خَطَرَت وَفي قَلبي لِذاكَ خُفوقُ

خَطَرَت وَفي قَلبي لِذاكَ خُفوقُ

وَرَنَتْ فَكُلُّ الصاحِبين رَشيقُ

وَرَنَتْ فَكُلُّ الصاحِبين رَشيقُ

She passed, and my heart fluttered at that.

She appeared, and my heart fluttered for her,

And she glanced, and each companion was pierced.

And she sang, so all friends became enchanted.

هَيفاءُ مالَ بصَبِّها سُكُر الهَوى

هَيفاءُ مالَ بصَبِّها سُكُر الهَوى

لَمَّا تَمايَلَ عِطفُها المَمشوقُ

لَمَّا تَمايَلَ عِطفُها المَمشوقُ

A slender beauty—love's intoxication swayed her lover

Swaying with the drunkenness of passion,

when her tall, slender figure swayed.

When her supple side bent around.

قاَمت تُديرُ لَنا الرَّحيقَ وَلَيتَها

قاَمت تُديرُ لَنا الرَّحيقَ وَلَيتَها

طَلَبَت مُجانَسَةً فَدارَ الرِّيقُ

طَلَبَت مُجانَسَةً فَدارَ الرِّيقُ

She rose to pass the pure wine among us; would that she

She got up to serve us the wine, if only

had sought a kindred pairing, and let her saliva go round.

She had sought company, the saliva would have flowed.

وَشَدَت فَأَطرَبَتِ الجَمادَ وَهَيَّجَتْ

وَشَدَت فَأَطرَبَتِ الجَمادَ وَهَيَّجَتْ

حَتَّى عَلِمنا كَيفَ يُحيِي البوقُ

حَتَّى عَلِمنا كَيفَ يُحيِي البوقُ

And she sang, enrapturing lifeless things and stirring passions,

She played the instruments, exciting the inanimate,

till we learned how the trumpet brings life.

Until we knew how the horn gives life.

ناظرتُها فَسكرتُ مِن لحَظاتِها

ناظرتُها فَسكرتُ مِن لحَظاتِها

وَشَرِبتُ خَمرتَها فَكَيفَ أُفِيقُ

وَشَرِبتُ خَمرتَها فَكَيفَ أُفِيقُ

I exchanged glances with her and grew drunk from her looks;

I looked at her and got drunk on her glances,

and I drank her wine—how, then, could I sober up?

And I drank her wine, so how could I sober up?

وَرَأَيتُ رِقَّةَ خَصرِها فَوَهَبتُها

وَرَأَيتُ رِقَّةَ خَصرِها فَوَهَبتُها

قَلبي فَإِنَّ كِلَيهِما لَرَقيقُ

قَلبي فَإِنَّ كِلَيهِما لَرَقيقُ

And I saw the delicacy of her waist and gave her

I saw the softness of her waist, so I gave her

my heart, for both of them are surely delicate.

My heart, for both are delicate.

غَيداءُ آنِسةٌ نَفُورٌ عِندَها

غَيداءُ آنِسةٌ نَفُورٌ عِندَها

يَحيا الرَّجاءُ وَيُقتَلُ التَوفيقُ

يَحيا الرَّجاءُ وَيُقتَلُ التَوفيقُ

A graceful beauty, affable yet elusive; with her

A coquette, a companion, aloofness in her,

hope lives, and success is slain.

Hope lives, but compatibility is killed.

كَالآلِ يُطمِعُ لامِعاً مُتَقرِّباً

كَالآلِ يُطمِعُ لامِعاً مُتَقرِّباً

وَلِمَن أَتاهُ زُفرَةٌ وَشَهيقُ

وَلِمَن أَتاهُ زُفرَةٌ وَشَهيقُ

Like a mirage, gleaming and drawing near, she arouses hope,

Like a glowing ember, flashing, drawing near,

but whoever reaches it has a sigh and a gasp.

