بَرحُ اشتياقٍ وادّكَارِ

بَرحُ اشتياقٍ وادّكَارِ

ولَهِيبُ أَنفاسٍ حِرَارِ

ولَهِيبُ أَنفاسٍ حِرَارِ

The torment of longing and remembrance;

The torment of longing and remembrance,

and the blaze of fevered breaths;

and the blaze of burning breaths;

ومدامعٌ عبراتُها

ومدامعٌ عبراتُها

ترفض عن نوم مُطَارِ

ترفض عن نوم مُطَارِ

and tearful eyes whose streaming drops

and tears whose drops

send sleep flying away.

stream as sleep is driven away.

للهِ قلبي ما يَجِنْ

للهِ قلبي ما يَجِنْ

نُ من الهمومِ وما يُوَاري

نُ من الهمومِ وما يُوَاري

By God, my heart—what it conceals

My heart, by God—what it conceals

of cares, and what it hides!

of cares, and what it hides!

لقد انقضَى سُكرُ الشَّبا

لقد انقضَى سُكرُ الشَّبا

بِ وما انقضى وَصَبُ الخُمَارِ

بِ وما انقضى وَصَبُ الخُمَارِ

The intoxication of youth has passed,

The intoxication of youth has passed,

yet the ache of its wine-sickness has not.

but the ache of the hangover has not.

وكبرت عن وصل الصغا

وكبرت عن وصل الصغا

رِ وما سلوت عن الصغارِ

رِ وما سلوت عن الصغارِ

I have grown too old for union with beauties,

I have outgrown union with the young,

yet I have not forgotten those beauties.

yet have not ceased to long for the young.

سَقياً لتَغلِيسي الى

سَقياً لتَغلِيسي الى

بابِ الرُصافةِ وابتكَاري

بابِ الرُصافةِ وابتكَاري

Blessed be my setting out before dawn

May blessings rain on my predawn journeys to

to al-Rusafa’s gate, and my early arrival—

al-Rusafa's gate, and my early departures!

أيامَ أخطرُ في الصِّبا

أيامَ أخطرُ في الصِّبا

نشوانَ مسحوبَ الازَارِ

نشوانَ مسحوبَ الازَارِ

the days when in youth I strutted,

In those days I strutted in youth,

drunk, my trailing robe loose;

drunk with delight, my robe trailing.

حَجّي الى حَجَرِ الصَّرا

حَجّي الى حَجَرِ الصَّرا

ةِ وفي حدائِقها اعتماري

ةِ وفي حدائِقها اعتماري

when my pilgrimage was to the Stone of al-Sarat,

My pilgrimage was to the stone of al-Sarat,

and in its gardens I made my lesser pilgrimage;

and my lesser pilgrimage through its gardens.

ومواطن اللذاتِ أو

ومواطن اللذاتِ أو

طاني ودار الرومِ داري

طاني ودار الرومِ داري

the haunts of pleasure were

The haunts of pleasure were my

my homeland, and Dar al-Rum my home.

homelands, and Dar al-Rum was my home.

كم رُضتُ فيها من نِفَا

كم رُضتُ فيها من نِفَا

رِ مُحَرَّمٍ خَلِقِ النِّفَارِ

رِ مُحَرَّمٍ خَلِقِ النِّفَارِ

How often there I tamed a skittish

How often there I tamed the shyness

forbidden one, shy by nature;

of one forbidden, long practiced in flight.

ورعيتُ من قَطْرَبُلٍ

ورعيتُ من قَطْرَبُلٍ

روضَ الشقائقِ والبَهَارِ

روضَ الشقائقِ والبَهَارِ

and from Qatrabbul I grazed upon

And in Qatrabul I browsed

a meadow of anemones and fragrant blooms.

a meadow of anemones and oxeye daisies.

وَزَفَفْتُهَا مِسكيَّةً

وَزَفَفْتُهَا مِسكيَّةً

في ريطتي خَزٍّ وقَارِ

في ريطتي خَزٍّ وقَارِ

I led her forth, musk-scented,

I led it forth like a musk-scented bride,

wrapped in silk, in dignity and grace.

in twin wraps of silk and pitch.

يُعطى النديمَ بِزالُها

يُعطى النديمَ بِزالُها

ما شئتَ من نورٍ ونَارِ

ما شئتَ من نورٍ ونَارِ

To the boon companion she gave of her radiance

Its tapping gives the drinking companion

whatever he wished of light and fire.

all the light and fire you could wish.

