بِربّةِ الخالِ وَالخلخالِ والحللِ
قَد هِمتُ وَلهانَ في سَهلٍ وفي جبلِ
With the mole and the anklet and the ornaments
I was infatuated, distracted, on the plain and on the hill
رَماني السّحرُ مِن أَجفانِها سَحراً
في مَهمَهِ الوَجدِ لِلأَخطارِ وَالوَجلِ
Magic was cast on me from her eyelids, magic
In the frenzy of passion for adventures and tremors
أَكُلُّ سِحرٍ غَدا بِالصّبِّ يَفعلُ ذا
أَم ذا يُخَصُّ بِسِحرِ الجَفنِ والمُقَلِ
Is it the magic which takes effect tomorrow morning
Or that which is specialized to the magic of eyelids and glances
تَرنو لِحاظاً فَتَرمي النبلَ مقلتُها
مَكسورة الجَفنِ في كُحلٍ وَفي كَحلِ
She glances flirtatiously, so she shoots arrows, her glances
With lowered eyelids, in kohl and more kohl
فَمن أَصابَت صَريعٌ لا حياةَ له
وَكَم قَتيلٍ بِنبلِ الأعينِ النجلِ
Whoever her epilepsy struck, has no life for him
And how many slain by the arrows of her soft eyes
لَو فَوَّقت نَبلَها نحوَ الخليِّ غَدا
يَهيمُ في عِشقِها وَلهانَ غير خلي
If she surpassed her arrows towards the camps tomorrow
He would rave in his love for her, crazed besides sane
بِنتُ الجَمالِ وَذاتُ الحسنِ مُفردةٌ
وَالشّمسُ حسناً بِلا شبهٍ ولا مثلِ
The unique daughter of beauty and the solitary possessor of charm
And the sun is beautiful without peer or equal
فَحُسنها الجَوهَرُ المَكنونُ حَلَّ بِها
لَكنَّهُ عَرَضٌ في غَيرها فسلِ
So her essence of beauty that settled in her
Is a transient thing in others, so inquire
كَالضوءِ في الشَّمسِ يَبدو غَيرَ مُنتقلٍ
وَفي الأَهِلَّةِ كَم يَبدو بمنتقلِ
As the light in the sun appears not transmitted
And in the crescent how it appears transmitted
وَلَيسَ يَنفكُّ عَنها الحُسنُ في زَمَنٍ
وَالشّمسُ صَدر النهارِ الشَّمس في الطَّفَلِ
And the beauty does not part from her for a time
And the sun is the breast of daytime, the sun in the horizon
لَعساءُ يُبدي لَنا ياقوتُ مَبسَمِها
درّاً وَريقاً غَدا يَشفي من العِللِ
May good fortune show us her ruby smile
A pearl and a saliva tomorrow healing from the illnesses
في اللّونِ وَالذّوقِ ثمّ الطعمَ كانَ لَنا
مِثلَ الزُّلالِ ومثلَ الخَمرِ والعسَلِ
In color, taste, then flavor she was for us
Like limpidity, like wine, and like honey
لَمياء في ثَغرِها الحالي يَطيبُ لَنا
عِندَ العِناقِ لَذيذَ اللّثمِ وَالقُبلِ
The water of her mouth that she kisses with is sweet for us
When embracing, sweet of kissing and hugging
بِنتُ المُلوكِ أُسود الغابِ في شرَفٍ
وَهيَ الغَزالةُ تُردي مُهجَةَ البطلِ
The daughter of kings, more virtuous than the lions of forests
And she is the gazelle who takes away the minds of heroes
وَفي ثُريّا العزِّ كانَ مَكنَسها
وَإِنّها الشّمسُ حَلَّت دارَة الحمَلِ
In her necklaces of honor her place was
And she is the sun who settled in the House of the Carrier
أَرْخَتْ سَوالِفَها كَاللَّيلِ حينَ سَجا
على خُدودٍ تثجي الشَّمسَ بِالخَجلِ
She related her tales like the night when it blankets
On cheeks that the sun reddens with shyness
وَأَنفُها بَينَها مثلُ الحُسام بدا
بَرقاً فبرقاً تَوالى غَيرَ مُنفَصِلِ
And her nose between them is like the sword that appeared
As bolts followed by bolts unseparated
وَجيدُها فَوقَه شَنفانِ مِن دُررٍ
في كلِّ أُذنٍ لَها شنف تَبيَّن لي
And her cheeks above it are moles of pearls
In each of her ears is a mole that appeared to me
