ما كُفْرُ نُعْماكَ من شأْني فَيَثْنِيني

ما كُفْرُ نُعْماكَ من شأْني فَيَثْنِيني

عَمَّنْ توالى لنصرِ الملكِ والدّينِ

عَمَّنْ توالى لنصرِ الملكِ والدّينِ

It is not my way to deny your bounty and so turn away

Your blessings veil no ingratitude of mine

from him who rallied to uphold kingship and faith.

That I should turn from one whose rule and faith sustain me;

ولا ثنائي وشُكري بالوفاءِ بما

ولا ثنائي وشُكري بالوفاءِ بما

أولَيْتَني دونَ بذْلِ النفسِ يكفيني

أولَيْتَني دونَ بذْلِ النفسِ يكفيني

Nor are my praise and thanks, in repayment for what

I have no praise or thanks for loyalty

you have bestowed on me, enough for me without giving my life.

Less than my life, which you vouchsafe to me.

حَقٌّ على النَّفْسِ أن تَبْلى ولو فَنِيتْ

حَقٌّ على النَّفْسِ أن تَبْلى ولو فَنِيتْ

في شكرِ أيسرِ ما أضحيتَ تُوليني

في شكرِ أيسرِ ما أضحيتَ تُوليني

It is the soul's duty to wear itself out, even if it perishes,

My life is duty-bound to you, though death should come;

in thanks for the least of what you now bestow on me.

How render thanks for gifts so small you've given me?

ها إنَّها نعمةٌ ما زالَ كوكَبُها

ها إنَّها نعمةٌ ما زالَ كوكَبُها

إليكَ في ظُلُماتِ الخطبِ يَهْدِيني

إليكَ في ظُلُماتِ الخطبِ يَهْدِيني

Behold, it is a blessing whose star has never ceased

Still it shines on, that favour whose fair star

to guide me to you through the darkness of calamity.

Leads me through glooms of hazard happily.

تَبْأَى بجوهَرِ وُدٍّ غيرِ مُبْتذَلٍ

تَبْأَى بجوهَرِ وُدٍّ غيرِ مُبْتذَلٍ

عِندي وجوهرِ حَمْدٍ غيرِ مكنونِ

عِندي وجوهرِ حَمْدٍ غيرِ مكنونِ

It glories in a jewel of affection never cheapened

Free from all taint of vulgar ostentation

in my keeping, and a jewel of praise never concealed.

Stands my devotion and its praise of you concealed,

وحبذا النأي عن أهلي وعن وطني

وحبذا النأي عن أهلي وعن وطني

من كل بر وبحر منك يُدنيني

من كل بر وبحر منك يُدنيني

And how welcome is distance from my family and homeland,

Far from my people and my native land,

across every land and sea that draws me near to you.

By your grace severed from both land and sea;

وموقفٍ للنَّوى أغلَيْتُ مُتَّأَدِي

وموقفٍ للنَّوى أغلَيْتُ مُتَّأَدِي

فيه وأرخَصْتُ دمعَ الأَعينِ العِينِ

فيه وأرخَصْتُ دمعَ الأَعينِ العِينِ

And many a scene of parting: I made my lingering costly

On such a course have I embarked and spent

there, and made the tears of large eyes cheap,

My streaming tears, disdained all pity for these eyes;

من كلِّ نافِرةٍ ذَلَّتْ لِقَودِ يَدِي

من كلِّ نافِرةٍ ذَلَّتْ لِقَودِ يَدِي

في ثِنْي ما يَدُكَ العلياءُ تَحْبُوني

في ثِنْي ما يَدُكَ العلياءُ تَحْبُوني

from every shy woman who yielded to my guiding hand,

I bow them down before your conquering hands,

among the gifts your exalted hand bestows on me.

As you exalt me and delight in me.

والحِذْرُ يخفقُ في أحشاءِ والهةٍ

والحِذْرُ يخفقُ في أحشاءِ والهةٍ

تُرَدِّدُ الشَجوَ في أحشاءِ مَحزونِ

تُرَدِّدُ الشَجوَ في أحشاءِ مَحزونِ

And dread flutters in a distraught woman's breast,

Alarmed, my heart throbs in a withering passion

as she echoes sorrow in a grieving man's breast.

