أَبِقْتُ لِصَحْوِي مِن عَلاقَتِها نَشْوَى

رَمَتنِي بِسَهْمِ اللَّحْظِ عَمْداً فَما أَشْوَى

I sought respite from her relationship in my sobriety

She aimed the arrow of her glance intentionally at me so I was struck

وَهمْتُ بِوادٍ يُنْبِتُ السِّدْرَ وَالغَضَى

سُلُوّا لِرَوْض يُنْبِتُ الرَّنْدَا والسَّروَا

I thought of a valley growing lotus trees and myrtle

Ask the garden where the oleander and cypress grow

إِذَا لاعَبَتْ فيهِ المِيَاهُ ظِلالَهُ

تَبَدَّتْ لآلِي الدَّوِّ فيهِنَّ وَالرّوَا

When water plays in its shadows

The bending branches seem to dance in it

لَجاجَةُ مَنْ خاضَ الصَّبَابَة لُجَّةً

فَخَلَّتْهُ إِلا منْ تَباريحه خِلْوَا

Stubborn is he who contends with destiny fiercely

It left him nothing but his sighs of anguish

وَلا غَرْو أنْ أَصْبَحْتُ مُغْرَى فَإنَّهُ

بِأُخْتِ بَلِيٍّ فِي الهَوَى عَمَّت البَلْوَى

It’s no wonder I'm infatuated, for through a sister of affliction in love spread the infatuation

I appeared uncouth, though I did not spurn; and the uncouth may spurn etiquette if he dwells in the desert

بَدَوْتُ ولَكِنْ مَا جَفَوْتُ وَرُبَّما

تَجَافَى عَن الآدابِ مَنْ سَكَن البَدْوَا

I admired a bedouin girl whose abode is the open country

Who summers in Najd and winters in Huzwa

وَعلّقتُ أَعْرابِيَّة دارُها الفَلا

تَصيفُ علَى نَجْدٍ وَتَشْتُو علَى حُزْوَى

Accustomed to capturing souls and killing them

She has never confronted an army or known a raid

مُعَوَّدَةً سَبْيَ النفُوسِ وَقَتْلَها

وَمَا عَرَضَتْ جَيْشاً وَلا عَرَفَتْ غَزْوَا

Except that she is of the noble Mudar tribe

Who fears the braves whose morning raid is destruction

خَلا أَنَّها مِنْ أُسْرَةٍ مُضَرِيَّةٍ

تَهاب الدَّياجِي صُبْحَ غَارَتِها الشَّعْوَى

When she comes out of her tent or turns about

Neither the bright full moon nor the delicate branch are more beautiful

إِذا طَلَعَتْ مِنْ خِدْرِها أَو تَلَفَّتَت

فَمَا القَمَرُ الأَبْهَى وَما الرَّشَأُ الأَحْوَى

The eyelids of passionate hearts obey her eyes

As if she has power over her own dominion

تُطِيعُ شِغافاتُ القُلوبِ جُفُونَها

كَأنَّ لَها مُلكاً عَلَى مِلكِها يَقوَى

The landmarks of her guidance went astray, then straightened

By its guidance to sincerity and turned towards righteousness

ضَلالاً لِحادِيها ظَعائِنُ أَسْلَمَتْ

بإِرْشادِهِ الخَلْصاءَ واسْتَقبَلتْ قَوَا

I passed by the ruins of loved ones, weeping,

As my tears flowing copiously watered them

مَرَرْتُ بِأَطْلالِ الأَحِبَّة باكِياً

فَدَهْدَهَ مَطْلُولُ الدُّمُوعِ بِها المَرْوَا

The stars gathered and life was delayed

So I complain of a torrent from them that terrifies the frightened

وَقَدْ كانَ أَخْوَى النَّجْمُ واحتَبَسَ الحَيا

فَشَكْواً لِسَيْلٍ مِنهُ يُرعِبُ مَنْ أَخْوَى

If my tears were like the violent rainclouds

They would see in them no ebb and flow

وَلَو أَنَّ لِلسُحْبِ السِّفاحِ مَدامِعِي

لَما أَبْصَرُوا مِنْها جَهَاماً وَلا نَجْوَا

It's as if vessels from my eyelids were emptied

So it's no wonder they don't recognize the emptying and the bucket

كأَنَّ دِلاءً مِنْ جُفونِيَ أُفْرِغَتْ

فَلا نُكْرَ إِنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفُوا الفَرْغَ وَالدَّلوَا

