تَتَفاوَحُ العَرَصاتُ طِيباً كُلَّما

تَتَفاوَحُ العَرَصاتُ طِيباً كُلَّما

عَفَّرنَ وَشياً فَوقَها وَبُرُودا

عَفَّرنَ وَشياً فَوقَها وَبُرُودا

The courtyards waft perfume whenever

The meadows spread fragrance whenever

They trail embroidered cloth and striped cloaks in the dust upon them—

Dew droplets and cool mists cross over them.

بِيضٌ يَرَونَ السُودَ بِيضاً نُصَّعاً

بِيضٌ يَرَونَ السُودَ بِيضاً نُصَّعاً

وَالبِيضَ حُمّا في المَفارِقِ سُودَا

وَالبِيضَ حُمّا في المَفارِقِ سُودَا

Fair women who see black locks as dazzling white,

To the crows, the ostriches seem white,

And white locks as coal-black at the partings.

And to the white, the crows seem black when they part.

مَن لِي بِرَدِّكَ يا شَبابُ فَأَبتَغِي

مَن لِي بِرَدِّكَ يا شَبابُ فَأَبتَغِي

مِنهُنَّ مِثلَكَ نائِلاً مَردُودا

مِنهُنَّ مِثلَكَ نائِلاً مَردُودا

Who will restore you to me, O youth, that I may seek

Oh youth, show me your radiance again so I can find

From them a favor, like you, restored?

One like you, though I am rejected and turned away!

نَزَلَ المَشِيبُ بِعارِضَيَّ فَلا الصِبا

نَزَلَ المَشِيبُ بِعارِضَيَّ فَلا الصِبا

أَبقى عَلَيَّ وَلا الكَعابَ الرُودا

أَبقى عَلَيَّ وَلا الكَعابَ الرُودا

Gray hair has settled on my cheeks; neither youth

Old age has descended upon my temples so neither my youth

Has it left me, nor the tender, budding maidens.

Remains for me, nor the easy life.

لا أَبعَدَ اللَهُ الشَبابَ فَإِنَّهُ

لا أَبعَدَ اللَهُ الشَبابَ فَإِنَّهُ

وَلىّ حَمِيدا وَاِستَعَضتُ حَمِيدا

وَلىّ حَمِيدا وَاِستَعَضتُ حَمِيدا

May God not banish youth, for it

May Allah not remove my youth since it went well for me,

Departed praiseworthy, and I gained a praiseworthy replacement.

And I found a good substitute for it.

ما فاتِنِي طَلَبُ السَعادَةِ مُذ رَأَت

ما فاتِنِي طَلَبُ السَعادَةِ مُذ رَأَت

عَينايَ هَذا المُقبِلَ المَسعُودا

عَينايَ هَذا المُقبِلَ المَسعُودا

My quest for happiness has not gone unfulfilled since

Seeking happiness has not eluded me since my eyes saw

My eyes saw this prosperous, fortunate man.

This approaching, blessed one.

لا أَحمَدُ الأَيّامَ حَتّى أَوصَلَت

لا أَحمَدُ الأَيّامَ حَتّى أَوصَلَت

عَني مُعِزَّ الدَولَةِ المَحمُودا

عَني مُعِزَّ الدَولَةِ المَحمُودا

I praise the days only after they have brought

I do not praise the days until they have connected me

The praiseworthy Mu'izz al-Dawla on my behalf.

To the supporter of the state, the praiseworthy one.

فَوَصَلتُ حينَ وَصَلتُ أَشرَفَ عامِرٍ

فَوَصَلتُ حينَ وَصَلتُ أَشرَفَ عامِرٍ

خِيماً وَأَفخَرَ مَنصِباً وَجُدُودا

خِيماً وَأَفخَرَ مَنصِباً وَجُدُودا

So when I arrived, I reached the noblest of 'Amir

So I attained, when I attained, the most honorable of the prosperous,

In character, the most illustrious in rank and ancestry.

