صُنْ ناظِراً مُتَرَقِّباً لَكَ أَنْ تُرى

صُنْ ناظِراً مُتَرَقِّباً لَكَ أَنْ تُرى

فَلَقَدْ كَفى مِنْ دَمْعِهِ ما قدْ جَرى

فَلَقَدْ كَفى مِنْ دَمْعِهِ ما قدْ جَرى

Spare an eye awaiting the sight of you;

Be my watcher, waiting for you to be seen

for enough of its tears have already flowed.

For your tears have already flowed enough

يا مَنْ حَكى فِي الحُسْنِ صُورَةَ يوسُفٌ

يا مَنْ حَكى فِي الحُسْنِ صُورَةَ يوسُفٌ

آهٍ لَوَ أَنَّكَ مِثْلَ يُوسُفَ تُشْتَرى

آهٍ لَوَ أَنَّكَ مِثْلَ يُوسُفَ تُشْتَرى

O you who resemble Yusuf's image in beauty,

O you who told the tale of Joseph's beauty

ah, if only you, like Yusuf, could be bought!

Alas, if only you could be bought like Joseph

تَعْشُو العُيونُ لِخَدِّهِ فَيَرُدُّها

تَعْشُو العُيونُ لِخَدِّهِ فَيَرُدُّها

وَيَقولُ لَيْسَتْ هذهِ نارَ القِرَى

وَيَقولُ لَيْسَتْ هذهِ نارَ القِرَى

Eyes seek the light of his cheek, but he turns them away,

The eyes feast on his cheek, so he turns them away

and says, 'This is no fire of hospitality.'

And says, "This is not the fire of the villages."

يا قاتَلَ اللَّهُ الجمالَ فَإنهُ

يا قاتَلَ اللَّهُ الجمالَ فَإنهُ

ما زالَ يَصْحَبُ باخِلاً مُتَجَبِّرا

ما زالَ يَصْحَبُ باخِلاً مُتَجَبِّرا

Ah, may God confound beauty, for it

O killer of beauty, for it

has never ceased to accompany a miserly tyrant.

Has remained accompanying a miserly tyrant

يا غُصْنَ بانٍ فِي نَقا رَمْلٍ لَقَدْ

يا غُصْنَ بانٍ فِي نَقا رَمْلٍ لَقَدْ

أَبْدَعَتْ إِذْ أَثْمَرْتَ بَدْراً نَيِّرَا

أَبْدَعَتْ إِذْ أَثْمَرْتَ بَدْراً نَيِّرَا

O bough of a ban-tree upon a sandy dune, you have indeed

O branch of a lofty date palm in polished sands

worked wonders when you bore a radiant full moon.

You have excelled by bearing a shining full moon

ما ضَرَّ طَيْفَكَ لَو أكونُ مَكانَهُ

ما ضَرَّ طَيْفَكَ لَو أكونُ مَكانَهُ

فَقَدِ اشْتَبَهْنا فِي السَّقامِ فَما نُرى

فَقَدِ اشْتَبَهْنا فِي السَّقامِ فَما نُرى

What harm would it do your phantom if I were in its place?

Your phantom wouldn't harm me if I were in its place

For we are alike in wasting sickness, so we cannot be seen.

For we are equal in sickness, neither seen

أتُرى لأَيَّامي بِوَصْلِكَ عَودَةٌ

أتُرى لأَيَّامي بِوَصْلِكَ عَودَةٌ

وَلَوْ أَنَّها فِي بَعْضِ أَحلامِ الكَرَى

وَلَوْ أَنَّها فِي بَعْضِ أَحلامِ الكَرَى

Might my days of union with you return,

Will there be a return of my days with your union

even if that return were only in some dreams of slumber?

Even if only in some fanciful dreams

زَمَناً شَرِبْتُ زَلالَ وَصْلِكَ صافِياً

زَمَناً شَرِبْتُ زَلالَ وَصْلِكَ صافِياً

وَجَنَيْتُ رَوْضَ رِضاكَ أَخْضَرَ مُثْمِرا

وَجَنَيْتُ رَوْضَ رِضاكَ أَخْضَرَ مُثْمِرا

For a time I drank the pure, clear water of union with you,

Once I drank the pure draft of your company

and harvested the garden of your favor, green and fruitful.

And reaped the verdant fruits of your pleasure

مَلَكَتْكَ فِيهِ يَدِي فَحينَ فَتَحْتُها

مَلَكَتْكَ فِيهِ يَدِي فَحينَ فَتَحْتُها

لَمْ أَلْقَ إلاَّ حَسْرَةً وَتَفَكُّرَا

لَمْ أَلْقَ إلاَّ حَسْرَةً وَتَفَكُّرَا

My hand held you then; but when I opened it,

My hands grasped it, but when I opened them

I found nothing but regret and reflection.

