قد مَدَّ خَطَّ عِذارِهِ فأجادَهُ

قد مَدَّ خَطَّ عِذارِهِ فأجادَهُ

يا ليتَ ذَوْبَ القلبِ كان مِدادَهُ

يا ليتَ ذَوْبَ القلبِ كان مِدادَهُ

He has drawn the line of down along his cheek—and drawn it beautifully.

He has traced the line of his cheek-down to perfection;

Ah, if only my melting heart could be its ink!

if only my melted heart had been its ink!

رَشأٌ تَقَلَّدَ من شِفارِ جُفونِهِ

رَشأٌ تَقَلَّدَ من شِفارِ جُفونِهِ

سَيفاً ذُؤابَتُهُ تكونُ نِجادَهُ

سَيفاً ذُؤابَتُهُ تكونُ نِجادَهُ

A gazelle, armed with the blades of his eyelids—

A young gazelle has donned, wrought from his eyelids' edges,

a sword whose dangling side-lock serves as its baldric.

a sword, his forelock serving as its baldric.

طَرْفٌ غَدَتْ كاللامِ منهُ أضلُعي

طَرْفٌ غَدَتْ كاللامِ منهُ أضلُعي

لمَّا رأتْ عيني السَّخينةُ صادَهُ

لمَّا رأتْ عيني السَّخينةُ صادَهُ

A glance that bent my ribs like the letter lām;

An eye that bent my ribs into the shape of lām,

when my tear-scorched eye saw him, it ensnared him.

when my tear-hot eye beheld its ṣād.

ألقَى على رأسي السَّخيفِ بياضَهُ

ألقَى على رأسي السَّخيفِ بياضَهُ

ورَمَى على حَظّي الضعيفِ سَوادَهُ

ورَمَى على حَظّي الضعيفِ سَوادَهُ

It cast its whiteness upon my foolish head,

It cast its whiteness upon my frail head,

and cast its blackness upon my hapless fortune.

and flung its blackness upon my poor fortune.

مُتحجِّبٌ جَعَلَ المدامعَ في الهَوَى

مُتحجِّبٌ جَعَلَ المدامعَ في الهَوَى

ماءً لمن جَعَلَ الصَّبابةَ زادَهُ

ماءً لمن جَعَلَ الصَّبابةَ زادَهُ

A veiled beloved made tears, in passion,

A veiled one has made tears, in love,

water for one whose ardent longing became his provisions.

water for one who has made yearning his provision.

ما زِلتُ أسألُ عن مريضِ جُفونِهِ

ما زِلتُ أسألُ عن مريضِ جُفونِهِ

ماذا على طَرْفي تُرَى لو عادَهُ

ماذا على طَرْفي تُرَى لو عادَهُ

I have never ceased asking after the languid-eyed one:

I keep asking after the ailing one within his eyelids;

what would it cost my eye, do you think, were he to visit it?

what would it cost my eye, I wonder, to visit him?

في خَدِّهِ النَّارُ التي قد أحرَقَتْ

في خَدِّهِ النَّارُ التي قد أحرَقَتْ

قلبي ولم تَردُدْ عَلَيَّ رَمادَهُ

قلبي ولم تَردُدْ عَلَيَّ رَمادَهُ

In his cheek is the fire that has burned

In his cheek is the fire that has burned

my heart, though none of its ash has drifted back to me.

my heart, yet has not returned its ashes to me.

أهدَيتُ وَجْنتَهُ فُؤادي مِثلَما

أهدَيتُ وَجْنتَهُ فُؤادي مِثلَما

أهدَى لنا البابُ العَليُّ فُؤادَهُ

أهدَى لنا البابُ العَليُّ فُؤادَهُ

I gave his cheek my heart, just as

I offered my heart to his cheek, just as

the Sublime Porte bestowed its Fuad upon us.

the Sublime Porte offered us its heart, Fuad.

