أهواكُمُ وخيالُكمْ يَهْواني

فلقد شَجاهُ فراقُكم وشَجاني

I yearn for you and your memory haunts me

For parting from you has wounded me, and wounded me deeply

أُضحي أخا سفَرٍ فما ألقاكُمُ

وأبيتُ ذاَ سهَرٍ فما يَلْقاني

I have become a companion of travel, yet I cannot find you

I spend my nights awake, yet sleep evades me

ما زلْتُ أحكي في النُّحولِ مِثالَه

حتّى تَناهَى السُّقْمُ بي فَحكاني

I tell the same story over and over in my sorrow

Until sickness has overtaken me and talks with me

فتركْتُ طَيفَكُمُ وقد أفناهُ هِجْ

راني كما هِجرانُكمْ أفناني

So I left your memory, though passionate longing destroyed me

Just as your abandonment destroyed me

ما كان يَدْري ما الحَنينُ مَطيُّنا

حتّى مرَرنَ بأبرَقِ الحَنّان

He who has not tasted the bitterness of longing

Cannot know how the eyes of the enamored weep

لمّا أمَلْتُ زمامَ نِضْويَ نَحوَهُ

لأُجيلَ طَرفيَ في رُسومِ مَغان

When I guided the reins of my mount toward him

To feast my eyes on his features for a moment

جَعلَتْ تُناحِلُني الرُّسومُ لَوائحاً

والدّهرُ أبلاها كما أبلاني

The features began to overwhelm me with their radiance

While fate has worn them down just as it has worn me down

ما كان آهِلَها عَشِيّةَ زُرتُها

إلا مَكانُ مَطِيّتي ومكاني

The place was not inhabited when I visited it at dusk

Except for where my mount knelt, and where I knelt

فلو استَمعْتَ إليّ في عَرَصاتِهّا

لعجِبْتَ كيف تَخاطَب الطّلَلان

If you were to listen to me wailing among its ruins

You would be amazed at the conversation between the remnants and me

وسألْتُها أينَ الَّذينَ عَهِدْتُهمْ

ليُجيبَ أو ليُبِينَ بعْضَ بَيان

I asked where are those I once knew

To answer me or provide some explanation

فثَنى الصَّدى قَوْلي إليَّ بحَرِّها

وبمِثْلِ ما ناجَيْتُه ناجاني

But the echo threw my words back at me with its desolation

Answering me with the same words I whispered to it

صَدقَ الصّدى أنا والدّيارُ جَهالةً

بالحيِّ مُذْ شَطَّ النَّوى سِيّان

The echo spoke truly, both I and this land are ignorant

Of the beloved since the beloved traveled on

إنّ الذينَ عُهودُهمْ كعُيونِهمْ

عندَ اللّقاء ضعيفةُ الأركان

Those whose bonds are like their eyes

Are weakly bound when they meet

جَعلوا وما عدَلوا غداةَ تَحكَّموا

دَمْعي الطّليقَ لهمْ وقَلبي العاني

They left me the day they gained power over me

Letting my flowing tears and suffering heart pine for them

قلبٌ أدار عليهِ طَرْفُكَ كأْسَه

كم جارَ من ساقٍ على نَدْمان

A heart around which your charming glance circles

Like a goblet passing over the top of a flask

وأنا الفِداءُ لشادنٍ لاحَظْتُه

فسبَى الفؤادَ بناظرٍ فَتّان

And I, enchanted by a beauty I beheld, am willing

To ransom my heart which was captivated by an alluring glance

قد قلتُ حينَ نظَرتُ فَرْطَ تَعجُّبٍ

وعليه لمّا أن بدا قُرطان

When I saw the two dangling earrings in wondrous amazement

Gleaming on his radiant cheeks I could only exclaim

لِمْ نَكَّسوا القُرطينِ لمّا عاقَبوا

في جيدِه والسّاحرُ العَيْنان

Why are the two earrings hanging there now that they have punished