I found nothing but sorrow and contemplation

لِي مُقْلَةٌ مُذْ غَابَ عَنْها بَدْرُها

لِي مُقْلَةٌ مُذْ غَابَ عَنْها بَدْرُها

تَرْعى مَنازِلَهُ عَساها أنْ تُرَى

تَرْعى مَنازِلَهُ عَساها أنْ تُرَى

I have an eye that, since its full moon vanished from it,

I have an eye that, since its full moon set from it

watches his stations, hoping to be seen.

Grazes his dwellings, hoping it will see him

لَوْلا انْسِكابُ دُموعِها وَدِمائِها

لَوْلا انْسِكابُ دُموعِها وَدِمائِها

ما كُنْتُ بَيْنَ الْعاشِقِينَ مُشَهَّرا

ما كُنْتُ بَيْنَ الْعاشِقِينَ مُشَهَّرا

Were it not for the outpouring of its tears and blood,

Were it not for the outpouring of its tears and blood

I would not have been famous among lovers.

I would not be famed among lovers

فَكَأنَّما هِيَ كَفُّ موسى كُلَّما

فَكَأنَّما هِيَ كَفُّ موسى كُلَّما

نَثَرَ اللُّجَيْنَ أَوِ النُّضارَ الأحْمَرا

نَثَرَ اللُّجَيْنَ أَوِ النُّضارَ الأحْمَرا

So it is like Musa's palm whenever

It is as if it were Moses' palm, whenever

he scatters silver or pure red gold.

It casts pearls or red sandalwood

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الْعَظيمَ لأِنَّني

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الْعَظيمَ لأِنَّني

شَبَّهْتُ بِالنَّزْرِ الْقّليلِ الأكْثَرَا

شَبَّهْتُ بِالنَّزْرِ الْقّليلِ الأكْثَرَا

I seek forgiveness from God the Almighty, because I

I beg forgiveness of God Almighty because

have likened the more abundant to the scant and little.

I compared the little with the much

مَلِكٌ تَوَقَّدَ سَيفُهُ وَجَرى دماً

مَلِكٌ تَوَقَّدَ سَيفُهُ وَجَرى دماً

فَعَجِبْتُ لِلنِّيرانِ تَطْفَحُ أَبْحُرا

فَعَجِبْتُ لِلنِّيرانِ تَطْفَحُ أَبْحُرا

A king whose sword blazed and flowed with blood,

A king whose sword blazed and blood flowed

so I marveled at fires overflowing as seas.

Yet I marveled that fires erupt oceans

كَلِفٌ بِقَدِّ الرُّمْحِ أَهْيَفَ أَسْمِرا

كَلِفٌ بِقَدِّ الرُّمْحِ أَهْيَفَ أَسْمِرا

وَبِحَدِّ نَصْلِ السَّيْفِ أَبْيَضَ أَحْمَرَا

وَبِحَدِّ نَصْلِ السَّيْفِ أَبْيَضَ أَحْمَرَا

Enamored of the spear's stature, slender and brown,

A dark-skinned warrior with the spear's blow

and of the sword-blade's edge, white and red.

And a ruddy white with the sword's blade

مِنْ مَعْشَرٍ فَخَرَتْ أَوائِلُهُمْ بِهِ

مِنْ مَعْشَرٍ فَخَرَتْ أَوائِلُهُمْ بِهِ

كَفَخارِ آدَمَ بِالنَّبيِّ مُؤَخَّرَا

كَفَخارِ آدَمَ بِالنَّبيِّ مُؤَخَّرَا

From a people whose forebears took pride in him,

Of a people whose early ones were felled by it

as Adam took pride in the Prophet who came after him.

Like the creation of Adam by the latter prophet

تَنْبُو الْمَسامِعُ عَنْ مَديحِ سِواهُمُ

تَنْبُو الْمَسامِعُ عَنْ مَديحِ سِواهُمُ

إِذْ كانَ أَكْثَرُهُ حَديثاَ يُفْتَرَى

إِذْ كانَ أَكْثَرُهُ حَديثاَ يُفْتَرَى

Ears recoil from praise of anyone but them,

Ears turn away from praising others

for most of it is fabricated talk.

When most of it is fabricated tales

بيضُ الأيادي حُمْرُ أطْرافِ القَنا

بيضُ الأيادي حُمْرُ أطْرافِ القَنا

سودُ العَجاجِ تَحِلُّ رَبْعاً أخْضَرَا

سودُ العَجاجِ تَحِلُّ رَبْعاً أخْضَرَا

Their hands are white, their spear-tips red,

White hands, red fingertips, black kohl

their dust-clouds black; they dwell in a green abode.

