كلما جدَّدَ الشجيُّ ادِّكارَهْ

أزعج الشوق قلبه واستطارَهْ

Whenever the passionate poet renews his memories

It disturbs his heart and sets it aflutter

ليت شعري أَين استقل عن الله

و بنوه وكيف أَخلوا مزاره

I wonder where the progeny of Allah's Messenger parted

And abandoned his tomb, how they deserted his sanctuary

بعدما راوحتهمُ صفوةُ العي

شِ وقالوا طوعَ الهوى أَوطاره

After the elite had kept their company

And they followed the path of passion wherever it led

وجروا في مطارد الأنس طلقاً

واجتلوا من زمانهم أَبكارهْ

They wandered freely in pursuit of intimacy

And spent their youth in dissipation

بين كأسٍ وروضةٍ وغدير

وسماعٍ ولذةٍ وغضاره

Amidst goblets, gardens, streams

Music, pleasure and amorous adventures

أَين حلوا فمعشبٌ ومقيلٌ

أَو أَناخوا فوردةٌ وبهاره

Where have they settled, in meadows and shelters

Or paused by rosebeds and springs?

من مليكٍ زَفَّتْ بحضرته الكأ

سَ قيانٌ يعزِفن خلفَ الستاره

With a sovereign whom cupbearers attended in his presence

Flutists playing behind the curtains

ووزيرٍ قد بات يسترق اللذا

تِ وهنا والليلُ مرخٍ إِزاره

A minister who would stealthily indulge in pleasures

A commander girded with a sword

وأميرٍ ممنطقٍ بنداما

ه وكأس الطِّلا لديهم مُداره

A goblet of diluted wine circulated among them

How many a Umayyad youth who at nightfall

كم فتى من بني أمية أمسى

وخيولُ الهوى به مستطاره

Spurred by passion and its steeds unleashed

Like Yazid and his affair with Abu Qays

كيزيدٍ وشأنه مع أبي قي

سٍ وما قد عراه في عَمّاره

And what he exposed of it in 'Ammat Ar

The revels of Ibn Ja'da and Al-Akhtal

ونداماه كابن جعدة والأخ

طل إِذ عاقراه صفواً عقاره

When they savored the vintage of the vine untainted

Spending the night with Ibn Ziyad

وقضى ليله مع ابن زيادٍ

وقتيب بن مسلمٍ ونهارهْ

Qutayba ibn Muslim and their day

Marwan and his son when the delights of life

وكمروان وابنه حين واسى

بلذاذات عيشه سُمّاره

Seduced them with the trills of response

His drinking companions the sons of Yalya the Brazen

نادمته أبناء يالية اللا

ئي قضى في ربوعهم أسحاره

Who spent their dawns in the countryside manor

And the likes of Al-Walid the Commander

وكمثل الوليد ذي القصف إذ كا

نَ يغب اصطباحه وابتكاره

Who would miss his mornings and their creation

In his company Al-Ghurayd and Ibn Surayj

ولديه الغَرِيض وابن سُرَيْجٍ

أُظهرا كل صنعةٍ مختاره

Displaying every accomplished art

Songs more delectable than wine's thrill

من غناءٍ أَلذ من نشوة الكأ

س وأشهى من صبوةٍ مستثاره

And dances more tantalizing when awakened

Sulayman the Virtuoso when

وسليمان ذي الفنوة إِذ كا

ن لنحو الذلفاء يبدي افترارهْ

He expressed his passion for the charming singers

And Yazid ibn Khalid and Abul-Zayd

ويزيد بن خالدٍ وأبو زي

دٍ نديمان يشفيان أُواره

Two boon companions soothing his affliction

With discourse that would hasten comfort upon comfort

بحديثٍ يستعجل الراح بالرا

ح ويحتث أنجماً سيَّاره

And provoke the wandering stars

As he was serenaded by Sinan's singing

إِذ بمغنى سنان كان يغالي

ويجلِّي يشدوه أكداره

Glorifying and unveiling his anguish

And Ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz when he savored the wine cups

