تَرَاءَتْ لِعَيْنِي وَهيَ بِالشَّعْرِ تُحْجَبُ

فَخِلْتُ شُعَاعَ الشَّمْسِ يَعْلُوهُ غَيْهَبُ

She appeared before my eyes as her hair concealed her

So I imagined the sun's rays rising above her hiding place

وَلَمْ تَحْتَجِبْ بَعْدَ الظُّهُورِ وَإنَّمَا

يِتَنْزِيهِهَا عنْ ذَاكَ طَرْفِي يُكَذّبُ

And she did not conceal herself after appearing

Rather, it was my glances seeking to deny that

وَمَا هِيَ إلاَ الشَّمْسُ في الأفْقِ أشْرَقَتْ

بُدُورُ سَنَاهَا بَعْدَمَا كَادَ يَغْرُبُ

She was none other than the sun rising on the horizon

After its splendor had almost set

مَهَاةٌ رَعَتْ حَبَّ القُلُوبِ فَمَالَهَا

تَرُوعُ نِفَاراً وَهْيَ للأنْسِ تُنْسَبُ

A gazelle who grazed on the love of hearts, so it inclined toward her

Fearing and fleeing while being attributed to companionship

وَكَلَّمَتِ الأحْشَا بِمُوسَى لِحَاظِهَا

فَأصْبَحْتُ مِنْهَا خَائِفاً أتَرَقَّبُ

And she addressed the thickets with her veil

So I became fearful of her, waiting and watching

وَعَذَّبَ قَلْبِي دَلُّهَا بِنَعِيمِهِ

وَلَمْ أدْرِ أنِّي بِالنَّعِيمِ أعَذَّبُ

And her allure tortured my heart with its delight

And I did not know that I was tortured by delight

وَأبْدِلْتُ مُزْنَ الدَّمْعِ في القَلْبِ جَوْهَراً

ألَمْ تَرَهُ بِالْهُدْبِ قَدْ عَادَ يُثْقَبُ

And I substituted the essence of tears in my heart for pearls

Did you not see it flowing at her slope, becoming pierced?

وَبِي سَاحِرُ الأجْفَانِ أمَّا قَوَامُهُ

فَلَدْنٌ وَأمَّا ثَغْرُهُ فَهْوَ كَوْكَبُ

And the sorcerer of eyelids - as for his stature, it is softness

And as for his mouth, it is a planet

حَكَى حُسْنَهُ بَدْرُ الدجَى مُتَكَلِّفاً

وَرَاحَ بِهَاتِيكَ الحِكَايَةِ يُعْرِبُ

The full moon related his beauty pretentiously

And went about with this story becoming Arabicized

وَظَنَّ دُخَاناً مِثْلَ حُمْرَةِ خَدّهِ

ألَيْسَ رَآهَا جَمْرَةً تَتَلَهَّبُ

And he thought it was smoke like the redness of his cheek

Is it not truly an ember blazing?

