أَما وَعِتاقِ الْعِيسِ لَوْ وَجَدَتْ وَجْدِي

لَقَيَّدَ أَيْدِي الْواخِداتِ عَنِ الْوَخْدِ

Were the collar of 'Ees to find my ecstasy

It would bind the hands of those embracing from embracing

إِذاً عَلِمَتْ أَنَّ الْوَجى لَيْسَ كَالْجَوى

وَحَبَّبَ ما يُنْضِي إِلَيْها الَّذِي يُرْدِي

So it would know that grief is not like love

And what leads to annihilation is made pleasing to it

دَعاها نَسِيمُ الْبانِ وَالرَّنْدِ بِالْحِمى

وَهَيْهاتَ مِنْها مَنْبِتُ الْبانِ وَالرَّنْدِ

The wind of youth and pleasure called it to passion

Yet far from it are the places of youth and pleasure

يَطِيرُ بِها لُبّاً عَلَى الْقُرْبِ وَالنَّوى

وَيَحْمِلُها شَوْقاً عَلَى الْجَوْرِ وَالْقَصْدِ

Flitting about, a heart that longs for nearness and intent

Borne by yearning to tyranny and purpose

وَلَوْلا الْهَوى لَمْ تَرْضَ بِالْجِزْعِ حاجِراً

وَلَمْ تَهْجُرِ الْغَمْرَ النَّمِيرَ إِلى الثَّمْدِ

Were it not for love it would not accept dry wood as fuel

Nor abandon the soft sand for the hard

أَجِدَّكَ ما تَنْفَكُّ بِالْغَوْرِ ناشِداً

فُؤادَاً بِنَجْدٍ يا لِقَلْبِكَ مِنْ نَجْدِ

How you persist in reciting poetry tearfully

A heart in al-Najd, oh how tender your heart is!