وابن عبد العزيز إِذ راوح الكأ

س ووالاه في زمان الإِماره

And paired them in the days of command

And Yazid al-Mu'ammar when desire's thrill

ويزيد المعمود إِذ خامرته

نشوة الراح ليله ونهاره

Captured him night and day

Subb seduced him until she allowed

وسبت لبه حُبابة واسته

وته حتى أباح فيها اشتهاره

Her notoriety to be freely indulged

Salama enticed him until

واستمالت به سَلامة حتى

أقلق الوجد فكره وأثاره

Anxiety disturbed his thoughts and awakened them

As Ma'bad's melody lamented passionately

إِذ يناجيه لحن مَعْبَد بالشج

و كما شاء معملاً أوتارهْ

Composing its strings however he wished

And how many tunes he set for it

ولكم أَلَّف الغناء لديه

ضرب عوَّادةٍ على زمَّاره

To the rhythm of ''Uwwadas'' on his rebeck

Then Hisham was adamant in his preference

وهشامٍ إِذ استبد اختياراً

بالرساطون واستلذ اختياره

For the Rus and relished their selection

Of a wine whose vessels the constellations'

من شرابٍ ظلت أَفاويه العط

ر به ذات نفحةٍ سيَّاره

Thighs still bear the trace of its essence

Al-Walid the Sovereign when he frequented the drinking sessions and pastimes

والوليد المليك إِذ واصل الكا

سات واللهو جهده واقتداره

Exerting his utmost effort and capability

The memory of Sulayma stirred his fervor

واغتدى في تهتكٍ ومجونٍ

كان يجني قطوفه وثماره

Which he kept stoking and borrowing its flame

As Malik ibn Abi'l-Samh and 'Amr al-Wadi sang to him

ومناه ذكرى سليمى لوجدٍ

ظل يذكي لهيبه واستعاره

Causing him to forget his dignity

And how the melodies of Ibn ''Aisha's singing

إِذ يغنيه مالكُ بن أبي السم

ح وعمرو الوادي فينفي وقاره

Would lighten his spirit and send him soaring

While Ibn Muyassar ibn ''Uqba and Qasim

ولكم خفف ابن عائشة اللح

ن له فاستخفه واستطارهْ

Would stir his goblet

A bliss more delectable than the throes of love

وابن ميَّادة بن أبرد والقا

سم كانا يحثحثان عقاره

And more spectacular than a garden blooming

Buḏayḥ who was appointed over the monkeys

بندامٍ ألذ من زورة الحِ

بِّ وأبهى من روضةٍ في قراره

And commanded their rule

And Yazid the Sovereign whose hearing delighted

وبُذَيْحٌ أتى بأمر عجاب

إِذ تولى على القرود الإِماره

In the tambourines' rhythm at every hour

And the caravans sang from the deserts to the settlements

ويزيد المليك إِذ كان يهوى

صوت حدو الحداة في كل تاره

Until civilization overtook them

Like Marwan in his youthful pride

وتغنى الركبان مذ كان منشا

ه البوادي حتى اعترته الحضاره

When he persisted in the joy of his travels

Viewing entertainments and concerts therein

وكمروان ذي الفتوة إِذ كا

ن يوالي في غبطة أسفاره

And battle the pivot and orbit of his course

And the 'Abbasid family when 'Abd Allah

فيرى اللهلو والسماع مناه

ويرى الحرب قطبه ومداره

Would spend his Tuesday and Saturday nights carousing

And Ibn Safwan among the cup companions

وكآل العباس إِذ كان عبد الل

ه يقضي طوع المنى أَوطارهْ

Exchanging discourse behind the curtains

And in their company, Abul-Dalama

كم غدا ليلة الثلاثاء والسب

ت يوالي الغبوق بالقرقاره

Whom he would single out and recite his poems

And their Mansur would observe from behind the curtains

وابن صفوان في الندامى يعاطي

ه كؤوس الحديث خلف الستاره

At leisure, while the cups made their rounds

Ibn Ja'far would frequent their drinking circles

ولديهم أبو دلامة طوراً

