أنت على حالتيك محمودُ

أنت على حالتيك محمودُ

إن كان بخلٌ لديك أو جودُ

إن كان بخلٌ لديك أو جودُ

You are praised in both your states,

You are praiseworthy in your condition

whether you show stinginess or generosity.

Whether you are stingy or generous

يشقَى ويرضَى بك الفؤادُ كما الطَّ

يشقَى ويرضَى بك الفؤادُ كما الطَّ

رفُ إذا ما رآك مسعودُ

رفُ إذا ما رآك مسعودُ

The heart suffers and is content with you, just as

The heart becomes miserable or happy with you

the eye is blessed whenever it sees you.

Just as the feather when prosperous saw you

يا غُصُناً دهرهُ الربيعُ فما

يا غُصُناً دهرهُ الربيعُ فما

يفترقُ الماءُ فيه والعودُ

يفترقُ الماءُ فيه والعودُ

O bough whose lifetime is spring—never

O branch whose spring remained

are water and wood parted within you.

The water does not separate from it or the stick

فات بك الحسنُ أن تُحَدَّ ولل

فات بك الحسنُ أن تُحَدَّ ولل

بدر بما انحطّ عنك تحديدُ

بدر بما انحطّ عنك تحديدُ

In you, beauty exceeds all bounds; the

Your beauty went beyond being bounded

full moon has limits, for it falls short of you.

And the full moon has diminished compared to you

قم حدّث الليلَ عن أواخره

قم حدّث الليلَ عن أواخره

إن مَقامَ الصبوح مشهودُ

إن مَقامَ الصبوح مشهودُ

Rise, tell the night about its last hours;

Stay up, tell the night about its end

indeed, the morning-wine gathering is well attended.

For the morning gathering is witnessed

يا ظبيُ لو بتَّ فيه عدتَ وقد

يا ظبيُ لو بتَّ فيه عدتَ وقد

عَنَّ ظباءٌ ببابلٍ غيدُ

عَنَّ ظباءٌ ببابلٍ غيدُ

O gazelle, had you spent the night there, you would have returned after

O gazelle, if you stayed in it and gazelles from Babylon have left

graceful gazelles had appeared in Babylon.

A place that was once flourishing

أما ترى الفِطرَ صائحاً نَوِرزُوا

أما ترى الفِطرَ صائحاً نَوِرزُوا

حَلَّ حرامٌ وانحلَّ معقودُ

حَلَّ حرامٌ وانحلَّ معقودُ

Do you not see Eid al-Fitr crying, 'Celebrate Nowruz!'

Do you not see the partridges crying out "Set out!"

The forbidden is permitted, and the knotted is untied.

Sanctity has ended and what was forbidden is now allowed

والبدر يدعو بحاجبٍ حاجبٍ

والبدر يدعو بحاجبٍ حاجبٍ

للعيدِ بشرَى هنالك العيدُ

للعيدِ بشرَى هنالك العيدُ

And the full moon beckons with a veiling brow

And the full moon calls out with eyebrows "Eyebrows!"

to the feast: glad tidings! There is the feast.

Announcing the feast, for the feast is there

فاسبق بها الشمسَ أختَها لهباً

فاسبق بها الشمسَ أختَها لهباً

بقاؤها في الزمان تخليدُ

بقاؤها في الزمان تخليدُ

So with her, outstrip the sun, her sister in flame;

So precede its sister sun in illumination

her endurance through time is immortality.

For its existence in time is eternal

صان اليهوديُّ خِدرَها أن يُفَ

صان اليهوديُّ خِدرَها أن يُفَ

ضَّ الخَتمُ أو تؤخذَ المقاليدُ

ضَّ الخَتمُ أو تؤخذَ المقاليدُ

The Jew guarded her secluded chamber lest

The Jew protected its vessels from

the seal be broken or the keys be taken.

The seal being opened or the keys being taken

عَدَّ رجالاً من قومه لَهمُ

عَدَّ رجالاً من قومه لَهمُ

في فضلها عنده أسانيدُ

في فضلها عنده أسانيدُ

He named men from his people, whose

He counted men of his people as having

chains of testimony to her excellence he possessed.

In its virtue, links to him

سنَّ له اللهوُ أن يعظّمَها

سنَّ له اللهوُ أن يعظّمَها

فهي له في الدنان معبودُ

فهي له في الدنان معبودُ

Revelry prescribed that he should revere her;

Fun made him glorify it

so in the wine jars she is his object of worship.

So to him in life it is an idol

حمراءُ ما فازت الأكفُّ به

حمراءُ ما فازت الأكفُّ به

من لونها في الخدود مردودُ

من لونها في الخدود مردودُ

Red: whatever the hands obtain

Red, how hands have failed to attain

of her color is returned upon the cheeks.

