أهواه فتان اللواحظ أغيدا

ترك الغزال من الحياءِ مشردا

I love the charmer with the flirtatious glances,

The gazelle left out of shyness, wandering,

ولأجله الأغصان مالت من صباً

والبدر طول الليل بات مسهدا

And for his sake the branches bent with the morning breeze,

And the full moon lay awake all night long.

وأغنّ أقسم لا عصيت عصابةً

تدعو إليه ولا أطعت مفندا

I swear I did not disobey a band

That calls me to him, nor did I obey a deterrent.

نشوان من خمر الصبى ودلالهِ

فإذا تثنى أو تجنى عرْبدا

I am elated with the wine of the youth and his coquetry,

So if he bends or turns away, I become delirious.

أنا من رأى ناراً على وجناته

تذكو فآنس من جوانبها هدى

I am one who saw fire on his cheeks

Kindling, so I felt assured of guidance from its sides.

أبداً أميلُ إلى لقاه وإن جفا

وتحنّ أحشائي له وإن اعتدى

I am forever inclined to meet him though he is aloof,

And my innermost being yearns for him though he transgresses.

وأطولَ أشجاني بطرفٍ فاترٍ

ترك الفؤادَ بناره متوقّدا

With a listless glance, he prolonged my branches of love,

Leaving my heart aflame with its fire kindled.

ومورّد الوجناتِ لولا حسنه

لم يجرِ دمعي في هواه موَرَّدا

The rosy-cheeked one, were it not for his beauty,

Would not have let my tears flow freely in love for him.

شدَّت مناطقه معاطفَ قدّه

فضممت حرفَ اللين منه مشدَّدا

His firm waistbands tightened his robes,

So I drew near the letter of softness in him, doubled.

وبليت منه بدور عشقٍ دائمٍ

مثل الهلالِ إذا استسرَّ تجدَّدا

And I have endured from him constant rounds of love

Like the crescent when it begins to wax anew.

قد أقسمت أحشاي لا تدع الأسى

كأناملِ المنصور لا تدع الندى

My innermost being has sworn it will not abandon sorrow,

As if the fingers of al-Mansur will not abandon dew.

أبهى الورى خلقاً وأبهر منظراً

وأجل آلاءً وأكرم موْلدا

The most magnificent of creation and most dazzling in appearance,

The most sublime in lineage and most generous in birth.

ملك يغار البدر لمّا يجتلى

ويذيب قلب الغيث لما يجتدى

A king whom the full moon envies when he appears

And melts the heart of rain when he is sought.

في وجهه للملكِ نورُ سعادةٍ

تعشو له الآمالُ واجدةً هدى

In his face there is for the king an auspicious light

By which hopes thrive and find guidance.

فرعٌ يخبر عن مبادي أصله

يا حبَّذا خبرٌ لديه ومبتدا

A branch that tells of the origins of its root—

How excellent a report with both precedent and beginning!

طالت يداه إلى مآثر بيته

فحبت مكارمه بكلّ يدٍ يدا

His hands reached out to the glories of his house

So his virtues were grasped by every hand and arm.

ذو همةٍ في الفضل يحكم يومها

ويريك أحكم من فواصلها غدا

With an ambition in virtue he rules his day,

And you see his judgments more decisive than their morrows.

وشجاعةٍ تنضي السيوف صقيلةً

وإلى المعامع ربها يشكو الصدى

And a courage that unsheathes polished swords

And complains of the flashing blades to the echo.

يزدادُ معنًى بيته حسناً به

فكأنه بيتُ القريضِ مولدا

Meaning gains in his house through him,

As if it were the natal home of poetry.

ويشيم ما سنى أبوه من العلا

لا قاصراً عنه ولا متبلدا

And he upholds what his father established of sublimity,

Neither falling short of it nor indifferent to it.

ما شادَ إسماعيلُ بيتَ فخاره

إلا ليستدعي إليه محمدا

Ishmael only erected his house of pride

To summon Muhammad to it.

سارٍ على منهاجه فإذا رأت

عيناكَ منصوراً رأيتَ مؤيدا

Proceeding upon his path, so when

You see Mansur, you see one given victory.

يا ابن الذي ملأ الوجود مواهباً

والأفق ذكراً والصحائف سؤددا

O son of the one who filled existence with gifts,

The horizon with fame, and pages with purpose.

شرَّفت شعري ذاكراً وأنرته

حتى كأنَّ بكلِّ حرفٍ فرْقدا

You have ennobled my poetry by mentioning it

As if each letter were illuminated by a lamp.

فلأهدينَّ فريدةً لممدّح

أضحى بنيل نداه شعري مفردا

So I will dedicate a unique gem to the praised one

Whose attainment of his support made my poetry singular.

حسب ابن شادٍ أن يراني للثنا

عبداً وحسبي أن أراهُ سيدا

It is enough for Ibn Shaddad to be seen by praise

As a servant, and enough for me to see him as a master.