دعوني لذكرى حسنه أقْتضي العذلا

ليملأ سمعي عنه أحسن ما يملى

Let me for his memory seek amends

To fill my ears with the best that is recited

بروحيَ أمرُّ الناس نأياً وجفوةً

وأحلاهمُ ثغراً وأملحهم شكلا

My soul passes people aloof and distant

And I make them smile and give them a glance

يقولون في الأحلام يوجد شخصه

فقلتُ ومن ذا بعده يجد الأحلا

They say dreams hold a person

I said, and who after him finds more beautiful

ومن لي بطرف يستزير خياله

وقد حلف التَّسهيد من بعده أن لا

And who do I have with a gaze that takes shelter in his imagination

When the swearing of the Pleiades after him swore never

روى وجهه من تحت صدغيه معرضاً

فأعدم طرفي ذلك الروض والظلاّ

His face quenched from beneath his cheeks turning away

So my gaze lost that meadow and shade

وكلَّفتني في رحلتي وإقامتي

على حسنه المطلوب أن أضرب الرملا

And he tasked me in my journey and stay

For his sought-after beauty to traverse the sands

كأنيَ لم أختم على تبرِ خدِّه

بلثمٍ ولم أجعل عناقي له قفلا

As if I did not seal his cheek with a kiss

And did not make my embrace for him a lock

ولم يسع نحوي شخصه أو خياله

فإن لم أصب من وصله الوبل فالطلاّ

And his person or imagination did not incline toward me

So if I do not attain union with him, then longing

على أنَّ لي فيه أمانيّ فكرة

أعيد على رغم الحسود بها الوصلا

Still, I have in him wished-for thoughts

I repeat despite the envious with which I seek reunion

ولي في الذي أهوى هوىً فلو أنه

تكلَّف لي عطفاً لناديته مهلا

And I have in whom I love a love so if he

Bore for me affection I would call him gently

وكانَ بودِّي لو أطقت تسلياً

فحققت عنهُ صبوتي كلما ملاّ

And I wish if I endured consolation

I would for him achieve my youth whenever it withers

وحمّلت عنه ما عناه فلم أدع

على خصره سقماً ولا جفنه ثقلا

And I would carry for him what he implies so I do not leave

On his chest illness or his eyelids heaviness

تحكَّم في ودِّي لديه وسلوتي

فأحسن في أحكامه العقد والحلاَّ

He took control of my affection and solace for him

So he did well in his judgements of contract and dissolution

وإني على ظنِّي به وصبابتي

لأقنع من يدري على الطرفِ أن يجلى

And I, in my opinion of him and my infatuation

I satisfy whomsoever knows the gaze to clear

أبى الله أن يجزي بذكرى أسرةٍ

تطفَّلت في العليا على مجدِهم طفلا

God refused that I compensate for the memory of a family

On whose glory I imposed myself unasked

فيا لكَ بيتاً لا يقال لأهله

عزيز علينا أن نرى ربعكم يبلى

Oh how I wish I could see his house

Where it is not said to its people, our quarter is wearing out

ولو حلَّ بي طيفاً وللراح سوْرَةٌ

بعقليَ لم أسلك به غير ما حلاَّ

And if an apparition befell me by the shelters of the wind

I would in my reason take with it only what is fitting

سجيَّة آباءٍ كرمٍ ورثتها

وفقه عفاف يجمع الفرع والأصلا

The nature of noble fathers I inherited

And the chastity of union of ancestry and branch

ويدعو حماه طالباً بعد طالب

إلى المال يستجدى أو العلم يستجلى

And his protector calls then caller after caller

To money he fundraises or knowledge he extracts

فيا ليت شعري هل أرانيَ واقفاً

على بابهِ لا أقتضي الكتب والرسلا

Oh how I wish I knew would I see myself standing

At his door neither seeking books or messengers

فآوي بشطِّ النيل طرفي وناقتي

وأطرح في تيَّاره السرح والرحلا

Then I turn aside to the Nile’s shore, my gaze and she-camel

And I cast into its current the saddle and supplies

وأسكن حيث الشهب حصباء واطئٍ

وحيث يمدُّ العزّ من فوقها ظلاَّ

And I dwell where meteors and low laying pebbles

And where glory extends its shade out above

وحيثُ أصوغ اللفظ أهلاً لمدحِهِ

وأمَّا سوى لفظي هناك فلا أهلا

And where I fashion the word fitting for his praise

As for other than my words there, they are unfit

وحيثُ زماني فهو ضدٌّ معاكس

يعود إذا طارحته صاحباً خلاَّ

And where my time is adverse and contrary

Returning when I eschew it a vacant companion

أقول أبو جهل فلما أحفَني

ظلال الحمى العالي أقول أبى جهلا

I say Abu Jahl but when the elevated fever's

Shadows sheltered me I say my father is ignorant

هنيئاً لوفدٍ سائرين لبابه

لقد حمدوا المسرى وقد عرفوا السبلا

Congratulations to a delegation en route to his door

They have praised the journey and known the paths

وإن امرأً أسرت إليه جياده

ليعظم أن يرضى الهلال لها نعلا

And that a man whose steeds have hastened toward him

It would be great if he accepts the new moon for them as a shoeing

وإن لقاضي المسلمين عوارفاً

بها كم أقمنا للثنا شاهداً عدلا

And the judge of the Muslims has courtesies

With which we have often borne witness to praise

ونحواً من العلياء نزِّه وضعه

فما الاسم منقوصٌ ولا الفعل معتلاَّ

And a manner of the high-minded we safeguard his position

So neither the name diminished nor the deed defective

رِدوا بحره واسْتصغروا ورد جعفرٍ

وقيسوا به الآمال واطْرحوا الفضلا

Return his sea and consider Jafar’s roses small

And measure by it hopes and discard any superiority

بني دلف طبتم وطابَ قديمكم

فأكرم بكم فرعاً وأكرم بكم أصلا

O Bani Delf fortunate you have been and pure your ancient ways

So a branch and origin have been honored by you

وجزتم مدا العلياء لم يتل سبقكم

ولكن على السماع ذكركمُ يتلى

And you have fulfilled the extension of the high minded did not forestall you

But it is by listening your mention is recited

فلا طرقت أيدي الخطوب لكم حمى

ولا فرَّقت عين الزمان لكم شملا

So no time have the misfortunes assailed for you a refuge

Or the eye of time separated your cohesion