لا تَقُل هِمَّتَ في ضِياءِ الغَزالِ

لا تَقُل هِمَّتَ في ضِياءِ الغَزالِ

وَتَعالى وَاِنظُر لِهَذي الغَزالَه

وَتَعالى وَاِنظُر لِهَذي الغَزالَه

Do not say, “You have fallen in love with the gazelle’s radiance”;

Do not say you became enamored of the gazelle's radiance;

Come now, and behold this gazelle.

come, and look at this gazelle.

تَلقَ لِلضوءِ بَهجَةً وَرِواءٌ

تَلقَ لِلضوءِ بَهجَةً وَرِواءٌ

ما حَوى الكَونَ حُسنُهُ وَجَلالَه

ما حَوى الكَونَ حُسنُهُ وَجَلالَه

You will find delight and loveliness in the light,

You will find in the light a splendor and beauty

whose beauty and majesty the universe could not contain.

whose loveliness and majesty the universe has never held.

لِمُحَيّا كُدورَةِ البَدرِ شَكلاً

لِمُحَيّا كُدورَةِ البَدرِ شَكلاً

إِنَّما البَدرُ لا يَجوزُ كَمالَه

إِنَّما البَدرُ لا يَجوزُ كَمالَه

A face shaped like the full moon’s disk—

A countenance shaped like the full moon's disk—

yet the full moon cannot surpass its perfection.

yet the full moon cannot surpass its perfection.

شَبَّهوهُ بِالرَوضِ شِبهَ قِياسٍ

شَبَّهوهُ بِالرَوضِ شِبهَ قِياسٍ

وَأَبى الحُسنُ أَن تَقولَ مِثالَه

وَأَبى الحُسنُ أَن تَقولَ مِثالَه

They likened it to a garden, by some analogy,

They likened him to a garden by analogy,

but Beauty refused to let you call the garden its peer.

but beauty refused to let you name his equal.

فَإِذا ما بِالنَرجِسِ الغَضِّ قاسوا

فَإِذا ما بِالنَرجِسِ الغَضِّ قاسوا

لِعُيونٍ تَظاهَرَت بِكَلالَه

لِعُيونٍ تَظاهَرَت بِكَلالَه

When they compared the fresh narcissus

Whenever they compared the fresh narcissus

to eyes that feigned languor,

with eyes that feigned languor,

قاوَمتُهُم أَجرَنا اللَهُ مِنها

قاوَمتُهُم أَجرَنا اللَهُ مِنها

بِلِحاظِ فَتَاكَةِ قِتالَه

بِلِحاظِ فَتَاكَةِ قِتالَه

eyelids opposed them—God protect us from them!—

I opposed them—God protect us from those eyes!—

with deadly, murderous glances.

with their deadly, murderous glances.

وَلَئِن شَبَّهوا الخُدودَ بِوَردٍ

وَلَئِن شَبَّهوا الخُدودَ بِوَردٍ

وَهوَ في اللَونِ لا يُغايِرُ حالَه

وَهوَ في اللَونِ لا يُغايِرُ حالَه

Though they likened the cheeks to a rose

And if they likened the cheeks to a rose,

whose color does not differ from theirs,

though its color is no different from his,

باكَتتَهُم بِأَنَّ في الوَردِ عَيباً

باكَتتَهُم بِأَنَّ في الوَردِ عَيباً

وَاِبنُ رومي أَطالَ فيهِ مَقالَه

وَاِبنُ رومي أَطالَ فيهِ مَقالَه

she silenced them: “The rose has a flaw”—

the cheeks refuted them: the rose has a flaw,

and Ibn al-Rumi discoursed upon it at length.

on which Ibn Rumi discoursed at length.