كيفَ اعتدالُ مُعَذَّلٍ

كيفَ اعتدالُ مُعَذَّلٍ

صَحَبَ الغواة بلا عِذَارِ

صَحَبَ الغواة بلا عِذَارِ

How can my censor remain temperate

How can one so often reproached be upright,

when he consorts with the wayward, unbridled?

who kept company with the wayward, unbridled?

يَسْتَنُّ في طُرُقِ الصِّبا

يَسْتَنُّ في طُرُقِ الصِّبا

ويَعِيثُ في سُبلِ الخَسَارِ

ويَعِيثُ في سُبلِ الخَسَارِ

He races down the paths of youth

He gallops on the paths of youth

and wreaks havoc along the roads of ruin;

and runs riot on the roads of ruin.

فيصيدُ غزلانَ الكِنا

فيصيدُ غزلانَ الكِنا

سِ ويَدَّرِي بَقرَ الصِّوَارِ

سِ ويَدَّرِي بَقرَ الصِّوَارِ

he hunts the gazelles of curtained chambers

He hunts the gazelles in their lairs

and grazes among a herd of fawns—

and stalks the wild cows of the herd.

من كلِ عَطشانِ الوِشا

من كلِ عَطشانِ الوِشا

حِ مُمَيَّلِ شَرِقِ السِّرارِ

حِ مُمَيَّلِ شَرِقِ السِّرارِ

every thirsty, sash-slender beauty,

Each with a thirsty girdle,

languid, her whispered speech caught in her throat;

pliant and swaying, her navel choked with fullness.

بيضٌ غريراتٌ طُبِع

بيضٌ غريراتٌ طُبِع

نَ من الدلالِ على غِرَارِ

نَ من الدلالِ على غِرَارِ

fair, inexperienced girls, fashioned

Fair and innocent, they were fashioned

by dalliance after a single pattern;

to one pattern of coquetry.

وعقائلٌ تصفو وحا

وعقائلٌ تصفو وحا

فُ شعورهنَّ على المَدَارِ

فُ شعورهنَّ على المَدَارِ

and noble women, serene, whose hair

And noble maidens, whose luxuriant

weaves dark circles all around them.

tresses gleam in a circling sweep.

هيفٌ يَصِلْنَ من الروا

هيفٌ يَصِلْنَ من الروا

دِفِ بالزَّنابيرِ القِصَارِ

دِفِ بالزَّنابيرِ القِصَارِ

How can their heavy haunches join

Slender-waisted, they join their full hips

those short, wasp-like waists?

to short, wasp-like waists.

وَتَعَلُّقي من طاعةِ ال

وَتَعَلُّقي من طاعةِ ال

أستاذِ بالحبلِ المُغَارِ

أستاذِ بالحبلِ المُغَارِ

My bond to obedience to the

And my holding fast, in obedience to the

master was a tightly twisted rope.

master, to the tightly twisted rope.

لقد اجتلبتُ مُنى النفو

لقد اجتلبتُ مُنى النفو

سِ من ابيضاضٍ واحمِرَارِ

سِ من ابيضاضٍ واحمِرَارِ

I gathered the desires of souls

I have won what souls desire

from whiteness and redness;

in whiteness and in redness.

ولحظتُ ما فترَ اللوا

ولحظتُ ما فترَ اللوا

حظ من فتورٍ واحورَارِ

حظ من فتورٍ واحورَارِ

and in their languid glances I beheld

And gazed on what makes glances languid:

a wealth of languor and the eyes’ intense dark-and-white contrast—

languor, and eyes of deep black and bright white.

يومَ استقلوا والدمو

يومَ استقلوا والدمو

عُ تجودُ روضَ الجُلَّنَارِ

عُ تجودُ روضَ الجُلَّنَارِ

the day they departed, while tears

On the day they departed, while tears

watered the meadow of pomegranate bloom.

watered the garden of pomegranate blossoms.

لهفي على صبحِ الجبا

لهفي على صبحِ الجبا

هِ يَشيْ به ليلُ الطِرَارِ

هِ يَشيْ به ليلُ الطِرَارِ

Ah, the dawn of their foreheads,

Alas for the dawn of foreheads,

disclosed by the night of black hair;

betrayed by the night of forelocks!

وتواضعِ الخدِّ الأسي

وتواضعِ الخدِّ الأسي

لِ لعطفةِ الصُّدغِ المُدَارِ

لِ لعطفةِ الصُّدغِ المُدَارِ

and the smooth cheek bending

And the smooth cheek's humble bow

beneath the curving, circling side-lock.

before the bend of the curled temple-lock.

