وافتكَ وَالزُهر في روض الدُجى زَهَرُ

وافتكَ وَالزُهر في روض الدُجى زَهَرُ

وَالفجر نَهرٌ على الظَلماء منفجرُ

وَالفجر نَهرٌ على الظَلماء منفجرُ

She came to you while the stars were flowers in the garden of night,

You came, and the flowers in the garden of night bloomed,

and dawn was a river bursting forth over the darkness.

And dawn was a river bursting over the darkness.

فأَقبلت هي وَالصبحُ المُنيرُ مَعاً

فأَقبلت هي وَالصبحُ المُنيرُ مَعاً

حتّى تحيَّر في ضوأيهما النَظرُ

حتّى تحيَّر في ضوأيهما النَظرُ

Then she and the radiant dawn approached together,

She came, along with the brilliant dawn,

until sight was bewildered by their two lights.

Until eyes were dazzled by their radiance.

وأَسفرَت عن سَنى وجه أَبانَ لنا

وأَسفرَت عن سَنى وجه أَبانَ لنا

بدرَ التَمام ولكن ليلُه الشَعَرُ

بدرَ التَمام ولكن ليلُه الشَعَرُ

She unveiled the radiance of a face that showed us

She revealed a face whose full moon shone for us,

a full moon—but its night was her hair.

Though its darkness was her hair.

غَرّاء لَولا اِتضاحُ الفَرق لاحَ لنا

غَرّاء لَولا اِتضاحُ الفَرق لاحَ لنا

ما شَكَّ ذو بصرٍ في أَنَّها القَمَرُ

ما شَكَّ ذو بصرٍ في أَنَّها القَمَرُ

Radiant—had the clear distinction not appeared to us,

Lovely one, were it not for the clear distinction,

no one with sight would doubt that she was the moon.

No one with sight would doubt she was the moon.

إِن تجلُ غرَّتَها فالصبحُ متَّضحٌ

إِن تجلُ غرَّتَها فالصبحُ متَّضحٌ

أَو تُرخِ طرَّتها فالليلُ مُعتكِرُ

أَو تُرخِ طرَّتها فالليلُ مُعتكِرُ

If she unveils her bright brow, dawn shines clear;

When she unveils her brightness, dawn lights up,

or lets her forelock fall, the night grows dense.

Or she lets down her tresses, and night grows dark.

هنديَّةٌ فعلت منها اللِحاظُ بنا

هنديَّةٌ فعلت منها اللِحاظُ بنا

ما لَيسَ تفعلهُ الهنديَّةُ البُتُرُ

ما لَيسَ تفعلهُ الهنديَّةُ البُتُرُ

An Indian woman—her glances have done to us

An Indian beauty whose glances

what keen-cutting Indian swords cannot do.

Do what no maimed Indian girl can do.

حَوراءُ ما بَرِحت من سحر مُقلتها

حَوراءُ ما بَرِحت من سحر مُقلتها

تَسبي العقول بطرفٍ زانه حَوَرُ

تَسبي العقول بطرفٍ زانه حَوَرُ

Dark-eyed, she never ceases, through the enchantment of her eye,

A houri who with the magic of her amorous glance

to captivate minds with a gaze adorned by dark-eyed beauty.

Enslaves minds, adorned with languishing eyes.

تُديرُ من ثَغرها راحاً معتَّقةً

تُديرُ من ثَغرها راحاً معتَّقةً

كأَنَّما ثغرُها للراح مُعتَصرُ

كأَنَّما ثغرُها للراح مُعتَصرُ

She passes around aged wine from her mouth,

She exhales perfumed breath from her mouth

as though her mouth were a winepress.

As though her mouth were a press for perfume.

هَيفاءُ مائسةُ الأَعطافِ ما خطرت

هَيفاءُ مائسةُ الأَعطافِ ما خطرت

إلّا وَكان لنا من عشقها خَطَرُ

إلّا وَكان لنا من عشقها خَطَرُ

Slender-waisted, with swaying limbs, she never walks by

A gazelle whose graceful neck has never stirred

without danger to us from loving her.

Without awakening love’s passion in us.

لَم تَخشَ ثأراً بما أَردت لواحظُها

لَم تَخشَ ثأراً بما أَردت لواحظُها

دمُ المحبّين في شَرع الهَوى هَدَرُ

دمُ المحبّين في شَرع الهَوى هَدَرُ

She feared no vengeance for those her glances slew;

She did not fear vengeance for desiring her lovers’ blood—

lovers' blood goes unavenged under love's law.

For lovers, bloodshed is lawful in love’s domain.

كانَت لَيالي الهوى من مَصلها غُرراً

كانَت لَيالي الهوى من مَصلها غُرراً

حَتّى تَناءَت فأَمسى دونها غَرَرُ

حَتّى تَناءَت فأَمسى دونها غَرَرُ

Love's nights were radiant through union with her [probable reading],

Nights of love were treasures because of her,

until she went far away, and peril stood between us and her.

Until they outshone all other treasures.

