سَلوا لي نُجومَ اللّيلِ فَوراً بِلا إِبطا
أَمِنهُنَّ ذات الشّنفِ قَد أَخَذَت قرطا
Ask quickly for me the stars of the night without delay
If among them the one with the mole has taken an earring
وَهَل نَظَمت مِنهنَّ عقداً لِنَحرها
وَهَل أخَذَت مِنها لَهُ الدرّ وَالسّمطا
And if she has strung them into a necklace around her neck
And if she has taken the pearls and necklaces from among them
وَلا غَرو أَنّ الشّمسَ تَأخذُ أَنجماً
فَتَجعَلُها قرطاً تَجرُّ بِهِ المِرطا
It is no wonder that the sun takes stars
And makes them into earrings that trail the veil
وَتَجعَل مِنها العقدَ حِليَة نَحرِها
وَتَجعَلُ فيهِ البدرَ دُرّتَه الوسطى
And makes them into a necklace, the adornment of her neck
And makes the full moon their central pearl
مَليكَة حُسنٍ بِالكَواكِبِ تُوِّجت
مِنَ الدّرِّ وَالياقوتِ وَاِتَّشَحت إِبطا
A beautiful queen crowned with the stars
Adorned with pearls and rubies and robed in splendor
رَداح أَراد الحُسن يَختَطّ بَيتهُ
فَصَوَّر مِنها الجِسمَ وَاِختَارَ وَاِختطّا
The sculptor of beauty wanted to build its abode
So he sculpted the body and chose and constructed
وَصَوَّر وَردَ الخدِّ نوناً بديعةً
وَنَقَّطَها بِالمسكِ مِن فَوقِها نقطا
And sculpted the rose of her cheek into a beautiful nun
And dotted it with musk above
وَصيَّرَ مِنها الصّدغَ واواً متمتماً
وَجَوَّدهُ حُسناً وَأَبدَعَهُ خطَّا
And made her mole into a murmuring wow
Embellishing it with beauty and shaping it masterfully
وَجَبهتُها كالشّمسِ مِنها وقايةً
لِأَعيُنِها حسناً حواجبَها خطّا
And made her brow like the sun, protecting
Her eyes beautifully, eyebrows lined masterfully
بَديعَة حسنٍ فاقَتِ الشّمسَ في الضّحى
فَمَن قاسَها بِالشّمسِ زَلَّ وَقَد أَخطا
A beauty surpassing the dawn in the morning
Whoever compares her to the sun goes astray and errs
تَشَعشَع ضَوء الحُسن فَوقَ جَبينِها
فَأَخفى ضِياء الشّمسِ حَيثُ لَهُ غطّى
The light of beauty shines above her brow
Concealing the sun's glow wherever it covers
وَحَوراء لَو قَد أَرسَلَتْ سحرَ لَحظِها
لَعادَ بِعَقلِ النّاسِ طرّاً وَما أَبطا
If she sent the magic of her glances
She would steal people's reason, wandering distraught
وَهاروت لَم تَنبع لِسِحرِ عُيونِهِ
وَذي عَينها لِلسّحرِ تنبطهُ نَبطا
The magic was not unleashed by Harut's eyes
But hers unleash magic naturally
وَلَمياء مِن ماءِ الحَياةِ بِثَغرِها
إِذا ذقتَ ذقتَ الشّهدَ أَو ذقتَ اِسفنطا
Her lips are the water of life, so if you taste
You will taste honey or pure nectar
رَأَيت بِخَدَّيها بِعيني سَوالِفا
عَرَفت بِها الدّيجورَ وَالشعرَ السبطا
I saw with my own eyes in her cheeks reflections
I recognized the square kufic script and the outstretched lines
مَهاةٌ كَغُصنِ البانِ بِالدلّ تَنثَني
عَلى قَدِّها الأَغصانُ تَغبِطُها غَبطا
She sways like a supple basil branch
Branches bend over her neck, envying her envy
تَصيدُ أُسودَ الغابِ وَهيَ غَزالَةٌ
فَتِلكَ مِنَ الآسادِ إِنْ لو سَطت أَسطى
She hunts the lions of the jungle and she a gazelle
That is the lion if it pounces to attack
ثَقيلَة دعصِ الرِّدف مَهضومة الحَشا
وَرقةُ حَجمِ الخصرِ مِن حُسنِها المُعطى
Heavy hips, supple waist, a slender frame of beauty granted
Her ringing anklet - but her bracelet is silent, uttering not a letter
وَخِلخالُها الرنّانُ أَمّا سِوارُها
فَأخرس لَم يَنطِق بِحَرفٍ وَلَو كالطا
I pine for her, crazed and passionate
I am inflamed if she draws near and floods if she flows
أَهيمُ بِها مَسلوبَ عَقلٍ مِنَ الجَوى
وَأولَع إِنْ يَدنو المَزارُ وَإنْ شطّا
I yearn for her with desire like rainclouds
Through her I forget my home and family and friends
وَأَصبو إِلَيها بِالغرامِ صَبابَةً
وَفيها نَسيتُ الدّارَ وَالأَهلَ وَالرّهطا
For her my heart is a victim of passion’s wounds