خذ في هَزارِكَ يا غلا

خذ في هَزارِكَ يا غلا

مُ فقد غنيتُ عن الهَزَارِ

مُ فقد غنيتُ عن الهَزَارِ

Boy, take up your nightingale-song—

Begin your jesting, lad;

I have no need of the nightingale.

I have no need of the nightingale.

حَسبي بأَلحانٍ قَمَر

حَسبي بأَلحانٍ قَمَر

تُ بهن تغريدَ القُمارِي

تُ بهن تغريدَ القُمارِي

The melodies of moon-faced beauties suffice me;

Enough for me are melodies with which I have bested

with them I rival the cooing of doves.

the singing of the turtle-doves.

لم يبقَ لي عيشٌ يلذْ

لم يبقَ لي عيشٌ يلذْ

ذُ سِوى معاقرةِ العُقَارِ

ذُ سِوى معاقرةِ العُقَارِ

No life remains sweet to me

No life of pleasure remains for me

except keeping company with wine.

but continual drinking of wine.

واذا استهلَّ ابن العمي

واذا استهلَّ ابن العمي

دِ تضاءلتْ ديمُ القِطَارِ

دِ تضاءلتْ ديمُ القِطَارِ

When Ibn al-Amid pours forth like rain,

When Ibn al-Amid begins to pour,

the downpour’s clouds dwindle away;

the clouds of steady rain dwindle.

خِرقٌ صَفَتْ أَخلاقُه

خِرقٌ صَفَتْ أَخلاقُه

صفوَ السبيكِ من النُّضَارِ

صفوَ السبيكِ من النُّضَارِ

a generous man whose character is pure,

An accomplished man, whose character is pure

like refined gold cleansed of dross.

as a cast ingot of fine gold.

فكأَنما رُفِدَتْ موا

فكأَنما رُفِدَتْ موا

هبُهُ بأَمواجِ البِحَارِ

هبُهُ بأَمواجِ البِحَارِ

It is as though his gifts were supplied

As though his gifts were replenished

by the surging waves of the seas,

by the waves of the seas.

وكأَنَّ نشرَ حديثهِ

وكأَنَّ نشرَ حديثهِ

نشرُ الخُزامى والعَرَارِ

نشرُ الخُزامى والعَرَارِ

and as though the fragrance of his speech were

As though the fragrance of his speech

the scent of lavender and arar.

were the fragrance of lavender and wild oxeye.

وكأَننا مما تُفَرْ

وكأَننا مما تُفَرْ

رِقُ راحتاه في نِثَارِ

رِقُ راحتاه في نِثَارِ

It is as though, from what his palms

And it seems, from what is scattered

scatter freely as largesse,

by his two palms, that we stand in a shower of gifts.

مُتَثَبّتٌ يغنى بمح

مُتَثَبّتٌ يغنى بمح

مودِ الاناةِ عن البَدَارِ

مودِ الاناةِ عن البَدَارِ

he wins praise through steadiness,

Steady, he relies on praiseworthy

through deliberation and freedom from haste.

deliberation rather than haste.

كلفٌ بطي السِّرِ تح

كلفٌ بطي السِّرِ تح

سبُ صدرَه ليلَ السِّرَارِ

سبُ صدرَه ليلَ السِّرَارِ

Devoted to keeping secrets, so slow to divulge,

Intent on concealing secrets, you would think

you would think his breast the night of concealment.

his breast a moonless night.

يأوى الى حِلم يُعا

يأوى الى حِلم يُعا

ذ به ورأي مُستشَارِ

ذ به ورأي مُستشَارِ

He takes refuge in a forbearance

He turns to forbearance in which one seeks

that shelters him, and in counsel worth seeking;

refuge, and to a counselor's judgment.

ومرحبٍ يلقى الحوا

ومرحبٍ يلقى الحوا

دثَ باحتمالِ واصطبارِ

دثَ باحتمالِ واصطبارِ

in a broad welcome that meets calamities

And to a spacious heart that meets calamities

with endurance and patient resolve.

with endurance and steadfast patience.

يَربَا بِه عزُّ الفخا

يَربَا بِه عزُّ الفخا

رِ عن التعرضِ للفَخَارِ

رِ عن التعرضِ للفَخَارِ

Through him the glory of high deeds rises

Through him, noble glory rises

above competing for mere pottery.

above the pursuit of boasting.