Its complexion in cheeks so often turned

من فمِ إِبريقها إلى شَفة ال

من فمِ إِبريقها إلى شَفة ال

كأس عمودُ الصباح ممدودُ

كأس عمودُ الصباح ممدودُ

From the mouth of her ewer to the lip of the

From the mouth of its vessel to the lip of the cup

cup, a column of dawn is stretched.

The pillar of morning is outstretched

دِينٌ من اللهو أنت عن باب إب

دِينٌ من اللهو أنت عن باب إب

ليسَ متى حُدتَ عنه مطرودُ

ليسَ متى حُدتَ عنه مطرودُ

A religion of revelry: from the gate of

A religion of fun you are, do not be barred

Iblis you are expelled whenever you turn away from it.

From its door when you are playful

تغنَّم اليومَ من سرورك والس

تغنَّم اليومَ من سرورك والس

اعةَ إن الزمان معدودُ

اعةَ إن الزمان معدودُ

Make the most of your joy today, and this

Seize today in your joy and the hour

hour, for time is numbered.

For time is limited

ما دام يدعونك الفتى مَرَحاً

ما دام يدعونك الفتى مَرَحاً

والغصنُ فينانُ والصِّبا رُودُ

والغصنُ فينانُ والصِّبا رُودُ

As long as they call you a youth, full of mirth,

As long as the youth calls you fun

and the bough is luxuriant, and youth is tender.

And the branch flirts and the breeze is gentle

غدا بياضٌ يا قاتل اللّه ما

غدا بياضٌ يا قاتل اللّه ما

تنشقّ عنه من بِيضك السودُ

تنشقّ عنه من بِيضك السودُ

Tomorrow, whiteness! Ah, may God curse what

Tomorrow whiteness, O Killer of God, shall not peel

your black eggs split open to reveal.

From your radiance however much blackness

لا تجمعُ الشَّيبَ والسرورَ يدٌ

لا تجمعُ الشَّيبَ والسرورَ يدٌ

ولا يتمُّ الثراءُ والجودُ

ولا يتمُّ الثراءُ والجودُ

No hand brings gray hair and joy together,

Old age and joy cannot be gathered by a hand

nor are wealth and generosity both complete.

Nor wealth and generosity completed

لا أَخلَفَ المالَ غيرُ متلفهِ

لا أَخلَفَ المالَ غيرُ متلفهِ

إن الغنيَّ البخيلَ مكدودُ

إن الغنيَّ البخيلَ مكدودُ

May none replenish wealth but its squanderer;

None but its waster diminishes wealth

indeed, the wealthy miser is worn down.

The stingy rich man is blamed

يا راكباً لم تُلِحْهُ هاجرةٌ

يا راكباً لم تُلِحْهُ هاجرةٌ

ولا ترامت بشخصه البيدُ

ولا ترامت بشخصه البيدُ

O rider whom no midday heat has scorched,

O rider, no she-camel edged him on

nor have the deserts flung his person about,

Nor did arrows compete for his person

ولم تَقُدْ حظَّه مخاطَرةٌ

ولم تَقُدْ حظَّه مخاطَرةٌ

تُنضَى إليها المهريَّةُ الفُودُ

تُنضَى إليها المهريَّةُ الفُودُ

nor has a perilous venture led him to fortune,

Nor did gambling guide his fortune

one for which long-necked Mahri camels are worn out.

To which the noble she-camels are driven

بين مناه وبينه غرضُ ال

بين مناه وبينه غرضُ ال

رامي سدادٌ منه وتعضيدُ

رامي سدادٌ منه وتعضيدُ

Between him and his wishes lies the target of the

Between his aim and him is the correctness

archer: true aim from him, and support.

Of the shooter and his support

قل لابن عبد الرحيم عشتَ فما

قل لابن عبد الرحيم عشتَ فما

يعدَمُ فضلٌ وأنت موجودُ

يعدَمُ فضلٌ وأنت موجودُ

Say to Ibn Abd al-Rahim: 'May you live! No

Say to the son of Abdelraheem you lived so excellence was not lacking

bounty is lacking while you exist.'

While you are present

مَلَّكك المجدَ أنّ بابَك مف

مَلَّكك المجدَ أنّ بابَك مف

توحٌ وبابَ الأرزاقِ مسدودُ

توحٌ وبابَ الأرزاقِ مسدودُ

What made you master of glory is that your door is

Glory has filled you that your door is open

open, while the door to livelihoods is closed.

While the door of sustenance is locked

يزدحم الناس فيه راجين را

يزدحم الناس فيه راجين را

ضين وحوضُ الكريم مورودُ

ضين وحوضُ الكريم مورودُ

People throng it, hopeful and

People cram into it hopeful and content

content; the generous man's pool is frequented.

While the generous bowl overflows

وأن عافيك والمكلِّفُ مش

وأن عافيك والمكلِّفُ مش

نوءٌ مُرادٌ لديك مودودُ

نوءٌ مُرادٌ لديك مودودُ

And your supplicant—though the importunate are

That your well-being and the Provider are compatible

detested—is wanted and beloved by you.

