وُعودُ وصالها عادَت نَسايا

وُعودُ وصالها عادَت نَسايا

وعاد نوالُها الميسورُ وايا

وعاد نوالُها الميسورُ وايا

Her promises of union have become forgotten things.

Her promises of union returned to be forgotten,

And her readily available bounty has become a mere promise.

And her easy attainment returned and went.

إِذا أنشدتُ في التعريض شِعراً

إِذا أنشدتُ في التعريض شِعراً

تَلَت من سُورة الإعراض آيا

تَلَت من سُورة الإعراض آيا

When I recite poetry in veiled allusion,

When I recite suggestive poetry,

she recites verses from the surah of rejection.

She reads from the chapter of aloofness some verses.

ولستُ أخافُ حَيفَ الدهر ما لم

ولستُ أخافُ حَيفَ الدهر ما لم

تُبَدِّلُ دارُها بالقُربِ نايا

تُبَدِّلُ دارُها بالقُربِ نايا

I do not fear the injustice of time, so long as

I do not fear the injustice of fate as long as

her dwelling does not exchange nearness for distance.

Its abode does not change to become near to us.

ورُبَّ قَطيعةٍ كَانَت دلالاً

ورُبَّ قَطيعةٍ كَانَت دلالاً

وكم في الحُبِّ من نُكَتٍ خَفايا

وكم في الحُبِّ من نُكَتٍ خَفايا

Many an estrangement has been coquetry,

How much estrangement was a sign of intimacy,

and how many hidden subtleties there are in love!

And how much in love there are hidden subtle points.

شَكَت فعلي إِليَّ فآنسَتني

شَكَت فعلي إِليَّ فآنسَتني

وبعضُ الأُنس في بعض الشكايا

وبعضُ الأُنس في بعض الشكايا

She complained to me of my conduct, and comforted me;

She complained about me to me, so she made me feel intimate,

some comfort lies in certain complaints.

And some intimacy is in some complaints.

فلا مَلَّت مُعاتبتي فانّي

فلا مَلَّت مُعاتبتي فانّي

أُعُدُّ عتابَها إحدى الهدايا

أُعُدُّ عتابَها إحدى الهدايا

May she never tire of reproaching me, for I

So when she did not cease blaming me, I

count her reproach as one of the gifts.

Consider her blame one of the gifts.

ألا يا حبَّذا يوماً جَرَرنا

ألا يا حبَّذا يوماً جَرَرنا

ذيولَ اللهو فيه بجرجرايا

ذيولَ اللهو فيه بجرجرايا

Ah, how lovely was the day when we trailed

Oh, how excellent is a day we dragged

the skirts of pleasure in Jarjaraya.

The trains of diversion in it with pulling.

ويومَ مَشَت تميلُ من التصابي

ويومَ مَشَت تميلُ من التصابي

وتضحك بين أترابٍ صبايا

وتضحك بين أترابٍ صبايا

And the day she walked, swaying in youthful playfulness,

And a day she walked inclining

and laughing among girls her own age.

And laughed amidst pure young maidens.

ثَنَينا السوءَ عن ذاك التثنِّي

ثَنَينا السوءَ عن ذاك التثنِّي

وأَثنَينا على تلك الثنايا

وأَثنَينا على تلك الثنايا

We turned harm away from that swaying,

We scolded evil about that double entendre,

and praised those front teeth.

And we praised those curves.

ألَمَّ خيالُها وَهناً فَحَيّا

ألَمَّ خيالُها وَهناً فَحَيّا

باحسنَ ما يكونُ من التَّحايا

باحسنَ ما يكونُ من التَّحايا

Her phantom visited late at night and greeted me

Her apparition greeted tenderly,

with the finest possible greetings.

With the best of what can be of greetings.

وقال صُنِ وَصِيَّتَة بنُصحٍ

وقال صُنِ وَصِيَّتَة بنُصحٍ

فانَّ النُّصح حَليٌ للوصايا

فانَّ النُّصح حَليٌ للوصايا

And bade me guard its injunction with sincerity,

And he said, protect my command with advice,

for sincerity is an ornament to injunctions.

