لكِ الغرامُ وللواشي بكِ التعبُ

لكِ الغرامُ وللواشي بكِ التعبُ

وكلُّ عذلٍ إذا جَدَّ الهوى لَعِبُ

وكلُّ عذلٍ إذا جَدَّ الهوى لَعِبُ

Love is yours; your slanderer's lot is weariness.

You are burdened with passion, while the slanderers burden me with blame,

Every reproach is play when love grows earnest.

And all the reproach, when passion took hold, turned into play.

أما كفاه انصرافُ العين مُعرِضةً

أما كفاه انصرافُ العين مُعرِضةً

عنه وسمعٌ بوقْر الشوق محتجِبُ

عنه وسمعٌ بوقْر الشوق محتجِبُ

Has he not had enough of my gaze turning away

Is it not enough that eyes turn away, indifferent,

from him, and an ear shut by longing's deafness,

While my hearing is veiled by the dignity of yearning?

وأنقلباً وأحشاء مُدغدَغةً

وأنقلباً وأحشاء مُدغدَغةً

إذا استقامتْ حُمول الحيّ تضطربُ

إذا استقامتْ حُمول الحيّ تضطربُ

and of a heart and tingling entrails

My inner feelings are tickled, stirred,

that tremble when the tribe's laden camels stand ready?

When the days of life stand straight, they tremble.

لاموا عليكِ فما حلُّوا وما عَقدوا

لاموا عليكِ فما حلُّوا وما عَقدوا

عندي وعابوا فما شقُّوا ولا شعَبوا

عندي وعابوا فما شقُّوا ولا شعَبوا

They blamed me for you, yet neither loosened nor tied

Blame me as much as you wish - you did not tie knots or untie them.

anything in me; they found fault, yet neither split nor mended.

You found fault, but did not split or crack anything.

فكلُّ نارِ هوىً في الصدر كامنةٍ

فكلُّ نارِ هوىً في الصدر كامنةٍ

فاللَّوم يُسعرها والعذلُ يحتطبُ

فاللَّوم يُسعرها والعذلُ يحتطبُ

For every fire of love hidden in the breast,

For every dormant fire of passion in the chest

blame kindles it, and reproach gathers firewood.

Blame will kindle it, and reproach will provide its fuel.

آهاً لوحشةِ ما بيني وبينَكُمُ

آهاً لوحشةِ ما بيني وبينَكُمُ

إذا خَلتْ من دِلاءِ الجيرةِ القُلُبُ

إذا خَلتْ من دِلاءِ الجيرةِ القُلُبُ

Ah, the desolation of the space between us,

Oh how lonesome between me and you all,

when the wells are bare of the neighbors' buckets,

When the heart is empty of the company of neighbors!

وعَطَّت القُورَ والأجراعَ نوقُكُمُ

وعَطَّت القُورَ والأجراعَ نوقُكُمُ

طُروحَ عيني وحالت بيننا الكثُبُ

طُروحَ عيني وحالت بيننا الكثُبُ

and your she-camels have cleft the hillocks and sandy flats,

Your camels went far away, beyond my sight,

far beyond my sight, while dunes stand between us.

Cutting off my eyes, with the sands separating us.

مَن أشتكي الشوقَ إذ هَزَّت وسادتَهُ

مَن أشتكي الشوقَ إذ هَزَّت وسادتَهُ

مدامعٌ تَنتَحي أو أضلعٌ تَجِبُ

مدامعٌ تَنتَحي أو أضلعٌ تَجِبُ

To whom can I complain of longing when its pillow is shaken

Who can I complain of passion to, when it shook my pillow,

by tears that course forth or ribs that throb?

With tears flowing, or ribs that ache?

فما أسفتُ لشيءٍ فائتٍ أسفي

فما أسفتُ لشيءٍ فائتٍ أسفي

من أن أعيشَ وجيرانُ الغضا غَيَبُ

من أن أعيشَ وجيرانُ الغضا غَيَبُ

I have never grieved for anything lost as I grieve

I have never regretted anything lost as much as living

at living while the neighbors of the ghada trees are absent.

While the neighbors of youth have been absent.

قد كنتُ أسرِقُ دمعي في محاجره

قد كنتُ أسرِقُ دمعي في محاجره

تطيُّراً بالبكى فاليومَ أنتحبُ

تطيُّراً بالبكى فاليومَ أنتحبُ

I used to hide my tears in their sockets,

I used to steal my tears within my eyelids

fearing weeping as an ill omen; today I sob aloud.