وَقَد تأمّلت فيها جَلَّ خالِقُها
أُجري التفكّرَ في ذا الحالِ وَهوَ جَلي
And the Best Creator contemplated her state
I deduced this clear state while He is Most High
فَشِمتُ فَوقَ عَمودِ الصّبحِ أَربَعةً
مِنَ البدورِ وكلٌّ خَير مُكتملِ
So I smelled above the column of dawn four
Excellent risings each perfect and complete
وَفي كِلا جانِبي ذاكَ العَمودِ لَنا
بَدَت تَلوحُ ثريّا عَنه لم تملِ
And on each side of that column there appeared for us
Pleiades waving about it that do not tire
عَلِقتُها غادةً خوداً مهفهفةً
حَوراءَ دعجاءَ تزري الغصنَ بالميلِ
I described her as a slender and smooth gazelle
A bashful houri swaying a branch bending
تَجَسَّمت وَهيَ روحٌ لا اِرتِيابَ بها
مِن أَكمَلِ الحسنِ في حَلْيٍ وفي حللِ
She embodied while a spirit doubting her not
Of the most perfect beauty, in adornment and clothes
هَيفاءَ وَهيَ كَخوطِ البانِ مائِسةً
وَقَدُّها الغصنُ في دِعصٍ مِنَ الكفلِ
Slender and as she walked the duck’s walk bent over
With the branch supporting her in a stock of camomile
نَحيلةُ الخصرِ عقدُ العشرِ مِن يَدِها
أَضحى يُمَنطِقهُ لَو غير منتحِلِ
Slender of waist the belt of ten from her hand
Became what wraps it if not worn
لَو لَم يُعد ضوؤُها شَمسَ الضّحى لَغَدت
أَن لَو أَضاءَت فَمِنها الضّوءُ لَم يَصِلِ
If her light were not equated to the sun at dawn she would be
If she illuminated that the light come not near her
بَليغَةُ اللّفظِ مِن عرباء عارِبَةٍ
وَلَفظُها الدّرُّ في بِدْعٍ ومبتذَلِ
Eloquent in speech, articulate Arabian-tongued
And her utterance a pearl in wonders and overused metaphors
فَلَو تَجَسَّم كانَ الدرّ مُنتَظِماً
وَلَم يَكُ الدّرُّ إِلّا لَفظها العَسلي
So if the pearl took a body it would be well-arranged
And the pearl would not be but her sweet utterance
فَجَوهَرُ الحُسنِ مِنها كانَ مَنشأُهُ
وَلَم يَكُ الحسنُ فيها غَيرَ مُكتَمِلِ
So the essence of beauty, its source was from her
And beauty in her was not other than perfect
وَجَوهَرُ العِشقِ مِنّي كانَ مَعدِنُهُ
وَلَم يَكُن عاشِقٌ إِلّا وَيُنسَبُ لي
And the core of passion, its mine was from me
And no lover ascribed but to me
وَما عَليّ على عِلمي سِوى حَسن
وَلا أَرى حسناً في الدَّهر غَيرَ علي
And I have nothing but excellence on my knowledge
And I see no excellence in time but Ali
الضّيغَمُ الأنزَعُ الكرّارُ مُجتَرِئاً
مَنْ لَيسَ يَعرِفُ طعمَ الجبنِ والوَجلِ
Attacking persistently attacking frequently foolhardily
He who knows not the taste of cowardice and panic
وَمَنْ إِذا بارَزَ الآسادَ شِمتَهُمُ
ما بَينَ مُرتَعِشٍ مِنهُ وَمختبلِ
And when he confront lions, his opponents see him
Trembling or delusional or drawing his sword
أَو هَزَّ خَطِّيَّه أَو سَلَّ صارمَهُ
رَأَيت كُلّاً قَصير العُمرِ وَالأَجلِ
You see each of them short lived and short termed
As if their bodies are his raised sword
كَأنَّ أَجسادَهم أَقلامُهُ بُريَت
بِسَيفِهِ المُعتَلي جَزماً على صُقَلِ
On the polished stone plainly writing
Their chests appear his papers dotted with lead
تَبدو صُدورُهم أَوراقَه كُتبَت
مِن حيثُ نَقَّطها بِالسّمرِ والأسَلِ
Their hearts relate the lining order to his sword
The killer not the failed in judgement nor mistaken
تَحكي قُلوبهمُ المَرجانَ مُنتَظِماً
في سِلكِ لهذمه الفتّاكِ لا الخَطِلِ
