فَتاتَي نَديمي غَنِّيا بِحَياتي

فَتاتَي نَديمي غَنِّيا بِحَياتي

وَلا تَقطَعَا شَوقي وَلا طَرَباتي

وَلا تَقطَعَا شَوقي وَلا طَرَباتي

O my drinking companion's two maidens, sing, by my life,

My two friends, sing to me of my life,

And do not cut short my longing or my raptures.

And do not cut off my passion or my ecstasies.

يُكَلِّفُني مَولاكُما الكَأسَ غادِياً

يُكَلِّفُني مَولاكُما الكَأسَ غادِياً

وَكَيفَ أَطيقُ الكَأسَ وَالعَبَراتِ

وَكَيفَ أَطيقُ الكَأسَ وَالعَبَراتِ

Your master presses the cup upon me in the morning,

Your master obliges me to take the cup again,

And how can I bear both the cup and the tears?

But how can I bear the cup or the tears?

فَقُلتُ لَهُ يَكفيكَ ما قَد أَصابَني

فَقُلتُ لَهُ يَكفيكَ ما قَد أَصابَني

مِنَ الحُبِّ في نَومي وَفي يَقَظاتي

مِنَ الحُبِّ في نَومي وَفي يَقَظاتي

So I told him: let what has already afflicted me suffice you,

So I said to him, “What has already afflicted me

From love, in my sleep and in my waking hours.

Of love, in my sleep and in my waking, is enough for you.

وَما كُلُّ ما حَمَّلتَهُ النَفسَ بالِغاً

وَما كُلُّ ما حَمَّلتَهُ النَفسَ بالِغاً

رِضاكَ وَلا كُلُّ الخُطوبِ تُواتي

رِضاكَ وَلا كُلُّ الخُطوبِ تُواتي

And not everything you burden the soul with attains

Not everything the soul takes upon itself comes to fruition,

Your satisfaction, nor do all events favor you.

Nor do all misfortunes befall.

فَلا تَسقِني أَصبَحتُ مِن سَكرَةِ الهَوى

فَلا تَسقِني أَصبَحتُ مِن سَكرَةِ الهَوى

أَميدُ أَلا حَسبي مِنَ السَكَراتِ

أَميدُ أَلا حَسبي مِنَ السَكَراتِ

So do not give me drink; love's intoxication has left me

So do not make me drink, for I have become drunk with love -

Reeling—ah, I have had enough of drunken spells!

Enough! I have had my fill of drunkenness.”

ذَكَرتُ حَبيبي فَاِستَهَلَّت مَدامِعي

ذَكَرتُ حَبيبي فَاِستَهَلَّت مَدامِعي

وَفي الدَمعِ أَشغالٌ عَنِ النَشَواتِ

وَفي الدَمعِ أَشغالٌ عَنِ النَشَواتِ

I remembered my beloved, and my eyes streamed tears;

When I remembered my beloved, my tears flowed forth,

And tears distract from the delights of intoxication.

And in tears I am preoccupied from pleasures.

لَقَد قُلتُ لِلعَينِ المَريضَةِ بِالهَوى

لَقَد قُلتُ لِلعَينِ المَريضَةِ بِالهَوى

أَفيقي وَإِن لَم تَفعَلي فَأَساتِ

أَفيقي وَإِن لَم تَفعَلي فَأَساتِ

Indeed, I said to the eye sick with passion:

I said to my eye, sick with love,

Recover; and if you do not, you have done wrong.

“Wake up! And if you do not, you will perish!”

وَعَزَّيتُ نَفسي عَن عُبَيدَةَ بِالرُقى

وَعَزَّيتُ نَفسي عَن عُبَيدَةَ بِالرُقى

لِتَسلى وَما تَسلى عَنِ الرُقَياتِ

لِتَسلى وَما تَسلى عَنِ الرُقَياتِ

And I consoled my soul for Ubayda with charms,

And I consoled myself for Ubayda’s sake with healing words,

So it might find solace; yet the charms brought it none.

So it would be solaced, but it is not solaced from healing words.

فَما أَعتَبَتني العَينُ مِن فَيضِ عَبرَةٍ

فَما أَعتَبَتني العَينُ مِن فَيضِ عَبرَةٍ

وَلا يَرعَوي قَلبي إِلى دَعَواتِ

وَلا يَرعَوي قَلبي إِلى دَعَواتِ

So my eye gave me no relief from a flood of tears,

My eye did not reproach me for the overflowing of tears,

Nor does my heart relent at entreaties.

Nor did my heart calm down to my prayers.

