دَعني وَلا تلحني في دَمعيَ الهِتنِ
فَما بَكيتُ بقدر الشَجو وَالشَجَنِ
Leave me be, and do not blame me for my tears of passion,
For I have not wept to the extent of my longing and yearning.
باِصطِبارٍ بعد ما عَبثَت
أَيَدي المَنايا بِذاكَ المَنظَرِ الحَسَنِ
With patience, after the hands of fate toyed
With that beautiful sight.
كَيفَ اِصطِباري وَما حُمِّلتُ من حَزَن
يَهُدُّ أَيسرهُ الحِصنين مِن حُصُنِ
How can I be patient, when I am laden with sorrow,
That makes the strongest forts totter?
قَد كانَ في الحُلمِ لي عَبداً وَكُنتُ لَهُ
بِحُكمِ حُبّي لَهُ عَبداً بِلا ثَمَن
In dreams I had a servant, and I was to him,
By virtue of my love for him, a servant without price.
وَما أَرَدتُ تَناسيه لأسلوَه
إِلّا وَذكرَّنيه هَزّةُ الغُصُن
I did not want to forget him, so I could tease him,
Except that the shaking of the branch reminded me of him.
لا أَرتَجي عَودَه في يَقظَتي أَبَداً
فَلَيتَه رده في رقدتي وَسَنى
I do not hope for his return in my waking, ever,
I wish he would return to me in my slumber and dreams.
أَو لَيته دامَ لي مِن بعد مَعرِفَتي
أَو لَيتَ معرفتي أَيامَ لَم تَكُنِ
Oh, that after knowing him he had stayed with me,
Or that I had never known him.
يا نزهة العَين في جدّ وَفي لَعِب
وَمُنية النَفس في سِرِّ وَفي عَلَنِ
O delight of the eye, in earnest and in jest,
And death of the soul, in secret and openly.
وَأحدقَ الناسِ في صَيد وأحسنهم
رَمياً وَأَبعَد مِن بخل وَمِن جُبُنِ
Keenest of people in hunting, and best of them
In shooting, farthest from stinginess and cowardice.
ما مالَ بَعدَكَ لي قَلبٌ إِلى أَحدِ
وَجداً ولا سَكنَت نَفسي إِلى سَكَنِ
Since you left, my heart has not inclined
To anyone, in earnest or in jest, nor has my soul found rest.
مَنظَراً مُذ غِبتَ يُعجِبُها
عَيني وَلا سَمِعَت مُسَحسَناً أُذُني
My eyes have not seen a sight, since you went away,
That pleases them, nor have my ears heard sweet singing.
لَهفي عليه غَداة الرَوعِ مِن أَسد
خالٍ مِن الغِشِّ مَملوءٌ مِن الفِطَنِ
I yearn for him after being startled awake
By a lion devoid of guile, full of sagacity.
حاوِ الشَمائِلِ مَعسولٌ خَلائقُه
صافي الأَديمِ أَبيُّ لَينٌ خَشن
Of beautiful features, his manners pleasing,
Pure of lineage, gentle yet firm.
رَماهُ في رأسِهِ سَهماً فَأَقصدهُ
دَهرٌ كنائنُه مَلىء مِن المِحَنِ
Fate aimed an arrow at his head and hit the mark,
Its quiver full of tribulations.
شَلَّت يَدا عابثٍ أَهوى بمُديَتِه
مَزحاً فَقَرَّقَ بَينِ الروح وَالبَدَنِ
The hands of a wanton jester, jesting,
Tore asunder the spirit and the body.
صَبراً لما تحدث الأَيامُ مِن حَدَث
فالدَهر في جورِه جارٍ عَلى سَنَنِ
Patience, for whatever events time brings forth,
For fate is tyrannical in its injustice.
فالصَبرُ أَجمَلُ ثَوب أَنتَ لابِسَهُ
لِنازِل وَالتَعزّي أَحسَنُ السُنَنِ
Patience is the most beautiful garment worn
By the afflicted, and consoling the best tradition.
وَهوَّن الوجد إِنّي لا أَرى أَحَداً
بِفُرقة الأَلِف يَوماً غير مُمتَحَنِ
It alleviates anguish, for I see no one
Unperturbed after separation from a dear one.
يا ناصِر الدين يا مَن لا شَبيهَ له
لا زِلتَ وَالسَعد مقرونين في قَرَن
O supporter of the faith, O peerless one,
Good fortune and you are paired together.
وَدامَ رَبعُك مأهولاً بِساكِنه
معطى السُرور وَمَمنوعاً مِن الحَزَن
May your abode remain populated by its dweller,
Bestowing joy and safe from sorrow.
يا أَشجَعَ الناس مِن عُجم ومن عَرَب
وَأَكرَمَ الناسِ مِن شام ومن يَمَن
O boldest of people, of non-Arabs and Arabs,
O most generous people, of Syria and Yemen.
عِش سالِماً في نَعيم لا اِنقضاءَ لَهُ
يَفديكَ كُلُّ الوَرى من
Live in bliss without end,
All creation ransoms you with their souls.