The beauty of his cheeks? Yet the bewitching eyes remain

بجِوارِ جائرتَيْنِ قد عَلِقا معاً

فهُما بما جنَتاهُ مُرتَهِنان

Suspended alongside the tyrannous cheeks, both now

Are captive to the crimes they have perpetrated

ما كان أوّلَ سَطوةٍ من ظالمٍ

أخذَ البَريءُ بها فلَجَّ الجاني

Never did an oppressor first seize an innocent

And by so doing exonerate the criminal

والدّهرُ قد يَجْلو عَجائبَ صَرْفِه

حتّى أكونَ مُكذّبِاً لعِياني

Fate can obscure the strangeness of its decree

To the point I doubt even what my eyes see plainly

ياجَيُّ جئْتُكِ زائراّ وأنا امرؤٌ

ناء عنِ الأوطارِ والأوطان

O ancient ruins, I came to you a visitor, a man

Far from family and homeland

فقَرَيْتني هَمّاً جُعِلْتُ له قِرًى

إنّ الغريبَ لأُكْلَةُ الأحزان

Misfortune lodged me in its abode so I became

An easy feast for sorrows, for strangers are prone to melancholy

ضَيفاً إذا اختارَ النُّزولَ بساحتي

كانتْ ملاءُ جِفانِه أجفاني

A guest who chooses to stay with me

Will find my rocky ground inhospitable terrain

وإذا سَرَى لم تَهْدِه مَشبوبَةٌ

باللّيلِ إلاّ ما يُجِنُّ جِناني

And if he travels on, no friendly fire will guide him at night

Except the fire of my passions raging out of control

عافَ السَّديفَ وقد ألمَّ بسُدْفةٍ

فأرادني وأذابَني وغَذاني

My companion dealt the blows of one seeking union

Melting me, burning me, consuming me

وكذا الأكارمُ لو قَرَوْا بلُحومِهمْ

لم يَحْسِبوا مَنناً على الضّيِفان

And yet, had the noble felt the pangs of hunger

They would not consider it a favor to feed a guest

هل في معاهدِ أصفهانَ وحُسنها

مُتعلَّلٌ لنزيعِ خُوزِسْتان

In the gardens of Isfahan, is there one suffering with the fever

Of Khuzistan to explain Isfahan's beauty and charm?

فَتَق الرّبيعُ بها الكَمائمَ كلَّها

فتَبسّمتْ للنّاسِ عن ألوان

For spring has unfurled all its banners

And she smiles at the people with her many hues

إلاّ فؤادي فالهمومُ تَضُمُّه

عن أن يُطالِعَ منه بِيضَ أمان

Except for my heart, which grief oppresses too deeply

To glimpse its brilliant hopes

أمّا الرّياضُ فقد بدَتْ كمجَالسٍ

مَنْضودةٍ والوُرْقُ فُصْحُ قِيان

The gardens resemble well-arranged salons

With fresh verdant leaves like goblets of wine

والرِّيحُ مثْلُ الرّاحِ بُوكرَ شُرْبُها

والغُصْنُ فيه تَميُّلُ النَّشْوان

The breeze as delightful to drink as morning drafts

And branches swaying with little drunken steps

وإذا الحَمامُ غدا وراحَ مُكَرِّراً

في الأيك ما يَختارُ من ألحان

The doves begin to coo, repeating their refrain

Selecting from among melodies the sweetest strains

فتَرى بنا ما بالغُصونِ إذا شَدَتْ

من شِدّةِ البُرَحاء والأشْجان

You will see the boughs moved by the sheer force

Of passion, bending like limbs in tight embrace

تتَشبَّهُ الأغصانُ بالأعطافِ إنْ

غَنّيْنَ والأعطافُ بالأغصان

The branches take on the posture of hands

When they bend, and hands resemble branches

ما للنّسيمِ ونَى وليس هُبوبُه

في سُحْرةٍ عن أن يَشوقَ بِوان

Why does the gentle breeze blow with languor?