If he transcends the roses he transcends exalted
Reward him with a descent above descent
إِذا عَلا الوردَ فَهو الوردُ مُجتَرئاً
أنعِمْ به نَكَلاً يعلو على نَكَلِ
The sword, the spear, then the horse have witnessed
That he is a hero beyond any hero
فَالسّيفُ وَالرّمحُ ثمَّ الخيلُ قَد شَهِدَت
بِأَنَّهُ بَطلٌ ناهيكَ من بَطلِ
How many a body melted from fear of him, if not
For patience holding it, it would slip in haste
كَم جُثَّةٍ منه رُعباً قد تذوبُ فَلو
لا الحلمُ يُمسِكُها سالَت على عَجَلِ
Lord of courage, containment of utmost generosity
Speak of the sea, do not restrict me with boredom
ربُّ الشّجاعةِ ضمّت مُنتَهى كرمٍ
حَدِّث عَنِ البحرِ لا يَعروكَ مِن مَللِ
Exaggerate without measure or weight
The sea was not weighed nor measured
أَكثِرْ وَبالِغْ بِلا كَيلٍ وَلا زِنَةٍ
فَإِنّما البحرُ لَم يوزَن وَلم يُكَلِ
In their eyes Antar and Son of Za'ida are
Cowards and misers accused wrongfully
لَدَيهِما عَنترٌ ثمّ اِبنُ زايدةٍ
عَلَيهِما حَكَموا بِالجُبنِ وَالبَخلِ
Lord of handsome appearance and bright face thereby
Walks shyness, humanity’s water, and thickness of hair
ربُّ الوَسامَةِ وَالوجهِ الطليقِ بِهِ
يَسري الحَياءُ وَماءُ البِشرِ والجذَلِ
Whoever the sea did not equate no matter how vast
We see him not with the slightest wetness
مَن لَم يَكُ البحرُ مَهما كانَ مُتَّسِعاً
لَدى نَراهُ بِغَيرِ النّزْرِ من بللِ
Prince of honor ruled his state with justice
And the state of justice appears best of states
أَميرُ عِزٍّ سَمتْ بِالعَدلِ دَولَتهُ
وَدَولةُ العَدلِ تَبدو أَحسنَ الدولِ
The noblest noble, served with services
The least of them his house is in the House of the Carrier
السّيّدُ الأَفخمُ المَخدومُ في خدمٍ
أَقَلهُم دارهُ في دارةِ الحملِ
Honor honored him with the Highest Honor and
Prides and highs of glories became his
تَشرَّفَ الشّرفُ الأَعلى بِهِ وَغَدَت
لَهُ المَفاخِرُ وَالعليا من الخَولِ
And glory became served by high accolades thereby
Rising above its noble head above Saturn
وَأَصبَحَ المَجدُ مَخدومَ المَعالِ بِهِ
يَعلو عَلى رَأسِها السّامي على زُحَلِ
By your life all pride is his here he is
And greatest pride between all peoples is pride of Ali
لَعَمرُكَ الفَخرُ كلُّ الفخرِ ها هوَ ذا
وَأَعظَمُ الفَخرِ بَينَ النَّاسِ فَخرُ عَلي
The unique essence unique in traits
And praised traits and deeds
الجَوهَرُ الفَردُ فَردُ الدَّهرِ في شِيَمٍ
وَفي الحَميدِ مِنَ الأَوصافِ وَالعَملِ
Who sought for him a replacement with Dunya will gain for himself
The utmost loss with replacement the loss
مَنِ اِبتَغى عَنهُ بِالدّنيا لَهُ بَدَلاً
يَنالُهُ مُنتَهى الخُسْرانِ بِالبَدلِ
Valorous so no blemish approaches him
And he is innocent of rancor and disgrace
شَهمٌ مُنقّى فَلا عَيبٌ يُقارِبُهُ
وَهوَ المبرّأُ مِن حِقدٍ وَمِن دخَلِ
Lord of natures that were created in origin
Upon generosity, good deeds, and procrastination
ربُّ الطِّباعِ الّتي مِن أَصلِها جُبِلَتْ
عَلى المَكارِمِ وَالمَعروفِ والمهلِ
From every magnanimity he gained the best
And he is enemy of deviance and misstep
مِن كلِّ مَكرُمةٍ قَد نالَ أَفضلَها
وَإِنَّه لَعدوُّ الزَّيغِ وَالزَّللِ
So observe his prestige and witness his majesty
Speak of the lion however you criticize him and say
فَاُنظر مَهابتَهُ وَاِشهَد جَلالَتهُ
حَدِّثْ عَنِ اللَّيثِ فيما شَينه وقُلِ
