عينٌ بها من دَمعهِا كُحلُ
يَكفَحُها عن نومِها شُغلُ
Her eye, with the kohl of its tears,
Is kept awake by endless cares,
أنِسَت مآقيها بعبرتِها
فكأنَّ عبرتها لها شكلُ
Its sorrows made lovely through weeping,
As if its tears were beauty's wares.
تبكي على قلبٍ أضرَّ بهِ
طولُ الهوى وبيانُهُ الوَصلُ
It weeps for a heart hurt with yearning
Prolonged, and the meeting it forswears.
مستشعرٍ حرقاً مخيّمةً
بين الضلوعِ كأنها النبلُ
Scorched by a fire smouldering, lurking,
Between the ribs, like burning coals.
حيرانَ من شوقٍ الي رشأ
يحظى به الإخلاف والمطلُ
Bewildered by longing for a fawn
Won by betrayal and distance and loss.
ملكَ القلوبَ بطرفِ ساحرةٍ
حوراءَ صنعةُ لحظِها الخَبلُ
It captured hearts with a glance that enchants,
A lovely houri, her look makes men thrall.
يرنو بها قمرٌ تضمَّنهُ
غصنٌ ينوءُ ببعدهِ القَتلُ
The moon, smitten, looks on as she passes,
A branch bowed down, as if shocked by a fall.
لَيست لِموجَعِ مغرمٍ دَنِفٍ
ما إِن يملُّ هوىً ولا يَسلو
No cure avails the love-maddened lover
If passion is sated or weary or faint.
أكرمتَني وبسطتَ لي أملاً
لم ينأ عنه نوالكَ الجَزلُ
You honoured me, gave me high hopes now fulfilled,
Your bounty has never been scant or stint.
وبررتني عن غيرِ معرفةٍ
سَلفت ومثلكَ للندَى أهلُ
You favoured me, though we were strangers,
Cloudburst, and worthy of dew's beneficence.
يَجري الجوادُ لجودِ أوَّلهِ
والفَرعُ ليسَ يخونهُ الأصلُ
The steed gallops on thanks to its sire,
The branch is as noble as that of the roots.
لي في قريشٍ نبعةٌ فرعَت
جبلاً ومغرسُ عودِها سَهلُ
In Quraish I have a fresh spring arising,
A hill is its source, though it sprouts on the flat.
يا مَن تليقُ المكرمات بهِ
وعليهِ يثني القولُ والفِعلُ
O he who deserves every honour and favour,
Of word and deed the most lavish recipient!
ومن السماحِ عقيدُ راحتهِ
وإلى يديهِ ينسبُ البذلُ
Bounty's his way, generosity his creed,
To his hands returns all bounty spent.
وابنُ الكرامِ الأكرمينَ بنا
وسميُّ من خُتِمَت به الرسلُ
Son of the noblest sires of glory,
Last heir of prophets and apostles saint!
ما ماتَ من أصبحت وارثَهُ
أهلُ الندى يُحييهمُ النَّسلُ
No man is dead whom heirs like you follow,
The noble keep alive their line descent.
أحييتَ موسَى وَالذينَ بِهم
نيلَ النوالُ وأدركَ الذَّحلُ
You brought Moses and his people to life,
Won through them blessings and favours galore.
آباءُ صدقٍ لم يكن لهُم
مثلٌ وما لكَ في الوَرى مِثلُ
True ancestors, matchless, unequalled,
And none can compare with you evermore!
فعمرت تَخلفهم كما عَمروا
أبداً وجدكَ بعدهم يَعلو
You made their legacy live for all time,
They lived their days, but you live on and soar!