That sighing spreads its thrall and heaves tumultuously;

أجاهِدُ الصَّبْرَ عنها وَهيَ غافِلةٌ

أجاهِدُ الصَّبْرَ عنها وَهيَ غافِلةٌ

عن لَوْعَةٍ في الحشا منها تُناجِيني

عن لَوْعَةٍ في الحشا منها تُناجِيني

I struggle to bear her absence, while she is unaware

I curb my grief while she is all unheeding,

of a burning ache from her within my breast that whispers to me.

Though from her eyes a furtive glance reproaches me.

يا هَذِهِ كيفَ أُعْطِي الشَّوقَ طاعَتَهُ

يا هَذِهِ كيفَ أُعْطِي الشَّوقَ طاعَتَهُ

وهذهِ طاعَةُ المَنصُورِ تَدْعُوني

وهذهِ طاعَةُ المَنصُورِ تَدْعُوني

O woman, how can I give longing its due obedience,

‘How yield,’ I cry, ‘my passion its desire

when this duty of obedience to al-Mansur calls me?

While Mansur's will commands me otherwise?’

شُدِيّ عَلَيَّ نِجادَ السيفِ أجْعَلُهُ

شُدِيّ عَلَيَّ نِجادَ السيفِ أجْعَلُهُ

ضجيعَ جنبٍ نبا عن مَضْجَعِ الهُونِ

ضجيعَ جنبٍ نبا عن مَضْجَعِ الهُونِ

Bind the sword's baldric upon me; I shall make it

The swords of duty fight against my side;

a bedfellow to a side that shuns the bed of humiliation.

I make their keen edge press my ribs that scorn repose,

رَضِيتُ منها وشيكَ الشَّوقِ لي عِوَضاً

رَضِيتُ منها وشيكَ الشَّوقِ لي عِوَضاً

وقُلْتُ فيها للَوْعاتِ الأسى بِيني

وقُلْتُ فيها للَوْعاتِ الأسى بِيني

I accepted imminent longing as my recompense for her,

Accept her coquetry's long torment for my solace,

and told the pangs of sorrow over her: 'Be gone!'

And cry to my sad eyes, ‘Weep on, weep on!’

فإن تَشُجَّ تباريحُ الهوى كَبِدِي

فإن تَشُجَّ تباريحُ الهوى كَبِدِي

فقد تَعَوَّضتُ قُرْباً منكَ يأْسُرني

فقد تَعَوَّضتُ قُرْباً منكَ يأْسُرني

So if the torments of love gash my liver,

Should the Beloved's shafts now piece my liver,

I have gained instead a closeness to you that takes me captive.

Her favour compensates me, captive to its force;

وإن يُمِتْ موقفُ التوديعِ مُصْطَبَرِي

وإن يُمِتْ موقفُ التوديعِ مُصْطَبَرِي

فَأَحْرِ لي بدُنُوٍّ منك يُحْيِيِني

فَأَحْرِ لي بدُنُوٍّ منك يُحْيِيِني

And if the scene of farewell kills my endurance,

Should her farewell now slay my patience utterly,

then how fitting for me is a nearness to you that revives me!

Approach me then again: your nearness is my life.

أو أفْرَطَ الحَظُّ من نُعماكَ منقلَبٌ

أو أفْرَطَ الحَظُّ من نُعماكَ منقلَبٌ

من الوفاءِ بحَظٍّ فيكَ مغْبونِ

من الوفاءِ بحَظٍّ فيكَ مغْبونِ

Or, though my share of your bounty overflows, should I return

Does Fortune deny me all your gifts? Then I

with my share of loyalty toward you falling short,

Reproach my portion's lack of bounty in your hand;

وخازنٌ عنكَ نفِسي في هواجِرها

وخازنٌ عنكَ نفِسي في هواجِرها

وليس جُودُكَ عن كَفِّي بمخزونِ

وليس جُودُكَ عن كَفِّي بمخزونِ

and withhold my life from you in its scorching noons,

I pledge to you myself whene'er she frowns on me;

when your generosity is not withheld from my palm?

Your generosity exceeds no bound that I have known.

وأيُّ ظِلٍّ سوى نعماكَ يُلْحِفُني

وأيُّ ظِلٍّ سوى نعماكَ يُلْحِفُني

أو وِردِ ماء سوى جدواكَ يُرْوِيني

أو وِردِ ماء سوى جدواكَ يُرْوِيني

And what shade but your bounty can enfold me,

What shade but yours should cloak me? At whose fount

or what draught of water but your beneficence can quench my thirst?

Should I find draughts except your spring to cool my thirst?

