أيروى في الهوى غيري وأظما

وأقنع بالمنى كلا ولما

Another is sated with love while I yearn,

And am content with wishes, never to be fulfilled.

سأعطي النفس ما طلبت فأما

تهون فتحمل البلوى وأما

I will indulge my soul in its desires; then it will either

Endure hardships patiently or refuse and pine away.

الام تسومني هجرا فهجرا

وتجعل لي وما أجرمت جرما

My days estrange me with their distance, though I have done

No wrong, and render my exile lifelong.

صددت غرغرة بالشوق ترقى

عليك وصلة بالدمع تدمى

I mutter my longing till it soars to you,

And send you a greeting wet with tears.

أحاول ستر ما القى وتأبى

دموع العين إلا أن تنما

I try to hide my torment but my eyes

Refuse to restrain their tears from flowing.

أحب الوعد منك وأن تنادي

واقنع بالخيال إذا ألما

Your promise is so dear, if you would just call me!

I would be content with dreams if they brought pain.

عسى الأيام تمسح لي بوصل

وتأخذ لمن الهجران سلما

Maybe time with union will one day wipe me clean

And take the hardship of estrangement away.

فأثني غدك الممشوق ضما

وأفني ريقك المسعول لثما

Then I will gather close your radiant morning

And savor the wine of your lips with a kiss.

وكم ليل من التطوال بتنا

يقلب نجمه في الكأس نجما

How many long nights have I spent awake with you,

The stars in my cup pass like stars in the sky.

يريني عطفا الغصن الرطيب ال

قوام وطرف الرشا الأجما

You show me the bend of the dewy branch, so straight and tall,

And the gaze of the fawn, so dark and tender.

إلى أن مدت الجوزاء كفا

وساقت من خيول الليل دهما

Until the Pleiades rose and stretched out

A palm from the horses of the night sky.

وقد رق العتاب ودق حتى

ظننا الأسماع وهما

Reproach grew loud and pounded till we thought

Our ears deceived us as they rang.

شربنا الراح بالأرواح طيبا

وبعنا الغم في حانات غما

We drank joy with the spirits' wine,

And sold our grief in the taverns of sorrow.

ومائرة الملاط إذا أهيجت

وسمت بوخدها البيداء وسما

When the wrinkled old crow stirs up trouble

And flies over the white desert sands,

فليت بها الفلا والليل مرخ

ملائته وطرف النجم أعمى

Would that the east wind and night let down their hair

And the stars dim their gaze in my cup!

إذا بلغت بنا عمرا ولانت

حميما من ندى كفيه جما

If we outlive youth and no longer taste

The sweet dew of youth in the palms of his hands,

فلاحكت لها الأقتاب ظهرا

ولا وردت بها الأخطار حزما

If the voyagers turn from him and resolve no longer sets

The course of events according to his reins,

أبرميمٍ قولا وفعلاً

وأكرم منتمٍ خالا وعما

I will be true in word and deed,

Honoring the noble and blind alike.

له لحظيريه القرب بعدا

ولفنا يخرق السمع الأصما

For him my enclosure is sanctuary though miles away,

My hearing pierces even through the deaf.

وسيم ماسما الأمبيدا

عداه ولا رمى إلا وأعما

He shoots his arrow of good looks - none can match

His throw unless their aim be blindness itself.

مضي العزم ذو رأي جلي

إذا ما حادث الدهر أدلهما

Resolute his judgment, if fate should sow dissension,

He leads them; warring with him is warring with a lion.

إذا حاربته حاربت ليثا

وإن جاريته جاريت يمّا

Yield to him and you have yielded to a towering peak.

His renown grows with his generosity. How can musk conceal

له بشر ينم على العطايا

وكيف سترت نشر المسك نما

Its scent when it spreads?

Fierce in war, yet gentle in peace,

أغريريك يوم الحرب طيشا

إذا أبلى ويوم السلم حلما

With your munificence faith in good is restored.

Need has been driven so far from us

بجودك يا أمين الدين صحَّت

أماني الظنون وكن رجما

It is as though the Merciful never created it.

And you have perfected virtuous conduct until you have made

لقد شردت عنا العدم حتى

كأن لم يخلق الرحمان عدما

High principles a binding obligation.

Your ransom, O pillar of faith, is too great

وتمت بسنة المعروف حتى

جعلت عني العفاة عليا حتما

For thanks when I praise, though I try my best.

When I ask him for bounty, it is as if

فداؤك يا كما لالدين عار

من النعمة إذ مدح استذما

I asked a man who grinds aloes for sweetness.

Greetings to you, for you are a towering mountain peak,

كأني حين أسأله نوالا

أًُسائل من لوى تيماء رسما

Beyond it lofty summits fall short.

سلمت على الزمان فأنت طود

تقاصر دونه أجما وسلمى