يا ثالِثَ العُمَرينِ عِلْماً

يا ثالِثَ العُمَرينِ عِلْماً

أَنا ثالثُ الخصريْنِ سُقْماً

أَنا ثالثُ الخصريْنِ سُقْماً

O third of the two ʿUmars in learning,

O third of the two lives in knowledge,

I am the third of the two waists in sickness.

While I am third of the two waists in sickness,

أأَكون عبدَكَ ثم يقـ

أأَكون عبدَكَ ثم يقـ

ـتُلني الهوَى جَوْراً وظُلْما

ـتُلني الهوَى جَوْراً وظُلْما

Am I to be your servant, then be killed

Shall I be your servant, then slayed

by passion, cruelly and unjustly?

By passion unjustly and oppressively?

وأَظلُّ باسْمِك في الهوَى

وأَظلُّ باسْمِك في الهوَى

وأَضِلُ من كَلَفِي بأَسْما

وأَضِلُ من كَلَفِي بأَسْما

And remain in love under your name,

And remain in your name in passion

yet go astray through my infatuation with Asmāʾ?

And go astray from my burdens in your name?

وتكونُ دِرْعِي ثُم تُنـ

وتكونُ دِرْعِي ثُم تُنـ

ـفِذُ فيَّ بالأَلحاظِ سَهْما

ـفِذُ فيَّ بالأَلحاظِ سَهْما

And you are my shield, yet then drive

You will be my shield, then pierce

an arrow through me with your glances.

Me with glances like arrows.

فلِحُسْنِ خطِّك قد رشقـ

فلِحُسْنِ خطِّك قد رشقـ

ـت لها على الخدين وسما

ـت لها على الخدين وسما

For the beauty of your cheek-down, I have cast

For the beauty of your writing I was

a mark for her upon both cheeks.

Wounded on the cheeks with a mark.

في نظم ثغرك قد نظمـ

في نظم ثغرك قد نظمـ

ـتُ لها علَى الثَّغرين نَظْما

ـتُ لها علَى الثَّغرين نَظْما

Of the array of your mouth, I have composed

In the rhythm of your mouth I composed

verse for her on the two mouths.

For her on the mouths a composition.

والحقُّ أَنِّي قد حَسَمـ

والحقُّ أَنِّي قد حَسَمـ

ـتُ صبابَتي عن ظَبى حَسْمَى

ـتُ صبابَتي عن ظَبى حَسْمَى

Yet the truth is that I have cut off

Indeed I have decided my youth

my yearning for the gazelle of Ḥismā.

From the antelope decisively.

وسَبرتُ عَزْمَ العِشْقِ فيه

وسَبرتُ عَزْمَ العِشْقِ فيه

فلم أَجِدْ لِلْعِشْقِ عَزْما

فلم أَجِدْ لِلْعِشْقِ عَزْما

And I tested love's resolve in him,

And I probed the will of love in it

but found no resolve in love.

But did not find for love any will.

وفرغتُ منه تَسلِّياً

وفرغتُ منه تَسلِّياً

وشُغلتُ منكَ بِكُلِّ نُعمى

وشُغلتُ منكَ بِكُلِّ نُعمى

And I was done with it, finding consolation,

And I was done with it consolingly

and was occupied with every blessing from you.

And I was busy from you with all my bliss.

ووجدتُ وصفَ علاكَ أَحـ

ووجدتُ وصفَ علاكَ أَحـ

ـلَى من مَراشِف كُلِّ أَلْمَى

ـلَى من مَراشِف كُلِّ أَلْمَى

And I found describing your loftiness sweeter

And I found the description of your eminence

than the lips of every dark-lipped beloved.

Sweeter than the pillows of all my pain.

أَنت الَّذِي قهر المما

أَنت الَّذِي قهر المما

لك كلَّها بأساً وحَزْما

لك كلَّها بأساً وحَزْما

You are the one who subdued the kingdoms,

You are the one who conquered the kings

all of them, with might and resolve.

All with might and resolve.

أَنتَ الَّذي سَادَ الملو

أَنتَ الَّذي سَادَ الملو

كَ وسَاسَها رأْياً وحُكْما

كَ وسَاسَها رأْياً وحُكْما

You are the one who surpassed the kings

You are the one who ruled the countries

and governed them with counsel and judgment.

And guided them with view and wisdom.

أَنتَ الَّذِي نال السما

أَنتَ الَّذِي نال السما

ءَ وحازها قدراً وعِظْما

ءَ وحازها قدراً وعِظْما

You are the one who reached the sky

You are the one who attained the sky

and claimed it through rank and greatness.

And attained it with destiny and greatness.

أَنت الَّذِي أَفْنى عِدا

أَنت الَّذِي أَفْنى عِدا

ه بِسَطوةٍ رغْماً وعزْماً

ه بِسَطوةٍ رغْماً وعزْماً

You are the one who annihilated his foes

You are the one who destroyed the enemies

with might, compulsion, and resolve.

With might, despitefully and resolutely.

