أَتَرى أَين حَلَّ أَم أَينَ أَمسى

غُصن بِانٍ يَقلّ أَعلاهُ شَمسا

Where does the flowering branch rest, where does the sun set upon it?

If only my hand could write the verses to describe it

لَيتَ أَني وَقَد تَرحل بِيد

كُن أَمساً لِأَسطُر العَيس طُرسا

A longing soul sees the ruins and wilderness that remains

After the landmark was erased and the pact was broken

لَهف شاك يَرى المَعاهد ضَما

بَعدَ ما شَطَ وَالمَعالم خَرسا

Separation cleaved it then a heart that was rock

Returned through passion low and vile

صَدع البين مِنهُ ثُمَّ فُؤاداً

كانَ صَخراً فَعادَ بِالوَجد خَنسا

Its tears exposed it while the last pearl fell

From his cheek almost forgotten in slumber

فَضحتهُ دُموعَهُ مِثلَما

نَمَّ عَلى الخود فَآخر الحُلي جَرسا

He nearly forgets the beauty of Damascus

When its mixture separated from him

كادَ يَنسى مَحاسن الشام لَما

بانَ عَنهُ خَليطُهُ كادَ يُنسى

He wishes he could envision it and if not for

Affliction grazing his sight he would not have attained it at all

يَتَمَنى زور الخَيال وَلَولا

مَس مِنهُ الكَرى النَواظر لَمسا

Raising the ignorant and foolish beyond measure

Acting arbitrarily and boastful in deeds and self

شادن أَظلَم الخَلائق الحا

ظا وَأَمضى فعلاً وَأَكبَر نَفسا

Graceful, he leans toward you but his heart is stone

Nay, it is harder than stone

بانة يَنثَني إِلَيكَ وَلَكن

قَلبَهُ الصَخر بَل مِن الصَخر أَقسى

The days have taught him the ways of evasion

And the nights have imbued cunning and fraudulence in him

عَلمتهُ الأَيام طَرق التَجني

وَاللَيالي أَقرأنهُ الصَد دَرسا

I repeat his memory and if not for it

My pillow would not have gained soft silk

رَددت ذِكرَهُ الحِسان فَلولا

ه لَما أَحرَزت مَراشف لَعسا

Beauty flourished in the garden of his cheek, roses

Wilting, shedding their color, their petals fading

أَطلَع الحُسن في حَديقة خَدي

هِ وَروداً اترُكنَ لَونيَ وَرَسا

How often with deceits have I watered it

Thrice one day, five times the next

طالَما بِت بِالخَدايع أَسقي

هِ ثَلاثاً حيناً وَاِشرَب خَمسا

I stir the wine in discourse but there is no

Profound meaning sensed in that discourse

فَزج الكاس بِالحَديث وَما ال

طف ذاكَ الحَديث مَعنى وَحَسا

I know not whether it is the essence of his cheek

Or just the spices in the wine I taste

لَستُ أَدري أَمن عصارة خَدي

هِ أَم الراح صَفو ما اِنتَحا

When my eyelashes perceived his cheek, was it

That my heart pitied him or grieved over him

لا رَأَت مُقلَتي مَحياهُ إِن كا

ن فُوادي يَسلوه أَو يَتأسا

And I lost all aid in passion, if you likened

This dear one to anyone of his ilk and nature

وَعَدمت النَصير في الوَجد إِن رُم

تُ لِهَذا العَزيز شَبهاً وَجِنسا

The intuitive one almost guesses what

The days may bring in intuition and perception

المَعي يَكاد يخبر عَما

في غَدٍ لِلملا ذَكاءً وَحَدسا

It is Mohammad Al-Nadim whom I mean

Surpassing in sagacity and supreme in eloquence

هَوَ أَعَني مُحَمَد النَدب مَن فا

ق أَياساً وَفي الفَصاحة قَسا

The most generous of people in nature and giving

And in defying the times mighty and bold

أَكرَم الناس شَيمَةً وَعَطاءً

وَمُعير الزَمان عَزماً وَبَأسا

His ring stamped high distinction and he was first

To glory so the seal-ring and yesterday became one

فَض خَتم العُلا وَبكر لِلمَج

د فَأَضحى الهمام خَتماً وَأَمسا

He brought honor perfectly ripened from the branches

Of greatness too lofty for anyone to touch

وَجَنى العز يانِعاً مِن غُصون

لِلمَعالي تَجل عَن ان تَمسا

Of finer manners than a garden, more beautiful than

Splendor and most friendly and companionable

أَدَباً رائِقاً أَغض مِن الرَو

ض وَأَبهى حُسناً وَأَكثَر أُنسا

His high principles spread as he roamed proud

Exuding fragrance, prestigious, his origins most fragrant

وَعلاً راقَ مشرعاً وَفَخاراً

فاحَ طيباً وَمُحتَداً طابَ غَرسا

Visit him to see the brightest full moons

Depicting a soul of the angels in holiness

زُرهُ تُبصر أَغر أَبلَج قَد صَو

ر روحاً مِن المَلائك قُدسا

Whenever we see him it is as if spring

In its bloom, and life itself is but a wedding

كُل آن نَراهُ فَصل رَبيع

في ذُراهُ وَمدَّة العُمر عُرسا

O most honored of men in status, most chaste

In high principles, highest branch and noblest soul

يا أَعَز الأَنام جاهاً وَأَزكى

في المَعالي فرعاً وَأَكرَم نَفسا

Would that good fortune let you drink from the pure

Wine its draught after serving me from your cup

لَيتَ حَظا سَقاكَ صافية الفَض

ل سَقاني مِن فَضل كاسك كاسا

All merit beside you is a cloak worn in falsehood

While from you doubt not the garb is donned

كُل فَضل لَدى سِواك رِداءٌ

مُستَعار وَمِنكَ لا شَكَ يَكسا

And we see the merit in you, glory a heritage

Upon you dignity and precedence imposed and withheld

وَنَرى الفَضل فيكَ وَالمَجد إِرثاً

وَعَلَيك الوَقار وَقفاً وَحَبسا

The days wish if only I were a verse

And the nights if only I were sweet poetry describing you

تَتَمنى الأَيام لَو كُنت طُرساً

وَاللَيالي لِوَصفك العَذب نَفسا

You have with me rights and bonds

Remaining, and a blessing that shall not be forgotten

لَكَ عِندي مِن الحُقوق عُهود

باقِيات وَنعمة لَيسَ تَنسا