وَإِنّي لِأَهواها وَإِن كُنتُ كاذِباً

وَإِنّي لِأَهواها وَإِن كُنتُ كاذِباً

فَلا رُفِعَت في الصالِحينَ صَلاتي

فَلا رُفِعَت في الصالِحينَ صَلاتي

And I truly love her; if I am lying,

And indeed I love her, even if I were lying -

Then may my prayer not be raised among the righteous.

So may my prayers among the righteous not be lifted up!

تَقَطَّعَ قَلبي زَفرَةً بَعدَ زَفرَةٍ

تَقَطَّعَ قَلبي زَفرَةً بَعدَ زَفرَةٍ

عَلَيها وَما صَبري عَلى الزَفَراتِ

عَلَيها وَما صَبري عَلى الزَفَراتِ

My heart was torn apart, sigh after sigh,

My heart breaks with sigh after sigh for her sake,

Over her—what endurance have I for such sighs?

Yet I have no patience for sighs.

وَأَحجُبُ زُوّاري اِغتِباطاً بِخَلوَةٍ

وَأَحجُبُ زُوّاري اِغتِباطاً بِخَلوَةٍ

وَما كُنتُ أَهوى قَبلَها خَلَواتي

وَما كُنتُ أَهوى قَبلَها خَلَواتي

And I turn my visitors away, delighting in solitude,

And I seclude my visitors, delighting in solitude,

Though before her I never loved my solitary hours.

When before I did not desire my solitude.

وَأُضمِرُها في النَفسِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

وَأُضمِرُها في النَفسِ حَتّى كَأَنَّما

أُكَلِّمُها بَينَ الحَشا وَلَهاتي

أُكَلِّمُها بَينَ الحَشا وَلَهاتي

And I keep her hidden in my soul, until it is as though

And I conceal her in my soul until it is as if

I speak to her between my breast and my uvula.

I am speaking to her amidst tender whispers and passionate murmurs.

وَجارِيَةٍ في مُقلَتَيها لِناظِرٍ

وَجارِيَةٍ في مُقلَتَيها لِناظِرٍ

دَواءٌ وَداءٌ غَيرِ أُمِّ عِداتِ

دَواءٌ وَداءٌ غَيرِ أُمِّ عِداتِ

And a maiden—in her two eyes, for one who gazes,

A maiden with beauty in her eyes is, for one who looks,

A cure and a sickness—no mother of promises.

A cure and sickness, unlike virgins among her peers.

دَسَستُ إِلَيها مَنطِقي وَكَسَوتُها

دَسَستُ إِلَيها مَنطِقي وَكَسَوتُها

مَناسِبَ مِثلَ الوَشي فَالحِبَراتِ

مَناسِبَ مِثلَ الوَشي فَالحِبَراتِ

I slipped my words to her and clothed her

I conveyed my words to her and clothed them

In love verses like brocade and striped robes.

In harmony, like dressing wounds in bandages.

فَجاءَت ثَقالَ الرِدفِ مَهضومَةَ الحَشا

فَجاءَت ثَقالَ الرِدفِ مَهضومَةَ الحَشا

وَكَالشَمسِ لا تُلفى إِلى أَخَواتِ

وَكَالشَمسِ لا تُلفى إِلى أَخَواتِ

So she came, full-hipped and slender-waisted,

So she came, heavy of flank and tender of embrace,

And like the sun, with no sisters to equal her.

Like the sun, incomparable to her sisters.

رَأَت خَلَلاً بَينَ العُيونِ فَأَقبَلَت

رَأَت خَلَلاً بَينَ العُيونِ فَأَقبَلَت

عَلى خَوفِ أَعداءٍ وَخَوفِ وُلاةِ

عَلى خَوفِ أَعداءٍ وَخَوفِ وُلاةِ

She saw a gap among watchful eyes and approached,

She saw an opening between the eyes, so she came forward

Despite fear of enemies and fear of those in authority.

Fearing the enemies and fearing the governors.

وَقالَت لِتِربَيها قِفا دونَ حاجَةٍ

وَقالَت لِتِربَيها قِفا دونَ حاجَةٍ

لَنا عِندَ أَمثالِ المَها خَفِراتِ

لَنا عِندَ أَمثالِ المَها خَفِراتِ

And she told her two companions: stand back from an errand

And she said to her companion, “Stand between me and my need,

Of ours with bashful women like oryxes;

For we have no need for likes of guards.

فَإِنَّكُما إِن تُعرَفا تُزرِيا بِنا

فَإِنَّكُما إِن تُعرَفا تُزرِيا بِنا

وَبَعضُ الهَوى يُرتادُ بِالخَلَواتِ

وَبَعضُ الهَوى يُرتادُ بِالخَلَواتِ

For if you two are recognized, you will bring disgrace on us,

For if you two are recognized, you will tarnish us,

And some love is sought in seclusion.