وحاشَ للخيلِ أن تُزْهى عَلَيَّ بها

وحاشَ للخيلِ أن تُزْهى عَلَيَّ بها

والبِيضِ والسُّمْرِ أن تَحظى بها دُوني

والبِيضِ والسُّمْرِ أن تَحظى بها دُوني

And far be it that horses should boast of it over me,

Far from me be the steeds that others prize

or white swords and brown spears should enjoy it to my exclusion.

If I am barred the dapple greys and bays you own!

ورُبَّما كنتُ أمضى في مكارِهِها

ورُبَّما كنتُ أمضى في مكارِهِها

قدماً وأثْبَتَ في أهوالِها الجُونِ

قدماً وأثْبَتَ في أهوالِها الجُونِ

And often I have been more resolute amid its hardships,

Full oft I take the rough part of those rides,

in pressing forward, and firmer amid its black terrors,

Firm in their turmoil, plunged in their depths of woe,

من كلِّ أبيضَ ماضي الَغربِ ذي شطبٍ

من كلِّ أبيضَ ماضي الَغربِ ذي شطبٍ

وكلِّ لَدْنٍ طرير الخد مسنونِ

وكلِّ لَدْنٍ طرير الخد مسنونِ

than every white blade, keen of edge and marked with grooves,

Spurning each smooth-paced whitening steed, each one

and every supple spear, smooth-cheeked and sharpened.

Of delicate cheek whose harnessed finery gleams.

كذاك شأوي مُفدَّىً في رضاك إذا

كذاك شأوي مُفدَّىً في رضاك إذا

سَعَيْتُ فيهِ فلا ساعٍ يُبارِيني

سَعَيْتُ فيهِ فلا ساعٍ يُبارِيني

Such is my reach in seeking your favor, O you I would ransom: when

Just so, self-sacrificed, is my content in you

I strive for it, no striver can match me.

If I devote myself. None strives as fiercely as I.

لكن سهامٌ من الأقدارِ ما بَرِحَتْ

لكن سهامٌ من الأقدارِ ما بَرِحَتْ

على مَراصِدِ ذاك الماء تَرْميني

على مَراصِدِ ذاك الماء تَرْميني

But arrows from fate have never ceased

But shafts of destiny cease not to seek me out

to shoot at me from the ambush-posts by that water.

And shed their arrows on my watering-place;

يَحْمِلنَ للرَّوْعِ أُسداً في فوارِسِها

يَحْمِلنَ للرَّوْعِ أُسداً في فوارِسِها

تَمْدُّ للطَّعْنِ أمثالَ الثَّعابِينِ

تَمْدُّ للطَّعْنِ أمثالَ الثَّعابِينِ

They bear, to strike terror, lions in the guise of their horsemen,

Charging, they drive the lion 'midst his riders' ranks,

who extend the likes of serpents for the thrust.

And stretch their long necks like the snakes.

والبِيضُ تحت ظِلالِ النَّقْعِ لامعَةٌ

والبِيضُ تحت ظِلالِ النَّقْعِ لامعَةٌ

تَغَلغُلَ الماء في ظِلِّ الرَّياحِينِ

تَغَلغُلَ الماء في ظِلِّ الرَّياحِينِ

And the white swords gleam beneath the shadows of dust,

The white steeds flow beneath their banners' shade

like water threading through the shade of fragrant herbs,

And plunge through the water amid the willow trees,

حتَّى يَجُوزوا لكَ الأرض التي اعترفتْ

حتَّى يَجُوزوا لكَ الأرض التي اعترفتْ

بمُلكِ آبائكَ الشُّمِّ العَرانِينَ

بمُلكِ آبائكَ الشُّمِّ العَرانِينَ

until they traverse for you the land that has acknowledged

Until they yield you back your land, whose ancient kings

the rule of your proud, high-nosed forefathers,

Acknowledged your fathers' sovereignty.

حيثُ اسْتَبَوْا فارِساً والرُّوم واعْتَورُوا

حيثُ اسْتَبَوْا فارِساً والرُّوم واعْتَورُوا

رِقَّ الأساوِرِ منهم والدَّهاقِينِ

رِقَّ الأساوِرِ منهم والدَّهاقِينِ

where they took Persia and Rome captive and took turns

There they cast down a horseman, and the Greeks flowed past;

enslaving the cavalry nobles and landed lords among them.

They stripped the bracelets and the jacinths from their arms.