أَنْتَ الَّذِي حازَ النّجو

أَنْتَ الَّذِي حازَ النّجو

مَ جميعَها نَجْماً فنجماً

مَ جميعَها نَجْماً فنجماً

You are the one who possessed the stars,

You are the one who attained all the stars,

all of them, star after star.

Star by star.

أَنتَ الَّذِي شقَّ العلو

أَنتَ الَّذِي شقَّ العلو

مَ وخاضَها عِلْماً فَعِلْما

مَ وخاضَها عِلْماً فَعِلْما

You are the one who cut through the sciences

You are the one who split the sciences

and plunged into them, science after science.

And delved into them, science by science.

أَنتَ الَّذِي قد كادَ عُظْـ

أَنتَ الَّذِي قد كادَ عُظْـ

ـمُ جلالِه أَن لا يُسمَّى

ـمُ جلالِه أَن لا يُسمَّى

You are the one whose vast

You are the one whose tremendous

majesty has all but passed beyond naming.

Glory almost cannot be named.

دانَت لَك الدُّنْيا وأَصـ

دانَت لَك الدُّنْيا وأَصـ

ـبَح حربُها بيدَيْكَ سِلْما

ـبَح حربُها بيدَيْكَ سِلْما

The world submitted to you, and

The world has surrendered to you

its warfare became peace in your hands.

And its war has become in your hands peace.

وغَدا قريباً كلُّ من

وغَدا قريباً كلُّ من

تزَحٍ وصُغْرى كُلِّ عُظْمى

تزَحٍ وصُغْرى كُلِّ عُظْمى

And all that was far off grew near,

And everything insignificant and small

and every great thing became small.

Has become near all my greatness.

وغدوتَ في ذَا الدَّهرِ رو

وغدوتَ في ذَا الدَّهرِ رو

حاً إِذ جعلتَ الدَّهر جِسْما

حاً إِذ جعلتَ الدَّهر جِسْما

And you became a soul within this age,

And you have become in this time a spirit

as you made the age a body.

Since you have made time a body.

وعَلِمْتَ ما سيكون فِكـ

وعَلِمْتَ ما سيكون فِكـ

ـراً صائِباً وذَكاً وفَهْماً

ـراً صائِباً وذَكاً وفَهْماً

And you knew what would come to pass, through thought

And you knew what would be

unerring, and through intelligence and understanding.

Thought, hitting and understanding.

وكفيتَ كلَّ مُهمَّةٍ

وكفيتَ كلَّ مُهمَّةٍ

فكفاك ربُّك ما أَهمَّا

فكفاك ربُّك ما أَهمَّا

And you took care of every pressing task;

And you sufficed every worry

so may your Lord spare you whatever troubles you.

So your Lord sufficed you from what worries.

وأَريْتَنَا منكَ السحا

وأَريْتَنَا منكَ السحا

ئبَ ثرَّةً والبدرَ تِمَّا

ئبَ ثرَّةً والبدرَ تِمَّا

And you showed us in yourself the clouds,

And you showed us your miracles

abundant with rain, and the moon at its fullness.

Copiously, and the full moon complete.

كم مُعْجِزٍ لكَ باهرٍ

كم مُعْجِزٍ لكَ باهرٍ

من لا يراهُ فَهْو أَعْمى

من لا يراهُ فَهْو أَعْمى

How many a dazzling miracle is yours!

How many evident, dazzling miracle

Whoever does not see it is blind.

Whoever does not see it, he is blind.

وأَنلْتَنا منك النوا

وأَنلْتَنا منك النوا

ل معجَّلا والعِزَّ ضَخْما

ل معجَّلا والعِزَّ ضَخْما

And you granted us your bounty

And you brought us from you victory

at once, and honor in abundance,

Quick, and ample honor.

والوجْهَ طَلْقاً والعلا

والوجْهَ طَلْقاً والعلا

ءَ مجسَّداً والفخْرَ فَخْماً

ءَ مجسَّداً والفخْرَ فَخْماً

and a cheerful face, and loftiness

And the face bright, and sublime embodied,

embodied, and glory in its grandeur.

And the pride enormous.

وادْخُل إِلى جنَّاتِه

وادْخُل إِلى جنَّاتِه

فإِذا رأَيْتَ رأَيْتَ ثَمَّا

فإِذا رأَيْتَ رأَيْتَ ثَمَّا

And enter his gardens;

And enter His paradises

then, when you look, you will see there.

So when you see you will see bliss.

وانظر عِداه تجِدْهُمُ

وانظر عِداه تجِدْهُمُ

صَرْعى به قَتْلاً وهَزْما

صَرْعى به قَتْلاً وهَزْما

And look at his foes: you will find them

And look at His enemies you will find them

struck down by him, slain and routed.

Slain by it, killing and defeat.

أَكلَتْهُم الدُّنيا فطا

أَكلَتْهُم الدُّنيا فطا

بَ لها لحومُ القومِ طَعْمَا

بَ لها لحومُ القومِ طَعْمَا

The world devoured them, and

The world has eaten them and so

the flesh of those men was sweet to its taste.

The flesh of the people was tasty to it.