For advice is a necklace for commandments.

وما استتمتُ رؤيا الطيفِ حتى

وما استتمتُ رؤيا الطيفِ حتى

تَرَنَّم بالسُّرى حادي المطايا

تَرَنَّم بالسُّرى حادي المطايا

I had not finished beholding the phantom when

And I had not finished seeing the specter,

the camel-driver sang for the night journey.

Until the secret companion began chanting with the horses.

وفاضَ الدمعُ في أثناءِ جَفنٍ

وفاضَ الدمعُ في أثناءِ جَفنٍ

تردَّد للكرى فيه بقايا

تردَّد للكرى فيه بقايا

Tears overflowed in the folds of an eyelid

And tears flowed in the midst of an eyelid,

where remnants of slumber still lingered.

In it remnants circulated for memories.

وما خُلِقت عيونُ العِين إمّا

وما خُلِقت عيونُ العِين إمّا

نَظَرتَ سوى بلايا للبرايا

نَظَرتَ سوى بلايا للبرايا

The eyes of wide-eyed beauties were created—if

And eyes are not created unless

you look—only as afflictions for humankind.

They looked for nothing but calamities for the innocent.

فمنها ما يبيحُ لكَ الأماني

فمنها ما يبيحُ لكَ الأماني

ومنها ما يُتيحُ لكَ المنايا

ومنها ما يُتيحُ لكَ المنايا

Some of them grant you your wishes,

So some permit you wishes,

and some of them bring you death.

And some allow you deaths.

ألا يا صاحبيَّ دعا كلامي

ألا يا صاحبيَّ دعا كلامي

فليس الَّلومُ من كَرَمِ السَّجايا

فليس الَّلومُ من كَرَمِ السَّجايا

Ah, my two companions, leave my words alone;

Oh my friend, my speech invites

reproach is no part of noble character.

No blame, for abstinence is the peak of generosity.

إِذا طرقَتنيَ الأشواقُ ليلاً

إِذا طرقَتنيَ الأشواقُ ليلاً

فَرَشتُ لُهنَّ أفكاري خبايا

فَرَشتُ لُهنَّ أفكاري خبايا

When longings visit me by night,

If longing knocked on me at night,

I spread my hidden thoughts as bedding for them.

I spread its thoughts out to it as hiding places.

وفي بعض القُلوبِ عيون فكرٍ

وفي بعض القُلوبِ عيون فكرٍ

بِكُنهِ عواقب الدنيا جَلايا

بِكُنهِ عواقب الدنيا جَلايا

In some hearts there are eyes of thought,

And in some hearts there are eyes of thought

clear-sighted into the essence of this world's outcomes.

Discerning the essence of the consequences of the world.

وأوضحَ لي طريقَ العيش شُغلي

وأوضحَ لي طريقَ العيش شُغلي

بمدح أغرَّ وضّاح العشايا

بمدح أغرَّ وضّاح العشايا

My occupation has made the path of livelihood clear to me:

And my occupation made clear to me the path of life

praising an illustrious man who lights the evenings.

By praising the most seductive of the stay-up nights.

ومن شاع اسمه بالعدل حتى

ومن شاع اسمه بالعدل حتى

أَمُرَّ به الأعادي والولايا

أَمُرَّ به الأعادي والولايا

One whose name became famed for justice, until

And the one whose name spread with justice until

foes and friends alike acknowledged it.

The enemies and governors commanded him.

ومن رضي التُّقى خُلُقا فأَرضَى

ومن رضي التُّقى خُلُقا فأَرضَى

قوامَ الدين بالخُلق الرضايا

قوامَ الدين بالخُلق الرضايا

One who chose piety as his character, and pleased

And the one whom piety pleased in character, so he pleased

the upholder of the faith with his pleasing character;

The pillar of religion with pleasing character.

عميدَ جيوشِه عزماً وبأساً

عميدَ جيوشِه عزماً وبأساً

وحارس ملكِه حَزماً ورايا

وحارس ملكِه حَزماً ورايا

as commander of his armies in resolve and valor,

The commander of his troops determination and firmness,

and guardian of his kingdom in prudence and judgment.

