تنَّسك شَيْطانِي فَيَا ليْتَه غَدا

تنَّسك شَيْطانِي فَيَا ليْتَه غَدا

فِدَا مَلِكٍ لِلْحُسنِ فِيه تَمرُّدَا

فِدَا مَلِكٍ لِلْحُسنِ فِيه تَمرُّدَا

My devil has turned devout—would that he might become

My devil has turned ascetic; oh, would that he might become

a ransom for a king in whom beauty itself rebels.

a ransom for a king for whose beauty he had rebelled.

وما زالَ في مَيْدَانِ لَهْوِيَ مُطْلَقاً

وما زالَ في مَيْدَانِ لَهْوِيَ مُطْلَقاً

فصارَ بِحَبْلِ الشَّيبِ مِنِّي مُقَيَّدا

فصارَ بِحَبْلِ الشَّيبِ مِنِّي مُقَيَّدا

He had never ceased to roam unbridled in the field of my revels,

And he had always been free in the arena of my revelry,

but now the rope of my gray hair has bound him.

then became bound by the rope of my gray hair.

وما الشَّيْبُ إِلا ثَوبُ شَعْرٍ جَعَلْتُه

وما الشَّيْبُ إِلا ثَوبُ شَعْرٍ جَعَلْتُه

لِباساً لشيطانِ الصِّبيَ إِذْ تَزهَّدَا

لِباساً لشيطانِ الصِّبيَ إِذْ تَزهَّدَا

Gray hair is nothing but a garment of hair I fashioned,

And gray hair is only a garment of hair that I made

clothing for youth’s devil when he embraced abstinence.

a robe for youth's devil when he turned ascetic.

وأَصبَحَ إِبْريقُ المُدامَةِ صَائِماً

وأَصبَحَ إِبْريقُ المُدامَةِ صَائِماً

عَلى أَنَّه فِي صَوْمه مَا تَهجَّدَا

عَلى أَنَّه فِي صَوْمه مَا تَهجَّدَا

The wine-flagon too has begun to fast,

And the wine ewer has begun to fast,

though in all its fasting it has kept no night vigil.

though in its fasting it has not offered night prayers.

وَلِي عَنْ وِصَالِ الحَاجِبيَّةِ حَاجِب

وَلِي عَنْ وِصَالِ الحَاجِبيَّةِ حَاجِب

مِن الْعَيْشِ صَدَّ الْقَلْبَ أَنْ يَنْقَع الصَّدى

مِن الْعَيْشِ صَدَّ الْقَلْبَ أَنْ يَنْقَع الصَّدى

A barrier now bars me from union with al-Hajibiyya;

And between me and union with al-Hajibiyya stands a barrier,

life has turned the heart away from slaking its thirst.

born of life, that kept the heart from quenching its thirst.

وقلتُ ارْقُدِي يا ربَّةَ الْخَالِ سَاعَةً

وقلتُ ارْقُدِي يا ربَّةَ الْخَالِ سَاعَةً

فَما نَعِستْ عيناكِ إِلاَّ لَتَرْقُدَا

فَما نَعِستْ عيناكِ إِلاَّ لَتَرْقُدَا

I said, “Sleep, O mistress of the beauty-mark, for an hour”;

And I said, 'Sleep awhile, O lady of the beauty mark,

your eyes grew drowsy only so that they might sleep.

for your eyes grew drowsy only so that they might sleep.'

سلوتُ فما أَرْنُو إِلى الظَّبْي إِنْ رَنَا

سلوتُ فما أَرْنُو إِلى الظَّبْي إِنْ رَنَا

إِليَّ ولاَ أَبْدو إِلَى الْبَدْرِ إِنْ بَدَا

إِليَّ ولاَ أَبْدو إِلَى الْبَدْرِ إِنْ بَدَا

I have forgotten love: I no longer gaze at the gazelle when it looks

I have ceased to pine: I do not gaze at the gazelle if it gazes

toward me, nor show myself to the full moon when it appears.

at me, nor show myself to the full moon if it appears.

