رأَيتُ طرفكَ يوم الْبَيْنِ حين هَمَى

رأَيتُ طرفكَ يوم الْبَيْنِ حين هَمَى

فالدَّمعُ ثغرٌ وتكحيلُ الجُفُونِ لَمَى

فالدَّمعُ ثغرٌ وتكحيلُ الجُفُونِ لَمَى

I saw your eye on parting day as it poured tears.

I saw your glance on the day of parting as it inclined,

For the tears were teeth, and the eyelids’ kohl the dark hue of lips.

So my tears became lips and the kohl of my eyelids was erased.

فاكفُف ملامَك عنِّي حين أَلْثُمُه

فاكفُف ملامَك عنِّي حين أَلْثُمُه

فما شككتُ بأَنِّي قد لثمتُ فَمَا

فما شككتُ بأَنِّي قد لثمتُ فَمَا

So keep your reproach from me when I kiss it,

So stop blaming me when I kiss it,

for I never doubted that I had kissed a mouth.

For I did not doubt that I had kissed a mouth.

لو كان يَعلَمُ مع عِلْمِي بقسوتِه

لو كان يَعلَمُ مع عِلْمِي بقسوتِه

تأَلَّم القلبِ من وَخْزِ الملاَمِ لَما

تأَلَّم القلبِ من وَخْزِ الملاَمِ لَما

Had he known, though I know his hardness,

If he knew along with my knowledge his harshness,

the heart’s pain from reproach’s sting, he would not have

The heart would not have suffered from the sting of blame.

رنا إِليَّ فقال العاذلون رَنَا

رنا إِليَّ فقال العاذلون رَنَا

وما أَقولُ رَنا لكن أَقول رَمى

وما أَقولُ رَنا لكن أَقول رَمى

gazed at me; the reproachers said, ‘He gazed.’

He glanced at me, so the reproachers cried "He glanced!"

I do not say, ‘He gazed,’ but say, ‘He shot.’

But I do not say "He glanced," rather I say "He shot."

رمَى فأَصمى ولو لم يَرْمِ متُّ هوىً

رمَى فأَصمى ولو لم يَرْمِ متُّ هوىً

أَما ترونَ نُحولي في هَواهُ أَمَا

أَما ترونَ نُحولي في هَواهُ أَمَا

He shot and killed outright; had he not shot, I would have died of love.

He shot me and made me deaf, and if he had not shot love,

Do you not see my wasting in love for him—do you not?

Do you not see my leanness in his love, indeed?

وبات يَحْمي جُفوني عَنْ طروق كرىً

وبات يَحْمي جُفوني عَنْ طروق كرىً

ولم أَرَ الظَّبيَ منسوباً إِليه حِمى

ولم أَرَ الظَّبيَ منسوباً إِليه حِمى

And all night he guarded my eyelids against sleep’s coming,

And he kept my eyelids from the insomnia of concerns,

yet I have never seen a gazelle credited with a protected domain.

Yet I did not see the gazelle attributed to him as forbidden.

وصاد طائرَ قلبي يوم ودَّعني

وصاد طائرَ قلبي يوم ودَّعني

يا كعبةَ الحُسْن قد أَحْلَلْتِه حَرَما

يا كعبةَ الحُسْن قد أَحْلَلْتِه حَرَما

And he caught the bird of my heart the day he bade me farewell.

And he turned away the bird of my heart the day he bid me farewell.

O Kaaba of beauty, you have lodged it in a sanctuary.

O idol of beauty, you made it a sanctuary for him.

يا كعبةً ظلَّ فيها خالُها حجراً

يا كعبةً ظلَّ فيها خالُها حجراً

كم ذا أَطوفُ وكم أَلْقاه مستلما

كم ذا أَطوفُ وكم أَلْقاه مستلما

O Kaaba whose mole remains a stone,

O idol whose beauty's mark remained a pebble in it,

how often I circle it, and how often I meet it with a reverent touch!

How much do I circumambulate it and how much do I touch it reverently!

