لعلَّكَ بالوادي المُقَدَّسِ شاطئُ

لعلَّكَ بالوادي المُقَدَّسِ شاطئُ

فكا لعَنْبَرِ الهِنْدِيِّ ما أنا واطئُ

فكا لعَنْبَرِ الهِنْدِيِّ ما أنا واطئُ

Perhaps you are on the shore of the sacred valley;

Perhaps you are on the banks of the holy valley,

for what I tread is like Indian ambergris.

Where ambergris fragrance is not what I tread,

وإنِّيَ في رَيّاكَ واجِدُ رِيْحِهِمْ

وإنِّيَ في رَيّاكَ واجِدُ رِيْحِهِمْ

فَرَوْحُ الهوى بين الجوانحِ ناشئُُ

فَرَوْحُ الهوى بين الجوانحِ ناشئُُ

And in your fragrance I find their scent;

Yet I sense their perfume in seeing you,

so the breath of love rises between my ribs.

And the passion of love arises in my heart.

ولِي في السُّرَى من نارِهِمْ ومَنارِهِمْ

ولِي في السُّرَى من نارِهِمْ ومَنارِهِمْ

هُداةً حُداةٌ والنُّجُومُ طوافئُ

هُداةً حُداةٌ والنُّجُومُ طوافئُ

During night travel I have, from their fire and beacon,

Their fires and beacons guide me,

guides and camel-drivers, while the stars are extinguished.

Urging me on, while the stars circle above.

لذلك ما حَنَّتْ رِكابِي وحَمْحَمَتْ

لذلك ما حَنَّتْ رِكابِي وحَمْحَمَتْ

عِرابِي وأَوْحَى سَيْرُها المتباطئُ

عِرابِي وأَوْحَى سَيْرُها المتباطئُ

That is why my riding camels moaned with longing, and a whinny came

Thus my feet did not falter or stumble,

from my Arab steeds; their lagging pace quickened.

Nor my saddle cry out as it slowly sauntered.

فهل هاجَها ما هاجَني أو لعلَّها

فهل هاجَها ما هاجَني أو لعلَّها

إلى الوَخْدِ من نيران وَجْدِي لواجئُ

إلى الوَخْدِ من نيران وَجْدِي لواجئُ

Did what stirred me stir them, or are they perhaps

Did it share my fervor or is it heading

seeking refuge in swift strides from the fires of my longing?

To the valley, drawn by my burning passion?

رُوَيْداً فذا وادي لُبَيْنَى وإنَّه

رُوَيْداً فذا وادي لُبَيْنَى وإنَّه

لَوِرْدُ لُبَاناتي وإنِّي لَظَامِئُ

لَوِرْدُ لُبَاناتي وإنِّي لَظَامِئُ

Slowly! This is Lubayna's valley, and indeed it

Patience! This is Lubnay valley and it is

is the watering-place of my desires, and I am truly thirsty.

My meadow of lilacs, though I am thirsty.

ويا حَبَّذا من آلِ لُبْنَى مَواطِنٌ

ويا حَبَّذا من آلِ لُبْنَى مَواطِنٌ

ويا حَبَّذَا من أرض لُبْنَى مَوَاطِئُ

ويا حَبَّذَا من أرض لُبْنَى مَوَاطِئُ

And how lovely are the dwellings of Lubna's kin!

Blessed are the dwellings of Lubnay’s people!

And how lovely are the places trodden in Lubna's land!

Blessed is the land where Lubnay’s feet tread!

ميادينُ تَهْيامِي ومَسْرَحُ ناظِري

ميادينُ تَهْيامِي ومَسْرَحُ ناظِري

فَلِلشَّوْقِ غاياتٌ به ومبادئ

فَلِلشَّوْقِ غاياتٌ به ومبادئ

The fields of my infatuation, the roaming-ground of my gaze;

Arenas of my reveries and stage of my watcher,

for longing has its ends and its beginnings there.

With endless goals and beginnings for my longing.

ولا تَحْسِبُوا غِيْداً حَمَتْها مقاصِرٌ

ولا تَحْسِبُوا غِيْداً حَمَتْها مقاصِرٌ

فتلك قلوبٌ ضُمِّنَتْها جآجئ

فتلك قلوبٌ ضُمِّنَتْها جآجئ

Do not suppose these are graceful women sheltered by secluded chambers;

Think not the singing girls are restrained,

they are hearts lodged within breasts.

