طَيفٌ أَلَم شَفَقٌ أَلَم

طَيفٌ أَلَم شَفَقٌ أَلَم

شَوقٌ هَجَم هَجمَةَ الأَشَدِّ

شَوقٌ هَجَم هَجمَةَ الأَشَدِّ

A phantom visited; twilight descended.

A phantom visited; a twilight glow, an ache.

Longing struck with the fiercest assault.

Longing charged with the fiercest onslaught.

كادَ يَبيد مِنهُ العَميد

كادَ يَبيد مِنهُ العَميد

وَهَل يُفيد ذاكَ أَو يُجدي

وَهَل يُفيد ذاكَ أَو يُجدي

The lovesick man nearly perished from it.

The lovesick man almost perished from it.

And will that avail, or do any good?

And does that help, or do any good?

غَرورُ أَحوى غَرير

غَرورُ أَحوى غَرير

قَتَلتُهُ بِالضَمير

قَتَلتُهُ بِالضَمير

The beguiling charm of an innocent, dark-lipped youth:

A dusky, innocent beguiler—

I kissed him in my imagination,

I slew him in thought.

فَعَبَّرَت عَن عَبير

فَعَبَّرَت عَن عَبير

أَنفاسُهُ بِزَفير

أَنفاسُهُ بِزَفير

and the kiss conveyed the perfume

So perfume found expression

of his breath through a sigh.

in his breaths, through a sigh.

وَاِنعَم بِضَم غُصنٍ نَجَم

وَاِنعَم بِضَم غُصنٍ نَجَم

فيهِ العَنَم لَكَ بِالوَردِ

فيهِ العَنَم لَكَ بِالوَردِ

How sweet to embrace a bough that appeared,

And delight in embracing a bough: there sprang

with red berries upon it—roses for you.

upon it crimson ʿanam, with roses for you.

مَيتُ الصُدود قُل ما تُريد

مَيتُ الصُدود قُل ما تُريد

حَقُّ الشَهيد جَنَّةُ الخُلدِ

حَقُّ الشَهيد جَنَّةُ الخُلدِ

Slain by aloofness, say whatever you wish:

Slain by rejection, say what you desire:

the martyr’s due is the everlasting Garden.

A martyr's due is the Garden of Eternity.

هَلِ النَعيمُ يُمَلّ

هَلِ النَعيمُ يُمَلّ

وَثَمَّ شَمسٌ تُظِل

وَثَمَّ شَمسٌ تُظِل

Can bliss ever grow wearisome

Can bliss ever grow wearisome?

when there a sun rises,

And is there a sun that gives shade,

أَو صارِمٌ لا يُفَلّ

أَو صارِمٌ لا يُفَلّ

إِلّا الرَئيسُ الأَجَلّ

إِلّا الرَئيسُ الأَجَلّ

or a sword is never notched—

or a keen sword that never dulls,

none other than the most august prince?

save the most exalted ruler?

اِبنُ حَكَم البَدرُ تِمّ

اِبنُ حَكَم البَدرُ تِمّ

وَالغَيثُ عَمَّ هادِياً مُهدِ

وَالغَيثُ عَمَّ هادِياً مُهدِ

Hakam’s son—the full moon—has reached perfection;

Ibn Hakam—the moon in its fullness,

and the rain has spread everywhere, guiding and bestowing gifts.

and all-embracing rain, a guide and giver;

رَدىً تُبيد حَيّاً مُفيد

رَدىً تُبيد حَيّاً مُفيد

كُلُّ الوُجود مِنهُ في فَردِ

كُلُّ الوُجود مِنهُ في فَردِ

A doom that destroys, yet living and beneficent—

a doom that destroys, a living benefactor—

all existence gathered in a single man.

all existence, through him, is gathered in one man.

مَلِكٌ عَزيزٌ مَداه

مَلِكٌ عَزيزٌ مَداه

يَبعَثُ طَبعاً عُلاه

يَبعَثُ طَبعاً عُلاه

A mighty king, whose farthest reach

A king whose stature is beyond reach,

sends forth the traits of his high estate,

he sends forth his glory by nature,

بَعثَ الصَباحِ سَناه

بَعثَ الصَباحِ سَناه

أَو النَسيمِ شَذاه

أَو النَسيمِ شَذاه

as dawn sends forth its radiance,

as morning sends forth its radiance,

or the breeze its fragrance.

or the breeze its fragrance.

نائي الهِمَم داني الكَرَم

نائي الهِمَم داني الكَرَم

سَهلُ الشِيَم مُصعَبُ المَجدِ

سَهلُ الشِيَم مُصعَبُ المَجدِ

Far-reaching in aspiration, close at hand in generosity;

Far-reaching in aspiration, near at hand in generosity,

gentle in character, unassailable in glory.

gentle in character, unapproachable in glory.

تَتلو الجُنود بِهِ الحَديد

تَتلو الجُنود بِهِ الحَديد

أَوِ الوُفود سورَةُ الحَمدِ

أَوِ الوُفود سورَةُ الحَمدِ

Through him the armies recite the Sura of Iron,

Through him, the armies recite 'Iron',

and delegations the Sura of Praise.

or the delegations the Chapter of Praise.

ياقَيدَ مَن رامَ سَبقَه

ياقَيدَ مَن رامَ سَبقَه

وَمُعطِيَ المُلكِ حَقَّه

وَمُعطِيَ المُلكِ حَقَّه

O fetter upon whoever seeks to outstrip him,

O fetter of whoever sought to surpass him,

and giver to kingship of its due:

and you who give sovereignty its due:

لَمّا حَوَتكَ مَنُرقَه

لَمّا حَوَتكَ مَنُرقَه

شَدَت بِكَ الأَرضُ حُرقَه

شَدَت بِكَ الأَرضُ حُرقَه

when kingship’s girdle encircled you,

When Menorca embraced you,

the earth sang of you in burning ardor.

the earth sang of you in burning grief:

إِن يَحتَشِم نَمشِ لَهُ ثُمَّ

إِن يَحتَشِم نَمشِ لَهُ ثُمَّ

عَلى قَدَم أَو يَجي عِندي

عَلى قَدَم أَو يَجي عِندي

If he stands on ceremony, let us walk to him there,

If he is shy, I'll go to him there,

on foot—or let him come to me.

on foot—or let him come to me

مِن ثُم نُريد إِن كان يُريد

مِن ثُم نُريد إِن كان يُريد

وَصلي سَعيد يابَياض سَعدي

وَصلي سَعيد يابَياض سَعدي

That is what we desire, if he so desires:

from there; I want him, if he wants

my union is blessed, O brightness of my fortune.

union with me—Sa'id! How bright my fortune!