أَبى قَلبُهُ مِن لَوعَةِ الحُبِّ أَن يَخلُو

أَبى قَلبُهُ مِن لَوعَةِ الحُبِّ أَن يَخلُو

فَلا تَعذِلُوا مَن لَيسَ يَردَعُهُ العَذلُ

فَلا تَعذِلُوا مَن لَيسَ يَردَعُهُ العَذلُ

His heart refused to be free of love’s burning anguish.

His heart refused to be devoid of the agony of love,

So do not rebuke one whom rebuke cannot restrain.

So reproach not him whom reproach cannot restrain,

وَلا تَطلُبُوا مِنّي مَدى الدَهرِ سَلوَةً

وَلا تَطلُبُوا مِنّي مَدى الدَهرِ سَلوَةً

فَما يَرعوِي عَنكُم فُؤادي وَلا يَسلُو

فَما يَرعوِي عَنكُم فُؤادي وَلا يَسلُو

And never, through all time, ask me to forget,

Ask me not for serenity forever,

For my heart will not turn away from you, nor forget.

For my heart cannot be serene, nor can it attain tranquility.

ضَنِيتُ فَلَو أَنّي عَلى رَأسِ شَعرَةٍ

ضَنِيتُ فَلَو أَنّي عَلى رَأسِ شَعرَةٍ

حُمِلتُ وَمالَت لا يَنُوءُ بِها الحَملُ

حُمِلتُ وَمالَت لا يَنُوءُ بِها الحَملُ

I have wasted away; if I, on the tip of a hair,

I became thin that if I were on the tip of a hair,

Were borne and it bent, the load would not weigh it down.

I would be carried and it would bend, not breaking the load.

كَأَنَّ اللَيالي طالَبَتني لِقُربِكُم

كَأَنَّ اللَيالي طالَبَتني لِقُربِكُم

بِتَبلٍ فَلَمّا بِنتُمُ ذَهَبَ التَبلُ

بِتَبلٍ فَلَمّا بِنتُمُ ذَهَبَ التَبلُ

As though the nights, for my nearness to you, pursued me

As if the nights sought me out, to be near you,

With a grudge; when you departed, the grudge vanished.

With yearning - then when you built, the yearning was gone.

خَلِيليَّ ما لِلرَّبعِ يَخلُو وَلَيسَ لي

خَلِيليَّ ما لِلرَّبعِ يَخلُو وَلَيسَ لي

فُؤادٌ مِنَ التَبريحِ يَخلُو كَما يَخلُو

فُؤادٌ مِنَ التَبريحِ يَخلُو كَما يَخلُو

My two friends, why does the dwelling lie empty, while I have no

O my friend, the encampment is never devoid, yet I have no heart,

Heart empty of torment as the dwelling is empty?

Devoid of becoming detached as it becomes detached.

وَمالي إِذا ما لاحَ إِيماضُ بارِقٍ

وَمالي إِذا ما لاحَ إِيماضُ بارِقٍ

مِنَ العَلَمِ النَجدِيِّ داخَلَني الخَبلُ

مِنَ العَلَمِ النَجدِيِّ داخَلَني الخَبلُ

And why, whenever a flash of lightning gleams

What is wrong with me when the flashing

From the hill in Najd, does madness seize me?

Of the Najdi banners makes confusion enter me.

لَئِن كانَ جَهلاً ما بِقَلبي مَنَ الجَوى

لَئِن كانَ جَهلاً ما بِقَلبي مَنَ الجَوى

فَمَن لِي بِقَلبٍ لا يُفارِقُهُ الجَهلُ

فَمَن لِي بِقَلبٍ لا يُفارِقُهُ الجَهلُ

If indeed the anguish of love within my heart is folly,

If ignorance is what is in my heart, not longing,

Then who will give me a heart that folly never leaves?

Who can I get a heart from that ignorance does not accompany?

وَمَن لي بِوَصلٍ مِن أُمامَةَ بَعدَما

وَمَن لي بِوَصلٍ مِن أُمامَةَ بَعدَما

تَقَطَّعَ مِنها اليَأسُ أَن مُنِعَ الوَصل

تَقَطَّعَ مِنها اليَأسُ أَن مُنِعَ الوَصل

And who can grant me union with Umamah, after

And who can I have a union with from Ummah, after

Despair over her broke apart, since union was withheld?

Despair has severed from it - that the union is forbidden?

أَيا قَلبُ كَم لا تَستَفيقُ مِنَ الجَوى

أَيا قَلبُ كَم لا تَستَفيقُ مِنَ الجَوى

وَكَم أَنتَ ما يَخلو غَرامُكَ ما يَخلو

وَكَم أَنتَ ما يَخلو غَرامُكَ ما يَخلو

O heart, how long will you fail to awaken from love’s anguish?

Oh heart! How often you do not awaken from passion!

And how long are you thus—your passion never ceases, never ceases?

And how much your love never becomes devoid as it becomes devoid!

