1. أبرقٌ نراه أم سنا الصبح حاضر

    أم الثغر من مختارة الحسن ظاهر

    Is it lightning we see, or is the dawn's radiance here?

    Or is the mouth of Mukhtara, beauty's chosen one, revealed?

  2. نعم بالسنا لاحت لصبّ مولع

    دلالا ونور الوجه باه وباهر

    Yes, she appeared in radiance to an infatuated lover,

    coquettishly, her face's light radiant and dazzling.

  3. غزالة حسن غازلتني بمقلة

    لها في قلوب العاشقين سرائر

    A gazelle of beauty flirted with me with an eye

    whose secrets dwell in lovers' hearts.

  4. وبهكنة كاللدن قدّاً ولم يزل

    عليه فؤاد الصب طاو وطائر

    And a tender maiden, supple as a bough in stature; ever

    the lover's heart hungers for that form and flutters over it.

  5. تصول بجفن مرهف من لحاظه

    لقتلي وقلبي فيه صاب وصابر

    She attacks with an eyelid sharpened by its glances,

    to kill me; my heart is enamored of it, yet patient.

  6. وتبسم عن المى لماه معطر

    به الطلع والعناب زاه وزاهر

    And she smiles, revealing a dark-lipped mouth, its dusky hue perfumed;

    in it, palm blossoms and jujubes gleam and bloom.

  7. وتسفر عن ليل وصبح كليهما

    اقلهما غصن من البان خاطر

    And she unveils a night and a dawn, both

    borne by a swaying bough of the ben-tree.

  8. لها أيطلا ظبي وعيان فيهما

    سواد قلوب الناظرين نواظر

    She has a gazelle's two flanks, and two eyes in which

    the dark cores of beholders' hearts serve as pupils.

  9. وما الراح إلا من عصير شفاهما

    ينجمه كاس من الدر عاطر

    And wine is nothing but the juice of their lips,

    brought forth by a fragrant cup of pearls.

  10. وما الصاب إلا ما رشفت من النوى

    فياليتها بالقرب يوما تجابر

    And bitter sap is nothing but what I sipped from separation;

    would that she might one day mend my hurt by drawing near.

  11. رأتني فقالت كيف حالك والهوى

    فقلت لها هل كيف ليل وعامر

    She saw me and said, 'How are you faring with love?'

    I said to her, 'How is the night—and Amir?' [Wording unclear.]

  12. غرامي غريمي والصباء صبابتي

    وقلبي وطرفي فيك ساه وساهر

    My passion is my creditor; youthful desire is my ardent longing.

    And my heart is distracted by you, my eye sleepless.

  13. كأن بني يزداد حشو حشاشتي

    فتكت بها سقما أأنت مساور

    As though the sons of Yazdad filled my heart's core,

    you ravaged it with sickness—are you Musawir, the assailant?

  14. نديمي صح بي أن صحبي تحملوا

    وسر بي فسربي كلهنّ جآذر

    My drinking companion, cry to me that my friends have departed,

    and lead me onward, for all my flock are wild-cow calves.

  15. ورب حبيب هادم الصبر هادمي

    براحته قد زاد والليل زائر

    And many a beloved, destroyer of patience and of me,

    has increased my ruin with his palm, while night came visiting.

  16. أغنّ غضيض يستضيء بوجهه

    وتستره خوف الرقيب الضفائر

    Soft-voiced and downcast-eyed, his face lends light to the night,

    and his braids conceal him for fear of the watcher.

  17. فبتنا وفمّ يرشف الخمر من فم

    غراما إلى أن لاح لليل آخر

    So we passed the night, one mouth sipping wine from another,

    in passion, until the end of night appeared.

  18. ولاح لنا صبح منير كأنه

    بشيرٌ اتتنا من سناه البشائر

    And a radiant dawn appeared to us, as though it were

    Bashir, whose radiance brought us glad tidings.

  19. هو الجنب لاطي فيه معن وحاتم

    وفي الجنب لاطيّ بل الجود ناشر

    He is the Junblati; Ma'n and Hatim are within him,

    and at his side nothing is folded away; rather, generosity spreads.