And sighing heavily for whoever comes to it.

قالتْ وَقَد غازَلتُها متصبِّباً

قالتْ وَقَد غازَلتُها متصبِّباً

لَيسَ الصَّبابَةُ بِالمَشِيبِ تَليقُ

لَيسَ الصَّبابَةُ بِالمَشِيبِ تَليقُ

She said, while I courted her, showing ardent love:

She said, as I had flirted with her excessively:

Passion does not suit gray hair.

“Playfulness does not suit white hair.”

هَيهاتِ ما كِبَراً مَشِيبي إِنَّما

هَيهاتِ ما كِبَراً مَشِيبي إِنَّما

هَذا الدَّلالُ إِلى المَشيبِ يَسُوقُ

هَذا الدَّلالُ إِلى المَشيبِ يَسُوقُ

Far from it! My gray hair is not from age; rather,

“Far from it! My white hair is not from old age,

this coyness drives one to gray hair.

This coquetry leads my hair to whiteness.”

إِني أمرُوءٌ طَرِبٌ عَلى غَزَلِ المَهى

إِني أمرُوءٌ طَرِبٌ عَلى غَزَلِ المَهى

وَعلى مُناظَرَةِ الحِسانِ مَشُوقُ

وَعلى مُناظَرَةِ الحِسانِ مَشُوقُ

I am a man delighted by wooing the oryx-maidens,

“I am a man enchanted by the flirtation of passions,

and yearning to exchange glances with beautiful women.

And the sight of beauties makes me yearn.”

حَجَّتْ إِلى قَلبي العُيونُ فَإِنَّهُ

حَجَّتْ إِلى قَلبي العُيونُ فَإِنَّهُ

بَيتٌ وَلَكنْ لا أَقولُ عَتيقُ

بَيتٌ وَلَكنْ لا أَقولُ عَتيقُ

Eyes made pilgrimage to my heart, for it is

Eyes have pilgrimaged to my heart, for it is

a house—though I do not call it ancient.

A home, though I won't say an old one.

يا رَبَّةَ الحُسنِ العَزيزِ لَكِ الحَشا

يا رَبَّةَ الحُسنِ العَزيزِ لَكِ الحَشا

مِصرٌ غَلا فَسَطا عَلَيهِ حَريقُ

مِصرٌ غَلا فَسَطا عَلَيهِ حَريقُ

O mistress of precious beauty, my heart, for you, is

O lady of precious, glorious beauty, for you applause,

a city that seethed, then was ravaged by fire.

Egypt has spread out, with a blaze over it.

نُعمانُ خَدِّكِ في الرِّياضِ وَمَدمَعي

نُعمانُ خَدِّكِ في الرِّياضِ وَمَدمَعي

هَذا لَها خالٌ وَذاكِ شَقيقُ

هَذا لَها خالٌ وَذاكِ شَقيقُ

The blood-red hue of your cheek in the gardens, and my tear-stream—

The moisture of your cheek in the gardens, and my tears,

this is their raincloud, and that their anemone.

One has a mole, the other a brother.

دَمعي حَدِيثٌ لا يَزالُ مُسَلسَلاً

دَمعي حَدِيثٌ لا يَزالُ مُسَلسَلاً

أَبَداً وَقَلبي بِالغَرام خَليقُ

أَبَداً وَقَلبي بِالغَرام خَليقُ

My tears are a tale, endlessly linked in a chain,

My flowing tears persist forever,

forever; and my heart is suited to passionate love.

And my heart is inclined to love.

قَلبٌ كَخالكِ في المَحبَّةِ طَيِّبٌ

قَلبٌ كَخالكِ في المَحبَّةِ طَيِّبٌ

لَكنَّ ذا مسكٌ وَذاكِ فتيقُ

لَكنَّ ذا مسكٌ وَذاكِ فتيقُ

A heart, like your beauty spot, sweet in love,

A heart like your mole in goodness, fragrant,

but this is musk, and that is torn open.

