1. طَيفٌ لِمَن أَهوى أَلَمّا

    يَطوي ذُيولَ اللَيلِ لَمّا

    An apparition of the one I love came visiting,

    folding up the trailing skirts of night.

  2. أَهلاً بِهِ لَو أَنَّ طَر

    في لِلمَنامِ يَذوقُ طَعما

    Welcome to him—if only my eye

    could taste the flavor of sleep!

  3. وَنَعَم لَقَد أَغفيتُ في

    طَلَبِ الخَيالِ خَيالِ نُعمى

    And yes, indeed, I fell asleep while

    seeking the apparition—the apparition of Nu'ma.

  4. فاِعجَب لِصَبٍّ يَدَّعي

    نَظراً يُجادِلُ فيهِ خَصما

    Marvel, then, at a lovesick man who claims

    a reasoned view he disputes with an opponent.

  5. يَرضى بِمَعدومِ الخَيا

    لِ حَقيقَةً وَيُطيعُ وَهما

    He accepts the unreal apparition

    as reality, and obeys an illusion.

  6. فَدَعِ الجِدالَ وَخُذ حَديثَ

    الطيفِ إِن أوتيتَ فَهما

    Leave argument aside, and take the tale

    of the apparition, if you have been granted understanding.

  7. روحٌ أَتَت روحاً وَغَي

    ري يَلتَقي بِالجِسمِ جِسما

    A spirit came to a spirit, while

    another meets one body with another.

  8. نَصَبَ الكَرى لي مِنهُ غُص

    ناً كِدتُ أَن أُذويهِ ضَمّا

    Sleep set before me a bough of him,

    which I nearly withered with my embrace.

  9. فشرعتُ في وردى شَري

    عةَ ريقِهِ كَرَماً وَحلما

    So, seeking water, I entered the watering-place

    of his saliva, with generosity and forbearance.

  10. وَسَكِرتُ حينَ رَشَف

    تُ بِلَيلَةٍ يا صاحِ ظَلما

    And I grew drunk when I sipped,

    one night, my friend, his cool mouth-moisture.

  11. أَنعَشتُ روحي إِذ شَمَم

    تُ خُدودَهُ وَالنَفس شَمّا

    I revived my spirit when I inhaled

    the scent of his cheeks and his breath.

  12. وَأَمِنتُ وِزراً إِذ رَشِف

    تُ رضابَهُ وَشَرِبتُ إِثما

    And I was safe from guilt when I sipped

    his sweet saliva and drank 'sin'—wine.

  13. وَبلغتُ أَقصى مُنيتي

    لَمّا دَنا وَفُتِنتُ مِمّا

    I attained the utmost of my desire

    when he drew near, and was entranced by it.

  14. ثُمَّ اِنتَبَهتُ وَعادَ ثَو

    بُ الصَدِّ يَكسو الجِسمَ سقما

    Then I awoke, and the garment

    of rejection returned, clothing my body in sickness.

  15. قَد خُصَّ جِسمي بِالضَنا

    فَليسألن في الحَشرِ عمّا

    My body has been singled out for wasting;

    at the Resurrection, he shall surely be questioned about it.

  16. يا أَيّها البَدرُ المُني

    رُ إِلَيكَ أَشكو ما أَهَمّا

    O you radiant full moon,

    to you I complain of what has grieved me:

  17. هَمّاً لِبُعدي عَنكَ قَد

    غَطّى عَلى قَلبي وَغَمّا

    a grief at my distance from you that has

    covered my heart and weighed upon it.

  18. رِفقاً بِصَبٍّ مُغرمٍ

    أَسلَمتهُ لِلهَجرِ ظُلما

    Be gentle with a passionately lovesick man

    whom you have unjustly consigned to abandonment.

  19. قَد كادَ يَقتُلُ نَفسَهُ

    خَوفَ النَوى غمّاً وَهمّا

    He has almost killed himself,

    fearing separation, in sorrow and distress.

  20. قَرُبَ الفَناءُ إِلَيهِ حي

    نَ ثَوى بِهِ لَهبٌ وَحُمّا

    Destruction drew near to him when

    a flame and fever lodged within him.

