هَلِ الشمسُ خِيلَتْ مِنْ خِلاَلِ السَّحَائِبِ
أمِ الخُودُ لاَحَتْ بَيْنَ تِلْكَ الذَّوَائِبِ
Did the sun peek through the clouds
Or did her cheek gleam between the tresses?
أمِ الخَالُ فَوْقَ الصدْغِ ضَاعَ عَبِيرُهُ
أمِ النَّاظِرُ الفَتَّانُ مِنْ تَحْتِ حَاجِبِ
Or did the mole above her temple lose its scent
Or the bewitching glance below her eyebrow?
وَبِي غَادَةٌ لَوْ أنَّ صِبْغَةَ شَعْرِهَا
لِفَرْعِ الدجَى أمْسَى يُرَى غيرَ شَائِبِ
My darling, with hair as dark as night
Were it the shade of a lush branch, it would have no white.
لَهَا مَبْسَمٌ مِنْهُ حَكَى كل بَارِقٍ
وَطَرْفٌ رَوَى عَنْ صَادِهِ كُل كَاتِبِ
With a smile narrated by every lightning
And a glance related by every writer's pen.
على عَرْشِ خَدَّيْهَا اسْتَوى الخَالُ فَاهْتَدَى
لِطُورِ سَنَاهَا القلبُ مِنْ كُلّ جَانِبِ
The beauty spot took the throne on her cheeks
So the heart found its target from every side.
وَنَاجَتْهُ بِالألْحَانِ فِي حَانِ سِرّهَا
فَهَامَ اشْتِيَاقاً عِنْدَ حَدْوِ الرَّكَائِبِ
She whispered to it in melodies in the intimacy of her secret
So it swooned in yearning at the ridge of ruins.
لُذِعْتُ بِصُدْغَيْهَا على البُعْدِ فَاعْتَرَى
فُؤَادِي الضَّنَى مِنْ سُمّ لَذْعِ العَقَارِبِ
Her cheek stung me from afar
So my heart was afflicted with the poison of scorpions.
وَلَمْ أدْرِ هَلْ تَسْطُو عَلَيَّ لِحَاظُهَا
بِسُودِ جفُونٍ أمْ بِيِضِ قَوَاضِبِ
I do not know if her glances conquer me
With black eyelids or white blinking.
أمَا وَحُمَيَّا ثَغْرِهَا وَرُضَابِهَا
لَقَدْ فَقَدَ الظَّمْآنُ صَفْوَ المَشَارِبِ
By her bashfulness and dimples
The thirsty lost the purest of drinks.
وَلَيْلَتِنَا وَالْعَيْشُ غَضٌّ جَنَابُهُ
وَأفْنِيَّةُ الأيَّامِ خُضْرُ الجَوَانِبِ
Our night and living vigorously in its prime
With sides green like youth.
وَحَيّ طَرَقْنَاهُ وَقَدْ غَرَّبَ الضّيَا
وَمَا الشَّوْقُ مِنْ قَلْبِ المُحِبّ بِغارِبِ
The neighborhood we frequented
As the evening grew dark but yearning never faded from a lover's heart
بِحُمْرِ الحُلَى سُودِ اللِّحَاظِ نَوَاصِعِ ال
مَبَاسِمِ خُضْرِ الوَشْيِ بِيضِ التَّرَائِبِ
With red jewels, black eyeliner, white smiling,
Green moles, and white necklaces.
تَسَرْبَلْنَ في الدُّيْجُورِ حَتَّى إذَا اغْتَدَى
يُظِلُّ السُّرَى أرْدَفْنَهُ بِالكَوَاكِبِ
They were dressed in ornaments until, when too adorned,
The Pleiades followed with planets.
بُرُوقُ سُيُوفٍ فِي بُرُوقِ مَبَاسِمٍ
مَطَالِبُ دُرّ مَا انْتُخِبْنَ لِطَالِبِ
Swords gleamed in smiling flashes
Seeking the pearls chosen for the suitor.
صَدَرْنَ وَلَمْ يَرْوِ الهَوَى كَشْحَ كَاشِحٍ
وَبِنَّ وَلَمْ يَدْعُ النَّوَى نَعْبَ نَاعِبِ
They captivated but did not let passion make them emaciated
They allured but did not let calling make them wailers.
