زارت فكان بأمر الله اسراها
غراء مذ خطرت فالكل أسراها
She came to visit, and by God's decree she was captivated
Since she first appeared, all have been captivated by her
خليلة الوجد قد هام الخليل بها
وبات من وله بالنحو يهواها
The beloved of passion, the friend fell for her
And spent the night craving her in his love
أحيت عروض فواد الصب مذ بسمت
ثغرا وقام ابن بسام لمحياها
She revived the hearts of the youths when she smiled
Her mouth blossomed and Ibn Bassam stood up to greet her
تروي شقائق خديها ممنعة
عن ثابت وعن النعمان نعماها
The flowers on her cheeks give drink
To Thabit and al-Nu'man with her bounty
اربت على ابن كثير في محاسنها
حسنا كثيرا وعين اللطف ترعاها
She surpassed Ibn Kathir in her beauty
With abundant beauty, and the eye of affection gazes at her
بكرٌ لمى فمها عذب مراشفه
صافي المودة عند الصب اوفاها
Bakr quenched his mouth with her sweet kiss
Pure of affection toward the youth, loyal to him
لو قابل العامري أسرار طلعتها
لهام في بيتها المعمور اوباهي
If al-Amari witnessed the secrets of her rising
He would be infatuated in her flourishing home
رشيقة اللفظ قد جادت وقد سمحت
من البديع بما نالته كفاها
Eloquent in speech, she was generous and lenient
With masterful rhetoric that availed her
شمس تعبدها العبديّ مذ بزغت
يوما واغنت عن المغني بمغناها
A sun worshipped by al-Abdi since it rose
One day, and sufficed the singers with its melody
واستمطرت لؤلوءا من لؤلوء وروى
عن النسيم غصن البان عطفاها
She drew pearls from pearls and was watered
By the breeze, the boughs of frankincense in her grasp
كأنما القطر من ترشاف ريقتها
تحيي بمبسمها صبا معنّاها
As if the rain were from the nectar of her saliva
Reviving the youths with her smile and meaning
شهباء وافت من الشهباء ترتع في
برد الجمال فكان القلب مرعاها
Radiant, she came from radiance, strolling
In the coolness of beauty, so hearts strayed to her
غرّ مطالعها زهر مراتعها
بين المضارب من عدنان مرباها
The flowering of her visage and her meadows were tempted
By her, between the camps of Adnan her upbringing
رقت كما رقّ جسمي بالهوى اسفا
لبعد من بلالي نظمها فاها
She softened just as my body softened with love
Alas! Separated from Bilali who composed her verses
البارع الفاضل الموصوف سيدها
رب المفاخر من بالحسن انشاها
The excellent and noble, her master
Lord of the glories, author of her beauty
الجحدف السجل بالألفاظ عن زله
ملك المعاني فاقصاها وادناها
The swift scribe, with words he depicts her absence of fault
The king of meanings transcended and brought her near
بدا القريض اثينا منه في طربٍ
لما احتسى من كؤوس الفضل اصفاها
Al-Quraishi shone forth, intoxicated with joy
From drinking deep of the cups of virtue
المشمعل الى الآداب وهي له
عرنا ويزرع في احكام مجراها
Al-Mushammal, knowledgeable in literature which
Adorns him, and he cultivates with excellent verse
سباق غايات نظم فالبروق إذا
جارته اوقفها سيرا وأعياها
A predecessor of artistic expression's aspirations, when
Lightning bolts vie with him, he stops them in their tracks
في النظم تصفو له اهل القريض وكم
قلائد من لألي النثر وشأها
In poetry, the words flow purely for him, and how many
Necklaces of prose and poetry’s pearls has he threaded!