وبها قد اهْتَضَمُوا فلا

وبها قد اهْتَضَمُوا فلا

يَستغْرِبِ المأكولُ هَضْماً

يَستغْرِبِ المأكولُ هَضْماً

And in it they had wronged others, so let not

And through it they have been digested so

the devoured marvel at being digested.

The eaten should not wonder at digestion.

ما في عِداهُ جميعِهم

ما في عِداهُ جميعِهم

إِلا مُصابُ العقل مُصْمَى

إِلا مُصابُ العقل مُصْمَى

There is none among all his foes

Among all His enemies

but is stricken in mind and mortally wounded.

Is none but the ones whose minds are blind.

عمَّوْا مُرادَهمُ فكا

عمَّوْا مُرادَهمُ فكا

ن الصَّفْعُ تَفْسيرَ المُعمَّى

ن الصَّفْعُ تَفْسيرَ المُعمَّى

They obscured their intent, so

Their purpose has been blinded so

slapping became the explanation of the riddle.

The slap was interpretation of the blind.

أَصفيَّ دينِ الله يا

أَصفيَّ دينِ الله يا

أَسْنَى الوَرى قدْراً وَأَسْمَى

أَسْنَى الوَرى قدْراً وَأَسْمَى

O chosen one of God's faith, O

Purify, O finest of creation, the religion of God,

most splendid of mortals in rank, and loftiest!

In destiny and name.

يا من يُرينا القولَ جزْ

يا من يُرينا القولَ جزْ

لاً مُحكَماً والأَمرَ جَزْما

لاً مُحكَماً والأَمرَ جَزْما

O you who show us forceful speech,

O you who show us the saying distinctly

well-crafted, and decisive command!

Decisive and the command resolutely.

قَدمت مِن شوقِي لأَن

قَدمت مِن شوقِي لأَن

أُفْنِي ثَرى قدمَيْكَ لَثْما

أُفْنِي ثَرى قدمَيْكَ لَثْما

I have come, out of longing, to

I have come from my passion

wear away the dust at your feet with kisses,

To kiss the ground of your feet fervently.

َسُرُّ قلباً قد تعذَّ

َسُرُّ قلباً قد تعذَّ

بَ بالفراقِ أَسىً وهَمَّا

بَ بالفراقِ أَسىً وهَمَّا

gladden a heart that has been tormented

It would gladden a heart that has suffered

by separation, with sorrow and care,

From separation, misery and worry.

وأُزيلُ غَمّاً قَدْ تَكَا

وأُزيلُ غَمّاً قَدْ تَكَا

ثَفَ في نَواحِيهِ وَعَمَّا

ثَفَ في نَواحِيهِ وَعَمَّا

and dispel a grief that has grown thick

And I would remove a sorrow that has piled up

in its recesses and spread everywhere,

In its sides and spread.

وأَرى سحابَك لا جَها

وأَرى سحابَك لا جَها

ماً والمُحيَّا ليس جَهْماً

ماً والمُحيَّا ليس جَهْماً

and see your cloud—not rainless—

And I see your clouds without fog

and your face, not grim,

And the living is not dead.

وأَرى بجلِّقَ إِذ أَتا

وأَرى بجلِّقَ إِذ أَتا

كَ المالُ مثلَ الماءِ جَمَّا

كَ المالُ مثلَ الماءِ جَمَّا

and see in Jilliq, when it came

And I see that when property came to you

to you, wealth as plentiful as water.

It was like ample water.

لم ينكَتِمْ شوقي إِليكَ

لم ينكَتِمْ شوقي إِليكَ

وهل يُطيق المسكُ كَتْما

وهل يُطيق المسكُ كَتْما

My longing for you did not stay concealed;

My passion for you has not been concealed

and can musk endure concealment?

And how can musk conceal its fragrance?

إِني أُؤمِّل أَن أَكو

إِني أُؤمِّل أَن أَكو

نَ أَجلَّ مَنْ وَالاَك قَسْما

نَ أَجلَّ مَنْ وَالاَك قَسْما

I hope that I may be

I wish I would be more loyal

the one with the greatest share among those loyal to you,

Than he who makes oaths to you.

وأُرى وَسيما حين تصـ

وأُرى وَسيما حين تصـ

ـنَعُ لي من الإِنْعام وسْما

ـنَعُ لي من الإِنْعام وسْما

and be seen as handsome when you make

And I see it as beautiful when you

for me a mark of gracious favor.

Prepare for me gifts and favors.

ولقد عَطِشتُ إِلى ندى

ولقد عَطِشتُ إِلى ندى

كفيكَ يا بحراً خِضَمّاً

كفيكَ يا بحراً خِضَمّاً

And I have indeed thirsted for the dew

And I have thirsted for the drink

of your two palms, O vast sea!

Of your palms, O brimming sea.

وأَنا وليّكُم فَلِمْ

وأَنا وليّكُم فَلِمْ

يُروى عدوُّكُم وأَظْمَا

يُروى عدوُّكُم وأَظْمَا

And I am your loyal friend—so why

And I am your patron, so why

is your enemy given drink, while I thirst?

Should your enemy be quenched and I thirsty?