هذا فُؤادُ المُلكِ أدرَكَ قُطرَنا

هذا فُؤادُ المُلكِ أدرَكَ قُطرَنا

بالشَّامِ يُصلحُ بالرَّشادِ فَسادَهُ

بالشَّامِ يُصلحُ بالرَّشادِ فَسادَهُ

This is the sovereign’s Fuad, who has reached our land

This Fuad, the realm's heart, has reached our region,

to set Syria’s corruption right through wise guidance.

in Syria, setting right its corruption with sound guidance.

نادَى مُنادِي العَرشِ يومَ قُدومِهِ

نادَى مُنادِي العَرشِ يومَ قُدومِهِ

أليومَ قد رَحِمَ الإلهُ عِبادَهُ

أليومَ قد رَحِمَ الإلهُ عِبادَهُ

The herald of the throne proclaimed on the day of his arrival:

The throne's herald proclaimed on the day of his arrival:

“Today God has shown mercy to His servants.”

Today God has shown mercy to His servants.

وَعَدَ الإلهُ لكلِّ كَرْبٍ فَرْجةً

وَعَدَ الإلهُ لكلِّ كَرْبٍ فَرْجةً

واللهُ ليسَ بمُخلفٍ مِيعادَهُ

واللهُ ليسَ بمُخلفٍ مِيعادَهُ

God has promised relief for every distress,

God has promised relief for every distress,

and God does not break His promise.

and God does not break His promise.

مَولىً يُؤَدِّبُ عبدَهُ بجِراحِهِ

مَولىً يُؤَدِّبُ عبدَهُ بجِراحِهِ

لكنْ يُهَيِّئُ قبلَ ذاكَ ضِمادَهُ

لكنْ يُهَيِّئُ قبلَ ذاكَ ضِمادَهُ

A master chastens his servant with wounds,

A Lord who chastens His servant through his wounds,

but prepares his bandage beforehand.

yet prepares his bandage beforehand.

طُبِعَ الأنامُ على الخِصامِ سَجِيَّةً

طُبِعَ الأنامُ على الخِصامِ سَجِيَّةً

في كلِّ شَعْبٍ وارثاً أجدادَهُ

في كلِّ شَعْبٍ وارثاً أجدادَهُ

Humankind is innately disposed to strife,

Humankind is stamped with strife by nature,

each people inheriting it from its ancestors.

in every nation, inheriting its forefathers' ways.

لا يَستَبيحُ الوَحشُ قتلَ نظيرِهِ

لا يَستَبيحُ الوَحشُ قتلَ نظيرِهِ

والإنسُ يقتُلُ تارةً أولادَهُ

والإنسُ يقتُلُ تارةً أولادَهُ

A beast does not deem it lawful to kill its own kind,

No wild beast deems it lawful to kill its own kind,

whereas humankind sometimes kills its children.

yet humankind sometimes kills its own children.

قَدِمَ الوزيرُ وقد تَضرَّمَتِ اللّظَى

قَدِمَ الوزيرُ وقد تَضرَّمَتِ اللّظَى

في الأرضِ إذ أورَى الفسادُ زِنادَهُ

في الأرضِ إذ أورَى الفسادُ زِنادَهُ

The minister arrived when the flames were already blazing

The minister arrived while flames were blazing

throughout the land, as corruption struck its firesteel.

in the land, as corruption struck its flint.

فأفاضَ لُجَّتَهُ على أركانِها

فأفاضَ لُجَّتَهُ على أركانِها

فَوراً فأطفأ جَمْرَها وأبادَهُ

فَوراً فأطفأ جَمْرَها وأبادَهُ

Then he poured his surging flood over all its quarters

So he poured his surging sea over its quarters,

and at once quenched its embers and annihilated them.

at once, quenching its embers and wiping them out.

خَطْبٌ شديدٌ قد تَلقَّاهُ القَضا

خَطْبٌ شديدٌ قد تَلقَّاهُ القَضا

بأشدَّ منهُ هادماً ما شادَهُ

بأشدَّ منهُ هادماً ما شادَهُ

A dire crisis—Providence confronted it

Fate confronted a grievous crisis

with one still direr, who demolished all the crisis had built.

with a mightier force, demolishing what it had built.