تملك الروع مني حبه وبدت
بين الجوانح نار الشوق يصلاها
Love of him captivates my soul, and the fire of longing appears
Among my entrails, its flames burning
بحبه يا هواه جد بطرق كرى
لعل بالطيف تلك الذات نلقاها
For love of him, O my passion! Make efforts to journey
That we may meet that being through a specter
يا نسيم الصبا ان جزت مربعه
فخبري عن صباباتي وشجواها
O breeze of the zephyr! When you pass by his abode
Inform me of my lovesick companions and their passions
وان ظفرت بشيء من براعته
فصافحيها وحييني برياها
If you attain some of his eloquence
Greet him, and convey my greetings in his courtyard
قد كاد يتلفني شوقي لطلعته
لو لم يكن في جنان القلب مأواها
My craving for his beauty has nearly destroyed me
If not for my heart being its dwelling
سقيت يا حلب الشهباء غيث ندى
وجادك من غوادي البر نداها
You quenched Halab, O radiance, with a rain of dew
And it poured upon you from the valleys of abundant rain
شهباء مذ بزغت خضراء مذ نشرت
قعساء منبت زهر العز صحراها
Radiant, flourishing since you rose, slender since you spread
Brown-skinned, the bloom of mighty glory her plain
جليلة القدر ذات الفخر معجبة
جلا العيون من الاقذاء مرآها
Majestic, whose lineage is pride, a marvel
Eyes dazzled by her, their pupils bedazzled
فاقت على كل مصر وهي مشرقة
ثغرا اضا وبنصر الله منشاها
She surpassed every land when she rose
With a smiling mouth and God's victory her pillar
يا سعد من نظرت عيناه روضتها
ونزه الطرف في فياح مغناها
Happy are they whose eyes gaze on her garden!
Sight delighted in the fragrant melody of her song
حسناء غارت على الحور الحسان ضحى
فاستخلصت من ثغور الغيد لألاها
A beauty who vied with the beautiful houris at dawn
And drew out from bud-like mouths their ornaments
اني متميها اني المشوق لها
اني المعنى بها اني لمضناها
It is I who rave about her, I who crave her
I who care for her, I who seek her meaning!
يا صاحبيّ اطرباني وانشدا سحرا
وعللا الصب من وجد بذكراها
My friends! Enchant me, recite magic
And keep the youth occupied with mention of her
عذراء مدت على كل البلاد يدا
مخضوبة الكف واشوقي لحنّاها
A maiden who bestowed bounty on all lands
Her palm bloodied, and I most covetous of her melody
فاضلا حل في ساحاتها رغدا
بشراك في عزها اذ فيك بشراها
Nobility has settled in her domain happily
Congratulations! In her glory, good news for you
افت رسالتك الغراء تبسم عن
در تضمن نظما في ثناياها
Your brilliant letter brought a smile containing
Gems in its folds
مدت كؤوسا باسماع الورى شربت
فعطلت كل خمر عند صهباها
It handed cups around, the world heard
Rendering all wine worthless next to her rapture
بيدت بياتها اللاتي سمت وبدت
فكلنا قاصر عن نيل علياها
Her verses shone and appeared
While we all fall short of attaining her summit
يا عست فتداني كل مرتفع
لما سما في سما القرطاس بدراها
O would that you ransom me from every high place
When it ascended to the stars upon the paper of her full moon
فاقت على العرب لما اعربت ورووا
عنها البلاغات لما استنطقوا فاها
She surpassed the Arabs when she spoke eloquently, and they transmitted
Rhetorics from her when she opened her mouth
تفاخر البارعون الناظمون بها
والكل يعجز عن ادراك معناها
The skilled composers boast of her
While all fall short of grasping her meaning
مني اليك لها اهديك جارية
مغضوضة من قذا النقصان عيناها
From me to you, her gift I bestow upon you
A slave-girl cleansed of the filth of defects, her eyes
من العدية قدما غرس كرمتها
والآن في روضة الفيحاء سكناها
Formerly a gift, her generosity planted
And now in the garden of delight her dwelling
فاسبل عليها ذيول الستر اذ خطرت
ترجو القبول ورفقا عند مسراها
So drape over her the trains of concealment, when she appeared
Seeking acceptance and gentleness in her travel
هل ظالع مدرك يوما على عجز
شأو الظليع فعفو عند مرماها
Can perception ever attain the incapacity
Of the deficient? Forgiveness lies in her aim
واسلم ودم في هناء غير منتقل
ورتبة فوق مرقى الشهب مرقاها
Submit, and dwell in bliss unchanging
And rank atop the ascent of stars, her ascent
ما قال حبك عن شوق وعن ولهٍ
زارت وكان بنصر الله اسراها
She said, not speaking of longing and craving
"She came to visit, and by God's destiny she was captivated"
