اطلع روض الخدود وردا

اطلع روض الخدود وردا

فزادني في الغرام وجدا

فزادني في الغرام وجدا

The garden of cheeks brought forth roses,

The garden of blushing cheeks emerged like roses

and deepened my yearning in love.

Increasing my passion and ardour

وبات والسكر قد ثناه

وبات والسكر قد ثناه

يعلّني من لماه شهدا

يعلّني من لماه شهدا

And he spent the night, bent by drunkenness,

And the night passed while infatuation held him

giving me draught upon draught of honey from his dusky lips.

Offering me the sweetness of his saliva

ألثم منه فما وجيدا

ألثم منه فما وجيدا

وأجتلي سالفا وخدّا

وأجتلي سالفا وخدّا

I kiss his mouth and neck,

I sipped from it though my throat was parched

and gaze upon the side of his neck and his cheek.

And plucked both fresh and withered cheeks

ظبي من الترك بدر تم

ظبي من الترك بدر تم

يسبيك حسنا اذا تبدي

يسبيك حسنا اذا تبدي

A gazelle among the Turks, a moon at its full,

A gazelle with the full moon's perfection

he captivates you with beauty when he appears.

Captivating with beauty when it shows itself

تود في افقها الثريا

تود في افقها الثريا

لجيده لو تكون عقدا

لجيده لو تكون عقدا

The Pleiades, in their sky, wish

The Pleiades yearn for its graceful neck

to be a necklace around his neck,

If only it could be a necklace for them

كما يود الهلال ان لو

كما يود الهلال ان لو

كان نطاقا له وبندا

كان نطاقا له وبندا

just as the crescent moon wishes that it

As the crescent wishes if only it

were a girdle and sash for him.

Could be a girdle for it and ornament

قد حاز جمع البهاء لكن

قد حاز جمع البهاء لكن

اذا تثنى تراه فردا

اذا تثنى تراه فردا

He has gathered all splendor, yet

You have attained the essence of beauty but

when he sways, you see him peerless.

When you turn your back you seem alone

مليك اهل الجمال اضحت

مليك اهل الجمال اضحت

له جميع الملاح جندا

له جميع الملاح جندا

King of the beautiful—now

You became the king of all lovely ones

all the fair ones have become his troops.

Your every glance becoming an army for you

يا لحظه بالمحب رفقا

يا لحظه بالمحب رفقا

بالغت بالحد فيه حدا

بالغت بالحد فيه حدا

O glance of his, be gentle with the lover!

O instant, treat the lover gently

You have gone beyond all bounds in your sharpness toward him.

You have exceeded all bounds with him

وةما تحرى السلو يوما

وةما تحرى السلو يوما

وما تصدى ومات صدا

وما تصدى ومات صدا

And never for a day did he seek forgetfulness,

Never did the nights of union come

nor turn toward it; he died thirsty.

Nor did the mornings of love last

يا للهوى من هوى رشيق

يا للهوى من هوى رشيق

يفوق غصن الرياض قدا

يفوق غصن الرياض قدا

O love! What a graceful beloved,

O the most graceful passion

surpassing the gardens' bough in stature!

Surpassing the branches of gardens in swaying

احسنت بالوصف فيه مدحا

احسنت بالوصف فيه مدحا

إلى ابي الخير فهو يهدى

إلى ابي الخير فهو يهدى

I have praised him well in my description;

You have excelled in praising him

to Abu al-Khayr it is offered.

To Abul Khair who guides

مولى عطاياه ليس تحصى

مولى عطاياه ليس تحصى

في البذل يوم النوال عدا

في البذل يوم النوال عدا

A lord whose gifts cannot be reckoned

My Master, his gifts cannot be counted

by any count, when he gives on the day of bounty.

In generosity, the day he fulfils promises

له ابادٍ تفيض جودا

له ابادٍ تفيض جودا

وتمنح الطالبين رفدا

وتمنح الطالبين رفدا

He has hands that overflow with generosity

His pools of bounty overflow

and grant aid to those who ask.

And provide sustenance to those who seek it

وقد حوى احسن السجايا

وقد حوى احسن السجايا

وشاد مجدا وساد حمدا

وشاد مجدا وساد حمدا

And he has gathered the finest qualities,

He embodied the finest traits

and built glory and risen to eminence, acclaimed.

And built glory and presided over praise

ان قلت كالبحر فهو اسخى

ان قلت كالبحر فهو اسخى

او قلت كالغيث فهو اندى

او قلت كالغيث فهو اندى

If you say, 'Like the sea,' he is more generous;

If I said he is like the sea, yet he is more generous

or say, 'Like the rain,' he is more bountiful.

Or said like rain, yet he is more plentiful

وان يعد تلقه وفيا

وان يعد تلقه وفيا

اوفى الورى نائلا ووعدا

اوفى الورى نائلا ووعدا

And if he promises, you find him faithful,

If you count his receptions and loyalty

the most faithful of humankind in giving and promise.

He is the most faithful fulfiller of promises

مولاي خذها عروس خدر

مولاي خذها عروس خدر

اليك جاءت تروم نقدا

اليك جاءت تروم نقدا

My lord, accept her—a bride in her bower;

My Master, she has come to you like a shy bride

she has come to you seeking coin.

Seeking your valuable company

وانعم بعيد إتاك يسعى

وانعم بعيد إتاك يسعى

في كل عام يضوع ندا

في كل عام يضوع ندا

And rejoice in a feast-day that has come hastening to you,

And prosper in your presence, striving

every year, wafting perfume.

Every year with renewed desire

تحيى لامثاله وتبقى

تحيى لامثاله وتبقى

ممتعا بالهنا مفدى

ممتعا بالهنا مفدى

May you live to see its like, and remain

You give life to the likes of him and remain

blessed with happiness, with lives offered for yours.

A comforter of the soul and its ransom

لا زلت ترقى سما المعالي

لا زلت ترقى سما المعالي

ويكتسي المجد منك مجدا

ويكتسي المجد منك مجدا

May you ever ascend the sky of lofty honors,

You continue to ascend the heights of grandeur

and may glory clothe itself in glory from you.

As glory adorns itself with your glory

ولم تزل للزمان مولى

ولم تزل للزمان مولى

ولم يزل خادما وعبدا

ولم يزل خادما وعبدا

And may you ever remain the master of Time,

You have always been patron to the times

and may it ever remain your servant and slave.

Remaining both servant and minister