يصطفيه ويجتلي أشعاره

Once he demonstrated his poetic mastery

Appearing among them as an elegant man of letters

وتحسَّى منصورهم من وراء النس

ك راحاً والى عليها استتاره

An eloquent and clever connoisseur of gestures

Then al-Mahdi would sit with the intimate circles

حل منه ابن جعفرٍ في نداما

ه محلاًّ إِذ كان يبلو اعتشاره

Straining their wine before serving it

And Fuliḥ al-'Aura would sing for him

فيراه فيهم ظريفاً أديباً

لسناً حاذقاً لطيف الإِشاره

Cheering his love songs and gathered works

In his service, mentor of song, Abu Ishaq

ثم كان المهديُّ يجلس للأن

س فيصفي لشربه أوطاره

Who sang masterfully displaying his craft

Then al-Hadi when he turned to drinking

وفُلَيْح العوراء يشدو لديه

فيسنِّي حنينه وادكارهْ

And Ibn Jami', his chosen one, sang

The role of boon companion was taken over by 'Isa ibn Da'b

ولديه ترب الغناء أبو إِس

حق يشدو بصنعةٍ ومهاره

Circulating cups of discourse

And Ibn Muṣ'ab would eloquently pour forth

ثم كان الهادي إِذا حاول الشر

ب وغنى ابن جامعٍ مختاره

As he selected the finest of his works

Al-Rashid would revel in the Dayr Murran convent

يتولّى النِّدام عيسى بن دأبٍ

بكؤوسٍ من الحديث مُداره

At every mound and shelter

With a wassail mingled by the convent's nuns

ويفيض ابن مُصْعَبٍ في نثير ال

قول من حيث ينتقي أبكاره

On an auspicious morn

As Barsuma accompanied him on the rebeck

وتحسَّى الرشيد في دير مُرَّا

ن على كل تلعةٍ وقراره

Perpetuating its melody

Then al-Amin would indulge in the pleasures

من مدامٍ حكتْ رهابنةُ الدي

ر بها في بهارةٍ جُلّناره

Secluded in an impregnable hold

As desire for Kuthayyir engrossed him

وعلى ضرب زَلْزَلٍ كان برصو

ما لديه مواصلاّ مزماره

Until love penetrated his heart and gained dominion

Mukharis the singer was in his company

ثم كان الأمين يمرح من لذا

ته في أَعِنَّةٍ مَوّارهْ

And elder Babakira renowned

Al-Husayn the Profligate scattered a pearl necklace

إِذ ترامى بحب كوثر حتى

سكن الحب قلبه واستخاره

Among boon companions restoring vigor

And Ibn Hani brought cups of mirth

ولديه مُخارقٌ في المغني

ن وبَذْل الكبيرة المهتاره

Borrowing them for quips and jokes

Al-Maʾmūn made the rounds with cups of wine

والحسين الخليع ينثر عقداً

من ندامٍ يشف تحت العباره

Whose light illuminated the palace and gave it radiance

'Alawiyya the singer and Ishaq

ويزف ابن هانيءٍ للفكاها

ت كؤوساً من الهوى مستعاره

Pouring moons upon the darkness

With Yahya ibn Aktham assuming command

وأدار المأمون أكواب راحٍ

شعشع القصر نورُها واستناره

And Ibn Tahir compiling their dice games

And 'Urayb among the singers enchanted him

حيث علوية المغني واسح

ق يزفان في الدجى أَقماره

With a voice that carefully selected its poems

Ibn Harun set the love lyrics of Ibrahim to music

حيث يحيى بن أَكثمٍ يتولى

بسطه وابن طاهرٍ أسمارهْ

Relishing and savoring their secret allusions

Al-Wathiq accustomed the precedence of verse

وعُرَيْبٌ مع القيان تغني

ه بصوتٍ تخيرتْ أشعاره

To the wine cup enacting its lessons

As his steward Muhj al-Khadim when morn arrived

وابن هرون كان يألف إِبرا

هيم شوقاً ويستلذ اعتشاره

Managed his intoxication

And Ahmad the boon companion openly indulged

واغتدى الواثق المقدَّم في الشع

ر على الكأس معملاً أدواره

In the gambles of love spreading its news

Al-Fath turned aside to cull from the accounts of passion

