عَزيزُ أَسىً مَن داؤُهُ الحَدَقُ النُجلُ

عَزيزُ أَسىً مَن داؤُهُ الحَدَقُ النُجلُ

عَياءٌ بِهِ ماتَ المُحِبّونَ مِن قَبلُ

عَياءٌ بِهِ ماتَ المُحِبّونَ مِن قَبلُ

Hard to cure is he whose ailment is wide eyes;

Mighty is the sorrow of he whose malady is wide, lovely eyes,

an incurable sickness: lovers died of it before.

A sickness by which lovers have perished ages before.

فَمَن شاءَ فَليَنظُر إِلَيَّ فَمَنظَري

فَمَن شاءَ فَليَنظُر إِلَيَّ فَمَنظَري

نَذيرٌ إِلى مَن ظَنَّ أَنَّ الهَوى سَهلُ

نَذيرٌ إِلى مَن ظَنَّ أَنَّ الهَوى سَهلُ

Let whoever wishes look at me, for my appearance

Whoever wishes, let him look upon me; for my condition

is a warning to whoever thinks that love is easy.

Is a warning to him who deemed that passion is light.

وَما هِيَ إِلّا لَحظَةٌ بَعدَ لَحظَةٍ

وَما هِيَ إِلّا لَحظَةٌ بَعدَ لَحظَةٍ

إِذا نَزَلَت في قَلبِهِ رَحَلَ العَقلُ

إِذا نَزَلَت في قَلبِهِ رَحَلَ العَقلُ

It is nothing but glance after glance;

It is but a glance, followed by yet another glance;

when one settles in his heart, reason departs.

When it settles in the heart, all reason departs.

جَرى حُبُّها مَجرى دَمي في مَفاصِلي

جَرى حُبُّها مَجرى دَمي في مَفاصِلي

فَأَصبَحَ لي عَن كُلِّ شُغلٍ بِها شُغلُ

فَأَصبَحَ لي عَن كُلِّ شُغلٍ بِها شُغلُ

Her love flowed like my blood through my joints,

Her love has coursed like blood through my every vein,

so preoccupation with her has distracted me from every task.

Until she became my sole concern, above all other cares.

وَمِن جَسَدي لَم يَترُكِ السُقمُ شَعرَةً

وَمِن جَسَدي لَم يَترُكِ السُقمُ شَعرَةً

فَما فَوقَها إِلّا وَفيها لَهُ فِعلُ

فَما فَوقَها إِلّا وَفيها لَهُ فِعلُ

Sickness has left not a hair of my body,

And sickness has left not a single hair upon my frame,

nor anything larger, without working its effect upon it.

But that it suffers the ravages of this wasting pain.

إِذا عَذَلوا فيها أَجَبتُ بِأَنَّةٍ

إِذا عَذَلوا فيها أَجَبتُ بِأَنَّةٍ

حُبَيِّبَتا قَلباً فُؤادا هَيا جُملُ

حُبَيِّبَتا قَلباً فُؤادا هَيا جُملُ

When they reproach me over her, I answer with a moan:

When they chide me for her sake, I answer with a groan,

“O my little beloved, my heart, my inmost heart—O Juml!”

Crying out: 'O beloved! O heart! O soul! O beauty!'

كَأَنَّ رَقيباً مِنكِ سَدَّ مَسامِعي

كَأَنَّ رَقيباً مِنكِ سَدَّ مَسامِعي

عَنِ العَذلِ حَتّى لَيسَ يَدخُلُها العَذلُ

عَنِ العَذلِ حَتّى لَيسَ يَدخُلُها العَذلُ

As though a watcher sent by you had sealed my ears

As though a guardian sent by you has sealed my ears

against reproach, so that no reproach enters them.

Against all scolding, so that no rebuke may enter in.