A lofty pavilion and the most superior rank and nobility.

مَلِكٌ إِذا وَقَفَ المُلُوكُ أَمامَهُ

مَلِكٌ إِذا وَقَفَ المُلُوكُ أَمامَهُ

جَعَلُوا سَلامَهُمُ عَلَيهِ سُجُودا

جَعَلُوا سَلامَهُمُ عَلَيهِ سُجُودا

A king before whom, when other kings stand,

A king, when other kings stand before him,

They make their greeting to him a prostration.

Make their greetings to him like prostration.

نَظَرَت مَكارِمُهُ إِلَيَّ فَمَزَّقَت

نَظَرَت مَكارِمُهُ إِلَيَّ فَمَزَّقَت

عَدَمِي وَلَكِن ما عَدِمتُ حَسُودا

عَدَمِي وَلَكِن ما عَدِمتُ حَسُودا

His generous deeds looked upon me and tore apart

His virtues looked upon me and tore up

My destitution—yet I did not lack an envier.

My nonexistence, though no one envied me.

وَوَجَدتُ أَوصافَ الأَميرِ جَواهِراً

وَوَجَدتُ أَوصافَ الأَميرِ جَواهِراً

فَنَظَمتُهُنَّ تَمَائِماً وَعُقُودا

فَنَظَمتُهُنَّ تَمَائِماً وَعُقُودا

And I found the emir's qualities to be jewels,

And I found the traits of the Emir like precious gems

So I strung them into amulets and necklaces.

So I strung them into amulets and necklaces.

سارَت مَسِيرَ النَيَرَينِ وَطَبَّقَت

سارَت مَسِيرَ النَيَرَينِ وَطَبَّقَت

ثَغرَ البِلادِ تَهائِماً وَنُجُودا

ثَغرَ البِلادِ تَهائِماً وَنُجُودا

They coursed like the sun and moon, and overspread

He marched with the steps of the two lucky stars

The country's frontiers, its lowlands and uplands.

And spread smiles across the land, freely giving.

ما لِي إِلى شَيمِ الغَمائِمِ حاجَةٌ

ما لِي إِلى شَيمِ الغَمائِمِ حاجَةٌ

ما دُمتُ أَشرَعُ حَوضَهُ المَورُودا

ما دُمتُ أَشرَعُ حَوضَهُ المَورُودا

I have no need to watch the clouds for rain

I have no need to wait for rain clouds

As long as I come to drink at his frequented pool.

As long as I can fish in his pond brimming with gifts.

أَندى المُلُوكِ يَداً وَأَرجَحُ في النَدى

أَندى المُلُوكِ يَداً وَأَرجَحُ في النَدى

وَزناً وَأَصلَبُ في النَوائِبِ عُوَدا

وَزناً وَأَصلَبُ في النَوائِبِ عُوَدا

The openest-handed of kings, the weightiest in generosity,

The most generous of hands, the heaviest in generosity,

And the hardest timber in calamities.

The firmest in calamities - a strong, upright palm tree.

صَلتُ الجَبِينِ تَرى لِمَوضِعِ تاجِهِ

صَلتُ الجَبِينِ تَرى لِمَوضِعِ تاجِهِ

نُوراً يَسِيرُ بِهِ الرِكابُ بَرِيدا

نُوراً يَسِيرُ بِهِ الرِكابُ بَرِيدا

Smooth-browed; where his crown rests you see

I touched my forehead to the place of his crown

A light by which riding camels travel a postal stage.

And saw a light walking ahead of travelers.

تَندى يَداهُ فَلَو يَمَسُّ بِنانُهُ

تَندى يَداهُ فَلَو يَمَسُّ بِنانُهُ

جُلمُودَ صَخرٍ أَنبَتَ الجُلُمودا

جُلمُودَ صَخرٍ أَنبَتَ الجُلُمودا

His hands are dewy; if his fingertips touched

His hands are so generous that if his fingers

A boulder of rock, they would make the boulder sprout.