Fearing to weep, but today I wail loudly.

لا يُبعدِ اللّهُ قلباً ظلَّ عندكُمُ

لا يُبعدِ اللّهُ قلباً ظلَّ عندكُمُ

لم يُغنِني عنه نِشدانٌ ولا طلبُ

لم يُغنِني عنه نِشدانٌ ولا طلبُ

May God not banish the heart that stayed with you;

May God not banish a heart that remained loyal to you,

neither asking nor searching has helped me recover it.

Neighing and yearning did not avail me.

سلبتموهُ فلم تُفتُوا برجعتهِ

سلبتموهُ فلم تُفتُوا برجعتهِ

وربّما بعدَ الغارةِ السَلبُ

وربّما بعدَ الغارةِ السَلبُ

You stole it and would not decree its return,

You took it unjustly, without returning it,

and sometimes the plunder follows the raid.

Maybe the plunder comes after the raid.

فأين إذمامُكم قبلَ الفراق له

فأين إذمامُكم قبلَ الفراق له

أَلاَّ يضامَ ولا تمشي له الرِّيبُ

أَلاَّ يضامَ ولا تمشي له الرِّيبُ

Where is your pledge of protection to it before parting,

Where is your guarantee, before parting,

that it would not be wronged, nor dangers stalk it?

That no harm will reach it, and no doubts overcome it?

أسِيرَةٌ لكُمُ في الغدرِ حادثةٌ

أسِيرَةٌ لكُمُ في الغدرِ حادثةٌ

تَخُصُّ أم رَجعتْ عن دينها العَربُ

تَخُصُّ أم رَجعتْ عن دينها العَربُ

Is this a new practice of treachery peculiar to you,

Taken prisoner by your betrayal - was it partial

or have the Arabs abandoned their faith?

Or did she revert from her faith, like the Arabs?

يا أهل ودِّي وما أهلاً دعوتُكُمُ

يا أهل ودِّي وما أهلاً دعوتُكُمُ

بالحقِّ لكنها العاداتُ والدُّرَبُ

بالحقِّ لكنها العاداتُ والدُّرَبُ

O people of my affection—I have not rightly called you such;

O people of my love - though I did not rightfully call you that,

it is only habit and long practice.

These are just habits and paths we used to roam.

كُنَّا بها نَتَسمَّى قبلَ غدركُمُ

كُنَّا بها نَتَسمَّى قبلَ غدركُمُ

فاليومَ كلُّ اسمِ ودً بيننا لقبُ

فاليومَ كلُّ اسمِ ودً بيننا لقبُ

We used to bear those names before your treachery;

With them we used to scent ourselves, before your betrayal.

today every name of affection between us is merely a label.

Today, every name of love between us is a stigma.

أشبهتم الدهر في تلوين صِبغتهِ

أشبهتم الدهر في تلوين صِبغتهِ

فكلُّكم حائلُ الألوان منقلبُ

فكلُّكم حائلُ الألوان منقلبُ

You resemble Time in the shifting of its hues;

You resembled time in the changing of its coloration.

each of you changes color and turns about.

Each one of you is the ever-changing, fleeting colors.

كنتم عليَّ مع الأيّام إخوتَها

كنتم عليَّ مع الأيّام إخوتَها

وليس إلا عُقوقي بينكم نسبُ

وليس إلا عُقوقي بينكم نسبُ

You were the days' brothers, allied with them against me;

You used to be, with the days, like their brothers.

the only kinship among you is disloyalty toward me.

But injustice towards me is the only blood tie between you!

صبراً وإن كان ملبوساً على جَزعٍ

صبراً وإن كان ملبوساً على جَزعٍ

ظُلمتُ والصابرُ المظلومُ محتسِبُ

ظُلمتُ والصابرُ المظلومُ محتسِبُ

Patience, even if it is worn over anguish!

Patience - even if worn over anguish.

I was wronged; the patient sufferer awaits God's reward.

I was wronged, but the patient victim hopes for reward.

