أقمن على قلبي رقيبا من الحب

أقمن على قلبي رقيبا من الحب

فلا تسألوني واسئلوهنّ عن قلبي

فلا تسألوني واسئلوهنّ عن قلبي

They have set over my heart a watcher born of love,

They set a sentinel of love over my heart.

So do not ask me—ask them about my heart.

So do not ask me; ask them about my heart.

أهل جعلوه منزلاً يسكنونه

أهل جعلوه منزلاً يسكنونه

بإذن أم أستولت عليه يد الغصب

بإذن أم أستولت عليه يد الغصب

Did they make it a dwelling in which to reside

Did they make it a dwelling to inhabit

By leave, or did the hand of usurpation seize it?

with permission, or did the hand of usurpation seize it?

وهل هجروني يوم أرخوا ستورهم

وهل هجروني يوم أرخوا ستورهم

بذنب فأرجو عطفهم أو بلا ذنب

بذنب فأرجو عطفهم أو بلا ذنب

And did they forsake me when they let down their curtains

And did they forsake me, the day they lowered their curtains,

For some offense, so that I may hope for tenderness—or for none?

for a fault, so I might hope for their kindness, or without a fault?

ففي الذنب قد يجدي العتاب إذا جرى

ففي الذنب قد يجدي العتاب إذا جرى

وليس بمجد في العلا كثرة العتب

وليس بمجد في العلا كثرة العتب

For when there is guilt, reproach may sometimes avail,

For when there is a fault, reproach may avail when voiced;

But abundant reproach does not avail in lofty affairs.

yet much reproach is of no use in the heights.

واشقى الورى صب يذوب فؤاده

واشقى الورى صب يذوب فؤاده

بحب امريء خالي الفوآد من الحب

بحب امريء خالي الفوآد من الحب

The most wretched of humankind is a lover whose heart melts

The most wretched of mortals is a lover whose heart melts

For one whose own heart is empty of love.

with love for someone whose heart is empty of love.

علقت بها هيفآء تلقاك بالرضا

علقت بها هيفآء تلقاك بالرضا

وقلبك مملوء لديها من الرعب

وقلبك مملوء لديها من الرعب

I fell in love with a slender-waisted beauty who greets you with favor,

I became enamored of her, a slender-waisted beauty who greets you with favor,

While in her presence your heart is brimming with dread.

while your heart in her presence is filled with dread.

تبسم والآلحاظ تنضو سيوفها

تبسم والآلحاظ تنضو سيوفها

عليك فلا في السلم أنت ولا الحرب

عليك فلا في السلم أنت ولا الحرب

She smiles, while her glances unsheathe their swords

She smiles, while her glances draw their swords

Against you, leaving you neither at peace nor at war.

against you, so you are neither at peace nor at war.

إذا قال هذا موقف الأمن بشرها

إذا قال هذا موقف الأمن بشرها

يقل لحظها بل موقف الطعن والضرب

يقل لحظها بل موقف الطعن والضرب

Whenever her glad face says, “Here is a place of safety,”

If her cheerful expression says, 'This is a place of safety,'

Her glance says, “No—a place of thrusting and blows.”

her glance says, 'Rather, a place of thrusts and blows.'

لها طلعة تجلو الظلام وينطفي

لها طلعة تجلو الظلام وينطفي

بها كل نور حين تبدو من الحجب

بها كل نور حين تبدو من الحجب

Hers is a rising face that clears away darkness, and every light

She has a face that dispels the darkness, and quenched

Is quenched by it when she emerges from the veils.

by it is every light when she emerges from the veils.

تجلى فيمحوا النجم والبدر ضؤها

تجلى فيمحوا النجم والبدر ضؤها

وتحسب أن الشمس في قبضة الغرب

وتحسب أن الشمس في قبضة الغرب

She appears, and her radiance effaces star and moon;

She reveals herself, and her radiance effaces the star and the full moon;

You would think the sun were held in the West’s grasp.

and you think the sun is in the grip of the west.

تنام بملىء الجفن عن ليل ساهر

تنام بملىء الجفن عن ليل ساهر

تقلبه الأشجان جنبا على جنب

تقلبه الأشجان جنبا على جنب

She sleeps soundly, heedless of a night kept wakeful,

She sleeps her eyelids' fill, heedless of a wakeful night

As grief turns its sleeper from side to side.

that sorrows toss from side to side.

حرام على جفني المنام وقد نأت

حرام على جفني المنام وقد نأت

وخيم ركب البعد في منزل القرب

وخيم ركب البعد في منزل القرب

Sleep is forbidden to my eyelids now that she has gone far away,

Sleep is forbidden to my eyelids, now that she has gone far away,

And distance’s caravan has encamped in nearness’s own abode.

and the caravan of distance has encamped in the dwelling of nearness.