Touched solid rock, they would make the solid soft.

أَفَنى الكُنُوزَ وَبَدَّدَت نَفَحاتُهُ

أَفَنى الكُنُوزَ وَبَدَّدَت نَفَحاتُهُ

ما فِي خَزائِنِ مالِهِ تَبديدا

ما فِي خَزائِنِ مالِهِ تَبديدا

He exhausted the treasures, and his gifts scattered

He spent treasures, and his outpourings scattered

All that his treasuries held, scattering it utterly.

What was in his treasuries, not hoarding.

حَتّى لَظَنَّ الناسُ أَنَّ لِكَفِّهِ

حَتّى لَظَنَّ الناسُ أَنَّ لِكَفِّهِ

إِحَناً عَلى أَموالِهِ وَحَقُودا

إِحَناً عَلى أَموالِهِ وَحَقُودا

Till people came to think his palm harbored

Until people thought his palm regretted

Grudges against his riches and bitter hatreds.

His money and clung tightly to it.

كَرَماً وَجُودا لَم يَدعَ مِن قَبيلِهِ

كَرَماً وَجُودا لَم يَدعَ مِن قَبيلِهِ

كَرَماً يُعَدَّدُ لِلرِجالِ وَجُودا

كَرَماً يُعَدَّدُ لِلرِجالِ وَجُودا

In generosity and bounty, he left no comparable

A generosity and munificence - he left no generosity

Generosity or bounty to be recounted to men's credit.

Among his tribe that can be counted as generosity.

لا تَسمَعَنَّ بِحاتِمِ وَفَعالِهِ

لا تَسمَعَنَّ بِحاتِمِ وَفَعالِهِ

وَخُذِ الفَعالَ الظاهِرَ المَوجُودا

وَخُذِ الفَعالَ الظاهِرَ المَوجُودا

Do not listen to tales of Hatim and his deeds;

Do not listen to [stories] of Hatem and his deeds -

And take the deeds that are plain and present.

Take this obvious, present-day deed.

خَيرُ الحَديثِ إِذا جَلَستَ مُحَدِّثاً

خَيرُ الحَديثِ إِذا جَلَستَ مُحَدِّثاً

ما لا يُرِيدُ دَلائِلاً وَشُهُودا

ما لا يُرِيدُ دَلائِلاً وَشُهُودا

The best account, when you sit to tell it,

The best talk, when you sit conversing,

Is one that needs no proofs or witnesses.

Is what requires no evidence or testimony.

وَبِجانِبَي حَلَبٍ أَغَرُّ مُتَوَّجٌ

وَبِجانِبَي حَلَبٍ أَغَرُّ مُتَوَّجٌ

قَد حالَفَ الإِقبالَ وَالتَأييدا

قَد حالَفَ الإِقبالَ وَالتَأييدا

And in Aleppo's environs is a radiant, crowned lord,

And beside Aleppo I see a crowned one

Who has allied himself with good fortune and support.

Who has allied with success and support.

يُمسِي وَإِكِليلُ النُجُومِ مُقارِنٌ

يُمسِي وَإِكِليلُ النُجُومِ مُقارِنٌ

في جَوِّهِ إِكلِيلَهُ المَعقُودا

في جَوِّهِ إِكلِيلَهُ المَعقُودا

He enters evening with the stars' diadem beside

He retires while the crown of stars keeps him company,

His fastened diadem in the sky above him.

Their crown braided with his in the sky.

مِن مَعشَرٍ نَزَلوا اليَفاعَ وَخَلَّفُوا

مِن مَعشَرٍ نَزَلوا اليَفاعَ وَخَلَّفُوا

لِلعالَمينَ أَباطِحاً وَوَهُودا

لِلعالَمينَ أَباطِحاً وَوَهُودا

From a people who settled the heights and left

They are a people who descended from the Yafa tribe and left

For the world, gravelly flats and hollows.

