لمن الآنساتُ وهْيَ ظِباءُ

واليعافيرُ حُجْبُها السِّيَرَاءُ

For whom are the gazelles while they are lively deer?

And their ostrich-like shyness is total modesty.

والشموسُ التي لويْنَ غصوناً

لَمْ تُرَنِّحْ خصورَها صَهباءُ

And the suns that if they bent twigs,

Would not groan in their pure-white bodies.

فاختفَى في القُدودِ أَرْيٌ ورَاحٌ

وبدا في الخدود نارٌ وماء

So secrets disappeared into fragrances and spirit,

And in the cheeks appeared fire and water.

تنثني قامةً وتَجْرَحُ طَرْفاً

فهْيَ للسَّمْهَرِيَّةِ السَّمْراءُ

It stoops in stature and wounds an eye,

For it belongs to the dark-complexioned.

طَرَقَتْ والكَبَاءُ والمندلُ الرطبُ

عليها وحَلْيها رُقَبَاء

The stars and the wet dewdrops and the moist clouds

Rained down on it and its necklaces sway.

ودُوَيْنَ الفتاةِ أبيضُ رقرا

قُ الحواشي ولأْمَةٌ خَضْرَاء

And the bracelets of the damsel are white pearls

And an emerald anklet and dark red ear-rings.

وفتى لاحَ فوق أدهمَ نهدٍ

قمراً في عنانه ظلماءُ

And a youth whose brightness shone over a tawny breast

Like a moon in the darkness of its rein.

وكماةٌ تجلو الأسنَّةَ شُهْباً

ودُجَاهَا العَجَاجَةُ الشَّهْبَاءُ

And a censor whose teeth make the branches shine

When her severe face frowns.

تصدُرُ المرهفاتُ عن مورد الها

مِ كما ضرَّجَ الخدودَ حَيَاءُ

The shy maidens expose their wristbands

As the modesty reddened their cheeks.

يا لحى اللّهُ ريبَ دهرٍ خؤونٍ

سادَ فيه كرامَهُ اللؤماء

Oh how I wish Allah would heal the woes

Of a time whose generosity is controlled by the vile!

وزماناً نحبُّه فكأنا

حِين يَسْطُو بنا له أعداء

And a time we love, so it is as though

When its enemies flow freely around us.

بالعلا يُعْرَفُ الكرام ولكنْ

عُرِفَتْ بالمُوَفَّقِ العلياءُ

With glory, the generous are recognized, but

The Glorious Ones were recognized by their supporter.

ماجدٌ لو عَرَا اللّيَاليَ داءٌ

كان في رأيه لهنَّ شفاء

Majid, if the nights have harmed him,

In his view they have healing.

راحةٌ لا تُرَاحُ من هَدْمِ جُودٍ

ببنانٍ لها المعالي بناء

A rest not rested from the destruction of generosity

With its castles generosity builds.

فهو والدهرُ حِنْدِسيٌّ بهيمٌ

غُرَّة في جبينه زَهْرَاء

So he and time are violent, raging,

Naive, with a rosy spot on their foreheads,

ولو ان الصّبَا لها منه عَزْمٌ

نَهضَتْ بالجبال وهْيَ رُخَاء

And if the zephyr had resolve against it,

It would rise with the mountains while they are still at peace.

طَوْدُ حِلْمٍ رَسَتْ به الأرضُ لمَّا

شمخت منه ذِرْوَة شَمَّاءُ

A towering patience the land rested upon

When its lofty summit stuck up.

ذكرُكَ الراحُ والمُذَكِّرُ ساقٍ

وكأنَّ المسامعَ النُّدَمَاءُ

Your mention is the consoling friend and the reminder,

As if the regretful ears heard you.

فإذا ما أُديرَ حمدُك صِرْفاً

هزَّ أَعطافنا عليك الثناء

So when your praise is sung distinctly,

Congratulations sway us to you.