أَما وَجُفونَكَ المَرضى الصِحاحِ
وَسَكرَة مقلتيكَ وَأَنتَ صاحِ
With your sick, tired eyelids, and your drunken glances
With the ice and honey in your mouth
وَما في فيكَ من بَرَدٍ وَشُهد
وَفي خَديك مِن وَردٍ وَراحِ
With the roses and basil on your cheeks
I have become unique among lovers
لَقَد أَصبَحتُ في العُشّاقِ فَرداً
كَماأَصبحتَ فَرداً في المِلاحِ
As you have become unique among the beautiful
I do not ask to forget your love nor love another
فَما أَسلو هَواكَ لِنَهي ناهٍ
وَلا أَهوى سِواكَ لِلحي لاحِ
I do not blame the one who blames nor the one who wounds winged creatures
Those who blame you are busy –
وَلا فَلَّ المَلامُ غرارَ غيىٍ
وَلا ثَلَمَ العِتابُ شَبا جِماحي
Let them blame ugly lovers!
I obeyed the love of the beautiful all my life
أَما للائِمي عَليك شَغلٌ
فَيَشتَغِلوا بِعُشّاقِ القِباحِ
And whoever obeys love disobeys divine command
Oh my sickness for one with sickly eyes
أَطَعتَ هَوى المِلاح طِوالَ دَهري
وَمَن يُطعِ الهَوى يَعصَ اللَواحي
Oh my anxiety from repetitive anxiety
He sways the branch over splendor and sings
فَيا سَقَمي بِذي طَرَفٍ سَقيمٍ
وَيا قَلَقي مِن القَلِقِ الوِشاحِ
To the melody of a gazelle’s refrain and smiles to uncover pleasure
A smooth seducer, teased with jest
يَهزّ الغصنَ فَوقَ نَقىً وَيَرنو
بحدّ ظبىً وَيَبسِمُ عَن أَقاحِ
Sweetly worded, honey sweet joke
He loves spirits – the scent in a cup
مَليحُ الدل مَعشوق المِزاحِ
وَحُلوُ اللَفظِ مَعسولُ المزاح
And craves the cup – mixer of spirits
He planted his rod on a mound
يُحب الراحَ رائِحَةً بِكأسٍ
وَيَهوى الكأس كاسيَة بِراحِ
So it bore fruit in darkness and in the morn
And leaned with the slanderers without wonder
وَقَد غَرسَ القَضيبَ عَلى كَثيبٍ
فَأَثمَرَ بِالظَلامِ وَبِالصَباحِ
It is no shock a branch would lean in the wind
I blamed myself for my shame in loving one
وَمالَ مَع الوِشاةِ وَلا عَجيبٌ
لِغُصنٍ أَن يَميلَ مَع الرياحِ
Whose coquetry excuses my shame
His cheek did not wound my heart
أُلام عَلى اِفتِضاحي في هَوى مَن
يُقيمُ عِذارُهُ عُذرَ اِفتِضاحي
That it has not healed nor have my wounds closed
If my torment and his estrangement increase
أَلَيس لحاظُه جَرَحت فُؤادي
فَلا بَرأت وَلا اِندملتِ جِراحي
My passion and contentment for him increase
How many silently suffering from love
إِذا ما زادَ تَعذيبي وَهَجري
يَزيدُ اليهِ وَجدي وَاِرتياحي
Spend the night fearful of being exposed
The night he visited me after avoiding me
وَكَم بِهَواهُ مِن عانٍ مُعنّى
يَبيتُ يَخافُ اطلاقَ السراحِ
I submitted to my own judgement and proposition
We spent the night – neither refuge from provinces
وَلَيلَةَ زارَني بَعد اِزورارٍ
عَلى حُكمي عَلَيهِ وَاِقتِراحي
We saw nor migration to wings
He hands me rounds in which are his eyes
فَبِتنا لا الدَنو مِن الدنايا
نَراهُ وَلا الجنوحُ الى الجناحِ
Intoxicating me with permitted sorcery
A night in which there was no reproach upon me
يُديرُ كُؤوسَ فيهِ وَمُقلَتيهِ
