لمن المهارى اليعملات القود

لمن المهارى اليعملات القود

بهرت ببيض حدوجهن البيد

بهرت ببيض حدوجهن البيد

Whose are these long-necked, tireless Mahri she-camels,

To whom do the skillful workers make jewelry?

Dazzling the deserts with their white howdahs?

I was dazzled by the whiteness of their shining faces.

يحملن أمثال الأهلة والظبا

يحملن أمثال الأهلة والظبا

لبكهن الغانيات الغيد

لبكهن الغانيات الغيد

They carry the likenesses of crescent moons and gazelles;

They look like crescents and gazelles.

Their mingled company: alluring, graceful women.

Their weeping enchants the singer.

من كل حالية كأن مدامعي

من كل حالية كأن مدامعي

ودمى لتنك قلائد وعقود

ودمى لتنك قلائد وعقود

Each adorned beauty seems to wear my tears

My tears are like pearls and necklaces on their delicate branches,

And my blood as necklaces and strings of jewels.

As if they are the whiteness of hopes and black destinies.

غراء في الفرع الأحم كأنها

غراء في الفرع الأحم كأنها

بيض الأماني والحظوظ السود

بيض الأماني والحظوظ السود

Radiant amid jet-black tresses, she seems

Haifa merged her waist into her hips,

Like white hopes and dark fortunes.

Bringing together the existent and non-existent.

هيفاء ادمج خصرها في ردفها

هيفاء ادمج خصرها في ردفها

فتجمع المعدوم والموجود

فتجمع المعدوم والموجود

Slender-waisted, her waist is enfolded in her hips,

The spaces radiate her breaths,

Thus joining the nonexistent and the existent.

So dreams lean towards her and deviate.

تتأرج الأرجاء من نفحاتها

تتأرج الأرجاء من نفحاتها

اني يميل بها السرى ويحيد

اني يميل بها السرى ويحيد

The surrounding spaces grow fragrant with her breath,

It's as if there is a shining drop in every place she gathered,

Wherever the night journey turns and veers with her.

And every pole is erect.

حتى كأن بكل قطر ضمها

حتى كأن بكل قطر ضمها

قطر يضوع وكل عودٍ عود

قطر يضوع وكل عودٍ عود

As though every region that embraces her

As if the thickets of lances surround her,

Held fragrant aloeswood, and every branch were oud.

Darkened by black tips of spears.

وكأن مشتجر الأسنة حولها

وكأن مشتجر الأسنة حولها

خيس به شوس الكماة اسود

خيس به شوس الكماة اسود

And the tangled spearheads around her seem

They watch for the likeness of a furtive glance,

A thicket whose fierce, armored warriors are lions.

A guardian anticipating beautiful captured prey.

يترقبون مثال خلسة ناظرٍ

يترقبون مثال خلسة ناظرٍ

ورقيب مختلس الجمال عتيد

ورقيب مختلس الجمال عتيد

They watch for the slightest semblance of a stolen glance,

If they only saw the radiance of the magic of her eyes,

And a watchman stands ready for whoever steals a glimpse of beauty.

It would fulfill, and nothing can avert destiny.

ولو اكتفوا بمضاء سحر عيونها

ولو اكتفوا بمضاء سحر عيونها

لقضى وليس عن القضاء محيد

لقضى وليس عن القضاء محيد

Had they relied only on the piercing magic of her eyes,

The beautiful eyelash is not the beautiful sword,

It would have dealt death, with no escape from that doom.

Nor the curved strike my demise.

فالمقلة النجلاء ليس الطعنة النجلاء

فالمقلة النجلاء ليس الطعنة النجلاء

بي والضربة الاخدود

بي والضربة الاخدود

For the wide eye, not the gaping spear-thrust,

With her glance, not the rider of her glance,

Afflicts me—not the furrow-cutting blow either.

I am lost among the slanderers.

وبطرفها أنا لا براكب طرفها

وبطرفها أنا لا براكب طرفها

بين الظعائن هالك مجهود

بين الظعائن هالك مجهود

By her glance, not by the rider of her noble steed, I am

Her stature is not like her crooked people’s,

Perishing and exhausted among the camel-borne women.

The curved is fortunate and the straight is killed.

وقوامها لا زاغبية قومها

وقوامها لا زاغبية قومها

يحظى الوشيج ويقتل الأملود

يحظى الوشيج ويقتل الأملود

Her figure—not her people's spears:

Oh daughter, your glory is like her father’s glory,

The lance-shaft finds favor, while the supple bough kills.

And you are generous, though not exceeding in generosity.