وَإِذا ما بِالثَغرِ قاسوا اِقحُواناً

وَإِذا ما بِالثَغرِ قاسوا اِقحُواناً

وَلَهُم عثذرَ جَهلِهِم جَريالَه

وَلَهُم عثذرَ جَهلِهِم جَريالَه

And when they compared chrysanthemums to the smiling mouth,

And when they compared a daisy with his mouth—

their ignorance excused their audacity;

their excuse being ignorance of its wine-red hue—

فَضَحتُهُم عَليا لَآلِئَ فيهِ

فَضَحتُهُم عَليا لَآلِئَ فيهِ

تَحتَ تِلكَ المَراشِفِ العَسّالَه

تَحتَ تِلكَ المَراشِفِ العَسّالَه

the peerless pearls within it put them to shame,

I put them to shame with the finest pearls within it,

beneath those honey-sweet lips.

beneath those honeyed lips.

وضإِذا القَدُّ شَبَّهوهُ بِغُصنٍ

وضإِذا القَدُّ شَبَّهوهُ بِغُصنٍ

حَيثُما فيهِ بَسطَهُ وَأَمالَه

حَيثُما فيهِ بَسطَهُ وَأَمالَه

A radiant figure—they likened it to a branch

And when they likened his figure to a bough,

wherever it stretched and made the branch bend.

however it might be stretched out or bent,

نَهضَ الخَصرَ رِقَّةً وَأَراهُم

نَهضَ الخَصرَ رِقَّةً وَأَراهُم

إِنَّ هَذا القِياسَ يَزري اِعتِدالَه

إِنَّ هَذا القِياسَ يَزري اِعتِدالَه

The waist rose slenderly and showed them

the slender waist rose and showed them

that this comparison impairs its perfect proportion:

that this comparison slighted its symmetry.

حَيثُ مَيَّلَ القُدودَ عِندَ التَثَنّي

حَيثُ مَيَّلَ القُدودَ عِندَ التَثَنّي

تَحتَهُ الرِدفُ حامِلاً أَثقالَه

تَحتَهُ الرِدفُ حامِلاً أَثقالَه

for graceful figures sway when they bend,

For the figures, when bending, are made to sway

while the haunch beneath bears their burdens.

by the hips beneath, bearing their weight.

لا تُباريهِ عِندَ ذاكَ غُصونُ

لا تُباريهِ عِندَ ذاكَ غُصونُ

هِيَ طَبعاً مَعَ الهَوى مَيّالَه

هِيَ طَبعاً مَعَ الهَوى مَيّالَه

No branches can rival it then;

No boughs can rival it at such a moment;

branches naturally lean with every breath of air.

by nature, they sway with the breeze.

وَكَذا الصَدرَ حينَما عَنهُ قالوا

وَكَذا الصَدرَ حينَما عَنهُ قالوا

طِبقَ فَضَّةٍ بَهى الصَقالَه

طِبقَ فَضَّةٍ بَهى الصَقالَه

Likewise, when they called the smooth slope of her breast

Likewise the breast, when they said of it:

a sheet of silver, brilliant in its polish,

A silver platter, splendidly polished,

وَعَلَيهِ بِلَّورَتانِ بَزَرَ

وَعَلَيهِ بِلَّورَتانِ بَزَرَ

مِن نُضارٍ وَحَولَ ذاكَ سَحالَه

مِن نُضارٍ وَحَولَ ذاكَ سَحالَه

with two crystals rising upon it,

with two crystals upon it, and a seed

of pure gold, circled by golden filings,

of pure gold, with filings around it.

قالَ حاشايَ أَن أَكونَ جَماداً

قالَ حاشايَ أَن أَكونَ جَماداً

إِنَّ هَذا التَشبيهَ مِنهُم جَهالَه

إِنَّ هَذا التَشبيهَ مِنهُم جَهالَه

it said, “Far be it from me to be lifeless matter!

It said: Far be it from me to be lifeless matter!

This simile is ignorance on their part.”

This comparison of theirs is ignorance.

