زارَ الحبيبُ وللواشينَ أبراق

زارَ الحبيبُ وللواشينَ أبراق

والليلُ أثوابُه زُرْقٌ وأخْلاق

والليلُ أثوابُه زُرْقٌ وأخْلاق

The beloved visited while the slanderers flashed their lightning;

The beloved came though spies were watching,

and night wore blue, threadbare robes.

And the night wore garments of blue and black,

سرى على رغم من يخشى نَمِيمتَه

سرى على رغم من يخشى نَمِيمتَه

كَيْلا يصحَّ له في القولِ مِصداق

كَيْلا يصحَّ له في القولِ مِصداق

He came by night despite the one whose slander he feared,

He walked despite his fear of slander,

so that his words might find no confirmation.

Lest the words against him ring true.

أضحى يُرَاودُني عَنْ نيلِ حاجتِه

أضحى يُرَاودُني عَنْ نيلِ حاجتِه

وقد وفى منه لي عَهْدٌ ومِيثاقُ

وقد وفى منه لي عَهْدٌ ومِيثاقُ

He began coaxing me to fulfill his desire,

He pleaded that I fulfill his desire,

and his pledge and covenant to me had held true.

Though his promise and pact with me were kept,

صافحتُه فبكى والفَجْرُ مُبْتَسِم

صافحتُه فبكى والفَجْرُ مُبْتَسِم

من وجههِ وَلَهُ نُورٌ وإشْرَاقُ

من وجههِ وَلَهُ نُورٌ وإشْرَاقُ

I clasped his hand; he wept, while dawn smiled

I greeted him and he wept, dawn on his face smiling,

from his face, which shone with light and radiance.

With light and radiance graced.

والحبُ يدنيه والعَتْبَاءُ تُبْعِده

والحبُ يدنيه والعَتْبَاءُ تُبْعِده

والشوقُ للمرءِ قَوَّادٌ وسَوَّاقُ

والشوقُ للمرءِ قَوَّادٌ وسَوَّاقُ

Love drew him near, while reproach drove him away,

Love draws him near while disdain distances him,

and longing is a person's guide and driver.

Yearning for one is a pander and broker,

أذاقني الاقحوانَ الغَصَّ من فَمِه

أذاقني الاقحوانَ الغَصَّ من فَمِه

ما ليس أثمرُهُ غُصْنٌ وأوْرَاقُ

ما ليس أثمرُهُ غُصْنٌ وأوْرَاقُ

He let me taste the tender chrysanthemum from his mouth,

He made me taste from his mouth bitterness,

which neither a branch nor leaves had borne.

Though its fruit is not branch or leaf.

أفدِيهِ من رَشَأٍ قد صارَ في يده

أفدِيهِ من رَشَأٍ قد صارَ في يده

قلبي أسيرٌ ودَمْعي فيهِ مِطْلاقُ

قلبي أسيرٌ ودَمْعي فيهِ مِطْلاقُ

I would ransom him, that gazelle fawn, in whose hand

To free him from suspicion that filled his hand,

my heart is now captive, while my tears flow freely for him.

My heart is captive and my tears are unrestrained,

لو عنفتني عذولي عن محبَّتِه

لو عنفتني عذولي عن محبَّتِه

لما انثيتُ فما من حُبِّنا ذَاقُوا

لما انثيتُ فما من حُبِّنا ذَاقُوا

Were you to scold me, my reproacher, for loving him,

If his disdain had turned me from his love,

I would not turn aside, for they have tasted none of our love.

I would not have softened, for never did they taste,

نار الهوى عذبتني وهو يسْعَرُها

نار الهوى عذبتني وهو يسْعَرُها

لها التهابٌ على قَلْبي وإحْرَاقُ

لها التهابٌ على قَلْبي وإحْرَاقُ

The fire of passion tormented me, and he stoked it;

The fire of passion sweetly tortured me while he lit it,

its blaze and scorching assailed my heart.

It blazes in my heart with burning and searing,

قَبَّلتْهُ ودموعي فوقَ وَجْنَتِه

قَبَّلتْهُ ودموعي فوقَ وَجْنَتِه

سالتْ وأدمعُه بالخَدِّ مهراقُ

سالتْ وأدمعُه بالخَدِّ مهراقُ

I kissed him, and my tears upon his cheek

I kissed him while my tears fell atop his cheeks,

flowed, while his tears poured down his cheek.