وتُهتُ عَلى الطَّيْفِ الَّذِي كَانَ زَائِري

وتُهتُ عَلى الطَّيْفِ الَّذِي كَانَ زَائِري

فقَبَّلْتُه خَدّاً وقَبَّلنِي يَداً

فقَبَّلْتُه خَدّاً وقَبَّلنِي يَداً

I even lorded it over the phantom that once came visiting:

And I grew haughty toward the phantom that used to visit me;

I kissed it as a ruse, and it kissed my hand.

so I kissed its cheek, and it kissed my hand.

وشِبتُ فَما لي لا أَرى الصُّبحَ أَشْيباً

وشِبتُ فَما لي لا أَرى الصُّبحَ أَشْيباً

وعِشْتُ زَمَاناً لا أَرى اللَّيلَ أَسْودَا

وعِشْتُ زَمَاناً لا أَرى اللَّيلَ أَسْودَا

I scanned the sky—why should I not see dawn gray-haired,

And I have grown gray; why do I not see the dawn as gray?

while I have lived through a time when night did not look black?

And I lived a time when I did not see the night as black.

وقد كانَ لِي عصرُ الشَّبيبةِ جنةً

وقد كانَ لِي عصرُ الشَّبيبةِ جنةً

فيا أَسَفِي لو كُنْتُ فيها مُخَلَّدَا

فيا أَسَفِي لو كُنْتُ فيها مُخَلَّدَا

My season of youth was once a garden;

And the age of youth was a paradise for me;

alas, if only I had lived in it forever.

alas for me—if only I had remained there forever!

رأَى النَّاسُ لكنْ مَا رَأَوْا كَتَجَلُّدِي

رأَى النَّاسُ لكنْ مَا رَأَوْا كَتَجَلُّدِي

وما كُلُّ من يَهْوَى يُطيقُ التَّجَلُّدا

وما كُلُّ من يَهْوَى يُطيقُ التَّجَلُّدا

People have witnessed endurance, but never endurance like mine;

People have seen, but never anything like my fortitude;

not everyone who loves can bear such fortitude.

and not everyone who loves can sustain fortitude.

تَجلَّدْتُ حتَّى قلتُ لِلدَّمْع لاَ تَفِضْ

تَجلَّدْتُ حتَّى قلتُ لِلدَّمْع لاَ تَفِضْ

وحتَّى نهيتُ الصَّدْرَ أَنْ يَتَنَهَّدَا

وحتَّى نهيتُ الصَّدْرَ أَنْ يَتَنَهَّدَا

I steeled myself until I told my tears, “Do not flow,”

I held firm until I told my tears, 'Do not overflow,'

and forbade my breast to sigh.

and even forbade my breast to sigh.

عليَّ زَمَانِي قَدْ تَعدَّى جَهَالَةً

عليَّ زَمَانِي قَدْ تَعدَّى جَهَالَةً

وقد كُنتُ أَعْدَى مِنْ زَمَانِي إِذَاعَدَا

وقد كُنتُ أَعْدَى مِنْ زَمَانِي إِذَاعَدَا

Time, in its ignorance, has trespassed against me,

My time has wronged me in its ignorance,

though I once outdid Time in aggression whenever it attacked.

though I was more aggressive than my time whenever it attacked.

وجَارَ كأَنِّي لَم أُجَرْ مِنْ صُروفهِ

وجَارَ كأَنِّي لَم أُجَرْ مِنْ صُروفهِ

وحَتَّى كَأَنِّي لَسْتُ عَبْداً لأَحْمَدا

وحَتَّى كَأَنِّي لَسْتُ عَبْداً لأَحْمَدا

It dealt unjustly—as though its very letters gave me no refuge,

And it acted unjustly, as though I were unprotected against its vicissitudes,

and as though I were not a servant of Ahmad.

even as though I were not a slave of Ahmad.

وحسبيَ عِزّاً أَنْ أُرَى مِنْ عبيده

وحسبيَ عِزّاً أَنْ أُرَى مِنْ عبيده

وحَسْبيَ فَخْراً أَنْ يُرى لِيَ سيِّداً

وحَسْبيَ فَخْراً أَنْ يُرى لِيَ سيِّداً

Honor enough for me to be counted among his servants,

And it is honor enough for me to be seen among his slaves,

and pride enough that he should be seen as my lord.

and pride enough for him to be seen as my master.