وتصونُ مسمعَه المها

وتصونُ مسمعَه المها

بةُ عن مماراةِ المُمَاري

بةُ عن مماراةِ المُمَاري

Awe guards his hearing

And awe guards his hearing

from wrangling with the contentious.

from the wrangling of a disputant.

ويقول أَيسرُ سعيِهِ

ويقول أَيسرُ سعيِهِ

جهدُ المنافسِ والمباري

جهدُ المنافسِ والمباري

The very least of his striving proclaims

Even his slightest effort declares itself

the utmost effort of rival and contender.

the utmost striving of rival and competitor.

كم يستر الباغى عُلا

كم يستر الباغى عُلا

ه وما لهنَّ من استِتَارِ

ه وما لهنَّ من استِتَارِ

How often the seeker of his heights tries to hide them,

How often the wrongdoer tries to hide his glories,

though they admit of no concealment!

yet there is no hiding them!

هيهاتَ لا يَخفى على

هيهاتَ لا يَخفى على

لحظِ العيونِ سَنا النَّهَارِ

لحظِ العيونِ سَنا النَّهَارِ

Never can the radiance of day

Far from it! Unhidden from

be hidden from the eyes.

the eyes' gaze is daylight's radiance.

قل للمخيَّبِ وِشمكي

قل للمخيَّبِ وِشمكي

رَ هدمتَ مجدَ بنى زِيارِ

رَ هدمتَ مجدَ بنى زِيارِ

Tell the thwarted Washmgir:

Tell the thwarted Wushmagir:

you have ruined the glory of the house of Ziyar.

You have demolished the glory of the sons of Ziyar.

خَرَّبتَ دورَ محمدٍ

خَرَّبتَ دورَ محمدٍ

فأَبى جوارَكَ للدّيارِ

فأَبى جوارَكَ للدّيارِ

You laid Muhammad’s dwellings waste,

You laid waste to Muhammad's houses,

but those dwellings rejected your protection.

so he would not let you remain a neighbor to the houses.

وقريتَها ناراً فخص

وقريتَها ناراً فخص

ص صميم قلبكَ بالاوارِ

ص صميم قلبكَ بالاوارِ

You offered them fire as hospitality; therefore

You served them fire as hospitality; he singled out

the blaze singled out your heart’s core.

the very core of your heart for scorching heat.

جلبَ الجيادَ الى قرَا

جلبَ الجيادَ الى قرَا

رِكَ فاجتبيتَ من القَرَارِ

رِكَ فاجتبيتَ من القَرَارِ

The horses drove onward to your abode,

He brought the steeds to your abode,

and you chose flight instead of remaining.

and you were plucked from your repose.

زج النسورَ من الصفا

زج النسورَ من الصفا

شعثَ المسوكِ من الخبارِ

شعثَ المسوكِ من الخبارِ

He loosed the eagles from al-Safa,

He hurled vultures from the smooth rocks,

their hides shaggy with dust;

shaggy of hide from the loose earth.

تروى كغزلان الفَلا

تروى كغزلان الفَلا

ةِ بمثلِ جِنَّانِ القِفَارِ

ةِ بمثلِ جِنَّانِ القِفَارِ

they ranged like desert gazelles

They drink like gazelles of the wilderness,

through gardens resembling the wilderness;

with the likes of the wasteland's jinn.

ككواسرِ العُقبانِ طِرْ

ككواسرِ العُقبانِ طِرْ

نَ اليكَ بالاسدِ الضَّوارِي

نَ اليكَ بالاسدِ الضَّوارِي

like predatory eagles they flew

Like swooping eagles, they flew

toward you, bearing ravenous lions.

to you bearing ravening lions.

لما طلعنَ علمتَ أَن

لما طلعنَ علمتَ أَن

نكَ من جموعكُ في اغترَارِ

نكَ من جموعكُ في اغترَارِ

When they rose, you knew

When they appeared, you knew

your confidence in your troops was delusion.

you had been deluded by your armies.

وفللت من ذاتِ اليمي

وفللت من ذاتِ اليمي

نِ لشدةٍ ذات اليَسَارِ

نِ لشدةٍ ذات اليَسَارِ

You were routed from the right

You were routed from the right

by a fierce assault coming from the left.

by a fierce onslaught from the left.

وبالخيل صانَ صدورَها

وبالخيل صانَ صدورَها

في البقتينِ من الصدارِ

في البقتينِ من الصدارِ

With cavalry he guarded their breasts

With cavalry he shielded their breasts,

at the foremost ranks against every charge.

at al-Baqatayn, sparing them breastplates.