مذ شَفّ جِسْمِيَ عن نار الغرام ضنىً

مذ شَفّ جِسْمِيَ عن نار الغرام ضنىً

رُئِيَ الشُّعاعُ على خدَّيه مُضْطَّرما

رُئِيَ الشُّعاعُ على خدَّيه مُضْطَّرما

Since wasting sickness thinned my body, revealing love’s fire,

Since he saw my body kindled by the fire of passion,

the radiance was seen blazing on his cheeks.

The rays were seen glowing on his cheeks.

وشفَّ كأْسُ فمٍ منه لرقته

وشفَّ كأْسُ فمٍ منه لرقته

فلاحَ فيه حُبَابُ الثَّغْرِ مُنْتظِمَا

فلاحَ فيه حُبَابُ الثَّغْرِ مُنْتظِمَا

And the cup of his mouth grew transparent through its delicacy,

And the cup of a mouth was healed by its softness,

so the bubbles of his teeth shone within it in ordered array.

So its dimples appeared arranged within it.

يا كَسرةَ الجفنِ لِمْ أَسْمَوْكِ كَسْرتَه

يا كَسرةَ الجفنِ لِمْ أَسْمَوْكِ كَسْرتَه

وجيشهُ بكِ للأَرواحِ قد غَنِما

وجيشهُ بكِ للأَرواحِ قد غَنِما

O droop of the eyelid, why did they call you its defeat,

O heart-breaker, why did you name yourself heart-breaker when you broke it,

when his army has, through you, taken souls as spoils?

And its army you captured for the souls as booty?

ولِمْ أَغَرْتِ على الأَرواحِ ناهِبَةً

ولِمْ أَغَرْتِ على الأَرواحِ ناهِبَةً

إِن كان ذلك عن جُرْمٍ فلا جَرَما

إِن كان ذلك عن جُرْمٍ فلا جَرَما

And why did you raid souls, plundering them?

Why did you tempt the souls as a plunderer,

If that was for an offense, there was no offense.

If this was not due to a crime, then no crime.

مولاكِ فاق مِلاحَ الأَرض قاطبةً

مولاكِ فاق مِلاحَ الأَرض قاطبةً

فهْوَ الأَميرُ أَضْحَوا له حَشَما

فهْوَ الأَميرُ أَضْحَوا له حَشَما

Your master surpassed all the earth’s fair ones;

Your master surpassed the rulers of the earth altogether,

so he is the prince, and they have become his retinue.

For he became the prince for whom they became servants.

أَقولُ والرِّيحُ قد أَعْلَتْ ذوائِبَه

أَقولُ والرِّيحُ قد أَعْلَتْ ذوائِبَه

أَصبحتَ فيهمْ أَميراً بل لَهُمْ عَلَمَا

أَصبحتَ فيهمْ أَميراً بل لَهُمْ عَلَمَا

I say, as the wind raises his locks:

I say as the wind raised its forelocks:

‘You have become a prince among them—nay, their banner.’

You became among them a prince; rather, for them a banner.

شكوتُ طيفكَ في إِغبابِ زورته

شكوتُ طيفكَ في إِغبابِ زورته

لأَن مِثليَ لا يستَسْمن الوَرَمَا

لأَن مِثليَ لا يستَسْمن الوَرَمَا

I complained of your phantom’s infrequent visits,

I complained of your apparition during its visitation,

for one like me does not mistake swelling for fatness.

For the likes of me cannot grow fat on pus.

ولستُ أَطلبُ منه رِفْدَةُ أَبداً

ولستُ أَطلبُ منه رِفْدَةُ أَبداً

لأَن ذا الحِلْمِ لا يَسْتَرْفِد الحُلُما

لأَن ذا الحِلْمِ لا يَسْتَرْفِد الحُلُما

Nor do I ever seek a gift from it,

Nor do I ask him for aid ever,

for a man of good sense seeks no bounty from a dream.

For the forbearing does not ask forbearance rudely.