وَإِنِّي لَتُصْمِينِي سِهامُ ادِّكارِكُمْ

وَإِنْ كانَ رامِي الشَّوْقِ مِنِّي عَلَى بُعْدِ

Though the arrows of your thoughts pierce me

And the archer of my passion is far away

تَمادِي غَرامٍ لَيْسَ يَجْرِي إِلى مَدىً

وَفَرْطُ سَقامٍ لا يُقِيمُ عَلَى حَدِّ

Enduring love that does not end

And excessive sickness that does not settle

وَما أَنْسَ لا أَنْسَ الْحِمى وَأَهِلَّةً

تُضِلُّ وَمِنْ حَقِّ الأَهِلَّةِ أَنْ تَهْدِي

I have no intimacy but with passion and a loved one

Who leads astray, though it is the loved one’s right to guide

زَمانٌ إِخالُ الْجَهْلَ فِيهِ مِنَ النُّهى

وَحَبٌّ أَعُدُّ الْغَيَّ فِيهِ مِنَ الرُّشْدِ

A time when ignorance mixed with prohibition

And a love I count as more astray than righteousness

غَنِينَ وَما نَوَّلْنَ نَيْلاً سِوى الْجَوَى

وَبِنَّ وَما زَوَّدْنَ زاداً سِوى الْوَجْدِ

We sing but we have gained nothing but love

We built but prepared no provision but ecstasy

عَواطِفُي يُعْيِي عَطْفُها كُلَّ رائِضٍ

ضَعائِفُ يُوهِي ضَعْفُها قُوَّةَ الْجَلْدِ

My passions will fatigue every rider

My weaknesses will topple the strength of any hero

إِذا نَظَرَتْ بَزَّتْ قُلُوباً أَعِزَّةً

وَإِنْ خَطَرَتْ هَزَّتْ قُدُودَ قَناً مُلْدِ

When she glances, she captivates proud hearts

If she appears, she shakes slender waists

غَوالِبُ فَتْكٍ لَمْ يَصُلْنَ بِقُوَّةٍ

طَوالِبُ ثَأْرٍ لَمْ يَبِتْنَ عَلَى حِقْدِ

Raiders of destruction who never gained power

Seekers of vengeance who never harbored hatred

مِنَ الْمُصِبِياتِ الْمُحْيِياتِ بِدَلِّها

عَلَى خَطَإٍ وَالْقاتِلاتِ عَلَى عَمْدِ

Of the inadvertent killers asking for forgiveness

And the deliberate murderers out of animosity

فَوَدَّعْنَّ بَلْ أَوْدَعْنَ قَلْبِي حَزازَةً

وَخَلَّفْنَ فَرْدَ الشَّوْقِ بِالْعَلَمِ الْفَرْدِ

So they bid farewell, nay deposited in my heart misery

And left behind in me the agony of loneliness

خَلِيلَيَّ ما أَحْلى الْحَياةَ لَوَانَّها

لِطاعِمِها لَمْ تَخْلِطِ الصّابِ بِالشُّهْدِ

My friend, how sweet is life were it not

That its taster never mingles honey with aloes

لَقَدْ حالَتِ الأَيّامُ عَنْ حالِ عَهْدِها

وَمَنْ لِي بأَيامٍ تَدُومُ عَلَى الْعَهْدِ

Days have strayed from the state of old

Who do I have with days lasting as they once did?

سَلَبْنَ جَمالِي مِنْ شَبابٍ وَثَرْوَةٍ

وَوَفَّرْنَ حَظِّي مِنْ فِراقٍ وَمِنْ صَدِّ

They stripped me of my youth and wealth

And depleted my share of separation and estrangement

وَأَنْحَيْنَ حَتّى ما تَرَكْنَ بَوارِياً

عَلَى الْعَظْمِ منْ نَحْضٍ لِبارٍ وَلا جلْدِ

They bent until they left me with naught

Upon the bone neither flesh, nor skin nor cover

وَما شاقَنِي أَنْ لَسْتُ مُسْتَعْدِياً عَلَى

نَوائِبِها إِلاّ لِقِلَّةِ مَنْ يُعْدِي

I am not troubled that I was unprepared

For its afflictions, except by few who prepare

وَلا بُدَّ أَنْ أَدْعُو لِدَفْعِ خُطُوبِها

كَرِيماً فَإِنْ كانَ ابْنَ سَعْدٍ فَيا سَعْدِي

I must call to fend off its tribulations

A generous one, and if he is Ibn Sa'd, then my bliss!

فَما عَنْ كَمالِ الدِّينِ فِي الأَرْضِ مَذْهَبٌ

لِحُرٍّ أَحاجَتْهُ الْخُطُوبُ وَلا عَبْدِ

There is no path to perfection of religion in the land

For a free man whose tribulations try him, nor a slave

وَإِنَّ اعْتِصامِي بِالْوَزِيرِ وَظِلِّهِ

يَدٌ لِلنَّدى ما مِثْلُها مِنْ يَدٍ عِنْدِي

My adherence to the minister and his shade

Is a hand for bounty, none like it I possess

وَأَيُّ مَرامٍ أَبْتَغِي بَعْدَ جُودِهِ

كَفى الْغَيْثُ مَنْ يُجْدى عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ يُجْدِي

What more can I seek after his generosity?