لعلَّ عازبَ هذا الحظِّ يرجِعُ لي

لعلَّ عازبَ هذا الحظِّ يرجِعُ لي

يوماً وقاعدَ هذا الجَدِّ بي يثبُ

يوماً وقاعدَ هذا الجَدِّ بي يثبُ

Perhaps this vanished fortune will return to me

Perhaps the absence of this luck will end for me one day,

one day, and this crouching luck will leap with me.

And the firmness of purpose will bounce back.

ولَيتَ أنَّ كمالَ المُلكِ خالصةٌ

ولَيتَ أنَّ كمالَ المُلكِ خالصةٌ

آراؤه لي ورأيُ الناسِ مؤتَشبُ

آراؤه لي ورأيُ الناسِ مؤتَشبُ

Would that Kamal al-Mulk were unclouded

Would that the perfection of the kingdom were impartiality,

in his views of me, while others' opinions were tangled.

Its opinions agreeing with mine, and the people's views probed thoroughly.

بل ليتَ أنَّ قضاياه مواهبُهُ

بل ليتَ أنَّ قضاياه مواهبُهُ

فكان إنصافُه في عَرضِ ما يَهَبُ

فكان إنصافُه في عَرضِ ما يَهَبُ

Rather, would that his judgments were his gifts,

Rather, would that its judgments were its favors,

so that his justice were among the things he gives.

So its fairness in what it grants would be verified.

فتىً قَنِعتُ به من بين مَنْ حَمَلتْ

فتىً قَنِعتُ به من بين مَنْ حَمَلتْ

خُوصُ الركابِ فسارت تُنقَلُ الرُّكُبُ

خُوصُ الركابِ فسارت تُنقَلُ الرُّكُبُ

A young man I chose above all those carried

A noble youth whom I accepted from among those

by narrow-eyed riding camels as the caravans journeyed.

Whose travels were difficult, and processions wandered.

أحببتهُ حُبَّ عيني أختَها ويدي

أحببتهُ حُبَّ عيني أختَها ويدي

يدي ولي في مَزيدٍ منهما أربُ

يدي ولي في مَزيدٍ منهما أربُ

I loved him as my eye loves its sister, and my hand

I loved him with the love of my eye for its sister, and my hand for my hand,

its fellow hand; and I still desire more of both.

And I had, beyond these two, still more love for him.

وكان لي حيثُ لا جفنٌ لناظرِهِ

وكان لي حيثُ لا جفنٌ لناظرِهِ

حفظاً وصَوناً ولا تحمِي الظُّبا القُرُبُ

حفظاً وصَوناً ولا تحمِي الظُّبا القُرُبُ

He guarded me as no eyelid guards its eye,

He protected me where I had no eyelid to watch over me,

sheltering and preserving me as no scabbards shield their blades.

Keeping and guarding me, when relatives do not guard against closeness.

عَطفاً لحقيِّ وإسبالاً على ذممي

عَطفاً لحقيِّ وإسبالاً على ذممي

كأنّه وهو مولىً في الحنوّ أبُ

كأنّه وهو مولىً في الحنوّ أبُ

Solicitous for my rights, spreading shelter over my pledges,

He was gentle to my rights, covering over my faults,

as though my patron were, in tenderness, a father.

As if he, in his affection, was my father.

يرعَى شواردَ فيه لم تَسِرْ معَهَا

يرعَى شواردَ فيه لم تَسِرْ معَهَا

ريحٌ ولا طمعتْ في شأوها السُحبُ

ريحٌ ولا طمعتْ في شأوها السُحبُ

He cherished far-ranging verses about himself, whose course

He tended to my confused state, when no wind went along with it,

no wind could follow, nor clouds aspire to match.

Nor did the clouds aspire to help it.

فغالبتني على ذاك المكان يدٌ

فغالبتني على ذاك المكان يدٌ

للدهر كان لها مذ ملَّني الغَلبُ

للدهر كان لها مذ ملَّني الغَلبُ

Then a hand wrestled me for that place,

But a hand of fate overcame me in that position,

the hand of Time, victorious since he tired of me.

Which had long overwhelmed me with defeat.

مَلالةٌ لم تَطِرْ فيها مُطاوَلةٌ

مَلالةٌ لم تَطِرْ فيها مُطاوَلةٌ

وبِغضةٌ كالتجنِّي ما لها سببُ

وبِغضةٌ كالتجنِّي ما لها سببُ

A weariness stirred by no prolonged acquaintance,

An aversion that no conciliation occurred in it,

and a hatred like an unfounded accusation, without a cause.