أعِدْ نَظَراً فِي خَدّهِ وَعِذَارِهِ

تَرَ عَسْجَداً بِالاَّزَوَرْدِيّ يُكْتَبُ

Take another look at his cheek and beard

You see a threshold inscribed with lapis lazuli

وَسَلْ ثَغْرَهُ المَعْسُولَ عَنْ لَعَس بِهِ

وَإلاَّ عَنِ الصَّهْبَاءِ بالمِسْكِ تُرْسَبُ

And ask his sweet mouth about the delicacy in it

Otherwise, about pure musk it is perfumed

فَوَجْنَتُهُ وَالثَّغْرُ نَارٌ وَكَوْكَبٌ

وَطَلْعَتُهُ وَالشَّعْرُ صُبْحٌ وَغَيْهَبُ

So I kissed him while his mouth was fire and a planet

And his visage was dawn and hiding

وَقَامَتُهُ وَالرِّدْفُ غُصْنٌ وَبَانَةٌ

وَمُقْلَتُهُ وَالصدْغُ سَيْفٌ وَعَقْرَبُ

And his stature and nape were a branch and sprouts

And his eyelash and temple were a sword and a scorpion

حَمَانِي اللَّمَى فَاعْتَضْتُ عَنْهُ مُدَامَةً

وَخَمْرُ اللَّمَى عِنْدِي ألَذ وَأعْذَبُ

The glances intoxicated me, so I resisted them with a cup

And the wine of the glances is for me sweeter and more delicious

وَأذْهَبَ عَقْلِي مِنْهُ ثَغْرٌ مُفَضَّضٌ

فَلِلَّهِ عَقْلٌ بِالْمُفَضَّضِ مُذْهَبُ

And a dimpled mouth takes away my mind

So for God is a mind taken away by a dimple

وَأقْسِمُ لَوْلاَ شَاقَنِي خَمْرُ رِيقِهِ

لَمَا رَاقَنِي ثَغْرٌ مِنَ الكَأسِ مُذْهَبُ

And I swear if not for his saliva inebriating me

No mouth from a cup would have made me drunk

أيَا زَائِراً وَاللَّيْلُ يَخْضبُ فودَهُ

وَوَلَّى وَفَرْعُ اللَّيْلِ بِالصبْحِ أشْيَبُ

Oh visitor, and the night paints its cheek

And the branch of night has turned white at dawn

لَدَى رَوْضَةٍ لَوْلاَ فَصَاحَةُ وُرْقِهَا

لَقُلْنَا كُنَاسٌ وَالْحَمَائِم رَبْرَبُ

At a garden, if not for the clamor of its leaves

We would have said turtle doves and fattened pigeons were cooing

إذَا أحْدَقَتْ أحْدَاقُ نَرْجِسِهَا تَرَى

دَنَانِيرَ في وَسْطِ الدَّرَاهِمِ تُضْرَبُ

When the pupils of its narcissi glare

You see dinars being struck amid the dirhams

كَأنَّ بِهَا الأنْهَارَ رُقْشٌ أرَاقِمٌ

إذَا مَا جَرَتْ فِيهَا تَخُوضُ وَتَلْعَبُ

It is as if its rivers have silver anklets

Playing and swimming delightedly in them

تُهَدّدُهَا أغْصَانُهَا بِرُؤُوسِهَا

فتَنْظُرُ مِنْ طَرْفٍ خَفِيّ وَتَهْرَبُ

Its branches threaten it with their heads

So it looks from the corner of its eye and flees

كَأنَّ بِهَا النِّسْرِينَ أقْدَاحُ فِضَّةٍ

بِتِبْرِ المُحَيَّا لِلْحُمَيَّا تُذَهَّبُ

It is as if its myrtles are silver goblets

Decorated with youths for the youths

كَأنَّ بِهَا الرَّيْحَانَ نَقَشُ أنَامِلٍ

تُطَرَّقُ بِالْمِسْكِ الذَّكِيّ وَتُخْضَبُ

It is as if its sweet basil is traced by fingers

Dripping with pure musk and dyed

كَأنَّ بِهَا لِلْبَانِ جَيْشاً يَحُفُّهَا

كَمَا حَفَّ لِلْمَسْعُودِ بالسُّمْرِ مَوْكِبُ

It is as if its incense has an army surrounding it

As the procession surrounded Al-Mas`oud with musk

مَلِيكٌ أفَادَتْ سُمْرُهُ كُلَّ خَاطِبٍ

على كُلّ عُودٍ كيفَ يَدْعُو وَيَخْطُبُ

A ruler whose generosity included every suitor

At every musical instrument, teaching him how to pray and propose

وَبَدْرٌ لَهُ وَجْهٌ تَهَلَّلَ بِالْحَيَا

كَمْا انْهَلَّ مِنْ كَفَّيْهِ بالجودِ صَيِّبُ

And a full moon whose face beamed with delight

As the clouds poured from his palms generously

وَغَيْثٌ لَهُ فِي كُلّ أفْقٍ مَوَاهِبٌ

تَكَادُ بِهَا الأرْضُ الجَدِيبَةُ تُخْصِبُ

And a rain whose gifts opened every horizon

The barren earth almost flourishes by them

وَلَيْثٌ أرَادَ اللَّيْثُ يَحْكِيهِ شِدَّةً

وَكَيْفَ يُضَاهِي الصّيدَ في البَأسِ ثعْلبُ

And a lion whom the lion wanted to imitate in severity

And how can a fox equal the prey inmight?

