جَنَانِي عَامِرٌ بِهَوَى جَنَانِي
وإنْ صَدَعَتْ بِرِحْلَتِهَا جَناني
My soul thrives on love for her
Though her departure may rend my soul
وَطَرْفِي لَيْسَ يَعْنيهِ سِوَاها
وَلَوْ عَنَّتْ لَهُ حُورُ الجَنانِ
My eyes see none but her
Though the maidens of Paradise offered themselves to me
رَأَى مِنْها قَضِيباً مِنْ لُجَيْنٍ
يَجُرُّ الوَشْي لا مِنْ خَيْزُرَانِ
I saw in her a branch of tender hyacinth
Dragging its skirt, no common chickweed
وَشَمْساً مَا تَوَارَت في حِجَابٍ
بِغَيْرِ الصَّوْنِ قَطُّ وَلا صِوانِ
A sun never setting in any veil
With no protection or awning needing
عَلَيْهَا مِثْلُ ما تَفْتَرُّ عَنْهُ
مِنَ الدُّرِّ المُنَظَّمِ والجُمانِ
Upon it the likes of what is uncovered
Of strung pearls and precious gems
وَغَازَلَهَا مَهَاةً وَسْطَ قَصْرٍ
وَعَهْدِي بِالمَهَا وَسْطَ الرِّعانِ
I flirted with her in the palace courtyard
As I used to flirt amidst the young maidens
فَأَغْنَتْهُ مَحَاسِنُهَا اللوَاتِي
سَلَبْنَ كَراهُ عَنْ حُسْنِ الغَوانِي
Her charms, which robbed my reason, sufficed me
And caused me to neglect the charms of gazelles
وَقادَ إلَى هَوَاها القَلْبَ قَهْراً
فَأَصْبَحَ في يَدَيْهَا القَلْبُ عَانِ
And led my heart by force to love her
So that my heart was left helpless before her
تَعَالَى اللَّه طَرْفِي جَرَّ حَتْفِي
لأَحْصُلَ مِنْ هَوَايَ علَى هَوَانِ
God exalt me! My eyes have debased my pride
That through my love I should find humiliation
وأَيَّامي هَدَمْنَ مُنِيفَ سِنِّي
وهُنَّ لِعُمْرِها كُنَّ البَوَانِي
And my days have destroyed my flowing hair
Once lush as the sprouting grass
دَجَا ما بَيْنَنا فَمَتَى وحَتَّى
يُنِيرُ وفِي إِجَابَتِها تَوانِ
Darkness lies between us, so when
Will it be dispelled? Her response tarried
وقُلْتُ أُخِيفُها لِتَكُفَّ عَنِّي
فقالَت لِي يُقَعْقَعُ بالشِّنانِ
I said I would frighten her so she’d leave me be
She said I chatter foolishly
فَكَيْفَ تَرَى وَقَد شَبَّتْ وغَاها
أَأُقْدِمُ أم أفِرُّ مَعَ الهَوَانِ
So what think you, now that she is bold and distracted by passion
Shall I attack or retreat in disgrace?
أَمَا إنَّ اللَّيالِيَ غَالِبَاتٌ
ولَوْ يُغْرَى بِنَصرِي الفَرْقَدانِ
The nights have the upper hand
Even if the Pleiades came to my aid
إِذا لَمْ ألْقَها بِعُلَى ابْنِ عيسَى
وحَسْبِيَ مِنْ حُسَامٍ أَو سِنَانِ
If I do not meet her at Jesus’ son’s ridge
My sword or lance will suffice
فَلَسْتُ مِنَ الإيَابِ عَلَى يَقينٍ
وَلَسْتُ مِنَ الذَّهابِ عَلَى أمَانِ
I am not confident of going
Nor assured of returning safely
فَإنَّ أَبا الحُسَيْنِ يَنَالُ مِنْهَا
مَنَالَ الذُّعْرِ في قَلْبِ الجَبانِ
Indeed, Abu Husayn gets from her
What makes the coward’s heart quiver in fear
يُنَهْنِهُهَا مَتَى نَهَدَتْ لِحَرْبِي
ويَأْخُذُ لِي الأَمَانَ مِنَ الزَّمانِ
He calms her whenever she becomes restless against me
And keeps time’s trouble away from me
علمت أبا الحُسَينِ عَنَاه أَمْرِي
فَإِنِّي أمْرُ خِدْمَتِهِ عَنَانِي
I taught Abu Husayn to care for my matter
So charge of my service is his reign
هُمَامٌ لا يُفَارِقُهُ اهْتِمَامٌ
بِشَاني رَاغِبٍ فِيهِ وَشَانِي
He is always troubled with worry for me
Interested in and watchful of my affairs
يُفيضُ عَلَى الوَلِيِّ غَمَامَ رُحمَى
وَيُغْضِي عِزَّةً عَن كُلِّ جَانِ
He pours on the guardian clouds of mercy
And averts mightiness from all sides
سَعِيدٌ مِنْ بَنِي قَيْسِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ
مَكِينُ الحَمْدِ مَحْمُودُ المَكانِ
Fortunate Sa’id, son of Qais bin Sa’d
Firmly established in praise, of excellent station
يُقَيِّدُ في مَنَائِحِهِ جُفونِي
وأُطْلِقُ في مَدائحِهِ عِنَانِي
His poems captivate my eyelids
And give free reign to my praise of him
أقَامَ وَصِيتُهُ غَرْباً وَشَرْقاً
يَجُوبُ الأرْضَ لا يَثْنِيهِ ثَانِي
His command stands throughout east and west
Crossing the earth, matched by none
لَهُ لَهَجٌ بِمُخْتَرعِ المَعَالي
كَمَادِحِهِ بِمُخْتَرعِ المَعَانِي
He has an idiom for the inventor of splendors
Praising him as the inventor of meanings
ويَرْسُو للْفَوَادِحِ طَوْدَ حِلْمٍ
ويَهْفُو للْمَدَائِحِ غُصْنَ بانِ
He anchors a sheltering patience for atrocities
And tends to the praises a flourishing branch
مُعِينٌ كُلَّ آوِنَةٍ مُعَانٌ
فَيَا لَك مِنْ مُعِينٍ أَو مُعانِ
An aide for all time's misfortunes
What an aide and comfort you are!
