عِديني مِنكِ هَجراً أَو فِراقا

عِديني مِنكِ هَجراً أَو فِراقا

فَلَستُ أُطيقُ نَأياً وَاِشتياقا

فَلَستُ أُطيقُ نَأياً وَاِشتياقا

Promise me your desertion or your parting,

You estranged me, or parted from me

For I cannot bear distance and longing.

I cannot bear remoteness or longing

فَلَو حَمَّلتِ ما حَمَّلتِقلبي

فَلَو حَمَّلتِ ما حَمَّلتِقلبي

سَنيراً أَو ثَبيراً ما أَطاقا

سَنيراً أَو ثَبيراً ما أَطاقا

Had you laid the burden you laid upon my heart

Had you burdened my heart

On Sanir or Thabir, neither could have borne it.

With all you burdened, however heavy or light, it could not bear

مَلَأتِ جَوانِحي بِالبَينِ ناراً

مَلَأتِ جَوانِحي بِالبَينِ ناراً

فَخِفتُ عَلَيكِ في قَلبي اِحتِراقا

فَخِفتُ عَلَيكِ في قَلبي اِحتِراقا

You filled my breast with fire through separation,

You filled my being with the fires of separation

So I feared that you would burn within my heart.

I feared for you in my heart’s burning

تَدَيَّرتِ العَقيقَ فَكانَ فَأَلاً

تَدَيَّرتِ العَقيقَ فَكانَ فَأَلاً

ثَناني عَن لِقائِكُمُ وَعاقا

ثَناني عَن لِقائِكُمُ وَعاقا

You settled in al-Aqiq, and it became an omen

The carnelian disintegrated, an omen

That turned me from meeting you and held me back.

That turned me from meeting you, and hindered

وَلَمّا أَن نَزَلتِ شَقيقَ خَبتِ

وَلَمّا أَن نَزَلتِ شَقيقَ خَبتِ

تَعَلَّمتِ الخِيانَةَ وَالشِقاقا

تَعَلَّمتِ الخِيانَةَ وَالشِقاقا

And when you settled in Shaqiq of Khabt,

When you alighted on the cheek, it dimpled

You learned betrayal and discord.

You learned betrayal and conflict

وَأَرضاكِ البُكا فَوَدِدتُ أَنّي

وَأَرضاكِ البُكا فَوَدِدتُ أَنّي

أُصَيِّرُ كُلَّ عُضوٍ فِيَّ ماقا

أُصَيِّرُ كُلَّ عُضوٍ فِيَّ ماقا

Weeping pleased you, so I wished that I

You love tears, so I wished

Might turn every limb of mine into an eye's inner corner.

To turn each part of me into water

وَلَمّا أَن أَيِست مِنَ التَلاقي

وَلَمّا أَن أَيِست مِنَ التَلاقي

مَنَعتُ جُفونَ عَيني أَن تَلاقى

مَنَعتُ جُفونَ عَيني أَن تَلاقى

And when I despaired of meeting,

When I lost hope of meeting

I forbade my eyelids to meet.

I prevented my eyelids from meeting

بِرُوحي مَن أُفارِقُهُ وَأَدري

بِرُوحي مَن أُفارِقُهُ وَأَدري

بِأَنّي لا أُطيقُ لَهُ فِراقا

بِأَنّي لا أُطيقُ لَهُ فِراقا

My soul be ransom for him whom I leave, knowing

The soul I am parted from, though I know

That I cannot bear to be parted from him.

I cannot bear parting from it

أُعاتِبُهُ عَلى وَجَلٍ سِراراً

أُعاتِبُهُ عَلى وَجَلٍ سِراراً

وَأَلمَحُهُ سِراراً وَاِستِراقا

وَأَلمَحُهُ سِراراً وَاِستِراقا

I reproach him fearfully, in secret,

I reproach it secretly, though longing

And steal furtive glances at him in secret.

And glimpse it secretly, though stealing

وَأَنفاسِي تَغارُ إِذا التَقَينا

وَأَنفاسِي تَغارُ إِذا التَقَينا

فَتَمنَعُنا حَرارَتها العِناقا

فَتَمنَعُنا حَرارَتها العِناقا

And my breaths grow jealous when we meet,

My breaths flare when we meet

So their heat prevents us from embracing.

