وروضة طاب بها المحل

عدا أفانين رُباها المحل

And a garden where the dwelling was delightful,

whose hillside branches drought had spared.

رق الهوا فيها وراق الظل

ان لم يصبها وابل فطل

The air was gentle there, and the shade delightful;

if no downpour fell on it, then drizzle did.

تتحفنا بجدول بنسل

كأنه من اللجين صل

It delights us with a stream that glides along [reading uncertain],

as though it were a serpent made of silver.

ألبسه نسيمها المعتل

مسرودة أثر فيها الصقل

Its languid breeze clothed it

in linked mail, marked by polishing,

خوف فروع البان إذ تقل

لزهارها كما براش النبل

for fear of the bān branches, as they bear

their blossoms, like the feathering of arrows [wording uncertain].

والسر ومخضر الحلى مخضل

يثني قدوداً عن شبيه تعلو

And the cypress, green in its ornaments, is drenched [reading uncertain];

it bends slender forms that rise beyond comparison.

كأنما النسيم منها يجلو

عطفاً على اعلاه جعد جثل

As though the breeze were revealing from them

a flank crowned above with thick curls.

والنرجس الغض سقاه الوبل

تلحظنا منه عيون نجل

And the tender narcissus, watered by the downpour:

wide eyes glance at us from it.

واعين الشقيق حمر شهل

من رمد سوادهن الكحل

The anemones' eyes are red and dusky-blue,

inflamed, their dark centers kohl-black.

وللربيع عسكر قد حلوا

بعسجد فرسانه والرجل

Spring has an army whose ranks are adorned

in gold—its horsemen and its foot soldiers.

والعندليب في الغصون يتلو

ان السرور صبوة وجهل

The nightingale recites among the branches

that joy is youthful passion and folly,

والعقل قيد للفتى وعقل

وكلما مر بلهو يحلو

and reason is a fetter for a young man, a hobble;

and all that passes in pleasure grows sweet.

باكرتها برفقة قد جلوا

ما منهم إلا الفتى الأجل

I visited it at dawn with companions of distinction:

each of them a youth of the highest rank,

من كل خل ماجد ما نخلة

وليس فينا خلل وختل

every one a noble friend—[final phrase unclear].

Among us there was neither fault nor deceit.

وجودنا الألذ لا الأذل

وجودنا الأكثر لا الأقل

Our company was the sweetest, not the most abject;

and our bounty the greatest, not the least.

وخمرنا ما يقتنى والأكل

وشربنا ما يشتهي والنقل

Our wine—and our food—were what one prizes;

our drink—and our sweetmeats—what one desires.

ولفظنا في كل نوع فضل

والفضل في العشرة لا يمل

Our talk, on every subject, was excellent;

and excellence in companionship never wearies.

كأننات وما بنا عتل

يجمعنا مع النجوم شمل

As though we—with no boor among us—

were joined in one gathering with the stars.

وذي عذار راق منه الشكل

كأنما دبت بورد نمل

And one with cheek-down, whose appearance charmed,

as though ants had crept across roses,

أنجز ما أخلف منه المطل

والمطل للغيد الحسان شغل

fulfilled what his procrastination had left unfulfilled;

stalling is the pastime of graceful beauties.

ساقٍ رخيم الصوت فيه دل

مامي ما بثينة ما جمل

A cupbearer, soft of voice, full of coy charm:

what are Mayy, Buthayna, and Juml beside him? [Reading uncertain.]

يمنح وصلا يبتديه بخل

والهجر عقباه يلذ الوصل

He grants union, though withholding begins it;

estrangement follows it, yet union is sweet.

بكأسه وثغره نعل

حرامه يسكرنا والحل

From his cup and his lips we drink again;

his forbidden offering intoxicates us, and the lawful one.

زار واجياد الليالي عطل

والصبح في حجر الظلام طفل

He came while the necks of the nights were unadorned,

and dawn was a child in the lap of darkness.

وأشهب المشرق جد يتلو

من عسكر المغرب دهما فلّوا

The east's gray steed pressed in pursuit

of routed black steeds from the army of the west.

ومن سهاها الجسم مضمحل

كأنه صب براه العذل

Its Suha star's body was wasting away,

as though it were a lover worn thin by reproach.

