عسى يُبْلَى العذولُ ببعضِ ما بي

عسى يُبْلَى العذولُ ببعضِ ما بي

فيَعْذُرَ أو يُقَصِّرَ عن عِتابي

فيَعْذُرَ أو يُقَصِّرَ عن عِتابي

May the reproacher be afflicted with some of what afflicts me,

May he feel some of my pain, so he pardons or lessens his reproach,

so he may excuse me, or refrain from reproaching me;

And his heart clings to hope and despair regarding my condition of remoteness and nearness.

ويَعْلَقَ قلبَه طمعٌ ويأسٌ

ويَعْلَقَ قلبَه طمعٌ ويأسٌ

على حالَىْ بِعادٍ واقْتراب

على حالَىْ بِعادٍ واقْتراب

and may hope and despair grip his heart

And longing springs from him to console me,

in the two states of separation and nearness;

As the tattoo springs on dyed skin.

ويَعدوُ الشوقُ منه على التَّسلِّى

ويَعدوُ الشوقُ منه على التَّسلِّى

كما يعدو النُّصولُ على الخِضاب

كما يعدو النُّصولُ على الخِضاب

and may longing in him assail consolation,

Yes, and his father, had the branches of youth not withered in him

as fading assails hair dye.

And the secret promise did not become a wink

نعم وأبيه لو ماسَتْ لديه

نعم وأبيه لو ماسَتْ لديه

غصونُ الأيْكِ في وَرَق الشَّباب

غصونُ الأيْكِ في وَرَق الشَّباب

Yes, by his father, had there swayed before him

To him from behind the veil,

the grove's branches, in the foliage of youth,

And he saw how the nights adorn him

وصار خَفىُّ سِرِّ الوَعْد غَمْزا

وصار خَفىُّ سِرِّ الوَعْد غَمْزا

إليه بالجفون من النِّقاب

إليه بالجفون من النِّقاب

and the hidden secret of the promise become a wink

With times of intimacy and caresses,

sent to him by eyelids from behind the veil,

And how union is stolen without a promise

وأَبْصَرَ كيف تُتْحِفه الليالي

وأَبْصَرَ كيف تُتْحِفه الليالي

بأوقاتِ الخَلاعة والتَّصابي

بأوقاتِ الخَلاعة والتَّصابي

and had he seen how the nights regale him

After rejection and avoidance,

with hours of abandon and youthful dalliance,

And words of refusal appear

ومختِلس الوصال بغير وعدٍ

ومختِلس الوصال بغير وعدٍ

لصَبٍّ بعدَ صَدٍّ واجْتناب

لصَبٍّ بعدَ صَدٍّ واجْتناب

and one stealing union without a promise

Gently during reproachful conversation,

for a lovesick man after rejection and avoidance,

And he sipped the ripe lips

وألفاظَ التنصُّلِ حين تبدو

وألفاظَ التنصُّلِ حين تبدو

بلطفٍ في مُذاكرِة العتاب

بلطفٍ في مُذاكرِة العتاب

and words of excuse, when they appear

Illuminated by the smile of contentment,

gently in an exchange of reproaches,

And spent the night kissing it insistently

وَرَشْفَ أَقاحِيِ الثَّغْرِ المُنَدَّى

وَرَشْفَ أَقاحِيِ الثَّغْرِ المُنَدَّى

مُنَوَّرُه بمعسولِ الرُّضاب

مُنَوَّرُه بمعسولِ الرُّضاب

and sipping the daisies of the dew-moistened mouth,

While the breasts refused hardship,

its blossoms wet with honeyed saliva,

He would have been my aid and seen my errors

وَضَمّا بات يَلْثَمه التزاما

وَضَمّا بات يَلْثَمه التزاما

وَتَأباه النهودُ من الكَعاب

وَتَأباه النهودُ من الكَعاب

and an embrace that kissed him all night, holding him close,

Far from right and proper.

while the budding maiden's breasts resisted it,

And realized that the reproach of passion is disastrous,

لَكانَ مُساعِدى ورأى مَلامى

لَكانَ مُساعِدى ورأى مَلامى

من الخطأ البعيدِ من الصواب

من الخطأ البعيدِ من الصواب

he would have been my ally, and deemed reproaching me

Yet living in that torment is sweet.

an error far removed from what is right,

I will race in love the steeds of intimacy,

وَأَيْقَنَ أَنّ لَوْمَ الصَّبِّ لُؤْمٌ

وَأَيْقَنَ أَنّ لَوْمَ الصَّبِّ لُؤْمٌ

وعذب العيشِ في ذاك العذاب

وعذب العيشِ في ذاك العذاب

and known for certain that blaming a lovesick man is baseness,

And spur them wantonly.

and that life's sweetness lies in that torment.