فَيُسكِرُني مِن السُكرِ المُباحِ
Nor exploitation to achieve exploitation
My nature, my honor were not stripped
وَكانَت لَيلَةً لا حوبَ فيها
عَليَّ وَلا اِجتِراءَ عَلى اِجتِراحِ
Nor did I wear a stripped state undeserved
We passed the night complaining and blaming
وَما مِن شيمَتي خَلعي عِذاري
وَلا لِبس الخَلاعَة مِن مزاحي
Until dawn shone calling to the successful
The dawn told in its splendor
قَطَعنا اللَيلَ في شَكوى عِتابٍ
إِلى أَن قيلَ حيّ عَلى الفَلاحِ
Of Salah al-Din Yusuf the Righteous
He is the King who lit my wick
وَلاحَ الصُبحُ يَحكي في سَناهُ
صَلاحَ الدين يُوسُفَ ذا الصَلاحِ
And my bowl won when seeing him
His generosity brings hopes to fruition
هو الملك الَّذي أَورى زِنادي
وَفازَت عِندَ رؤيته قِداحي
And his charity guarantees superb success
His hands outspread receiving his earnings
يُقرّب جُودُه أَقصى الأَماني
وَيَضمَنُ بِشرُه أَسنى النَجاحِ
When clasped in greed by the miserly
When proper bounds could not contain his extent
وَمَبسوطٌ بِنائِلِهِ يَداهُ
اذا قَبِضَت بِهِ أَيدي الشِحاحِ
We met him with hopes of vast space
So whether an old man or Ka’b or Ibn Sa’d –
وَلَمّا ضاقَ حَدٌّ عَن مَداهُ
لَقَيناهُ بآمالٍ فِساحِ
Shepherds of flocks and grazing livestock
Magnanimous in the land and all it contains
فَمَن هَرِمٌ وَكَعبٌ وابنُ سَعدٍ
رِعاءُ الشاءِ وَالنَعَمِ المُراحِ
When generous with the purest nectar
A galloping white boldly facing death
جَوادٌ بالبِلادِ وَما حَوته
اذا جادوا بأَلبانِ اللِقاحِ
With the surface of his face meeting lances
He fears the disgrace of defeat more than
وَأَبلج يَستَهينُ المَوتَ يَلقى
بِصَفحةِ وَجهِهِ حَدَّ الصِفاحِ
He fears appointed death
Saying, “Your stance when the heroes retreated –
وَيَخشى مِن دنوّ العارِ مِنه
وَلا يَخشى مِن الأَجَلِ المُتاحِ
Yours did not waver nor leave its position!
When the coward seized drink
وَقَوّال اذا الأَبطالُ فَرَّت
مَكانَك ثَبتة ما مِن مَراحِ
He dashed like the boldest horses into the plains
With might that stunned the brave lions
إِذا ما دَبَّ في خَمرٍ ذَليلٌ
سَعى سَعيَ الأعزَّةِ في السَراحِ
And a sword that shamed floods of calamitous trials
For refugees and those seeking him
بِبأسٍ مُذهلِ الأُسدِ الضَواري
وَسَيبٍ مُخجِلٍ سَيل البِطاحِ
The strongest protector and most generous host
Of the few when adorned
فللاجين وَالراجينَ مِنهُ
أَعَزَّ حمىً وَأَكرَمُ مُستَماحِ
Who make the night brighter than dawn
He illuminated after ages of darkness
مِن النَفرِ الَّذين إِذا تَحلّوا
أَعادوا اللَيلَ أَحلا مِن صَباحِ
An effulgence on their faces like dawn
The pits of their contentment overflow
أَضاءَ الدَهر بعد دُجاه نُوراً
يَلوحُ عَلى وجوهِهم الصَباحِ
As spoils that kings extract with ease
When facing enemies they return
تَفيضُ بُطونُ راحَتِهم نَوالاً
وَيَستَلِمُ المُلوك طهورَ راحِ
With news of victory and clear triumph
With broken spears, stained white swords,
اذا ما لاقوا الأَعداءَ عادوا
مآي النَصرِ وَالظَفَر الصُراحِ
And virtuous dignity
