الْبَحْرُ قَدْ أَبْدَى سَنَا نَضْرَتِهِ

فَقَامَتِ الأَعْيُنُ فِي بَهْجَتِهِ

The sea has shown its brilliant green,

The sea has revealed the splendor of its freshness,

And eyes rejoiced at its beauty.

And eyes stood transfixed by its delight.

قَدْ خلَعَ الْحُسْنُ عليْهِ حُلىً

وَانْتَظَمَ الإِبْداعُ في لَبَّتِهِ

Beauty has adorned it with jewelry,

Beauty has draped it in ornaments,

And creativity has woven into its softness.

And creativity is perfectly strung upon its chest.

كَأَنَّهُ وَالشَّمْسُ قَدْ أَوْدَعَتْ

شُعَاعَهَا الأنْضَرَ فِي لُجَّتِهِ

As if it and the sun have deposited

It is as if the sea, while the sun deposited

Her green rays in its depths.

Its brightest rays into its deep waters,

مَطَارِفُ الْعِقْيَانِ قَدْ طُرِّزَتْ

بِاللاَّزْوَرْد ِ الغَضِّ فِي زُرْقَتِهِ

The edges of the waves were embroidered

Were cloaks of pure gold beautifully embroidered

With emerald green over its blueness.

With fresh lapis lazuli amidst its blueness.

ذَكَّرَنِي عَهْداً لَنَا قَدْ مَضَى

بِأَرْضِ تِطْوَانَ عَلَى ضِفَّتِهِ

It reminded me of a time past for us

It reminded me of a past era we once shared,

On the shores of Tetouan.

In the land of Tetouan, upon its shores,

فِي جَنَّةٍ أَرْبَتْ عَلَى جِلِّقٍ

عَلَّمَهَا الْحُسْنُ بِأَلْوِيَتِهِ

In a garden trained on a hillside

In a paradise that surpassed the gardens of Damascus,

Which beauty has taught with its bending.

Which beauty had marked with its banners.

مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ نَوْرٍ كَدُرٍّ علَى

زَبَرْجَدٍ يَسْبِي سَنَا خُضْرتِهِ

Whatever you wish of light and darkness on

Whatever you wish of blossoms, like pearls upon

Green emerald competing in its greenery.

Chrysolite, captivating the mind with the brilliance of its green,

وَمِنْ غُصُونٍ قَدْ سَقاها الْحَيَا

فَعَرْبَدَتْ بِالرَّقْصِ مِنْ خَمْرَتِهِ

And of branches the life has watered,

And of branches watered by the rain,

So they frisked from its wine.

That swayed drunkenly in a dance from its wine.

دَبَّجَها النُّوَّارُ منْ أصْفَرٍ

يحْكِي النُّضَارَالغَضَّ في كُهْبَتِهِ

The flowers have embroidered it with yellow

Adorned by blossoms of radiant yellow,

Describing the green softness in its bend.

Mimicking fresh pure gold in its golden hue,

وَأَحْمَرٍ يُشْبِهُ خَدَّ الذِي

أَنْحَلَنِي شَوْقِي إِلَى رُؤْيَتِهِ

And red resembling the cheek of the one

And of red, resembling the blushing cheek of the one

Who made me crave to see him.

Whose sight my longing has left me pining for.

حَيْثُ الْمُنَى تُطْلِعُهُ قَمَراً

تَنْأَى دُجى الأَحْزَانِ مِنْ طُرَّتِهِ

Where wishes reveal him like the moon

Where desires make him rise like a moon,

Keeping the gloom of sorrows from his face.

And the darkness of sorrows recedes from his dark locks.

لَمْ يَعْرُهُهَجْرٌ يَهِيجُ الْجَوَى

وَيَعْطِفُ الْقَلْبَ عَلى حُرْقَتِهِ

Neither estrangement nor longing to ignite desire

He was not struck by an abandonment that stirs passion,

And incline the heart to its burning,

Nor bends the heart over its burning pain,

إِلاَّ نِفَاراً هُوَ فِي طَبْعِهِ

إِنَّ نِفَارَ الظَّبْيِ منْ خِلْقَتِهِ

But his aloofness which is in his nature,

Except for a shyness that is innate to his nature;

For the aloofness of the gazelle is in its nature.

Indeed, the shying away of the gazelle is part of its creation.