ومَغاورٌ يغريهم

ومَغاورٌ يغريهم

من لا يسلُّ من الغوارِ

من لا يسلُّ من الغوارِ

And raiders whom he urges onward—

And raiders are spurred on

one who never ceases or tires of raiding.

by one who never tires of raids.

ليثٌ يثورُ فيستثي

ليثٌ يثورُ فيستثي

رُ قساطلَ النقع المُثَارِ

رُ قساطلَ النقع المُثَارِ

A lion who springs and stirs up

A lion who springs up and rouses

billows of already churning dust;

dense clouds of whirling battle dust.

فكأَنما هبوانُها

فكأَنما هبوانُها

خَرقٌ من العَيوقِ هَارِ

خَرقٌ من العَيوقِ هَارِ

as though their clouds of dust were

As though their billowing

a rent by the star al-Ayyuq, collapsing.

were a falling shred from al-Ayyuq.

في وقعةٍ قسمتْ كما

في وقعةٍ قسمتْ كما

تَكَ للمنيةِ والأَسَارِ

تَكَ للمنيةِ والأَسَارِ

In a battle that apportioned your troops

In a battle that divided your champions

between death and captivity.

between death and captivity.

وفررتَ فيمن لا يعِدْ

وفررتَ فيمن لا يعِدْ

دُ لمثلها غيرَ الفِرَارِ

دُ لمثلها غيرَ الفِرَارِ

And you fled among men who had prepared

And you fled among those who prepare

for such a battle nothing but flight.

nothing for its like but flight.

مُتسربلاً من لؤم فع

مُتسربلاً من لؤم فع

لكَ حلتى خِزىٍ وَعَارِ

لكَ حلتى خِزىٍ وَعَارِ

Clad in baseness,

Clothed, through the baseness of your deed,

disgrace and shame became your lot.

in two robes of disgrace and shame.

هذى النكايةُ ولا النكا

هذى النكايةُ ولا النكا

يةُ في البنيةِ والجدَارِ

يةُ في البنيةِ والجدَارِ

This is true devastation, not devastation

This is true vengeance—not vengeance

confined to buildings and walls.

against buildings and walls.

ان الكبارَ من الامو

ان الكبارَ من الامو

رِ تُنالُ بالهممِ الكِبَارِ

رِ تُنالُ بالهممِ الكِبَارِ

Great affairs

Indeed, great undertakings

are attained by great resolves.

are attained through great resolve.

والى أَبى الفضلِ اتبع

والى أَبى الفضلِ اتبع

تُ هَواجِسَ الهممِ السوَارِ

تُ هَواجِسَ الهممِ السوَارِ

Toward Abu al-Fadl I sent in pursuit

And toward Abu al-Fadl I followed

the charging impulses of high ambition.

the promptings of ambitions journeying by night.

ولقد تخيرتُ الرجا

ولقد تخيرتُ الرجا

لَ فما دُفعتُ عن الخَيارِ

لَ فما دُفعتُ عن الخَيارِ

I had carefully chosen men,

Indeed, I chose men with care,

and was not turned away from the best choice,

and was not turned away from the best.

حتى سكنتُ ظلاله

حتى سكنتُ ظلاله

بعد ابتلاءٍ واختبَارِ

بعد ابتلاءٍ واختبَارِ

until I came to rest with Abu al-Fadl,

Until I found a home in his shade,

after trial and testing.

after trial and testing.

يغدو على حَرِّ البلا

يغدو على حَرِّ البلا

دِ غُدُوَّ مطلوبٍ بثَارِ

دِ غُدُوَّ مطلوبٍ بثَارِ

A lion against the freeborn of the land,

He advances against the heat of the land

a jealous avenger, sought for blood-revenge;

like one pursued for blood vengeance.

فتزيلُه فتكاتُه

فتزيلُه فتكاتُه

وتُذيقُه طعمَ الصغارِ

وتُذيقُه طعمَ الصغارِ

his sudden blows remove the foe

His deadly onslaughts drive it off

and make him taste humiliation.

and make it taste humiliation.

فتراه في العُسرِ المضرْ

فتراه في العُسرِ المضرْ

رِ يجودُ جود أُولى اليَسَارِ

رِ يجودُ جود أُولى اليَسَارِ

In constricted hardship you see him pour forth

You see him, in crushing hardship,

such bounty that it leads to ease;

giving as lavishly as the wealthy.