كَأَنَّ سُهادَ اللَيلِ يَعشَقُ مُقلَتي

كَأَنَّ سُهادَ اللَيلِ يَعشَقُ مُقلَتي

فَبَينَهُما في كُلِّ هَجرٍ لَنا وَصلُ

فَبَينَهُما في كُلِّ هَجرٍ لَنا وَصلُ

As though night's sleeplessness were in love with my eye,

It is as if the sleepless night has fallen in love with my eyes,

so at every parting of ours, those two are joined.

So when she forsakes me, insomnia comes to unite with them.

أُحِبُّ الَّتي في البَدرِ مِنها مَشابِهٌ

أُحِبُّ الَّتي في البَدرِ مِنها مَشابِهٌ

وَأَشكو إِلى مَن لا يُصابُ لَهُ شَكلُ

وَأَشكو إِلى مَن لا يُصابُ لَهُ شَكلُ

I love her whose likeness is found in the full moon,

I love her who bears the likeness of the full moon,

and complain to one for whom no equal can be found:

And I complain to one whose equal can never be found.

إِلى واحِدِ الدُنيا إِلى اِبنِ مُحَمَّدٍ

إِلى واحِدِ الدُنيا إِلى اِبنِ مُحَمَّدٍ

شُجاعِ الَّذي لِلَّهِ ثُمَّ لَهُ الفَضلُ

شُجاعِ الَّذي لِلَّهِ ثُمَّ لَهُ الفَضلُ

to the world's peerless man, to the son of Muhammad,

To the peerless one of the world, to the son of Muhammad,

Shuja', to whom, after God, all bounty belongs;

Shuja', to whom—after God—all merit and grace belong.

إِلى الثَمَرِ الحُلوِ الَّذي طَيِّئٌ لَهُ

إِلى الثَمَرِ الحُلوِ الَّذي طَيِّئٌ لَهُ

فُروعٌ وَقَحطانُ بنُ هودٍ لَهُ أَصلُ

فُروعٌ وَقَحطانُ بنُ هودٍ لَهُ أَصلُ

to the sweet fruit, for which Tayy is

To that sweet fruit, for whom the tribe of Tayy serves

the branches, and Qahtan son of Hud the root;

As spreading branches, while Qahtan son of Hud is the root.

إِلى سَيِّدٍ لَو بَشَّرَ اللَهُ أُمَّةً

إِلى سَيِّدٍ لَو بَشَّرَ اللَهُ أُمَّةً

بِغَيرِ نَبِيٍّ بَشَّرَتنا بِهِ الرُسلُ

بِغَيرِ نَبِيٍّ بَشَّرَتنا بِهِ الرُسلُ

to a lord: were God to give a people glad tidings

To a master whom, had God wished to bless a nation

of someone other than a prophet, the messengers would herald him to us;

With other than a prophet, the messengers would have foretold him.

إِلى القابِضِ الأَرواحِ وَالضَيغَمِ الَّذي

إِلى القابِضِ الأَرواحِ وَالضَيغَمِ الَّذي

تُحَدِّثُ عَن وَقفاتِهِ الخَيلُ وَالرَجلُ

تُحَدِّثُ عَن وَقفاتِهِ الخَيلُ وَالرَجلُ

to the taker of souls and the lion whose

To the seizer of souls, to the lion whose valor

stands in battle are recounted by cavalry and infantry;

Is recounted by both the charging steeds and the foot-soldiers.

إِلى رَبِّ مالٍ كُلَّما شَتَّ شَملُهُ

إِلى رَبِّ مالٍ كُلَّما شَتَّ شَملُهُ

تَجَمَّعَ في تَشتيتِهِ لِلعُلا شَملُ

تَجَمَّعَ في تَشتيتِهِ لِلعُلا شَملُ

to a master of wealth: whenever it is scattered,

To a lord of wealth, whose riches, when scattered by his hand,

the ranks of glory gather through its scattering.

Gather for him, in their dispersal, the entirety of glory.

