تبدَّت لي وَجنحُ الليل دامِسْ نَجيّا

فَغَادرَ حسنُها وَجْهَ الحنادسْ مُضِياً

The wings of the dark night appeared before me

So its beauty left the cheeks of the pots fading away

بِقَدٍّ قَدْ تكوَّنَ من قضيبٍ

وردفٍ قَدْ تألّف من كثيبِ

With a body made of a stick

And hips made of a dune

وخالٍ حازَ حَبّات القلوبِ

وَحُسنٍ جاءَ بالعَجَب العجيبِ

And a mole that won hearts’ love

And beauty that came with wondrous wonder

نَظَرْتُ وخالُها للخَدِّ حارسمَلِيّا

لأقطِفُ وردَ هاتيكَ المغارسْجَنيّا

I looked and her mole was guarding her cheek intimately

So I would pluck the roses of those gardens amorously

أنا مالي أُعَلّلُ بالوصالِ

وأسهرُ لِلقلى طولَ الليالي

I have no need to pine for union

And stay up late with anxiety

وأرضي في الحقيقةِ بالمحال

بودِّي لو أَرى طيفَ الخيال

And be content with impossibility in truth

I wish I could see the specter of fantasy

ومالي ساهراً من لَحْظِ ناعس شَجِيّا

فَهَلْ خَلخَالها أهدى الوساوسْإليّا

I have no need to stay up from the wink of a sleepy, desirous gaze

Did her anklet instill passions into me?

إلامَ بذكرها وَجداً أُغنّي

وأصرفُ عن فؤادي كُلَّ حُزن

Why pleasure myself with the mention of her

And banish all sorrow from my heart

كأني قَد سكرتُ بِكُلِّ دَنِّ

وأُعطيتُ الأماني أَو كأنّي

As if I was drunk on life’s pleasures

And was given all my wishes or as if

مدحتُ الفارسَ البطل الممارسعَلِيّا

فَفَاحَ بمدحه عَرْفُ المجالسْ ذَِكيَا

I praised the heroic skilled horseman

So the aroma of his praise filled the gatherings pleasantly

براهُ اللهُ سُلطانَ العبادِ

وَنَوَّهَ ذِكرُهُ في كُلِّ وادي

May God aid the Sultan of servants

And elevate his name in every valley

وأيّدَهُ على رَغمِ الأعادي

وأسعدَ جدَّه يومَ الولاد

And support him against enemies

And bless his grandfather the day he was born

فأعِطيَ قُوَّةَ البُزْلِ القناعسْفَتِيّا

وأَعِطيَ حِكمَتَيْ مِصرَ وفارسْصَبيا

So he was given the power of irresistible speech

And the wisdom of Egypt and Persia

تأَملْ كيفَ يُحيي الأرض عدلا

بجود يكلأُ الثقّلينِ فَضْلا

Consider how he enlivens the land with justice

With generosity that shoulders both burdens graciously

وسُلطانٌ لَهُ القدحُ المعلّى

مليكٌ لم تَزُرْهُ قَطُّ إلاَ

A sultan whose eminent lineage

Is a king who was never visited by decline

أزالَ نوالهُ ما كانَ غارسْ رَويّا

لِكَسيْ يُمسي به ما كانَ يابِسْ نَديّا

His gifts removed what was once infertile

To grow what was once withered generously

وقائلةٍ شكوتُ لها الصُّدودا

وَقَد بَلغَتْ بهِ أَمداً بعيدا

And a woman I complained to about rejection

After she had reached an extended separation

إذا لم تُمسِ للبلوى جَليدا

فَلا تهوى السّوالِفَ والخدودا

If you do not touch sorrows with ice

Then do not love chitchat and cheeks

وَقَلبُكَ إنْ أبى صَدَّ لكَوانس عَصِيَا

فَخُذْ مَنْ لا تردُّ يمينُ لا مسْ بَغّيا

And if your heart refuses to be spurned

Take from one whose right hand does not refuse or touch arrogantly