Adorn a cheek with verdant color

الإِنْسُ تُهْدَى لِلْقِرى بِدُخانِهِ

الإِنْسُ تُهْدَى لِلْقِرى بِدُخانِهِ

وَالْوَحْشُ تَشْبِعُ حَيْثُ يَعْقِدُ عِثْيَرَا

وَالْوَحْشُ تَشْبِعُ حَيْثُ يَعْقِدُ عِثْيَرَا

People are guided to hospitality by its smoke,

People are guided to villages by its smoke

and wild beasts eat their fill where he raises a cloud of dust.

And beasts are fed wherever it knots a braid

فَإِذْا حَبا مَلأَ الْمَنازِلَ نِعْمَةً

فَإِذْا حَبا مَلأَ الْمَنازِلَ نِعْمَةً

وَإِذْا سَطا مَلأَ الْبَسِيطَةَ عَسْكَرَا

وَإِذْا سَطا مَلأَ الْبَسِيطَةَ عَسْكَرَا

So when he gives, he fills homes with bounty,

When it loved, it filled homes with bounty

and when he attacks, he fills the earth with troops.

And when it raged, it filled the plain with armies

مَنَعَ الْغَوادي بِاشْتِباكِ رِماحِهِ

مَنَعَ الْغَوادي بِاشْتِباكِ رِماحِهِ

عَنْ تُرْبِهِ وَسَقاهُ غَيْثاً أحْمَرا

عَنْ تُرْبِهِ وَسَقاهُ غَيْثاً أحْمَرا

With his interlocking spears he barred the morning showers

It forbade the valiant, by the clashing of spears

from his soil, and watered it with red rain.

From its soil, and watered it with red rain

فَلِذاكَ أثْمَر أَيدِياً وَجَماجِماً

فَلِذاكَ أثْمَر أَيدِياً وَجَماجِماً

وَقَناً بِلَبَّاتِ الرِّجال مُكسَّرَا

وَقَناً بِلَبَّاتِ الرِّجال مُكسَّرَا

Thus it bore hands and skulls as fruit,

Thus it produced hands and skulls

and spears shattered against men's upper chests.

And spears that smashed the ribs of men

يَقْظٌ حفِيظُ القَلْبِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ

يَقْظٌ حفِيظُ القَلْبِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ

يَنْسَى مَكارمَهُ إِذْا ما كَرَّرَا

يَنْسَى مَكارمَهُ إِذْا ما كَرَّرَا

Alert, with a retentive heart—except that he

Alert, keeping safe the heart, though

forgets his generous deeds whenever he repeats them.

It forgets its virtues when it is repeated

مَعْسُولُ أَطْرافِ الْحَديثِ كَأَنَّما

مَعْسُولُ أَطْرافِ الْحَديثِ كَأَنَّما

يَسْقي الْمَسامِعَ مُسْكِراً أوْ سُكَّرَا

يَسْقي الْمَسامِعَ مُسْكِراً أوْ سُكَّرَا

Honeyed are the turns of his speech, as though

Smooth in conversation, as if

he gives the ears an intoxicating drink or sugar.

Plying ears with wine or sugar

إَنّي لأُقْسِمُ لَوْ تَجَسَّدَ لَفْظُهُ

إَنّي لأُقْسِمُ لَوْ تَجَسَّدَ لَفْظُهُ

أَنِفَتْ نُحُورُ الْغانِيَاتِ الْجَوْهَرَا

أَنِفَتْ نُحُورُ الْغانِيَاتِ الْجَوْهَرَا

I swear indeed: were his words to take bodily form,

Truly, I swear, if its words took form

the necks of beautiful women would disdain jewels.

The gazelles' throats would ache from its jewels

لَوْ كانَ فِي الزَّمَنِ القَديمِ مُخاطِباً

لَوْ كانَ فِي الزَّمَنِ القَديمِ مُخاطِباً

لِلنَّاسِ لَمْ يُبْعَثْ رَسُولٌ لِلْوَرى

لِلنَّاسِ لَمْ يُبْعَثْ رَسُولٌ لِلْوَرى

Had he been speaking in ancient times

If in ancient times it addressed people

to the people, no messenger would have been sent to humankind.

No messenger would be sent to mankind

وَدَلِيلُهُ الْكُرْجُ الَّذينَ بِرَبِّهِمْ

وَدَلِيلُهُ الْكُرْجُ الَّذينَ بِرَبِّهِمْ

كَفَرُوا وَفَضْلُكَ بيْنَهُمْ لَنْ يَكْفَرا

كَفَرُوا وَفَضْلُكَ بيْنَهُمْ لَنْ يَكْفَرا

And its proof is the Georgians, who in their Lord

Its proof is the infidels by their Lord

disbelieved; yet your excellence among them will never be denied.