And a hatred like recoiling, though with no cause.

قَسَا فأصبحَ للواشين بي أُذُناً

قَسَا فأصبحَ للواشين بي أُذُناً

تَليقُ ما اختلقوا عنِّي وما اجتلبوا

تَليقُ ما اختلقوا عنِّي وما اجتلبوا

He hardened, becoming an ear for those who slandered me,

It hardened, so for the slanderers my ear was ready

retaining all they fabricated about me and all they brought.

To accept whatever they fabricated and claimed about me.

لو قيل إنِّي سرقتُ السمعَ أو صرفوا

لو قيل إنِّي سرقتُ السمعَ أو صرفوا

إليَّ تبديلَ دينِ اللهِ أو نَسَبوا

إليَّ تبديلَ دينِ اللهِ أو نَسَبوا

Had it been said I stole a hearing, or had they attributed

If they said I had stolen the hearing, or they directed

to me the changing of God's faith, or made allegations,

To me the changing of God's religion, or they attributed

لَمَا امتَرَى أنَّ رُسْلَ اللّه بي جُبِهوا

لَمَا امتَرَى أنَّ رُسْلَ اللّه بي جُبِهوا

بالردِّ أو حُرِّفَتْ عن أمرِيَ الكتُبُ

بالردِّ أو حُرِّفَتْ عن أمرِيَ الكتُبُ

he would not have doubted that God's messengers had faced from me

That God's messengers were faced with disbelief from me,

rejection, or that the scriptures were altered at my command.

Or that the books were distorted from my affair,

فقل له طيَّب اللّهُ الوفاءَ له

فقل له طيَّب اللّهُ الوفاءَ له

والحقُّ يَسفِرُ والبهتانُ يَنتقِبُ

والحقُّ يَسفِرُ والبهتانُ يَنتقِبُ

So say to him—may God make fidelity sweet for him—

Then say to him may God beautify his loyalty,

while truth unveils its face and falsehood puts on a veil:

While the truth surfaces, and the lies slink around furtively.

يا ناقدَ الناس كشْفاً عن جواهرهم

يا ناقدَ الناس كشْفاً عن جواهرهم

متى تَغيَّرَ عن أعراقِهِ الذهبُ

متى تَغيَّرَ عن أعراقِهِ الذهبُ

O assayer of men, uncovering their true substance,

O you who criticize people, revealing their essence,

when has gold ever changed its native nature?

When did gold change its origin?

وكيف أَفسدَ سوءُ الحظِّ خُبرَك بي

وكيف أَفسدَ سوءُ الحظِّ خُبرَك بي

حتّى بدا لك أنّ الدرّ يلتهبُ

حتّى بدا لك أنّ الدرّ يلتهبُ

How has bad fortune spoiled your knowledge of me,

How did ill fate corrupt your news about me

until you came to think that pearls could blaze?

Until it seemed to you that pearls were burning?

أبعد أن رضتني عشرينَ أو صَعِدتْ

أبعد أن رضتني عشرينَ أو صَعِدتْ

لا الجريُ تُنكره منّي ولا الجَنَبُ

لا الجريُ تُنكره منّي ولا الجَنَبُ

After schooling me for twenty years or more,

After you approved of me for twenty years or lifted me up,

with neither my gallop nor my running alongside unknown to you,

Will you now deny my racing or my leaping?

يُروَى لك الخُرْقُ عن حزمِي فتقبلهُ

يُروَى لك الخُرْقُ عن حزمِي فتقبلهُ

صفحاً ويَجذبُك الواشي فتنجذبُ

صفحاً ويَجذبُك الواشي فتنجذبُ

is folly reported to you in place of my prudence, and you accept it

The breach of my resolve is described to you, so accept it

without scrutiny, while the slanderer draws you and you yield?

With forgiveness, while the slanderer pulls you and you are pulled.

حاشاكُمُ أن تكونوا عَونَ حادثةٍ

حاشاكُمُ أن تكونوا عَونَ حادثةٍ

أو ترتميني على أيديكم النُّوَبُ

أو ترتميني على أيديكم النُّوَبُ

Far be it from you to assist a calamity,

You all are too far above supporting an incident

or let disasters strike me through your hands.

Or unleashing your claws against me.