لكنَّ عهداً قديماً منكَ أَذكرُه

لكنَّ عهداً قديماً منكَ أَذكرُه

ورُبَّما نُسي العهدُ الذي قَدُما

ورُبَّما نُسي العهدُ الذي قَدُما

But I remember an old pledge from you,

Rather, I recall an old pact from you,

and a pledge grown old is sometimes forgotten.

And perhaps forgot is the pact made long ago.

وزاد حُبِّي أَضعافاً مضاعفَةً

وزاد حُبِّي أَضعافاً مضاعفَةً

وطالما صَغُر الشيءُ الذي عَظُما

وطالما صَغُر الشيءُ الذي عَظُما

And my love increased many times over,

My love for you increased manifold

and often what had grown great has dwindled.

And often the small thing became great.

ولستُ أُنكر لا رَيْباً ولا تُهماً

ولستُ أُنكر لا رَيْباً ولا تُهماً

من يَعْرفِ الحبَّ لا يستنكِر التُّهَما

من يَعْرفِ الحبَّ لا يستنكِر التُّهَما

And I deny neither suspicion nor accusations;

I do not deny suspicion or blame,

whoever knows love does not find accusations strange.

Whoever knows love does not deny suspicions.

ولست أُتبع حبِّي بالملال كما

ولست أُتبع حبِّي بالملال كما

لا يُتْبِع ابنُ عليِّ بِرَّه نَدَمَا

لا يُتْبِع ابنُ عليِّ بِرَّه نَدَمَا

Nor do I follow my love with weariness, just as

Nor do I follow my love with boredom, as

the son of Ali never follows his kindness with regret.

The son of Ali does not regret his righteousness.

ذاك الأَجلُّ الذي تلْقَى منازِله

ذاك الأَجلُّ الذي تلْقَى منازِله

فوقَ السِّماكِ وتلْقَى جُودَه أَكَمَا

فوقَ السِّماكِ وتلْقَى جُودَه أَكَمَا

That most exalted man, whose stations you find

That most glorious one whose abodes

above al-Simak, and whose bounty you find heaped in hills.

Are above the clouds and whose generosity reached its utmost,

أَغْنى وأَقْنى وأَعطَى سُؤْلَ سائِله

أَغْنى وأَقْنى وأَعطَى سُؤْلَ سائِله

وأَوجَد الجودَ حتى أَعْدم العَدَما

وأَوجَد الجودَ حتى أَعْدم العَدَما

He enriched and endowed, and granted his petitioner’s wish,

The richest, most content, who gave to every beggar asking him,

and brought generosity into being until he annihilated want.

And brought about generosity until he eliminated nothingness.

وقصَّر البحرُ عنه فهو مكتئبٌ

وقصَّر البحرُ عنه فهو مكتئبٌ

أَمَا تراه بكفَّيْ مَوْجِه الْتَطَما

أَمَا تراه بكفَّيْ مَوْجِه الْتَطَما

And the sea fell short of him and so is downcast;

The sea fell short of him, so it remains depressed,

do you not see it striking itself with the palms of its waves?

Do you not see it clapping its waves in tumult?

وولَّت السُّحبُ إِذ جارته باكيةً

وولَّت السُّحبُ إِذ جارته باكيةً

أَما ترى الدَّمعَ من أَجفانها انْسَجَما

أَما ترى الدَّمعَ من أَجفانها انْسَجَما

And the clouds turned away weeping when they vied with him;

The clouds poured down when they competed with him crying,

do you not see tears streaming from their eyelids?

Do you not see the tears pouring from their eyelids joined together?

ولو رأَى ابنُ أَبي سُلمى مواهِبَه

ولو رأَى ابنُ أَبي سُلمى مواهِبَه

رأَى جَدَا هَرمٍ مثل اسمه هَرِما

رأَى جَدَا هَرمٍ مثل اسمه هَرِما

And had Ibn Abi Sulma seen his gifts,

If the son of Abi Sulma saw his gifts,

he would have seen Haram’s bounty decrepit, like his name.

He would see the hump of an old camel like his name indicates.