Pouring, and his tears down his cheeks coursing,

تَخَالَطَ السَّكْبُ من شأني وَمِحْجَره

تَخَالَطَ السَّكْبُ من شأني وَمِحْجَره

وَرَوَّتْ الأرضَ آماقٌ وآمَاقُ

وَرَوَّتْ الأرضَ آماقٌ وآمَاقُ

The outpouring from my tear duct and his eye socket mingled,

Confusion mixed from my state and his frowning,

and the corners of his eyes and mine watered the earth.

The ground watered by rivers and streams overflowing,

يَضُمَني وضُلوعي كادَ يَحْطِمُها

يَضُمَني وضُلوعي كادَ يَحْطِمُها

لَزْماً وقد لَفَّنا وَصْلٌ وأشْواقُ

لَزْماً وقد لَفَّنا وَصْلٌ وأشْواقُ

He embraced me, almost crushing my ribs

He held me, my ribs nearly shattered

in a tight clasp, while union and longings enfolded us.

From insistence, though we were bound by union and longing,

حتى تَنَبَّهَ للتوديعِ مُرْتَعشاً

حتى تَنَبَّهَ للتوديعِ مُرْتَعشاً

وعاقَ قلبيَ أعواقٌ وأعواقُ

وعاقَ قلبيَ أعواقٌ وأعواقُ

Until he stirred, trembling, to bid farewell,

Until he stirred to bid farewell, trembling,

and hindrance upon hindrance held back my heart.

My heart detached by longing and yearning,

يحكي ويبكي وما علمي بِمَنْطقِه

يحكي ويبكي وما علمي بِمَنْطقِه

من البكى وغرابُ البينِ نَعَّاقُ

من البكى وغرابُ البينِ نَعَّاقُ

He spoke and wept, and I could not make out his words

He speaks and weeps and I know not his words,

through the sobbing; separation's raven croaked.

Among the weeping, and the raven of separation cawing,

تصافحتْ لوداعٍ كلُ جارحةٍ

تصافحتْ لوداعٍ كلُ جارحةٍ

مِنا وتَنْحَطُّ هاماتٌ وأعْنَاقُ

مِنا وتَنْحَطُّ هاماتٌ وأعْنَاقُ

Every limb exchanged a clasp in farewell

We bid farewell, each limb among us

between us, while heads and necks bowed low.

Surrendering, with determination and necks bending,

وما له طوقُ في جيدي كما ظهرتْ

وما له طوقُ في جيدي كما ظهرتْ

من جودِ مولاي بالأعْنَاقِ أطْواقُ

من جودِ مولاي بالأعْنَاقِ أطْواقُ

He has no collar upon my neck to match those displayed

But no necklace adorns my neck as appeared

by my lord's bounty: collars upon necks.

From my Master’s generosity, necklaces bestowing,

هذا سعيدٌ أميرُ الخلقِ كُلِّهُمُ

هذا سعيدٌ أميرُ الخلقِ كُلِّهُمُ

زَكَتْ لَهُ في أصُولِ الفَخْرِ أعْرَاقُ

زَكَتْ لَهُ في أصُولِ الفَخْرِ أعْرَاقُ

This is Sa'id, prince of all the people;

This is Sa’eed, the best of all people,

his ancestral roots have flourished in the foundations of glory.

In the roots of pride, virtues manifest,

سليل سلطان ماضي العزمِ مُنْبَسطٌ

سليل سلطان ماضي العزمِ مُنْبَسطٌ

للناسِ من كفِّهِ قُوْتٌ وأرْزَاقُ

للناسِ من كفِّهِ قُوْتٌ وأرْزَاقُ

Sultan's scion, steadfast in resolve; there flow

Scion of the Sultan whose resolve is firm,

from his palm food and livelihoods for the people.

Giving people from his palm sustenance and livelihood,

يصبو إلى المجدِ والعَلياءِ منفرداً

يصبو إلى المجدِ والعَلياءِ منفرداً

كما صَبَا لحبيبٍ وَهْوَ مُشْتَاقُ

كما صَبَا لحبيبٍ وَهْوَ مُشْتَاقُ

He yearns for glory and exalted rank, alone,

He aspires to glory and supremacy unrivaled,

as he yearned for a beloved, full of longing.

