لنا بهواه حرمةٌ وذمامُ

لنا بهواه حرمةٌ وذمامُ

دما نابه يا مقلتيهِ حرامُ

دما نابه يا مقلتيهِ حرامُ

Through love of him, we possess a sacred claim and covenant;

Through love for him, we have inviolability and protection.

By it our blood is inviolable, O you two eyes of his.

For his sake our blood is sacred, O his two eyes.

أَماناً فما لي من يد بلواحظٍ

أَماناً فما لي من يد بلواحظٍ

تحاكي سيوفَ الهند وهي سهامُ

تحاكي سيوفَ الهند وهي سهامُ

Grant me safety, for I have no power against glances

Protection! I have no power against sidelong glances

that imitate Indian swords, though they are arrows;

that resemble India's swords, though they are arrows.

ولا بغزال دونها من قوامِها

ولا بغزال دونها من قوامِها

ومن مقلتيْها ذابلٌ وحُسامُ

ومن مقلتيْها ذابلٌ وحُسامُ

nor against a gazelle, guarded by her very figure—

Nor against a gazelle, before whom, from her figure

a slender spear from her stature, and a sword from her eyes.

and her two eyes, stand a slender spear and a sharp sword.

غزالٌ تجرّى الحسن فيها فَاقبلت

غزالٌ تجرّى الحسن فيها فَاقبلت

وفي كل عضو فتنةٌ وغرامُ

وفي كل عضو فتنةٌ وغرامُ

A gazelle in whom Beauty grew bold and came forward,

A gazelle in whom beauty grew bold; she approached,

while every limb held temptation and passion.

with enchantment and passion in every limb.

تبيتُ تضاغي وشحها من مجاعةٍ

تبيتُ تضاغي وشحها من مجاعةٍ

وأحجا لها ملأى البطون نيام

وأحجا لها ملأى البطون نيام

She spends the night whimpering, her sash crying out from hunger,

Her sashes spend the night crying from hunger,

while those more fit for her sleep with bellies full.

while her anklets, full-bellied, lie asleep.

دَمْتني فهل أبصرت إِصبع من دمي

دَمْتني فهل أبصرت إِصبع من دمي

وقد سفكته مقلةُ وقَوامُ

وقد سفكته مقلةُ وقَوامُ

You bloodied me—have you seen so much as a finger stained with my blood,

You bloodied me [reading uncertain]—have you seen a finger's breadth of my blood,

though an eye and a figure have shed it?

though an eye and a graceful figure have shed it?

عيون مهاة لو بسوادها

عيون مهاة لو بسوادها

بياضَ المشيب اسودُّ وهو ثغام

بياضَ المشيب اسودُّ وهو ثغام

Eyes of an oryx—if their blackness touched

An oryx's eyes—if their blackness touched

the white of gray hair, it would turn black, though white as thaghām blossom.

the white of age, it would darken, though white as thughām grass.

وقد شيبّت بالهجر رأسي لوم تخفْ

وقد شيبّت بالهجر رأسي لوم تخفْ

أما في صباغ بالبياض أثام

أما في صباغ بالبياض أثام

Through abandonment you have whitened my head, yet feared no blame;

You have grayed my head through estrangement—[and did not fear?]:

is there no sin, then, in dyeing hair white?

is there no sin in dyeing it white?

تحرِّمُهُ عاماً وعاماً تُحلّهُ

تحرِّمُهُ عاماً وعاماً تُحلّهُ

ومن بات ما ينهاك عنهُ نِدام

ومن بات ما ينهاك عنهُ نِدام

She forbids it for years, then permits it for a single year;

You forbid it one year and permit it another,

whoever spends the night doing what she forbids is remorseful.

and those who spend the night with what he forbids you are drinking companions [syntax unclear].

وقائلةِ لما رأت أن محنتي

وقائلةِ لما رأت أن محنتي

لها باحتفال العاذلين دوام

لها باحتفال العاذلين دوام

And a woman said, when she saw that my ordeal

And a woman said, when she saw that my suffering

because of her endured amid the assembled censurers:

for her endured amid the gathering of reproachers:

أمِط عن محياه الحجاب فلو رأى

أمِط عن محياه الحجاب فلو رأى

ذوو الرشد منهم ما رأيتُ لهاموا

ذوو الرشد منهم ما رأيتُ لهاموا

Lift the veil from his face—for if

“Lift the veil from his face, for if

the right-minded among them saw what I have seen, they would rave with love.

their sensible ones saw what I have seen, they would be love-struck.

واصبح من أمسى يلوكم في الهوى

واصبح من أمسى يلوكم في الهوى

بالسن كل العالمين يلام

بالسن كل العالمين يلام

More love-struck is the man who spends his evening blaming you for love—

By morning, whoever at evening reproached you for love

he is blamed by every tongue in the world.

would be reproached by the tongues of all the world.”

