِّح خَليلي وَقُل يا حُسنَ تَصويرِ

راحَت سُلَيمى تَهادى في المَقاصيرِ

راحَت سُلَيمى تَهادى في المَقاصيرِ

Glorify God, my friend, and say, "What beautiful shaping!"

My friend, sing praises and say: O beauty manifest!

Sulayma went swaying gracefully through the secluded chambers.

Sulaima came gliding gracefully in her palanquin.

خَليفَةُ الشَمسِ تَكفي الحَيَّ غَيبَتَها

خَليفَةُ الشَمسِ تَكفي الحَيَّ غَيبَتَها

كَأَنَّما صاغَها الخَلّاقُ مِن نورِ

كَأَنَّما صاغَها الخَلّاقُ مِن نورِ

The sun’s deputy, she suffices the clan in its absence,

The sun's vicegerent suffices the living during its absence,

as though the Creator had fashioned her from light.

As if the Maker molded it from light.

تَمَّت قَواماً وَعَمَّت في مَجاسِدِها

تَمَّت قَواماً وَعَمَّت في مَجاسِدِها

كَأَنَّها مِن جَواري الجَنَّةِ الحورِ

كَأَنَّها مِن جَواري الجَنَّةِ الحورِ

She was perfect in stature and full-grown in her garments,

Her figure was made perfect and pervaded her limbs,

as though she were one of Paradise’s dark-eyed maidens.

As if she were one of the maidens of Paradise.

وَرُبَّما شاقَني طَيفٌ بِصورَتِها

وَرُبَّما شاقَني طَيفٌ بِصورَتِها

وَزُرتُها قَبلَ أَصواتِ العَصافيرِ

وَزُرتُها قَبلَ أَصواتِ العَصافيرِ

And sometimes a phantom in her likeness stirred my longing,

And her apparition would sometimes haunt me,

and I visited her before the sparrows called.

And I would visit her before the birds' singing.

لَمّا رَأَت مَضرَحِيّاً خَلفَ دانِيَةٍ

لَمّا رَأَت مَضرَحِيّاً خَلفَ دانِيَةٍ

مِنَ الدَواعِ سَرى في سِترِ مَأثورِ

مِنَ الدَواعِ سَرى في سِترِ مَأثورِ

When she saw a noble man behind one close at hand,

When she saw me behind a curtain,

among the beckoners, slipping by night beneath a patterned veil,

She walked slowly in a frequently worn wrap.

تَشَمَّسَت في الجَواري ثُمَّ قُلنَ لَها

تَشَمَّسَت في الجَواري ثُمَّ قُلنَ لَها

سيري فَقالَت أَميرٌ غَيرُ مَأمورِ

سيري فَقالَت أَميرٌ غَيرُ مَأمورِ

she grew haughty among the girls; then they told her,

She took sun among the maidens, then they told her:

"Go!" She answered, "A commander, not one commanded."

"Walk on." So she said: "A prince does not take orders."

حَتّى إِذا غَرَّ فَتقٌ تَحتَ وَسنَتِها

حَتّى إِذا غَرَّ فَتقٌ تَحتَ وَسنَتِها

وَراجَعَت بَعدَ تَسبيحٍ وَتَكبيرِ

وَراجَعَت بَعدَ تَسبيحٍ وَتَكبيرِ

Until a cleft beguiled her beneath her drowsiness,

Until when a dimple smiled under her cheek,

and she relented after praise and cries of "God is great."

She returned after prayers and glorifications.

وَكانَ مِنها لَنا شَيءٌ وَكانَ لَها

وَكانَ مِنها لَنا شَيءٌ وَكانَ لَها

مِنّا شَبيهٌ بِهِ في غَيرِ تَغييرِ

مِنّا شَبيهٌ بِهِ في غَيرِ تَغييرِ

And something passed from her to us, and to her came

And we shared something, and she shared with me

from us something like it, without alteration.

Something similar without change.

نَعى لَنا اللَيلَ ناعٍ بَينَ أَغشِيَةٍ

نَعى لَنا اللَيلَ ناعٍ بَينَ أَغشِيَةٍ

تَدعو الصَباحَ بَصوتٍ غَيرِ مَنزورِ

تَدعو الصَباحَ بَصوتٍ غَيرِ مَنزورِ

A herald announced the night’s death to us amid coverings,

The night bid us farewell, calling between blankets

calling morning in a voice by no means faint.