And praise his eloquence and commend his skill
And thank his rhetoric in life and celebrate
وَاِمدَحْ فَصاحتَه وَاِحمَد بَراعتَهُ
وَاِشكُر بَلاغتَه في الدَّهرِ وَاِحتفِلِ
And recall his customs and count his benefits
And prose his poems praising him prolong
وَاِذكُر عَوائِدَهُ وَاِعدُدْ فَوائدَهُ
وَاِنظِم قَصايِدَهُ في مَدحِهِ أطِلِ
And aim for his resting places witnessing his ingenuity
And necessitate praising him always nor withhold
وَاِقصُد مَطارِحَه تَشهَدْ قرائحَه
وَاِلزَم مَدائِحَه دَوماً ولا تحلِ
And note his traits and thank his families
And scatter his virtues in the plain and hill
وَاُنظُر خَصائِلَه وَاِشكُر فَعائِلهُ
وَاِنثُر فَضائِلَه في السَّهلِ وَالجبلِ
And shortest praise in him, that he is a man
The generous and people’s pillar and states’ pillar
وَأَخصَرُ المَدحِ فيهِ أَنَّهُ رَجلٌ
هُوَ الكرامُ وَعَينُ النّاسِ وَالدّولِ
I served him with the daughters of thought praising
With first of wondrous new poetry not overused
خَدَمتُهُ مِن بَناتِ الفِكرِ مُمتَدِحاً
بِبكرِ نَظمٍ بَديعٍ غيرِ مبتذَلِ
She came disciplined in prosody well-arranged
The harmony of meter preserved her from error
جاءَت مُهذَّبَةً بِالنَّظمِ مُتقَنَةً
رَصانَةُ الوَزنِ صانَتها عَنِ الخطَلِ
I collared her with prose the necklace of his praise
And adornment of praise beautified her from emptiness
قَلّدتُها منحراً عِقد المَديحِ لَهُ
وَحليةُ المَدحِ زانَتها عَنِ العطَلِ
How many a reader recited her then rerepeated her
And did not name her with frequency as boring
كَم قارِئٍ قَد تَلاها ثمَّ كَرَّرها
وَلَم يَسُمْها عَلى الإِكثارِ بِالمَللِ
She came walking the partridge with literature of adab beautifying her
The tinkling of her anklet sounding broken anklets
جاءَتهُ تَمشي الهُوَينا زانَها أَدَبٌ
يَرِنُّ خُلخُلُها مَكسورةَ المقَلِ
In her prosody pearls, in her face victory
In her gaze houri in most beautiful form
في نَظمِها دُررٌ في وَجهِها خَفرٌ
في طَرفِها حَورٌ في أَحسنِ الشكلِ
She was escorted to you a bride when perfume of your praise embalmed her
Life reviving musk wherever it touched
زُفَّت إِلَيك عَروساً حينَ عَطَّرها
مِسكُ اِمتِداحِكَ محيي القلبِ حَيثُ بَلي
Her haters are harmed by the scent its breeze carried
And scent of roses in it is harm to the potentially jealous
تَضرُّ حُسّادَها مِن طيبِ نَفحَتِها
وَنفحَةُ الوَردِ فيها الضُّرّ بِالجفلِ
She hopes acceptance for her so make it her gains
For with her it is of proudest gains
تَرجو القَبولَ لَها فَاِجعَلهُ نِحْلتَها
فَإِنّه عِندها مِن أَفخَرِ النِّحَلِ
And be safe and continue with bliss, honor, and nobility
And good wellbeing, with vast lifetime
وَاِسلَمْ وَدُم بِالهنا والعزِّ مع شرفٍ
وَحُسنِ عافيةٍ مع فُسحَةِ الأجلِ
In most prosperous living in clarity without turbidity
In your Lord’s protection lowly and roaming
في أَرغَدِ العَيشِ في صَفوٍ بِلا كدَرٍ
في حِفظِ رَبّك في حَطٍّ ومرتحلِ
No lightning shone nor has a frequenter of water-skins sang
Nor has the riding party been guided by the camel driver and camels
ما لاحَ بَرقٌ وما غَنَّت مطوّقةٌ
وما حَدا الرّكبَ حادي النّوقِ والإبلِ
He did not rave from his passion the lord of passion crazed
With the mole, the anklet, the ornaments
ما هامَ مِن وَجْدِه ربُّ الغَرامِ جَوىً
بِربَّةِ الخالِ وَالخلخالِ وَالحللِ