Rather they are hearts concealed in bosoms.

وفي الكِلَّة الزَّرْقَاءِ مَكْلُوْءُ عَزَّةَ

وفي الكِلَّة الزَّرْقَاءِ مَكْلُوْءُ عَزَّةَ

تَحِفُّ به زُرْقُ العوالي الكَوَالئُ

تَحِفُّ به زُرْقُ العوالي الكَوَالئُ

And in the blue pavilion is one guarded in honor;

In the green goblet overflows pride

the blue-steel tips of guarding lances surround him.

Adorned by the blue of the lofty heavens.

مَحَا مِلَّة السُّلْوانِ مَبْعَثُ حُسْنِهِ

مَحَا مِلَّة السُّلْوانِ مَبْعَثُ حُسْنِهِ

فكلٌّ إلى دِيْن الصَّبابةِ صابِئُ

فكلٌّ إلى دِيْن الصَّبابةِ صابِئُ

The advent of his beauty erased the creed of forgetting;

The rule of Suleiman has erased the beauty of his era,

so everyone converts to the faith of ardent love.

For each one professes the faith of youthful folly.

تَمَنَّى مَدَى قُرْطَيْهِ عُفْرٌ تَوالِعٌ

تَمَنَّى مَدَى قُرْطَيْهِ عُفْرٌ تَوالِعٌ

وتَهْوَى ضيِا عَيْنَيْهِ عِيْنٌ جوازئُ

وتَهْوَى ضيِا عَيْنَيْهِ عِيْنٌ جوازئُ

Long-necked, tawny gazelles covet the reach of his earrings;

He wished for the span of her bracelets, glimpsing

and wide-eyed wild cows, sustained by grazing alone, yearn for his eyes' radiance.

As her eye coyly glanced his way.

وفي مَلْعب الصَّدْغَيْن أبيضُ ناصِعٌ

وفي مَلْعب الصَّدْغَيْن أبيضُ ناصِعٌ

تخلَّلَهُ للحُسْنِ أحمرُ قانئُ

تخلَّلَهُ للحُسْنِ أحمرُ قانئُ

Where the temple-locks play, a brilliant white

On the cheeks a shining whiteness

is threaded through, for beauty's sake, with deep crimson.

Threaded by the red of beauty.

أفاتكةَ الألحاظ ناسكةَ الهوى

أفاتكةَ الألحاظ ناسكةَ الهوى

وَرِعْتِ ولكنْ لَحْظُ عَيْنِكِ خاطئُ

وَرِعْتِ ولكنْ لَحْظُ عَيْنِكِ خاطئُ

O slayer with your glances, ascetic in love,

An angelic glance, pious of passion,

you are pious, yet your eye's glance is sinful.

Yet your eye’s glance went astray.

وآلُ الهوى جَرْحَى ولكنْ دماءُهُم

وآلُ الهوى جَرْحَى ولكنْ دماءُهُم

دُمُوعٌ هَوامٍ والجُرُوْحُ مآقِئ

دُمُوعٌ هَوامٍ والجُرُوْحُ مآقِئ

Love's people are wounded, yet their blood

The people of passion are wounded, but their blood

is streaming tears, and their wounds are the corners of their eyes.

Is tears of the lovesick and wounds that heal.

فكيف أُرَفِّي كَلْمَ طَرْفِكِ في الحَشَا

فكيف أُرَفِّي كَلْمَ طَرْفِكِ في الحَشَا

وليس لتمزيق المُهَنَّد رافئُ

وليس لتمزيق المُهَنَّد رافئُ

How can I mend your glance's wound within my breast,

How can I mend your glances’ rending of my cloak,

when none can mend what an Indian sword tears?

When there is none to sew the shredded fabric?

ومن أين أرجو بُرْءَ نَفْسِي من الجَوَى

ومن أين أرجو بُرْءَ نَفْسِي من الجَوَى

وما كلُّ ذي سُقْمٍ من السُّقْم بارئُ

وما كلُّ ذي سُقْمٍ من السُّقْم بارئُ

And how can I hope for my soul's cure from lovesickness,

From whence do I hope to cure my soul of passion,

when not every sufferer recovers from illness?

When not every sick one is healed of their illness?