يا ربَّةَ الحسنِ مَهلاً قد أَسأت بِنا

يا ربَّةَ الحسنِ مَهلاً قد أَسأت بِنا

ما لي عَلى كُلِّ هَذا البين مُصطَبرُ

ما لي عَلى كُلِّ هَذا البين مُصطَبرُ

O mistress of beauty, be gentle—you have wronged us.

O beauty, go gently, for you have wronged me.

I cannot endure all this separation.

I cannot be patient with all this estrangement.

أَما لِقُربِك من وَعدٍ أُسرّ به

أَما لِقُربِك من وَعدٍ أُسرّ به

حتّامَ لا وَطَنٌ يَدنو ولا وَطرُ

حتّامَ لا وَطَنٌ يَدنو ولا وَطرُ

Is there no promise of your nearness to gladden me?

Is there no promise you made by which I might live near you,

How long will neither home nor heart's desire draw near?

No homeland to approach, no abode?

نأيت هجراً فَلا وَصلٌ ولا سَبَبٌ

نأيت هجراً فَلا وَصلٌ ولا سَبَبٌ

وَبنتِ داراً فَلا عَينٌ ولا أَثَرُ

وَبنتِ داراً فَلا عَينٌ ولا أَثَرُ

You withdrew in estrangement—no union and no bond;

You shun me, no union, no means to reach you,

and you dwelt far away—neither sight of you nor trace.

And build a house, no eye can see, no trace.

إن تُعتبي لا تُحيليني عَلى قَدرٍ

إن تُعتبي لا تُحيليني عَلى قَدرٍ

ما كُلُّ هَذا الجفا يَجري به القَدَرُ

ما كُلُّ هَذا الجفا يَجري به القَدَرُ

If you are reproached, do not put me off with fate;

If you reproach me, do not blame me for fate.

not all this coldness is fate's doing.

Not all this cruelty is fated to be.

فاِقضِ الَّذي شئت من صدٍّ ومن بعدٍ

فاِقضِ الَّذي شئت من صدٍّ ومن بعدٍ

ذَنبُ الحَبيب عَلى الحالينِ مُغتَفَرُ

ذَنبُ الحَبيب عَلى الحالينِ مُغتَفَرُ

Then decree whatever rejection and distance you wish;

Judge what you will of rejection and distance—

the beloved's fault is forgiven in either case.

For lovers, sins are forgiven in any case.

كَم عاذِلٍ ظَلَّ يَلحوني فَقُلتُ له

كَم عاذِلٍ ظَلَّ يَلحوني فَقُلتُ له

حظّي هَواها وَحَظُّ العاذلِ الحجَرُ

حظّي هَواها وَحَظُّ العاذلِ الحجَرُ

Many a reproacher kept blaming me, so I told him:

How many cynics persisted in blaming me, but I said:

My lot is loving her; the reproacher's lot is a stone.

“My lot is her love, the cynic’s lot is stone.”

فَقال عشقُك هَذا كلُّه عبَثٌ

فَقال عشقُك هَذا كلُّه عبَثٌ

فَقُلتُ عذلُكَ هَذا كلُّه هَذَرُ

فَقُلتُ عذلُكَ هَذا كلُّه هَذَرُ

Then he said: 'This love of yours is all folly.'

One said: “All this love of yours is nonsense,”

So I said: 'This reproach of yours is all idle talk.'

And I replied: “All this blame of yours is babble.”

يا لائمي غيرُ سَمعي للمَلامِ فَلي

يا لائمي غيرُ سَمعي للمَلامِ فَلي

حبّ تَوازَرَ فيه السَمعُ والبَصَرُ

حبّ تَوازَرَ فيه السَمعُ والبَصَرُ

O my reproacher, other ears are for blame, for I have

O you who blame me, turn a deaf ear to blame, for I have

a love in which hearing and sight support one another.

A love where hearing and sight conspired together.

إِن كانَ لي من هواها لا بليتَ به

إِن كانَ لي من هواها لا بليتَ به

وِزرٌ فَلي من عَليٍّ في العُلى وَزَرُ

وِزرٌ فَلي من عَليٍّ في العُلى وَزَرُ

If loving her brings me—may you never be afflicted with it—

If her love burdens me with any fault,

a sin, then I have in Ali a refuge in the heights of glory:

I have a greater merit with the Most High.

الماجِدُ النَدسُ السامي برتبته

الماجِدُ النَدسُ السامي برتبته

أَبو الحسين السريُّ الصارم الذكرُ

أَبو الحسين السريُّ الصارم الذكرُ

the noble, discerning one, exalted in rank,

The illustrious, high-minded, lofty in rank,

Abu al-Husayn, high-born, a keen, steel-tempered blade,

Father of al-Husayn, vigilant in recollection,

الموسويُّ الَّذي واست مكارِمُه

الموسويُّ الَّذي واست مكارِمُه

عفاته وهمى من كفِّه المطرُ

عفاته وهمى من كفِّه المطرُ

al-Musawi, whose generous deeds aided

The Mūsáwī, whose virtues have been steeped

his petitioners, and from whose palm rain poured.