إذَا انْسَابَ فِي تَدْبِيرِ رَأيٍ تَرَادَفَتْ

لَهُ فِكَرٌ يَنْجَحْنَ أيَّانَ يَذْهَبُ

When he flowed in managing wise opinion, thoughts succeeded for him

However he went, they succeeded

أرَانَا طِبَاقَ المَالِ وَالْمَجْدِ فِي الوَرَى

فَذَلِكَ مَبْذُولٌ وَهَذَا مُحَجَّبُ

He showed us the spheres of wealth and glory in the world

So this is offered and that is hidden

وَجَانَسَ مَا بَيْنَ القِرَاءَةِ والْقِرَى

فَلِلْجُودِ مِنْهُ وَالإجَادَةِ مَذْهَبُ

And he frequented what is between reading and reciting poetry

So grace and excellence are attributed to his generosity

إذَا اسْتَمْسَكَتْ مِنْهُ الأمَاني بِنَاصِرٍ

فَبُشْرَى الأمَانِي أنَّهَا لَيْسَ تُكْذَبُ

When hopes cling to him for support

Good tidings to the hopes for they will not be denied

أذَلَّ خُطُوبَ الدَّهْرِ قَهْراً فَكَفَّهَا

بِبَأسٍ يُعَيِّي كُلَّ خَطْبٍ وَيُتْعِبُ

He defeated the setbacks of fate forcibly so he clapped his hands over them

With might that frustrates every suitor and tires him

رَمَاهَا بِعَزْمٍ فَانْجَلَى خُطَبَاؤُهَا

فَلَوْ رَامَهَا الإصْبَاحُ أعْيَاهُ مَطْلَبُ

He shot them with resolve so their suitors retreated

If he shot them at dawn, hopes would exhaust him

وَلِلنَّقْعِ فَرْعٌ بِالْعَجَاجَةِ أسْحَمٌ

وَلِلْجَوّ فَرْقٌ بِالأسِنَّةِ أشْيَبُ

And the falcon has a fresh twig with loud feathers

And war has a cohort with graying tongues

وَلِلْعَضْبِ مَتْنٌ بِالْفُلُولِ مُنَقَّشٌ

وَلِلرمْحِ كَف بِالنَّجِيعِ مُخَضَّبُ

And the sword has a blade engraved with steeds

And the spear has a palm dyed with blood

إذَا دَعَتِ الحَرْبُ العَوَانُ سِنَانَهُ

جَلاَ أفْقَهَا وَاللَّيْلُ بِالْهَامِ يَلْعَبُ

When war invites its supporters, it bares its teeth

Spreading the horizon while night plays with anxiety

وَإنْ ألْقَتِ الهَيْجَا القِنَاعَ تَبَشَّرَتْ

وُجُوهُ عِدَاهُ بِالْحُتُوفِ تُنَقِّبُ

And if anxiety casts off its mask, the faces of its enemies

Are delighted, digging up graves with pickaxes

وَإنْ ضَحِكَتْ بِشْراً مَبَاسِمُ ثَغْرِهِ

رَأيْتَ وُجُوهَ السُّمْرِ كَيْفَ تُقَطِّبُ

And if it laughs good tidings with the smiles of its mouth

You see the faces of warriors - see how they frown

وَإنْ أمَّ صَفَّا لِلْقِتَالِ مُكَبِّراً

يُصَلِّي العِدَى نَاراً مِنَ الحَرْبِ تُلْهِبُ

And if it lines up rows for battle, glorifying,

Its enemies pray with a fire of war kindling

وَإنْ قَادَ أبْطَالَ العَسَاكِرَ حَلَّقَتْ

نُسُورٌ عَلَيْهَا حَوْمُهُنَّ مُجَرّبُ

And if it leads the heroes of armies, vultures circle above it

Testing their swooping repeatedly

جَوَارِحُ قَدْ أيْقَنَّ أنَّ جُيُوشَهُ

إذَا مَا الْتَقَى الجَيْشَانِ لاَ بُدَّ تَغْلِبُ

Birds of prey who are certain that its armies,

When the two armies meet, will inevitably defeat

لَهُنَّ عَلَيْهِ عَادَةٌ قَدْ عَرَفْنَهَا

إذَا أصْبَحَ الخَطِّيُّ بِالدَّمِ يَكْتُبُ

For them over it is a custom they have recognized

That when the honorable writes in blood

مِنَ القَوْمِ فَاتُوا النَّاسَ سَبْقاً إلَى العُلَى

ألَيْسَ لَهُمْ تُعْزَي المَعَالِي وَتُنْسَبُ

Of the people, they surpassed mankind in the precedence to sublimity

Are not the high places congratulated and attributed to them?