أذنبيَ الحبُّ والإخلاصُ عندكُمُ

أذنبيَ الحبُّ والإخلاصُ عندكُمُ

فإنّ ذنبي إلى أيّامِيَ الأدبُ

فإنّ ذنبي إلى أيّامِيَ الأدبُ

Are love and sincerity my offense in your eyes?

My sin toward you was love and sincerity,

For my offense against my days is my literary art.

For manners were always my sin toward my days.

أَمَأ وقَومِكَ والمجدُ التليدُ لهم

أَمَأ وقَومِكَ والمجدُ التليدُ لهم

إذا حلفتُ بهم والدينُ والحسبُ

إذا حلفتُ بهم والدينُ والحسبُ

Indeed, by your people—to whom ancestral glory belongs,

By your protector and the established glory to them,

when I swear by them—and theirs are faith and noble lineage—

If I swore by them, and the religion and lineage!

ما خلتُ والدهر لا تَفنَى عجائبُهُ

ما خلتُ والدهر لا تَفنَى عجائبُهُ

أنّ العلا نافقٌ في سُوقها الكذبُ

أنّ العلا نافقٌ في سُوقها الكذبُ

I never imagined, though Time's wonders never end,

I have never - and time's wonders do not disappear -

that falsehood could thrive in greatness's marketplace.

Thought the eminent were hypocritical in its market.

ولا عجبت لدهري كيف يظلمني

ولا عجبت لدهري كيف يظلمني

وإنما ظلمكم أنتم هو العجبُ

وإنما ظلمكم أنتم هو العجبُ

Nor did I wonder at how my age wrongs me;

I was not surprised by my fate's injustice to me,

the wonder is that you yourselves should wrong me.

But your injustice is what is truly surprising.

يا مَن به صحَّ سُقمُ العيشِ واجتمعتْ

يا مَن به صحَّ سُقمُ العيشِ واجتمعتْ

على توحدهِ الأحزابُ والشُّعَبُ

على توحدهِ الأحزابُ والشُّعَبُ

O you through whom life's sickness was healed, and there gathered

O you through whom the life was set right, and around his uniqueness

around your unique person factions and clans;

The factions and nations united.

ومَن كَفَى المُلكَ ما لم يَكفِ صارمُهُ

ومَن كَفَى المُلكَ ما لم يَكفِ صارمُهُ

ورَدَّ عنه الذي ما ردَّه اليَلبُ

ورَدَّ عنه الذي ما ردَّه اليَلبُ

you who spared the kingdom what its sword could not avert,

And who sufficed the kingdom what his blade did not,

and repelled from it what armor could not repel;

And warded off from it what the armor did not repel.

ومَن توسَّط أفقَ المجد فاعتدلتْ

ومَن توسَّط أفقَ المجد فاعتدلتْ

به البدورُ ولبَّت أمرَهُ الشهُبُ

به البدورُ ولبَّت أمرَهُ الشهُبُ

you who took the center of glory's horizon, so that

And who frequented the horizon of glory, so the stars

its full moons found balance through you and its meteors obeyed your command.

Aligned with him, and meteors submitted to his command.

على بساطِكَ تُقضىَ كلُّ مُبْهِمةٍ

على بساطِكَ تُقضىَ كلُّ مُبْهِمةٍ

يعنو بها الخطْبُ او تعيا بها الخطَبُ

يعنو بها الخطْبُ او تعيا بها الخطَبُ

Upon your carpet every baffling matter is resolved,

Upon your carpet every ambiguity is solved,

where crises bow, or speeches fall helpless.

Which the prominent are preoccupied with, or the orators speak of.

وهالةُ البدرِ دَستٌ أنت راكبه

وهالةُ البدرِ دَستٌ أنت راكبه

وتارةً هو غابُ الضيغم الأشِبُ

وتارةً هو غابُ الضيغم الأشِبُ

The full moon's halo is a throne you occupy,

And the halo of the moon is a hand you ride,

and at times it is the lion's tangled forest.

While at times it is the darkness of overlapping tails.

بِشْرٌ وَقورٌ وجَدٌّ ضاحكٌ ورضاً

بِشْرٌ وَقورٌ وجَدٌّ ضاحكٌ ورضاً

لولا الطلاقةُ خِلْنا أنه غضبُ

لولا الطلاقةُ خِلْنا أنه غضبُ

Dignified cheerfulness, smiling earnestness, and contentment

A cheerful, dignified, humorous and satisfied seriousness -

which, but for your open countenance, we would mistake for anger.

