ما بِعَيني هَذا الغَزالِ الغَريرِ
مِن فُتونٍ مُستَجلَبٍ مِن فُتورِ
What eyes are these of the charming gazelle
With fascinated glances to enchant and lure
إِستَوى الحُبُّ بَينَنا فَغَدا الدَه
رُ قَصيراً وَاللَهوُ غَيرَ قَصيرِ
Love between us is now well established
Making the days seem short and play unending
أَنَخيلٌ بِعالِجٍ أَم سَفينٌ
عائِماتٌ أَم أُلَياتُ خُدورِ
Are they date palms in solace or ships
Sailing by or tents of nomads secure
قَرُبوا بَعدَ نِيَّةٍ وَاِطمَأَنّوا
بَعدَ إِدمانِ قُلعَةٍ وَمَسيرِ
They approached after intention and settled
After besieging a fort and traveling far
لِتَداني القُلوبِ إِنَّ تَداني
هِنَّ داعٍ إِلى تَداني الدورِ
For hearts to be close, their closeness indeed
Invites a coming together of homes
لَيسَ في العاشِقينَ أَنقَصُ حَظّاً
في التَصابي مِن عاشِقٍ مَهجورِ
No lovers are lesser in chances of meeting
Than the ardent lover who is spurned
ضَعُفَ الدَهرُ عَن هَوانا وَما الدَه
رُ عَلى كُلِّ دَولَةٍ بِقَديرِ
Time was too weak to subdue our love
As time cannot command each state
حَسُنَت لَيلَةُ الكَثيبِ فَكانَت
لِيَ أُنساً وَوَحشَةً لِلغَيورِ
The night of al-Kathib went well for me
Bringing intimacy and jealousy for the jealous
ضَلَّ بَدرُ السَماءِ أَو كادَ لَمّا
واجَهَتهُ وُجوهُ تِلكَ البُدورِ
The full moon nearly erred or did
When faced with those luminous faces
اللَواتي يَنظُرنَ بِالنَظَرِ الفا
تِرِ مِن أَعيُنِ الظِباءِ الحورِ
Who gaze with conquering eyes
Like the glances of wild deer-eyed houri
يَتَبَسَّمنَ مِن وَراءِ شُفوفِ ال
رَيطِ عَن بَردِ أُقحُوانِ الثُغورِ
Smiling from behind the veils
Against the cold of chaste mouths
وَيُسارِقنَ وَالرَقيبُ قَريبٌ
لَحَظاتٍ يُعلِنَّ سِرَّ الضَميرِ
And stealing secretive glances
Though the watcher is near at hand
شَغَلَ الحَمدَ وَالثَناءَ جَميعاً
عَن جَميعِ الوَرى نَوالُ الأَميرِ
Praise and thanks have preoccupied all
Distracting all creation from the prince
وَإِذا ما اِستَهَلّى بِالحَسَنِ الجو
دُ فَإِنَّ الكَثيرَ غَيرُ كَثيرِ
When he is graced with beauty and generosity
The abundant seems little and slight
مَلِكٌ عِندَهُ عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ
كَرَمٌ زائِدٌ عَلى التَقديرِ
A king in whom is found in every state
Generosity exceeding all bounds
فَكَأَنّا مِن وَعدِهِ وَجَداهُ
أَبَداً بَينَ رَوضَةٍ وَغَديرِ
As if we find through his promise evermore
Meadows and streams amidst gardens
جامِعُ الرَأيِ لَيسَ يَخفى عَلَيهِ
أَينَ وَجهُ الصَوابِ في التَدبيرِ
The consensus builder, nothing escapes him
Where truth lies in governance and reform
تَتَفادى الخُطوبُ مِنهُ إِذا ما
كَرَّ فيها بِرَأيِهِ المَنصورِ
Troubles avoid him when he steers them
With his triumphant wisdom and insight
قَهَرَ الدَهرَ أَوَّلاً وَأَخيراً
بِحِجىً مِنهُ أَوَّلٍ وَأَخيرِ
He conquered time, early and late
With proof from him, first and last
فَلَهُ كُلَّما أَتَتهُ أُمورٌ
مُشكِلاتٌ دَلائِلٌ مِن أُمورِ
So for every matter that comes his way
Problematic, with clues from matters
كِسرَوِيٌّ عَلَيهِ مِنهُ جَلالٌ
يَملَأُ البَهوَ مِن بَهاءٍ وَنورِ
A Chosroes whom he clothes with splendor
Filling the court with brilliance and light
وَتَرى في رُوائِهِ بَهجَةَ المُل
كِ إِذا ما اِستَوفاهُ صَدرُ السَريرِ
You see in his aura the joy of kings
When the breast of authority fulfills him
وَإِذا ما أَشارَ هَبَّت صَبا المِس
كِ وَخِلتَ الإيوانَ مِن كافورِ
And when he gestures, the youths of musk disperse
And the hall is emptied of camphor
يُطلِقُ الحِكمَةَ البَليغَةَ في عُر
ضِ حَديثٍ كَاللُؤلُؤِ المَنثورِ
He utters eloquent wisdom
Like scattered pearls in speech
يا اِبنَ سَهلٍ وَأَنتَ غَيرُ مُفيقٍ
مِن بِناءِ العَلياءِ أُخرى الدُهورِ
Oh son of Sahl, though not yet fully aware
Of the lofty buildings of days gone by
إِنَّ لِلمَهرَجانِ حَقّاً عَلى
كُلِّ كَبيرٍ مِن فارِسٍ وَصَغيرِ
The festival has a right over
Every elder knight and youth
عيدُ آبائِكَ المُلوكِ ذَوي التي
جانِ أَهلِ النُهى وَأَهلِ الخيرِ
The feast of your forefathers, kings of crown
The people of piety and people of good
مِن قُباذٍ وَيَزدَجِردَ وَفَيرو
زٍ وَكِسرى وَقَبلَهُم أَردَشيرِ
Of Qubadh, Yazdegerd, Firuz
And Khosrow before them and Ardashir
شاهِدوهُ في حَلبَةِ المُلكِ يَغدو
نَ عَلَيهِ في سُندُسٍ وَحَريرِ
See him in the arena of kingship
Approaching in brocade and silk
عَظَّموهُ وَوَقَّروهُ وَمَحقو
قٌ بِفَضلِ التَعظيمِ وَالتَوقيرِ
Revere him and honor him as is deserved
With the excellence of reverence and esteem
هُوَ يَومٌ وَفيهِ مِن كُلِّ شَهرٍ
خُلُقٌ فَهُوَ جامِعٌ لِلشُهورِ
A day in which is found from each month
A disposition, encompassing all months
بَعُدَت فيهِ الشِعرى مِنَ الجَوِّ في ال
حُكمِ فَلا موقِدٌ لِنارِ الهَجيرِ
The Pleiades have receded far in virtue
No fire remains for the kindling sticks
وَكَأَنَّ الأَيّامَ أوثِرَ بِالحُس
نِ عَلَيها ذو المِهرَجانِ الكَبيرِ
As if the best of days were chosen for it
By the one with the grand festival