كَأنَّ لَهُمْ فِيهَا طَرِيقاً مُسَهَّلاً

وَغَيْرُهُمُ فِي الحَزْنِ يَأتِي وَيَذْهَبُ

It is as if for them there is an easy path therein

While others are in sorrow, coming and going

بِعَدْلِهِمُ صُلْحُ الضَّرَاغِمِ وَالظِّبَا

وَبَيْنَ النَدَى وَالوَفْرِ بَكْرٌ وَتَغْلِبُ

By their justice, settlement of disputes and difficult straights

And between prosperity and abundance are virginity and defeat

أيَا مَلِكاً لَمْ يَعْرِفِ القَدْر مِثْلَهُ

وَهَلْ هُوَ إلاَّ مِنْ كَمَالٍ مُرَكَّبُ

Oh King whom merit does not recognize his equal

And is he not truly comprised of perfection?

كَتَبْتَ بِسُمْرِ الخَطّ في أظْهُرِ العِدَى

سُطُوراً رَأيْنَا ضِمْنَهَا النَّصْرَ يُكْتَبُ

You wrote with your sword in the chests of enemies

Lines which we see victory inscribed within

وَسَنَّنْتَ لِلأعْدَا سُيُوفاً كَأنَّهَا

إلَيْهِمْ بِإهْدَاءِ المَنَايَا تُقَرّبُ

And you drew swords for the enemies as if

Drawing near to give them deaths

وَقُمْتَ مَقَامَ الجَيْشِ في مَعْرَكٍ بِهِ

سَنَا البِيضِ يَطْفُو فِي الغُبَارِ وَيَرْسُبُ

And you took the stance of the army in a battle wherein

The teeth of white swords float and settle in the dust

وَقَلَّدْتَ نَحْرَ الدَّهْرِ دُرّاً سُلُوكُهُ

سُطُورٌ لَهَا فَوْقَ الطُّرُوسِ تَذَهُّبُ

And you collared the neck of fate with pearls whose wayfaring

Is lines above the heads inscribed

وَحَرَّكْتَ مِنْ إسْمِ المَكَارِمِ سَاكِناً

لأنَّكَ بِالأفْعَالِ لِلْجُودِ تَنْصبُ

And you moved from the name of virtues one who settled

Because you construct generosity by deeds

سَجِيَّةُ آبَاءٍ كِرَامٍ وَرِثْتَهَا

حَدِيثٌ وَفِقْهٌ عَنْهُ يَرْوِي المُهَذَّبُ

The manners of noble fathers you inherited

Are discourse narrated by the well-mannered from it

وَنَحْوٌ بِهِ لِلْفَارِسِيّ تَرَجُّلٌ

وَنُطْقٌ بِهِ لِلْمَنْطِقِيّ تَأدبُ

And grammar by which the expert wanders untethered

And diction disciplined by logic

لَكَ اللَّهَ يَا مَوْلاَيَ مِنْ مَالِكٍ غَدَا

يَلِينُ وَيَسْطُو فَهْوَ يُرْجَى وَيُرْهَبُ

May Allah favor you, my Master, from a King who tomorrow

Inclines gently - he is hoped for and feared

تَوَقَّدْتَ ذِهْناً وَاسْتَقَضْتَ مَكَارِماً

فَأعْلَمْتَ أنَّ الشُّهْبَ بِالغَيْثِ تَسْكُبُ

You ignited a mind and awoke virtues

So you knew shooting stars spill with rain

وَشَيَّدْتَ حَظِّي بَعْدَمَا كَانَ وَاقِعاً

وَغَلَّبْتَ سِرّي بَعْدَمَا كَادَ يَذْهَبُ

And you built my fortune after it had fallen

And you empowered my secret after it had almost vanished

وَمَا أنْتَ إلا رَحْمَة سَاقَهَا الثَّنَا

إلَيْنَا وَدُنْيَانَا أتَتْ وَهْيَ تَخْصَبُ

You are none other than a mercy its branches brought

To us, and our world became prosperous

فَدُمْ كَافِلُ العَلْيَا لِسَعْدِكَ عَاضِدٌ

وَعَزْمُكَ مَنْصُورٌ وَجِدُّكَ أغْلَبُ

So the guardian sustaining the most high lasts as support for your joy

And your resolve is supported and your presence defeats

وَشَانِيكَ مَفْقُودٌ وَمِثْلُكَ مُعْدَمٌ

وَبَابُكَ مَقْصُودٌ وَبَذْلُكَ يُرْقَبُ

And your equal is lost and your likeness nonexistent

And your door sought and your bestowal observed