هُمامٌ إِذا ما فارَقَ الغِمدَ سَيفُهُ

هُمامٌ إِذا ما فارَقَ الغِمدَ سَيفُهُ

وَعايَنتَهُ لَم تَدرِ أَيُّهُما النَصلُ

وَعايَنتَهُ لَم تَدرِ أَيُّهُما النَصلُ

A valiant man: when his sword leaves its sheath,

A hero who, when his sword is drawn from its scabbard,

and you look at him, you cannot tell which of the two is the blade.

And you behold him, you cannot tell which of the two is the blade.

رَأَيتُ اِبنَ أُمِّ المَوتِ لَو أَنَّ بَأسَهُ

رَأَيتُ اِبنَ أُمِّ المَوتِ لَو أَنَّ بَأسَهُ

فَشا بَينَ أَهلِ الأَرضِ لَاِنقَطَعَ النَسلُ

فَشا بَينَ أَهلِ الأَرضِ لَاِنقَطَعَ النَسلُ

I saw the son of Death's mother: were his ferocity

I saw the true brother of Death; were his might

to spread among earth's people, procreation would cease.

To spread among the earth's folk, all lineage would cease.

عَلى سابِحٍ مَوجَ المَنايا بِنَحرِهِ

عَلى سابِحٍ مَوجَ المَنايا بِنَحرِهِ

غَداةَ كَأَنَّ النَبلَ في صَدرِهِ وَبلُ

غَداةَ كَأَنَّ النَبلَ في صَدرِهِ وَبلُ

Upon a steed swimming through death's waves with its breast,

Mounted on a steed that swims through the waves of death,

on a morning when arrows in its chest seemed a downpour.

While arrows strike its chest like a driving rain.

وَكَم عَينِ قِرنٍ حَدَّقَت لِنِزالِهِ

وَكَم عَينِ قِرنٍ حَدَّقَت لِنِزالِهِ

فَلَم تُغضِ إِلّا وَالسِنانُ لَها كُحلُ

فَلَم تُغضِ إِلّا وَالسِنانُ لَها كُحلُ

Many an adversary's eye stared wide to duel him,

How many an adversary's eye stared him down in battle,

and closed only when the spearpoint became its kohl.

Yet closed only when his spearpoint became its kohl.

إِذا قيلَ رِفقاً قالَ لِلحِلمِ مَوضِعٌ

إِذا قيلَ رِفقاً قالَ لِلحِلمِ مَوضِعٌ

وَحِلمُ الفَتى في غَيرِ مَوضِعِهِ جَهلُ

وَحِلمُ الفَتى في غَيرِ مَوضِعِهِ جَهلُ

When told, “Gently,” he says, “Forbearance has its place,

If one pleads 'Mercy,' he replies, 'Clemency has its place,'

and a young man's forbearance out of place is folly.”

'But mercy shown out of place is mere folly.'

وَلَولا تَوَلّي نَفسِهِ حَملَ حِلمِهِ

وَلَولا تَوَلّي نَفسِهِ حَملَ حِلمِهِ

عَنِ الأَرضِ لَاِنهَدَّت وَناءَ بِها الحِملُ

عَنِ الأَرضِ لَاِنهَدَّت وَناءَ بِها الحِملُ

Were he not himself to bear the weight of his forbearance

Were he not to bear the weight of his own forbearance,

instead of the earth, it would collapse, overwhelmed by the burden.

The earth would crumble, sinking beneath such a burden.

تَباعَدَتِ الآمالُ عَن كُلِّ مَقصَدٍ

تَباعَدَتِ الآمالُ عَن كُلِّ مَقصَدٍ

وَضاقَ بِها إِلّا إِلى بابِكَ السُبلُ

وَضاقَ بِها إِلّا إِلى بابِكَ السُبلُ

Hopes have withdrawn from every destination,

Hopes have strayed far from every other goal,

and roads have narrowed for them, except those to your door.

And all paths have narrowed, save the road to your door.

وَنادى النَدى بِالنائِمينَ عَنِ السُرى

وَنادى النَدى بِالنائِمينَ عَنِ السُرى

فَأَسمَعَهُم هُبّوا فَقَد هَلَكَ البُخلُ

فَأَسمَعَهُم هُبّوا فَقَد هَلَكَ البُخلُ

Generosity called to those sleeping instead of traveling by night,

Generosity called out to those sleeping through the night journey:

and made them hear: “Rise! Miserliness has perished!”