Its blowing fails to stir longing before dawn

أعطَى القَنا أيدي الرِّياضِ تَهُزُّها

وكسا الدُّروعَ مَناكبَ الغُدْران

The breezes make the willows tremble

Cloaking their shoulders in films of dew

وكأنّه يومَ الهِياجِ مُحَرِّشٌ

يَسعَى لكي يَتصادم الزَّحْفان

As if on a day of tumult, seeking to drive

Opposing ranks to the field of contest

وكأنّما بَعثَ البِحارُ إلى الرُبَا

بِيَدِ السَّحابِ وَدائعَ المَرْجان

As if the sea sent the heavy clouds

To the shore, scattering pearls and coral

وحكَى أقاحيها سقيطَ دراهمٍ

وحكَى دنانيراً جنَى الحَوْذان

Depicting its bubbles like scattered coins

And its foam like the fruit on branches

وشقائقُ النُّعمان تَحكي بَيْنَها

بكمالِ بَهْجتِها خُدودَ حِسان

The anemones tell tales to each other

With their perfect beauty, like rosy cheeks

هيَ للخدودِ النّاعماتِ نَسيبةٌ

شَبَهاً فلِمْ نُسِبَتْ إلى النُّعْمان

They resemble delicate cheeks, so why

Are they named after the medicinal nigella?

وكأنّ كُلَّ شَقيقةٍ مكْحولةٍ

شَرِقَتْ مَحاجِرُها بأحمرَ قان

Each scarlet anemone appears to be drunken,

Its petals glowing like the reddest henna

عَينٌ لإنسانٍ وقد مُلئتْ دَماً

منه فما يَبدو سوى الإنْسان

You would think them the eyes of men brimming with blood

So none can be seen but the eyes of men

يَبكى بها شاني الأميرِ مُحمَّدٍ

كَسَداً فتَترُكُه قَريحَ الشّان

They shed tears for the Prince, alas

Cut down in his youth before his prime

والفَضلُ إن يكُ رَوضةً فشَقيقُها

تَحديقُ عَيْنِ الحاسدِ اللَّهفان

Excellence, if deemed a garden, will have envy

Eyeing it sharply like a lurking snake

لأبي عليٍّ في العلاء ثَنِيّةٌ

لا يَستطيعُ طُلوعَها القَمَران

Abu Ali holds such lofty excellence

The full moons cannot reach his ascendance

طلَع الأميرُ مُحمَّدُ بْنُ مُحّمدٍ

شَمْساً لأُفْقِ العَدْلِ والإحْسان

The Emir Muhammad ibn Muhammad arose

As a sun of justice and benevolence

شَرَفٌ لدينِ اللهِ سَمّاهُ الهُدى

وحُلَى الأسامي للرِّجالِ مَعان

A nobility for God's religion, rightly guided,

Among the finest names of glorious men

لمّا نَمتْه منَ الملوكِ عِصابَةٌ

للدّينِ كانوا أشْرفَ الأعوان

When the group of kings defended the faith

They were its noblest defenders and aides

أبناءُ أوّلِ مَعشرٍ لسيوفهم

في الدّهرِ ذَلَّ الكُفْرُ للإيمان

Sons of the first group whose swords

Subdued disbelief for belief in ancient days

لاثُوا العمائمَ سُؤْدَداً وتَعوَّدوا

بالبِيضِ ضَرْبَ مَعاقدِ التِّيجان

They wore white turbans as their crowns

And were accustomed to the color white for their headbands

وبِهمْ نَبيُّ اللهِ باهَى عِزّةً

مَن كان مِن عَدْنانَ أو قَحْطان

With them God's Prophet triumphed gloriously

Whether they traced back to Adnan or Qahtan

في يومِ ذي قارٍ غداةَ سُيوفُهمْ

نيرانُ أهْلِ عبادةِ النِّيران

On the day of Dhi Qar when their swords were like

Fires for the people who worship fires

كانتْ كذلك جاهليّةُ مُلكِهمْ

والدَّهرُ إن نظرَ الفتى يَوْمان

Such too in ignorance was the nature of their rule

If one looks upon a youth over a two day span

وحمَوْا حِمَى الإسلامِ لمّا أنْ بدَتْ

للخُرَّميّةِ ضَربةٌ بجِران

They protected Islam's sanctuary when it was threatened

By the Kharijites with a deadly strike

وسعَى أبو دُلَفٍ إلى عَلْياءَ لم

يَدْلِفْ إليها بامْرئٍ قَدَمان

Abu Dulaf marched to Aliya, but no two feet

Had ever entered it before in this way:

