حَفَّ كَأسَها الحَبَبُ
فَهيَ فِضَّةٌ ذَهَبُ
The beloved polished his goblet,
So it became silver or gold,
أَو دَوائِرٌ دُرَرٌ
مائِجٌ بِها لَبَبُ
Or a circlet of pearls,
With wine frothing in it,
أَو فَمُ الحَبيبِ جَلا
عَن جُمانِهِ الشَنَبُ
Or the mouth of the darling unveiled,
With the mustache above it curled,
أَو يَدٌ وَباطِنُها
عاطِلٌ وَمُختَضِبُ
Or a hand whose palm
Is idle and reddened with henna,
أَو شَقيقُ وَجنَتِهِ
حينَ لي بِهِ لَعِبُ
Or a chamomile whose garden,
When I used to play in it as a child,
راحَةُ النُفوسِ وَهَل
عِندَ راحَةٍ تَعَبُ
The solace of souls, though indeed
Solace itself feels weary,
يا نَديمُ خِفَّ بِها
لا كَبا بِكَ الطَرَبُ
O boon companion walk gently with it,
Don’t let it confuse you,
لا تَقُل عَواقِبُها
فَالعَواقِبُ الأَدَبُ
Don’t speak of its consequences,
For manners are the consequence.
تَنجَلي وَلي خُلُقٌ
يَنجَلي وَيَنسَكِبُ
It flows clear and my nature
Flows clearly and overflows.
يَرقُبُ الرِفاقُ لَهُ
كُلَّما سَرى شَرِبوا
The friends watch out for him
Whenever he went on a binge.
شاعِرُ العَزيزِ وَما
بِالقَليلِ ذا اللَقَبُ
The poet of the dear one, but what
Titles has he with this little rhyme,
لَيلَةٌ لِسَيِّدِنا
في الزَمانِ تُرتَقَبُ
A night for our master
Awaited in time,
دونَها الرَشيدُ وَما
أَخلَدَت لَهُ الكُتُبُ
Immortalized by the scribe
In the books he compiled,
يُهرَعُ النَزيلُ لَها
وَالرَعِيَّةُ النُخَبُ
The elite and the commons rushed to it,
So the palace became a pearl
فَالسَرايُ جَوهَرَةٌ
لِلعُقولِ تَختَلِبُ
That captured men’s minds,
Or a bouquet of flowers,
أَو كَباقَةِ زَهرا
لِلعُيونِ تَأتَشِبُ
Tempting to the eyes.
Majesty was its dome,
الجَلالُ قُبَّتُهُ
وَالسَنا لَهُ طُنُبُ
And its pinnacle a mast.
Firm it stood, though its peak
ثابِتٌ وَذِروَتُهُ
في الفَضاءِ تَضطَرِبُ
Swayed in the air aloft.
Its oriels shone, and were
أَشرَقَت نَوافِذُهُ
فَهيَ مَنظَرٌ عَجَبُ
A wondrous spectacle.
Its curtains and ceilings lit up,
وَاِستَنارَ رَفرَفُهُ
وَالسُجوفُ وَالحُجُبُ
Amazing old and young.
Eyes marveled at it,
تَعجَبُ العُيونُ لَهُ
كَيفَ تَسكُنُ الشُهُبُ
Wondering how gray hairs felt young.
Morning suns without veils came to it,
أَقبَلَت شُموسُ ضُحىً
ما لَهُنَّ مُنتَقَبُ
Having no scheduled rising time.
Darkness was their banner,
الظَلامُ رايَتُها
وَهيَ جَيشُهُ اللَجِبُ
And their vast army the night,
In howdahs hastily,
في هَوادِجٍ عَجَلاً
بِالجِيادِ تَنسَحِبُ
The steeds pulled them tight,
Enticement stood before it,
قامَ دونَها سَبَبٌ
وَاِستَحَثَّها سَبَبُ
And desire enticed it.
It would loiter then race off,
فَهيَ تارَةً مَهَلٌ
وَهيَ تارَةً خَبَبُ
Capricious in every way.