تَحِنُّ إِلى نُعمٍ وَجُملٍ كِلَيهِما

تَحِنُّ إِلى نُعمٍ وَجُملٍ كِلَيهِما

وَما أَنعَمَت نُعمٌ وَلا أَجمَلَت جُملُ

وَما أَنعَمَت نُعمٌ وَلا أَجمَلَت جُملُ

You yearn for Nuʿm and Juml, both of them,

You yearn for bounties and beauties - both

Yet Nuʿm gave no kindness, nor did Juml show grace.

Have neither granted bounties nor made beauties.

فَأُقسِمُ لَولا أَنتِ لَم يُخلَقِ الجَوى

فَأُقسِمُ لَولا أَنتِ لَم يُخلَقِ الجَوى

وَلَولا أَبُو العُلوانِ ما خُلِقَ الفَضلُ

وَلَولا أَبُو العُلوانِ ما خُلِقَ الفَضلُ

So I swear: but for you, love’s anguish would not have been created,

I swear - if not for you, passion would not have been created,

And but for Abu al-ʿUlwan, excellence would not have been created.

And if not for the father of Alwan, excellence would not have been created.

فَتىً أَتعَبَ البِيضَ الصَوارِمَ في العُلى

فَتىً أَتعَبَ البِيضَ الصَوارِمَ في العُلى

وَجَرَّبَ فيها ما يَمُرُّ وَما يَحلُو

وَجَرَّبَ فيها ما يَمُرُّ وَما يَحلُو

A youth who wore out white, keen-edged swords in pursuing greatness,

A young man who tired the cutting swords in high spirit,

And in its pursuit experienced both the bitter and the sweet.

And in it tried what passes easily and what is most pleasing.

فَلا تَحسَبُوا أَنَّ المَعالي رَخيصَةٌ

فَلا تَحسَبُوا أَنَّ المَعالي رَخيصَةٌ

وَلا أَنَّ إِدراكَ العُلى هَيِّنٌ سَهلُ

وَلا أَنَّ إِدراكَ العُلى هَيِّنٌ سَهلُ

So do not think that lofty honors are cheap,

So think not that glories are cheap,

Nor that attaining greatness is easy and simple.

Nor that reaching heights is easy or simple.

فَما كُلُّ مَن يَسعى إِلى المَجدِ مُدرِكاً

فَما كُلُّ مَن يَسعى إِلى المَجدِ مُدرِكاً

وَلا كُلُّ مَن يَهوى العُلى نَفسُهُ تَعلُو

وَلا كُلُّ مَن يَهوى العُلى نَفسُهُ تَعلُو

For not everyone who strives for glory attains it,

Not everyone who aspires for glory attains it,

Nor does everyone who longs for greatness have a soul that rises.

Nor everyone who desires height - his soul ascends.

وَفوقَ سَريرِ المُلكِ مِن آلِ صالِحٍ

وَفوقَ سَريرِ المُلكِ مِن آلِ صالِحٍ

فَتىً مالَهُ عَن شُغلِهِ بِالعُلى شُغلُ

فَتىً مالَهُ عَن شُغلِهِ بِالعُلى شُغلُ

And upon the royal throne, from the house of Salih,

Above the throne of the Kings from the family of Saalih,

Is a youth with no concern apart from pursuing greatness.

A young man whose cares do not distract him from the heights.

حَليمٌ إِذا وازَنتَ بِالهَضبِ عَقلَهُ

حَليمٌ إِذا وازَنتَ بِالهَضبِ عَقلَهُ

هَفا الهَضبُ مِن ميزانِهِ وَرَسا العَقلُ

هَفا الهَضبُ مِن ميزانِهِ وَرَسا العَقلُ

Forbearing—if you weighed his reason against the mountains,

Wise, if you weighed his mind against good judgement,

The mountains would rise from his scales, while reason stayed anchored.

Good judgement would tilt on the scale and the mind proved weighty.

لَهُ نَصلُ سَيفٍ يَقطَعُ الهامَ حَدُّهُ

لَهُ نَصلُ سَيفٍ يَقطَعُ الهامَ حَدُّهُ

وَأَقطَعُ مِنهُ حامِلُ النَصلِ لا النَصلُ

وَأَقطَعُ مِنهُ حامِلُ النَصلِ لا النَصلُ

He has a sword-blade whose edge severs heads,

He has a sword blade that cuts ambitions - its edge acute,

And keener than it is the blade’s bearer, not the blade.

And sharper than it is the bearer of the blade - not the blade.

إِذا سَلَّهُ سَلَّ العَزيمَةَ قَبلَهُ

إِذا سَلَّهُ سَلَّ العَزيمَةَ قَبلَهُ

فَلَم يُدرَ أَيُّ الضارِبَينِ لَهُ الفِعلُ

فَلَم يُدرَ أَيُّ الضارِبَينِ لَهُ الفِعلُ

When he unsheathes it, he first unsheathes resolve,

If you asked him, he asked decisiveness before it,

So none can tell which of the two strikers did the deed.