في عُصبةٍ مُضَرِيَّةٍ لكنّهمْ

قد أصحَبوا الأيمانَ كلَّ يَمان

With a band of Mudharis, but all walking steadily

On the path of faith without straying right or left

وكتيبةٍ تَطِسُ الحصَى مَلْمومةٍ

تُعْشى إياةَ الشّمسِ بالومَضان

A detachment that pulverizes rock underneath it

Rushing to meet the sunset with lightning bolts

في حيثُ ليس يَهيجُ أطْرابَ الرَّدى

إلا حَنينُ عطائفِ الشِّربان

Where nothing incites the confusion of mayhem

Except the neighing of the agitated steeds

والخيلُ كالعِقْبانِ تَقْتحمُ الوغَى

فالقْومُ تحتَ قَوادمِ العقْبان

The horses plunge into danger like eagles

As the warriors dash underneath the eagles

والطّعْنُ يَحْفِر في الكُلَى قُلُباً لها

سُمُرُ القَناَ بَدَلٌ منَ الأشطان

Spears goring the kidneys straight through to the heart

With their slim iron heads instead of spear wood

وعلى مُتونِ الخيلِ أحْلاسٌ لها

من كُلُّ مِطْعامِ النَّدى مِطْعان

On the horses' backs, provisions that make every kind

Of dewdrops their delightful share

كُلُّ ابنِ مُنْجِبةٍ بصَدْرِ جَوادِه

في الرَّوْعِ يَغْشَى حَدَّ كُلِ سِنان

Each son of a noble mare, his horse's chest

Overflowing with valor beyond any adversary

ما كان يُرضِعُه لَبانَ حِصانه

لو كان لم يَرضَعْ لِبانَ حَصان

Never fed his horse's milk, had he not been

Fed himself the milk of his mare

بك يا جمالَ المُلْكِ أضْحَى يَزْدهي

رَأْيُ الوزيرِ ورايةُ السُّلْطان

By your perfect rule, the opinion of the minister

And the banner of the Sultan grow brighter

بأغرَّ يغدو حِلْيةً لزمانِه

وجُدودُه كانوا حُلَى الأزمان

You rise more glorious, the finest jewel of your age

While your ancestors were jewels of their ages

ومُقابَلُ الأطرافِ مُشْتَهِرُ العُلا

والبَيتُ للزُّوَارِ ذو أركان

With features that captivate all who behold them

And a home wide open with pillars for all guests

أمّا العُمومةُ فهْيَ قد فَرعَت به

عَلياءَ يَقْصُرُ دونَها النَّسران

Your outstanding qualities have made you excel

Beyond eagles, whom no other birds surpass

وإذا التفَتَّ إلى الخُؤولة لم تَخَلْ

أحداً يُقارِبُ مَجدَه ويُدانى

When you consider your descendants no lineage can equal

The glory of yours or even draw near

عُلْيا بني إسحاقَ فيه إذا انْتَمى

قد سانَدتْ عُلْيا بني شَيْبان

O Bani Ishaq - when you claim descent from them

You are supported by the towering heights of Bani Shayban

وإذا سألتَ عنِ المكارمِ والعُلا

فلأولٍ من قاسِمَيْهِ وثان

If you ask about superiority and highest virtue

Then the first to come to mind are the two Qasims

وهما اللّذانِ من سالفَيْ عصرَيهما

رفَعا منارَ المجدِ والدّيوان

They were the two who in former times

Raised the banner of glory and leadership

فالمجدُ أعشارٌ إذا قَسّمْتَه

والقاسمانِ له هما السَّهْمان

Divide excellence into ten parts: they would be

Entitled to fully two of the shares

هل كان في الوزراء إلاّ قاسمٌ

ولقد يُزادُ الحَقُّ فَضْلَ بيان

Was there anyone among ministers but Qasim?

More could be said to make his superiority plain

مَن كان خُصَّ بلَثْمِ خَمْسٍ منهمُ

مع ضَربِ خَمسٍ عندَ كُلِّ أذان

Blessed is he whom those five would honor

With a visit, greeting, or call to prayer

أو كالنظامِ وهل جَوادٌ مثْلُه

في الدَّهرِ عمَّ الأرضَ فضْلَ بنان

Who could compare with al-Nizam in generosity?