وما ليَ لا أسموا مُراداً وهِمَّةً

وما ليَ لا أسموا مُراداً وهِمَّةً

وقد كَرُمَتْ نَفْسٌ وطابتْ ضآضئُ

وقد كَرُمَتْ نَفْسٌ وطابتْ ضآضئُ

And why should I not soar in aspiration and resolve,

Why should I not aspire and dream,

when my soul is noble and my lineage pure?

When a noble soul and pure intentions suffice?

وما أَخَّرَتْني عن تَناهٍ مبادئُ

وما أَخَّرَتْني عن تَناهٍ مبادئُ

ولا قَصَّرَتْ بِي عن تَباهٍ مَناشئُ

ولا قَصَّرَتْ بِي عن تَباهٍ مَناشئُ

My beginnings have not held me back from the highest attainment,

Neither principles held me back from heights,

nor have my origins kept me from taking pride.

Nor beginnings kept me from noble ends.

ولكنَّهُ الدّهرُ المُناقَضُ فِعْلُهُ

ولكنَّهُ الدّهرُ المُناقَضُ فِعْلُهُ

فذو الفضل مُنْحَطٌّ وذو النَّقْص نامِئُ

فذو الفضل مُنْحَطٌّ وذو النَّقْص نامِئُ

But it is Time, perverse in its deeds:

But time is fickle in its ways,

the man of merit is brought low, while the deficient rises.

The virtuous cast down, the undeserving exalted.

كأنَّ زمانِي إذ رآني جُذَيْلَهُ

كأنَّ زمانِي إذ رآني جُذَيْلَهُ

قلاني فَلِي منه عَدُوٌّ مُمالِئُ

قلاني فَلِي منه عَدُوٌّ مُمالِئُ

As though my age, seeing me as its little rubbing-post,

As if my time upon seeing me in its grasp,

hated me; thus I have in it a colluding foe.

Made me its foe, always opposing me.

فداريْتُ إعتاباً ودارأتُ عاتباً

فداريْتُ إعتاباً ودارأتُ عاتباً

ولم يُغْنِني أنّي مُدارٍ مُدارئُ

ولم يُغْنِني أنّي مُدارٍ مُدارئُ

So I humored it to win reconciliation, and resisted it with reproach;

So I turned away, shunning reproach,

but being conciliatory and resistant availed me nothing.

Yet circling around brought me no benefit.

فألقيْتُ أعباءَ الزمانِ وأهلَهُ

فألقيْتُ أعباءَ الزمانِ وأهلَهُ

فما أنا إلاَّ بالحقائقِ عابئُ

فما أنا إلاَّ بالحقائقِ عابئُ

So I cast off Time's burdens, and its people;

I cast off the burdens of time and its people,

for I concern myself with nothing but realities.

For I am occupied only with truths.

ولازمْتُ سَمْتَ الصَّمْتِ لا عن فَدامةٍ

ولازمْتُ سَمْتَ الصَّمْتِ لا عن فَدامةٍ

فَلِي منطقٌ للسَّمْع والقلب مالئُ

فَلِي منطقٌ للسَّمْع والقلب مالئُ

And I kept to the path of silence, not from dull-wittedness;

I kept to the way of silence, not out of sullenness,

for I have speech that fills both ear and heart.

For I have speech for hearing and a heart filled up.

ولولا عُلَى المَلْكِ ابنِ مَعْنٍ محمَّدٍ

ولولا عُلَى المَلْكِ ابنِ مَعْنٍ محمَّدٍ

لَمَا بَرِحَتْ أصدافَهُنُّ اللآلئُ

لَمَا بَرِحَتْ أصدافَهُنُّ اللآلئُ

But for the greatness of King Muhammad ibn Maʿn,

Were it not for the protection of King Muhammed ibn Ma'n,

the pearls would never have left their shells.

The union of pearls would have come undone.

لآلئُ إلاَّ أنَّ فِكْرِيَ غائصٌ

لآلئُ إلاَّ أنَّ فِكْرِيَ غائصٌ

وعِلْمِيَ دأماءٌ ونُطْقِيَ شاطئُ

وعِلْمِيَ دأماءٌ ونُطْقِيَ شاطئُ

Pearls indeed—but my thought is a diver,

Pearls, if not for my plunging thoughts,

my knowledge a deep sea, and my speech a shore.

Feeble knowledge, and speech that falls short.