It stormed them with a zeal
تَرتَمي بِهِنَّ حِمىً
لا يَجوزُهُ رَغَبُ
Passion could not gainsay.
Its interior was a paradise,
بابُهُ لِداخِلِهِ
جَنَّةٌ هِيَ الأَرَبُ
The most blissful place.
The elite gathered there,
قامَتِ السَراةُ بِهِ
وَالمَعِيَّةُ النُجُبُ
And the finest company,
The ladies vied for it,
وَاِنبَرى النِساءُ لَهُ
عُجمُهُنَّ وَالعَرَبُ
Foreigners and Arabs,
Chaste, beautiful and pedigreed.
العَفافُ زينَتُها
وَالجَمالُ وَالحَسَبُ
Their stars Capella and Aldebaran.
My lord, it has its own orbit,
أَنجُمٌ مَطالِعُها
عابِدينُ وَالرَحَبُ
Revolving around it.
Near the corner of his chamber,
سَيِّدي لَها فَلَكٌ
وَهيَ مِنهُ تَقتَرِبُ
His full moon rose for us.
The throne was beautified by him,
عِندَ رُكنِ حُجرَتِهِ
بَدرُهُ لَنا كَثَبُ
And the carpets and cushions.
Around his throne were foreigners,
يَزدَهي السَريرُ بِهِ
وَالمَطارِفُ القُشُبُ
Around his throne were Arabs.
The rank of ancestors was his,
حَولَ عَرشِهِ عَجَمٌ
حَولَ عَرشِهِ عَرَبُ
Ranks were equalized through it.
It was ennobled and lofty,
رُتبَةُ الجُدودِ لَهُ
تَستَوي بِها الرُتَبُ
Ancient and newly attained.
There lions lounged,
شُرِّفَت بِهِ وَسَما
تالِدٌ وَمُكتَسَبُ
And gazelles gently grazed.
Silk was their dress,
اللُيوثُ ماثِلَةٌ
وَالظِباءُ تَنسَرِبُ
And satin and gold their taste.
Palaces were their dancing stage,
الحَريرُ مَلبَسُها
وَاللُجَينُ وَالذَهَبُ
Not shifting sands and grass.
Music enraptured them,
وَالقُصورُ مَسرَحُها
لا الرِمالُ وَالعُشُبُ
Not echo or beating of drums,
The dancer was recalled at times,
يَستَفِزُّها نَغَمٌ
لا صَدىً وَلا لَجَبُ
At others left aside,
So the creamy cheeks showed,
يُستَعادُ مُرقِصُهُ
تارَةً وَيُقتَضَبُ
Though they still shied.
The necklace flirted with them,
فَالقُدودُ بانُ رُبىً
بَيدَ أَنَّها تَثِبُ
Caring and humpbacked.
One moment they were aloof,
يَلعَبُ العِناقُ بِها
وَهوَ مُشفِقٌ حَدِبُ
The next affectionate and attached,
Accompanying each other as a match.
فَهيَ مَرَّةً صُعُدٌ
وَهيَ مَرَّةً صَبَبُ
As branches come together,
Or rods in a thatch.
وَهيَ هَهُنا وَهُنا
تَلتَقي وَتَصطَحِبُ
Heads tilting in bosoms,
Hiding in close touch.
مِثلَما اِلتَقَت أَسَلٌ
أَو تَعانَقَت قُضُبُ
Necks erect and proud,
With beauty spots adorned.
الرُؤوسُ مائِلَةٌ
في الصُدورِ تَحتَجِبُ
Breasts plump and apple-like,
Cheeks glowing and warmed.
وَالنُحورُ قائِمَةٌ
قاعِدٌ بِها الوَصَبُ
Waists bending and weak,
Drawn by their heavy form.
وَالنُهودُ هامِدَةٌ
وَالخُدودُ تَلتَهِبُ
Hands smooth as branches
Of a looted sycamore.
وَالخُصورُ واهِيَةٌ
بِالبَنانِ تَنجَذِبُ
The wine circle with none
Holding the center or hub.