ولو أَعار شَمَاماً من خَلائِقه

ولو أَعار شَمَاماً من خَلائِقه

حلماً لأَصبح في عِرْنِينِه شَمَماً

حلماً لأَصبح في عِرْنِينِه شَمَماً

And had he lent Shamam, from his own character,

If he lent some of his traits to Shimam,

some forbearance, it would have become loftiness in its nose.

He would become in his burrow forbearant instead of hasty.

ومذ رأَيت نَفاذاً في يَراعته

ومذ رأَيت نَفاذاً في يَراعته

رأَيتُ بالرمح من أَخبارها صَمَماً

رأَيتُ بالرمح من أَخبارها صَمَماً

And since I saw such penetrating power in his reed pen,

And since I saw his spearhead penetrating,

I found the spear deafened by reports of it.

I saw the spear give news of it decisively.

إِذا امتطى القلمَ العالي أَناملُه

إِذا امتطى القلمَ العالي أَناملُه

جلا الطروسَ وجلَّى الظُّلمَ والظُّلمَا

جلا الطروسَ وجلَّى الظُّلمَ والظُّلمَا

When his fingertips mount the lofty pen,

When the sublime pen rides his fingers,

it brightens the pages and drives out injustice and darkness.

It eclipses the Pleiades and illuminates the darkness and glooms.

قَضَى له اللهُ مُذْ أَجْرى له قَلَماً

قَضَى له اللهُ مُذْ أَجْرى له قَلَماً

بالسَّعْدِ مِنْه وَقَدْ أَجْرى به الْقَلَما

بالسَّعْدِ مِنْه وَقَدْ أَجْرى به الْقَلَما

God decreed for him, since He set a pen running for him,

God ordained good for him since he gave him a pen,

good fortune from Himself, and has set the pen running with it.

With which he brings about the decree and judgment.

ذاتُ العِمادِ يمينٌ قد حَوَتْ قَلَماً

ذاتُ العِمادِ يمينٌ قد حَوَتْ قَلَماً

وهو العمادُ لمُلْكٍ قد حَكَى إِرَما

وهو العمادُ لمُلْكٍ قد حَكَى إِرَما

A right hand holding a pen is ‘possessed of pillars’;

The pillar-like right hand which encompassed a pen,

and the pen is the pillar of a kingdom resembling Iram.

And it is the pillar of a kingdom it inscribed.

يُريك في الطَّرسِ وهْوَ الأُفْقُ زاهرةً

يُريك في الطَّرسِ وهْوَ الأُفْقُ زاهرةً

وقد يُرى منه زهرُ الرَّوضِ مُبْتَسِما

وقد يُرى منه زهرُ الرَّوضِ مُبْتَسِما

It shows you a radiant star on the page, which is the horizon,

It shows you the Pleiades in the horizon blossoming,

and from it garden blossoms may be seen smiling.

And the meadow's flowers can be seen through it smiling.

ويَرْقُم الوشيَ فيه من كتائِبه

ويَرْقُم الوشيَ فيه من كتائِبه

وما سَمِعنا سِواه أَرْقَماً رَقَما

وما سَمِعنا سِواه أَرْقَماً رَقَما

And it patterns brocade upon it from its battalions,

It registers victory through its regiments,

and we have never heard of another speckled serpent embroidering.

And we have heard no other numbering except his numbering.

سطورُه ومعانيها وما اسْتَتَرت

سطورُه ومعانيها وما اسْتَتَرت

هُنَّ السُّتُور وهذي خَلْفَهُنَّ دُمَى

هُنَّ السُّتُور وهذي خَلْفَهُنَّ دُمَى

His lines and their meanings, though the latter are not concealed:

Its lines and their meanings which hid

the lines are curtains, and the meanings are lovely figures behind them.

Are the veils, and behind them are the cranes.

تبرَّجَتْ وهَيَ أَبكارٌ ولا عجب

تبرَّجَتْ وهَيَ أَبكارٌ ولا عجب

إِنَّ التخفُّر من أَبكارها ذُمِماً

إِنَّ التخفُّر من أَبكارها ذُمِماً

They display their beauty, though they are virgins; no wonder,

They coquettishly swayed though virgins, and no wonder,

for coy concealment in its virgins is condemned.