يَنْفُِرُ تِيهاً ثُمَّ يَثْنِيهِ مَا

يُبْصِرُ من وَجْدِي علَى نَفْرَتِهِ

It becomes lost then what it sees of my love

He turns away in pride, then is brought back by what

Returns it from its aloofness.

He sees of my deep passion despite his aversion.

فَقُلتُ إِذْ أَبْصَرْتُهُ تَائِهاً

كُنْ راضِياً حِبِّي عَلَيَّ وَتِهِ

So I said when I saw him lost,

So I said, when I saw him wandering in his pride:

“Be content, my love, with me.”

"Be pleased with me, my love, and act as proud as you wish;

وَلاَ تُعَذِّبْنِي بِنَارِ الْجَفَا

يَا مَنْ حَيَاةُ الصَّبِّ فِي قَبْضَتِهِ

“And do not torture me with the fire of estrangement,

But do not torment me with the fire of estrangement,

O you who has the life of passion in his grip.”

O you in whose grasp lies the life of this enamored heart."

فَافْتَرَّ أَيْنَ الدُّرُّ منْ ثَغْرِهِ

وَأَيْنَ نَشْرُ الْمِسْكِ منْ نَكْهَتِهِ

So he smiled, how far the pearl is from his mouth!

He smiled—where are pearls compared to his teeth?

And how far the fragrance of musk is from his scent!

And where is the diffusing musk compared to his breath?

وَأَيْنَ بَدْرُ التَّمِّ من وَجْهِهِ

وَأيْنَ لَمْعُ الْبَرْقِ منْ غُرَّتِهِ

And how far the full moon is from his face!

And where is the full moon compared to his face?

And how far the flash of lightning is from his cheek!

And where is the flash of lightning compared to his radiant brow?

وَاهْتَزَّ عُجْباً بِخُضُوعِي لَهُ

وَأَيْنَ غُصْنُ البَانِ منْ هَزَّتِهِ

He shook with wonder at my submission to him,

He swayed in marvel at my submission to him;

And how far the flexible branch is from his swaying!

And where is the willow branch compared to his swaying?

أَيُّ هِلاَلٍ فِي قَضِيبِ النَّقَا

أَضَاءَهُ الدَّيْجُورُ مِنْ لَمَّتِهِ

What crescent in the staff of the watchman

What a crescent moon atop a branch on the sand dune,

Did the bright star illuminate from its curvature?

Illuminated by the dark night of his flowing hair!

عَانَقْتُ مِنْ قَامَتِهِ غُصُناً

كَمَا قَطَفْتُ الْوَرْدَ مِنْ وَجْنَتِهِ

I embraced a branch from his stature

I embraced a tender branch of his stature,

As I plucked the roses from its buds.

Just as I plucked the roses from his cheeks.

لَمْ أَصْحُ مِنْ سُكْرِي بِتَعْنِيقِهِ

إِلاَّ بِتَقْطِيعِي عَلَى فُرْقَتِهِ

I did not sober from my drunken infatuation

I did not sober up from the intoxication of embracing him,

Except by my shredding it because of our separation.

Except by being torn apart over his departure.

أَيُّ زَمانٍ قَدْ مَضَى مُسْرِعاً

يَاحَرَّ أنْفَاسِي عَلَى سُرْعَتِهِ

What time has passed quickly!

What a time it was, that passed so swiftly!

O it puzzled my breath in its speed!

Oh, the burning of my breaths over its swiftness!

لَمْ أَنْتَبِهْ مِنْ نَوْمِ لَذَّتِهِ

إِلاَّ بِأَشْوَاقِي إِلَى أَوْبَتِهِ

I did not awaken from the dream of its bliss

I did not awaken from the slumber of its delight,

Except with my longing for its nightfall.

Except through my yearnings for its return.

يَا لَيْتَ شِعْرِي وَالْمُنَى رُبَّمَا

تُسَاعِدُ الْمُشْتَاقَ فِي بُغْيَتِهِ

O would that fate might help

Would that I knew—and desires might perhaps

The ardent fulfill his goal.

Assist the yearning lover in his quest—

هَلْ يَدْنُوَنَّ الْغَرْبُ بَعْدَ النَّوَى

فَأَقْطِفُ الآمَالَ مِنْ ضَيْعَتِهِ

Will the sunset after departure draw near?