So one does not know which of the two strikers did the action.

فَتىً خَلقُهُ خُلقُ الغَمامِ فَعِندَهُ

فَتىً خَلقُهُ خُلقُ الغَمامِ فَعِندَهُ

لِطالِبِهِ إِمّا الوَبالُ أَوِ الوَبلُ

لِطالِبِهِ إِمّا الوَبالُ أَوِ الوَبلُ

A youth whose nature is that of clouds; he has

A young man whose nature is like the cloud's - with him

For his seeker either calamity or pouring rain.

For the seeker is either affliction or bountiful rain.

أَبا صالِحٍ حَمَّلتَني كُلَّ مِنَّةٍ

أَبا صالِحٍ حَمَّلتَني كُلَّ مِنَّةٍ

فَرِفقاً بِما تُسدي فَقَد أُثقِلَ الحِملُ

فَرِفقاً بِما تُسدي فَقَد أُثقِلَ الحِملُ

O Abu Salih, you have laden me with every favor,

O Abu Saalih you have burdened me with every favour,

So be gentle in your giving; the burden has grown heavy.

So be gentle with what you give me, for the load has become heavy.

نَظمتُ لَكَ الدُرَّ الَّذي لَيسَ مِثلُهُ

نَظمتُ لَكَ الدُرَّ الَّذي لَيسَ مِثلُهُ

وَأَنتَ الَّذي ما في المُلوكِ لَهُ مِثلُ

وَأَنتَ الَّذي ما في المُلوكِ لَهُ مِثلُ

I have strung for you pearls that have no equal,

I have composed pearls for you the like of which does not exist,

And you are the one who has no peer among kings.

Yet you are the one among kings who has no like.

بَلَوتَ القَوافي عِندَ مَن لَو بَلَوتَهُ

بَلَوتَ القَوافي عِندَ مَن لَو بَلَوتَهُ

بِغَيرِ القَوافي لابتَهَجن بِما تَبلُو

بِغَيرِ القَوافي لابتَهَجن بِما تَبلُو

You tested rhymes with one; if you were to test him

You have tested rhymes with one whom if you had tested,

With something other than rhymes, they would rejoice in what you test.

Without rhymes he would have rejoiced in what you test.

وَلَمّا تَخَيَّرتُ المَديحَ أَوِ الكَرى

وَلَمّا تَخَيَّرتُ المَديحَ أَوِ الكَرى

حَلا في فَمي مِثلَ الرُقادِ الَّذي يَحلُو

حَلا في فَمي مِثلَ الرُقادِ الَّذي يَحلُو

And when I chose between praise and sleep,

And when I chose praise or dispraise

It was sweet in my mouth, as slumber is sweet.

Both stuck in my mouth like the sweetness of dates that sticks.

وَكادَت قَوافي الشِعرِ لَمّا دَعَوتُها

وَكادَت قَوافي الشِعرِ لَمّا دَعَوتُها

إِلَيكَ تُوافي قَبلَ أَن وافَتِ الرُسلُ

إِلَيكَ تُوافي قَبلَ أَن وافَتِ الرُسلُ

And the rhymes of verse, when I summoned them, nearly

And the rhymes of poetry when I called them to you,

Reached you before the messengers arrived.

Almost arrived before the messengers arrived.

لَكَ الفَضلُ لا لِلغَيثِ أَنَّكَ دائِمٌ

لَكَ الفَضلُ لا لِلغَيثِ أَنَّكَ دائِمٌ

وَلا دامَ سَحٌّ لِلغُيوثِ وَلا هَطلُ

وَلا دامَ سَحٌّ لِلغُيوثِ وَلا هَطلُ

Yours is the preeminence, not the rain’s, for you are constant,

The merit is yours not the rain's - for you are eternal

And neither the rains’ downpour nor their steady fall endures.

And no shower lasted for rain, nor pouring.

وَهَبتَ لِغالي الحَمدِ مالَكَ كُلَّهُ

وَهَبتَ لِغالي الحَمدِ مالَكَ كُلَّهُ

كَأَنَّكَ لا يَغلو عَلَيكَ الَّذي يَغلُو

كَأَنَّكَ لا يَغلو عَلَيكَ الَّذي يَغلُو

You gave all your wealth for precious praise,

You have granted your dear praiser all your wealth,

As though what is costly were not costly to you.

As if what he overstates does not become too much for you.

وَأَنتَ الَّذي لَولاكَ لَم يُعرَفِ النَدى

وَأَنتَ الَّذي لَولاكَ لَم يُعرَفِ النَدى

وَأَنتَ الَّذي لَولاكَ لَم يَظهَرِ العَدلُ

وَأَنتَ الَّذي لَولاكَ لَم يَظهَرِ العَدلُ

And you are the one without whom generosity would not be known,

You are the one without whom grace would not be known

And you are the one without whom justice would not appear.

You are the one without whom justice would not appear.