Their heat prevents embraces

وَحَرفٍ مِثلِ حَرفِ النِيقِ حُثَّت

وَحَرفٍ مِثلِ حَرفِ النِيقِ حُثَّت

عَلى لَغَبٍ فَأَلغَبَتِ النِياقا

عَلى لَغَبٍ فَأَلغَبَتِ النِياقا

And a lean she-camel, like a mountain's sharp edge, was urged on

A letter like the letter Noon urged

Despite her weariness, and she wore the other she-camels out.

Toward food, so it feasted gluttonously

كَأَنّي راكِبٌ في البِيدِ مِنها

كَأَنّي راكِبٌ في البِيدِ مِنها

إِلى الحاجاتِ بَرقاً أَو بُراقا

إِلى الحاجاتِ بَرقاً أَو بُراقا

It is as though, upon her in the deserts, I ride

As if I’m riding its lightning

Lightning or Buraq toward my goals.

To my needs, a flash or Buraq

بَراها الشَوقُ حَتّى أَشبَهَتهَا

بَراها الشَوقُ حَتّى أَشبَهَتهَا

بُراها أَيطَلاً مِنها وَساقا

بُراها أَيطَلاً مِنها وَساقا

Longing wore her thin, until she resembled

Passion made it seem

Her nose-rings in flank and shank.

Thighs, from which legs extend

فَما أَبقى بِها التَأويبُ طِرقاً

فَما أَبقى بِها التَأويبُ طِرقاً

وَلا تَرَكَ الوَجيفُ لَها طِراقا

وَلا تَرَكَ الوَجيفُ لَها طِراقا

Daylong travel left no fat upon her,

So style left it no paths

Nor did her swift trot leave her any strength.

Nor did elegance leave it any trace

إِلى مَلِكٍ عَلا في كُلِّ فَضلٍ

إِلى مَلِكٍ عَلا في كُلِّ فَضلٍ

إلى أَن طَبَّقَ السَبعَ الطِباقا

إلى أَن طَبَّقَ السَبعَ الطِباقا

Toward a king who rose in every excellence

To a king, lofty in every merit

Until he encompassed the seven layered heavens:

Until he folded the seven heavens

أَبي العُلوانِ مُوسِعِ كُلِّ رِزقٍ

أَبي العُلوانِ مُوسِعِ كُلِّ رِزقٍ

إِذا ما الرِزقُ عِندَ سِواهُ ضاقا

إِذا ما الرِزقُ عِندَ سِواهُ ضاقا

Abu al-Ulwan, who makes every provision ample

My lord Alwan, who widens all provision

When provision with anyone else grows scant.

If provision with others is straitened

فَتىً تَلَقاهُ في سِلمٍ وَحَربٍ

فَتىً تَلَقاهُ في سِلمٍ وَحَربٍ

أَجَلَّ فَتىً يُلاقي أَو يُلاقى

أَجَلَّ فَتىً يُلاقي أَو يُلاقى

A gallant whom you find, in peace and war,

A youth he met in peace and war

The noblest gallant ever to meet or be met.

The noblest youth to meet or be met

تَمَلَّكَنِي نَداهُ وَكُنتُ حُرّاً

تَمَلَّكَنِي نَداهُ وَكُنتُ حُرّاً

فَما أَبغي لَهُ أَبَداً إِباقا

فَما أَبغي لَهُ أَبَداً إِباقا

His generosity made me his possession, though I was free,

His call possessed me, and I was free

So I never wish to run away from him.

So I never wish to break from him

وَقَيَّدَني فَقيَّدتُ القَوافي

وَقَيَّدَني فَقيَّدتُ القَوافي

فَأَحكَمَني وَأَحكَمَها وِثاقا

فَأَحكَمَني وَأَحكَمَها وِثاقا

He bound me, so I bound my rhymes,

He fettered me, so I fettered rhymes

And he made my bonds, and theirs, secure.

He mastered me, and mastered their bonds

وَقَد زُرتُ المُلوكَ فَلا جَلالاً

وَقَد زُرتُ المُلوكَ فَلا جَلالاً

جَهِلتُ مِنَ المُلوكِ وَلا دُقاقا

جَهِلتُ مِنَ المُلوكِ وَلا دُقاقا

I have visited kings, and no great ones

I have visited kings, lacking awe

Among kings were unknown to me, nor any lesser ones.