Will the West ever draw near after this distance,

So I may pick hopes from its ruins?

So I may harvest hopes from its lost estate?

وَهَلْ أَرَى تِلْكَ الْبُدُورَ التِي

تُزْرِي بِبَدْرِ الأُفْقِ فِي طَلْعَتِهِ

Will I see those full moons that

And shall I see those full moons that

Adorn the horizon upon its rising?

Outshine the full moon of the horizon in their rising?

أَجَلْ فَجَمْعِي بِهِمُ عَاجِلاً

سَهْلٌ عَلَى الرَّحْمَانِ فِي قُدْرَتِهِ

Yes, join me with them promptly,

Yes! My swift reunion with them

It is easy for the Merciful in His power.

Is easy for the Most Merciful in His power.

مَا أَقْدَرَ اللهَ عَلَى رَدِّ مَنْ

نَدَّ بِهِ الْبَيْنُ إِلَى فِئَتِهِ

How great is God's ability to restore one

How capable is Allah of bringing back the one

Whom separation has cast to his comrades!

Whom separation has driven away to his people.

فَيَا نَسِيماً مِنْ حِمَاهُمْ سَرَى

شَمِمْتُ عَرْفَ الْمِسْكِ مِنْ هَبَّتِهِ

So O breeze from their quarter blow,

So, O breeze that has traveled at night from their sanctuary,

I sensed the fragrance of musk in its blowing.

From whose blowing I have inhaled the scent of musk,

كَيْفَ الرُّبَى وَالْمُنْحَنَى وَالنَّقَا

وَالنَّهْرُ وَالرَّوْضُ عَلَى ضِفَّتِهِ

How is the meadow, the valley, the soft sand,

How are the hills, the winding valley, and the sand dune,

The river, and the garden on its shore?

And the river and the meadow upon its banks?

عَهْدِي بِهَا مَرْتَعُ كُلِّ رَشَا

لاَ رَاعَهَا الدهُْر بِتَنْحِيَتِهِ

My pledge to them is the pasture of all flock

I remember them as a grazing ground for every young gazelle;

Time has not overgrazed in its spinning.

May fate never startle them by taking them away.

وَكيْفَ أَحْبَابِي وَهَلْ عَلِمُوا

شَوْقِي الذِي أُوبِقْتُ فِي أَزْمَتِهِ

And how are my loved ones, and have they known

And how are my beloveds? Do they know

My longing in which I was wrecked?

Of my longing, by whose crisis I have been destroyed?

نَكَّبَنِي الدَّهْرُ بِبَيْنِهِمُ

أَشْكُو إلَى الرحْمانِ من نَكْبَتِهِ

Fate has bent me with their separation,

Fate has afflicted me with separation from them;

I complain to the Merciful of its bending.

I complain to the Merciful about its affliction.

أمْسَيْتُ صَبّاً بِالْجَزَائِرِ لاَ

أَعْدَمُ شَجْواً ذُبْتُ رمن حَسْرَتِهِ

I have become passionate in the Maghreb, not missing

I have become an enamored lover in Algiers,

A longing in which I melted from its burning.

Never lacking sorrow, melting from its anguish.

لَوْلاَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُؤْمِنِ الْمُرْتَضَى

قَضَى فُؤَادِي مِنْ لَظَى لَوْعَتِهِ

Were it not for the son of Abdul-Mumin the Chosen

Were it not for Ibn Abd al-Mu'min, the chosen one,

Who cured my heart from the affliction of its torment.

My heart would have perished from the blaze of its agony.

جَعَلْتُهُ قَصْدِي وَنِعْمَ الذِي

يَقْصِدُهُ الإِنْسَانُ فِي غُرْبَتِهِ

I made him my destination, a excellent one

I made him my destination, and how excellent is the one

For man to seek in his estrangement.

Whom a man seeks out in his exile.

الْعَالِمُ النِّحْرِيرُ مَنْ دَأْبُهُ

أَنْ يُنْقِذَ الْمَلْهُوفَ مِنْ كُرْبَتِهِ

The unique scholar, whose habit is

The erudite scholar, whose constant habit

To save the anguished from his torment.