  21. وَحَياةِ حُبِّكَ خِفتُ مِن

    تَلَفي فَهَب لي مِنكَ رُحمى

    By the life of my love for you, I feared

    my destruction; grant me mercy from you.

  22. وَنَصيبُ قَلبي مِن لحا

    ظِكَ وافِرٌ أَفديهِ سَهما

    My heart's share of your glances

    is plentiful—may I ransom that arrow!

  23. قسماً بِسَقمِ الطرفِ قَد

    أَهدى لِجِسمي مِنهُ قِسما

    I swear by the eye's languor, which has

    given my body a share of its own sickness;

  24. بِسَلامَةِ الأَلحاظِ مِن

    سِحرٍ دَعاهُ الصبُّ سُقما

    by the glances' freedom from

    a magic the lover called sickness.

  25. حَتّامَ يا ريقَ الحَبي

    بِ أَراكَ موروداً وأَظما

    How long, O saliva of the beloved,

    shall I see you drunk from, yet remain thirsty?

  26. وَإِلامَ يا قَلبي الكَئي

    بِ بِأَسهُمِ الأَلحاظِ تُرمى

    And how long, O my sorrowful heart,

    will you be struck by the arrows of glances?

  27. هَلّا صَحوتَ مِنَ الغَرا

    مِ فَلَم تُراجِع فيهِ عَزما

    Why not sober up from passion,

    and cease renewing your resolve in it,

  28. وَصبرتَ عَمَّن لا يُطا

    وِعُ ما تَشاءُ نُهىً وَحلما

    and patiently renounce one who will not

    grant your wishes, with reason and forbearance?

  29. إِن كُنتَ في ذُلٍّ فَلُذ

    بِعَزيزِ مَصر تَعِزُّ حَتما

    If you are abased, seek refuge

    with Egypt's mighty lord: you will surely gain honor.

  30. مَلكٌ لَهُ شَرَفٌ عَلى ال

    عليا فَحَدِّث عَنهُ قِدما

    A king whose nobility rises above

    the heights—so tell of him as of old.

  31. إِقصِد حِماهُ تَغنَ إِن

    فارَقتَ فيهِ أَباً وَأُمّا

    Seek his sanctuary and grow wealthy, even if

    you leave father and mother for his sake.

  32. فالدَهرُ قَد غَطّى الحجا

    وَجميلُهُ كَشَفَ المُعَمّى

    Time had veiled understanding,

    but his kindness revealed what was obscure.

  33. يا أَيُّها المولى الَّذي

    فاقَ المُلوكَ نَدىً وَحِلما

    O lord who

    surpassed kings in generosity and forbearance!

  34. طوّقتَ أَعناقَ الأَنا

    مِ قَلائِدَ الإِحسانِ نُعمى

    You adorned the necks of mankind

    with necklaces of beneficence, as a blessing.

  35. وَقَصَمتَ أَعناقَ الجَبا

    بِرَةِ العِظام الذَنَبِ قَصما

    You broke the necks of the tyrants,

    whose guilt was great, utterly breaking them.

  36. وَحَسَمتَ أَدواءَ المسا

    ءَةِ عَن عِبادِ اللَه حَسما

    You rooted out the maladies of mistreatment

    from God's servants, cutting them away.

  37. وَقَد اِرتَفعتَ فَشأن شا

    نِئكَ اِنخِفاضٌ صارَ جَزما

    You have risen; your hater's lot

    is abasement, now made certain.

  38. أَنتَ الَّذي لَولاهُ لَم

    تَنفذ أَيادي العَدلِ حُكما

    You are the one without whom

    the hands of justice would not enforce a judgment.

  39. أَنتَ الَّذي لَولاهُ لَم

    يَتَجَنَّب الطاغونَ إِثما

    You are the one without whom

    the transgressors would not avoid sin.

  40. أَنتَ الَّذي لَولاهُ ما

    أَمِنَت بِلادُ اللَه ثَلما

    You are the one without whom

    God's lands would not be safe from breaches.

  41. أَنتَ الَّذي لَولاهُ ما

    مُلِئَت بُيوتُ اللَهِ عِلما

    You are the one without whom

    God's houses would not be filled with knowledge.

  42. لِلَّهِ مَدرَسَةٌ سَمَت

    وَرقَمتَ فيها الحُسنَ رَقما

    How splendid a school that rose on high!