Though one is musk, the other crumbs.

هُوَ شافِعِيٌّ عِندَهُ حُسنُ الوَفا

هُوَ شافِعِيٌّ عِندَهُ حُسنُ الوَفا

لابنِ الكَرامةِ سُنَّةٌ وَحُقُوقُ

لابنِ الكَرامةِ سُنَّةٌ وَحُقُوقُ

It is Shafiʿi; in its eyes, sincere loyalty

He is my intercessor, in him is loyalty

to Ibn al-Karamah is a tradition and a duty.

To the son of nobility, a sunna and rights.

وَمَتى الوَفاءُ وَكُلَّ يَومٍ بَرَّةٌ

وَمَتى الوَفاءُ وَكُلَّ يَومٍ بَرَّةٌ

لَكَ في المحاسنِ لِلوَفاءِ سَبُوقُ

لَكَ في المحاسنِ لِلوَفاءِ سَبُوقُ

And when could repayment come, when each day a kindness

When is loyalty? For you, everyday

of yours, among noble deeds, outstrips repayment?

Excellences of loyalty come first.

تَأتي النَفائِسُ مِنكَ لا مَطروقَةً

تَأتي النَفائِسُ مِنكَ لا مَطروقَةً

مِن دُونِهِنَّ الدِّرهَمُ المَطروقُ

مِن دُونِهِنَّ الدِّرهَمُ المَطروقُ

Treasures come from you, never hackneyed;

Choice things come from you, not solicited,

beneath them ranks the minted dirham.

Unlike the minted coin.

اللَهُ أَكبَرُ في الأَيمَّةِ فَردُها

اللَهُ أَكبَرُ في الأَيمَّةِ فَردُها

وَلَفيفُها المَقرونُ وَالمَفروقُ

وَلَفيفُها المَقرونُ وَالمَفروقُ

God is greatest! Among the masters, he is their unique one,

God is great in the leadership, driving it away,

and their whole company, whether joined or scattered.

And its entourage, together and apart.

رَجلٌ وَماذا وَصفُهُ وَكَفى بِهِ

رَجلٌ وَماذا وَصفُهُ وَكَفى بِهِ

رَجُلٌ لَهُ المَفهومُ وَالمَنطوقُ

رَجُلٌ لَهُ المَفهومُ وَالمَنطوقُ

A man—what more description? Enough to call him

A man, what can describe him? It's enough that he is

a man: his are both the implied and the expressed.

A man of implied and spoken meaning.

حَسَنُ المَعاني وَالبَيانِ كَلامُهُ

حَسَنُ المَعاني وَالبَيانِ كَلامُهُ

جَزلٌ وَمَعناهُ الرَّقيق دَقيقُ

جَزلٌ وَمَعناهُ الرَّقيق دَقيقُ

Beautiful in meaning and expression, his speech is

The meanings and eloquence of his words

robust, and its delicate sense is subtle.

Are weighty, and their sense delicate and precise.

فَإِذا تَكلَّمَ راحَ يَفعَلُ لَفظُهُ

فَإِذا تَكلَّمَ راحَ يَفعَلُ لَفظُهُ

ما راحَ يَفعَلُ بِالنُّهى الرَّاووقُ

ما راحَ يَفعَلُ بِالنُّهى الرَّاووقُ

And when he speaks, his words begin to do

So when he speaks, his words immediately

what clear wine does to reason.

Do what admonition by the preacher cannot do.

حيِّ القَريضَ وَآخذِيهِ وَقُل لَهُ

حيِّ القَريضَ وَآخذِيهِ وَقُل لَهُ

قَد كانَ مُقتَرَضٌ وَأَنتَ طَليقُ

قَد كانَ مُقتَرَضٌ وَأَنتَ طَليقُ

Salute poetry and its practitioners, and say to it:

Revive poetry and its practitioners, and say to him

Once you were borrowed, yet remained free.

“It was borrowed before, while you are free.”