Is to rescue the distressed from his anguish,

وَأَنْ يُوَاسِي مَنْ بِهِ رَكَضَتْ

خَيْلُ النَّوَى أَوْ حَادَ عَنْ وِجْهَتِهِ

And to console one whose destination

And to comfort the one with whom

The steeds of wishes missed or swerved from its course.

The horses of distance have galloped, or who has strayed from his path.

أَنَخْتُ آمَالِي بِهِ فَانْثَنَتْ

عَاطِرَةَ الأَنْفَاسِ من نَفْحَتِهِ

I anchored my hopes in him, so they breathed

I made my hopes kneel before him, and they returned

A fragrance from his gentle blowing.

With fragrant breaths from his sweet scent.

إنْ تَسْأَلِ الأَحْبَابَ عَنْ نُزُلِي

فَهَا أَنَا أَنْعَمُ فِي جَنَّتِهِ

If you ask the loved ones about my lodging,

If you ask the beloveds about my dwelling place,

Plucking the pure wishes

Here I am, enjoying the bliss of his paradise.

أَقْطِفُ أَنْوَارَ الْمُنَى غَضَّةً

تَحْتَ ظِلاَلِ الْعِلْمِ فِي حَضْرَتِهِ

In the shadows of knowledge in his presence.

Plucking the fresh blossoms of desire

He has burdened me with righteousness until indeed

Beneath the shades of knowledge in his presence.

أَثْقَلَنِي بِالْبِرِّ حَتَّى لَقَدْ

أَعْجِزُ أَنْ أَنْفَكَّ مِنْ حَوْزَتِهِ

I am incapable of escaping his grasp.

He has burdened me with kindness, so much so that

What fault of his except he overlooks the likes of me

I am unable to break free from his domain.

مَا شَانَهُ عَيْبٌ سِوَى أَنَّهُ

يُغْضِي عَلَى مِثْلِي فِي هَفْوَتِهِ

In my shortcomings?

No flaw tarnishes him, except that he

And assists the seeker in his pursuit,

Overlooks the slips of someone like me,

وَيُسْعِفُ الطَّالِبَ فِي قَصْدِهِ

وَيُسْعِدُ الرَّاغِبَ فِي رَغْبَتِهِ

And gratifies the desirous in his desire.

And assists the seeker in his quest,

His integrity in knowledge, time has not prevented

And gladdens the hopeful in his desire.

نُزْهَتُهُ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَدْرُسُهُ

لاَ عَاقَهُ الْمِقْدَارُ عَنْ نُزْهَتِهِ

From its integrity.

His recreation is in the knowledge he studies;

He has taught us the knowledge of religious obligations in

May destiny never hinder him from his recreation.

أَفَادَنَا عِلْمَ الْفَرَائِضِ فِي

أَدْنَى مَدىً أَرْقَلَ فِي مِشْيَتِهِ

The quickest measure his steps carried in his walk.

He taught us the science of inheritance in

From his lesson comes the prose he composed,

The shortest time, advancing swiftly in his pace.

مِنْ دَرْسِهِ النَّظْمُ الذِي صَاغَهُ

نَجْلُ التِّلِمْسَانِي فِي صَنْعَتِهِ

A masterpiece of what was written of its kind.

From his lesson came the poem composed by

He enumerated the principles of the craft integrally

The son of Al-Tilimsani in his craft:

نَظْمٌ عُقُودُ الدُِّّر لَمْ تَحْكِهِ

أَبْدَعُ مَا أُلِّفَ فِي صِفَتِهِ

And connected them elegantly in his composition.

A composition that necklaces of pearls cannot match,

Not to mention the poem and the poet

The most magnificent work authored on its subject.

أَحْصَى أُصُولَ الْفَنِّ مُحْكَمَةً

وَحَاكَهَا طُرًّا عَلَى نَزْوَتِهِ

And the eloquent, the requirement of his wisdom,

It comprehensively captured the principles of the art, firmly established,

Clarifying what was ambiguous in its phrasing

And wove them all seamlessly upon its impulse.

نَاهِيكَ مِنْ نَظْمٍ وَمِنْ نَاظِمٍ

وَمِنْ مُبِينٍ مُقْتَضَى حِكْمَتِهِ

And solving what was difficult from its knot.

What an exquisite poem and what a poet!

What can one say in his praise?

And what a clarifier of the demands of its wisdom!