    You embroidered beauty within it.

  43. تَستَوقِفُ الأَبصارَ رؤ

    يَتُها فَتَشكُرُ مِنكَ عَزما

    The sight of it holds all eyes fast,

    and they give thanks for your resolve:

  44. عَزمَ اِمرئٍ ما عَدَّ فِع

    لَ الأَجرِ وَالخَيراتِ غُرما

    the resolve of a man who never counted

    meritorious deeds and good works a loss.

  45. شَهِدَ الأَنامُ بِأَنَّهُ

    ما مِثلُها عُرباً وَعُجما

    All mankind has testified that

    none equals it among Arabs or non-Arabs.

  46. وَيُصَدِّقُ الخَبَرَ العيا

    نُ دعوا حَديثَ الظَنّ رَجما

    Seeing with one's own eyes confirms the report;

    leave talk of supposition as mere guesswork.

  47. فَهيَ الفَريدَةُ في الجَوا

    هِرِ لا تذوقُ الدَهرَ يُتما

    It is the peerless pearl among jewels,

    never tasting orphanhood through all time.

  48. جَمعتَ فنون العِلمِ وَالت

    تحقيق وَالتَدقيق فَهما

    You gathered the disciplines of knowledge and

    verification, and exact inquiry, with understanding.

  49. فيها الشَريعَةُ وَالحَقي

    قةُ قَد حَوَت عَمَلاً وَعِلما

    Within it are sacred law and spiritual truth;

    it encompasses both practice and knowledge.

  50. ذاتُ الجَمالِ اليوسفي

    ي حَوَت جَمالاً مِنهُ جَمّا

    Endowed with Yusuf-like beauty,

    it holds abundant beauty drawn from him.

  51. اللَهُ مَكَّنَ في البِلا

    دِ لَهُ فَسَوّاهنُّ حُكما

    God granted power throughout the lands

    to him, and he set them right through his rule.

  52. وَخَزائِنَ الأَرضِ اِحتوا

    ها فِكرُهُ حِفظاً وَعِلما

    The treasures of the earth were encompassed

    by his mind, with guardianship and knowledge.

  53. كسميّه الصدّيق يو

    سف فاِستضاءَ بِمَن تسمّى

    Like his namesake, Yusuf the Truthful,

    he drew light from the one whose name he bore.

  54. وَأَزالَ عَنها المارِقي

    نِ المُتقنين أَذىً وَظُلما

    He removed from them the renegades,

    adept at harm and injustice.

  55. كسميِّه الثاني ابن أَيّو

    ب اِحتَوى بِالغَزوِ غُنما

    Like his second namesake, the son of Ayyub,

    he won spoils through warfare.

  56. مِن آل ذي النورَينِ لا

    حَ ضِياؤُهُ فهدى وتمّا

    From the house of Dhu al-Nurayn,

    his light shone forth, gave guidance, and grew complete.

  57. وسما بِأَفعال العلا

    فَغَدا مِن الأَفلاك أَسمى

    He rose through deeds of excellence,

    becoming loftier than the celestial spheres.

  58. من قاسه بِالغيث قَص

    صَرَ فَهوَ أَعظَم مِنه رحما

    Whoever compares him to rain falls

    short: he is greater than it in mercy.

  59. ما مَلَّ رسماً لِلوفو

    د وغيثهم كم دَكَّ رسما

    He never tired of allotting gifts to delegations;

    yet their rain has flattened so many dwellings.

  60. مَن ذا يُساوي جودَهُ

    بِالبَحرِ إِن أَمسى خضما

    Who could liken his generosity

    to the sea, even if it becomes a vast ocean?

  61. لا يَستَوي البَحران ذا

    عَذبٌ وَذاكَ المِلحُ طعما

    The two seas are not alike: this one

    is sweet, while that one tastes of salt.

  62. وَبوجهه تَمَّ الجَما

    لُ فَلا تَقولوا البَدرُ تمّا

    In his face beauty became complete;

    so do not say the full moon is complete.

  63. أَو لَم تَروا في خَدِّهِ

    إِذ فاقه لِلحُزن لدما

    Have you not seen upon its cheek

    the blows of grief when he outshone it?