يا بنت زي الجد المؤثل مجده

يا بنت زي الجد المؤثل مجده

وكريمة الجدين ليس الجود

وكريمة الجدين ليس الجود

O daughter of one of distinction, whose glory is firmly rooted,

I would sacrifice myself for you, even your stinginess is lovely,

And noble through both grandfathers, not through generosity,

And stinginess in the veiled ladies is praiseworthy.

افديك حتى الشح منك محبب

افديك حتى الشح منك محبب

ولشح ربات الحجال حميد

ولشح ربات الحجال حميد

I would ransom you: even your stinginess is beloved,

Your anklets departed from all but you, so there is nothing

And indeed the stinginess of secluded ladies is praiseworthy.

I ascended to with ladder or causeway.

رزحت قلوصك عن سواك فليس ما

رزحت قلوصك عن سواك فليس ما

صعدت إليه جندل وصعيد

صعدت إليه جندل وصعيد

Your young she-camel faltered under something other than you; what

But they are our hearts that have no skin or bones,

She climbed upon was neither stone nor bare earth,

No hides upon them.

لكنها منا قلوب ما لها

لكنها منا قلوب ما لها

جلد وعظم ما عليه جلود

جلد وعظم ما عليه جلود

But hearts of ours that have no

As if, without sobbing and crying,

Endurance, and bones with no skin upon them.

Nothing would remain of us but eyes and cheeks.

فكأننا لولا التصعر والبكا

فكأننا لولا التصعر والبكا

لم يبق منا اعين وخدود

لم يبق منا اعين وخدود

As though, but for our averted cheeks and weeping,

As if the singing girls' repulsion and affection

No eyes or cheeks remained of us.

Are transient displays, and the essence is lost.

وكأن صد الغانيات وودها

وكأن صد الغانيات وودها

عرض يقوم وجوهر مفقود

عرض يقوم وجوهر مفقود

As though the beauties' rejection and their affection were

Their vows of loyalty are dependent,

A subsisting accident and a missing substance.

For the likes of them, pacts do not last.

وعهودهن علي الوفاء لواثق

وعهودهن علي الوفاء لواثق

ان لا يدوم لمثلهن عهود

ان لا يدوم لمثلهن عهود

Their pledges of fidelity assure the trusting one

And I am blamed if attaining union with her is prevented,

That no pledges endure from women such as these.

When will your frozen rigidity soften?

وأنا الملوم إذا تعذر وصلها

وأنا الملوم إذا تعذر وصلها

ومتى يلين لعارك جلمود

ومتى يلين لعارك جلمود

And I am blamed when union with her proves impossible;

We did not know our way and did not fulfill wishes

When does a boulder soften for one who rubs it?

Like the confused, neither sharing nor professing oneness.

لم ندر سلواناً ولم نعط المنى

لم ندر سلواناً ولم نعط المنى

كالبله لا شرك ولا توحيد

كالبله لا شرك ولا توحيد

We knew no consolation and were granted no desires,

So let the envious refrain, for whoever reaps

Like simpletons: neither polytheism nor belief in the One.

Other than the planting of love is envied.

فلينأ عني الحاسدون فكل من

فلينأ عني الحاسدون فكل من

يجني سوى غرس الهوى محسود

يجني سوى غرس الهوى محسود

Let the envious keep away from me, for whoever

And let the praisers approach me,

Reaps anything but love's planting is to be envied.

For Muhammad the Trustworthy Guardian is praised.

وليدن مني الحامدون

وليدن مني الحامدون

محمد المولى الامين فأنه محمود

محمد المولى الامين فأنه محمود

And let those who praise draw near to me:

Chief of assemblies, son of the chief of the faith,

Muhammad, the trustworthy lord, is indeed praiseworthy.

Famous for his merits and supreme knowledge witnessed.

صدر المحافل نجل صدر الدين

صدر المحافل نجل صدر الدين

مشهور الفضائل والعلا مشهود

مشهور الفضائل والعلا مشهود

Foremost in assemblies, son of Sadr al-Din,

Key to the treasured store of realities,

His virtues are renowned and his eminence manifest.

Indeed its realities are a treasured store.

مفتاح كنز حقائق مرصودة

مفتاح كنز حقائق مرصودة

ان الحقائق كنزها مرصود

ان الحقائق كنزها مرصود

The key to a treasure of guarded truths—

Lamp of the lights of guidance and true guidance,

Indeed, the treasure of truths is guarded.

Its light is kindled by its people’s minaret.

مصباح انوار الهداية والهدى

مصباح انوار الهداية والهدى

بذويه نور مناره موقود

بذويه نور مناره موقود

A lamp of the lights of guidance and right direction,

A banner detached to the end in deterrence,

Through its bearers, the light of its beacon is kindled.