As he longed for his beloved in fervent ardor,

زَكِيُّ نَفْسٍ لَهُ في الحَمْدِ مَرْتَبةٌ

زَكِيُّ نَفْسٍ لَهُ في الحَمْدِ مَرْتَبةٌ

ما قَطُّ يَحْمِلُها قَفْرٌ وسَمْلاقُ

ما قَطُّ يَحْمِلُها قَفْرٌ وسَمْلاقُ

Pure of soul, he holds a rank in praise

His soul is pure, in praise holding a station,

that no wilderness or barren plain has ever borne.

That no wasteland or stony plain ever attained,

في أذنهِ حِسّ عُودٍ صوتُ سائلهِ

في أذنهِ حِسّ عُودٍ صوتُ سائلهِ

أفنى خزائنَه بَذْلٌ وإنْفاقُ

أفنى خزائنَه بَذْلٌ وإنْفاقُ

In his ear, his petitioner's voice is the sound of a lute;

In his ear, the voice of one who asks him

giving and spending have emptied his treasuries.

Exhausts his treasures with charity and giving,

يُغني عن الغيث في الدنيا ولو وَجَدتْ

يُغني عن الغيث في الدنيا ولو وَجَدتْ

ندى أناملِه للجودِ مطلاقُ

ندى أناملِه للجودِ مطلاقُ

He makes rain needless in the world, even were it present;

It enriches beyond rain in this life, and if

the dew of his fingertips flows freely in generosity.

His fingers found bounty, free-flowing it would be,

إنْ كَرَّ يومَ وغىً بالنَّصْرِ مَدَّرِعاً

إنْ كَرَّ يومَ وغىً بالنَّصْرِ مَدَّرِعاً

كأنَّهُ نَجْمُ قَذْفٍ وهو طَفَّاقُ

كأنَّهُ نَجْمُ قَذْفٍ وهو طَفَّاقُ

If he charges on a day of battle, armored in victory,

If one day, equipped with victory, he waged battle,

he is like a shooting star, rushing onward.

He would be like a shooting star, blazing,

روى الصوارمَ والسُّمْر الطوالَ دماً

روى الصوارمَ والسُّمْر الطوالَ دماً

من العدا وهمَ ولَّوا وما طاقوا

من العدا وهمَ ولَّوا وما طاقوا

He slaked the keen swords and long, dusky spears with blood

He watered the swords and long lances with blood,

from enemies who turned and fled, unable to withstand him.

Of the enemy, who fled defeated, unable to bear it,

من شدةِ الطَّعْنِ لن يبقى لهم أثَرٌ

من شدةِ الطَّعْنِ لن يبقى لهم أثَرٌ

ولا لأرواحهِم حِسّ وأرْماقُ

ولا لأرواحهِم حِسّ وأرْماقُ

From the fierceness of his thrusts, no trace of them will remain,

From the severity of the thrust they would leave no trace,

nor any stir or vestige of life in their souls.

Their souls unfelt and spirits departed,

سَنابكُ الخيل فوقَ البهم واقعةٌ

سَنابكُ الخيل فوقَ البهم واقعةٌ

وهم على الأرض صَرْعى قَطُّ ما فاقوا

وهم على الأرض صَرْعى قَطُّ ما فاقوا

The horses' hooves fall upon the armored warriors,

The horses’ hooves upon the heroes fallen,

while they lie slain on the earth, never waking again.

On the ground slain, none surpassed,

من بعدِهم دُمْ بِأمْنِ اللهِ في نِعَمٍ

من بعدِهم دُمْ بِأمْنِ اللهِ في نِعَمٍ

والخَلْقُ نحوكَ بالخيراتِ تَنْسَاقُ

والخَلْقُ نحوكَ بالخيراتِ تَنْسَاقُ

After them, live on in blessings under God's protection,

After them, in God’s safety, bounties lie,

and people are drawn toward you by your bounty.

And people to you in prosperity flock,

خُلَيْدةُ ما تدري بما بي مِن الشَقَا

خُلَيْدةُ ما تدري بما بي مِن الشَقَا

وقلبي بنارِ الشوقِ قد صارَ مُحْرَقا

وقلبي بنارِ الشوقِ قد صارَ مُحْرَقا

Khulayda does not know the misery that afflicts me,

Eternal one, you know not what I suffer,

and my heart has been scorched by longing's fire.

While my heart by the fire of passion lies scorched,

ولو تدري أضلاعي يُحَطِّمُها الهوى

ولو تدري أضلاعي يُحَطِّمُها الهوى

لذابت أسىً والقلبُ منها تَمَزَّقَا

لذابت أسىً والقلبُ منها تَمَزَّقَا

And if she knew how passion crushes my ribs,

If you knew my ribs shattered by passion,

she would melt with grief, and her heart would be torn apart.