The rain suffices one it pours upon and one providing it

وَها أَنا قَدْ أَلْقَيْتُ رَحْلِي بِرَبْعِهِ

إِلى السُّؤدُدُِ الْعادِيِّ والكَرَمِ الْعِدِّ

To accustomed hospitality and repeated generosity

To a barren plateau lofty over mankind

إِلى هَضْبَةٍ شَمّاءَ عَزَّتْ عَلَى الذُّرى

وَفِي جُنَّةٍ حَصْداءَ جَلَّتْ عَنِ السَّرْدِ

And a reaped garden plentiful beyond count

To the One God whom I gift praise alone

إِلى أَوْحَدٍ أُهْدِي لَهُ الْحَمْدَ وَحْدَهُ

بَحَقٍّ وَ لا يُهْدِي إِلَيَّ الْغِنى وَحْدِي

For truth, none guide me to bounty but my own effort

The least of his gifts is ascendance to the lofty

أَقَلُّ عَطاياهُ التَّوَقُّلُ فِي الْعُلى

وَأَدْنى سَجاياهُ التَّفَرُّدُ بِالْمَجْدِ

And the lowest of his traits exclusivity to glory

Vanquisher of enemies by might yet no transgressor

مُبِيدُ الْعِدى قَهْراً وَلَيْسَ بِمُعْتَدٍ

وَمُحْيِي الْوَرى بَذْلاً وَلَيْسَ بِمُعْتَدِّ

Life-giver of mankind by grace yet no aggressor

Most inviolable sanctuary for one under his patronage

أَغَزُّ حِمىً مَنْ فازَ مِنْهُ بِذِمَّةٍ

وَأوْفَى غِنىً مَنْ باتَ مِنْهُ عَلَى وَعْدِ

Truest wealth for one spending the night under his promise

A young man whose concern is for righteousness and piety

فَتىً هَمُّهُ ما كانَ لِلْبِرِّ وَالتُّقى

وَمَغْنَمُهُ ما كانَ لِلأجْرِ وَالْحَمْدِ

Whose gain is for reward and praise

Of the sincere critics binding together against rancor

مِنَ النّاقِدِينَ الْعاقِدِينَ عَنِ الْخَنا

مَآزِرَهُمْ وَالسّالِمِينَ عَلَى النَّقْدِ

Their refuge, and greeters of sound criticism

Their neighbor at times of fear, a stronghold for a neighbor

مُجاوِرُهُمْ فِي الْخَوْفِ لِلْجارِ مَعْقِلٌ

وَوَفْدُهُمُ تفِي الْمَحْلِ مُنْتَجَعُ الْوَفْدِ

Their delegation filling the abode, a returning delegation

When the rain declines, their generosity brings about

إِذا الْغَيثُ أَكْدى أَنْشَأَتْ مَكْرُماتُهُمْ

مَواطِرَ غَيْثٍ لا يُغِبُّ وَلا يُكْدِي

Downpours of rain that neither fail nor diminish

And if the season of blossoms ends, with them are

وإِنْ زَمَنُ الْوَرْدِ انْقَضى كانَ عِنْدَهُمْ

مَواهِبُ يُلْغى عِنْدَها زَمَنُ الْوَرْدِ

Gifts erasing the season of blossoms

For the eternal-crowned, all those remembered

لَهُمْ مِنْ ذَوِي التِّيجانِ كُلُّ مُخَلَّدٍ

عَلَى فَقْدِهِ إِنَّ الثَّناءَ مِنَ الْخُلْدِ

For their loss, praise for eternity in exchange

A pure glory protecting them from shortchanging

وَمَجْدٌ حَماهُمْ طاهِرٌ أَنْ يُقَصِّرُوا

بِهِ عَنْ أَبٍ حازَ الْمَكارِمَ أَوْ جَدِّ

A father who attained glory, or ancestor

Most noble when he gives - benefits; when he extends -

أَغَرُّ إِذا أَعْطى أَفادَ وَإِنْ سَطا

أَبادَ وَإِنْ أَبْدى أَعادَ الَّذِي يُبْدِي

Obliterates; when he shows kindness - restores that which brings destruction

With lofty minarets, as though extending

مُنِيفٌ عَلَى هامِ الْمُسامِي كَأَنَّما

أطَلَّ مِنَ النَّشْزِ الْعَلِيِّ عَلَى وَهْدِ

From sublime towers over calm waters

Showing you the stars in its veil swaggering through him

يُرِيكَ اهْتِزازاً فِي الأَسِرَّةِ فَخْرُها

بِهِ واخْتِيالاً فِي الْمُطَهَّمَةِ الْجُرْدِ

And the Pleiades gesture proudly through its cloak

And virtues are attributed to him though it is not

وَتُعْزى إِلَيْهِ الْمَكْرُماتُ وَلَيْسَ لِلْ

كَواكِبِ أَنْ تُنْفى عَنِ الْقَمَرِ السَّعْدِ

For the planets to deny the fortunate moon

Worthy for his gracious opinion to reveal to him

جَدِيرٌ بِأَنْ يُبْدِي لَهُ عَفْوُ رَأْيِهِ