The rain watered the flanks of Udhayb and Barraq

And quenched the thirst of my loved one wherever she wished

سَقَى الغَيْثُ أَكْنَافَ العُذَيْبِ وَبارِقٍ

وَرَوَّى بِهَامِي صَوْبه حَيْثُما أَرْوَى

My vows desire to break their pledges

How could that be when desire has flooded whom I desire

مَعَاهِدُ أَهْوَى أَنْ تَكُرَّ عُهُودُها

وأَنَّى وَقَدْ شَطَّ المَزَارُ بِمَنْ أَهوَى

I reconciled destiny and old age as is its due

By God, a purposeful bowing in prayer makes amends for heedlessness

قَدَرْتُ الصِّبَا فيها مَعَ الشَّيْبِ قَدْرَهُ

ويَا رُبَّ عَمْدٍ في السُّجودِ تَلا السَّهْوَا

Among what saddens me is a night bird warbling

As it stretches its melodies to me in the darkness, listening

وَمِمَّا شَجَانِي ساجِعٌ فَوقَ سَرْحَة

أَطَلَّتْ إلَى أَلْحَانِهِ في الدُّجَى صَغْوَا

It recalls me under the darkness repeatedly

Making me hear its song and me making it hear my lament

يُرَاجِعُنِي تَحتَ الظَّلامِ مُرَاجِعاً

فَيُسْمِعُنِي شَدْواً وأُسْمِعُهُ شَجْوَا

Though I am bold when battle flares up

Terrifying in separation when it is intended

وَإنِّي لَمِقْدَامٌ إِذَا الحَرْبُ سَعَّرَتْ

لَظَاهَا وَمِجْزَاعٌ مِنَ البَيْنِ إِذْ يُنْوَى

And I like to blame the one I love

So that the sincerity of passion can be distinguished from pretense

وَيُعْجِبُنِي عَذْلُ العَواذِلِ فِي التِي

أَخِفُّ لَهَا شَوْقاً بِمَا ثَقُلَتْ خَطْوَا

I must praise bounty and dew

For they continue to nourish me with satisfaction

فَأَسْتَعْذِبُ الهِجْرَانَ أدْهَى مِنَ الرَّدى

وَأَسْتَفْظِعُ السُّلوَانَ أَشْهَى مِنَ السَّلْوَى

Bestowing hands held back what I feared

So I do not accept any limit in praising them as recompense

حَبِيبٌ إِليَّ اللَّوْمُ فِيمَنْ أُحِبُهُ

لِيَمْتَازَ صِدْقُ العِشْقِ فِيهِ مِنَ الدَّعْوَى

It deemed me shallow while it surges like an ocean

So its currents drowned me and there was no escape

وَحَتْمٌ عَلَيَّ الحَمْدُ لِلْجُودِ وَالنَّدَى

فَمَازَالَ يَغْذُونِي الرِّضَى بِهِمَا غَذْوَا

Just so, one who foolishly aims for the sky

His desire leads him away from ascension

أَيَادٍ كَفَتْ مَا أَتَّقِي وَاكِفَاتُه

فَلا أَرْتَضِي حَدَّ الثَنَاءِ لَهَا كُفْوَا

The flint I strike with thoughts praising her excellence upon excellence

Has become cold, kindled by her gifts coming unasked

سَمَا بِي خِبَاباً وَهي تَطْفَحُ أَبْحُراً

فَأَغْرَقَنِي تَيَّارُهُنَّ وَلا غُرْوَى

The sweetest hands are those that came willingly

Spreading purity, however much discord occurred

كَذَلِكَ مَنْ رَامَ السَّمَاءَ سَفَاهَةً

عَدَاهُ عَنِ المَرْقَى إِلَى نَيْلِهَا المَهْوَى

Thus days bring purity out of bitterness

From a reviling drunkard and a swimming woman gracefully gliding

لَقَدْ صَلدَ الزَّنْدُ الذِي أنَا قَادِحٌ

مِنَ الفِكْرِ فِي تَقْرِيظِ جَدْوَى عَلَى جَدْوَى

Indicating thereby her voluptuous undulating gait

And her lofty nobility rising high

