يُحَمِّلني مالا أُطيقُ فأَحملُ
وَيأمُرَني أَن لا أُفيقَ فَأَقبَلُ
He burdens me with more than I can bear, so I bear it,
And commands me not to awake, so I obey,
وَيَقتلني عَمداً لأَنّي أُحِبُّهُ
وَمن عَجَبٍ أَنّي أُحِبُّ فأقُتَلُ
And kills me intentionally, because I love him,
And is it any wonder that I love and am killed?
وَيَمنَعُني من أَن أَمرّ بِبابِهِ
وَأَرمُقُه أَنّي أَمرُّ فَيَخجَلُ
And he prevents me from passing by his door,
And catching a glimpse - though I pass, so he is bashful,
أَذلّ إِذا ما عَزَّ في الحُبِّ أَوسَطا
وَهَل لي إِذا ما عَزَّ إِلّا التَذَلّلُ
I am humbled when love is mighty or moderate,
And when love is mighty, what can I do but humbly beseech?
وَأَشكو تَجنّيهِ فَيقضي لَهُ الهَوى
وَقاضي الهَوى في حُكمِه كَيفَ يَعدلُ
I complain of his tyranny, but passion judges in his favor,
And how can the judge of passion judge justly?
فَلَيتَ كَمالَ الحُسنِ يُؤتاهُ مُحسِنٌ
وَلَيتَ جَمالَ الوَجهِ يُؤتاه مُجمِلُ
Would that the perfection of beauty were given to one who makes beautiful,
And the beauty of face to one who beautifies,
وَعاذِلَةٍ هَبَّت بَليلٍ تَلومُني
تَقولُ أَلا تصغي الا تَتوسَّلُ
And a blamer, attacking at night, blames me,
Saying: "Do you not plead except by humble entreaty?"
فَقُلتُ أَقَلّي العذَلَ لي وَتأَمَّلي
فَلَم يَبقَ مَن يُرجى وَلا من يُؤَمَّلُ
So I said: "Chide me less, and consider:
For none remains to be hoped for, or depended upon."
فَلَستُ عَلى مالٍ وان فاتَ مُعوِلاً
وانّي عَلى جود ابنِ شاديَ مُعوِلُ
For though wealth fail me, I depend
On the generosity of the son of Shadi,
وَلي ناصِرٌ مِن ناصِرِ الدين حاضِرٌ
كَفيٌّ وَلي مِن سُحبِ كَفيهِ منهلُ
And I have a helper in the helper of the faith, ever-present,
Sufficient for me, and I have from his overflowing palms a fountain,
جَوادٌ بِما يحوي وَفيٌّ بِوَعدِهِ
يَجودُ فَيُغني أَو يَقول فَيَفعل
Generous with what he contains, and faithful to his promise,
He gives generously and enriches, or speaks and acts.
وَبَحرُ نَدىً لِلمجتدين وَوابِلٌ
وَطودُ حِمىً للآجئينَ وَموئِلُ
A sea of bounty for the needy, a rain pouring down,
A towering refuge for those who come to him, a shelter,
يَعدُّ كَثير النَيلَ قلاً وَلا يَرى
نَوالاً نَوالاً لا يعمُّ وَيفضلُ
Deeming abundant bestowal to be little, he sees
No gift, however repeated, to be inclusive and exceeding.
إِذا شَدَّ فُرسانُ الوَغى كانَ سابِقاً
وان عُدَّ فِتيانُ الوَرى فَهو أَوَّلُ
When the heroes of war spurred on their steeds, he was foremost,
And if the youths of the land were counted, he was the first,
لَهُ يَومَ انعامِ وَبؤسٍ كِلاهُما
أَغَرُّ إِذا الأَيّام عُدَّت مُحَجَّلُ
In days of bounty and privation he was the most generous,
When days were appraised and enumerated.
ليهنِكَ يَومٌ لا يَرى الدَهرَ مِثلُه
أَجَلُّ وَأَوفى في سُرورٍ وَأَفضَلُ
Good fortune to you, a day the ages have not seen the like of,
More glorious, faithful, joyous, and excellent!
ظُهورٌ أَعادَ الدَهر طُهرا وَفَرحَةٌ
أَعادَتِ بَكايا لَهوِهِ وَهيَ حُفَّل
Appearances that made the ages pure again, and a joy
That returned the laughter of its wantonness, adorned anew.
فَيالَك قِطعاً فاصِلاً كُلّ لذَّةٍ
وَنَقصاً يَزيدُ المَجدَ فَخراً وَيُكمِلُ
So good fortune to you, severing every pleasure,
And a loss that increases glory and perfects it!
وَإِنَّ دماً أَجراهُ داوودُ دونَهُ
سُيوفُ إِلى الهاماتِ أَوحى وَأَعجلُ
The blood that David shed, the swords attested,
Inspired to thrust against the skulls, and hastened.
يعزُّ عَلى صيدِ المُلوكِ مَنالُه
وَيحكُمُ فيهِ سُوقَةٌ مُتَذَلِّلُ
It pains him to attain the prey of kings, while his reaching
Is judged by a humble petitioner.
يَمُدُّ يَداً نَحوَ الَّذي دونَ نَيلهِ
تَقطَّعُ أَيدٍ مِن رِجالٍ وَأَرجُلُ
He extends a hand toward one whose attainment is beyond him,
Though hands of men and legs be cut off.
وَلَولا التُقى ما مَدَّ للسَيل كَفّه
ليؤلمهُ وَاللَيثُ جَذلان يَرفُل
And were it not for piety, he would not have stretched his palm
To the torrent, to afflict it, while the lion cub frolics.
وَلا بَرحَ الاقبالُ وَالنًصرُ وَالهُدى
لرحلِك صَحباً اذ تحلُّ وَتَرحَلُ
Neither have favor, victory, and guidance ceased
To accompany your travel, when you lodge and depart.