بَيْنَ مَا أَشْكَلَ مِنْ لَفْظَهِ

وَحَلَّ مَا اسْتَصْعَبَ مِنْ عُرْوَتِهِ

For time has exhausted itself in serving him.

He clarified what was ambiguous in its wording,

The sun has bestowed its rays upon him

And untied what was difficult in its knot.

مَا ذَا يَقُولُ الْمَرْءُ فِي مَدْحِهِ

وَقَدْ تَنَاهَى الدَّهْرُ فِي خِدْمَتِهِ

And the moon adorned him with its ornaments.

What can a person say in his praise,

Glory has shaded his court

When time itself has reached its limit in serving him?

وَالشَّمْسُ أَوْلَتْهُ أَشِعَّتَهَا

وَالْبَدْرُ حَلاَّهُ بِتَحْلِيَتِهِ

And the sea of generosity flooded in its expanse.

And the sun has granted him its rays,

Full moon of guidance and knowledge, O you whose

And the full moon has adorned him with its embellishments?

خَيَّمَ الْمَجْدُ بِسَاحَتِهِ

وَفَاضَ بَحْرُ الْجُودِ فِي بُرْدَتِهِ

Eulogies bow down in your direction.

Glory has pitched its tent in his courtyard,

Take them despite the hostility courting

And the sea of generosity has overflowed into his cloak.

بَدْرُ الْهُدَى وَالْعِلْمِ يَا مَنْ غَدَتْ

تَسْجُدُ أَمْدَاحِي إِلَى قِبْلَتِهِ

Candor has clad it in its gown.

O full moon of guidance and knowledge, to whom

Poems that when they heralded you

My praises bow down toward his Qibla!

خُذْهَا عَلَى رَغْمِ الْعِدَى غَادَةً

لَفَّعَهَا الصِّدْقُ بِأَقْبِيَتِهِ

Glory wrapped in its coat.

Take it—despite the enemies—as a beautiful maiden,

How many with high ambitions have cast it

Whom sincerity has wrapped in its garments;

خَوْدٌ زَهَتْ إِذْ بَشَّرَتْ بِكُمُ

وَلَفَّهَا الْمَجْدُ بِأَرْدِيَتِهِ

Yet no ear turned to listen to its address?

A tender girl who glowed when she brought glad tidings of you,

The daughter of Ibn Zakour, so his origin

And whom glory enfolded in its mantles.

كَمْ رَامَهَا قَبْلَكَ ذًو هِمَّةٍ

فَلَمْ تُصِخْ سَمْعاً إِلَى خُطْبَتِهِ

Is Fes, and people of merit are his family.

How many a man of ambition desired her before you,

Her extravagant dowry is your acceptance of her,

Yet she lent no ear to his proposal!

بِنْتُ ابْنِ زَاكُورٍ فَمَنْشَأُهُ

فُاسٌ وَأَهْلُ الْفَضْلِ مِنْ أُسْرَتِهِ

He did not consider it too high in his intention.

The daughter of Ibn Zakour, whose origin

So overlook him and accept his gift,

Is Fez, and the people of virtue are of his family.

صَدَاقُهَا الْغَالِي قَبُولُكُهَا

مِنْهُ فَمَا أَغْلاَهُ فِي نِيَّتِهِ

And pardon with forbearance his lapse.

Her precious dowry is your acceptance of her

You remain of repute, hostility is ugly.

From him, and how precious is that in his intention!

فَاسْمَحْ لَهُ وَاقْبَلْ هَدِيَّتَهُ

وَعَفِّ بِالصَّفْحَ عَلَى زَلَّتِهِ

No one of dignity lowers himself to his soil.

So be indulgent with him and accept his gift,

And God keeps you an Imam of guidance

And erase his slip through your forgiveness.

لاَ زِلْتَ ذَا حَالٍ تَسُوءُ الْعِدَى

مَا حَنَّ ذُو بُعْدٍ إِلَى تُرْبَتِهِ

As long as the dove coos on its perch.

May you continue in a state that brings sorrow to the enemies,

As long as the distant exile yearns for his soil;

وَاللهُ يُبْقِيكَ إِمامَ هُدىً

مَا غَرَّدَ القُمْرِي علَى دَوْحَتِهِ

And may Allah preserve you as an Imam of guidance,

As long as the turtledove sings upon its branch.