أَتَى وَفْدُهَا عَفْواً فَصَانَ عُفَاتَها

وَأَحْلى الأَيَادِي مَوْقِعاً ما أَتَى عَفْوَا

However she wills, she possesses charm and a gait

That puts the fast she-camels to shame when she runs

وَسَوَّغَ صَفْوَ العَيْشِ غِبَّ تَكَدُّرٍ

وَقَدْ تُحْدِثُ الأَيَّامُ فِي الكَدَرِ الصَّفْوَا

Her breed was once among the steeds of Himyar for a while

The Himyaris kept it distinct, enveloping it

فَمِنْ صاهِلٍ ضَافِي السَّبِيبِ مُطَهَّم

وَسَابِحَةٍ تَرْدِي عَلَى إثْرِه سَفْوَا

The haughtiness of the steed refused shelter in its essence

Not leaving its rider any shelter

تُدِلُّ بِهَذِي فِي النَّجابَةِ دُلْدُلٌ

وَتَعْلُو بِهَذَا فِي عَتَاقَتِهِ عَلوَى

She kept away from strangers, so she is unique

Rising high, and honor her with high regard

لَهَا شِيَةٌ مَا شِئت حُسْناً وَمِشْيَةً

تَبُذُّ الجِيادَ السَّابِقَاتِ بِهَا عَدْوَا

Through granted land, my shoulder bore

An obligation, so my thanks strive to repay it

سَرَى نَوْعُها فِي سَرْوِ حِمْيَرَ بُرْهَةً

وَذاكَ خُصُوصٌ طالَمَا عَمَّهَا سَرْوَا

How many gifts conferred wealth on my hand

To a nation that made my bosom its haven

أَبَتْ خُيلاءُ الخَيْلِ بَأْواً بِذَاتِها

عَنِ الكِبْرِ لَمْ يَتْرُكْ لِرَاكِبِها بَأْوَا

Gifts the generous one gives unstintingly

That exhausted the steeds of poetry when it expanded

وَجَلَّتْ عَنِ الأَغيَارِ فَهْيَ وَسِيطَةٌ

مُنَاسِبَةٌ تَسْمُو وَأَكْرِمْ بِهَا عِلْوَا

It saved me from complaining of fate and blaming it

So I have nothing left but inability to thank it

وَفِي صِلَةِ الإقْطَاعِ مَا آدَ كاهِلِي

حَبَاءً فَهذَا الشكْرُ يَسْعَى لَهُ حَبْوَا

Felicity took me to the highest horizon

And the presence of Yahya the Desired is the highest horizon

وَكَمْ بَدْرَةٍ بادَرَتْ بِالغِنَى يَدِي

إِلَى إِمَّةٍ قَدْ يَمَّمَتْ كَنَفِي مَثْوَى

I embarked upon the sea though its waves foamed

Aspiring, but it flowed back from reaching it

رَغَائِبُ يُسْدِيهَا السَّماحُ غَوَائِبٌ

أَكَلَّتْ جِيادَ الشِّعْرِ إِذْ رَحُبَتْ شَأْوَا

I dwelled splendidly in it as an honorable man

And was granted a dwelling in the garden of the abode

وَقَتْنِيَ مِنْ شَكْوَى الزَّمَانِ وَذَمِّهِ

فَمَا لي غَيْر العَجْزِ عَنْ شُكْرِهَا شَكْوَى

My life flourished therein and its growth began

So no era's storm or harm harmed it

إلَى الغَايَةِ القُصْوَى سَمَتْ بِيَ أَسْعدِي

وَحَضْرَةُ يَحْيَى المُرْتَضَى الغَايَةُ القُصْوَى

The days fulfilled a debt which they undertook

And the debt of death, in the precinct of truth, cannot be deferred

رَكِبْتُ إِلَيْها البَحْرَ يَزْخَرُ مَوْجُهُ

طُمُوحاً وَلَكِنْ عادَ فِي قَصْدِها رَهْوَا

An imam succeeded his father and grandfather

Thus every imam in succession remains his successor

فَسُوِّغْتُ فِيها السَّلْسَبِيلَ عَوَارِفاً

وَبُوِّئْتُ مِنْها مَنْزِلاً جَنّةَ المَأْوَى

He is humble in humility and mighty in majesty

If royalty lies in the adornment of a king, then marvel!