تجاوزَ حَدَّ الوَهْمِ واللَّحْظِ والمُنَى

تجاوزَ حَدَّ الوَهْمِ واللَّحْظِ والمُنَى

وأَعْشَى الحِجَى لألاؤُه المتلالئُ

وأَعْشَى الحِجَى لألاؤُه المتلالئُ

He has surpassed the limits of imagination, sight, and desire,

He surpassed the bounds of imagination, sight, and death,

and his glittering radiance has dazzled reason.

His brilliant pearls eternally glimmering.

فَتَتْبَعُهُ الأنصارُ وهي خواسِرٌ

فَتَتْبَعُهُ الأنصارُ وهي خواسِرٌ

وتنقلبُ الأبصارُ وهو خواسئُ

وتنقلبُ الأبصارُ وهو خواسئُ

So his supporters follow him, yet fall short;

The helpers follow him in defeat,

and the eyes turn back, abased.

While the sights turn away as he triumphs.

ولولاه كانت كالنسيء وخاطري

ولولاه كانت كالنسيء وخاطري

كفُقَيْمٍ للمُحَرَّمِ ناسئُ

كفُقَيْمٍ للمُحَرَّمِ ناسئُ

But for him, they would be like a deferred sacred month, and my mind

Without him, my fortunes would be like rainless clouds,

would be like Fuqaym, postponing Muharram.

And my thoughts like the new moon in Muharram.

هو الحُبُّ لم أُخْرِجْهُ إِلاَّ لمجدِهِ

هو الحُبُّ لم أُخْرِجْهُ إِلاَّ لمجدِهِ

ومِثْلِي لأَعْلاقِ النَّفَاسةِ خابِئُ

ومِثْلِي لأَعْلاقِ النَّفَاسةِ خابِئُ

It is love; I brought it forth only for his glory,

He is love, which I professed only for his glory,

and one like me keeps treasures of great worth concealed.

Though one like me conceals in the bosom of chastity.

كأنَّ عُلاَهُ دولةٌ أمويَّةٌ

كأنَّ عُلاَهُ دولةٌ أمويَّةٌ

وما نابَ من خَطْبٍ عُمِيرٌ وضابئُ

وما نابَ من خَطْبٍ عُمِيرٌ وضابئُ

His greatness is as though an Umayyad dynasty,

His supremacy is like the Umayyad state,

and whatever calamity befalls is ʿUmayr and Dabiʾ.

With no outstanding sermon of Umeir or competitor.

وإنْ يَمْسَسِ العاصِيْنَ قَرْحُكَ آنفاً

وإنْ يَمْسَسِ العاصِيْنَ قَرْحُكَ آنفاً

فأيدي الوَغَى عمّا قليلٍ تَوَالِئُ

فأيدي الوَغَى عمّا قليلٍ تَوَالِئُ

And if your wounding has just touched the rebels,

If your wrath should strike the disobedient,

then the hands of war will soon follow in succession.

The hands of discord will soon be joined.

عَسُوا فعَصَوْا مُسْتَنْصِرِيْنَ بخاذلٍ

عَسُوا فعَصَوْا مُسْتَنْصِرِيْنَ بخاذلٍ

وأخذلَ أَخْذُ الحَيْنِ ما منه لاجئُ

وأخذلَ أَخْذُ الحَيْنِ ما منه لاجئُ

They grew obdurate and rebelled, seeking aid from one who forsakes them;

They disobeyed, seeking help from a traitor,

and doom's grip is a greater betrayer; none can flee it.

While the betrayer betrayed, with none finding refuge.

وشُهْبُ القَنَا كالنُّقْبِ والنَّقْعُ ساطِعُ

وشُهْبُ القَنَا كالنُّقْبِ والنَّقْعُ ساطِعُ

هِناءً وأيدي المُقْرَباتِ هوانِئُ

هِناءً وأيدي المُقْرَباتِ هوانِئُ

And the pale lances are like mange-sores, and the rising dust

The meteors of the bow flare, while the star shines,

is tar ointment, and the forelegs of cherished steeds are its daubers.

As the hands of the noble ladies are downcast.

يُعَوِّدُ تخضيْبَ النُّصُوْلِ وإنْ رَأَى

يُعَوِّدُ تخضيْبَ النُّصُوْلِ وإنْ رَأَى

نُصُوْلَ خِضابٍ فالدِّماءُ برايئُ

نُصُوْلَ خِضابٍ فالدِّماءُ برايئُ

He makes a habit of dyeing the blades; and if he sees

It teaches the reddening of the swords, and if it sees

the dye fading, blood supplies the remedy.

The redness of blood, then the blood is innocent.