Whom your grace will never cover

حَجُّوا لِقَصْرِكَ مِثْلَ قُبَّةِ قُدْسِهِمْ

حَجُّوا لِقَصْرِكَ مِثْلَ قُبَّةِ قُدْسِهِمْ

وَرَأوْكَ فِيها كالْمَسِيحِ مُصَوَّرا

وَرَأوْكَ فِيها كالْمَسِيحِ مُصَوَّرا

They made pilgrimage to your palace as to the dome of their holy sanctuary,

They performed pilgrimage to your palace like their sacred dome

and saw you within it like the Messiah portrayed.

And saw you in it like the Messiah depicted

فَهُنالِكَ الْمَلِكُ الْعَظيمُ مُعَفِّرٌ

فَهُنالِكَ الْمَلِكُ الْعَظيمُ مُعَفِّرٌ

وَجْهاً يَخالُ التُّرْبَ مِسْكاً أَذْفرَا

وَجْهاً يَخالُ التُّرْبَ مِسْكاً أَذْفرَا

So there the great king rubs

There the supreme king, his face dust-covered

his face in the dust, deeming the earth intensely fragrant musk.

Resembling dirt more than fragrant musk

حَجَبَتْكَ أَنْوارُ الْمَهابَةِ عَنْهُمُ

حَجَبَتْكَ أَنْوارُ الْمَهابَةِ عَنْهُمُ

فَلِذاكَ أَعْيُنُهُمْ تَراكَ وَلا تَرَى

فَلِذاكَ أَعْيُنُهُمْ تَراكَ وَلا تَرَى

The lights of majesty have veiled you from them,

The lights of awe veiled you from them

so their eyes see you, and yet do not see.

Thus their eyes see you but do not see

كَمْ ناظِرٍ أَرْشَدْتَ لَيْلَةَ صَوْمِنا

كَمْ ناظِرٍ أَرْشَدْتَ لَيْلَةَ صَوْمِنا

قَدْ كانَ فِي جَوِّ السَّماءِ مُحَيَّرَا

قَدْ كانَ فِي جَوِّ السَّماءِ مُحَيَّرَا

How many a watcher you guided on the night of our fast,

How many gazers you guided on our fast night

who had been bewildered in the expanse of the sky.

Confused in the sky's expanse

يا ناظِرينَ إلى هِلالٍ مانِعٍ

يا ناظِرينَ إلى هِلالٍ مانِعٍ

لِلزَّادِ موسى الْبَدْرُ مَبْذُولُ الْقِرى

لِلزَّادِ موسى الْبَدْرُ مَبْذُولُ الْقِرى

O gazers at a crescent that forbids

O gazers upon a crescent moon, preventing

food—Musa is the full moon whose hospitality is freely offered.

Sustenance, the full moon is free with its villages

رَمَضان ضَيْفٌ سارَ حَوْلاً كامِلاً

رَمَضان ضَيْفٌ سارَ حَوْلاً كامِلاً

حَتَّى رَآكَ مُسَلّماً فَاسْتَبْشَرَا

حَتَّى رَآكَ مُسَلّماً فَاسْتَبْشَرَا

Ramadan is a guest who traveled for a whole year,

Ramadan, a guest who went about completely

until he saw you offering greetings, and rejoiced.

Until he saw you submitting, and rejoiced

وَافاكَ مُبْتَهِجاً بِبِرِّكَ وَالتُّقى

وَافاكَ مُبْتَهِجاً بِبِرِّكَ وَالتُّقى

وَمَضى لِمَا أوْلَيْتَهُ مُتَشَكِّرا

وَمَضى لِمَا أوْلَيْتَهُ مُتَشَكِّرا

He came to you delighted by your goodness and piety,

He came to you cheerful with your righteousness and piety

and departed grateful for what you had bestowed upon him.

And left thanking you for what you granted him

فَتَهَنَّ عيداً أَنْتَ حَقّاً عِيدُهُ

فَتَهَنَّ عيداً أَنْتَ حَقّاً عِيدُهُ

يا خَيْرَ مَن صَلَّى وَصامَ وَأفْطَرَا

يا خَيْرَ مَن صَلَّى وَصامَ وَأفْطَرَا

So rejoice in an Eid whose true Eid is you,

Celebrate a feast, you who truly fasted, prayed, and broke fast

O best of those who have prayed, fasted, and broken their fast!

O best of those who prayed, fasted, and broke fast