ياO مخجلyou who shame الغزلانthe gazelles بالجيدwith the neck وقدّكand your stature الأسمرdusky
يا مخجل الغزلان بالجيد وقدّك الأسمر
بحسنكwith your beauty الفتّانcaptivating للغيدto graceful maidens صبحdawn البهاsplendor أسفرshone forth
بحسنك الفتّان للغيد صبح البها أسفر
O you who shame the gazelles with your neck and dusky stature!
O you who shames gazelles with your neck and your tanned complexion,
With your beauty, enchanting the graceful maidens, the dawn of splendor breaks.
With your alluring beauty you captivate hearts when dawn breaks.
فارحمso have mercy المغرمthe love-stricken one منwhoever رحمshowed mercy يُرحمْis shown mercy
فارحم المغرم من رحم يُرحمْ
وأطلقand release منfrom الهجرانestrangement تقييديmy bondage عنaway from حسنكyour beauty الأزهرradiant
وأطلق من الهجران تقييدي عن حسنك الأزهر
So have mercy on the love-stricken; whoever shows mercy is shown mercy.
Have mercy on a lover from a womb that is merciful,
And loose the bonds of estrangement that keep me from your radiant beauty.
And unleash from estrangement my shackles from your most radiant beauty.
ماnot سلاforgot حبّكyour love وجديmy passion منfrom طلاwine صافيpure الوردroses
ما سلا حبّك وجدي من طلا صافي الورد
لحظكyour glance يسقينيgives me drink
لحظك يسقيني
My passion has not forgotten your love; with pure rose-wine,
My innermost being did not ask to be quenched by your love and fervor,
Your glance gives me drink.
Except for a glance from you that gives me life.
البدرthe full moon منfrom حسنbeauty أوصافكyour qualities
البدر من حسن أوصافك
بردmantle الجمالbeauty أسبلlet trail
برد الجمال أسبل
The full moon, through the beauty of your qualities,
The full moon cannot match the splendor of your virtues,
Has let beauty's mantle trail.
The chill of beauty is clad in the rising of your charm,
لوif قابلتfaced معنىessence ألطافكyour graces
لو قابلت معنى ألطافك
شمسsun الضحىmidmorning تأفلsets
شمس الضحى تأفل
Were it to face the essence of your graces,
If the meaning of your gentleness were to meet,
The midmorning sun would set.
The beaming morning sun would set.
إنif تكنyou are كوكبa star
إن تكن كوكب
مهجتيmy heart لولبa whirling spindle
مهجتي لولب
If you are a star,
If you are a planet, my inner being revolves around you,
My heart is a whirling spindle.
None of the meaning of your virtues remains absent,
ماnot غابwas absent عنfrom مضنىone worn down أوصافكyour qualities
ما غاب عن مضنى أوصافك
جمالكyour beauty الأجملmost beautiful
جمالك الأجمل
Never absent from one worn down by your charms
Your unmatched beauty is the most beautiful.
Is your surpassing beauty.
Blessed are the dewy lips that contained the dripping honey,
حبّذاhow lovely الثغرthe mouth الدرّيpearly إذwhen حوىcontained شهدhoney القطرthe drops
حبّذا الثغر الدرّي إذ حوى شهد القطر
قطرهits drops تشفينيheal me
قطره تشفيني
How lovely the pearly mouth that holds honeyed drops!
Its drops give me life.
Its drops heal me.
O you who terrifies glances with eyelids readied for war,
ياO مرهبterrifying الألحاظthe glances بالجفنwith the eyelid للحربfor battle قدalready كبَّرcried 'God is great'
يا مرهب الألحاظ بالجفن للحرب قد كبَّر
أُمرتyou were commanded فيamong العشّاقthe lovers بالطعنwith piercing thrusts فاصدحso sing out بماwith what تؤمرyou are commanded
أُمرت في العشّاق بالطعن فاصدح بما تؤمر
O you of fearsome glances, with your eyelid you have cried 'God is great' for battle!
I have been commanded to stab among lovers, so proclaim what you order,
You were commanded to pierce the lovers; sing out what you are commanded.
For he who surrenders himself from blood,
فازwon deliverance منwhoever سلّمsurrendered عنfrom دمٍblood عندمcrimson dye
فاز من سلّم عن دمٍ عندم
شهيدa martyr فيin بدرٍBadr للحسنfor beauty حيّalive وإنand even if يقبرhe is buried
شهيد في بدرٍ للحسن حيّ وإن يقبر
He who surrenders wins deliverance from crimson blood.
Is a martyr in the path of beauty, alive even if buried.
A martyr in beauty's Badr lives, though he be buried.
Such is the state of passionate love that follows the path of love,
هكذاthus حالstate الصبّthe ardent lover يقتفيfollows أثرtrail الحبّlove
هكذا حال الصبّ يقتفي أثر الحبّ
فيin هذاthis الدينfaith
في هذا الدين
Such is the ardent lover's state: he follows love's trail
In this religion,
In this faith.
For the kiss of secrets and knowledge, pray to the Lord of the Most High,
لقبلةto the qibla الأسرارthe mysteries والعلمand knowledge ربّLord العلاthe heights صلّىsent blessings
لقبلة الأسرار والعلم ربّ العلا صلّى
بجامعin the mosque الأنوارthe lights للحكمfor wisdom آياتهhis verses تتلىare recited
بجامع الأنوار للحكم آياته تتلى
The Lord on high has blessed the qibla of mysteries and knowledge.
In the mosque of lights, His signs are recited,
In the mosque of lights, his verses are recited for wisdom.
With our greatest son, our most splendid treasure,
بابناour gate الأعظمgreatest ذخرناour treasure الأفخمgrandest
بابنا الأعظم ذخرنا الأفخم
والآلand the family والصحبand the companions ياO فهيمdiscerning one بذكرهمby remembering them يُجلَىis made clear
والآل والصحب يا فهيم بذكرهم يُجلَى
Our greatest gate, our grandest treasure,
And his family and companions, O wise one, through their mention hearts are enlightened,
And the family and companions, O discerning one—through remembrance of them comes clarity.
My poem cannot match their excellence, as the seal of musk,
ماhow حلاgrew sweet فيهمabout them نظميmy verse إذas علاrose مسكmusk الختمthe ending
ما حلا فيهم نظمي إذ علا مسك الختم
فيat كلّevery حينmoment
في كلّ حين
How sweet my verse in their praise, as the musk of the ending rises,
Prevails at all times.
At every moment.
Partial English translation: 27 of 28 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1