I will drink my share of youth deeply,

سأُركِض في الهوى خيلَ التَّصابِي

سأُركِض في الهوى خيلَ التَّصابِي

وَأُعمِل في غَوايَتِه رِكابي

وَأُعمِل في غَوايَتِه رِكابي

I shall spur the steeds of youthful dalliance in love,

Before it passes and turns away.

and urge my riding-camels on in its seduction;

When forty years appear before me,

وَأرشُفُ سُؤْرَ حَظِّى من شبابٍ

وَأرشُفُ سُؤْرَ حَظِّى من شبابٍ

يَجِلُّ عن التَّعوُّضِ والإياب

يَجِلُّ عن التَّعوُّضِ والإياب

and sip the remnants of my share of youth,

My youth prepares to leave.

too precious to replace or regain.

If it left, I would achieve more than it,

فعَشْرُ الأربعين إذا بَدا لي

فعَشْرُ الأربعين إذا بَدا لي

تأهبَتِ الشَّبيبةُ للذهاب

تأهبَتِ الشَّبيبةُ للذهاب

For when the decade of forty dawns upon me,

For I would be under the shade of my soil.

youth prepares to depart.

A man who gathered all virtues so they are in him

ولو ذهبتْ لنِلْتُ أجَلَّ منها

ولو ذهبتْ لنِلْتُ أجَلَّ منها

لكَوْني تحتَ ظِلِّ أبى تُراب

لكَوْني تحتَ ظِلِّ أبى تُراب

And even if it departed, I would gain something greater than it,

As they were fated to be.

because I dwell beneath the shade of Abu Turab:

He bought good praise at every price,

فتىً جَمع الفضائلَ فهْى فيه

فتىً جَمع الفضائلَ فهْى فيه

كما كانت فذلك في الحساب

كما كانت فذلك في الحساب

a young man who gathered the virtues, so that in him they are

And walked the path of highness through every door.

like the sum total in a reckoning.

So he gained praise and glory

شَرَى طِيبَ الثَّناء بكل سعرٍ

شَرَى طِيبَ الثَّناء بكل سعرٍ

وسار إلى العُلَى من كل باب

وسار إلى العُلَى من كل باب

He bought the fragrance of praise at every price,

Through effort, striving, and earning.

and advanced toward the heights through every gate.

By sword and pen he has pride

فقد نال المحاَمد والمعالى

فقد نال المحاَمد والمعالى

بِجِد واجْتهادٍ واكتساب

بِجِد واجْتهادٍ واكتساب

For he has won commendation and high honors

Magnified among fighters and books.

through diligence, striving, and achievement.

So his hand enriches on days of gifts

له بالسيف والقلم افتخارٌ

له بالسيف والقلم افتخارٌ

تَعاظمَ في الكَتيبة وَالكِتاب

تَعاظمَ في الكَتيبة وَالكِتاب

His glory in the sword and pen

And his sword devastates on days of fighting.

has grown great in the battalion and the book.

He has a palm that brings back bounty and reveals,

فيُغِنى خَطُّه يوم العَطايا

فيُغِنى خَطُّه يوم العَطايا

ويُفنى سيفُه يومَ الضِّراب

ويُفنى سيفُه يومَ الضِّراب

So his handwriting enriches on the day of gifts,

Watering seas and clouds.

and his sword annihilates on the day of combat.

Through it, freshness overflows to all who are well,

له كفٌ تُعيد ندىً وتُبدى

له كفٌ تُعيد ندىً وتُبدى

فتُزْرِى بالبحار وبالسحاب

فتُزْرِى بالبحار وبالسحاب

He has a hand that renews bounty and brings it forth,

Like the sea's overflow with foam.

thus putting seas and clouds to shame.