وللثريا راحة تُشل

والبدر في السير اعتراه الكل

The Pleiades' palm grows palsied;

the full moon, in its course, was overcome by weariness.

والبرق قد جُرد منه نصل

يغمده وتارة يُسل

From the lightning a blade was drawn;

it sheathes it, and at times it is drawn.

وللصبا نشر روته السبل

كأنها ممن احب رسل

The east wind's fragrance was steeped in falling rain,

as though it were messengers from my beloved.

كأنما صوب الغمام بذل

جاد به والجود منه هطل

As though the rainclouds' downpour were a gift

bestowed by one whose generosity rains down:

نجل أبي اليمن ونعم النجل

فرع زكي طاب منه الأصل

the son of Abu al-Yumn—and what a son!

A pure branch sprung from a good root,

الشهم إبراهيم من يجل

عن شبه وما لمثل مثل

the noble-hearted Ibrahim, too exalted

for comparison: no equal can equal him.

راحته بجوده تنهل

فيها الربيع كامن والفضل

His palm pours forth with his generosity;

within it, spring and bounty lie hidden.

ما اغتال راجيه عنا وغل

يعطي ثقيلا ويخفف الثقل

No hardship or malice struck down one who hoped in him.

He gives what is weighty and lightens the weight.

نفس الرجاء ناقة وحمل

والمنع حزن والعطاء سهل

Hope itself is a she-camel and a load;

refusal is rough terrain, and giving level ground.

من معشر عن الهدى ما ضلوا

وأسرة لكل فضل أهل

From a people who never strayed from guidance,

and a family worthy of every excellence.

اصغرهم في الاختبار كهل

وبعضهم بالاقتدار كُل

Their youngest, when tested, is a mature man;

and some have the power of them all.

أجل من تُحدى إليك بُزل

وخير من تخبرهم وتبلو

You are the greatest to whom mature camels are driven with song,

and the best of those you examine and test.

هم الألى ليس لديهم خدل

الجاه جم والنوال جزل

They are those among whom there is no slackness:

their standing is great, their gifts abundant.

يا من يروق جده والهزل

ومن يفوق قوله والفعل

O you whose earnestness and jest delight,

whose speech and deeds surpass all,

ومن بأيديه الغني يحل

وعقد كل عسرة يُحل

in whose hands wealth takes up residence,

and the knot of every hardship is untied;

ومن يأمن منه يستظل

نضو هزيل بالخطوب شلو

and from whom a man gains safety and shelter—

a worn-out, emaciated wreck of calamities.

ومن بحصر فضله نكل

هيهات ان يحصى الحصى والرمل

And whose bounty we grow weary trying to count—

far be it that pebbles and sand could ever be counted!

إليكها داعية من قبل

محبة علياك ليست تسلو

Here it is for you, a summons prompted by

love of your lofty station, which never fades.

ما شأنها خبن بها وخبل

تذهل منها عامر وذهل

No khabn or khabl troubles it.

Amir and Dhuhl are bewildered by it.

حسودها برخصها وتغلو

معذب بنارها يذل

Its envier cheapens it, yet its worth rises [reading uncertain];

tormented by its fire, he is humbled.

وهو بأصغاء لها يغل

شرابه غسلينها والمُهل

Listening to it, he is fettered;

his drink is its foul pus and molten metal.

مع انها جنة انس حلوا

نعيمها إخوانها والخل

Although it is a paradise of companions dwelling there,

its bliss is its brethren and its dear friend.

فاسلم ودم مولى حلاه العدل

وقوله في الحكم قول فصل

May you remain safe and endure, a lord adorned by justice,

whose word in judgment is decisive.

يقصر من سرمين أو يقل

قضاء هالديك والسجل

Too limited, or too slight, are Sarmin's

judgeship and register beside you [wording uncertain].

فدونك الدنيا وهذا النسل

يا نسل ضرغام العلا يا شبل

So take the world, and this offspring,

O offspring of the lion of high honor, O lion cub!

والدهر والأيام ان يعتلوا

فأنت منها نهل وعل

And if time and the days should grow ailing,

then you are their first draught and their second [wording uncertain].

وأنت حتف للعدا وقتل

وفي عيون حاسديك سبل

You are doom and death to the foes,

and a blinding film upon your enviers' eyes.