إِذ تولى بأمره مهج الخا

دم عند اصطباحه إِسكاره

Its enjoyments and treasures

He was tempted by Farida and enslaved by love

واغتدى أحمد النديم على شر

ط بني اللهو ناشراً أخباره

To the point that love dethroned his reason

Abu'l Fadl would set out at dawn to drink wine

وانثنى الفتح ينتحي من أحادي

ث الهوى ممتعاته وقصاره

Banishing worries and troubles

Where Kashkhi selected the best of verse

فتنته فريدةٌ وعلى قد

ر الهوى يخلع المحب وقارهْ

However he wished and preferred

Zanam played the strings while

وأبو الفضل كان يغدو على الرا

ح مبيدا لُجَيْنه ونُضَاره

Banan plucked the lute strings

'Amr ibn Bana and Tabl sang

حيث كان الكشحيّ يأخذ عرض ال

قول فيما أحبه واختاره

With Salman displaying his mastery

Abu Ja'far pursued pleasure

وزُنامٌ بالزمر يعزف طوراً

وبنانٌ بالعود تضرب تاره

Alongside Yazid al-Muhalabi discreetly

Al-Musta'in caroused and consumed

ويغني عمرو بن بانة والطب

ل عليه سلمان يبدي اقتداره

Flasks of wine and their sparks

Then al-Mu'tazz became impassioned with Ibn Buga

وأبو جعفرٍ أزاح اغتناماً

معْ يزيد المهلبي استتاره

When he saw his face and tender cheeks

And Ibn al-Qassar sang for awhile

وغدا المستعين يحرق للند

مان بالمن نده وصُواره

A dexterous tune upon the tambourine

Addressing him with passion and likewise receiving his attention

ثم هام المعتز بابن بُغاءٍ

عندما شام وجهه وعذارهْ

And provoking the fire in his breast

Al-Muhtadi upheld the knowledge of customs and generosity

وانثنى ابن القصَّار طوراً يغني

ه يحذقٍ مرقصاً طنباره

As his hallmark and emblem

Ibn Ja'far alighted in the orbit of music and rhythm

فيناجيه بالهوى ويناغي

ه ويذكي بين الأضالع ناره

Dispelling his sorrows in song

Every time the passion awakened it

وبدا المهتدي فكان اصطناع ال

عرف والجود سمته وشعاره

And stirred the song of the stranger

Abu'l 'Abbas and his retainers enjoyed

وأناخ ابن جعفرٍ في مدار ال

قصف والعزف نافياً أكداره

The fruits once their vines bloomed

His drinking companion the sons of Hamdan, and Badr

ومناه في الشدو شدو غريب

كلما اعتاده الهوى واستثاره

Captivated him when he demonstrated his talents

And musical Rashad carefully selected

واحتسى دَرَّة الكروم أبو العبا

س والدَّجْنُ يستدر قُطاره

What songs to perform and how to excel

Al-Muqtadi caroused and drank from morning

نادمته أبناء حمدون واسته

واه بدرٌ حين اجتلى إِبداره

As Sullay accompanied him chanting his poems

And Abu'l Fadl enjoyed the prime of his youth

ورَذاذٌ موقِّعٌ بغناءٍ

ينتحيه بصنعةٍ مختاره

In Jeddah and its blossoms

Imbibing mature, fermented and pressed wine

واغتدى المكتفيُّ يمرح والصُّو

ليُّ يروي بربعه أشعارهْ

Delighting without thrift

And al-Radi persisted in giving away

وأبو الفضل كان يرتع من رو

ق صباه في جدَّةٍ ونضاره

At all times whatever was between his cup companions

A goblet whose canopy was made of glass

حرق الند والكبا الرطب والعن

بر مستمتعاً وعاف ادخاره

And circulated in the marble room

And Na'im, my God, in the citron room

وأقام الراضي يفرق ما بي

ن الندامى في كل وقت نثاره

The water steaming in its vapors

I wonder where the Barmakids settled

رب كأسٍ له بقبة شاذِكْلا

وفي حجرة الرخام أداره

After overseeing the ministry

When their days were the acme of living

ونعيمٍ والاه في حجرة الأُتْ

رُجِّ والماء قد أثار بخاره