The least interpretation of his words is detachment.

علم تجرد للنهاية في النهى

علم تجرد للنهاية في النهى

وأقل شرح كلامه التجريد

وأقل شرح كلامه التجريد

A leading light, wholly devoted to the utmost reaches of intellect;

From a family whose branches their roots irrigated,

The least commentary on his words is al-Tajrid ('Abstraction').

And the taste of their ripe fruits is sweet.

من أسرة بسقت فروع أصولهم

من أسرة بسقت فروع أصولهم

وحلا مذاقاً طلعها المنضود

وحلا مذاقاً طلعها المنضود

From a family whose roots have sent their branches soaring,

Their knowledge exalted them in both worlds,

Whose clustered date-fruit is sweet to taste.

And for knowledge there is no increase over its height.

وعلت بهم في العالمين علومهم

وعلت بهم في العالمين علومهم

والعلم ليس على علاه مزيد

والعلم ليس على علاه مزيد

Their learning raised them high throughout the worlds,

They were granted happiness, and the prosperous through his knowledge,

And no height surpasses the height of knowledge.

Wisdom and judgment are fortunate.

رزقوا السعادة والسعيد بعلمه

رزقوا السعادة والسعيد بعلمه

وبحلمه وبحكمه المسعود

وبحلمه وبحكمه المسعود

They were granted happiness; happy is he who, through his knowledge,

Oh best of those who protected our strongholds through him,

His forbearance and his judgment, is truly blessed.

And through him power and construction are exalted.

يا خير من عصمت عواصمنا به

يا خير من عصمت عواصمنا به

وعلابه التمكين والتشييد

وعلابه التمكين والتشييد

O best of those through whom our cities were protected,

And through his justice the injustice of others vanished,

And through whom strength and firm foundations rose,

And tyranny erases its preliminary outline.

وبعدله صرفت ضرورة غيره

وبعدله صرفت ضرورة غيره

والجور يمحو رسمه التمهيد

والجور يمحو رسمه التمهيد

Through whose justice the need for others was averted,

Justice is a stronger haven than a complaint,

While firm governance effaces the traces of oppression.

Whose overflowing downpour is constant.

والعدل أمنع جنة من لامةٍ

والعدل أمنع جنة من لامةٍ

زغفاء ضاعف سردها دلود

زغفاء ضاعف سردها دلود

Justice is a stronger shield than a coat of armor,

I watch every flash of a fine sword,

Ample mail whose links Dawud [probable reading] doubled.

For merit with you is a flowing spring.

حتام أرقب كل برق خلب

حتام أرقب كل برق خلب

والفضل عندك منهل مورود

والفضل عندك منهل مورود

How long must I watch each rainless flash of lightning,

Why should I embark on aspirations when ancestors

While your bounty is a watering-place frequented by seekers?

Held us back from rising so many times?

وإلام أنهض للمرام وطالما

وإلام أنهض للمرام وطالما

قعدت بنا عند القيام جدود

قعدت بنا عند القيام جدود

How long must I rise toward my goal, when so often

How often does the attainment of wealth make

Our fortunes have held us back just as we rose?

The coward emerge and the brave recoil?

ولرب نيل غنى يرى لمناله

ولرب نيل غنى يرى لمناله

برز الجبان وأحجم الصنديد

برز الجبان وأحجم الصنديد

Many a prospect of wealth is seen, for whose attainment

Fate's portioning judges with it,

The coward ventures forth and the champion shrinks back.

Making the courageous miserable and the coward happy.

والدهر قسمة حكمه ضيزي بها

والدهر قسمة حكمه ضيزي بها

يشقى الشجاع ويسعد الرعديد

يشقى الشجاع ويسعد الرعديد

Time's apportionment is unjust in its judgment; through it

And to you I complain of my state, knowing that one who complains

The brave suffers and the coward prospers.

To the black-haired will be granted black hair.

وإليك اشكو الحال علماً ان من

وإليك اشكو الحال علماً ان من

يشكو إلى ذي سودد سيسود

يشكو إلى ذي سودد سيسود

To you I complain of my condition, knowing that whoever

I do not single out any merit hoped for in life

Complains to a man of eminence will himself rise high.

Other than generosity, which is peerless.

ولانث اوحد كل فضل يرتجى

ولانث اوحد كل فضل يرتجى

في الدهر والندب الجواد وحيد

في الدهر والندب الجواد وحيد

And you are peerless in every bounty hoped for

The generous sought your supreme path of generosity,

In this age; the noble, generous man stands alone.

Yet they have no existence next to you.

