ما لِلمَليحَة لا تُبيحُ رُقادي
وَيَسُرّها أَرقي وَطولُ سُهادي
Why does my beauty not grant me sleep
While it pleases her to keep me awake and prolong my insomnia
بُخلاً وَضَنّا أَن يَزورَ خَيالُها
وَيُلمَّ بي فَيَبُلَّ غُلةَ صادي
Is she miserly and stingy that her image should visit me
And join me and thus increase my misery
أَبَخيلَةً بالطيف مَن لمُتَيَّم
قَد كانَ طالِب خلّةٍ وَوداد
Is she miserly with her apparition, she who
Was once seeking my companionship and affection
والآنَ يَعثِر في عُقود دُموعِهِ
قَولي لعاً أَطمعهُ في الإِسعاد
And now stumbles over the beads of his teardrops
Saying to the desperate one, I give him hope of happiness
فَإِذا أَبل فَواصِلي أَو صارِمي
غَلَبَ الغَرامُ فَما تُريدُ مُرادي
So if she becomes kind or turns cruel
Passion prevails, so she gets what she wants from me
يا ضَرَّةَ البَدرِ المُنير وَحَسرَةَ
الغُصنِ النَضير وَفِتنَةَ الزُهاد
O light of the shining full moon, O sorrow
Of the delicate branch, O seduction of the ascetics
ما كانَ ضَرَّكَ يَوم زُمَّ ركابُنا
وَالعيس مُصغية لِصَوت الحادي
How could it harm you the day our camel litter was loaded
And the camel driver was listening to the guide
أَن لَو نَظَرتِ إِلى قَتيلك نَظرَةً
فَتَكون في جَوب المَهاوي زادي
If only you had looked at your slain victim with one glance
It would be provision on the journey to the abyss
يا عاذِلي لا تُفشِ مِن سِرِّ الهَوى
سِرَّ امرىء ذي خِبرَة نقّاد
O my critic, do not divulge the secret of my love
It is the secret of one knowledgeable and critical
أَهوى المُمنَع وَصلها وَيَصُدَها
مَهما تُريدُ جَدى عَدى وَعَواد
I love she who is out of reach, I try to be close to her
No matter how much enmity, transgression and return she wants
غَرّاء يَحميها الجَمالُ وَتارَةً
تُحمى بِأَطراف القَنا المَيّاد
A coquette protected by her beauty, and at times
Protected by the tips of the sharp spears
تَنبو عَلى خُضرِ الزَمان خَلائِقي
وَتَصَدُّ عَنهُم مُهجَتي وَتُعادي
She blames the manners of the times upon me
And turns away from them while she is hostile to me
وَأعفُّ أَحياناً وَأصرفُ هِمَّتي
لِمَديح مالِك خِلَّتي وَوِدادي
And sometimes I pardon and divert my resolve
To praise the owner of my companionship and affection
الفاضِل الصَدر المُقَرَب أَحمَدٍ
أَعني أَبا الأَضيافِ وَالقُصّادِ
The excellent, generous Ahmed
I mean the host of guests and the one who feeds others
سِرُّ الكِتابَةِ وَهوَ كاتِبُ سِرِّها
أَبدَتهُ يَنقَعُ غُلَّةَ الأَكبادِ
He is the secret of writing and he is the scribe of its secret
It appeared dripping the quintessence of livers
مِن بَعدِ ما كادَت رُسومُ طُروسِها
تَمحى كأن سَقيَت بِصَوب عهادِ
After its customs were almost erased
As if they were watered with the juice of crushed grapes
فَأَتى يُجَدِدُ فَخرَها وَيُمُدُّها
بِبَدائِعٍ كالحلي في الأَجيادِ
So he came renewing its pride and extending it
With wonders like jewelry on the necks of steeds
أَشهى عَلى الأَسماعِ مِن نَيل المُنى
وَأَلَذَّ مِن صِلَةٍ بِلا ميعادِ
More delicious to the ears than attaining what is wished for
And sweeter than a reunion without an appointed time
آياتُ إِحسانٍ جَعَلتُ فُصولها
تُتلى عَلى الأَحقابِ وَالآبادِ
Tokens of benevolence, I made its seasons
Recited through the ages and inhabited places
فَضلٌ مِن المَوى عَلَيكَ أَفاضَهُ
فاشكُرهُ فَهوَ مُكَرِّرُ الإِمدادِ
A favor from the refuge poured upon you
Thank it for it repeats provision
وَاِذكُر أَخاكَ رَهينَ شُكرِكَ إِنَّهُ
مِن رَيبِ هَذا الدَهرُ بِالمرَصادِ
And remember your brother, hostage to your gratitude, he
Is on the watch for the tricks of fate
واخَجلتاهُ وَأَنتَ أَنتَ وَراحَتي
مِمّا تُؤَمِّلُ في مَنيع قَيادِ
You embarrassed us while you, you are my comfort
From what I hope for from the inaccessible leader
لا عاجِزٌ فَأَقولُ مَعذِرَةٌ لَهُ
أَوَلَستَ مَوضِعَ زُلفَةٍ وَأَيادِ
I am not helpless so I have no apology for him
Are you not the place of intimacy and hands
وَإِليكها غَرّاءَ حُسنُ حَديثِها
يَستَوقِفُ الأَسماعَ في الإِنشادِ
And to you, O charming, the beauty of her conversation
Captivates the ears with recitation
جاءَت عَلى اِستِحيا تُهَني مَجدُكُم
بالعيدِ دُمتَ الدَهرَ لِلأَعيادِ
She came shyly congratulating your glory
On the feast—may you last for feasts
يَرنو لَها شَزراً حَسودي فيكُمُ
لا زلتَ في عَلياكَ ذا حُسّادِ
While my envious glance envies you
You still remain lofty, with enviers
وَبَقيتَ للعليا تُجَدِدُ رَسمَها
وَتُصانُ للإِسعاف وَالإِسعادِ
And you continue renewing its mark for the lofty
And are guarded for granting and happiness
ما لاحَ فَجرٌ بَعدَ لَيلٍ دامِسٍ
وَتَغَنَّت الوَرقا عَلى الأَعوادِ
No dawn has appeared after a long dark night
And the leaves sang upon the branches