Were it not for the fluency, we would think him angry.

جَرَى بك الخُلُقُ الفضفاضُ وانقبضتْ

جَرَى بك الخُلُقُ الفضفاضُ وانقبضتْ

بك المهابةُ فالسَّلسالُ واللهبُ

بك المهابةُ فالسَّلسالُ واللهبُ

Your expansive nature flows freely, while

Morals flowed through you freely then coalesced,

awe gathers tightly around you: limpid water and flame.

And awe contracted around you, so chains and flames.

وأفقرتك العطايا والثناءُ غنىً

وأفقرتك العطايا والثناءُ غنىً

وأنصبتك العلا والراحةُ النَّصَبُ

وأنصبتك العلا والراحةُ النَّصَبُ

Your gifts have impoverished you, while praise is wealth;

Gifts and praise have enriched you,

greatness has wearied you, and toil itself is rest.

And positions of prominence and rest have tasked you.

مَن عندَهُ نَشبٌ لا مجدَ يعضُدُهُ

مَن عندَهُ نَشبٌ لا مجدَ يعضُدُهُ

فإنّ عندك مجداً ما له نشبُ

فإنّ عندك مجداً ما له نشبُ

While some hold wealth that no glory supports,

Who lacks glory to support him

you hold glory that has no wealth.

Will find through you glory without props.

حَلَلْتُ باسمك عَقْدَ الرزق فاندفعتْ

حَلَلْتُ باسمك عَقْدَ الرزق فاندفعتْ

عُراه تُفصَمُ لي عفواً وتَنقضبُ

عُراه تُفصَمُ لي عفواً وتَنقضبُ

With your name I loosened livelihood's knot, and its bonds rushed

I gained access, by your name, to the knot of sustenance, so it flowed,

to break for me effortlessly, snapping apart.

Split open generously and burst for me.

وكنتَ واسطةَ العِقد الذي انتظمتْ

وكنتَ واسطةَ العِقد الذي انتظمتْ

عنه السلوكُ ولم تُخدَشْ به الثُّقَبُ

عنه السلوكُ ولم تُخدَشْ به الثُّقَبُ

You were the necklace's central jewel, from which

And you were the means to the knot which manners

its strands were ordered, leaving the pierced holes unscarred.

Were derived from, and holes were not pierced in.

أنتم رفادةُ ظهرِي إن وَهَى جَلَدِي

أنتم رفادةُ ظهرِي إن وَهَى جَلَدِي

ودَرَّةُ العيشِ لي والضَّرعُ معتصَبُ

ودَرَّةُ العيشِ لي والضَّرعُ معتصَبُ

You are the support at my back when my endurance fails,

You are the proud back's saddle, if my skin weakens,

and life's flow of milk for me when the udder is bound tight.

And the pearl of life for me, with the well-rope grasped.

ومَشربي العِدُّ والغدرانُ غائرةٌ

ومَشربي العِدُّ والغدرانُ غائرةٌ

منكم لِيَ الحوضُ أو منكم لِيَ القَرَبُ

منكم لِيَ الحوضُ أو منكم لِيَ القَرَبُ

You are my unfailing spring when the pools sink dry.

My number and betrayers are covered over,

From you comes my watering pool, or my way to water.

For me, by you, the basin or the drinking place.

قدَّمتموني فلي رهنُ السباقِ ومَن

قدَّمتموني فلي رهنُ السباقِ ومَن

يلِزُّني بعدُ مجنوبٌ ومعتقِبُ

يلِزُّني بعدُ مجنوبٌ ومعتقِبُ

You put me first; the race's prize is mine, and whoever

You brought me forward, so for me is the merit of precedence, and whoever

now crowds me is led at my side or follows behind.

Drags behind after me is bent over and following.

عِزِّي بنفسي ولكن زادني شرفاً

عِزِّي بنفسي ولكن زادني شرفاً

أني إليكم إذا باهلتُ أنتسبُ

أني إليكم إذا باهلتُ أنتسبُ

My honor is my own, but it is heightened

My honor is in myself, but you increased my nobility

by claiming kinship with you when I vie in pride.

By my affiliation to you when I consort with others.