ها أَنتَ في يَدِهِ رَقيقٌ أَن تَحُل

ها أَنتَ في يَدِهِ رَقيقٌ أَن تَحُل

عَنها فَإِنَّكَ آبقٌ مَسروقُ

عَنها فَإِنَّكَ آبقٌ مَسروقُ

Now you are a slave in his hand; should you break free

You are in his hand, too weak to

from it, you are a runaway, stolen away.

Escape it, for you are a fugitive slave, stolen.

لَكَ مِن قَريحَتِهِ السَّليمةِ صِحَّةٌ

لَكَ مِن قَريحَتِهِ السَّليمةِ صِحَّةٌ

وَطِرازُ وَشيٍ لا يَرِثُّ أَنيقُ

وَطِرازُ وَشيٍ لا يَرِثُّ أَنيقُ

From his sound poetic gift, you gain soundness,

You have from his sound talent correctness

and an elegant embroidered pattern that never grows threadbare.

And a style no effeminate can inherit.

هِيَ ذَلِكَ الإِكسيرُ صُنعُ اللَهِ لا اُل

هِيَ ذَلِكَ الإِكسيرُ صُنعُ اللَهِ لا اُل

إِكسيرُ مِمَّا يَصنَعُ الإِنبيقُ

إِكسيرُ مِمَّا يَصنَعُ الإِنبيقُ

It is that elixir, God's handiwork—not the

That is the elixir, made by God, not an

elixir that the alembic produces.

Elixir made by the perfumer.

تُلقي الهِلالَ فَيَستَحيلُ بِها إِلى

تُلقي الهِلالَ فَيَستَحيلُ بِها إِلى

شَمسٍ لَها عِندَ الأُفولِ شُروقُ

شَمسٍ لَها عِندَ الأُفولِ شُروقُ

You cast in the crescent, and it is transformed thereby into

You cast the crescent, and it becomes through you

a sun that rises even as it sets.

A sun, rising again even as it sets.

يا بُطرسُ الشَّهمُ الكَريمُ مَكانُهُ

يا بُطرسُ الشَّهمُ الكَريمُ مَكانُهُ

وَبنانُهُ وَلِسانُهُ المِنطيقُ

وَبنانُهُ وَلِسانُهُ المِنطيقُ

O Butrus, noble-hearted, whose station is noble,

O Peter, the generous, noble one, his place

as are his fingertips and his eloquent tongue!

And structure, his tongue precise.

أَنتَ الكَرامَةُ وَاِبنُها وَأَبٌ لَها

أَنتَ الكَرامَةُ وَاِبنُها وَأَبٌ لَها

نَسَبٌ كَريمٌ في الكِرامِ عَريقُ

نَسَبٌ كَريمٌ في الكِرامِ عَريقُ

You are nobility, its son, and its father—

You are nobility, and its son, and a father to it,

a noble lineage, deeply rooted among the noble.

A noble lineage in generosity, long-established.

طُفتُ البِلادَ وَقَد جَلَستُ إِلَيكَ لا

طُفتُ البِلادَ وَقَد جَلَستُ إِلَيكَ لا

سَفَرٌ وَلَم تَمنُنْ عَلَيَّ النُوقُ

سَفَرٌ وَلَم تَمنُنْ عَلَيَّ النُوقُ

I toured the lands while seated beside you—without

I toured the lands, and sat with you without

travel, and without favors from the she-camels.

Travels, and the she-camels did not favor me.

ما فاتَني أَنَّ الأَوائلَ قَد مَضَوا

ما فاتَني أَنَّ الأَوائلَ قَد مَضَوا

وَبَقِيتَ أَنتَ ولي اليكَ طَريقُ

وَبَقِيتَ أَنتَ ولي اليكَ طَريقُ

Nothing was lost to me when the predecessors passed away,

It did not escape me that the ancients are gone,

and you remain, and I have a path to you.

And you remained, to you is my path.