بماذا أكافئُ ندباً كساني

بماذا أكافئُ ندباً كساني

حلى من علاه بها قد حباني

حلى من علاه بها قد حباني

How shall I repay a noble man who clothed me

How can I reward tears that adorned me

in ornaments of his eminence, with which he has favored me,

With a necklace that made me graceful through its height?

وقلد جيدي من دره

وقلد جيدي من دره

ما لم تقلده نحور الغواني

ما لم تقلده نحور الغواني

and adorned my neck with pearls of his

And adorned my neck from his gems

that lovely women's necks have never worn?

That even the necks of gazelles were not adorned with.

محاسن أصبح لي لفظها

محاسن أصبح لي لفظها

معاراً وأضحت لديه المعاني

معاراً وأضحت لديه المعاني

Beauties whose wording has become mine

Graces have become through his words

on loan, while their meanings belong to him.

Common for me, and their meanings became for him exclusive.

فقل للذي حاز خصل المدى

فقل للذي حاز خصل المدى

فليس يباريه في السبق ثاني

فليس يباريه في السبق ثاني

So say to him who won the prize at the finish—

So say to him who gained the farthest goal

for no other contender can rival him in taking the lead:

That none can outrun him now in the race.

أهذي سمائلك الزاهرا

أهذي سمائلك الزاهرا

ت أهيدتها أم ثغورُ الحسان

ت أهيدتها أم ثغورُ الحسان

Are these your radiant traits

Are these your swaying twigs that blossomed

that you have bestowed, or the mouths of beautiful women?

Or the smiles of bliss that gave them rise?

أم الأنجم الزهر أطلعتها

أم الأنجم الزهر أطلعتها

على أفقٍ بسماء البيان

على أفقٍ بسماء البيان

Or are they the bright stars you have made rise

Or did the stars of flowers rise

on a horizon in the sky of eloquence?

Over a horizon in the sky of eloquence?

أم الوشي ما نمنمت راحتاك

أم الوشي ما نمنمت راحتاك

أم الأعين الحور جاءت رَواني

أم الأعين الحور جاءت رَواني

Or is it brocade that your two palms have embroidered,

Or did the zephyr flutter your comfort

or dark-pupilled eyes that have come gazing?

Or did the eyes of heavenly maidens make me delighted?

أم الروضُ بات نديم الغمامِ

أم الروضُ بات نديم الغمامِ

يسقيه من غير بنت الدنان

يسقيه من غير بنت الدنان

Or is it the garden that spent the night as the cloud's boon companion,

Or did the meadow spend the night entertaining clouds

as the cloud waters it without the daughter of wine-jars,

Watering it without a water-skin.

يضاحكه عن ثغور البروق

يضاحكه عن ثغور البروق

ويشدوه من وعده بالأغاني

ويشدوه من وعده بالأغاني

laughing with it through lightning's mouths,

Laughing at it from a rain-cloud’s lips

and serenading it with songs drawn from its promise?

And singing to it the promise of rain.

لئن زفَّ ودك نحوي لقد

لئن زفَّ ودك نحوي لقد

غدا من فؤادي بأعلى مكان

غدا من فؤادي بأعلى مكان

If indeed your affection has hastened toward me, surely

If he marched his love towards me

it has taken the highest place in my heart.

It will rise from my heart to the highest abode.

ومهما أساءت بطول البعاد

ومهما أساءت بطول البعاد

خطوبٌ فقد أحسنت بالتداني

خطوبٌ فقد أحسنت بالتداني

And however unkind through long separation

And however far absence lengthened

misfortunes have been, they have been kind in bringing us near.

His approach made up for it by being so close.

كأن الزمان أتى تائباً

كأن الزمان أتى تائباً

إلي وأنت اعتذار الزمان

إلي وأنت اعتذار الزمان

As though time has come repentant

It is as if time had relented

to me, and you are time's apology.

Towards me while you are time’s apology.