وَمُذْ قَرَّحَ البَيْنُ المُشِت حُشَاشَتِي
تَحَقَّقْتُ أن البينَ إحْدَى المَصَائِبِ
Since separation wounded my enflamed passion
I knew that separation is one of the afflictions.
أأحْبَابَنَا مَنْ بِالدّيَارِ لِسَائِل
يُلِم بِهَا غَيْرَ البُرُوقِ الخَوَالِبِ
Are there any loved ones in the abodes for a questioner
Other than lightning wounds made by departing?
مَنَازِلُ تُمْلِينَا أحَادِيثَ شَجْوِهَا
أسَانِيدُ أنْفَاسِ الصَّبَا وَالجَنَائِبِ
Dwellings that whisper to us the laments of their abandonment,
Chains of the breaths of zephyrs and tempests.
مَعَالِمُ أحْبَابٍ وَمَغْنَى حَمَائِمٍ
وَدَوْحَةُ أغْصَانٍ وَسِرْبُ رَبَارِبِ
Signs of loved ones and shelter for doves,
An orchard of branches and a flock of grackles.
وَمَنْبَعُ أنْهَارٍ وَحَانَةُ قَهْوَةٍ
وَرَوْضَةُ أزْهَارٍ وَأفْقُ كَوَاكِبِ
A spring of rivers and a coffeehouse
A garden of flowers and a horizon of stars.
سَقَى الرَّوْضَةَ الفَيْحَاءَ وِجْهَةَ رَوْضِهَا
سَحَابُ دُمُوعِي لاَ دُمُوعُ السَّحَائِبِ
My tears’ clouds watered the blooming garden
Not the tears of rainclouds.
فَكَمْ لَيْلَةٍ قَدْ بِت فِيهَا مُنَعَّماً
بِرَشْفِ رُضَابٍ مِنْ مَرَاشِفِ كَاعِبِ
How many nights have I blissfully spent
On the pillows of cheeks, resting on a lover’s bosom!
تَزُورُ وَتَسْرِي فِي سَحَابِ غَلاَئِلٍ
وَأنْجُمِ أقْرَاطٍ وَلَيْلِ ذَوَائِبِ
You would visit in clouds’ tresses
With earrings’ stars in the darkness of night.
فَيَا صُبْحَ لَيْلِ الفَرْعِ فِي فَلَقِ الضحَى
وَيَا نُورَ صُبْحِ الفَرْقِ بَيْنَ الغَيَاهِبِ
O morning of the night of those branches in the horizon of daybreak!
O light of the dawn of parting between glooms!
تُدَافِعُ عَنْ ألْحَاظِهَا بِجُفُونِهَا
وَقَدْ تَمْنَعُ الأجْفَانُ دُونَ القَوَاضِبِ
She defends herself with her eyelids from her glances
Though eyelids cannot restrain winking.
إذَا حُورِبَتْ صَالَتْ بِنَبْلِ جُفُونِهَا
وَإنْ سُولِمَتْ صَادَتْ قِسِي حَوَاجِبِ
When warded off, she pounces with the arrows of her eyelids
If agreed with, she rebels with frowning eyebrows.
سَقَتْنِي حُمَيَّا الحُبّ في حَانِ قُرْبِهَا
بِكَأسِ عِتَابٍ رَاقَ بَيْنَ الحَبَائِبِ
Her bashfulness gave me the wine of love in her intimacy
From a cup of coquetry, which flows between ruins.
وَبَاتَتْ تُعَاطِينِي الأحَادِيثَ في دُجىً
كَأنَّ الثُّرَيَّا فِيهِ كَأسٌ لِشَارِبِ
She conversed with me in the darkness of night
As if the Pleiades were a cup for the drinker.
لَدَى رَوْضَةٍ تَفْتَر عُجْباً ثُغُورُهَا
إذَا مَا بَكَتْ أجْفَانُ سُحْبِ سَوَاكِبِ
Near a garden whose buds boast
When the clouds' eyelids weep with planets' sorrows,
كَأنَّ النَّدَى إذْ كَلَّلَ الوَرْدَ دُرهُ
دُمُوع التَّصَابِي في خُدُودِ الكَوَاعِبِ
As if the dew, crowning the roses with pearls,
Were tears of dawn in the cheeks of willowy brides.