بِهَا اخْضَرَّ عَيْشِي وَاسْتَهَلَّ نَبَاتُهُ

فَلَمْ يُبْلِهِ إِعْصَارُ عَصْرٍ وَلا أَذْوَى

To him belong religion and worldly life, glory and sublimity

Health and remaining life, righteousness and piety

وأَنْجَزَتِ الأَيَّامُ دَيْناً لَوَتْ بِهِ

وَدَيْنُ المُنَى فِي مَقطَعِ الحَقِّ لا يُلْوَى

He is happily forgiving when they commit sins

To be profusely pardoning whenever they are profligate in passion

إمَامٌ تَلا سَبْقاً أباهُ وَجَدَّهُ

فكُلُّ إِمَامٍ لا يَزَالُ لَهُ تِلْوَا

If the sanctity of religion is violated in the land

His steel sword that subjugates extends to the transgressor

تَوَاضَعَ إِخْبَاتاً وَعَزَّ جَلالةً

فَإِنْ يَكُ مَلْكٌ فِي حُلَى مَلَكٍ فَهْوَا

Through him the valor of religion which prevailed and ascended

So you see in it no villainy or empty ostentation

لَهُ الدِّينُ والدُّنْيا لَهُ المَجْدُ والعُلَى

لَهُ الصُّحُ وَالبُقيا لَهُ البر والتَقْوَى

Blessed is what he conceals and declares, established

In the responsibilities of God's cause both openly and in secret

يُسَرُّ سُرُوراً بِالجُنَاةِ وَمَا جَنَوا

لِيُسْرِف عَفْواً كُلَّما أَسْرَفُوا هَفْوَا

Obviously in what is undertaken he is insightful

Nullifying what others dictated and related

وَإِنْ تُنْتَهَكْ للدِّينِ فِي الأَرْضِ حُرْمَةٌ

يَطُلْ سَيْفُهُ المَاضِي بِمَنْ ضَامَهُ سَطْوَا

Destiny guaranteed victory for his standard

If he wished he would not have needed the cavalry

بِهِ كَرُم الدِّينُ الذِي سَادَ وَاعْتَلَى

فَما تبْصِرُ الدّهمَاءَ فيهِ وَلا الحَشْوَا

Nor would his arrogance have taken upon itself

The swarthy fierce and the whitish wave

مُبارَكُ مَا يُخْفِي وَيُعْلِنُ قَائِمٌ

بِأَعباء أَمْرِ اللَّهِ فِي الجَّهرِ وَالنَّجْوَى

His might alone suffices to subdue Arabs and non-Arabs

No wonder the lion captures the evasive gazelle

بَدِيهَتُهُ فيما يُدارُ مُلِمَّةٌ

بِإِبطَالِ مَا أَمْلَى سِواهُ وَمَا رَوَّى

His brilliance like a full moon dawned on the kingdom's horizon

And the magnificence of authority illuminated the regions

وَقَدْ ضَمِنَ المِقْدَارُ نَصْرَ لِوَائِهِ

فَلَوْ شَاءَ لَمْ يَسْتَتْبِع الفَيْلقَ الجَأْوَى

Looking out over the realms, watching for their conquest

As a vigilant victor looked out from a high vantage point

وَلا حَمَلَتْ عَلْيَاؤُهُ وَتَقَلَّدَتْ

لَها الأَسمَر الخَطَّار وَالأَبْيَضَ المَهْوَا

Whenever the excited army lines up its ranks

He moves towards it until he annihilates it completely

كَفِيلٌ بِقَهْرِ العُرْبِ وَالعُجْمِ بَأْسُهُ

وَلا عَجَبٌ أَن يَقْنِصَ الأَجْدَلُ الصَّعْوَا

And turns the steeds of his munificence to retreat