May the embarrassment of your face ransom
بِأرِماحٍ محطَّمةٍ وَبيضٍ
مُثلّمَةٍ وَأَعراضٍ صِحاحِ
Each face when asked to loan effrontery to the rude
Kings – most devoured by injustice
ليفدِ حَياءَ وَجهكَ كُلُّ وَجهٍ
اذا سُئِلَ النَدى جَهمٍ وَقاحِ
Or busy sporting or frolicking
When warriors mobilized, he recoiled
مُلوكٌ جُلَّهم مُغرىً بظلم
وَمَشغولٌ بُلَهوٍ أَو بُراح
And progressed to one concealing her face
Seeing expenditure in good deeds as loss
اذا ما جالَتِ الأَبطالُ وَلّى
وَيقدمُ نَحوَ حامِلَة الوِشاحِ
While you see it as most profitable
They gathered while you divided
يَرى الانفاق في الخَيراتِ خُسراً
وَأَنتَ تَراهُ مِن خَيرِ الرباح
But you united men with arms
What a difference between the owner of the bayt mal
هُمُ جَمَعوا وَقَد فَرَّقتَ لَكِن
جَمعتَ بِهِ الرِجالَ مَع السِلاحِ
And the owner of souls in all regions
One aspiring to claim without men
وَبونٌ بَينَ مالِكِ بَيتِ مالٍ
وَمالِكِ رقِ أَملاكِ النَواحي
Is like one aspiring to fly without wings
You paired courage, righteousness and knowledge
وَباغٍ أَن يُدال بِلا رِجالٍ
كَباغٍ أَن يَطيرَ بِلا جَناحِ
With generosity to mankind and tolerance
Gazelles of the meadows praised you
قَرنتَ شَجاعَةً وَتُقىً وَعِلماً
إِلى كَرَمِ الخَلائِقِ وَالسَماحِ
As lances praise with their tongues
Many wars have been born
وَقَد أَثنَت عَلَيكَ ظُبى المَواضي
كَما تُثنى بألسنَةِ الرِماحِ
By your swords – the progeny of conception
Many are the days your lionesses pounced
وَكَم نَتَجَت حُروبٌ أَلقحَتها
سيوفُكَ وَالنتاجُ عِن اللِقاحِ
On enemies or days of early morning ambush
You vanquished many a strong sovereign
وَكَم لِظُباكَ من يَوم اِغتِباقٍ
مِن الأَعداءِ أَو يَوم اِصطِباح
You crushed many ferocious hayy
You sanction attacking the sanctums of kings
وَكَم ذَلَّلتَ مِن مُلكٍ عَزيزٍ
وَكَم دَوَّختَ مِن حَيٍ لَقّاح
Yet consider not everything permitted
The Franks did not submit until
تُبيحُ حِمى المُلوكِ وَتَستَبيهِ
وَما تَحميهِ لَيسَ بِمُستَباحِ
They saw what could not be endured of ordeal
They did not ask you for truce affectionately
وَما خَضَعَ الفرنجُ لَدَيكَ حَتّى
رأوا مالا يُطاقُ مِن الكِفاحِ
But under spears of the thickets
You filled their land – plains and glooms
وَما سَألوكَ عَقد الصُلح ودّاً
وَلَكِن تَحتَ غاباتِ الرِماحِ
With lions under thickets of spears
Raiding the familiar route the soldiers traveled
مَلأت بِلادَهم سَهلاً وَحزناً
أُسوداً تَحتَ غاباتِ الرِماحِ
Cubs with fur white like paper
So they landed in the land of Nablus
عَلى مُعتادَةٍ جَوبَ المَوامي
دواح بالمَلا بيض الأَداحي
Where are screams that come from screams
Faced with the army, they retreated in ignorance
فَحَلّوا أَرضَ نابُلسٍ وَفيها
نَواحٍ لَيسَ تَخلو مِن نَواحِ
As lions do not fear barking
But in their view, “We will meet
فَكانوا هَولوا بالحشدِ جَهلاً
وَما تَخشى الأُسود مِن النِباحِ
Salah al-Din” – more lying than rain clouds
Oh flood that shames all floods
