تَأَمَّل وَلتَكُن ثَبتَ الجَنانِ
نِساءَ الحَيِّ أَم حورُ الجِنانِ
Contemplate, and let your soul be steadfast,
The women of the camp, or the houris of Paradise,
بَدَونَ كَأَنَّهُنَّ بُدورُ تِمٍّ
وَمِسنَ كَأَنَّهُنَّ غُصونُ بانِ
Appearing like full moons rising at night,
Their figures like slender branches of ban wood.
وَكَم في الحَيِّ بَهكَنَةٌ حَصانٌ
مُبَرقَعَةُ المُحَيّا وَالحِصانِ
How many veiled beauties are there in the camp
Their cheeks and their steeds dyed red.
وَمخضوبُ القَناةِ مِنَ الأَعادي
لِعَينَي كُلِّ مَخضوبِ البِنانِ
The oasis stained with the blood of enemies
Is as wine to my eyes intoxicated with crimson vats.
أَتَيناهُنَّ أَضيافاً وَلَكِن
شُغلِنا بِالجُفونِ عَنِ الجِفانِ
We came upon them as guests, but
Our eyes were too busy for conversation.
يَقُلنَ تَسَلَّ بِالصَهباءِ عَنّا
عَلى ضَربِ المَثالِثِ وَالمَثاني
They say, turn your grey stallion from us,
And speak to us in metres of threes and eights.
فَقُلتُ وَقَد مَضى نَوءُ الثُرَيّا
وَجاءَت بِالسُعودِ النَيِّرانِ
I said, the Dog Star's rising is done,
And the fires have returned to their hearths.
عُيونَ السُحبِ كَم تَبكينَ وَجداً
وَقَد ضَحِكَت ثُغورُ الأُقحُوانِ
How the rain clouds' eyes weep with passion,
While the mouths of blossoms smile with joy.
وَفي رَبعِ الحَبيبِ لَنا رَبيعٌ
وَنَورٌ ما حَوَتهُ النَيرَبانِ
In the quarter of my beloved we have a spring,
With a light the galaxies have never contained.
وَما شَمسُ الضُحى في الحُسنِ إِلّا
كَشَمسِ الدَولَةِ المَلِكِ الهَجانِ
The morning sun in your beauty is only
Like the sun of the Sultan's glorious state.
شَديدُ البَأسِ مَحمودُ السَجايا
مَنيعُ الجارِ مَبذولُ الخُوانِ
Strong in war, noble in character,
Sheltering the neighbour, open-handed to friends.
هُوَ المَعروفُ بِالمَعروفِ حَقّاً
فَتىً لا بِالبَخيلِ وَلا الجَبانِ
Rightfully known for beneficence,
A valiant hero, no coward or miser.
يُعَوِّدُ راحَتَيهِ البَسطَ إِلّا
عَلى إِمساكِ سَيفٍ أَو عِنانِ
His hands are only accustomed to drawing swords
Or holding reins, nothing else.
إِذا ما حَلَّ حَرباً هاجَ نَقعاً
كَذاكَ النارِ تُعرَفُ بِالدُخانِ
Whenever war comes he fiercely engages
For fire makes itself known by its smoke.
أَفَخرَ الدينِ زِد فَخراً وَعِزّاً
عَلى الأَملاكِ مِن قاصٍ وَدانِ
Pride of the faith, may you grow ever prouder,
Above the kingdoms of East and West.
تُرَنشاهُ بنُ أَيوُبَ بنُ شاذي
مُلوكٌ لِلطَعامِ وَلِلطِعانِ
Saladin, son of Ayyub, son of Shadi,
A king feasted and famed far and wide.
أَلَم تَفُقِ الوَرى حَرباً وَسِلماً
بِسَيفِكَ وَالنَدى وَالصَولَجانِ
Did not the world wake to war and peace
By your sword, dew, and axes?
فَصَحتُ أَنا وَأَنتَ الناسَ قَولاً
وَفِعلاً في المَعالي وَالمَعاني
So I spoke truly, and you, for all mankind
In deed and word, sublime meanings.
وَكُنتَ كَأَنَّكَ الحَسَنُ بنُ سَهلٍ
وَكُنتُ كَأَنَّني الحَسَنُ بنُ هاني
You were as if Hassan ibn Sahl,
And I was as if Hassan ibn Hani.