يقولون مَنْ مَولاَك قُلتُ مَنْ اسْمُه

يقولون مَنْ مَولاَك قُلتُ مَنْ اسْمُه

شقيقُ الْعُلاَ وابْنُ النُّهىَ وأَبُو النَّدى

شقيقُ الْعُلاَ وابْنُ النُّهىَ وأَبُو النَّدى

They ask, “Who is your master?” I answer, “He whose name is:

They ask, 'Who is your master?' I say: he whose name is

Brother of Glory, Son of Wisdom, Father of Bounty;

brother of eminence, son of wisdom, and father of generosity;

ومَنْ فِي صِبَاهُ أُوتِيَ العِلْمَ والحجَا

ومَنْ فِي صِبَاهُ أُوتِيَ العِلْمَ والحجَا

ومَنْ في صِباهُ أُولِيَ الحُكْمَ والنَّدَى

ومَنْ في صِباهُ أُولِيَ الحُكْمَ والنَّدَى

who in boyhood was granted knowledge and discernment,

and who in his childhood was granted knowledge and reason,

and in boyhood was invested with judgment and generosity.

and who in his childhood was given authority and bounty.

تلُوح عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَبيه شمائلٌ

تلُوح عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَبيه شمائلٌ

يَظَلُّ بِها شَمْلُ الخطوبِ مُبَدَّداً

يَظَلُّ بِها شَمْلُ الخطوبِ مُبَدَّداً

His father’s noble traits shine upon him,

His father's traits shine forth in him,

and by them calamity’s gathered ranks remain dispersed.

and through them the host of calamities remains scattered.

لقد خافَ مِنْه وهو في المهد دَهْرُنا

لقد خافَ مِنْه وهو في المهد دَهْرُنا

فوطَّأَ أَكْنَافاً له وتَمَهَّدَا

فوطَّأَ أَكْنَافاً له وتَمَهَّدَا

Time feared him even while he lay in the cradle,

Our age feared him while he was still in the cradle,

so it smoothed its flanks before him and made itself ready.

so it smoothed its sides for him and made itself ready.

وأَظهرَ فينا الفضل قبل ظهوره

وأَظهرَ فينا الفضل قبل ظهوره

وقد يقطع الصمصام بالحد مغمداً

وقد يقطع الصمصام بالحد مغمداً

He displayed among us virtue before its appointed appearance:

And he displayed excellence among us before his own appearance,

the keen sword may cut with its edge even while sheathed.

and a keen sword may cut with its edge even while sheathed.

وأفضى إِلَيه الفَرْقَدانِ محبَّةً

وأفضى إِلَيه الفَرْقَدانِ محبَّةً

لأَنَّهما قد أَبْصَرا مِنْه فَرْقَدا

لأَنَّهما قد أَبْصَرا مِنْه فَرْقَدا

The two Firqad stars drew near to him in love,

And the two Farqad stars drew near to him in love,

for in him they had beheld a Firqad.

for they had seen a Farqad star in him.

وحازَ كَمالَ الفَضْلِ قَبْلَ كَمالهِ

وحازَ كَمالَ الفَضْلِ قَبْلَ كَمالهِ

وجَازَ الْمَدى مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ المَدى

وجَازَ الْمَدى مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ المَدى

He attained the perfection of virtue before its fullness,

And he attained the perfection of excellence before his own maturity,

and passed the farthest bound before reaching that bound.

and passed the utmost reach before he had reached it.

وذاكَ المَدى أَفْضَى إِليَّ بِسرِّه

وذاكَ المَدى أَفْضَى إِليَّ بِسرِّه

وسِرُّ المَدى أَنْ يمْلِكَ الخلْقَ سرمَدَا

وسِرُّ المَدى أَنْ يمْلِكَ الخلْقَ سرمَدَا

That very bound confided its secret to me:

And that utmost reach confided its secret to me:

its secret is that he shall rule creation forever.

and the secret of that reach is that he shall rule creation forever.