  64. وَالنيل يَلطُم وَجهَهُ

    حَسَداً بكفِّ الموجِ لَطما

    The Nile beats its own face

    in envy, with the palm of its waves.

  65. وَبِكفّه ماء الحَيا

    ة فَإِن لثمت حَييت ممّا

    In his palm is the water of life;

    if you kiss it, you will live by it.

  66. وَبوجهه روض الجَما

    ل فَإِن رأيت رأيت ثمّا

    On his face is the garden of beauty;

    if you look, there you will see it.

  67. يا رمحه عجباً لعس

    سالٍ سَقى الأَعداء سمّا

    O his spear! Marvel at a quivering shaft

    that gave the enemies poison to drink.

  68. وَحُسامه عجباً لأب

    يضَ هشّم البيضات هشما

    And his sword! Marvel at a gleaming blade

    that smashed the helmets to pieces.

  69. وَهلال قوس في يدي

    هِ لَقَد سموت النجم سَهما

    O crescent of a bow in his hands,

    you have outsoared the star with an arrow.

  70. قابل شَياطين العدى

    لتصيبهم بِالنجم رجما

    Confront the devils among the foes,

    to strike them with the star as a missile.

  71. يا سهمه كَم ذا رَمي

    تَ بِسَعدِهِ فأَصبتَ مَرمى

    O his arrow, how often have you shot

    with his good fortune and hit the mark!

  72. وَيراعَهُ كَم مدَّةٍ

    قَصَرت عَلَينا الفَضلَ نُعمى

    And O his pen, how many an ink-dip

    has reserved bounty for us as a blessing!

  73. وَعَذولَ طولِ مَدائحي

    إِعدِل إِذا وُلّيتَ حكما

    O reprover of the length of my praises,

    be just when entrusted with judgment.

  74. وَاِنظُر إِلى ملكٍ عَلي

    مٍ جلّ قدراً عزّ عظما

    Look at a learned king,

    great in rank, mighty in grandeur.

  75. جَمَعَ الصفات العاليا

    ت شَجاعَة وَنَدىً وَحلما

    He gathered the lofty qualities:

    courage, generosity, and forbearance.

  76. فالحسّ يَشهد أَنَّهُ

    فاقَ الوَرى حِسّاً وَفِهما

    The senses bear witness that he

    surpasses mankind in perception and understanding.

  77. سُنّي جودٍ لا يَرى ال

    عافي مُحيّاً مِنه جهما

    Noble in generosity: never does the

    suppliant see a sullen face from him.

  78. وَلَهُ بحمد اللَه إِن

    يؤثِر سواه اللَهوَ وهما

    And he has, praise be to God, even if

    others prefer amusement and illusion,

  79. عَينٌ إِلى العليا سَمَت

    أُذنٌ عَن الفَحشاءِ صَمّا

    an eye that aspires to the heights,

    an ear deaf to indecency.

  80. إِن رحتُ أَكتُمُ مدحه

    لَم أَستَطِع لِلمسك كتما

    If I set out to conceal his praise,

    I cannot conceal musk.

  81. أَو رُحتُ أَهجُرُ قصده

    عادَ الندى لي مِنهُ خصما

    Or if I set out to forsake approaching him,

    his bounty becomes an adversary against me.

  82. يا سَيِّداً قَد فاق حا

    تِمَ في فُنون الجود حتما

    O master who has surely surpassed

    Hatim in every art of generosity!

  83. أَنَكون مِن بعض العَبي

    دِ وَنَشتَكي لِلدهر جرما

    Can we be among the servants

    and still complain of Time's wrongdoing?

  84. نُهدي لبحر الجود مِن

    أَفكارنا نثراً وَنظما

    We offer the ocean of generosity

    prose and verse from our thoughts.

  85. ما لي سِواك لأَنَّني

    أَفردت حُبّاً فيكَ جمّا

    I have none but you, because I

    have reserved abundant love for you alone.

  86. جنحَت بِكَ الدُنيا إِلي

    يَ فَحربها قَد عادَ سِلما

    Through you the world inclined toward

    me, and its warfare became peace.

  87. وَأَمِنتُ حَتّى ما أَخا

    فَ مِنَ الوَرى ظلماً وَهضما

    I became so secure that I no longer fear

    injustice or oppression from mankind.