And their palms overflowing

The minister al-Muhallabi and how he excelled

ليت شعري أين استقل بنو بر

مك من بعد ما تولوا الوزاره

Ibn al-'Amid ascended in rank

And likewise the Sahib ibn 'Abbad embraced

حين كانت أيامهم غرر العي

ش وكانت أَكفهم مدراره

And embraced the system he enacted

But where are the master poets from the Hamdanid household

والوزير المهلبي وما نُوِّ

ل وابن العميد ترب الصداره

And the authority they wielded

Where are the people of Iraq and Persia they knew

وكذا الصاحب بن عبَّاد حيَّا

ه وحيا نظامه ونثاره

Who perfected their life and ventured to rebuild

Where is he who stayed upraising the children of God

بل وأين السراة من آل حمدا

ن وما قد تخولوا في الإَمارهْ

Crowned with greetings of prosperity

Where is he who set out while singers

أين أهل العراق والفرس ممن

رفهوا عيشهم وخاضوا عَماره

Swarmed him with ogling eyes

His neck was ringed with the fetter

أين من بات رافعاً لبني الله

و الملمين بالتحايا عماره

Thus it became the hallmark of nobility

As maidens turned away coyly

أين من راح والمجاسد تزدا

ن عليه بأعين النظَّاره

Once he set out fastening his belt

They crowned his head with wreath of myrtle

طوقته المخانق البرميا

ت فكانت بين الظراف شعاره

And tied to his neck a band of pearls

At his ear a sprig of basil

وتردتْ منه العواتق بالمندي

ل مذ راح عاقداً زناره

As if hinting toward his mystery

Where is he whose aspect luck shined

توجوا رأسه بإِكليل آسٍ

وأناطوا بجيده تِقْصاره

And whose life the eye would envy

Gathering the fine virtues openly

وعلى الأذن منه ريحانة من

أَذْرُيونٍ كمن يروم سراره

Expressing his temptation and allure

You would see in his presence embroidered kerchiefs

أين من كان جانبُ الزهو مينا

ساً لديه والعيش يندى غضاره

And silk curtains billowing on the walls

And clouds of incense sprinkling

ينتحي مُنْتَحَى المروءات طلقاً

في لذاذاته ويبدي افتراره

The essence of flowers as the breeze carried their trains

Where is he who roamed the expanse

وترى عنده مزمَّلة الما

ء وخيش النسيم يعلو جداره

Of al-Ghuta with his feet revealing their sights

Where is he who comfortably spent the night in Miganis

وسحاب البخور يهطل منه

ماء ورد يزجي النسيمُ قطاره

Shi'b Bawan inhaling its blossoms

Where is he who cast sights on Sughd Samarqand

أين من كان في فضاء من ال

غوطة قدماً يجلي بها أبصاره

And beheld its lights

Where is he who lodged in al-'Ubulla

أين من بات ناعماً في مغاني

شِعب بَوّان ناشقاً أزهاره

Roaming its meadows with his thoughts

Where is he who stayed overnight in Samawa

أين من أطلق النواظر في صُغْ

د سمرقند واجتلى أنواره

In the keep of a garden guarding its mysteries

In a soft gentle breeze from the bosom

أين من حلَّ بالابُلَّة قدما

وجلا في رياضها أفكاره

Of light undoing its buttons

Where dewdrop smiles of flowers burgeoned

أين من بات بالسَّماوة في مئ

ناف روضٍ ينشه أسراره

And met the breaths of its visitors

The covenant of days gone by vanished

بنسيمٍ يحل في غلس الأس

حار عن جيب نوره أزراره

With tears wiping the cheeks

And their vestiges have poured forth

حيث تندى مباسم الزهر فيه

وتَلَقَّى أنفاسه زُوَّاره

No morning breeze has stirred a fragrant garden bed

Without stirring its birds

فسقتْ عهد من مضى أَدمع المز

ن وجادتْ بصوبها آثاره

ما سرتْ نسمة الصباح بروضٍ

عبقريٍّ فهيَّجتْ أطياره