That summon the dawn with an unvisited voice.

فَزُلتُ عَنها وَزالَتَ في لَعائِبِها

فَزُلتُ عَنها وَزالَتَ في لَعائِبِها

كَأَنَّما كان حُلماً غَيرَ مَعبورِ

كَأَنَّما كان حُلماً غَيرَ مَعبورِ

So I withdrew from her, and she went among her playmates,

So I slipped away from her and she slipped into her amusements,

as though it had been a dream left uninterpreted.

As if it had all been an unfulfilled dream.

يا طيبَها بَينَ رَيحانٍ وُمُلتَثِمٍ

يا طيبَها بَينَ رَيحانٍ وُمُلتَثِمٍ

نَطوي الدُجى بِسُجودٍ لِلقواريرِ

نَطوي الدُجى بِسُجودٍ لِلقواريرِ

Oh, her sweetness amid basil and a kissing lover!

O her scent amidst basil and perfume

We fold away the darkness, prostrating before the bottles.

That makes the darkness prostrate in worship of flasks!

مِنَ اللَواتي إِذا حَنَّ الكِرانُ لَها

مِنَ اللَواتي إِذا حَنَّ الكِرانُ لَها

صَلَّت بِأُذنٍ لِصَوتِ البَمِّ وَالزيرِ

صَلَّت بِأُذنٍ لِصَوتِ البَمِّ وَالزيرِ

One of those women who, when the lute moans for her,

She is one of those whom, when the wine-jugs are passed around,

prays with an ear to the sound of bass and treble strings.

She prays with an ear inclined to the sound of glasses and pouring.

لَولا الخَليفَةُ شارَفنا زِيارَتَها

لَولا الخَليفَةُ شارَفنا زِيارَتَها

لَكِن عَهِدنا أَمينَ اللَهِ في الخيرِ

لَكِن عَهِدنا أَمينَ اللَهِ في الخيرِ

Were it not for the caliph, we would have drawn near to visit her,

Were it not for the Caliph, we would have visited her,

but we have known God’s trustee for his goodness.

But we made a covenant with the Trustworthy in goodness.

قَد كُنتُ لا أَتقَّي عَيناً مُبَصَّرَةً

قَد كُنتُ لا أَتقَّي عَيناً مُبَصَّرَةً

وَلا أُراقِبُ أَهلَ الفُحشِ وَالزورِ

وَلا أُراقِبُ أَهلَ الفُحشِ وَالزورِ

Once I feared no watchful eye,

Before this I did not guard my seeing eyes

nor heeded the people of obscenity and falsehood,

Or watch those of immorality and falsehood.

حَتّى إِذا القائِمُ المَهدِيُّ أَوعَدَني

حَتّى إِذا القائِمُ المَهدِيُّ أَوعَدَني

في اللَهوِ خَلَّيتُهُ لِلعاشِقِ الزيرِ

في اللَهوِ خَلَّيتُهُ لِلعاشِقِ الزيرِ

until the reigning al-Mahdi threatened me

Until when the Righteous Mahdi promised me,

over revelry; I left it to the womanizing lover.

I left it for the passionate drunkard.

فَالآنَ أَقصَرتُ عَن سَلمى وَزَيَّنَني

فَالآنَ أَقصَرتُ عَن سَلمى وَزَيَّنَني

عَهدُ الخَليفَةِ زينَ البُردِ بِالنيرِ

عَهدُ الخَليفَةِ زينَ البُردِ بِالنيرِ

So now I have desisted from Salma, and I am adorned

So now I refrain from Salma, and the Caliph's covenant adorns me,

by the caliph’s injunction, as woven stripes adorn a cloak.

The ornament of the robe with rivets.

يا سَلمَ إِنّا تَأَيّاني لَكُم مَلِكٌ

يا سَلمَ إِنّا تَأَيّاني لَكُم مَلِكٌ

حِبُّ الوَفاءِ وَشَوقي غَيرُ تَعذيرِ

حِبُّ الوَفاءِ وَشَوقي غَيرُ تَعذيرِ

O Salm, as for us, a king has held me back for your sake,

O Salma, we are prevented from coming to you by a king

a lover of faithfulness; my longing is no half-hearted pretense.

Whose love of loyalty and my passion are no excuse.

