سقاني الغرام بعينية صرفا

قوي حكى خصره النضو ضعفا

Love intoxicated me with her glances purely

Her delicate waist narrating weakness candidly

خلت الجوانح من لوعة

يهز اختيالا من التيه عِطفا

She left my soul burning with passion's agony

Swaying coquettishly, lost in bewilderment naively

إذا قلت قد خف وجدي به

وشف على قدم النأي شمسا

If I say my love for her has diminished

And the sun of remoteness has healed me

أو أصله وهو لي هاجر

وأهوى هواه وإن كان حَتفا

Or that its origin, though dear to me, is forgotten

And I love another, though it be my doom inevitably

وأخشى العواذل أن يفطنوا

فأخفي من الوجد ما ليس يخفي

I fear the censurers may see through me

So I conceal what cannot be concealed of my love

وما ينكرون سوى أنني

عرفت بنجد لنعمان عرفا

They would recognize nothing but that I

Knew the oasis of Nu'man closely and intimately

وفي ذلك السرب مستأسد

وإن كان في مرطح العين خِشفا

And in that herd of gazelles I’m a lion

Though I may seem meek of eye and submissive

حكي ظبية الرمل لما رنا

بتلك اللواحظ والرمل ردفا

She told the story of a sand gazelle when she moaned

With those glances and the sand dunes successively

كسفت به الشمس لما كشف

ت راد الضحى عنه رقما وسجفا

She eclipsed the sun when she revealed

The forenoon's radiance, its beauty and grace successively

أرى الدار بعدهم قد عفَت

وشوقي برمَّته ما تعفّى

I see the abode after them has become desolate

And my longing in its entirety does not diminish

لقد خلفتهم بها النافرا

ت لا وضعت لحيا المزنِ خلفا

They left it completely deserted

Not placing the cheek of a lovely one next

ولائمة أصبحت في الغِنى

تعز عليّ من الغيظ كفّا

My companion has become blame

More painful to me than anger or fury

تعدد عندي ذنوب الزمان

وخرق الحوادث ما ليس يرفا

Reminding me of wealth upon wealth

That has slipped from me and cannot be regained

وتذكرني ثروة ثروة

تعدت أديبا ولم تعد جِلفا

Saying: if poverty befalls you

Seek whom is most inclined to fend it off

تقول إذا حاف فقر فلذ

بمن هو في دفعه عنك أحنى

Rely on the generosity of Yaḥyā the minister

Ask no other, for he will suffice

توكل على جود يحيى الوزير

ولا تطلبن سوى ذاك تكفي

You will find his flowing munificence brings you provision

And his benevolence is most gentle and intimate

تجد منبت الجود ضاف عليك

وعيص لسماحة عبصا ألفا

She described his character so I began

To enjoy good nature and utmost probity

صفت لي أخلاقه فاغتدت

أرعن ماء طبعا وأصفى

Abundant in his talents, serious in his responsibility

His bashfulness makes lewdness unnecessary

جزيل المواهب غش الحجى

يغني حياء عن الفحش طرفا

I swear if it weren’t for his crown

He would stretch his palms to give generously

واقسم لو غير تاج الملو

ك مد إلى المبد كفيه كفا

He spurns the world and its greed

With a free spirit that refuses to covet

يعاف الدنايا وأطماعها

بنفس حر دينها أن تعفا

Indeed, you have brought comfort to the faith, O its supporter

And shelter and refuge to those who seek sanctuary

لقد رحت للدين يا عونه

وللمعتفين ملاذا وكهفا

And when you came I saw dew

Sprinkling before and behind you copiously

ولما قدمت رأيت النّدى

يرف عليك أماما وخلفات

And God’s help and support

Aligning your armies in rows methodically

ونصر الإله وتأييده

بؤم جيوشك صفا فصفّا

You are protected by God’s power

Obeyed, while your enemies cower timorously

وقد سدت إذ سدت عن قدرة

مطاعا وقدت تأعاديك عنفا

You have enraged the Lord of those

Who have never ceased to be most hostile

وصعرت خدا لمن لم يزل

أخا كبريا وأرغت أنفا

And your weapon on the day of battle

Was a sharpened sword and piercing arrows speedily

وكان عتادك يوم الوغى

حساما صقيلا وحصداء رففا

Darkening and rumbling, without fear

Striking rapidly like lightning repeatedly

واسمر يرعد لا خيفة

ومتجرداً يسبق الطكرف طرفا

Poetry has been cured of its malady

By your return, after having suffered miserably

لقد شفي الشعر من دائه

بعَودك من بعد ما كان أشقى

I swear by the secrets of Mount Sinai

That you have spread goodness on the plains effortlessly

حلفت بمنطويات طورين

ما نثر البيد سهلا ونعفا

You shy away when Mecca is remembered

Casting yourself to the ground humbly

تخف إذا ذكرت مكة

فترمي من السير رساما وخفا

When its pilgrims attain their wishes

And meet me, receive my friendship affectionately

إذا بلغت راكبيها منى

بلغن المنى وتلقين زلفى

That you are the most excellent of people, repose of the weary

And most steadfast in glory, decisively

بأنك أندى الورى راحة

وأكلف بالمجد منهم وأكفا

Your ransom is one whose custom is generosity

I say, awake to munificence, sincerely

فداؤك ذو سنة كلّ ما

أقول تنبه للجود أنفى

Take it as the morning breeze

With dawn, visiting the vegetation gently

فخذها تُخال نسيم الصبَا

مع الصبح رى أو النبت رفينا

Every time I repeat it, and time

Passes upon poetry unceasingly

يكون لها كلما كررت

وكر الزمَان على الشعر صرفا