يا متهمي بالسلو مهلا

تظن اني سلوت مه لا

O my accuser of forgetting love, gently!

You think I have forgotten? Desist—no!

ما القلب عن حبه بسال

ولو بنار الصدود يقلى

The heart has not forgotten its love for him,

even if roasted in the fire of rejection.

يا عاذلي ما السلو شأني

لا ام لي ان سمعت عذلا

O my reproacher, forgetting love is not my way.

May I have no mother if I heed reproach!

ان كنت مني قبلت نصحي

فأعطني ذمة والا

If you have accepted my counsel,

then give me a pledge of protection; otherwise—

هويته فارغا ولكن

هجري له اليوم صار شغلا

I loved him in idleness, but

my separation from him has now become my occupation.

بدر منير بديع حسن

من فرقه الصبح قد تجلّى

A radiant full moon of wondrous beauty,

from whose hair's parting dawn has shone.

والفرع منه كليل هجري

ومثله ما رأيت اصلا

His tresses are like the night of my separation,

and I have never seen his equal.

تقى خد غزال رمل

قد ولد الحسن منه شكلا

Pure of cheek [reading uncertain], a gazelle of the sands,

Beauty has begotten a form from him.

مر الجفا سيف مقلتيه

مهند بالبها محلى

The sword of his eyes is bitter with cruelty,

an Indian-steel blade adorned with splendor.

الحاظه كم لها اسير

وكم لها في الغرام قتلى

How many captives his glances hold,

and how many they have slain in passion!

افديه بالروح غصن بان

له من الفرع مد ظلا

I would ransom with my soul this bān-tree bough,

over whom a shade of tresses stretches.

قد عرش الشعر لي عليه

والصدغ عنقوده تدلى

His hair has made a bower for me above him,

and his sidelock, its grape cluster, hangs down.

بليت بالسقم في هواه

سبحان من لي بذاك ابلى

I have been afflicted with sickness through love of him;

glory to Him who has afflicted me thus!

يعذرني شامتي عليه

يرق لي من جفاه من لا

Even my mocker excuses me on his account;

his cruelty moves even the pitiless to pity me.

وهبته في الغرام روحي

فمال تيها وصد بخلا

I gave him my soul in passion,

but he turned aside in pride and shunned me in miserliness.

ورحت اثني عليه مدحا

ومدح قاضي القضاة اولى

And I began to sing his praises,

but praise of the Chief Judge is worthier.

فهو شهاب العلا المفدى

من صار المكرمات اهلا

For he is Shihab, glory's cherished meteor,

who has proved worthy of noble deeds,

من ساد فضلا وشاد مجدا

وقد سما في العلا محلا

who has excelled in virtue and built up glory,

and risen to a high station in eminence.

وفسر المهملات كشفا

واوضح المشكلات حلا

He has explained neglected matters, unveiling them,

and clarified difficult questions by resolving them.

روض بدا بل سحاب جود

قد عمنا وابلا وطلا

A garden has appeared—rather, a cloud of bounty,

that has covered us all with downpour and drizzle.

من اين ماء السماء اندى

من نائل ابن الفرات احلى

How could heaven's water be more bountiful,

or sweeter than the gifts of Ibn al-Furat?

ولم يشن وعده بمطل

ويتبع القول منه فعلا

He has never marred his promise with delay,

and he follows his words with deeds.

ومن اتى قاصدا اليه

في الحال اهلا يرى وسهلا

And whoever comes seeking him

immediately finds a warm welcome.

فيا له في الانام مولى

ما قال يوما لسائل لا

What a patron he is among humankind!

Never has he said 'no' to a petitioner.

من قاس جدوى نداه يوما

بالغيث اخطا وضل جهلا

Whoever once compared the benefit of his bounty

to rain erred and strayed in ignorance.

هذا بماء يجود يوما

وذا بمال يجود بذلا

This one gives water for a day,

and that one freely gives wealth.

تعلمت كفه العطايا

بمهده حيث كان طفلا

His palm learned the giving of gifts

in his cradle, when he was a child.

يا واحدا جود راحتيه

غدّبت طفلا بها وكهلا

O peerless one, by the bounty of whose palms

I was nourished [reading uncertain], as a child and in middle age.

خذها عروسا اتتك بكرا

تزف من حدرها وتجلى

Take her as a bride who comes to you a virgin,

led in procession from her bridal chamber [reading uncertain] and unveiled.

تريك من معجز المعاني

آيات مدح عليك تتلى

She shows you, through marvels of meaning,

verses of praise recited in your honor.

قلدتها من نداك درّاً

وبالندى درها تحلى

I have hung pearls from your bounty around her neck,

and her pearls are adorned with bounty.

لا زال هذا الزمان عبدا

ولم تزل للزمان مولى

May this age ever remain a servant,

and may you ever remain its master.

ودمت بالشمل في اجتماع

وزادك الله منه فضلا

May you remain with your circle united,

and may God grant you more of His bounty.