أَيا بَدرُ قَد أَسهَرتَ عَينَيَّ فَاِرقُدِ
وَشاهَدتَ ما جاهَدتُ يا نَجمُ فَاِشهَدِ
O full moon, you have kept both my eyes awake—now sleep.
You have witnessed all I have struggled through, O star; then bear witness.
إِذا لَم تُعايِن في الصَباحِ مَسَرَّةً
فَلا تَحسَبَنَّ اللَيلَ لَيسَ بِسَرمَدِ
If, in the morning, you do not behold my joy,
do not suppose the night is anything but everlasting.
وَيا عاذِلي رِفقاً كَفاني صُدودُهُ
فَإِن شِئتَ فَاِنقُص مِن مَلامِكَ أَو زِدِ
O you who blame me, be gentle; his rejection is enough for me.
If you wish, lessen your reproach—or add to it.
تَمازَجَ في خَدَّيهِ ماءٌ وَجَمرَةٌ
تَمازُجَ دَمعي في الهَوى وَتَوَقُّدي
In his cheeks, water and a glowing coal mingle,
while my tears mingle, in love, with my burning.
فَقَد قَعَدتَ لِلهَمِّ وَالفَقرِ وَالدُجى
وَأَموالِها وَالناكِثينَ بِمَرصَدِ
For you have lain in wait for care, poverty, and darkness,
for its terrors and for oath-breakers, keeping watch.
وَلَولا قُدودُ الغيدِ لَم يُبقِ حُكمُها
لِذي أَودٍ في دَهرِنا مِن تَأَوُّدِ
Were it not for the supple forms of graceful maidens, their sway would have left
no further swaying, in our age, to anyone already bent.
وَفَوا غَيرَ أَنَّ السَمهَرِيَّ وَأَنَّهُ
يُحازُ بِأَيديهِم شَكا لِلمُهَنَّدِ
They kept faith; only the Samharī spear, whenever it
was held in their hands, complained to the Indian blade.
فَما فَلَّلوا إِلّا بِسَيفٍ مُفَلَّلٍ
وَلا أَقصَدوا إِلّا بِرُمحٍ مُقَصَّدٍ
They broke no foe except with a notched sword,
and felled no foe except with a shattered spear.
لَهُم في الوَغى أَغصانُ سُمرٍ كَأَنَّما
تُحَفُّ إِذا أَجروا الدِماءَ بِمَورِدِ
In battle they have tawny branches, as though
they clustered at a watering place whenever they set blood flowing.
تَأَمَّل فَيا حُسنَ الَّذي أَنتَ تَجتَلي
وَأَمِّل فَيا صِدقَ الَّذي أَنتَ تَجتَدي
Look closely—how beautiful is that which you behold!
And set your hope—how true is the one from whom you seek bounty!
إِذا جَدَّ قُلتَ المَرءُ فيها مُخَلَّدٌ
وَإِن جادَ قُلتَ المَرءُ غَيرُ مُخَلَّدِ
When he shows resolve, you say, “Man is immortal here”;
and when he gives freely, you say, “Man is not immortal.”
جَمَعتَ الَّذي فيهِم وَزِدتَ عَلَيهِمُ
فَأَنتَ كَمَعنى ناظِمٍ مُتَوَلِّدِ
You have gathered all that was in them and added beyond them;
you are like a new meaning born to a poet.
وَما فَوقَ ما قَد نِلتَهُ مِن زِيادَةٍ
بَلِ اللَهُ أَولى بِالزِيادَةِ فَاِزدَدِ
Beyond what you have attained, there is no increase—
yes: God is worthier to grant increase; so increase.