For coquetry among its virgins is blameworthy.

فخراً لِدَهْرٍ غدا عبدُ الرحيم به

فخراً لِدَهْرٍ غدا عبدُ الرحيم به

بالأَمر والنَّهْي يُبْدي الحُكْم والحِكما

بالأَمر والنَّهْي يُبْدي الحُكْم والحِكما

Glory to an age in which Abd al-Rahim has come

Pride of an era which Abd al-Rahim became through it,

to display judgment and wisdom through command and prohibition.

Issuing rulings and judgments with wisdom and judgment.

أَسْمَى الوَرَى وهْوَ أَسْنَاهُمْ يداً وندى

أَسْمَى الوَرَى وهْوَ أَسْنَاهُمْ يداً وندى

وأَوسعُ النَّاسِ صدراً كلَّما سَئِما

وأَوسعُ النَّاسِ صدراً كلَّما سَئِما

The loftiest of mankind, and their most splendid in hand and bounty,

The highest of mankind whom they are inferior to in lineage and glory,

and the broadest-hearted of men whenever he grows weary;

And the most magnanimous person whenever tired.

وأَعْرَقُ النَّاسِ حقّاً في رِيَاستِه

وأَعْرَقُ النَّاسِ حقّاً في رِيَاستِه

وأَقدَمُ النَّاسِ في اسْتِحقاقِهَا قَدَمَا

وأَقدَمُ النَّاسِ في اسْتِحقاقِهَا قَدَمَا

and, truly, the most deeply rooted of men in his leadership,

The most flowing of people in truth in his leadership,

and the foremost of men in his standing to deserve it.

And the earliest of people in deserving it.

كساكَ ربُّك نوراً من جَلالَتِه

كساكَ ربُّك نوراً من جَلالَتِه

يَلقى الحسودَ فيكسو ناظِريْهِ عَمَى

يَلقى الحسودَ فيكسو ناظِريْهِ عَمَى

Your Lord clothed you in a light from His majesty,

Your Lord clothed you in light from His majesty,

which meets the envious man and clothes his eyes in blindness.

Which meets the envious and clothes the onlookers in blindness.

يلُوحُ في الصَّدْرِ منه البدرُ حين سَما

يلُوحُ في الصَّدْرِ منه البدرُ حين سَما

والغيثُ حين هَمَى والبَحْرُ حين طَمَا

والغيثُ حين هَمَى والبَحْرُ حين طَمَا

In his breast gleams the full moon when it rises,

In the breast the moon gleams when it rose high,

and rain when it pours, and the sea when it surges.

And the rain when it inclined, and the sea when it surged.

يُغْضِي حياءَ ويُغْضَى من مهابته

يُغْضِي حياءَ ويُغْضَى من مهابته

فما يُكَلَّم إِجلالاً إِذا ابتسما

فما يُكَلَّم إِجلالاً إِذا ابتسما

He lowers his gaze in modesty; others lower theirs before his awe,

He smiles shyly and is too shy for his awe,

so none address him, out of reverence, when he smiles.

So he cannot be addressed reverently when he smiles.

لما عَلِقْتُ بحبلْ من عِنايَتهِ

لما عَلِقْتُ بحبلْ من عِنايَتهِ

صالحْتُ دَهْري فلم أُوسع له ذَمَمَا

صالحْتُ دَهْري فلم أُوسع له ذَمَمَا

When I clung to a cord of his care,

Since I held to a rope from His care,

I made peace with my fate and no longer heaped blame upon it.

I reconciled my fate so I did not increase for it any blame.

وحين طاله طرفي سَعْدَ طلْعَتِه

وحين طاله طرفي سَعْدَ طلْعَتِه

رأَيتُ طرْفي في أَفق العلاَ نَجَما

رأَيتُ طرْفي في أَفق العلاَ نَجَما

And when my gaze reached his auspicious countenance,

And when my gaze met the good fortune of its rising,

I saw my eye as a star on the horizon of glory.