خَفِيَّةَ ما يُعْيِي الرِّجالَ مَعَ الْجَهْدِ

In secret that which exhausts men despite effort

And to facilitate the matter which distressed

وَأَنْ يَسَعَ الأَمْرَ الَّذِي حَرِجَتْ بِهِ

مَذاهِبُ خَطِيِّ الْقَنا وَظُبى الْهِنْدِ

The ways of the misguided and beasts of India

You removed the irritation from the eye of religion after

جَلَوْتَ الْقَذى عَنْ ناظِرِ الدِّينِ بَعْدَ ما

أَتاكَ بِعَيْنِ الشَّمْسِ في الأَعْيُنِ الرُّمْدِ

It came to you with the vision of a sun in sleepy eyes

You were reform for the times, so you never ceased

وَكُنْتَ ثِقافاً لِلْزَّمانِ فَلَمْ تَزَلْ

تُقَوِّمُ مِنْهُ كُلَّ أَعْوَجَ مُنْأَدِّ

To straighten every bent devious one

So you did not spare a pasture whose shepherd

فَلَمْ تُخْلِ سَرْحاً ذَلَّ راعِيهِ مِنْ حِمىً

وَلَمْ تُخْلِ ثَغْراً قَلَّ حامِيهِ مِنْ سَدِّ

Complained of an inviolable sanctuary lacking a fence

Nor a gap whose protector complained of lacking a barricade

أَخائِذُ دَيْنٍ باتَ يُمْنُكَ كافِلاً

لَهُ يَوْمَ أَمْضِيْتَ اعْتزامَكَ بالرَّدِّ

A grasping one of religion whom you supported

As its champion the day you resolved to rebuff

وَلَيْسَ بِبِدْعٍ مِنْكَ حَدُّ صَرِيمَةٍ

ثَنَتْ نُوَبَ الأَيّامِ مَفْلُولَةَ الْحَدِّ

It is no surprise from you to curb

A defiant one whose molars fate made blunt

وَفِي أَيِّ خَطْبٍ لَمْ تَكُنْ قاضِبَ الشَّبا

وَفِي أَيِّ فَضْلٍ لَمْ تَكُنْ ثاقِبَ الزَّنْدِ

In what discourse were you not piercing to the core?

In what merit were you not penetrating as a spearhead?

كَأَنَّكَ مَجْبُورٌ عَلَى الْفَضْلِ وَحْدَهُ

فَمالَكَ مِنْ أَنْ تُدْرِكَ الْفَضْلَ مِنْ بُدِّ

As if you are compelled to virtue alone

So what stops you from attaining virtue from the start?

إِلَيْكَ زَفَفْنا كُلَّ حَسْناءَ لَوْ عَدَتْ

عُلاكَ لَعادَتْ غَيْرَ مَلْثُومَةِ الْخَدِّ

To you we brought every beautiful one, if

She returned from you, surely not one bruised of cheek

مِنَ الْحالِياتِ الْعالِياتِ مَناصِباً

تُماثِلُ مِنْ قَبْلِي وَتَفْضُلُ مَنْ بَعْدِي

Of the lofty, elevated in position, ones

Matching my precedence and excelling my successors

تُظَنُّ مُقِيماتٍ وَهُنَّ سَوائِرٌ

مُخَيِّمَةً تَسْرِي مُعَقَّلَةً تَخْدِي

You assume residents, but they are travelers

Camping, traversing, seeking refuge, searching

رِواءٌ وَسَجدْفُ الْغَيْمِ لَيْسَ بِمُسْبَلٍ

ضَواحٍ وَجَيْبُ اللَّيْلِ لَيْسَ بمُنْقَدِّ

A quencher - and the pouring rain is no deluge

Provisions - and the pocket of night no lack

تَمُتُّ بِآمالٍ إِلَيْكَ كَأَنَّها

رِقابُ صَوادٍ يَعْتَرِكْنَ عَلَى وِرْدِ

They die from hopes in you as though they are

Necks of hunters wrestling over quarry

وَما زِلْتَ لَبّاساً مِنَ الْحَمْدِ فَخْرَهُ

وَلكِنَّ غَيْرَ السَّيْفِ يَفْخَرُ بِالغِمْدِ

You remain clothed in praise, though not the sword

That boasts of the scabbard

إِذا زَيَّنَ الْحَسْناءَ عِقْدٌ بِجِيدِها

فَأَحْسَنُ مِنُْ زِينَةً موْضِعُ الْعِقْدِ

If a necklace adorns the beauty in her neck

More beautiful than adornment is the placing of the necklace

أَتَيْتُكَ لِلْعَلْيا فَإِنْ كُنْتَ مُنْعِماً

فَبِالْعِزَّةِ الْقَعْساءِ لا الْعِيشَةِ الرَّغْدِ

I came to you for the lofty, so if you are bestowing

Then by compelling honor, not comfortable life

إِذا نائِلٌ لَمْ يَحْبُنِي الْفَخْرَ نَيْلُهُ

فَإِنَّ انْقِطاعَ الرَّفْدِ فِيهِ مِنَ الرِّفْدِ

If an attainer does not make me boastful of his attainment

Then cessation of gifts is a form of giving