His hands are blessed and grace,

يُفِيض بها النُّضار لكل عافٍ

يُفِيض بها النُّضار لكل عافٍ

كَفَيْضِ البحر يَزْخَر بالعُباب

كَفَيْضِ البحر يَزْخَر بالعُباب

With it he pours out gold for every supplicant,

Adorned with the crafts' necklaces.

like the sea's outpouring, surging with waves.

If you desire a sign of merit,

لقد جَلَّت أياديه وجالتْ

لقد جَلَّت أياديه وجالتْ

مُقلِّدةَ الصَّنائعِ في الرِّقاب

مُقلِّدةَ الصَّنائعِ في الرِّقاب

Indeed, his favors have grown great and ranged abroad,

Yours for the taking without veil.

hanging benefactions like necklaces upon necks.

His generosity benefits you with wealth and status,

إذا يَممت حَيْدرةً لفضلٍ

إذا يَممت حَيْدرةً لفضلٍ

فدُونَك ما تُريد بلا حجاب

فدُونَك ما تُريد بلا حجاب

If you turn to Haydara for bounty,

And rises above request and ambition.

then take whatever you desire, without a barrier.

You can nearly gain what you seek from him

يُفيدك جودُه مالا وجاها

يُفيدك جودُه مالا وجاها

ويَشْرُف عن مِطال وارتقاب

ويَشْرُف عن مِطال وارتقاب

His generosity brings you wealth and standing,

Of what students desire.

and is above delay and waiting.

His merit prides itself in every

تكاد تنال ما تبغيه منه

تكاد تنال ما تبغيه منه

من المطلوب من قبلِ الطِّلاب

من المطلوب من قبلِ الطِّلاب

You almost attain whatever you seek from him

Noble deed, for beauty and reward.

of what is desired, before you even ask.

For the house of my father Shujaa,

تُباهي فضلُه في كل فعلٍ

تُباهي فضلُه في كل فعلٍ

شريفٍ للجميل وللثواب

شريفٍ للجميل وللثواب

His excellence vies for glory in every deed

Virtues in reality and words have grown great.

noble, done for goodness and reward.

Faces of beauty with chastity,

لقد عَظَمَت لآلِ أبى شجاع

لقد عَظَمَت لآلِ أبى شجاع

محاسنُ في العِيانِ وفي الخِطاب

محاسنُ في العِيانِ وفي الخِطاب

Great indeed have grown, for the house of Abu Shujaʿ,

And deeds of beauty without conceit.

fine qualities, in plain sight and in speech:

Your rule, oh Shah of Shahs, has exalted you

وجوهٌ للجمال على عَفافٍ

وجوهٌ للجمال على عَفافٍ

وفعلٌ للجَميل بلا اعْتِجاب

وفعلٌ للجَميل بلا اعْتِجاب

faces endowed with beauty and chastity,

So through your merit we have the honor of affiliation.

and deeds of kindness without vanity.

So his praises of you do not cease

عَلاكم مُلْكُ شاهِنْشاهَ حتى

عَلاكم مُلْكُ شاهِنْشاهَ حتى

لكم من فضله شرفُ انْتِساب

لكم من فضله شرفُ انْتِساب

Shahanshah's sovereignty has risen over you, so that

Succeeding between travel and pouring.

from his favor you gain the honor of affiliation.

You are between the thankful and praising

فلا زالت منائحه عليكم

فلا زالت منائحه عليكم

تَوالَى بين سَحٍّ وانسكاب

تَوالَى بين سَحٍّ وانسكاب

So may his gifts upon you never cease

Whose tales spread, and the praying whose prayers are answered.

to follow one another, in torrents and outpourings.

فأنتم بين ذي شكرٍ ومدحٍ

فأنتم بين ذي شكرٍ ومدحٍ

يذِيعُ وذي دعاءٍ مستجاب

يذِيعُ وذي دعاءٍ مستجاب

For among you are those whose thanks and praise

spread abroad, and those whose prayers are answered.