لي عَدو مُلقب بِالحَبيب

ماس في قَده النَضير الرَطيب

I have an enemy nicknamed my beloved

Graceful and gentle in stature

خجل الصُبح مُذ رَأى مِنهُ فرقاً

مثل بَرق رَأيته مِن كَثيب

The morning was shy since it saw his hair parting

Like lightning I saw it from the hill

أَطرَقت ريمة الكناس حياء

إِذ رَنت مقلة الغَزال الرَبيب

The doe of Kinaas lowered her gaze shyly

When the fawn of the gazelle cried out

وَنَضا جفنه المَريض سُيوفاً

عَبثت حينَ جردت في القُلوب

And his sick eyelids unsheathed swords

That wreaked havoc when bare amongst hearts

هَل رَأيتُم مَدى الزَمان خُدوداً

مِن ورود وَجنة مِن طيب

Have you seen the cheeks of time

With roses and a paradise of fragrance

عللاني بذكره حَيث إِني

لَيسَ لي في وصاله مِن نَصيب

Talk to me of him though I have no share of union with him

And scatter every subtle meaning of his talk

وَانثرا مِن حَديثه كُل مَعنى

فَخَطيب الغَرام خَير خَطيب

For the orator of passion is the best orator

Listen to the voice from his protectiveness when

اسمع الصَوت مِن حِماه إِذا ما

أَطرب الغَير نَغمة العَندليب

The melody of the nightingale enchants others

Mirage may seem palatable to the thirsty

قَد يَروق السَراب مَن كانَ ظام

وَيغذي النَسيم أَحشاء ذيب

And the breeze nourish the guts of the emaciated

How can I hope for union with my ascendant who

كَيفَ أَرجو الوِصال مِن طالِعي ال

عكس وَدَهر يَسير بِالمَقلوب

Reverses affection and time flows inverted

My merits are sins in his law

حَسَناتي في شرعه سَيئاتي

وَولوعي يعده مِن ذُنوبي

And my passion he counts as my sins

Wondrous! Joseph of Beauty was unfair to me

عَجَباً يوسف الجَمال جفاني

وَأَنا لَست مِن بَني يَعقوب

And I am not of the children of Jacob

Estrangement results from a flawed assessment

ينتج الهَجر مِن قِياس عَقيم

إِن هَذا مِن الغَريب العَجيب

This is of the wondrous strange

He never demeans the lofty out of whim

أَبَداً يخفض الرَفيع بِجزم

قَد تَبَدى مِن عامل مَنصوب

The appointed servant has manifested

By the life of that cheek and its mother

بِأَبي ذَلِكَ المَحيا وَأُمي

كَم بِهِ مِن مُتيم مَسلوب

Many a hopeless romantic was plundered

When he removed the veil, dawn broke

إِذ أَماطَ اللثام فَانفلق الصُب

حُ وَبانَت مَحاسن المَحجوب

And the beauties of the veiled one appeared

Lord of a night I spent in delight

رب لَيل قَضيتهُ بِسرور

أرشف الخَمر مِن ثغير الحَبيب

The wine was more euphoric than my beloved's saliva

His eyelids are my cups and his saliva my wine

قَدحي جفنه وَخَمري لَماه

وَنَديمي مِن لَفظه المَسكوب

And my boon companion is his outpouring words

At times I am satiated by an embrace and at others

تارة أشتفي بِضَم وَأُخرى

أقطف الوَرد مِن أَعالي القَضيب

I pluck roses from the top of the branch

My sword against the enemy, my guard against the spy

وَحسامي مِن العَدو خَفيري

وَأَنيسي مِن الحَسود الرَقيب

And the stars guard it from the soldiers of darkness

The spheres of existence gave us glad tidings

وَجُنود الظَلام يَرقبها النج

مُ بِطرف مِن فضة مَصبوب

Of the rank of the eminent, son of the eminent

The sphere of glory and pride, noble lineage

وَجهات الوجود قَد بشرتنا

بِمقام النَجيب نَجل النَجيب

And strong familial ties, the judicious the highborn

The abodes darkened after you and became

فلك المَجد وَالفَخار كَريم ال

أصل وَالمحتد الحَسيب النَسيب

After you like their overturned stones

Wisdom of existence fell mute and wandered

أَظلمت بعدك الدِيار وَصارَت

بَعدكم مثل حجرها المَقلوب

Perplexed after you, the aspirations of the wise

You wept with munificence and generosity until

خَرست حكمة الوجود وَضَلت

بَعدكم همة الذَكي الأَريب

You filled the universe with weeping and lament

Call out, do you see, oh caller

وَبكاكَ النَوال وَالجود حَتّى

مَلأَ الكَون بِالبُكا وَالنَحيب

Other than you in the world who responds

We have seen none but you, O son of glory

ناد هَل تَرى يا مُنادي

غَير في الوَرى مِن مُجيب

Who hopes for the anguished distressed

Return to it with might and safety

ما رَأَينا سِواكَ يا ابنَ المَعالي

مَن يرجي لكربة المَكروب

O you furious with the sword's residue

And with your sandal tread the necks of enemies

عد إِلَيهِ بعزة وَأَمان

أَيُّها العضب في الحسام الرسوب

And pass judgment by tradition for the beloved friend

And take charge of matters since you are qualified

وَبنعليك دس رِقاب الأَعادي

وَاقضي بِالعُرف للصَديق الحَبيب

And rightful for its appointed position

Judgment of matters is your ancient inheritance

وَقول الأُمور إِذ أَنتَ أَهل

وَحَقيق بِبَيتِها المَنصوب

And recent, and I am no liar

The abodes were illuminated by you and wandered

لَكَ حكم الأُمور إِرثاً قَديماً

وَحَديثاً وَما أَنا بِالكَذوب

Perplexed by the echo of their racket

So the meadows' silk flows musk

قَد أَنارَت بِكَ الدِيار وَتاهَت

وَتَلافت مِن صَدعها المَشعوب

Above the meadow's water, O beloved

You are the pride of time to people decidedly

فَأديم الرِياض يَرشح مسكا

فَوقَ ماء عَلى الرِياض حَبيب

Its refuge and ultimate desire

أَنتَ فَخر الزَمان في الناس جَزماً

وَمناه وَغاية المَطلوب