So they recoil in fright backwards in hasty flight

تَجَلَّى بِأُفْقِ المُلْكِ بَدْراً بَهَاؤُهُ

وأُبَّهَةُ السُّلْطَانِ قَدْ نَوَّرَ البَهْوَا

It's as if his gifts are hosts that guaranteed

To provide generously for whoever the calamities address

مُطِلاً عَلَى الأَمْلاكِ يَرْقُبُ كَسْرَها

كَمَا أَشْرَفَتْ مِنْ مَرْقَبٍ كَاسِرٌ شَغْوَا

His rule directs the course of fate among the people

If he is guided aright he surely thwarts misguidance

أَقَامَ صَغَا التَّوحيدِ صِدْقَ عَزِيمَةٍ

وَبَاشَرَ مُرَّ المَوْتِ فِي نَصْرِهِ حُلْوَا

The east and west of the country yield to him

So that his dominion reaches wherever it extends

عَلَى حِينِ باتَ النَّجْمُ يُرعَدُ خِيفَةً

وَهَمَّتْ بأَنْ تَنْهَدَّ مِنْ خَشْيَة رَضْوَى

There is Tlemcen, Miliana, and Tripoli

Terrified anew, their pasture restored

إِذا خَطَّتِ الهَيْجَاءُ أَسْطُرَ جَيشِها

خَطا نَحْوَها حَتَّى يُقَوِّضَها مَحْوَا

Lands where the tyrants drank deep the cups

Of their deaths, a punishment for oppression

ويُلوِي إلَى اللاوَاءِ أَجْيَادَ جُودِهِ

فَتَنْكُص مِنْ ذُعرٍ عَلَى العَقِبِ اللأْوَا

In his words their wretches became happy

And their furthest reaches settled joyously

كَأَنَّ عَطَايَاهُ أُسَاةٌ تَكَفَّلَت

بِمَنْ تَكْلُمُ البَأْسَاءُ تُوسِعُهُ أَسْوَا

Congratulations on the rise of the imam of justice's state

For which days excitedly sway

يُصَرِّفُ صَرْفَ الدَّهْرِ فِي النَّاسِ حُكْمُهُ

فَإِنْ عَصَمَ الأَهْدَى لَقَدْ قَصَمَ الأَغْوَى

A new year dawns, auspicious, with good omens

The scrolls of victory in it unfold and do not close

وَيُزْوَى لَهُ شَرْقُ البِلادِ وَغَرْبُها

لِيَبْلُغَ مِنْهَا مُلْكُهُ كُلَّ ما يُزوَى

And may the heir apparent continue pleasing you as regent

Just as the tender moon took the radiant sun's place

فَتِلْكَ تِلِمْسَانٌ وَمَلْيَانَةٌ إلَى

طَرَابُلْسٍ رُوعاً مجَدَّدَةً رَعْوَى

Without you two, rectitude and guidance would not be protected

And without you two, clear judgment and eloquence would not be known

بِلادٌ سَقَتْ فِيهَا الطُغَاةَ سُعُودُهُ

كُؤُوسَ مَنَايَاهَا جَزَاءً عَلَى الطَّغْوَى

لَقَدْ سَعِدَتْ فِي لَفْظِهَا أَشْقِياؤُها

وَقَرَّتْ عَلَى التَّمْهِيدِ أَرْجَاؤُها دَحْوَا

هَنِيئاً إِمَامَ العَدْلِ إِقْبَالُ دَوْلَةٍ

تَهُزُّ لَها الأَيَّامُ أَعْطَافَها زَهْوَا

وَعامٌ جَدِيدٌ بِالمَيَامِنِ طَالِعٌ

تُنَشَّرُ صُحفُ الفَتْحِ فَيهِ وَلا تُطْوَى

ودَامَ وَلِيُّ العَهْدِ يُرْضِيكَ نائِباً

كَمَا نَابَ عَنْ شَمْسِ الضُّحَى القَمَرُ الأَهْوَى

فَلَولاكُما لَمْ يُعْصَمِ الرشْدُ وَالهُدَى

وَلَولاكُما لَمْ يَعْلَمِ النَّصُّ وَالفَحْوَى