And the guard of his kingdom prudence and opinion.

تُرجِّيه على بُعدٍ فيكفي

تُرجِّيه على بُعدٍ فيكفي

بما يرجوه أسبابَ البلايا

بما يرجوه أسبابَ البلايا

You place your hopes in him from afar, and he averts

You hope in him from afar, and it suffices

the causes of affliction through what one hopes for from him.

What he hopes for as reasons for afflictions.

ونقصِدُه فلا جَهمَ المحيّا

ونقصِدُه فلا جَهمَ المحيّا

نُصادِفُه ولا نَزرَ العطايا

نُصادِفُه ولا نَزرَ العطايا

We seek him out, and never grim of face

And we seek him, so we do not encounter aloofness or little bestowal,

do we find him, nor scant in gifts.

Nor the spreading of rewards.

نصاحبُ كلّ مجدٍ صاحبيِّ

نصاحبُ كلّ مجدٍ صاحبيِّ

مزيَّتُه تتيهُ على المزايا

مزيَّتُه تتيهُ على المزايا

We keep company with every glory of the Sahib,

We befriend every glory whose comrade

whose excellence stands proudly above all excellences.

His distinction wanders unto merits.

لنا منهُ إِذا سرنا إليه

لنا منهُ إِذا سرنا إليه

سناء الذكر والخلعُ السَّنايا

سناء الذكر والخلعُ السَّنايا

From him, when we journey to him, we receive

For us if we go to him,

exalted renown and splendid robes of honor.

Celebrity of mention and robes of honor.

على أيدي الملوك عَلَت يداهُ

على أيدي الملوك عَلَت يداهُ

علوّ الباسقات على الودايا

علوّ الباسقات على الودايا

His two hands have risen above the hands of kings,

At the hands of kings his hands became high,

as towering palms rise above young palm-shoots.

As high as the towering mountains above the valleys.

لقد نُظمت لاعناق المعالي

لقد نُظمت لاعناق المعالي

قلائدُ من خلائقه الرَّضايا

قلائدُ من خلائقه الرَّضايا

Indeed, for the necks of lofty virtues were strung

Necklaces made of his pleasing traits

necklaces of his pleasing qualities.

Were certainly composed for the necks of glory.

وايُّ فَضيلةٍ جُعِلَت لقومٍ

وايُّ فَضيلةٍ جُعِلَت لقومٍ

له المرباعُ منها والصَّفايا

له المرباعُ منها والصَّفايا

Whatever virtue is allotted to a people,

And which merit was made for a people,

his are its quarter-share and its choicest spoils.

For him are the landmarks of it and its peaks.

أقول لمن خراسانٌ ومصرٌ

أقول لمن خراسانٌ ومصرٌ

بأيديهم وأنفُسُهم دَنايا

بأيديهم وأنفُسُهم دَنايا

I say to those who hold Khurasan and Egypt

I say to those whom Khurasan and Egypt

in their hands, though their souls are base:

Are in their hands and they themselves are lowly.

دنا نَبشُ الخبايا فاستنيموا

دنا نَبشُ الخبايا فاستنيموا

إِلى قولي دنا نبش الخبايا

إِلى قولي دنا نبش الخبايا

The unearthing of secrets is near; place your trust

Come closer, we dig into secrecies, so listen

in my words: the unearthing of secrets is near.

To my words, come closer, we dig secrecies.

أزيلوا الشكَّ وانتظروا وشيكاً

أزيلوا الشكَّ وانتظروا وشيكاً

سُرى يقظان ميمون السَّرايا

سُرى يقظان ميمون السَّرايا

Cast away doubt and await, very soon,

Remove doubts and wait soon

the night march of a watchful man, blessed in his raiding bands.

The good omen of the palace's companions.

سيرمي أرضكم بجنود صدقٍ

سيرمي أرضكم بجنود صدقٍ

فوارسُكم لرجلهم رمايا

فوارسُكم لرجلهم رمايا

He will assail your land with steadfast troops;

He will pelt your land with troops of sincerity,

your horsemen will be targets for their foot soldiers.