وقالت جفوني للكرى لست صاحبي

وقالت جفوني للكرى لست صاحبي

فخل دموعي تنصر الصب بالصب

فخل دموعي تنصر الصب بالصب

My eyelids said to sleep, “You are no companion of mine;

My eyelids said to slumber, 'You are not my companion;

So let my tears, by pouring, come to the lover’s aid.”

so let my tears aid the lovesick lover by pouring forth.'

وما نصر دمع العين لي أن ناصري

وما نصر دمع العين لي أن ناصري

هو الناصر بن الأشرف الملك الندب

هو الناصر بن الأشرف الملك الندب

Yet what help can the tears of my eyes bring me, when my champion

What use is the aid of the eye's tears to me, since my champion

Is al-Nasir, son of al-Ashraf, the valiant king?

is al-Nasir ibn al-Ashraf, the valiant king?

مليك له سيف وسعد تظاهرا

مليك له سيف وسعد تظاهرا

على كل غلاب فاغضي على الغلب

على كل غلاب فاغضي على الغلب

A monarch whose sword and fortune have joined forces

A sovereign whose sword and good fortune have joined forces

Against every overmastering foe, until the mighty lower their gaze.

against every conqueror, who bowed his head in defeat.

له كل يوم نهضة تطلب العلا

له كل يوم نهضة تطلب العلا

من السيف في شرق البلاد وفي الغرب

من السيف في شرق البلاد وفي الغرب

Each day he rises anew in pursuit of glory

Each day he makes an advance seeking eminence

With the sword, throughout the country’s east and west.

from the sword, in the east of the lands and in the west.

يرينا سجايا لو سمعنا بمثلها

يرينا سجايا لو سمعنا بمثلها

عن السلف الماضي وصفناه بالكذب

عن السلف الماضي وصفناه بالكذب

He shows us virtues whose like, had we heard of them

He shows us qualities that, had we heard their like

Among the forebears of old, we would have called a lie.

of the forebears of old, we would have deemed the account false.

فكم صححت أفعاله اليوم عندنا

فكم صححت أفعاله اليوم عندنا

غرائب تروى للأوائل في الكتب

غرائب تروى للأوائل في الكتب

How often his deeds today have confirmed for us

How often his deeds today have confirmed for us

The marvels told of ancient men in books.

marvels recounted of the ancients in books!

وكم قللت ما استكثرته نفوسنا

وكم قللت ما استكثرته نفوسنا

من الجود في الماضيين والخلق الرحب

من الجود في الماضيين والخلق الرحب

How often he has made small what our souls deemed abundant

And how often they have diminished what our souls thought great

In the generosity of bygone men and their breadth of character.

of generosity among those of old, and of magnanimous character!

صنائع دار المجد والحمد حولها

صنائع دار المجد والحمد حولها

مدار النجوم الزاهرات على القطب

مدار النجوم الزاهرات على القطب

His benefactions are a house of glory, with praise circling round it

Benefactions around which glory and praise revolve

As radiant stars circle the pole.

as shining stars revolve around the pole.

إذا سل سيفا قلت ما الليث في الشرا

إذا سل سيفا قلت ما الليث في الشرا

وإن جاد كفا قلت ما الغيث في السحب

وإن جاد كفا قلت ما الغيث في السحب

When he draws a sword, I say: what is a lion in the thicket beside him?

When he draws a sword, I say, 'What is the lion in al-Shara?'

And when his hand gives freely, I say: what is rain within the clouds?

And if he gives with open hand, I say, 'What is rain in the clouds?'

سرى خوفه والأمن يتلوه في الورى

سرى خوفه والأمن يتلوه في الورى

فمن لم يبت في أمنه بات في الترب

فمن لم يبت في أمنه بات في الترب

Fear of him travels by night, while safety follows it among humankind:

Fear of him has spread, and safety follows it among mortals;

Whoever does not sleep secure under his protection sleeps in the dust.

whoever does not spend the night in his protection spends it in the dust.

فقل لملوك الأرض خلوا عن العلا

فقل لملوك الأرض خلوا عن العلا

لأحمد وارعوا فضلة الماء والعشب

لأحمد وارعوا فضلة الماء والعشب

Say to the kings of the earth: relinquish lofty glory

So tell the kings of the earth: leave eminence

To Ahmad, and graze on the leftover water and pasture.

to Ahmad, and graze on the leavings of water and grass.

فما هو إلا العز والموت دونه

فما هو إلا العز والموت دونه

أو الذل إن شئتم أمانا على الشرب

أو الذل إن شئتم أمانا على الشرب

For his is nothing but honor, with death before anything beneath it—

For there is only glory, with death barring the way to it,

Or humiliation for you, if you wish your people to be safe.

or humiliation, if you wish to drink in safety.