والناسُ غيرَكُمُ من لا يجاوزني

والناسُ غيرَكُمُ من لا يجاوزني

ابياته عَمَدٌ تُبنَى ولا طُنُبُ

ابياته عَمَدٌ تُبنَى ولا طُنُبُ

Others than you are those who cannot surpass me,

And people other than you, those whose poetry to insult me

with their houses' raised pillars or their tent ropes.

Has pillars built up but no clay bricks.

إذا صفوتم فلا وِرْدي ولا صَدَري

إذا صفوتم فلا وِرْدي ولا صَدَري

منهم وإن أملَحوا يوماً وإن عذُبوا

منهم وإن أملَحوا يوماً وإن عذُبوا

When you run clear, neither my watering nor my return

If you are pure, I have no flowers or breast

comes from them, whether one day they turn salty or sweet.

From them, even if they hint one day or hurt me.

لي منكم الجبهةُ الغرّاء والعنُقُ ال

لي منكم الجبهةُ الغرّاء والعنُقُ ال

تلْعاءُ والناس بعدُ الرُّسغُ والذنَبُ

تلْعاءُ والناس بعدُ الرُّسغُ والذنَبُ

From you I have the radiant brow and the neck—

From you is the radiant brow for me, the smooth neck,

long and lofty; all others are merely pastern and tail.

While people are the forearm and tail.

فلا تَنلْني الليالي فيكُمُ بيدٍ

فلا تَنلْني الليالي فيكُمُ بيدٍ

إلا التَّبابُ لها والشلُّ والعطبُ

إلا التَّبابُ لها والشلُّ والعطبُ

Let no hand of the nights strike me through you

So do not let nights among you give me, by any hand,

unless ruin, paralysis, and destruction befall it.

Anything but affection, intimacy and tenderness.

ولا تُصبْكم عيونُ الدهر إنّ لها

ولا تُصبْكم عيونُ الدهر إنّ لها

إلى الكمال لحاظاً سهمُها غَرَبُ

إلى الكمال لحاظاً سهمُها غَرَبُ

May Time's eyes not strike you, for they have

And may the eyes of fate not strike you, for to perfection

glances toward perfection whose arrows strike at random.

Their glance aims, and their arrow misses.

وإن أتَى رائدُ النيروزِ مجتدياً

وإن أتَى رائدُ النيروزِ مجتدياً

أَيْمانَكم فالروابي الخُضْرُ والعُشُبُ

أَيْمانَكم فالروابي الخُضْرُ والعُشُبُ

And if the scout of Nowruz comes soliciting

And if the herald of Nawruz comes seeking oaths

your right hands, they are green hills and herbage.

By you, then the green pastures and plants.

فمن جباهكُمُ نَورُ الربيع لنا

فمن جباهكُمُ نَورُ الربيع لنا

ومن أكفِّكمُ الأنواءُ تنسكبُ

ومن أكفِّكمُ الأنواءُ تنسكبُ

From your brows comes spring's blossom to us,

For from your brows comes the light of spring for us,

and from your palms the seasonal rains pour down.

And from your palms come the rains pouring down.

يومٌ يكُرُّ به إقبالُ جَدّكُمُ

يومٌ يكُرُّ به إقبالُ جَدّكُمُ

غداً على ملككم ما كرّت الحِقَبُ

غداً على ملككم ما كرّت الحِقَبُ

A day on which the favor of your fortune returns

One day, the ascent of your glory

tomorrow to your dominion, for as long as ages turn.

Will curve back tomorrow upon your kingdom, uncurved by eras.

تَجلُونَ من حسنه حظَّ العيونِ فلل

تَجلُونَ من حسنه حظَّ العيونِ فلل

أشعار فيكم حظوظُ السمعِ والطربُ

أشعار فيكم حظوظُ السمعِ والطربُ

You unveil its beauty as the eyes' delight; to

You appear, from its beauty the eyes' good fortune, so for poetry

poems about you belong the ear's pleasures and rapture.

In you are the fortunes of hearing and enchantment.

فما بقيتم فأيّامي بعزّكُمُ

فما بقيتم فأيّامي بعزّكُمُ

كما أُحبُّ وأحوالي كما تجبُ

كما أُحبُّ وأحوالي كما تجبُ

So long as you remain, through your might my days are

As long as you remain, my days in your glory

as I love them, and my circumstances as they should be.

Are as I love, and my states as they should be.