Your horsemen have for their feet shooting.

وتأخذكم سيوفهم فتقضي

وتأخذكم سيوفهم فتقضي

على هاماتكم نَثر القضايا

على هاماتكم نَثر القضايا

Their swords will seize you, then pronounce

And their swords will take you and end

a scattering of judgments upon your heads.

The heads of the rebels for them are booty.

رجالٌ كُلَّما غنموا فآبوا

رجالٌ كُلَّما غنموا فآبوا

رؤوس الخالعين لهم سَبايا

رؤوس الخالعين لهم سَبايا

Men who, whenever they take spoils and return,

They saw that being harmed in repelling them

have the heads of rebels as their captives.

Is as if their lives are one of sins.

رأوا ان الاصابةَ في رداهم

رأوا ان الاصابةَ في رداهم

كأنَّ حياتهم احدى الخطايا

كأنَّ حياتهم احدى الخطايا

They deemed the right course to lie in their death,

Yes, oh master of masters, I

as though their life were one of the sins.

See faith in your name for me a banner.

ألا يا صاحب الأصحاب أنِّي

ألا يا صاحب الأصحاب أنِّي

أرى الايمان باسمك لي ألايا

أرى الايمان باسمك لي ألايا

Ah, O Sahib of Sahibs, I

And that seizing anything but

regard oaths sworn in your name as my solemn vows.

The fruits of your blessings is a crime.

وإنَّ من الجنايات التقاطي

وإنَّ من الجنايات التقاطي

سوى ثمرات أنعُمك الجنايا

سوى ثمرات أنعُمك الجنايا

And it is a transgression for me to gather

For at your father's I saw wishes

ripe pickings other than the fruits of your favors.

So his weeping deceived me, mirrors.

فعند أبيك عاينتُ الأماني

فعند أبيك عاينتُ الأماني

فخانتني بَكاياها مرايا

فخانتني بَكاياها مرايا

For with your father I beheld my hopes,

And how many a youth gains success but

but their remnants betrayed me like mirrors.

When his mounts return, his banners torn.

ورُبَّ فتىً ينالُ النجح لكن

ورُبَّ فتىً ينالُ النجح لكن

إِذا عادَت ركائبه ردايا

إِذا عادَت ركائبه ردايا

Many a youth achieves success, but only

While you are a group created to remain

when his riding camels return worn out.

On the world, their palms its generosity.

وأنتم معشرٌ خُلِقُوا لتبقى

وأنتم معشرٌ خُلِقُوا لتبقى

على الدنيا أكُفّهُم السَّخايا

على الدنيا أكُفّهُم السَّخايا

You are a people created so that

Your extended land is kissed, step by step,

their generous hands may endure in this world.

The subjects live by the justice of your extension.

تُقَبّل بسطَكم قِدماً فَقِدماً

تُقَبّل بسطَكم قِدماً فَقِدماً

يعيشُ ببسط عدلكم الرعايا

يعيشُ ببسط عدلكم الرعايا

Your carpets have been kissed since time immemorial;

So I compare you to others than you

the subjects live through the spread of your justice.

As I compare the fertile to the barren.

فقايسكم إِلى نفرٍ سواكُم

فقايسكم إِلى نفرٍ سواكُم

يقيس الزاخرات إِلى الركايا

يقيس الزاخرات إِلى الركايا

Whoever compares you with another group

And your share is the breasts of gatherings,

compares surging seas with wells.

While the share of others the corners.

وحظّكم الصدور من النوادي

وحظّكم الصدور من النوادي

وحظّ سواكم منها الزوايا

وحظّ سواكم منها الزوايا

Your share is the foremost seats in assemblies,

And in you alone my poetry flowed,

and others' share there is the corners.

So how can it flow in the empty wilderness?

وفيكم سار لا في الغير شعري

وفيكم سار لا في الغير شعري

وكيف تسير في البرِّ الخلايا

وكيف تسير في البرِّ الخلايا

My verse has traveled in your praise, not in others',

and how could ships sail upon dry land?