And some love is to be sought in solitude.”

فَلَمّا اِلتَقَينا ضِقتُ ذَرعاً بِما أَرى

فَلَمّا اِلتَقَينا ضِقتُ ذَرعاً بِما أَرى

وَأَلقى عَلَيها مَعشَقي شُبُهاتي

وَأَلقى عَلَيها مَعشَقي شُبُهاتي

When we met, I was overwhelmed by what I saw,

So when we met, I was frustrated by what I saw,

And my infatuation cast my doubts upon her.

And I cast my love upon her in suspicion.

فَقُلتُ لِنَفسي الشَمسُ جَلَّت لِناظِرٍ

فَقُلتُ لِنَفسي الشَمسُ جَلَّت لِناظِرٍ

أَم البَدرُ يُجلى في قِناعِ فَتاةِ

أَم البَدرُ يُجلى في قِناعِ فَتاةِ

So I asked myself: is this the sun, splendid to behold,

So I said to myself, “Has the sun unveiled itself to one who looks,

Or is the full moon unveiled within a maiden's veil?

Or does the moon shine clearly beneath the veil of a maiden?”

فَلَم تَرَ عَيني مِثلَ عَيشٍ سَرَقتُهُ

فَلَم تَرَ عَيني مِثلَ عَيشٍ سَرَقتُهُ

وَلا مِثلَ حُسّادي عَلى السَرِقاتِ

وَلا مِثلَ حُسّادي عَلى السَرِقاتِ

Never has my eye seen such pleasure as I stole,

Never did my eye see a life like the one I stole,

Nor the like of those who envied me my thefts.

Or opponents over theft like mine.

وَما كانَ إِلّا مَأخَذي بِيَمينِها

وَما كانَ إِلّا مَأخَذي بِيَمينِها

وَعَضُّ بَنانٍ كُنَّ مِن فَتَناتِ

وَعَضُّ بَنانٍ كُنَّ مِن فَتَناتِ

There was only my clasping of her right hand,

It was only my taking her hand in mine,

And biting fingertips that were a source of temptation,

And a biting of fingers that were temptations.

وَمَوضِعُ كَفٍّ خُضِّبَت لِلقائِنا

وَمَوضِعُ كَفٍّ خُضِّبَت لِلقائِنا

عَلى كَبِدٍ مَجنونَةِ الهَفَواتِ

عَلى كَبِدٍ مَجنونَةِ الهَفَواتِ

And placing a palm dyed for our meeting

And a place a palm that reddened for our meeting,

On a liver crazed with errant impulses.

Upon a mad liver's loss of restraint.

فَلَولا التُقى راحَت وَرُحتُ عَشِيَّةً

فَلَولا التُقى راحَت وَرُحتُ عَشِيَّةً

نَعُدُّ هَناتٍ بَينَنا وَهَناتِ

نَعُدُّ هَناتٍ بَينَنا وَهَناتِ

But for piety, she and I would have left that evening,

And had it not been for decency, we would have wandered

Counting little misdeeds between us, and more misdeeds.

And counted fleeting moments between us.

فَيا مَجلِساً أَبقى لِقَلبِكَ ذُكرَةً

فَيا مَجلِساً أَبقى لِقَلبِكَ ذُكرَةً

عَلى عُدُواءِ الشَوقِ رادِياتِ

عَلى عُدُواءِ الشَوقِ رادِياتِ

O meeting that left your heart a remembrance,

Oh gathering, remain as a memento for my heart

Ruinous amid the harshness of longing.

Against the enmity of prolonged separation!

إِذا شِئتُ أَبكاني الحَمامُ بِصَوتِهِ

إِذا شِئتُ أَبكاني الحَمامُ بِصَوتِهِ

وَهاجَ عَلَيَّ الشَوقُ طولَ سُباتي

وَهاجَ عَلَيَّ الشَوقُ طولَ سُباتي

Whenever I wish, the dove makes me weep with its voice,

When I wish, the dove makes me weep with its call,

And longing rages over me throughout my slumber.

And longing storms over me throughout my slumber.

وَعِندَ وَلِيِّ العَهدِ شافٍ مِنَ الجَوى

وَعِندَ وَلِيِّ العَهدِ شافٍ مِنَ الجَوى

فَروحا عَلَيهِ ذُكرَةً بِشَكاتي

فَروحا عَلَيهِ ذُكرَةً بِشَكاتي

And with the heir apparent is a cure for heartache;

And with the heir apparent there is healing from love sickness -

So go to him at evening, both of you, reminding him of my complaint,

So go to him with my complaint!