قد كانَ مَرصوداً على أقفالِهِ

قد كانَ مَرصوداً على أقفالِهِ

واليومَ فَكَّ محمدٌ أرصادَهُ

واليومَ فَكَّ محمدٌ أرصادَهُ

It had been guarded by spells laid upon its locks;

Its locks had been guarded by enchantments;

but today Mehmed has broken those spells.

and today Muhammad has broken its spells.

مسعودُ وَجهٍ حيثُ سارَ ركابُهُ

مسعودُ وَجهٍ حيثُ سارَ ركابُهُ

كانَتْ ملائكةُ السَّما أجنادُهُ

كانَتْ ملائكةُ السَّما أجنادُهُ

Blessed is his face wherever his caravan journeys:

Blessed is his countenance; wherever his cavalcade went,

the angels of heaven were his troops.

the angels of heaven were his troops.

هَيهاتِ أنْ يُنجي الفِرارُ طرِيدَهُ

هَيهاتِ أنْ يُنجي الفِرارُ طرِيدَهُ

يوماً ولو كانَ البُراقُ جَوادَهُ

يوماً ولو كانَ البُراقُ جَوادَهُ

Far be it that flight should save his quarry,

It is impossible for flight to save his quarry,

even were al-Buraq itself his steed.

ever, even if al-Buraq were his steed.

قد أرقَدَ الأجفانَ تحتَ أمانِهِ

قد أرقَدَ الأجفانَ تحتَ أمانِهِ

جَفْنٌ له طَرَدَ الحِفاظُ رُقادَهُ

جَفْنٌ له طَرَدَ الحِفاظُ رُقادَهُ

He has lulled eyelids to sleep beneath his protection—

Eyes have been lulled to sleep beneath his protection

eyelids whose vigilance had banished sleep.

by his own eye, whose slumber watchful duty banished.

يَقْظانُ يستقصي الأمورَ بنَظْرةٍ

يَقْظانُ يستقصي الأمورَ بنَظْرةٍ

تَطوِي وتَنشُرُ شَرْقنا وبِلادَهُ

تَطوِي وتَنشُرُ شَرْقنا وبِلادَهُ

Ever wakeful, he fathoms affairs with a glance

Wakeful, he probes affairs with a glance

that folds and unfolds our East and all its lands.

that folds and unfolds our East and its lands.

غمَّ البَلاءُ رِجالَهُ وعِيالهُ

غمَّ البَلاءُ رِجالَهُ وعِيالهُ

وجِبالَهُ ورِمالَهُ ووِهادَهُ

وجِبالَهُ ورِمالَهُ ووِهادَهُ

Calamity engulfed its men and its households,

Affliction had engulfed its men and households,

its mountains, its sands, and its lowlands.

and its mountains, its sands, and its lowlands.

فأتاه من أعطى الأمانَ لخائفٍ

فأتاه من أعطى الأمانَ لخائفٍ

وأخافَ من كانَ الأمانُ وِسَادَهُ

وأخافَ من كانَ الأمانُ وِسَادَهُ

Then there came to it one who gave safety to the fearful

Then came to it one who gave the frightened safety,

and frightened those whose pillow had been security.

and frightened him whose pillow had been safety.

ألقى على نارِ الضغينةِ بَرْدَهُ

ألقى على نارِ الضغينةِ بَرْدَهُ

وإلى العُراةِ بُرودَهُ ومِهادَهُ

وإلى العُراةِ بُرودَهُ ومِهادَهُ

He cast his coolness upon the fire of rancor,

He cast his coolness upon the fire of rancor,

and gave the naked his cloaks and bedding.

and to the naked, his cloaks and bedding.

قد أصبَحَتْ كلُّ البِلادِ عِيالَهُ

قد أصبَحَتْ كلُّ البِلادِ عِيالَهُ

إذ كان يَرزُقُ كلَّها إمدادَهُ

إذ كان يَرزُقُ كلَّها إمدادَهُ

All the lands have now become his dependents,

All the lands have become his dependents,

for his aid sustains every one of them.

for he has been sustaining them all with his aid.