وما اللوم لو صح الوصال يهولني

وما اللوم لو صح الوصال يهولني

وإِن قعد العذّالُ فيه وقاموا

وإِن قعد العذّالُ فيه وقاموا

No blame could frighten me if union were assured,

Reproach would not frighten me, if union were assured,

though the censurers sat down over it and rose again.

even if the reproachers sat and rose over it.

ولكن لها قبل السلام إِذا دنت

ولكن لها قبل السلام إِذا دنت

وداعٌ ومن قبل الرِضاع فِطامُ

وداعٌ ومن قبل الرِضاع فِطامُ

Yet before the greeting, whenever she draws near, she has

Yet she has, before greeting when she draws near,

a farewell—and before the time of weaning, a weaning.

a farewell, and before suckling, a weaning.

تواعِدنُي حتى أرى الوصل فرصةً

تواعِدنُي حتى أرى الوصل فرصةً

وتمطُل حتى لاَ أراه يُرام

وتمطُل حتى لاَ أراه يُرام

She promises me until I see union as an opportunity,

She promises me until I see a chance of union,

then delays until I no longer think it attainable.

and delays until I no longer think it attainable.

فابعدُ ميعاد بزورتها غدٌ

فابعدُ ميعاد بزورتها غدٌ

ويذهبُ عام لا يزور وعامُ

ويذهبُ عام لا يزور وعامُ

The farthest date she names for her visit is tomorrow,

The furthest date she sets for her visit is tomorrow,

yet a year passes without a visit, and then another year.

yet a year passes without a visit, and another year.

كما وعدت من في ضربه المنى

كما وعدت من في ضربه المنى

بان ابن إسماعيل عنه ينامُ

بان ابن إسماعيل عنه ينامُ

Just as hopes promised the man for whom even being struck by him counts among his favors

Just as hopes promised the man they were striking

that Ibn Isma‘il would sleep and leave him alone.

that Ibn Isma'il would sleep, heedless of him.

فصدّق حينا ثم ايقن أَنه

فصدّق حينا ثم ايقن أَنه

غرور أماني ما لهن تمامُ

غرور أماني ما لهن تمامُ

For a while he believed them; then he became certain

He believed for a while, then became certain that it was

they were delusive wishes that could never be fulfilled,

the deceit of wishes that never reach fulfillment,

وأَن له من بيض أحمد أينما

وأَن له من بيض أحمد أينما

توجّه موتٌ كامن وحِمامُ

توجّه موتٌ كامن وحِمامُ

and that Ahmad’s white blades held, wherever

and that from Ahmad's bright swords, wherever

he turned, death lying hidden and doom.

he turned, death and doom lay hidden for him.

فألقى إِليه باليدين ولن ترى

فألقى إِليه باليدين ولن ترى

فتى نحوه القي اليدين يُضام

فتى نحوه القي اليدين يُضام

So he surrendered to him with both hands; never will you see

So he offered him both hands in surrender; never will you see

a man who gives him both hands be wronged.

a man who offers him both hands in surrender wronged.

ورحب بعد العلم أن طعامه

ورحب بعد العلم أن طعامه

وإِن لم يرحب للجيوش طعامُ

وإِن لم يرحب للجيوش طعامُ

He welcomed his fate after learning that he would be their food—

He welcomed them, after learning that his provisions,

for even if he did not welcome it, he would be food for the armies.

even if he did not welcome them, were food for the armies.

فجوزي جزاء المخلصين صنيعُهم

فجوزي جزاء المخلصين صنيعُهم

مع العلم أَن الصنع فيه سِقام

مع العلم أَن الصنع فيه سِقام

Thus his deed was requited as the deeds of the sincere are requited,

Thus their deed received the reward of the sincere,

though it was known that what he did was unsound.

despite knowing that the deed had sickness in it.

واغرق بالنعما وهل فاز بالنجا

واغرق بالنعما وهل فاز بالنجا

كغرقاء في بحر لأحمد عاموا

كغرقاء في بحر لأحمد عاموا

He was drowned in bounty—and did anyone ever win salvation

And he was drowned in blessings—who ever gained deliverance

as did the drowning men who swam in Ahmad’s sea?

like the drowned who swam in Ahmad's sea?

مليك متى تسأل به في أصوله

مليك متى تسأل به في أصوله

تجد حولتيه للملوك زحام

تجد حولتيه للملوك زحام

A king: whenever you inquire about him among the roots of his lineage,

A king: whenever you inquire about him among his forebears,

you find kings thronging around him on either side.

you find a throng of kings around him.

وإن تره في فعله وصنيعه

وإن تره في فعله وصنيعه

تقل ليس بِدعا أن يسود عِصام

تقل ليس بِدعا أن يسود عِصام

And if you behold his conduct and his deeds,

And if you see him in his actions and his deeds,

you will say, “No marvel that an ‘Iṣām should attain lordship.”

you say: “It is nothing new for ʿIsam to become a lord.”

هو الناصر الملك الذي لا سحابه

هو الناصر الملك الذي لا سحابه

جهام ولا ماضي سباه كهام

جهام ولا ماضي سباه كهام

He is the champion-king: his rain cloud is never barren,

He is al-Nasir, the king whose cloud is not

nor is the keen edge of his sword ever blunt.

rainless, nor are his keen [blade-edges?] blunt.