كَأنَّ النُّجُومَ الزهْرَ في لَيْلِ دَجْنِهَا
قَلاَئِدُ دُرّ كَلَّلَتْ مُسْحَ رَاهِبِ
As if the stars were necklaces of pearls adorning
The flowers’ cheeks in the night’s slumber.
كَأنَّ ضِيَاءَ الْبَدْرِ في غَسَقِ الدجَى
بَيَاضُ العَطَايَا فِي سَوَادِ المَطَالِبِ
As if the moonlight in the darkness of dusk
Was the gifts’ whiteness in the blackness of demands.
كَأنَّ ثَنَايَا الصبْحِ عِنْدَ ابْتِسَامِهِ
سَنَا طَلْعَةِ المَسْعُودِ بَيْنَ الْكَتَائِبِ
As if the horizons’ folds at daybreak’s smile
Were good omens between calamities.
إمَامٌ غَدَا لِلْجُودِ وَالْمَجْدِ وَارِثاً
عَنِ السَّادَةِ الآبَا الكِرَامِ الأطَايِبِ
A leader inheriting generosity and glory
From the noble forefathers, the finest lineage,
وَذُو النَّسَبِ المَرْفُوعِ إسْنَادُ فَضْلِهِ
إلى عُمَر الفَارُوقِ مِنْ آلِ غَالِبِ
With elevated ancestry tracing his virtues
To Umar Al-Farooq from the victorious family of Ghalib
لَهُ قَدَمٌ فِي الفَخْرِ تَعْلُو بِمَجْدِهَا
سَنَامَ العُلَى فَوْقَ الذرَى وَالْقَوَارِبِ
With a stepping stone to pride, its minarets towering
Above all others however high they rise.
أخُو الحَزْمِ قَدْ سَاسَ الأمُورَ بِعَزْمَةٍ
رِوَايَتُهَا مِنْ مُحْكَمَاتِ التَّجَارِبِ
The resolute brother managed affairs with determination
Tested through the trials of experience.
أدِلاؤُهُ فِي الخَطْبِ إنْ كَانَ مُشْكِلاً
بَدِيهَاتُ حَزْمِ كَالنُّجُومِ الثَّوَاقِبِ
His proofs in speech, if complicated,
Are intuitions of wisdom, piercing like stars.
رَكُوبٌ لأعْنَاقِ الأمُورِ بِهِمَّةٍ
يُسَيِّرُهَا سَيْرَ الذَّلُولِ الرَّوَاكِبِ
Riding the steeds of command with ambition
Galloping smoothly like racing camels.
طَلُوبٌ لأقْصَى الأمْرِ حَتَّى يَنَالَهُ
وَمُغْرى بِغَايَاتِ الحَقَائِقِ رَاغِبِ
Seeking the furthest reaches of the matter until grasping it,
And aspiring for the limits of truths, desiring them.
أبِيٌّ إذَا حَامَتْ يَدَاهُ عَلَى العُلَى
يُثَبِّتُهُ فِيهَا نَبِيهُ المَذَاهب
My father - when his hands take to supremacy
His prophet establishes him in it with principles.
عَلَى السَّبْعَةِ السَّيَّارَةِ امْتَازَ في العُلَى
مَشَارِقُهَا مَوْصُولَةٌ بِمَغَارِبِ
Supreme over the seven planets
Their rising connected to their setting.
أمَاتَ رِيَاح الشُّحّ وَهْيَ عَوَاصِفٌ
وَأحْيَا بِرُوحِ الجُودِ مَيْتَ المَطَالِبِ
He ended the winds of misery - raging storms -
And revived the dead of demands with the spirit of generosity.
أمَا وَالَّذِي أنْشَا السَّحَابَ وكَفَّهُ
لَقَدْ أعْجَزَتْ كَفَّاهُ جُودَ السَّحَائِبِ
I swear by the One who created clouds and folded them
His palms surpassed the rainclouds’ generosity.
وَمَا خُلِقَتْ كَفَّاهُ إلا لِستَّةٍ
لِدَفْعِ مُلِمَّاتٍ وَقَرْع كَتَائِبِ
His palms were created for only six tasks:
Repelling disasters, defeating troops,
وَتَقْبِيلِ أفْوَاهٍ وَقَبْضِ أعِنَّةٍ
وَتَبْدِيد أعْدَاءٍ وَبَذْلِ رَغَائِبِ
Kissing mouths, grasping help,
Dispersing enemies, and sacrificing treasures.