You would melt in agony as my heart ruptured,

فؤادي لفرقاها أسيرٌ مُقَيَّدٌ

فؤادي لفرقاها أسيرٌ مُقَيَّدٌ

ودمعي لذكراها فقد صار مُطْلَقا

ودمعي لذكراها فقد صار مُطْلَقا

My heart, parted from her, is a shackled captive,

For parting you, captive lies my soul bound,

and at the thought of her my tears have been set free.

My tears remembering you freely pour,

رَعى اللهُ أياماً بِها الشَّمْلُ جامع

رَعى اللهُ أياماً بِها الشَّمْلُ جامع

ولا ناحَ فيها البَيْنُ قَطُّ وأنْعَقَا

ولا ناحَ فيها البَيْنُ قَطُّ وأنْعَقَا

May God preserve the days when we were gathered together,

May God protect days where unity once gathered,

and separation never wailed or cawed within them.

When separation never cried out in lament,

أصافحُ غُصْنَ البانِ في كلِّ ساعةٍ

أصافحُ غُصْنَ البانِ في كلِّ ساعةٍ

وألثَمُ ثَغْرَ البَرْقِ مَهْما تألَّقَا

وألثَمُ ثَغْرَ البَرْقِ مَهْما تألَّقَا

I clasp the ban-tree's bough at every hour,

I greet the branch of sweet basil every hour,

and kiss lightning's mouth whenever it gleams.

And kiss the lip of lightning whenever it flashes,

ولا كانَ دهرٌ بالفراقِ قَطَعْتُه

ولا كانَ دهرٌ بالفراقِ قَطَعْتُه

ولا بُوركت أوقاتُه في مدى البَقَا

ولا بُوركت أوقاتُه في مدى البَقَا

May the time I spent in separation never have existed,

Never was the time of parting that I endured,

and may its hours never be blessed for all eternity.

Nor were its moments blessed in perpetuity,

تَحَنْظَلَ عيشي فيه من بَعْدِ حُلوهِ

تَحَنْظَلَ عيشي فيه من بَعْدِ حُلوهِ

وأجَّنَ مائي قلةُ الوصلِ واللِّقَا

وأجَّنَ مائي قلةُ الوصلِ واللِّقَا

My life in it grew bitter as colocynth after its sweetness,

My life after its sweetness became desolate,

and scant union and meeting made my water stagnant.

Its water bitter from scarce union and meeting,

ولا ذابلٌ بانَ التفرق والنوى

ولا ذابلٌ بانَ التفرق والنوى

ولا اخضرَّ دَوْح الوَصْلِ قَطُّ وأوْرَقَا

ولا اخضرَّ دَوْح الوَصْلِ قَطُّ وأوْرَقَا

And the ban-tree of parting and distance does not wither,

Neither withered the separation and all became estranged,

nor has union's great tree ever grown green or put forth leaves.

Nor verdured the union’s bouquet, blossoming,

وليسَ بِقلبي ذكرُ غير خليدةٍ

وليسَ بِقلبي ذكرُ غير خليدةٍ

وقد طار إشْفَاقاً إليها وحَلَّقَا

وقد طار إشْفَاقاً إليها وحَلَّقَا

And there is no remembrance in my heart of anyone but Khulayda,

In my heart is no memory but of Khalida,

and it has flown to her in anxious concern and soared.

Flying to her ardently and soaring,

فإن غَرَّبَتْ يمضي إليها مُغَرِّبَاً

فإن غَرَّبَتْ يمضي إليها مُغَرِّبَاً

وإن شرَّقَتْ يمضي إليها مُشَرِّقَا

وإن شرَّقَتْ يمضي إليها مُشَرِّقَا

So if she goes west, it follows her westward,

If she went west, I would go west pursuing her,

and if she goes east, it follows her eastward.

If she went east, I would go east seeking her,

ويُضْحي حنينُ الرَّعْدِ يُشْبه زفرتي

ويُضْحي حنينُ الرَّعْدِ يُشْبه زفرتي

إذا ما سَمِعْتُ العَنْدليبَ المُطَوَّقا

إذا ما سَمِعْتُ العَنْدليبَ المُطَوَّقا

And thunder's moaning comes to resemble my sigh

The longing of thunder in each hour comes to resemble my moan,

when I hear the collared nightingale.

Whenever I hear the caged nightingale cry,