هذا أمينُ الدَولةِ الرَّاعي الذي

هذا أمينُ الدَولةِ الرَّاعي الذي

جَعَلَ الصِّيانةَ حَجَّهُ وجِهادَهُ

جَعَلَ الصِّيانةَ حَجَّهُ وجِهادَهُ

This is the state’s faithful guardian, the shepherd who

This is the state's trustee, the shepherd who

has made protection his pilgrimage and his holy striving.

has made safeguarding his pilgrimage and sacred struggle.

أعطاهُ مَعْنٌ حِلمَهُ لكنَّهُ

أعطاهُ مَعْنٌ حِلمَهُ لكنَّهُ

لم يُعطِ مَعْناً حَزْمَهُ ورَشادَهُ

لم يُعطِ مَعْناً حَزْمَهُ ورَشادَهُ

His forbearance gave him its own meaning; yet

Ma'n gave him his forbearance; he, however,

his firmness and rectitude withheld that meaning from him.

did not give Ma'n his resolve and sound judgment.

كُلٌّ يُلاحِظُ في الحَياةِ مَعاشَهُ

كُلٌّ يُلاحِظُ في الحَياةِ مَعاشَهُ

يا مَن يُلاحِظُ قبلَ ذاكَ مَعادَهُ

يا مَن يُلاحِظُ قبلَ ذاكَ مَعادَهُ

Everyone in this life watches over his livelihood—

Everyone looks to his livelihood in this life;

O you who, before that, keep your hereafter in view!

O you who look first to your life to come!

أللهُ يفَعَلُ ما يُرِيدُ بخلْقِهِ

أللهُ يفَعَلُ ما يُرِيدُ بخلْقِهِ

وإذا أرادَ فَمنْ يَرُدُّ مُرادَهُ

وإذا أرادَ فَمنْ يَرُدُّ مُرادَهُ

God does whatever He wills with His creation,

God does with His creation what He wills,

and when He wills, who can turn His will aside?

and when He wills, who can thwart His will?

لَكَ يَنبغي الشِّعرُ الذي لا يَنبغي

لَكَ يَنبغي الشِّعرُ الذي لا يَنبغي

لِسِواكَ يا مَن قد رَفَعتَ عِمادَهُ

لِسِواكَ يا مَن قد رَفَعتَ عِمادَهُ

To you belongs the gratitude that ought not to belong

Poetry befits you as it does not befit

to anyone besides you, O you who raised its pillar.

any other, O you who have raised its pillar.

هَيَّجتَ لي شَوقاً إليهِ وكُنتُ قد

هَيَّجتَ لي شَوقاً إليهِ وكُنتُ قد

أهمَلتُهُ لمَّا رأيتُ كَسادَهُ

أهمَلتُهُ لمَّا رأيتُ كَسادَهُ

You stirred in me a longing for it, though I had

You stirred in me a longing for it, though I had

neglected it when I saw it languishing.

neglected it when I saw its market languish.

قد قَلَّ مَن أنشَدْتُهُ شِعراً فلم

قد قَلَّ مَن أنشَدْتُهُ شِعراً فلم

أندَمْ عليهِ مُحرِّماً إنشادَهُ

أندَمْ عليهِ مُحرِّماً إنشادَهُ

Few are those to whom I have recited poetry and not

Seldom have I recited verse to anyone without

regretted it afterward, swearing off its recitation.

regretting it and forbidding its recitation,

حتى أتيتَ فقالَ لي مِضمارُهُ

حتى أتيتَ فقالَ لي مِضمارُهُ

نَبِّهْ يَراعَكَ أنْ يُجِدَّ طِرادَهُ

نَبِّهْ يَراعَكَ أنْ يُجِدَّ طِرادَهُ

Until you came—and its racecourse said to me:

until you came, and its racecourse said to me:

“Rouse your reed pen, that its racing may grow earnest!”

Rouse your reed-pen to race in earnest!