سالَتِ الأَكُفُّ بِها
فَهيَ أَغصُنٌ نُهَبُ
For guests a table
On which to lean and snub.
الخَوانُ دائِرَةٌ
المَلا لَها قُطُبُ
And the dishes presenting
Whatever they might desire.
لِلوُفودِ مائِدَةٌ
مِنهُ أَينَما اِنقَلَبوا
A path to it always
Open and branching spider-like.
وَالطَريقُ مُتَّصِلٌ
نَحوَهُ وَمُنشَعِبُ
The food before them
Abundant and on tap.
وَالطَعامُ حاضِرُهُ
وَالمَزيدُ مُنتَهَبُ
Cool and wondrous
Craved and sought.
بارِدٌ وَمِن عَجَبٍ
يُشتَهى وَيُطَّلَبُ
Sweet for the glutton
Sweet even for the sated.
سائِغٌ لِذي سَغَبٍ
سائِغٌ وَلا سَغَبُ
Ready for one who asks,
Ready even uninvited.
حاضِرٌ لَدى طَلَبٍ
حاضِرٌ وَلا طَلَبُ
And the wine cups which
Never emptied or failed.
وَالمُدامُ أَكؤُسُها
ما تَغيضُ وَالعُلَبُ
Amongst us contraband,
Yet decrees against it failed.
وَهيَ بَينَنا سَلَبٌ
وَالنُهى لَها سَلَبُ
Its pomade anointed
As the grape on the vine ripened.
شَرُفَت مَنافِحُها
وَاِعتَلى بِها العِنَبُ
Around it creatures barely
Quenched their thirst no matter how they tried.
حَولَها الحَوائِمُ ما
يَنقَضي لَها قَرَبُ
Happy in a sanctuary
Safe from doubt or deception.
يَغتَبِطنَ في حَرَمٍ
لا تَنالُهُ الرِيَبُ
Nothing there except discourse
Was wanted or attractive.
ما سِوى الحَديثِ بِهِ
يُبتَغى وَيُجتَذَبُ
Thus the generous were generous
Even if they grew merry and high.
هَكَذا الكِرامُ كِرا
مٌ وَإِن هُموا طَرَبوا
A night that rose and towered,
Would that dawn called it a lie!
لَيلَةٌ عَلَت وَغَلَت
لَيتَ فَجرَها كَذِبُ
The prince guarantees us
That eras will repeat it.
يَكفُلُ الأَميرُ لَنا
أَن تَعيدَها الحِقَبُ
Long live a king for pleasure -
Our master and father alike!
عاشَ لِلنَدى مَلِكٌ
سَيِّدٌ لَنا وَأَبُ
The peer of monarchs when
Generosity feels confined or slight.
حاتِمُ المُلوكِ إِذا
ضاقَ بِالنَدى النَشَبُ
Joy his comfort,
Grace his gift,
السُرورُ أَنعُمُهُ
وَالهَناءُ ما يَهَبُ
Conviviality his nature,
And affection his appetite.
وَالنَدى سَجِيَّتُهُ
وَالحَنانُ وَالحَدَبُ
My dear, long may
The garden of your glory thrive.
يا عَزيزُ دامَ لَنا
رَوضُ عِزِّكَ الأَشِبُ
This bride of refined entertainment
Seeks acceptance and desires to arrive.
هَذِهِ عَروسُ نُهىً
في القُبولِ تَرتَغِبُ
Your poet of zeal and devotion
Has marched her to you, alive.
زَفَّها لَكُم وَجلا
شاعِرُ الحِمى الأَرِبُ
The gathering has honored her,
And the absentee recognized her worth.
اِحتَفى الحُضورُ بِها
وَاِكتَفى بِها الغَيَبُ
You are our protecting shades,
And fertile oases.
أَنتُمُ الظِلالُ لَنا
وَالمَنازِلُ الخُصُبُ
If my life praised you
It could not fully pay what it owes.
لَو مَدَحتُكُم زَمَني
لَم أَقُم بِما يَجِبُ