It has seized it and squeezes it tightly
وَمِنّيَ فيها القلب جارِحَة الهَوى
لَهُ أَخَذَت بِالكفِّ تَضغطهُ ضَغطا
I say leave my heart be, though soft
It will become a twisting serpent if squeezed
أَقولُ لَها خَلّي عَذولي فَإِنَّه
وَإِن كانَ ذا لينٍ غَدا الحيَّةَ الرّقطا
It admonishes me with blame and rebuke, wishing
Only ignorance for my love of her to cease
يُعَنّفُني بِالعذلِ وَاللّومِ ناصِحاً
يُريدُ بِهِ جَهلاً لِوَجدي بها حبطا
Though I sought union with a glance from her
She said it would be granted only if I accept her condition
وَإِنّي طَلَبت الوَصلَ مِنها بِنَظرة
فَقالَت بِشرطٍ إنْ قبلتَ به تُعطى
I said what is the condition, though it be my murder
I said I am a man who accepts conditions
فَقُلتُ لَها ما الشّرطُ أَومَت بِقتلتي
فَقلتُ لَها إِنّي اِمرُؤٌ قَبِلَ الشرطا
To be killed after attaining union with you is martyrdom
My death by the hands of love is an exaltation
فَقَتلِي بَعدَ الوَصلِ مِنك شَهادةٌ
يَجِلُّ على مَوتي بِأَيدي النّوى شَحطا
Truly glories are praiseworthy things
No degradation and disgrace was praised among them
وَإِنّ المَعالي لِلأُمورِ حَميدة
وَلَم يَحمدوا مِنها وَضيعاً وَمُنحَطَّا
The highest of them is praise of my noble brother
He climbed above the forgetful with his sublimity
وَمِنها وَأَعلاها اِمتِداحُ أَخي العُلى
عَليّ الذّرى مَنْ عَن عُلاه السّهى اِنحطّا
The two seas of generosity and valor, and the cloud
That makes the clouds shy when it rains
خَدين النّدى بَحر المَكارِمِ وَالسّخا
وَمخجلُ هَطّالِ السّحابِ إِذا أَنطى
His right hand pours freely with spending generously
It never grew tired of spending and giving in this world
تَفيضُ بِسَحِّ البذلِ مِنهُ يمينهُ
وَما سَئِمَت في الدّهرِ بَذلاً ولا إِعطا
Father of glory, star of honor, sun of the exalted
Moon of glories, no doubt or confusion
أَبو المَجدِ نَجم العزِّ شَمس ذَوي العُلى
وَبَدر المَعالي لا اِرتِيابَ وَلا عَبطا
Through him the necks were high-held, confused and proud
He adorned them with the collar of pride round their necks
تَسامَت بِهِ تَهتَزُّ تيهاً وَمفخراً
وَقَلَّدها بِالفخرِ في نَحرِها لطّا
He is the noble masterful one, whoever seeks him
Is exalted among the people, soaring and not sinking
هوَ السيِّدُ الشّهم الّذي مَن لَهُ أَلتَجي
عَلا قَدرهُ في النّاسِ طرّاً وما حطّا
He has the highest resolve, and he is its bold one
With determination like the sword slicing solid rock
لَهُ الهمَّةُ العَلياءُ وَهوَ همامُها
بِعَزمٍ كمَاضي السّيفِ لِلصّخرِ قَد قطّا
He is the commander and prohibitor so beware disobeying him
Whoever disobeys his master dresses himself in anger
هُوَ الآمِرُ النّاهي فَحاذِرْ خِلافَهُ
مُخالفه مَولاهُ يُلبِسهُ سُخطا
He is inclined to the loftiest matters with his seriousness
By God, he has strayed far from anything else
يَميلُ إِلى عالي الأُمورِ بِجدّهِ
وَعَن دونِها وَاللَّهِ قَد حادَ وَاِشتَطّا
Loyal, his loyalty almost outpaced his promise
It would outstrip the flowing of bitter aloe if it rushed
وَفِيٌّ وفاه كادَ يَسبقُ وَعدهُ
وَيَسبقُ مَرّ البرقِ لَو أَنّه أَبطا
Wise, strong in opinion - it is its correctness
You will not see in his opinion any weakness or fumbling
ذَكِيٌّ قَوِيُّ الرّأيِ وَهوَ سَديدهُ
فَلَست تَرى في رَأيِهِ الضّعفَ وَالوبطا
Eloquent, if he utters a word listen
To immediately take the pearls and gather them up
فَصيح بَليغ إِن تَكَلَّم لافظاً
فَبادِرْ لأَخذِ الدّرِّ ثمَّ اِلتَقِط لَقطا
You see his wisdom is sweet and his eloquence beautiful
Making the ears into earrings for their beauty
تَرى حِكَماً تَحلو وَتَبدو بَليغةً
فَتَجَعلها الآذانُ مِن حُسنِها قرطا
The two cheeks of guidance, son of generosity and piety
And descendant of the most honorable man - honor his descendant!