  20. بشير يشير الفضل في فضل روضه

    كما فاخرت بالفضل فيه المفاخر

    Bashir: excellence makes its sign in his garden's bounty,

    as glories themselves boast of excellence in him.

  21. ويسري إلى جدواه سار ومدلج

    كما بالعلى سارت إليه الأكابر

    And traveler and night-farer journey by night toward his bounty,

    as the great have journeyed to him with lofty honors.

  22. قد ارتفعت مختارة العز خيرة

    كما رفعت للجود فيها المنابر

    Mukhtara of glory has risen, the choicest,

    as pulpits have been raised there for generosity.

  23. وطلّ على اطلالها من بشيرها

    يبشر ان البذل هام وهامر

    And dew from her Bashir upon her ruins

    heralds that bounty streams and pours.

  24. وما حلها غاد ألمّ به الأسى

    من البؤس إلّا وهو بالبر صادر

    No morning visitor has come there, struck by sorrow

    from poverty, without departing with bounty.

  25. تربع بالغابات منها غضنفر

    همام جريء بالجحافل زائرُ

    A lion has made his dwelling in her forests,

    valiant and bold, roaring amid the armies.

  26. مجيد له نصر من السعد خادمٌ

    ويخدمه بالحرب رمحٌ وباتر

    Glorious, he has victory from good fortune as his servant,

    and in war a spear and a cleaving sword serve him.

  27. وما نادت الهياء إلّا أجابها

    بطعن تحامي منه عمرو وعامر

    Whenever battle called, he answered it

    with thrusts from which Amr and Amir would shrink.

  28. كريمٌ سليمٌ يوم سلم وإن رأى

    ركاب الأعادي فهو ضار وضائر

    Generous and peaceable in peace; but if he sees

    the enemy's mounts, he is fierce and deadly.

  29. الأسائل الفرسان عن فتكه وسل

    صوارمه يخبرك عضبٌ وضامر

    Come, ask the horsemen about his deadly assault, and question

    his swords: a keen blade and a lean steed will tell you.

  30. وسل وانشد الركبان عن سحب جوده

    وعن بذله يعلمك سار وساير

    And ask, inquire of the riders about the clouds of his generosity,

    and of his giving: traveler and wayfarer will inform you.

  31. سعى ساعيا بالمجد فيها يودّه

    فدانت له الافلاك حتى الدوائر

    He strove on, pursuing glory within her, desiring it,

    so the celestial spheres submitted to him—even their orbits.

  32. رأته المعالي فاستحبت معالما

    بناديه فيها العز واف ووافر

    High honors saw him and cherished landmarks

    in his assembly, where glory is complete and abundant.

  33. طليق عنان المكرمات وملالك

    زمام المعالي فهو باد مبادرُ

    Unbridled in noble deeds, and master of

    the bridle of high honors, he is foremost and swift to act.

  34. رضيع لبان المجد شهم مهندٌ

    له في رقاب الحاسين مآثر

    Suckled on glory's milk, gallant, an Indian-steel blade,

    he has illustrious deeds upon the necks of the envious.

  35. إليك بشير السعد هيفاء غادة

    لعلياك قد زفّت من الفكر باكر

    For you, Bashir of good fortune, a slender-waisted, tender maiden

    has been led from thought, a virgin bride, to your eminence.

  36. يلوح لها طرف من ابن كرامة

    غضيض وعن إدراك فضلك قاصر

    A gaze from Ibn Karama appears to her,

    downcast, falling short of comprehending your excellence.

  37. فلا زلت ذا سعد منير ومطلع

    بغرته الغراء يستهدي جائر

    May you ever possess radiant fortune and a dawning

    by whose resplendent brow one astray seeks guidance.

  38. ونجمك في أوج السعادة ساطع

    وسعدك بالعلياء ناه وآمر

    And may your star shine at the zenith of happiness,

    and your fortune forbid and command in the heights.