حَليفُ غرامٍ عزَّ منه اِصطبارهُ
غَداةَ تولّت هندُهُ ونوارهُ
The ally of passion, his patience was more difficult than it
When his beloved Hindi and light turned away from him
تَذكّر ودّاً للأحبّةِ واثقاً
منَ البهكناتِ الناعمات جوارهُ
He remembered affectionately the loved ones confident
Of the gentle whispers around him
تذكّر عهداً للأحبّةِ ماضياً
فَهاجَ لَهُ وهج الغرامِ اِدّكارهُ
He remembered a covenant with the loved ones of the past
So the ardour of love stirred for him its recollection
وَلمّا أرادَ الصبرَ أسبل جفنه
بدمعٍ تمادى جريهُ واِنهمارهُ
And when he wanted patience, he lowered his eyelids
With tears that overflowed continuously in streams
إِذا فاضَ مِن مزنِ المدامعِ ماؤه
تَلظّت له بينَ الأضالع نارهُ
When water overflowed from the skin of tears
Its fire clung in his ribs
وَأَغيد ما اِستدنيتهُ ودعوتهُ
إِلى صِلتي إِلّا وشطّ مزارهُ
And I called him, brought him near and invited him
To my company, but he refused and avoided his tomb
تقضّي عزاء في هواها وما اِنقضى
لِطولِ الليالي هجرهُ واِزورارهُ
To console for his love, but it was not yet over
Due to prolonged nights of his isolation and bonding
حبيبٌ تَرى في وجههِ الورد رائقاً
يُضاحكه في خدّهِ جلّنارهُ
A beloved whose face the rose appears radiant
And the moles on his cheek make him smile
تلوحُ كمثلِ الشمس خلفَ غمامةٍ
إِذا لاثَ مَسدولاً عليه خمارهُ
Appearing like the sun behind clouds
When his turban hangs loosely over it
وَتسحرُ لبّات القلوب بناظرٍ
جَرى السحر منه حسنه واِحورارهُ
And he captivates the hearts of admirers with a look
From which his beauty and fascination emanated
يظلّ اِحمرارُ الخدّ عند عتابهِ
يُطاردهُ توريدهُ واِصفرارهُ
The redness of his cheek remains during his reproach
Chased by his paleness and yellowing
خَلاخلهُ غصّت بفاعمِ ساقهِ
وَضاقَ بِما تحتَ الإزار إزارهُ
His anklets were stuffed with the slenderness of his legs
And his waist-wrap was tight with what was under his waist-wrap
شَكا ضَمأً منه الوشاح كما شكا
بهِ شبعاً خلخالهُ وسوارهُ
His scarf complained of thirst from it, just as
His bangles and bracelet complained of satiety from it
كأنَّ ثناياهُ إقاحة روضةٍ
سَقاها الحيا مدراره وقطارهُ
It was as if its folds were the irrigation of a garden
Watered by the serene flow of its springs and rain
تَشابه درّ الثغرِ منه ودرّهُ
وَريقته في رشفها وعقارهُ
The pearls of his mouth and his saliva resembled
And his spittle in its drivel and its drink
توقّ عدوّاً كنت أضعفته ولا
يغرّك منه ضعفه واِحتقارهُ
Be wary of an enemy I had weakened, and do not
Be fooled by his weakness and insignificance
فإنّ ضرامَ النارِ يخرج سقطه
إِلى الزند منه مرخه وغفارهُ
For the sparks of fire come out of its ashes
To the kindling wood from it its cinder and dust
وبلقيس لم يوشِ بها غير هدهدٍ
وسدّ سبا في أسّهِ عاث فارهُ
And Sheba was not tempted but by a hoopoe
And it blocked lions' mouths, dwelling in their lairs
وربّ حسامٍ لا يسرّك منظراً
وَيرضيكَ فعلاً في الجسوم عرارهُ
And many a sword whose sight does not please you
Yet its actions in the bodies satisfy you
إِذا بَلَغ الراقي إِلى رأس ما اِرتقى
تأمّل قريباً أن يكونَ اِنحدارهُ
When the climber reaches the top of what was climbed
Consider closely that soon will be his descent
أَلا كلّ جارٍ سوفَ تلقى مفاجئاً
كَما قَد تلقّى من حادثِ الدهر جارهُ
Beware, every running one will suddenly meet
As it met the incidents of fate, its running mate
هو القدرُ الجاري على الخلقِ كائن
وَلا ينفع الإنسان منه فرارهُ
It is fate running over creation however it may be
And man cannot escape from it by his flight
وَأَعيس مثل الحرف من نسل شدكمٍ
طَوَت نحصه عيطانه وقفارهُ
And I am like the letter of your ancestral line Shadkam
Its twists coiled its plains and deserts
يظلُّ يجوبُ المجهلات بحاذقٍ
إِذا ما شاء لا يعتريه عثارهُ
It continues roaming the wastelands with a guide
When it wishes, its blindness does not bother it
تَيمّمه من جود كهلان كعبهُ
يكونُ إِليها حجّه واِعتمارهُ
It sought it for generosity like the old men of Kaaba
Making it his pilgrimage and frequenting
مَليكٌ يُضاهي الشمس في درجاتها
وَفي نورها إجلالُه وفخارهُ
A sovereign equaling the sun in its risings
And in its light, his supremacy and pride
وَيعلو عَلى أَفلاكها ومدارها
لَدى جريها أفلاكه ومدارهُ
And rising above its orbit and circle
Despite its motion, its orbit and circle
فتىً قطُّ لَم تهزل رجاءُ وفودهِ
وَلَم يرني إلّا يتيماً جوارهُ
A youth whose hopes for delegations never declined
And none hosted me except as a neighbour hosts an orphan
رَقى مَنزلاً في سمكهِ متقاعساً
يَسوقُ عَلى نجمِ السماك منارهُ
He reached a position in its elevation while being lazy
Moving above the star of Sirius his minaret
وَلو أنّ فوقَ السبع للإنسِ مسكناً
لَنافت إِلى أعلى السموات دارهُ
And if above the seven heavens there was a dwelling for man
His house would have risen to the highest of heavens
أساحب ذيلَ الفخرِ في فخرهِ ومن
أَحاطَ البرايا عفوُهُ واِقتدارهُ
The tails of pride trail in his pride, and who
Surrounded people with his forgiveness and power
وَمَن لَم يَزل في كلّ نهج وقبلةٍ
بتاج أياديه ويحمي ذمارهُ
And who was never without the crown of his hands in any approach or prayer
Protecting his ordinances
إِليكَ تَمطَّيت الرَّجاء ولم يكن
لغيرك في تهجيره وابتكارهُ
To you I rode the steed of hope, and none other
Had in its journey and creation