Or ignorance of kings and pretensions

فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَهُ في الناسِ خَلقاً

فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَهُ في الناسِ خَلقاً

إِذا فَتَّشتُ عَنهُ وَلا خَلاقا

إِذا فَتَّشتُ عَنهُ وَلا خَلاقا

Yet I have seen none among men like him in form,

I have not seen the like of him among people

However I have searched, nor in character.

In nature or manners, if I search for it

أَذالَ الخَيلَ في طَلَبِ المَعالي

أَذالَ الخَيلَ في طَلَبِ المَعالي

وَأَفنى السُمرَ وَالبِيضَ الرِقاقا

وَأَفنى السُمرَ وَالبِيضَ الرِقاقا

He wore out the horses in pursuit of high honors,

He humbled horses seeking glory

And used up the brown spears and the slender white swords.

And wasted the crimson and fine silk

سَعى وَسَعى الكِرامُ إِلى مَداهُ

سَعى وَسَعى الكِرامُ إِلى مَداهُ

فَما لَحِقُوهُ إِذ رامُوا اللَحاقا

فَما لَحِقُوهُ إِذ رامُوا اللَحاقا

He strove, and the noble strove to reach his height,

The generous strove toward his horizon

But they did not catch him when they sought to catch up.

But could not reach him, though they raced to catch up

تَراهُ فَلا تَرى ما بَينَ شَرقٍ

تَراهُ فَلا تَرى ما بَينَ شَرقٍ

وَغَربٍ مِثلَهُ إِلّا اِتِّفاقا

وَغَربٍ مِثلَهُ إِلّا اِتِّفاقا

You see him, and nowhere between east

You see him unlike any between East and West

And west do you see his like, save by chance.

Except by chance or fleetingly

يَفُوقُ عَلى المُلوكِ حِجىً وَفَضلاً

يَفُوقُ عَلى المُلوكِ حِجىً وَفَضلاً

فَسَلهُ إِذا اِنتَشى وَإِذا أَفاقا

فَسَلهُ إِذا اِنتَشى وَإِذا أَفاقا

He surpasses kings in wisdom and excellence;

He surpasses kings in protection and merit

So ask him when he is drunk and when he sobers.

So ask him when he wakes and when he nods off

كَأَنَّ عَلى الأَسِرَّةِ مِنهُ بَدراً

كَأَنَّ عَلى الأَسِرَّةِ مِنهُ بَدراً

وَلَكِن قَطُّ ما عَرَفَ المَحاقا

وَلَكِن قَطُّ ما عَرَفَ المَحاقا

Upon the couches, he seems a full moon,

As if a full moon were on his pillow

But he has never known the moon's dark phase.

While the cat never knew such luxury

تَوَدُّ الشَمسُ لَو خُلِقَت مَداساً

تَوَدُّ الشَمسُ لَو خُلِقَت مَداساً

لَهُ وَالشُهبُ لَو صُنِعَت نِطاقا

لَهُ وَالشُهبُ لَو صُنِعَت نِطاقا

The sun wishes it had been made a sandal

The sun wishes it were made his footstool

For him, and the bright stars wish they had been made a girdle.

And meteors to be made his belt

لَقَد كَسُدَ الثَناءُ بِكُلِّ أَرضٍ

لَقَد كَسُدَ الثَناءُ بِكُلِّ أَرضٍ

وَقَد صَيَّرتَ أَنتَ لَهُ نفاقا

وَقَد صَيَّرتَ أَنتَ لَهُ نفاقا

Praise lay unsold in every land,

Praise is inadequate in every land

And you yourself have given it a ready market.

You made it for him hypocrisy

وَلَمّا أَن عَلَوتَ عَلى البَرايا

وَلَمّا أَن عَلَوتَ عَلى البَرايا

وَفُقتُهَمُ عَلا شِعري وَفاقا

وَفُقتُهَمُ عَلا شِعري وَفاقا

And when you rose above all creation

When you surpassed the wilds in glory

And surpassed them, my verse rose and excelled.

My poetry surpassed all poetry

فَكَم بِكرٍ زَفَفتُ إِلَيكَ مِنهُ

فَكَم بِكرٍ زَفَفتُ إِلَيكَ مِنهُ

فَكانَ نَدى يَدَيكَ لَها صِداقا

فَكانَ نَدى يَدَيكَ لَها صِداقا

How many a maiden of that verse I have led to you as a bride,

How many brides have I escorted to you

And the bounty of your hands became her dower.