وَتَرى الجيدَ عِندَما شَبَّهوهُ

وَتَرى الجيدَ عِندَما شَبَّهوهُ

بِعَمودِ الصَباحِ وَالعِقدِ هالَه

بِعَمودِ الصَباحِ وَالعِقدِ هالَه

Behold the neck: when they likened it

You see the neck, when they likened it

to the pillar of dawn, the necklace haloing it,

to the pillar of dawn, its necklace a halo,

ما لَ عَنهُم مُستَحقِراً بِتَواري

ما لَ عَنهُم مُستَحقِراً بِتَواري

مَظهَراً أَنَّهُ يُعافُ الأَطالَه

مَظهَراً أَنَّهُ يُعافُ الأَطالَه

why does dawn shrink away from it, humbled,

turn from them in contempt, withdrawing,

revealing that it disdains all vaunted length?

showing that it despises lengthy talk.

وَكَذاكَ الجَبينُ قَد قيسَ مِنهُم

وَكَذاكَ الجَبينُ قَد قيسَ مِنهُم

بِهِلالِهِ وَالجَوُّ ثُمَّ خِلالَه

بِهِلالِهِ وَالجَوُّ ثُمَّ خِلالَه

Likewise, the brow they likened

Likewise, they compared the forehead

to a crescent, with the sky stretched around it.

to its crescent, with the sky then between.

أَظهِرِ الفَرقَ أَفتَديهِ بِفَرقٍ

أَظهِرِ الفَرقَ أَفتَديهِ بِفَرقٍ

أَفخَمُ الكُلَّ إِن يُطيلَ جِدالَه

أَفخَمُ الكُلَّ إِن يُطيلَ جِدالَه

The parting revealed the difference—I would ransom it with my head—

Show the difference—I would ransom him—with a distinction

the greatest of all, however long they argue.

more magnificent than all, should he prolong his dispute.

صاحَ فَاِعدِل عَنِ المِثالِ فَإِنّي

صاحَ فَاِعدِل عَنِ المِثالِ فَإِنّي

لَمُحازٍ مَعَ الحَقيقَةَ قالَه

لَمُحازٍ مَعَ الحَقيقَةَ قالَه

It cried, “Turn away from likenesses, for I

It cried: Turn away from comparison, for I

side with truth in what it says.”

am [unclear wording] alongside reality, it said.

لَيتَ شِعري هَذا مَحاسِنٌ لَيسَت

لَيتَ شِعري هَذا مَحاسِنٌ لَيسَت

بِالَّتي وَصَفَها قَريبُ المَنالَه

بِالَّتي وَصَفَها قَريبُ المَنالَه

Would that I knew: are these not the beauties

Would that I knew! These are beauties not

he described as lying close within reach?

of the kind whose description lies within easy reach.

كَنهُها عَزَّ في المِثالِ كَما عَز

كَنهُها عَزَّ في المِثالِ كَما عَز

زَ نَحيبٌ في رَأيِهِ بِالأَصالَه

زَ نَحيبٌ في رَأيِهِ بِالأَصالَه

Its essence defies comparison, just as a lament reinforced it—

Their essence eludes comparison, just as

—in his judgment, through originality.

Naḥīb [name uncertain] excels in originality of judgment.

أَوحَدَ العَصرَ أَهيَبُ القَدرِ ذو المَج

أَوحَدَ العَصرَ أَهيَبُ القَدرِ ذو المَج

دِ أَخو المَجدِ مِن عِلمِنا خَصالَه

دِ أَخو المَجدِ مِن عِلمِنا خَصالَه

The age’s peerless man, most awe-inspiring in rank, possessed of glo—

Unique in his age, most majestic in rank, possessed of

—ry, glory’s brother, whose virtues we have come to know.

glory, brother to honor, whose qualities we know.

إِن يَقُل أَو يَعُد فَما ثَمَّ إِلّا

إِن يَقُل أَو يَعُد فَما ثَمَّ إِلّا

صِدقِ قَولٍ وَهِمَّةِ فِعالَه

صِدقِ قَولٍ وَهِمَّةِ فِعالَه

If he speaks or promises, there is nothing but

Whether he speaks or promises, there is nothing but

truth in his words and high resolve in his deeds.

truth in speech and resolve in action.