I saw my gaze in the horizon of highness as a star.

وكان قَدْماً ذَوُو الأَقدارِ لي خَدما

وكان قَدْماً ذَوُو الأَقدارِ لي خَدما

فصرتُ منه أَرَى الأَقدار لي خَدما

فصرتُ منه أَرَى الأَقدار لي خَدما

And formerly, men of rank were my servants;

The feet of the powerful used to serve me,

so through him I came to see the fates themselves as my servants.

So I became one who sees the powers serving me.

يأَيُّها الفاضلُ الصِّديق منطقُه

يأَيُّها الفاضلُ الصِّديق منطقُه

إِنِّي عَتيقُكَ والمقصودُ قَدْ فُهِما

إِنِّي عَتيقُكَ والمقصودُ قَدْ فُهِما

O excellent one, whose speech is wholly truthful,

O excellent sincere friend whose speech

I am your freedman, and the meaning has been understood.

I comprehend, and the purpose is understood.

أَعَدْتَ للعبدِ لما جئتَ عائِدَهُ

أَعَدْتَ للعبدِ لما جئتَ عائِدَهُ

رُوحاً وأَهلكتَ من حُسَّاده أُمَمَا

رُوحاً وأَهلكتَ من حُسَّاده أُمَمَا

You restored to your servant, when you came to visit him,

You have restored for the slave when you returned to him

life, and destroyed whole nations of his enviers.

A spirit and destroyed for him enemies utterly.

تركتهمْ ليَ حُساداً على سَقَمِي

تركتهمْ ليَ حُساداً على سَقَمِي

وكَمْ تمنَّوْا لي الأَدْواءَ والسَّقَمَا

وكَمْ تمنَّوْا لي الأَدْواءَ والسَّقَمَا

You left them envying me for my sickness,

You left for me envious enemies in my infirmity,

and how often they had wished diseases and sickness upon me!

And how they wished for me maladies and sickness!

فقلتُ ما بي إِليهم ثم قُلْتَ لهُم

فقلتُ ما بي إِليهم ثم قُلْتَ لهُم

لا تَسْلمُوا إِنَّ هذا العبدَ قد سَلِمَا

لا تَسْلمُوا إِنَّ هذا العبدَ قد سَلِمَا

So I said, ‘Let what ails me pass to them’; then you told them,

So I said, I have nothing to do with them, then You said to them:

‘May you not be well! This servant has recovered.’

Do not wish safety, for this slave is safe.

تفضُّلٌ منك أَعْلَى بينهم قِيمي

تفضُّلٌ منك أَعْلَى بينهم قِيمي

ومِنَّةٌ منكَ أَعْلَتْ فوقَهُم قِمَمَا

ومِنَّةٌ منكَ أَعْلَتْ فوقَهُم قِمَمَا

A favor from you raised my worth among them,

A favor from You raised my value among them,

and a benefaction from you raised summits above them.

And a blessing from You raised it above them to the highest point.

هبْلي من القول ما أُثني عيك بِه

هبْلي من القول ما أُثني عيك بِه

بُخْلاً فإِنَّك قد أَهلكتَني كَرَما

بُخْلاً فإِنَّك قد أَهلكتَني كَرَما

Grant me words with which to praise you,

Grant me some words to praise you with them, stingily,

out of stinginess, for you have destroyed me with generosity.

For You have destroyed me, O Most Generous!

شُكْرِي لِنُعْمَاك دَيْنٌ لي أَدِينُ به

شُكْرِي لِنُعْمَاك دَيْنٌ لي أَدِينُ به

والكُفْرُ عِنْدِيَ أَن أَشْكُرَ النِّعما

والكُفْرُ عِنْدِيَ أَن أَشْكُرَ النِّعما

My gratitude for your favor is a debt I embrace as faith;

My gratitude for Your blessings is a debt I owe,

and, to me, my thanking the favors is unbelief.

And ingratitude with me is to thank for the blessings.