سلالةُ إسماعيل وانظر ترى به

سلالةُ إسماعيل وانظر ترى به

همام نماه في الملوك همام

همام نماه في الملوك همام

A descendant of Isma‘il—look, and you will see in him

Isma'il's scion—look, and in him you will see

a high-hearted hero, bred among kings by a high-hearted hero.

a noble hero, raised among kings by a noble hero.

له نسب في الملك من عهد آدم

له نسب في الملك من عهد آدم

إِلى اليوم سلك والملوم نظام

إِلى اليوم سلك والملوم نظام

His royal lineage, from the age of Adam

His lineage in kingship, from the age of Adam

to this day, is a string with kings as its ordered beads.

to this day, is a thread with [kings?] strung along it.

إذا مدّ للعلياء باعاً تخاضعت

إذا مدّ للعلياء باعاً تخاضعت

من الشهب أعناق وطؤطئ هامُ

من الشهب أعناق وطؤطئ هامُ

When he stretches his reach toward the heights of glory,

When he extends his reach toward the heights, there bow

the necks of the bright stars abase themselves and heads bow low.

the necks of the bright stars, and heads are lowered.

وظلت تفديه العلا بنفوسها

وظلت تفديه العلا بنفوسها

وأقصى مناها زورة ولمام

وأقصى مناها زورة ولمام

The heights of glory keep ransoming him with their souls,

And the heights keep ransoming him with their souls;

and their utmost desire is a visit, however fleeting.

their utmost wish is a visit, a fleeting encounter.

يحب المعالي والمعالي تحبه

يحب المعالي والمعالي تحبه

فكل قد استولى عليه غرام

فكل قد استولى عليه غرام

He loves lofty honors, and lofty honors love him;

He loves high honors, and high honors love him;

each has been wholly mastered by passion for the other.

each has been overcome by passion.

تراوده عن نفسه كل رتبة

تراوده عن نفسه كل رتبة

من المجد عنها لم يفض ختام

من المجد عنها لم يفض ختام

Every rank of glory tries to seduce him from himself,

Every rank seeks to seduce him from himself—

though no seal upon her has yet been broken.

a rank of glory whose seal has never been broken.

وما عاشق يهوى العلى وهي تارك

وما عاشق يهوى العلى وهي تارك

كصب لها وجد به وهيام

كصب لها وجد به وهيام

No mere lover is he, yearning for the heights while they forsake him;

And no lover who loves glory while she forsakes him

the heights themselves are his lover, consumed for him by longing and passion.

is like a lover for whom she feels ardor and yearning.

فقل لملوك الأرض خافوه تأمنوا

فقل لملوك الأرض خافوه تأمنوا

ودينوا تقروا أُعينا وتناموا

ودينوا تقروا أُعينا وتناموا

Say to the kings of earth: fear him, and be safe;

Tell the kings of the earth: fear him, and you will be safe;

submit, and your eyes will rest and you will sleep.

and submit; your eyes will find rest, and you will sleep.

فما زلتم يقضي ويمضي قضاؤه

فما زلتم يقضي ويمضي قضاؤه

عليكم فأنتم طيبون كِرامُ

عليكم فأنتم طيبون كِرامُ

As long as he judges among you and carries out his judgment

For you remain [syntax unclear]; he judges, and his decree prevails

upon you, you remain sound, good, and noble.

over you; thus you are content and honored.

ولا تأخذن بعضا من البعض غِيرة

ولا تأخذن بعضا من البعض غِيرة

فكلُّ له منكم لديه مقام

فكلُّ له منكم لديه مقام

Let no jealousy seize some of you against the others,

Let no jealousy of others seize any of you,

for each of you has a station with him.

for each of you has a place with him.

لكم مايشا لا تشاؤون فانصتوا

لكم مايشا لا تشاؤون فانصتوا

فقد خرست لسن ومات كلام

فقد خرست لسن ومات كلام

Yours is whatever he wills, not what you will—so listen:

You have what he wills, not what you wish; so be silent,

tongues have fallen mute, and speech itself has died.

for tongues have fallen mute, and speech has died.

فانتم ملوك للأنام أئمةٌ

فانتم ملوك للأنام أئمةٌ

وأحمد ملك للأنام إِمامُ

وأحمد ملك للأنام إِمامُ

You are kings, leaders of humankind,

For you are kings, leaders for humankind,

but Ahmad is a king, the leader of the leaders.

and Ahmad is a king, a leader for humankind.

فلا زال ميمونَ النقيبةِ ظافراً

فلا زال ميمونَ النقيبةِ ظافراً

عليه من الله السلامُ سلامُ

عليه من الله السلامُ سلامُ

May he never cease to be fortunate in nature and victorious;

May he never cease to be blessed in disposition and victorious;

upon him be peace from God—peace upon peace.

upon him be peace from God—peace.