خَطَبوهُ إِلى المَعالي فَفازَت

خَطَبوهُ إِلى المَعالي فَفازَت

بِسَناهُ وَأَصبَحَت مُختالَه

بِسَناهُ وَأَصبَحَت مُختالَه

Lofty honors sought him for themselves, and triumphed

They betrothed him to high honors, which won

in his radiance, becoming proud.

his radiance and grew proud.

وَلَها الحَقُّ حَيثُ لَم تَلقَ شَهماً

وَلَها الحَقُّ حَيثُ لَم تَلقَ شَهماً

مِثلَ هَذا لَم يَتَّبِع أَميالَه

مِثلَ هَذا لَم يَتَّبِع أَميالَه

They had every right, since they found no noble man

And rightly so, for they had never met a noble man

like him—this man did not pursue mere hopes.

like this one, who never followed his whims.

قَد تَوَلّى القَضا وَكانَ كَما هُوَ

قَد تَوَلّى القَضا وَكانَ كَما هُوَ

مَظهَرُ الحَقِّ ضَوءَ شَمسِ العَدالَه

مَظهَرُ الحَقِّ ضَوءَ شَمسِ العَدالَه

He has assumed the judgeship and remains as ever:

He assumed the judgeship and remained, as ever,

a revealer of truth, the radiance of Justice’s sun.

the embodiment of truth, the sunlight of justice.

وَأَحلو لَهُ الإِدارَةَ لِمّا

وَأَحلو لَهُ الإِدارَةَ لِمّا

في نُمُوِّ رَأَوا هُناكَ هِلالَه

في نُمُوِّ رَأَوا هُناكَ هِلالَه

They entrusted the administration to him when,

They admitted him to administration when

in his rising, they saw the crescent of its future fullness.

they saw his crescent waxing there.

فَتَرقى إلى مَناصِبٍ عُليا

فَتَرقى إلى مَناصِبٍ عُليا

كانَ أَحرى بِعَرشِها لا مَحالَه

كانَ أَحرى بِعَرشِها لا مَحالَه

Then he rose to lofty offices;

Then he rose to lofty posts,

he was worthier of their throne, beyond doubt.

whose throne he surely deserved most.

أَو كُلوا شانَها إِلَيهِ اِعتِماداً

أَو كُلوا شانَها إِلَيهِ اِعتِماداً

وَتَنَحّى الرَئيسُ يَبري اِعتِلالَه

وَتَنَحّى الرَئيسُ يَبري اِعتِلالَه

They entrusted its affairs to him with confidence,

They entrusted their affairs to him in confidence,

while the chief withdrew to cure his illness.

and the chief withdrew to recover from his ailment.

فَأَراهُم مَعَ الوَكالَةِ ما لَم

فَأَراهُم مَعَ الوَكالَةِ ما لَم

يَتَأَتّى لِغَيرِهِ بِالأَصالَه

يَتَأَتّى لِغَيرِهِ بِالأَصالَه

With delegated authority he showed them what had not

As deputy, he showed them what

been possible for another, even with full authority:

no other could achieve in his own right:

خَيرُ عِلمٍ وَحُسنٍ رَأى وَحَزماً

خَيرُ عِلمٍ وَحُسنٍ رَأى وَحَزماً

وَاِقتِداراً وَفِطنَةً وَنِبالَه

وَاِقتِداراً وَفِطنَةً وَنِبالَه

the finest knowledge, sound judgment, and resolve,

excellent knowledge, sound judgment, and resolve,

power, discernment, and nobility.

ability, discernment, and nobility.