All others who lived before him are gone

يُعطي العطايا الباقياتِ وقد مضَى

وعَطاهُ كُلَّ مِن سِواهُ فان

He gives everlasting gifts though he himself is gone

While all others who outlived him perished

فهما كبيراكَ اللّذانِ كأنّما

كانا بمجدِكَ للورَى يَعِدان

They are like your two arms, as though

They bolstered your glory for all people

ويكون مثُلك أنت واسطةً إذا

ما كان مثْلَ أولئكَ الطَّرَفان

And you are the best that comes between them

If none resemble those two personages

أمَناطَ آمال تَعُدُّك عُدّةً

للحُرِّ عند طَوارقِ الحَدَثان

Hopes that envision you prepare

Heroes when perilous events draw near

وكأنّ نُورَ جَبينِه لعُيونِنا

كَرماً مَخيلةُ عارضٍ هَتّان

It is as if the glow upon his brow captivates

Our eyes with imaginary beauty marks

نُطْقٌ تظَلُّ الغُرُّ من كَلماتِه

وكأنّها الأقراطُ في الآذان

Eloquence from his words puts beauty spots to shame

As if his words were earrings in ears

كَلِفٌ بدُرِّ القولِ مِن مُدَّاحه

يَشْريهِ بالغالي منَ الأثمان

His admirers burden him with extravagant praise,

Summoning him with the costliest goods

فَضْلاً وإفْضالاً وما جمَع الفَتى

للفَخْرِ مثْلَ العُرْفِ والعِرْفان

His excellence and favor exceed

What any youth could collect of honor and respect

وكأنّ أطرافَ اليراعِ تَهزُّها

للخَطْبِ أطرافُ القنا المُتَداني

It is as if the swaying branches tremble for his arrival

Branches that bend toward each other with welcome

تتأرَّجُ البَيداءُ من أخبارِهِ

وتضوعُ ساعة مُلْتقَى الرُّكْبان

The desert blooms at the news of him

And the time of meeting the caravans is blessed

مِن كُلِّ مَشْبوبِ العزيمة نَحْوَه

مُوفٍ على شَدَنيّةٍ مِذْعان

All those firm of purpose make haste toward him

Loyally obedient, steadfastly compliant

وَجْناءَ حَرْفٍ ما يزالُ يَمُدُّها

أو يُبدِلَ التّحْريكَ بالإسكان

Not tiring of serving or changing directives

From vocalized to unvoweled letters

مُتواضِعٌ للزّائِرينَ ومَجْدُه

مِن رِفعةٍ مُوفٍ على كِيوان

Humble toward visitors, his glory

Loftier than lofty minarets

نفَسْي فِداؤك يا مُحمّدٌ من فتىً

راجيه لا يُرمَى بهِ الرَّجَوان

I ransom you with my soul, O excellent Muhammad

Whose hopes do not disappoint hopes

وإذا دَعَوْتُ إلى المُهمِّ أجابنَي

فكَفاهُ لا وانٍ ولا مُتَوان

When I summon him in a crisis, he responds

Defying hesitation, refusal, or delay

أولَيتُه وُدّاً وأولاني يَداً

والمجدُ أجمَعُ بَعْضُ ما أَولاني

I promised him affection and he promised assistance

While glory promises that some will assist me

وأزَرتُه مِدَحي وحاشَ لهِمَّتي

مِنْ أن أُحِلَّ الفضلَ دارَ هَوان

I celebrated him in verse, but I refrain

From reducing his merit to nothingness

ولئنْ غدَتْ أيّامُ إلْمامي بهِ

مِمّا قَلَلْنَ كقَبسَةِ العَجْلان

If days have passed during which I depended on him

Like the short-lived rays of lightning

فأنا الّذي أُثني على عَلْيائهِ

كثناء حَسّانٍ على غَسّان

Still I praise his lofty qualities

As Hassân praised Ghassân

إن لم تكُنْ قَدَمي تؤُمُّ فِناءهُ

فلقد جرَى قَلَمي ونابَ لِساني

If my feet do not tread his domain

My pen flows and tongue keeps praising