مَحَا الْجَدْبَ عَنْ وَجْه البَرَايَا بِأنْمُلٍ
إلَيْهَا الحَيَا يَغْدُو حَدِيثَ المَوَاهِبِ
With fingers he erased barrenness from the face of the land
To it, life returns with fresh endowments.
تُؤَمَّلُ نُعْمَاهُ وَيُخْشَى انْتِقَامُهُ
لِرَاجٍ مُوَالٍ أوْ لِبَاغٍ مُحَارِبِ
His favors are hoped for and his vengeance feared
By an ally or an enemy combatant.
وَيَبْتَدِرُ الرَّاؤُونَ مِنْهُ إذَا بَدَا
سَنَا كَوْكَبٍ مِنْ سُدْفَةِ المُلكِ ثَاقِبِ
From him, the destitute hope when his sunlight appears
Like a star in the royal throne’s canopy.
هَجُومٌ عَلَى الأعْدَاءِ مِنْ كُلّ وِجْهَةٍ
رَؤُوفٌ عَلَى الأصْحَابِ مِنْ كُلّ جَانِبِ
Assaulting enemies from every direction,
And kind to comrades from all sides.
يَدٌ لأمِيرٍ المُؤْمِنِينَ وِعُدَّةٌ
إذَا اسْوَدَّ خَطْبٌ مِنْ دَيَاجِي المَصَائِبِ
A hand for the Commander of the Faithful and a weapon
When the address darkens with the afflictions of fate.
يُبِيدُ الأعَادِي فِي سَمَاءٍ عَجَاجَةٍ
أسِنَّتُهُ تَبْدُو بِهَا كَالْكَوَاكِبِ
He destroys enemies in a ferocious sky
His sharp tongues appearing like planets.
يُلاَقِي بِهَا الخَطْبَ الجَلِيلَ فَيَنْثَنِي
بِمُقَّتِد الآرَاءِ مَاضِي المَضَارِبِ
They meet the mighty ordeal, bending
To the old expert of opinions and courses.
إذَا ارْتَادَ لَيْلَ الحَرْبِ لَيْلاً يَرُدهُ
نَهَاراً بِأضْوَاءِ السُّيُوفِ الضَوَارِبِ
If the night of war seemed like night, he turns it
To day with the illuminations of striking swords.
طَلَعْنَ شُمُوساً وَالْغُمُودُ مَشَارِقٌ
وَغِبْنَ بِهَامَاتِ الأعَادِي القَوَارِبِ
They rose as suns while the clouds were horizons
And set with the browbands of the enemies’ steeds.
يَجُر قَناً مِثْلَ النَّشَاوَى يَهُزهَا
صَلِيلٌ بِأطْرَافِ القَوَاضِي القَوَاضِبِ
He drags his spear, shaking it,
With the clattering edges of splitting blades.
لَهُ هِمةٌ عَمَّ البَرِيَّةَ عَدْلُهَا
فَأضْحَى لَدَيْهِ آمِناً كُل رَاهِبِ
His ambition encompassed the land, its justice
Making all, even monks, safe with him.
يَصُولُ بِحَدّ حِينَ يَسْمُو بِجِدّهِ
عَشِيَّةَ فَخْرٍ أوْ غَدَاةَ تَجَاربِ
He rages with the blade when honorable ambition rises
In the eve of pride or morn of trials.
مَلِيكٌ حَوَى شَأوَ الْكَوَاكِبِ في العُلَى
وَجَاوَزَ غَايَاتِ العُلَى بِمَرَاتِبِ
A sovereign encompassing the prestige of stars on high
And exceeding the limits of sublimity by degrees.
وَلَيْثُ وَغىً خَاضَ المَنَايَا بِصَارِمٍ
يُزِيحُ سَنَاهُ خَطْبَ لَيْلِ القَوَاضِبِ
A lion plunging into deaths with a sword
Whose sharp edge clears the night of blinking stars.
وَذُو الْقَلَمِ الرَّاقِي سَحَائِبَ أنْمُلٍ
يُرِيكَ رِيَاضَ الخَطّ زَاهِي الجَوَانِبِ
The writer of sublime calligraphy with fingers
Showing you gardens of script flourishing and vivid.