وَسَيَرقى أَرجو الكَريمَ ذُراها

وَسَيَرقى أَرجو الكَريمَ ذُراها

وَنَرى سُحبَ نَفعِهِ الهِطالَه

وَنَرى سُحبَ نَفعِهِ الهِطالَه

He will ascend—I pray the Generous One—to its summits,

He will reach their summits—I beseech the Generous One—

and we shall see the clouds of his bounty pouring rain.

and we shall see the pouring clouds of his beneficence.

وَيَروقُ الزَمانُ ثُمَّ إِلَيهِ

وَيَروقُ الزَمانُ ثُمَّ إِلَيهِ

وَيَعِزُّ المَكانُ عَزَّ اِستِطالَه

وَيَعِزُّ المَكانُ عَزَّ اِستِطالَه

Time itself will brighten, then turn toward him,

Time will then grow fair toward him,

and the land will be honored by the glory of his independence.

and his station be exalted with towering honor.

فَهوَ عَيشُ الهَنا الدَقيقُ المُصفي

فَهوَ عَيشُ الهَنا الدَقيقُ المُصفي

وَالمَجاري لِقَدرِهِ لَن نَخالَه

وَالمَجاري لِقَدرِهِ لَن نَخالَه

For he is the refined and purified life of happiness,

For he is a life of happiness, delicate and pure,

and we cannot imagine a peer to his rank.

and we can imagine no rival to his worth.

رَكبُ المَجدِ في سِباقِ المَعالي

رَكبُ المَجدِ في سِباقِ المَعالي

وَتَخَطّى العُلا فَصارَ قِبالَه

وَتَخَطّى العُلا فَصارَ قِبالَه

He mounted glory in the race for lofty honors

He rode glory in the race for high honors,

and overtook the heights, till they stood before him.

and outstripped the heights to stand before it.

وَاِستَعادَ الثَنا لِأَبناءِ مِصرَ

وَاِستَعادَ الثَنا لِأَبناءِ مِصرَ

وَأَفادَ المَلا بِغَيرِ مَلالَه

وَأَفادَ المَلا بِغَيرِ مَلالَه

He restored praise to the sons of Egypt

He restored renown to the sons of Egypt

and benefited all without weariness.

and benefited the people without wearying.

هَكَذا هَكَذا السَجايا وَمَن ذا

هَكَذا هَكَذا السَجايا وَمَن ذا

كَأَبي مُصطَفى عَظيمِ الجَزالَه

كَأَبي مُصطَفى عَظيمِ الجَزالَه

Such—such are noble traits; and who

Thus, thus should virtues be—and who

is like Abu Mustafa, magnificent in dignity and eloquence?

is like Abu Mustafa, magnificent in nobility?

رَبِّ بَلِّغهُ ما يُريدُ وَعَجِّل

رَبِّ بَلِّغهُ ما يُريدُ وَعَجِّل

إِنَّما البَرُّ خَيرُهُ في العَجالَه

إِنَّما البَرُّ خَيرُهُ في العَجالَه

Lord, grant him what he desires, and hasten it;

Lord, grant him what he wishes, and hasten:

goodness is best when swiftly bestowed.

kindness is best when promptly given.

وَاِعذِهِ مِن عَينِ كُلِّ حَسودِ

وَاِعذِهِ مِن عَينِ كُلِّ حَسودِ

وَاِجعَلِ الفَوزَ خُدنُهُ وَأَخالَه

وَاِجعَلِ الفَوزَ خُدنُهُ وَأَخالَه

Protect him from the eye of every envier,

Shield him from every envious eye,

and make success his intimate companion and brother,

and make success his intimate companion and brother,

ما شَدا الوَرقُ وَالغُصونُ تَثَنَّت

ما شَدا الوَرقُ وَالغُصونُ تَثَنَّت

وَوَفاهُ عَبدَ اللَطيفِ اِبتِهالَه

وَوَفاهُ عَبدَ اللَطيفِ اِبتِهالَه

as long as birds sing and branches bend,

as long as doves sing and branches sway,

and Abd al-Latif offers this prayer for him.

and Abd al-Latif offers him his supplication.