  88. سُبحان مَن أَحصى جَمي

    عَ الكائِنات علاً وَعِلما

    Glory to Him who numbered all

    created beings in exalted might and knowledge.

  89. أَنتَ المكوّن جوهراً

    وَقَديم أَصلك كانَ مِن ما

    You are fashioned as a jewel,

    and your first origin was from water.

  90. وَافاك مَدحي يَرتَجي

    إِمّا القبول لَهُ وَإِمّا

    My praise has come to you, hoping

    either to be accepted—or else...

  91. قَد طال وَهوَ مُقَصِّر

    في الوَصف إِجلالاً وَعظما

    It has grown long, yet remains inadequate

    in describing your dignity and greatness.

  92. يا أَيّها المولى العَزي

    زُ بِضاعَتي المزجاةُ قسما

    O mighty lord,

    this is my scant merchandise, I swear.

  93. أرسُم بأن يوفى لَها

    كَيلُ الجَوائِز منك رسما

    Command that there be paid it in full

    the measure of your rewards, by decree.

  94. لا تَرمِها متغرِضّاً

    لعيوبها بالظنِّ رَجما

    Do not attack it, hunting

    for its faults with stones of suspicion.

  95. مَروانُ كانَ يجيزُهُ ال

    مهديُّ في بَغدادَ قِدما

    Marwan used to be rewarded by

    al-Mahdi in Baghdad long ago:

  96. عَن كلّ بَيت جَيّدٍ

    أَلفاً فيصرف عَنه همّا

    for every fine verse,

    a thousand, thus driving care away from him.

  97. ولأنت أَعلى مِنه وَال

    مملوك أَحلى مِنه نظما

    You are indeed more exalted than he, and

    your servant's verse is sweeter than his.

  98. أَتجَنَّبُ التَعقيدَ وال

    إِيغال وَاللّفظ المعمّى

    I avoid complexity and

    excessive elaboration and obscure diction.

  99. فَيَقول من أَصغى لَه

    صدَقَ المُحدِّثُ واِستتمّا

    So whoever listens to it says,

    'The speaker spoke truly and told it fully.'

  100. فتهنَّها نعماً تَزي

    دُ بِشكرها أَبَداً وَتنمى

    Enjoy them, then: blessings that increase

    forever through gratitude for them, and grow.

  101. وتهنَّ شهراً لَم تزل

    فيهِ الرَغائِب منك قدما

    And enjoy a month in which

    your longed-for gifts have flowed since days of old.

  102. فَهوَ الأَصَبُّ لأَنَّ جو

    دك صَيّر الإِسم المسمّى

    For it is 'the Pouring One,' because your

    generosity has made its name the thing it names.

  103. أَسمعتُهُ فيك الثَنا

    ءَ فَلا يَعُد يدعى الأَصمّا

    I made it hear praise of you,

    so let it no longer be called 'the Deaf One.'

  104. وَقَد اِنتهيت لنظم أَب

    ياتي وَقاها اللَه هدما

    I have finished composing my verses—

    may God protect them from demolition.

  105. وَالأُفقُ يَحكي شملة

    أَبصرتُ فيها الزُهرَ رَقما

    The horizon resembles a cloak

    in which I saw bright stars embroidered.

  106. وَالصبح أَقبلَ في عَسا

    كرِه فَوالى اللَيل هزما

    Morning advances with its armies,

    and repeatedly routs the night.

  107. وَيَدُ الصبا مُدّت لِحِل

    لةِ لَيلَتي السَوداءِ لَمّا

    The east wind's hand reached for the robe

    of my black night, when

  108. فَكَّت عُرى الظلماءِ مِن

    أَزرارها نجماً فَنجما

    it unfastened the loops of darkness from

    its buttons, star after star.

  109. فَاِنعَم صَباحاً وَاِستَمِع

    ها لا عَدَتكَ الدَهرَ نُعمى

    May your morning be happy; listen to

    it—may no blessing ever pass you by.

  110. ختم الثَناء بِها المَعا

    نيَ فاِنتشق لِلمِسكِ ختما

    Praise sealed its meanings with it;

    so inhale musk as its closing seal.