Something you want is compatible to you

لا هو في الذلّ بالسؤال ولا

لا هو في الذلّ بالسؤال ولا

بالمنِّ فيما مننتَ مكدودُ

بالمنِّ فيما مننتَ مكدودُ

He is not humiliated by asking, nor

You are not in humiliation by begging or

worn down by reproaches over what you have given.

Indebted by the gifts you have given

يختلفُ الناس من كرامته

يختلفُ الناس من كرامته

عندك مَنْ قاصدٌ ومقصودُ

عندك مَنْ قاصدٌ ومقصودُ

People come and go because of his honored place

People differ in your generosity

with you, both seekers and those sought.

Some seek and some sought

والبشرُ حتى يقالَ بارقةٌ

والبشرُ حتى يقالَ بارقةٌ

والحلمُ حتى يقالَ جلمودُ

والحلمُ حتى يقالَ جلمودُ

And such cheerfulness that they call it lightning;

And people are described as brilliant

and such forbearance that they call it a boulder.

And patience described as solid

يُلبِسك المدحُ كلَّ ضافيةٍ

يُلبِسك المدحُ كلَّ ضافيةٍ

لها بطول الإخلاق تجديدُ

لها بطول الإخلاق تجديدُ

Praise clothes you in every ample robe,

Praise clothes you in every new garment

which grows new through long wear.

Its manners have long renewal

دُرُّ المعالي فيها بوصفك من

دُرُّ المعالي فيها بوصفك من

ظومٌ ووشيُ الألفاظِ منضودُ

ظومٌ ووشيُ الألفاظِ منضودُ

Within it, pearls of noble deeds describing you are

The pearls of glory in it, in describing you

strung, and the embroidery of words is arrayed.

Are strung, and the alignment of words, aligned

تَخْبرُ منه ما أنت ناقده

تَخْبرُ منه ما أنت ناقده

وأكثر الإنتقادِ تقليدُ

وأكثر الإنتقادِ تقليدُ

You test in it what you yourself appraise;

You discern from it what you critique

and most criticism is imitation.

And most of the critique is imitation

والشعر ما لم توجدك آيتُهُ

والشعر ما لم توجدك آيتُهُ

إلا القوافي والوزنَ مفقودُ

إلا القوافي والوزنَ مفقودُ

And poetry, if its hallmark offers you

And poetry, had it not found you as its sign

only rhymes and meter, is absent.

Would be nothing but rhyme and meter absent

يتعبُ فيه الموفِّرون له

يتعبُ فيه الموفِّرون له

وهو مع المُسْهلين موءود

وهو مع المُسْهلين موءود

Those who lavish effort on it toil over it;

Those who simplify struggle with it

while with those who make it easy, it is buried alive.

While with the eloquent it is despised

بَقِيتَ منه لزائرتك بالث

بَقِيتَ منه لزائرتك بالث

ناءِ غيداً أكفاؤها الصِّيدُ

ناءِ غيداً أكفاؤها الصِّيدُ

May you live on for its verses that visit you with

You remained of it by praising you

praise—graceful maidens whose matches are noble lords.

A treasure, its like is the hunt

كلّ فتاةٍ مَحْدُوُّها يومَ تب

كلّ فتاةٍ مَحْدُوُّها يومَ تب

غي الحظَّ إمَّا أتتك مجدودُ

غي الحظَّ إمَّا أتتك مجدودُ

The one each maiden urges onward, on the day she

Every girl whose affection is sought when

seeks good fortune, is fortunate if she comes to you.

She loses favor comes to you esteemed

صديقُها أنتَن والحسود بها

صديقُها أنتَن والحسود بها

وبي على القرب منك مفؤودُ

وبي على القرب منك مفؤودُ

You are her friend; and the man jealous of her

Her friend you are, and the envious of her

and of me for our closeness to you is stricken to the heart.

And I are deprived of nearness to you

في وجهه البشر حين يسمعها

في وجهه البشر حين يسمعها

خوفاً وفي قلبه الأخاديدُ

خوفاً وفي قلبه الأخاديدُ

There is cheer on his face when he hears her,

In his face people when they hear her

out of fear; within his heart are furrows.

Are scared, though in his heart are clefts

يَطرَبُ منها للشيء يُحزِنهُ

يَطرَبُ منها للشيء يُحزِنهُ

واسمُ بكاءِ الحَمامِ تغريدُ

واسمُ بكاءِ الحَمامِ تغريدُ

He rejoices in the very thing in her that saddens him;

He is disturbed by it for something that saddens him

and the doves' weeping is called song.

And the name of the dove's weeping is trilling

لا اجتاز عيدٌ إلا عليك وإن

لا اجتاز عيدٌ إلا عليك وإن

أَجَزْتَ أن تُمطَلَ المواعيدُ

أَجَزْتَ أن تُمطَلَ المواعيدُ

May no feast pass without you, even if

No holiday has passed unless upon you

you allow promises to be deferred.

Even if you decided to delay the promise