دعوه وإياها فلستم رجالها

دعوه وإياها فلستم رجالها

وليس ركوب السهل كالمركب الصعب

وليس ركوب السهل كالمركب الصعب

Leave him and glory to one another; you are not its men.

Leave him with glory, for you are not its men.

Riding level ground is not like mounting the difficult course.

Riding over easy ground is not like a difficult ride.

فهذى سيوف لا تطاق وضارب

فهذى سيوف لا تطاق وضارب

يطبق بالسيف المفاصل بالضرب

يطبق بالسيف المفاصل بالضرب

For glory has an irresistible sword and a champion

For these are swords that cannot be withstood, and a swordsman

Who brings the blade down squarely upon the joints with every blow.

who hits the joints squarely with the blows of his sword.

وليس بعيدا دونه ما يرومه

وليس بعيدا دونه ما يرومه

ولو أنه العنقاء طارت مع الشهب

ولو أنه العنقاء طارت مع الشهب

No aim he seeks lies beyond his reach,

Nothing he seeks lies far beyond his reach,

Even if it were the phoenix flying among the meteors.

even were it the Anqa, flying among shooting stars.

قضى الشهر شهر الصوم رطب لسانه

قضى الشهر شهر الصوم رطب لسانه

عليك بما ينبي من الخلق الرطب

عليك بما ينبي من الخلق الرطب

He passed the month—the month of fasting—his tongue kept moist

The month—the month of fasting—passed, its tongue moist

With praise of you, speaking of your gracious nature.

with praise of you that reveals a gracious nature.

ووافاك عيد الفطر يجهد نفسه

ووافاك عيد الفطر يجهد نفسه

من الشوق بالشوق المعين على القرب

من الشوق بالشوق المعين على القرب

And your feast, Eid al-Fitr, exhausts itself

And Eid al-Fitr came to you, exerting itself

With yearning, aided by the yearning that draws it near.

out of longing, with longing as its aid in drawing near.

فيهينه هذا الاحتفال بشأنه

فيهينه هذا الاحتفال بشأنه

لديك وهذا السير في الموكب اللجب

لديك وهذا السير في الموكب اللجب

May this celebration held in its honor gladden you

So may it be gladdened by this celebration in its honor

In your presence, and this advance in the clamorous procession.

in your presence, and by this march in the clamorous procession.

ركبت به نحو المصلى مشيعا

ركبت به نحو المصلى مشيعا

بسمر العوالي والمطهمة القب

بسمر العوالي والمطهمة القب

You rode with it toward the prayer ground, escorted

You rode in it toward the prayer ground, escorted

By tall, dark lances and fine, slender-waisted steeds.

by long, brown lances and finely built, lean-bellied steeds.

وقد ملأت طول البلاد وعرضها

وقد ملأت طول البلاد وعرضها

حواليك أشبال الضراغمة الغلب

حواليك أشبال الضراغمة الغلب

They filled the land in length and breadth

The land's length and breadth had been filled

Around you, like the cubs of conquering lions.

around you by cubs of thick-necked lions.

وكبّر اجلالا لوجهك من رأى

وكبّر اجلالا لوجهك من رأى

وسبح كل العالمين من العجب

وسبح كل العالمين من العجب

Whoever saw you proclaimed the takbīr, awed by your countenance,

Whoever saw you cried 'God is greatest' in reverence for your face;

And all the worlds glorified God in wonder.

and all mankind glorified God in wonder.

فهذا مشير يسأل الله نصره

فهذا مشير يسأل الله نصره

إليك وهذا حائر الفكر واللب

إليك وهذا حائر الفكر واللب

Here one man gestures, asking God to grant His victory

Here is one gesturing—asking God for his victory—

To you; there another stands bewildered in thought and mind.

toward you, and another bewildered in thought and mind.

وجئث المصلى والمصلى وأهله

وجئث المصلى والمصلى وأهله

مشيرون بالتأهيل نحوك والرحب

مشيرون بالتأهيل نحوك والرحب

You came to the prayer ground, and the ground and all its people

You came to the prayer ground, and the prayer ground and its people

Beckoned toward you with cries of “Welcome—and ample room!”

gestured toward you with welcome and hospitality.

وقمت كما يرضى الإِله مصليا

وقمت كما يرضى الإِله مصليا

فيهنيك ما استكثرته من رضى الرب

فيهنيك ما استكثرته من رضى الرب

You stood in prayer, as pleases God;

And you stood in prayer as God approves;

May the abundant favor you have gained from the Lord gladden you.

so may the abundant favor you gained from the Lord gladden you.

وعدت كعود السحب ينهل بالحيا

وعدت كعود السحب ينهل بالحيا

على الأرض من بعد الخصاصة والجدب

على الأرض من بعد الخصاصة والجدب

You returned as clouds return, streaming with life-giving rain

And you returned like returning clouds, pouring life-giving rain

Upon the earth after scarcity and drought.

upon the earth after privation and drought.