خَدين الهُدى وَاِبنِ المَكارِمِ وَالتّقى
وَسِبط أَجلّ الرَّجلِ أَكرِمْ سبطا
Ocean of gnosis, you see for it no limit or shore
It has become the landing place of secrets, since those worthy of them
وَشَيخ ذَوي العِرفانِ بَحر مَعارِفٍ
فَلَست تَرى حَدّاً لَهُ لا ولا شطّا
By God's knowledge have been made to land there
In his noble and generous forefathers lies salvation
غَدا مَهبِطَ الأَسرارِ إِذ كانَ أَهلها
إِلَيهِ بِعلمِ اللَّهِ قَد هُبِطت هَبطا
When the lands are barren and complain of drought
Grandson of the imam of saints and their pole
بِآبائِهِ الغُرّ الأَكارمِ يُستقى
إِذا أَمحَل البلدان وَاِشتَكَتِ القَحطا
To him the Merciful granted authority over them
He is the pole Abdul Qadir the gnostic whom
حَفيد إِمامِ الأَولياءِ وَقُطبهمْ
عَليهم لَهُ الرّحمن سلطنةً أعطى
When his feet were fettered miracles manifested
So O my master to you - a lengthy
هُوَ القطب عَبد القادر العارفُ الّذي
لَه وَهوَ في كيلان قَد عَنت الأقَطا
Poem glorifying you trails its skirt
A newborn daughter of thought, though months pregnant with it
فَيا أَيّها المَولى إِلَيكَ خَريدة
بِمَدحك مِن فَخر بِه جَرّت المِرطا
She was completed in sections and was no miscarriage
A creation of good diction, not too long or awkward
وَليدَة فِكرٍ فيهِ أَشهر حَمْلِها
قَدِ اِستكملت قَطعاً فَلم تَكن السقطا
Nor too short, but the middle one third
To you, O noble faced one, it flows melodiously
بَديعة قَدٍّ لا طَويل مُمعَّط
وَلَيسَ قَصيراً بَل هيَ الربعةُ الوُسطى
Rhymed and metered properly - treat her rightfully!
Perfumed with your musky praise of delightful fragrance
إِلَيكَ أَنتَ غرّاء بكراً نَظيمة
وموزونة بالقِسط أحسِنْ به قِسطا
She surpasses musk and aloeswood in her scent
She hopes for the grasp of your hand that
مُعَطّرة في مِسكِ مَدحِك ذي الشّذى
فَفي نَفحِها قَد فاقَتِ المسك والقُسطا
Is the pillar, opening and closing in victory
Take her without order, as pleasure dictates accepting her
تَرومُ اِلتِثامَ الكفِّ راحتك الّتي
هِيَ الرّكن فيها بنصر القَبض وَالبسطا
There is no escape but to be accepted and granted
Stay in God's safekeeping, so long as the pen writes
فَخُذ بِها بِلا أَمرٍ وَجد بِقبولها
وَلا بِدعَ أَن تحبى القبول وَأَن تنطى
Flying in good conditions so long as the pen has written
May you remain long-lived, knowing no decline
وَدُم في أَمانِ اللَّه ما قَلم وَشى
طروساً بِحُسنِ الوَشي ما قلم قُطّا
As long as the world remains, no bird landing upon the earth
From its verses the reciter said
وَدُمتَ طَويل العُمرِ لا تعرف الرّدى
مَدى الدَّهرِ ما طيرٌ عَلى الأَرض قد حطّا
Ask quickly for me the stars of the night without delay
وَما الفَتح مِن مَنظومِهِ قالَ مُنشداً
سَلوا لي نُجوم اللّيلِ فَوراً بلا إِبطا