In his chastity, who strikes water from his palm,

مهذَّبٌ نالَ من أَسنى العُلى رُتباً

مهذَّبٌ نالَ من أَسنى العُلى رُتباً

قد رامَها قبله قَومٌ فما قدروا

قد رامَها قبله قَومٌ فما قدروا

Refined, he attained ranks among honor's loftiest heights,

Cultured, attaining the highest ranks,

which others had sought before him but could not attain.

Which others sought but could not obtain,

فضمَّ شملَ المَعالي يافِعاً وحَوى

فضمَّ شملَ المَعالي يافِعاً وحَوى

من المحامد ما لم يَحوِهِ بَشرُ

من المحامد ما لم يَحوِهِ بَشرُ

So, while still young, he gathered all high virtues and possessed

Embracing all glory in his youth,

praiseworthy qualities no mortal had possessed.

Containing praises no mortal else contains.

إِن ساد آباؤُهُ قِدماً فبينهما

إِن ساد آباؤُهُ قِدماً فبينهما

فَرقٌ كَما اِفترق الأَشجار وَالثمرُ

فَرقٌ كَما اِفترق الأَشجار وَالثمرُ

If his forefathers were preeminent of old, between them and him

If his forefathers were eminent, still between them

lies a difference like that between trees and fruit.

Is a difference like the fruits and the trees.

يولي الجَزيلَ ولا يَمنُن بكَثرته

يولي الجَزيلَ ولا يَمنُن بكَثرته

وَيوسعُ الضَيفَ إن قَلّوا وإن كثروا

وَيوسعُ الضَيفَ إن قَلّوا وإن كثروا

He bestows great bounty, never holding its abundance over others,

He bestows bounty without displaying his plenty,

and provides amply for guests, whether few or many.

And hosts guests, whether few or many.

اِسمَع مدائحَهُ واِنظر إِليه تَجِد

اِسمَع مدائحَهُ واِنظر إِليه تَجِد

وَصفاً تَطابَق فيه الخُبر والخَبرُ

وَصفاً تَطابَق فيه الخُبر والخَبرُ

Hear his praises and look upon him: you will find

Listen to his praises and look at him—you’ll find

a description in which firsthand knowledge and report agree.

Reports conforming with actual deeds.

ما رامَ حصرَ مَعاليه أَخو لَسَنٍ

ما رامَ حصرَ مَعاليه أَخو لَسَنٍ

إِلّا اِعتَرى نُطقَه من دونها حَصَرُ

إِلّا اِعتَرى نُطقَه من دونها حَصَرُ

No eloquent man has sought to encompass his lofty merits

No brother of eloquence ever encompassed

without his speech faltering before it could reach them.

His virtues without rhetoric falling short.

وَما عَسى يبلغُ المُطري مديحَ فَتىً

وَما عَسى يبلغُ المُطري مديحَ فَتىً

مطوَّل المدح في عَلياه مختصرُ

مطوَّل المدح في عَلياه مختصرُ

And how far can a eulogist go in praising a young man

What might the eulogist attain in praising a man

when lengthy praise of his lofty glory remains brief?

Whose abundant praise is brief in the sublime?

ما مُهدياً ليَ نظماً خلتُه دُرَراً

ما مُهدياً ليَ نظماً خلتُه دُرَراً

يشنِّفُ السَمعَ لا بل دونها الدُرَرُ

يشنِّفُ السَمعَ لا بل دونها الدُرَرُ

O giver of verse to me [probable reading], which I took for pearls

He endowed me with a gift I cannot thank enough,

adorning the ear—no, pearls themselves fall short of them!

Even if nomads and city-dwellers helped me.

قلَّدتَني مِنَناً لا أَستَطيع لها

قلَّدتَني مِنَناً لا أَستَطيع لها

شُكراً ولو ساعدتني البَدوُ والحضرُ

شُكراً ولو ساعدتني البَدوُ والحضرُ

You have adorned my neck with favors for which I cannot offer

Take for yourself a bride whose poems

thanks, even if nomads and townsfolk helped me.

Will make the dawn envy my night.

فَخُذ إِليك عَروساً بتُّ أَنظمُها

فَخُذ إِليك عَروساً بتُّ أَنظمُها

لَيلاً فيحسد لَيلي عندَها السَحرُ

لَيلاً فيحسد لَيلي عندَها السَحرُ

So receive a bride I spent the night composing,

She will praise you as I praise the hand

at night, so that the predawn hour envies my night beside her.

That scattered roses from gardens of fragrance,

تُثني عليك كَما أثني لشكر يَدٍ

تُثني عليك كَما أثني لشكر يَدٍ

عَلى الحَيا من رياض نشرُها العطرُ

عَلى الحَيا من رياض نشرُها العطرُ

She praises you as praise is given, in thanks for a generous hand,

And you will live forever blessed

to rain by gardens whose fragrance is perfume.

With good fortune and life.

ولا برِحتَ مَدى الأَيّام في دَعةٍ

ولا برِحتَ مَدى الأَيّام في دَعةٍ

يمدُّك المُسعِدان السَعدُ والعُمُرُ

يمدُّك المُسعِدان السَعدُ والعُمُرُ

And may you ever remain at ease through all your days,

sustained by the two bringers of happiness: good fortune and life.