أَراد أَبُوه حين سمَّاه أَحمداً

أَراد أَبُوه حين سمَّاه أَحمداً

لِيُذْكَرَ حمدُ اللهِ فِيه فَيُحْمَدا

لِيُذْكَرَ حمدُ اللهِ فِيه فَيُحْمَدا

In naming him Ahmad, his father intended

When his father named him Ahmad, he intended

that God’s praise be recalled in him, and that he be praised.

that praise of God be recalled in him, and God be praised.

تهيَا له دَسْتُ الوَزَارةِ مِثْلَما

تهيَا له دَسْتُ الوَزَارةِ مِثْلَما

تَهيَّأَ للعافِين مِنْ لغه الجدا

تَهيَّأَ للعافِين مِنْ لغه الجدا

The dais of the ministry has readied itself for him,

The seat of the vizierate stood ready for him, just as

just as bounty in his words stands ready for petitioners.

bounty from his [unclear word] stood ready for suppliants.

كأني بنفسي وهو في الدست جالس

كأني بنفسي وهو في الدست جالس

أقوم بمدحي في مَعَالِيه مُنْشِدا

أقوم بمدحي في مَعَالِيه مُنْشِدا

I can see him already, seated upon the dais,

I picture myself, while he sits in the seat of office,

while I stand reciting praise of his high virtues.

rising to recite my praise of his lofty virtues.

تَشَرَّفْتُ لمَّا كُنْتُ أَوَّلَ قَاصِدٍ

تَشَرَّفْتُ لمَّا كُنْتُ أَوَّلَ قَاصِدٍ

إِلَيْهِ أَتَاهُ بالمَديح وَقَصَّدا

إِلَيْهِ أَتَاهُ بالمَديح وَقَصَّدا

I was honored to be the first seeker

I gained honor when I was the first visitor

to come to him with panegyric and purpose.

to come to him with praise and compose an ode.

سأَمْدَحهُ كَهْلاً وشَيْخاً وطَالَما

سأَمْدَحهُ كَهْلاً وشَيْخاً وطَالَما

مَدَحْتُ أَباهُ قبل ذلك أَمْرَدا

مَدَحْتُ أَباهُ قبل ذلك أَمْرَدا

I shall praise him in maturity and old age, as long

I shall praise him as a mature man and an old man; how often

as I praised his father before him when he was still beardless.

I praised his father before this, while I was still beardless!

سكنتُ إِلى ظِلِّ الشَّبابِ وظِلِّه

سكنتُ إِلى ظِلِّ الشَّبابِ وظِلِّه

فأَلفَيْتُه أهدى وأندى وأرغد

فأَلفَيْتُه أهدى وأندى وأرغد

I sheltered beneath youth’s shade—and beneath his;

I rested in youth's shade and in his shade,

I found him more guiding, more bountiful, and more gracious.

and found his shade more guiding, more bountiful, and more comfortable.

أو الده يا أكرم الخلق والداً

أو الده يا أكرم الخلق والداً

وأكرم مَوْلُوداً وأَطهرَ مَوْلداً

وأكرم مَوْلُوداً وأَطهرَ مَوْلداً

You begot him, O noblest of all fathers:

O his father, O noblest of creation as a father,

the noblest son, of the purest birth.

and noblest as a son, and purest of birth,

سُرِرْنا بأَن أَمَّرْتَه ونصبيتَه

سُرِرْنا بأَن أَمَّرْتَه ونصبيتَه

لنا عَلَماً يأْوِي إِلى ظِلِّه الهُدى

لنا عَلَماً يأْوِي إِلى ظِلِّه الهُدى

We rejoiced that you appointed him and raised him up

we rejoiced that you made him a ruler and raised him

as a banner for us, beneath whose shade guidance takes refuge.

as a banner for us, in whose shade guidance takes refuge.

إِذا أَعجبَتْك اليومَ مِنْه خليقَةٌ

إِذا أَعجبَتْك اليومَ مِنْه خليقَةٌ

مهذَّبَةٌ أَعْطَاك أَمْثَالَها غَدا

مهذَّبَةٌ أَعْطَاك أَمْثَالَها غَدا

If a refined trait of his delights you today,

If a trait of his delights you today—

tomorrow he will grant you others like it.

a refined one—he will give you others like it tomorrow.