لِعَلَّ أَمينَ اللَهِ موسى بنَ أَحمَدٍ

لِعَلَّ أَمينَ اللَهِ موسى بنَ أَحمَدٍ

يَذوقُ لَنا كَأساً مِنَ السَلَواتِ

يَذوقُ لَنا كَأساً مِنَ السَلَواتِ

Perhaps God's trusted one, Musa son of Ahmad,

Perhaps God's trustee, Musa ibn Ahmad,

Will taste for us a cup of solace.

Will taste a cup with us of drink unmixed.

هُوَ المَلِكُ المَأمولُ وَالقائِمُ الَّذي

هُوَ المَلِكُ المَأمولُ وَالقائِمُ الَّذي

يُوَلِّفُ بَينَ الذِئبِ وَالنَقَداتِ

يُوَلِّفُ بَينَ الذِئبِ وَالنَقَداتِ

He is the king in whom hope rests, and the upholder who

He is the hoped-for king and the one who will rise

Makes peace between the wolf and the little sheep.

And make peace between the wolf and the lambs.

مِنَ المُطعِمينَ المُنعِمينَ نُعِدُّهُ

مِنَ المُطعِمينَ المُنعِمينَ نُعِدُّهُ

لِيَومَ لِقاءٍ أَو لِفَكِّ عُناةِ

لِيَومَ لِقاءٍ أَو لِفَكِّ عُناةِ

Among those who feed and give generously, we keep him ready

We count him among those who feed and favor

For a day of battle or for freeing captives.

For a day of meeting or freeing the oppressed.

يَقومُ بِأَفعالِ النَبِيِّ وَقَولِهِ

يَقومُ بِأَفعالِ النَبِيِّ وَقَولِهِ

كَوَحي اِبنِ بَيضٍ في صَفاءِ صِفاتِ

كَوَحي اِبنِ بَيضٍ في صَفاءِ صِفاتِ

He acts according to the Prophet's deeds and words,

He will perform the deeds and words of the Prophet

Like Ibn Bayd's inspired words, in purity of qualities.

Like the revelation of the son of Bayda in the purity of his traits.

إِذا فَزِعتَ يَوماً لُؤَيُّ بنُ غالَبٍ

إِذا فَزِعتَ يَوماً لُؤَيُّ بنُ غالَبٍ

رَمى دونَهُم بِالخَيلِ مُعتَرِضاتِ

رَمى دونَهُم بِالخَيلِ مُعتَرِضاتِ

If Lu'ayy ibn Ghalab should ever take fright,

When you panic one day, Lu'ay ibn Ghalib

He hurls cavalry before them, barring the way.

Will shoot his horses before them as obstruction.

وَإِن دُهِموا في مَأزِقٍ قامَ دونَهُم

وَإِن دُهِموا في مَأزِقٍ قامَ دونَهُم

كَما قامَ جاري النَبلِ دونَ نُباتِ

كَما قامَ جاري النَبلِ دونَ نُباتِ

And if they are assailed in a narrow pass, he stands to defend them,

And if they are besieged in dire straits, he will stand before them

As the arrow-racer stood in defense of Nubat.

As Jarir the archer stood before the fledglings.

عَلى مُلكِهِ ضُمَّت قُرَيشٌ وَأَفرَطَت

عَلى مُلكِهِ ضُمَّت قُرَيشٌ وَأَفرَطَت

قَبائِلُ مِن وُدٍّ لَهُ وَعُداةِ

قَبائِلُ مِن وُدٍّ لَهُ وَعُداةِ

Quraysh was united under his rule, and forward came

The tribes of Quraysh and others excessively loving him,

Tribes, both friends of his and foes,

And the tribes of allies and enemies have unified under his rule.

مُصيخينَ مِن وَقعِ السُيوفِ كَأَنَّهُم

مُصيخينَ مِن وَقعِ السُيوفِ كَأَنَّهُم

خِرابٌ تَلوذُ مِن صُقورِ فَلاةِ

خِرابٌ تَلوذُ مِن صُقورِ فَلاةِ

Listening intently to the clash of swords, as though they were

Terrified by the blow of swords, as if they are

Male bustards seeking refuge from desert falcons.

Ruins seeking refuge from the hawks of the desert.

فَقُل لِلَّذي يَرجو الخِلافَةَ بِالمُنى

فَقُل لِلَّذي يَرجو الخِلافَةَ بِالمُنى

تَنَحَّ لِموسى صانِعِ الحَسَناتِ

تَنَحَّ لِموسى صانِعِ الحَسَناتِ

So tell the one who hopes for the caliphate by wishing:

So say to the one who hopes for the caliphate through wishes,

Stand aside for Musa, the doer of good deeds.

"Step aside for Musa, doer of good deeds."