رام الكرام مرام نهجك العلا

رام الكرام مرام نهجك العلا

جوداً وليس لهم لديك وجود

جوداً وليس لهم لديك وجود

The noble sought the lofty goal of your path

Your fortune's star, though the best of the best,

In generosity, yet beside you they have no existence.

If it is said to resemble them in shape, it is a cluster.

ونجل قدرك والثريا في الثرى

ونجل قدرك والثريا في الثرى

ان قيل يشبه شكلها العنقود

ان قيل يشبه شكلها العنقود

We exalt your worth: the Pleiades are brought to earth

Your generosity in divine existence was general,

If their shape is said to resemble a cluster of grapes.

Raining and seven seas gushing.

وكان جودك في وجود أولي اللهى

وكان جودك في وجود أولي اللهى

عام يغيث وسبعة جارود

عام يغيث وسبعة جارود

As though your generosity among men of largesse were

Your merit preoccupies the meritorious

A rain-bringing year beside seven that strip the land bare.

As your glory preoccupies glorification.

يستغرق الفضلاء فضلك مثلما

يستغرق الفضلاء فضلك مثلما

مستغرق في مجدك التمجيد

مستغرق في مجدك التمجيد

Your excellence encompasses all the excellent, just as

As a whole encompasses every individual in it,

All glorification is encompassed by your glory.

Yet it is an individual counted with them.

كالجمع يشمل كل فرد منهم

كالجمع يشمل كل فرد منهم

لكنه فرد بهم معدود

لكنه فرد بهم معدود

Like a collective, he encompasses every individual among them,

A man has not completed the qualities of his perfection

Yet he is counted as one individual among them.

In merit, so his essence cannot be defined.

والمرء ما كملت صفات كماله

والمرء ما كملت صفات كماله

فضلاً فليس لذاته تحديد

فضلاً فليس لذاته تحديد

When a man's qualities of perfection are complete

Take it as a unique pearl in a necklace of unique pearls,

In excellence, his essence admits no limit.

For you are unique among the generous.

خذها فريدة سلك عقد فرائد

خذها فريدة سلك عقد فرائد

ولأنت في سلك الكرام فريد

ولأنت في سلك الكرام فريد

Take her, a peerless jewel in the strand of a necklace of gems;

A captivating beauty, naught but glances,

You too are peerless in the strand of noble men.

A maiden, soft and supple.

حوراء ساحرة اللواحظ غادة

حوراء ساحرة اللواحظ غادة

عذراء ناهدة الترائب رود

عذراء ناهدة الترائب رود

Dark-eyed, enchanting in her glances, a tender maiden,

If she glanced with the order of her flowing tresses,

A virgin with swelling breasts, supple and graceful.

She would topple many an infatuated fool.

لو ناظرت بنظام درثائها

لو ناظرت بنظام درثائها

قدماً لبيداً راح وهو بليد

قدماً لبيداً راح وهو بليد

Had she competed with her strung pearls of praise

But she is not called faithful in her praise,

Against Labid of old, he would have left a dullard.

Since fulfilling your right, people are witnesses.

لكنها لا تدعى في حمدها

لكنها لا تدعى في حمدها

بوفاء حقك والأنام شهود

بوفاء حقك والأنام شهود

Yet in her praise she does not claim

For some of your traits are borrowed by her appearance,

To fulfill what is due to you; all people bear witness.

And what is borrowed is returned to its owners.

اذ من صفاتك مستعار حليها

اذ من صفاتك مستعار حليها

والمستعار لأهله مردود

والمستعار لأهله مردود

For her ornaments are borrowed from your qualities,

As such, the rain showers the live tree,

And what is borrowed is returned to its owner.

Even though it extends from its waters.

وكذلك الدأماء يمطره الحيا

وكذلك الدأماء يمطره الحيا

مع انه من مائه ممدود

مع انه من مائه ممدود

Likewise, rain falls upon the sea,

I submit, for you are the life of our time,

Though it is supplied from the sea's own water.

And the comets of my cheeks are guided by your light.

واسلم فأنت حيا بوجه زماننا

واسلم فأنت حيا بوجه زماننا

وبوجنتي شهبائنا توريد

وبوجنتي شهبائنا توريد

May you remain safe: you are rain upon the face of our age,

For the radiance of your command, every hearing limb

And a rosy flush upon the cheeks of our Shahba.

And your eternal glory and empowerment.

لمضاء أمرك كل عضو سامع

لمضاء أمرك كل عضو سامع

ولمجدك التأبيد والتأييد

ولمجدك التأبيد والتأييد

Every limb heeds the execution of your command;

May your glory have everlasting endurance and support.