إذَا وَشَّعَ القِرْطَاسَ خِلْتَ سُطُورَهُ
عُقُوداً عَلَى بِيضِ الطُّلَى وَالتَّرَائِبِ
When he unfurls the parchment, you will find its lines
Like necklaces on the paper’s whiteness and clearness.
وَإنْ وَعَدَ ارْفَضَّتْ عَطَاءً عِدَاتُهُ
بِرَاحَةِ مَسْبُولٍ على الجُودِ غَالِبِ
If he promises, his gifts pour forth
From a relaxed palm overwhelming in generosity
وَإنْ أعْرَبَ المُثْنِي مَنَاصِبَ مَجْدِهِ
فَنَصْباً عَلَى التَّمْيِيزِ بَيْنَ المَنَاصِبِ
If he declaims the dual form, it shows the positions of his glory
As nominative case indicating distinction between positions.
وَإنْ رُمْتُ مَدْحاً فِيهِ أمْلَتْ صِفَاتُهُ
عَلَيَّ مَعَانِي أسْفَرَتْ عَنْ غَرَائِبِ
If I set out to praise him, his attributes
Suggest meanings exposing wonders to me.
وَلاَ غَرْوَ إنْ قَصَّرْتُ فِي مَدْحِ وَصْفِهِ
فَقَدْ أعْجَزَتْ أوْصَافُهُ كُلَّ حَاسِبِ
I do not exaggerate if I fall short in praising and describing him
For his attributes have defeated every enumerator.
مِنَ الْقَوْمِ فُرْسَانِ البَلاَغَةِ وَالْوَغَى
عَلَى أنَّهُمْ خَيْرُ الرّجَالِ الأغَالِبِ
Among the people are the horsemen of eloquence and valor
Recognized as the best and most victorious of men.
إذَا أسْرَةُ الفَارُوقِ قَامَتْ لِمَفْخَرٍ
أقَرَّتْ لِعَلْيَاهَا سَرَاةُ المَوَاكِبِ
When the family of Al-Farooq rises for pride
The processions of planets concede their loftiness.
لَهُمْ كُل فَخْرٍ في السِّيَادَةِ وَالعُلَى
أحَادِيثُ تَرْوِيَها سرَاةُ العَجَائِبِ
Theirs is all pride of supremacy and sublimity
Tales reciting their wonders and miracles.
وَآيَاتُ جُودٍ تِلْوَهُنَّ عَجَائِبٌ
فَيَا لِغَوَالٍ أيِّدَتْ بِغَوَالِبِ
Wondrous generosity reciting wonders
So long live the supporter supported by victors!
أمَوْلاَيَ يَابْنَ المَالِكِينَ وَمَنْ غَدَتْ
مَنَاكِبُهُ فِي الجُودِ أعْلَى المَنَاكِبِ
O bestower whose palms habitually rose highest in generosity
You combined dew, might, asceticism, and dignity
جَمَعْتَ النَّدَى وَالْبَأسَ وَالزهْدَ والحِجَى
فَجُدْ وَتَوَرَّعْ ثُمَّ سَادِدْ وَقَارِبِ
So be generous, pious, steadfast, and draw near!
May God grant you - from Abi Hafs is your origin -
لَكَ اللَّه فَرْعاً مِنْ أبِي حَفْصَ أصْلُهُ
يَشِب بِرَوْضٍ مُثْمِرٍ فِي المَنَاقِبِ
A branch growing in a fertile meadow of virtues.
I praised you elevating my praise
مَدَحْتُكَ تَشْرِيفاً لِمَدْحِيَ فَاغْتَدَى
بِمَدْحِكَ نَظْمِي فِي أجَلّ المَرَاتِبِ
So through your praise my poem reached the highest rank.
I wished for your streaming rewards, hoping to attain them
وَأمَّلْتُ جَدْوَاكَ المُرَجَّى نَوَالُهَا
وَمَا الآمِلُ الرَّاجِي نَدَاكَ بِخَائِبِ
For no hopeful petitioner of you is disappointed.
So be generous in accepting, never ceasing to be hoped for
فَجُدْ بِقَبُولٍ لا بَرِحْتَ مُؤَمَّلاً
لِقَرْعِ الأعَادِي وَاصْطِنَاعِ الرَّغَائِبِ
To battle enemies and acquire treasures.
