سمعت ان يعيني سيدي رمدا

فقلت ليت بعيني ذلك الرمد

I heard that helping me would pain my master,

So I said, "If only that pain were in my eye!"

وليت اعضاء حمى وهي منزله

لو عاد يصلح منها للفدا جلد

I wish the parts of fever were its dwelling,

So from them skin for ransom could be paid.

ان رمس تعلم فعل البين في جسد

فانظر إلي فإني ذلك الجسد

If love learned how bodies sicken,

Then look at me—I am that body!

انا الغريب الذي ان مات في بلد

لم يرثه غير جاري دمعه احد

I am the stranger who, if he died in a land,

None would mourn him but the tears of a friend.

اذا بكى كتبت في الارض ادمعه

العلق لا ينتقضي او ينقضي الابد

When he wept he'd inscribe his tears on the earth—

Traces that do not vanish or end.

يندى الثر من عظامي كلما بليت

ولا يزال عليه ينبت الكمد

The burial mound crumbles from my bones

Whenever I am worn away, and still the bramble grows over it.

علاقة لي بالشهباء ما ذكرت

الا استفاضت دما من مقلتي الكبد

I have no pact with the shooting star I mentioned

Unless blood poured copiously from my liver.

دار عرفت بها اللذات عن كثب

وانت يا سند العلياء لي سند

A house I knew where pleasures were manifold,

And you, O pillar of the lofty ones, were my pillar.

اذ للهوى بيننا صرف ونحن على

جاه الصبا في تعاطيه فم ويد

For between us passion turned like the celestial sphere,

And we were in our prime, hand and mouth.

تقضي الليالي عناء وهي من حنق

تكاد بين شرار النجم تنقد

Nights were sleepless from ecstasy and, vexed,

Nearly rent the shreds of stars apart.

وبعد ما بلغت مني النوى ارباً

واستخلفت من شبابي بعدك الجدد

After intentions in me climbed to fourths,

And after you my fresh successors took my youth,

امست بصبح الغنى الاسفار توعدني

ولم يزل بتمادي بيننا الأمد

The dawns of wealth threatened me with departures,

And distance between us continued to grow.

حتى التقينا وضاءت منك اوديتي

فكنت انت الذي كانت به تعد

Until we met, and my valleys shone because of you,

For you were the one they had promised me.

يا قلب خل الجوى وانظر تحيته

فقد تلقاك منها الثلج والبرد

O heart, leave passion and look at his greeting,

For from it you met snow and hail.

ان عيدتني قبل العيد طلعته

فاليوم لي وليكن للآخرين غد

If he returned me before the feast, his rising

Was for me—let tomorrow be for others!

وان اكن بمديحي فيه منفردا

فإن مجد صلاح الدين منفرد

And if in praising him I stand alone,

Then the glory of Saladin stands alone!

ما قلت في مصر لي عيد اسرّ به

لو لم أجد من صلاح الدين ما اجد

I said, In Egypt I have no feast that delights me,

Unless from Saladin I find what I find.