Encampments and oases for the world.

جُبِلُوا عَلى كَرَمِ النُفوسِ وَأَصبَحُوا

جُبِلُوا عَلى كَرَمِ النُفوسِ وَأَصبَحُوا

أَوفى البَرِيَّةِ ذِمَةً وَعُهُودا

أَوفى البَرِيَّةِ ذِمَةً وَعُهُودا

They were molded to nobility of soul, and became

They were created with noble spirits and so they became

The most faithful of mankind in pledges and covenants.

The most faithful of people in fulfilling pacts.

فَإِذا سَأَلتَهُمُ سَأَلتَ غَمائِماً

فَإِذا سَأَلتَهُمُ سَأَلتَ غَمائِماً

وَإِذا أَثَرتَهُمُ أَثَرتَ أُسُودا

وَإِذا أَثَرتَهُمُ أَثَرتَ أُسُودا

So when you ask them, you ask rain clouds;

If you ask them you ask rainclouds,

And when you rouse them, you rouse lions.

And if you seek them out you seek lions.

قَد أَدمَنُوا لُبسَ الدُرُوعِ كَأَنَّما

قَد أَدمَنُوا لُبسَ الدُرُوعِ كَأَنَّما

يَجِدُونَ في عَدَمِ الحَياةِ خُلُودا

يَجِدُونَ في عَدَمِ الحَياةِ خُلُودا

They have made a habit of wearing armor, as though

They are accustomed to wearing armor as if

They find immortality in the loss of life.

They find there is no life without it.

فَإِذا هُمُ اِعتَقَلُوا الرِماحَ رَأَيتَهُم

فَإِذا هُمُ اِعتَقَلُوا الرِماحَ رَأَيتَهُم

مِثلَ الرِماحِ سِواعِداً وَقُدُودا

مِثلَ الرِماحِ سِواعِداً وَقُدُودا

So when they couch their lances, you see them

So when they take up spears, you see them

Like lances in forearms and stature.

Like spears - arms and palms.

أَيمانُهُم مِثلُ البُحُورِ وَإِنَّما

أَيمانُهُم مِثلُ البُحُورِ وَإِنَّما

جَعَلُوا لَها مَدَّ الأَكُفِّ مُدُودا

جَعَلُوا لَها مَدَّ الأَكُفِّ مُدُودا

Their right hands are like seas, and they simply

Their oaths are like seas except

Make the outstretching of palms their tides.

They made the span of their palms its length.

يَستَقبِلُونَ وَفُودَهُم فَكَأَنَّهُم

يَستَقبِلُونَ وَفُودَهُم فَكَأَنَّهُم

سارُوا إِلى زُمَرِ الوُفُودِ وُفُودا

سارُوا إِلى زُمَرِ الوُفُودِ وُفُودا

They welcome their delegations, as though they

They go to welcome their guests as if they

Had themselves traveled as delegates to the throngs of delegates.

Were delegations visiting other delegations.

قَد غَرَّبُوا أَهلَ البِلادِ وَأَتعَبُوا

قَد غَرَّبُوا أَهلَ البِلادِ وَأَتعَبُوا

غُبرَ السَمالِقِ وَالمَهارى القُودا

غُبرَ السَمالِقِ وَالمَهارى القُودا

They have sent the lands' people far from home, and wearied

They have outdone the people of the land and exhausted

The dust-gray plains and the long-necked Mahri camels.

The dusty nomads and hardened desert-dwellers.

حَتّى أَبادَ بَناتِ أَرحَبَ خَبطُها

حَتّى أَبادَ بَناتِ أَرحَبَ خَبطُها

جُنحَ الظَلامِ إِلَيهِمُ وَالبِيدا

جُنحَ الظَلامِ إِلَيهِمُ وَالبِيدا

Till the daughters of Arhab were destroyed by their trudging

Until the beating of their wings destroyed

Under darkness's wing, toward them, and across the deserts.