مُتهلِلاً للزائري

مُتهلِلاً للزائري

نَ مرحباً بالمستَزَارِ

نَ مرحباً بالمستَزَارِ

beaming upon visitors,

Beaming at his visitors,

welcoming to those who seek him.

welcoming those invited to come.

انى اغتنمتُ بيمنهِ

انى اغتنمتُ بيمنهِ

فَوقيتُ أَسبابَ العِثارِ

فَوقيتُ أَسبابَ العِثارِ

I seized the blessing of his good fortune

Indeed, I gained through his good fortune,

and was spared the causes of stumbling.

and was protected from causes of stumbling.

يا منْ له طيبُ الارو

يا منْ له طيبُ الارو

م ومن له طيبُ النِّجَارِ

م ومن له طيبُ النِّجَارِ

O you whose roots are fragrant,

O you whose roots are pure,

whose protection of the neighbor is sweet;

and whose lineage is pure!

يا من له نورُ البدو

يا من له نورُ البدو

رِ ومن له شرف الدَّرارِي

رِ ومن له شرف الدَّرارِي

O you who possess the light of full moons

O you who have the full moons' light,

and the glory of the stars;

and the shining stars' nobility!

ما من بِه مرضُ الحيا

ما من بِه مرضُ الحيا

ءِ ومن به حصرُ الوَقَارِ

ءِ ومن به حصرُ الوَقَارِ

O you through whom modesty grows lovesick,

Not one made sick by bashfulness,

and dignity is struck speechless;

nor one whose dignity leaves him tongue-tied.

يا من لديهِ حيا العفا

يا من لديهِ حيا العفا

ةِ ومن لديهِ حِمى الذِّمَارِ

ةِ ومن لديهِ حِمى الذِّمَارِ

O you who hold the life-giving rain of chastity,

O you who have rain for seekers of bounty,

and the inviolate sanctuary of honor;

and a sanctuary for all that must be defended!

أَنتَ الذي وهبَ الجَرا

أَنتَ الذي وهبَ الجَرا

ئِر عن علو واقتدَارِ

ئِر عن علو واقتدَارِ

you are the one who pardoned offenses

You are he who pardoned offenses

from a height of sovereign power.

out of loftiness and power.

أَنتَ الذي ضمنَ الوفا

أَنتَ الذي ضمنَ الوفا

ءَ لجارهِ كرمُ الجوَارِ

ءَ لجارهِ كرمُ الجوَارِ

You are the one whose noble protection

You are he whose generous neighborliness guaranteed

guaranteed fidelity to his neighbor.

faithfulness to his neighbor.

أَنتَ الذي حازَ الخطَا

أَنتَ الذي حازَ الخطَا

رَ مضاؤه يومَ الخِطَارِ

رَ مضاؤه يومَ الخِطَارِ

You are the one whose keen resolve seized

You are he whose resolve won the stakes

every danger on the day of peril.

on the day of wagering.

فحويتَ مضِمارَ العلا

فحويتَ مضِمارَ العلا

وجريتَ فيه بلا مُجَارِ

وجريتَ فيه بلا مُجَارِ

You won the racecourse of glory

You claimed the racecourse of greatness

and ran in it without a rival.

and ran upon it without a rival.

يَفديكَ من ظنَ المكا

يَفديكَ من ظنَ المكا

رمَ في اقتصادٍ واقتصَارِ

رمَ في اقتصادٍ واقتصَارِ

May one who imagines noble deeds can be won

May he be your ransom who thought noble deeds

through moderation and restraint redeem you!

lay in moderation and restraint.

فعداه عن طلقِ الجيا

فعداه عن طلقِ الجيا

دِ سقوطه دونَ العِثَارِ

دِ سقوطه دونَ العِثَارِ

His falling short even of stumbling kept him

So he was barred from the steeds' race

from the swift gallop of noble steeds.

by falling before he could even stumble.

خها ثمارَ عُلاكَ لا

خها ثمارَ عُلاكَ لا

عَرِيَتْ علاك من الثِّمَارِ

عَرِيَتْ علاك من الثِّمَارِ

It bears exalted fruits—may it never

[Take her?]—the fruits of your greatness; may

be stripped of its fruits for you:

your greatness never be stripped of fruits.

عذراءُ يُخجِلُ حسنُها

عذراءُ يُخجِلُ حسنُها

ما فيَّ من خَلعِ العِذَارِ

ما فيَّ من خَلعِ العِذَارِ

a virgin poem whose beauty makes blush

A virgin whose beauty puts to shame

the very wantonness within it.

whatever unbridled boldness is in me.