وَهُم في قَولِهم أنّا نُلاقي
صَلاحَ الدين أكذبُ مِن سَجاحِ
Caves remain its riverbeds
Oh rain of the land when it shudders
أَلا يا سَيل مخجل كُلَّ سيل
تظل المحجراتُ لَهُ ضَواحي
And rain withdraws in the dry seasons
I left the people of this age and did not bid farewell
وَيا غَيثَ البِلادِ اذا اِقشعرَّت
وَضَنَّ الغَيثُ في شَهري قماح
And did not see its people as worthy of praise
I told musical strains wandering to me
تَرَكتُ بَني الزَمانِ فَلَم أَسلهُم
وَلَم أَرَ أَهلَهُ أَهلَ اِمتِداحِ
Proceed to the door of the son of Ayyub
I did not marry my mind to a despicable man
وَقُلتُ للاغياتِ العيسِ رَوحي
الى بابِ ابنِ أَيوبٍ تُراحي
When wedding despots is abhorred violence
A suitable match came seeking union –
وَلَم أُنكَح لَئيماً بنت فِكري
وانكاحُ اللِئام مِن السِفاحِ
If you seek intercession she will light your wick
If I seek help from people, lend me flint
وَقَد جاءَتك يا كفوءاً كَفيّاً
تزفّ اليكَ طالِبَة اِمتياح
I want no stingy flint firestarter
I set my sights on a river of bliss – the Euphrates
اذا اِستَشفعتَ أَورى الناسِ زَنداً
فَما أَبغي مِن الزند الشِحاحِ
I desire no brackwaters for sailing
I asked you to water the plains of my wasteland
وَقَد يَمَّمتُ بحرَ نَدىً فُراتاً
فَما طَلبي لأوشالٍ ملاح
To grow green pastures and verdant places
If not for your constant generosity
سألتُك أَنَّ عودَ جَديب حالي
فأمرع مَرتَعي واخضرّ ساحي
Quenching my thirst and the breath of life
I have traversed ages in destitution
وَلَولا جود كفّكَ كلَّ وَقتٍ
يُروي غُلَّتي وَجَوى التياحي
Barely clothed, thirsty, roaming wastes
I do not complain of time when you are in it
غَبرتُ مَدى الزَمانِ حَليف فَقرٍ
خَميصاً عارياً ظَمآن ضاحي
Even if you can barely spread your wings
Sciences I studied long
وَما أَشكو الزَمانَ وَأَنتَ فيهِ
وان أَصبحتَ مَحصوص الجِناحِ
My early rising and nocturnal vigils wasted
I see predecessors ahead of me now
وَقَد ضاعَت عُلومٌ طالَ فيها
غُدوّي واستمَر لَها رَواحي
Paining me for my stagnation and haste
More grievous than the loss of life
أَرى المتقدّمينَ اليَومَ دوني
فَيؤلمني خُموليَ واطِّراحي
Is that I choke from cool water of tin flasks
More wondrous than the world’s caprice
وَأَشجى مِن ضَياعِ العُمرِ حَتّى
أَغَصُّ بِبارِدِ الماءِ القَراحِ
Is that I almost cry “What has afflicted me?”
Does radiance appear in the sky veiled
وَأَعجَبُ مِن صُروف الدَهرِ حَتّى
أَكادَ أَقولُ ما زَمَني بِصاحِ
While rising clearly with ease?
I hope your blessings settle me in Damascus
أَيَظهَر في السَماءِ ضُحىً نُهاها
وَتَخفى وَهيَ طالِعَةٌ بِراحِ
A fair exchange for all I have seen
To live among the nobility in my lifetime
عَسى نُعماكَ تُسكِنُني دِمَشقاً
وَذاكَ لِكُلِّ مالاقَيتُ ماحي
And the owners of bookcases and stream
You have remained eternally bestowed
أَعيشُ أُعاشِرُ الفُضَلاءَ عُمري
وَأَربابَ المَحابِر وَالشياح
And by every bank made an offering
بَقيتَ مُنَعَّماً أَبَداً وَأَضحَت
بِكُلِّ ضاحيَةٍ أَضاحي