The daughters of Arhab in the darkness of night.

يا مُنتَهى الكَرَمِ الَّذي لَو أَنَّهُ

يا مُنتَهى الكَرَمِ الَّذي لَو أَنَّهُ

طَلَبَ المَزيدَ لَما أَصابَ مَزِيدا

طَلَبَ المَزيدَ لَما أَصابَ مَزِيدا

O pinnacle of generosity, were you

O ultimate peak of nobility, if it

To seek more, you would find no more.

Sought more, it would not obtain more.

لا خَلقَ أَعَدَلُ مِنكَ إِلّا واصِفٌ

لا خَلقَ أَعَدَلُ مِنكَ إِلّا واصِفٌ

لَكَ لا يَقيسُ بِكَ المُلُوكَ الصِيدا

لَكَ لا يَقيسُ بِكَ المُلُوكَ الصِيدا

No creature is more just than you, save a praiser

No creature is more just than you except one who

Of you who does not measure proud kings against you.

Describes you, not comparing you to lesser kings.

أَصبَحتُ مَحسوداً عَلَيكَ فَعِشتَ لي

أَصبَحتُ مَحسوداً عَلَيكَ فَعِشتَ لي

حَتّى أَعِيشَ مُنَعَّماً مَحسُودا

حَتّى أَعِيشَ مُنَعَّماً مَحسُودا

I am envied on your account; may you live for me,

I became envied for your sake, so may you live for me

So that I may live in ease, envied.

Until I can live in comfort, envied.

عِيدُ الرَعِيَّةِ أَن تَدُومَ عَلَيهِمُ

عِيدُ الرَعِيَّةِ أَن تَدُومَ عَلَيهِمُ

فَيَكُونَ وَجهُكَ كُلَّ يَومٍ عِيدا

فَيَكُونَ وَجهُكَ كُلَّ يَومٍ عِيدا

The subjects' festival is your enduring rule over them,

The holiday of the citizens is that your face

So your face is a festival every day.

Continues for them every day like a holiday.

فَاسعَد بِهِ فَسَعادَةُ الدنيا وَمَن

فَاسعَد بِهِ فَسَعادَةُ الدنيا وَمَن

فِيها إِذا ما كُنتَ أَنتَ سَعيدا

فِيها إِذا ما كُنتَ أَنتَ سَعيدا

So rejoice in it: the happiness of the world and those

Be happy with it - the happiness of life

Within it comes when you yourself are happy.

And whoever is in it is when you are happy.

وَاسمَع لَهُ كَلِماً وَحِيداً صُغتُهُ

وَاسمَع لَهُ كَلِماً وَحِيداً صُغتُهُ

لِأَغَرَّ أَصبَحَ في المُلُوكِ وَحِيدا

لِأَغَرَّ أَصبَحَ في المُلُوكِ وَحِيدا

And hear, for it, unique words I have fashioned

And listen to it for a rare, singular word I formed

For a radiant lord, now peerless among kings.

For the most dashing of kings, unique among them.

مدحاً تَكادُ إِذا تَضَوَّعَ نَشرُها

مدحاً تَكادُ إِذا تَضَوَّعَ نَشرُها

أَن لا تُرِيد مِن الرُواةِ نَشِيدا

أَن لا تُرِيد مِن الرُواةِ نَشِيدا

Praises that, when their fragrance wafts, almost

It is praise which, when its spreading is adorned,

Need no chanting from the reciters.

Nearly makes the reciters no longer desire a new poem.

يَبلى الزَمانُ وَلا يَزالُ حَدِيثُها

يَبلى الزَمانُ وَلا يَزالُ حَدِيثُها

حَتّى تَزُولَ الراسِياتُ جَديدا

حَتّى تَزُولَ الراسِياتُ جَديدا

Time wears out, yet their tale will remain

Time passes but its legend remains

Fresh until the firmly rooted mountains vanish.

Until the mighty works wear out and are renewed.