Your palm was her dowry

فَلا تَطلُب لَها صَوناً فَإِنّي

فَلا تَطلُب لَها صَوناً فَإِنّي

ضَمِنتُ لَها اِنطِلاقاً لا طَلاقا

ضَمِنتُ لَها اِنطِلاقاً لا طَلاقا

So do not seek seclusion for her, for I

Do not seek chastity for them, for I

Have pledged her freedom to roam, not divorce.

Guaranteed them freedom, not divorce

وَمَرتٍ مِثلِ لُجِّ البَحرِ مَدَّت

وَمَرتٍ مِثلِ لُجِّ البَحرِ مَدَّت

بِهِ الظَلماءُ مِن سَبَجٍ رِواقا

بِهِ الظَلماءُ مِن سَبَجٍ رِواقا

And a barren waste, like the ocean's depths, was draped

A woman like the swell of the sea, whom

By darkness with a pavilion of jet.

Darkness stretched with its traveling carpet

شَطون البِيدِ غامِضَةٍ صُواهُ

شَطون البِيدِ غامِضَةٍ صُواهُ

رَمَيتُ بِهِ السَجَوجاةَ الدِفاقا

رَمَيتُ بِهِ السَجَوجاةَ الدِفاقا

A remote wilderness, its waymarks obscure—

The undulation of the desert, obscure, desolate

I launched into it the smooth-striding, swift she-camel.

I hit the infidels with it like a catapult stone

إِذا خِفنا الضَلالَ بِهِ هَدانا

إِذا خِفنا الضَلالَ بِهِ هَدانا

جَبينُكَ حينَ يَأتَلِقُ اِئتِلاقا

جَبينُكَ حينَ يَأتَلِقُ اِئتِلاقا

When we feared losing our way there, we were guided

When we are lost, it guides us, your brow

By your brow as it shone resplendently.

Illuminating, when it beams and lights up

هَناكَ العِيدُ يا مَلِكاً جَواداً

هَناكَ العِيدُ يا مَلِكاً جَواداً

أَنافَ عَلى بَني الدُنيا وَراقا

أَنافَ عَلى بَني الدُنيا وَراقا

May the feast gladden you, O generous king,

The feast is there, O generous king

Who rose above the world's sons and excelled in splendor.

Exalted above mankind, most distinguished

فَلا زالَت جُيوشُكَ مالِكاتٍ

فَلا زالَت جُيوشُكَ مالِكاتٍ

عَلى الأَعداءِ شاماً أَو عِراقا

عَلى الأَعداءِ شاماً أَو عِراقا

May your armies never cease to hold dominion

So your armies remain victorious

Over your foes, in Syria or Iraq.

Over enemies, in Syria or Iraq

بَغى باغٍ عَلَيكَ فَعاقَبَتهُ

بَغى باغٍ عَلَيكَ فَعاقَبَتهُ

لَكَ الدُنيا فَذاقَ كَما أَذاقا

لَكَ الدُنيا فَذاقَ كَما أَذاقا

An aggressor wronged you, and was punished

A rebel attacked you, so you punished him

By the world on your behalf; he tasted what he had made others taste.

For you the world, thus he tasted as he made taste

فَعِش لِلمَكرُماتِ أَثير عَيشٍ

فَعِش لِلمَكرُماتِ أَثير عَيشٍ

تُحالِفُهُ اصطِباحاً وَاغتِباقا

تُحالِفُهُ اصطِباحاً وَاغتِباقا

Live, then, for noble deeds a cherished life,

So live for your noble deeds always

Keeping fellowship with it at morning and evening draughts.

Accustomed mornings and nights to munificence

فَقَدرُكَ كُلَّ يَومٍ قَد تَسامى

فَقَدرُكَ كُلَّ يَومٍ قَد تَسامى

وَجَدُّكَ كُلَّ يَومٍ قَد تَراقى

وَجَدُّكَ كُلَّ يَومٍ قَد تَراقى

For your stature rises higher every day,

Your destiny every day has only climbed higher

And your good fortune climbs higher every day.

Your generosity every day has only excelled