تَحِيَّةُ شاعِرٍ يا ماءَ جَكسو
فَلَيسَ سِواكَ لِلأَرواحِ أُنسُ
A poet's greeting, O Jaxu water
For nothing else refreshes souls like you
فَدَتكَ مِياهُ دِجلَةَ وَهيَ سَعدٌ
وَلا جُعِلَت فِداءَكَ وَهيَ نَحسُ
May the waters of the Tigris be sacrificed for you, auspicious though they be
And may they not be sacrificed though inauspicious they be
وَجاءَكَ ماءُ زَمزَمَ وَهوَ طُهرٌ
وَأَمواهٌ عَلى الأَردُنِّ قُدسُ
And the water of Zamzam came to you—sacred it is
And waters over the Jordan—holy
وَكانَ النيلُ يَعرِسُ كُلَّ عامٍ
وَأَنتَ عَلى المَدى فَرحٌ وَعُرسُ
The Nile used to celebrate every year
While you are joy and celebration for ages
وَقَد زَعَموهُ لِلغاداتِ رَمساً
وَأَنتَ لِهَمِّهِنَّ الدَهرَ رَمسُ
And they alleged it for the maidens a marking
While for them you are for ages a marking
وَرَدنَكَ كَوثَراً وَسَفَرنَ حوراً
وَهَل بِالحورِ إِن أَسفَرنَ بَأسُ
They compared you to Al-Kawthar and described houris
Are the houris, though unveiled, frightening?
فَقُل لِلجانِحينَ إِلى حِجابٍ
أَتُحجَبُ عَن صَنيعِ اللَهِ نَفسُ
Say to those leaning towards a veil
Can a soul be veiled from Allah's work?
إِذا لَم يَستُرِ الأَدَبُ الغَواني
فَلا يُغني الحَريرُ وَلا الدِمَقسُ
If propriety does not conceal passions
Silk and brocade are to no avail
تَأَمَّل هَل تَرى إِلّا جَلالاً
تُحِسُّ النَفسُ مِنهُ ما تُحِسُّ
See, do you perceive anything but majesty?
A soul perceives that which it perceives
كَأَنَّ الخودُ مَريَمُ في سُفورٍ
وَرائيها حَوارِيٌّ وَقِسُّ
The cheeks are like Mary unveiled
Behind her a disciple and a priest
تَهَيَّبَها الرِجالُ فَلا ضَميرٌ
يَهِم بِها وَلا عَينٌ تُحِسُّ
Men stand in awe so conscience does not stir
Nor eye perceives
غَشيتُكَ وَالأَصيلُ يَفيضُ تِبراً
وَيَنسُجُ لِلرُبى حُلَلاً وَيَكسو
I came upon you while the late morning radiance overflowed, spreading goodness
And weaving attire for the hillsides and adorning them
وَتَذهَبُ في الخَليجِ لَهُ وَتَأتي
أَنامِلُ تَنثُرُ العِقيانَ خَمسُ
And going into the gulf for it and coming back
Fingers scattering necklaces in fives
وَفي جيدِ الخَميلَةِ مِنهُ عِقدٌ
وَفي آذانِها قُرطٌ وَسَلسُ
And on the cheek of a coquette a jewel
In her ears earrings and a pendant
وَلَألَأَتِ الجِبالُ فَضاءَ سَفحٍ
يَسُرُّ الناظِرينَ وَنارَ رَأسُ
The mountains made the expanse of a slope shine
Pleasing spectators—the crown of glory
عَلى فُلكٍ تَسيرُ بِنا الهَوُينى
وَمِن شِعري نَديمٌ لي وَجِلسُ
We travel in a ship running away with us
Some of my poetry a boon companion
تُنازِعُنا المَذاهِبَ حَيثُ مِلنا
زَوارِقُ حَولَنا تَجري وَتَرسو
Schools of thought contend with us where we anchor
Boats around us run and cast anchor
لَها في الماءِ مُنسابٌ كَطَيرٍ
تُسِفُّ عَلَيهِ أَحياناً وَتَحسو
Their movement in the water bird-like
Dipping in it at times and skimming
صِغارِ الحَجمِ مُرهَفَةِ الحَواشي
لَها عُرفٌ إِذا خَطَرَت وَجَرسُ
Small elegant pinnaces
When in movement clapper bells tinkle
إِذا المِجدافُ حَرَّكَها اِطمَأَنَّت
وَإِن هُوَ لَم يُحَرِّك فَهيَ رُعسُ
If the oar stirs them they grow calm
Without it they become still
وَإِن هُوَ جَدَّ في الماءِ اِنسِياباً
فَكُلُّ طَريقِهِ وَتَرٌ وَقَوسُ
When he rows swiftly in water
Each route of his an undulation and an arc
حَمَلنَ اللُؤلُؤَ المَنثورَ عَيناً
كَما حَمَلَت حَبابَ الراحِ كَأسُ
They carried scattered pearls, sight that
Bore the foam of winds in a goblet
كَأَنَّ سَوافِرَ الغاداتِ فيها
مَلائِكُ هَمُّها نَظَرٌ وَهَمسُ
As if the maidens' braids therein
Angels whose task is gazing and whispering
كَأَنَّ بِرافِعَ الغاداتِ تَهفو
عَلى وَجَناتِها غَيمٌ وَشَمسُ
As if the maidens' cheeks therein glow
Above them a cloud and sun
كَأَنَّ مَآزِرَ العينِ اِنتِساباً
زُهورٌ لا تُشَمُّ وَلا تُمَسُّ
As if the kohl of their gazes drawing out
Unsensed blossoms neither sniffed nor touched
إِذا نُشِرَت فَرَيحانٌ وَوَردٌ
وَإِن طُوِيَت فَنَسرينٌ وَوَرسُ
When spread, fresh herbs and roses
When folded basil plants and sweet basil
عَجِبتُ لَهُنَّ يُجَمِّعُهُنَّ حُسنٌ
وَلَكِن لَيسَ يُجَمِّعُهُنَّ لُبسُ
Wondrous that beauty unites them
Though attire does not unite them
فَكانَ لَنا بِظِلِّكَ خَيرُ وَقتٍ
وَخَيرُ الوَقتِ ما لَكَ فيهِ أُنسُ
So yours was the best company
And best company what in it gives joy
نُمَتِّعُ مِنكَ يا جَكسو نُفوساً
بِها مِن دَهرِها هَمٌّ وَبُؤسُ
We delight thereby, O Jaxu, souls
In them worldly cares and misery
إِلى أَن بانَ سِرُّكَ فَاِنثَنَينا
وَقَد طُوِيَ النَهارُ وَماتَ أَمسُ
Until the secret dawned so we withdrew
The day being over and eve passed.