'Awake! For miserliness has perished forever.'

وَحالَت عَطايا كَفِّهِ دونَ وَعدِهِ

وَحالَت عَطايا كَفِّهِ دونَ وَعدِهِ

فَلَيسَ لَهُ إِنجازُ وَعدٍ وَلا مَطلُ

فَلَيسَ لَهُ إِنجازُ وَعدٍ وَلا مَطلُ

The gifts of his hand have forestalled his promises,

The gifts of his hand outpace his very promises;

so he neither fulfills a promise nor delays one.

He knows neither the fulfillment of vows nor delay.

فَأَقرَبُ مِن تَحديدِها رَدُّ فائِتٍ

فَأَقرَبُ مِن تَحديدِها رَدُّ فائِتٍ

وَأَيسَرُ مِن إِحصائِها القَطرُ وَالرَملُ

وَأَيسَرُ مِن إِحصائِها القَطرُ وَالرَملُ

Bringing back what has gone is more attainable than defining their bounds,

To bring back the past is easier than limiting his gifts,

and raindrops and sand are easier to count than they.

And counting the rain or sand is a simpler task.

وَما تَنقِمُ الأَيّامُ مِمَّن وُجوهُها

وَما تَنقِمُ الأَيّامُ مِمَّن وُجوهُها

لِأَخمَصِهِ في كُلِّ نائِبَةٍ نَعلُ

لِأَخمَصِهِ في كُلِّ نائِبَةٍ نَعلُ

What vengeance can the days exact from one, when their faces

How can Fortune spite one whose very face

are a sandal beneath his foot's arch in every calamity?

Serves as a sandal for his foot in every calamity?

وَما عَزَّهُ فيها مُرادٌ أَرادَهُ

وَما عَزَّهُ فيها مُرادٌ أَرادَهُ

وَإِن عَزَّ إِلّا أَن يَكونَ لَهُ مِثلُ

وَإِن عَزَّ إِلّا أَن يَكونَ لَهُ مِثلُ

No goal he sought in them ever eluded him,

No desire he sought has ever eluded his grasp,

however difficult—except to have an equal.

Save the wish to find another who is his equal.

كَفى ثُعَلاً فَخراً بِأَنَّكَ مِنهُمُ

كَفى ثُعَلاً فَخراً بِأَنَّكَ مِنهُمُ

وَدَهرٌ لِأَن أَمسَيتَ مِن أَهلِهِ أَهلُ

وَدَهرٌ لِأَن أَمسَيتَ مِن أَهلِهِ أَهلُ

It is glory enough for Thu'al that you are one of them,

It suffices the tribe of Tha'al as pride that you are theirs,

and an age deserves glory because you have become one of its people.

And the age itself is honored that you are among its kin.

وَوَيلٌ لِنَفسٍ حاوَلَت مِنكَ غِرَّةً

وَوَيلٌ لِنَفسٍ حاوَلَت مِنكَ غِرَّةً

وَطوبى لِعَينٍ ساعَةً مِنكَ لا تَخلو

وَطوبى لِعَينٍ ساعَةً مِنكَ لا تَخلو

Woe to a soul that has tried to catch you off guard,

Woe to the soul that seeks to catch you unawares,

and blessed is an eye never without you for an hour.

And blessed is the eye that never loses sight of you.

فَما بِفَقيرٍ شامَ بَرقَكَ فاقَةٌ

فَما بِفَقيرٍ شامَ بَرقَكَ فاقَةٌ

وَلا في بِلادٍ أَنتَ صَيِّبُها مَحلُ

وَلا في بِلادٍ أَنتَ صَيِّبُها مَحلُ

So no poor man who glimpses your lightning is in need,

No poverty remains for the pauper who sees your lightning,

nor is there drought in lands whose downpour you are.

Nor is there drought in any land where you are the rain.