روحي عَليكِ سلامُ اللَهِ وادِعَةً

روحي عَليكِ سلامُ اللَهِ وادِعَةً

لا يَقطَعُ الإِلفَ شَيءٌ غَيرُ مَقدورِ

لا يَقطَعُ الإِلفَ شَيءٌ غَيرُ مَقدورِ

Depart at ease; God’s peace be upon you.

My soul bids you safety and prayer to Allah

Nothing unordained can sever affection.

That nothing but the foreordained cut short this friendship.

إِنّي يُشَيِّعُني قَلبي بِقافِيَةٍ

إِنّي يُشَيِّعُني قَلبي بِقافِيَةٍ

راحَت تُحَرِّقُ في كَلبٍ وَخِنزيرِ

راحَت تُحَرِّقُ في كَلبٍ وَخِنزيرِ

Indeed, my heart escorts me with a rhyme

I am seen off by a verse

that set out to scorch a dog and a pig.

That departed burning in a dog and pig.

أَنّا المُرَعَّثُ يَخشى الجِنُّ بادِهَتي

أَنّا المُرَعَّثُ يَخشى الجِنُّ بادِهَتي

وَلا يَنامُ الأَعادي مِن مَزاميري

وَلا يَنامُ الأَعادي مِن مَزاميري

I am al-Muraʿʿath; the jinn fear my impromptu verse,

I am the disheveled one whom jinn fear because of my madness,

and my enemies cannot sleep for my pipes.

And enemies cannot sleep because of my poems.

رَفَعتُ قَوماً وَفي أَحسابِهِم ضَعَةٌ

رَفَعتُ قَوماً وَفي أَحسابِهِم ضَعَةٌ

وَقَد كَعَمتُ رِجالاً بَعدَ تَهريرِ

وَقَد كَعَمتُ رِجالاً بَعدَ تَهريرِ

I raised up men whose ancestral standing was low,

I have raised a people though lowly in account,

and I have muzzled men after their snarling.

And I have masked men after uncovering.

وَمُقبِلٍ مُدبِرٍ في وَجهِهِ ضَخَمٌ

وَمُقبِلٍ مُدبِرٍ في وَجهِهِ ضَخَمٌ

كَأَنَّهُ قُرصُ زادٍ غَيرُ مَكسورِ

كَأَنَّهُ قُرصُ زادٍ غَيرُ مَكسورِ

And one approaching and retreating, with a broad face,

One approaching and one retreating, his face frowning

as though he were an unbroken round of bread,

As if it were a piece of dry bread, unbroken.

عَلَّلتُهُ بِسِنانِ الرُمحِ مَنفَرِداً

عَلَّلتُهُ بِسِنانِ الرُمحِ مَنفَرِداً

دونَ الأَحِبَّةِ في سَوداءِ دَيجورِ

دونَ الأَحِبَّةِ في سَوداءِ دَيجورِ

I solaced him with the spear’s point, alone,

I undid him with the point of a spear, alone,

apart from the loved ones, in a black, pitch-dark night.

Without loved ones, in the blackness of night.

يا حُسنَهُ مَنظَراً في حُسنِ كامِلَةٍ

يا حُسنَهُ مَنظَراً في حُسنِ كامِلَةٍ

طارا عَلى النَفسِ بَل قالا لَها طيري

طارا عَلى النَفسِ بَل قالا لَها طيري

Oh, how lovely his appearance, with a perfect woman’s beauty!

O his beauty manifest in the perfection of a full moon

The two soared over the soul—rather, they told it, "Fly!"

That made the soul soar, nay, that said to it: "Fly!"

حِتّى إِذا شُقَّ عَنهُ اللَيلُ وَدَّعَني

حِتّى إِذا شُقَّ عَنهُ اللَيلُ وَدَّعَني

بِعَبرَةٍ وَلِثامٍ في التَنانيرِ

بِعَبرَةٍ وَلِثامٍ في التَنانيرِ

Until, when night was torn away from him, he bade me farewell,

Until when the night parted from him and bid me farewell

with a tear and kisses amid the ovens.

With falling tears and a wrap of stars,

كَأَنَّهُ في بَياضِ الصُبحِ مُنصَرِفاً

كَأَنَّهُ في بَياضِ الصُبحِ مُنصَرِفاً

بَدرُ السَماءِ تَمادى في التَماصيرِ

بَدرُ السَماءِ تَمادى في التَماصيرِ

As though, departing in the whiteness of dawn, he were

It was as if, at the whitening of dawn, turning away,

the sky’s full moon, moving onward through the settlements.

The full moon of the sky flowed into vessels.