جَرَّدَ الأفْقُ صَارِمَ الفَجْرِ

مِنْ جَفِيرِ الغَسَقْ

The dawn stripped the horizon of the severity of first light

From the mantle of dusk,

فَتَوَارتْ أزَاهرُ الزُّهْرِ

فِي كِمَامِ الشَّفَقْ

And the flowers of delight took cover

In the veil of the gloaming.

نَسَخَ الصُّبْحُ آيَةَ الدَّجْنِ

بِنُصُولِ الخِضَابْ

Morn copied the verse of slumber

With the emergence of kohl,

وَجَلاَ الشَّمْسَ مُبْدِعُ الحُسْنِ

فِي خِمَارِ السَّحَابْ

And the beauty-creating sun shone

In the veil of cloud.

وَرَقَى الطَّيْرُ مِنْبَرِ الغُصْنِ

وَأجَادَ الخِطَابْ

The birds took the branch's pulpit,

And song flowed freely,

وَجَرَى دَمْعُ مَقْلَةِ القَطْرِ

لابْتِسَامِ الأفُقْ

And a tear from the bud's eye

Smiled at the horizon.

وَالْتَوَى فَوْقَ وَجْنَةِ النَّهْرِ

صُدْغُ ظِلّ الوَرَقْ

And above the leafy bank of the river

Leaned the cheek of the bough's shade.

أطْلَع الرَّاحُ في سَمَاءِ الطَّاسِ

نَيِّرَاتِ الحَبَبْ

The zephyr opened in the sky of the grapevine

Clustered fruits,

وَقَدِ افْتَرَّ مَبْسَمُ الكَاسِ

عَنْ ثَنَايَا الضَّرَبْ

As the smile of the goblet burst forth

From between compressed lips.

وَصَغَتْ أذْنُ يَانِعِ الآسِ

لِسَمَاعِ الطَّرَبْ

And the ear of gorgeous youth

Harkened to hear music,

وَعَلَى العُودِ هَاتِفُ القُمْرِي

بِالْهَوَى قَدْ نَطَقْ

While the moon-praising voice on the lute

Spoke of love,

وَتَهَادَتْ عَرَائِسُ الزَّهْرِ

فِي حُلِيّ النَّسَقْ

And the brides of the flowers

Swayed in the jewelry of order.

رُبَّ بَدْرٍ أضَاءَ فِي جُنْحِ

خَدّه المُذْهَبْ

The full moons shining on their cheeks!

The branches of emo-blossoms

غُصْنُ بَانٍ أبَانَ عَنْ صُبْحِ

ثَغْره الأشْنَبْ

Showing from their rose-tinted lips!

Their suns rising on their spears,

طَلَعَتْ شَمْسُهُ عَلَى رُمْحِ

فَانْجَلَى الغَيْهَبْ

Vanquishing gloom!

Beauty crowned their red cheeks

كَلَّلَ الحُسْنُ خَدَّهُ الجَمْرِي

بِلآلِي العَرَقْ

With natural pearls,

And built up their lids on the bend

وَبَنَى جَفْنَهُ عَلَى الكَسْرِ

لانْتِصَابِ الحَدَقْ

Of the eyelashes.

O the one with shoulders erect in his prime,

يَا لَهُ شَادِناً ثَنَى عِطْفَا

جَارَ فِي الإعْتِدَالْ

Moving with poise!

The charmer in him showed more

أظْهَرَ الدَّلُّ مِنْهُ مَا أخْفَى

حُسْنُ ذَاكَ الدَّلالْ

Than what his charm hid.

He felled a lion though it roared,

صَالَ لَيْثاً وَقَدْ رَنَا خَشْفَا

وَتَبَدَّى هِلاَلْ

And the crescent was shining.

The full moons rise on his cheeks,

فَبِخَدَّيْهِ طَالِعْ البَدْرِ

لَمْ يَكُنْ مُخْتَلَقْ

This was no pretense;

And by his eyes the sign of sorcery -

وَبِعَيْنَيْهِ آيَةُ السِّحْرِ

إنَّمَا السِّحْرُ حَقْ

Sorcery here is true.

I sacrifice soul and being for him

أفْتَدِيهِ بِالرُّوحِ والْمَوْجُودِ

مِنْ أعَادِي الوُجُودِ

From the enemies of existence.

He belongs solely to my blissful lord,

إنَّمَا هِي لِمَالِكِي المسعُودِ

بَدْرِ أفْقِ السُّعُودْ

Moon of the dawn of fortune,

First in merit, goal of desire,

مُبْتَدَا الفَضْلِ غَايَةِ المَقْصُودِ

رُكْنِ حَجّ الوُفُودْ

Pillar of pilgrim throngs.

Who has the sea surging to give him drink

مَنْ يِكَفَّيْهِ زَاخِرُ البَحْرِ

بِالنَّوَال انْدَفَقْ

In cascades released?

By his sublime features the pride

وَبِعَلْيَاهُ أوْجُهُ الفَخْرِ

عُوَذَتْ بِالْفَلَقْ

Takes refuge in daybreak.

Unique one of the age, second in glory,

وَاحِدُ العَصْرِ ثَانِي المَجْدِ

ثَالِثْ النَّيِّرَيْنْ

Third of the two lights,

Ultimate request, furthest goal,

مُنْتَهَى السُّؤْلِ غَايَةُ القَصْدِ

عُمْدَةُ الامْنَيْنْ

Base of the two pillars,

Delight of the eye, place of help,

تُحْفَةُ العَيْنِ مَجْمَعُ الرّفْدِ

بَهْجَةُ المَشْرِقَيْنْ

Rapture of the two easts,

Proof of merit, Kaaba of victory,

حُجَّةُ الفَضْلِ كَعْبَةُ النَّصْرِ

تَاجُ هَامِ الفِرَقْ

Crown of resolution’s protector,

Supporter of the kingdom, owner of command,

عَاضِدُ المُلْكِ مَالِكُ الأمْرِ

حَازَ فَضْلَ السَّبَقْ

Won precedence deserved.

O refuge of the destitute, my succor,

يَا مَلاَذَ العُفَاةِ يَا غَوْثَايْ

يَا رَجَا مَطْمَعِي

O hope of my wishes,

My pillar, healing my afflictions

يَا عِمَادِي وَيَا شِفَا بَلْوَايْ

مِنْ جَفَا المَرْبَعِ

From the harsh square house!

Your slave Ibn Khallouf spoke

عَبْدُكَ ابن الخلوف يَا مَوْلاَيْ

قَالَ فِي الْمَطْلَعِ

At the beginning, saying:

The dawn stripped the horizon of the severity of first light

جَرَّدَ الأفْقُ صَارِمَ الفَجْرِ

مِنْ جَفِيرِ الغَسَقْ

From the mantle of dusk.

And the flowers of delight took cover

فَتَوَارَتْ أزَاهِرُ الزُّهْرِ

فِي كِمَامِ الشَّفَقْ

In the veil of the gloaming.