إذَا قَسَتِ اللَّيالِي فاعْتَمِدْه
تَجِدْ عَطْفاً عَمِيماً في حَنانِ
When nights grow harsh, rely on him
You’ll find ample kindness in his affection
نَأَى ودَنَا مَكاناً وامْتِنَاناً
فَيَهْنِي المَجْدَ نَاءٍ مِنْهُ دانِ
He kept his distance and drew near in status and intimacy
So glory bows gently to him
لقَد قَبُحَتْ سَجايا الدّهْرِ حَتَّى
حَباها مِنْ سَجَاياه الحِسَانِ
The times' villainy grew so ugly
He gifted it some of his good traits
إِذا لَمْ ألْقَها بِعُلَى ابْنِ عيسَى
وحَسْبِيَ مِنْ حُسَامٍ أَو سِنَانِ
If I do not meet her at Jesus’ son’s ridge
My sword or lance will suffice
فَلَسْتُ مِنَ الإيَابِ عَلَى يَقينٍ
وَلَسْتُ مِنَ الذَّهابِ عَلَى أمَانِ
I am not confident of going
Nor assured of returning safely
فَإنَّ أَبا الحُسَيْنِ يَنَالُ مِنْهَا
مَنَالَ الذُّعْرِ في قَلْبِ الجَبانِ
Indeed, Abu Husayn gets from her
What makes the coward’s heart quiver in fear
يُنَهْنِهُهَا مَتَى نَهَدَتْ لِحَرْبِي
ويَأْخُذُ لِي الأَمَانَ مِنَ الزَّمانِ
He calms her whenever she becomes restless against me
And keeps time’s trouble away from me
علمت أبا الحُسَينِ عَنَاه أَمْرِي
فَإِنِّي أمْرُ خِدْمَتِهِ عَنَانِي
I taught Abu Husayn to care for my matter
So charge of my service is his reign
هُمَامٌ لا يُفَارِقُهُ اهْتِمَامٌ
بِشَاني رَاغِبٍ فِيهِ وَشَانِي
He is always troubled with worry for me
Interested in and watchful of my affairs
يُفيضُ عَلَى الوَلِيِّ غَمَامَ رُحمَى
وَيُغْضِي عِزَّةً عَن كُلِّ جَانِ
He pours on the guardian clouds of mercy
And averts mightiness from all sides
سَعِيدٌ مِنْ بَنِي قَيْسِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ
مَكِينُ الحَمْدِ مَحْمُودُ المَكانِ
Fortunate Sa’id, son of Qais bin Sa’d
Firmly established in praise, of excellent station
يُقَيِّدُ في مَنَائِحِهِ جُفونِي
وأُطْلِقُ في مَدائحِهِ عِنَانِي
His poems captivate my eyelids
And give free reign to my praise of him
أقَامَ وَصِيتُهُ غَرْباً وَشَرْقاً
يَجُوبُ الأرْضَ لا يَثْنِيهِ ثَانِي
His command stands throughout east and west
Crossing the earth, matched by none
لَهُ لَهَجٌ بِمُخْتَرعِ المَعَالي
كَمَادِحِهِ بِمُخْتَرعِ المَعَانِي
He has an idiom for the inventor of splendors
Praising him as the inventor of meanings
ويَرْسُو للْفَوَادِحِ طَوْدَ حِلْمٍ
ويَهْفُو للْمَدَائِحِ غُصْنَ بانِ
He anchors a sheltering patience for atrocities
And tends to the praises a flourishing branch
مُعِينٌ كُلَّ آوِنَةٍ مُعَانٌ
فَيَا لَك مِنْ مُعِينٍ أَو مُعانِ
An aide for all time's misfortunes
What an aide and comfort you are!
إذَا قَسَتِ اللَّيالِي فاعْتَمِدْه
تَجِدْ عَطْفاً عَمِيماً في حَنانِ
When nights grow harsh, rely on him
You’ll find ample kindness in his affection
نَأَى ودَنَا مَكاناً وامْتِنَاناً
فَيَهْنِي المَجْدَ نَاءٍ مِنْهُ دانِ
He kept his distance and drew near in status and intimacy
So glory bows gently to him
لقَد قَبُحَتْ سَجايا الدّهْرِ حَتَّى
حَباها مِنْ سَجَاياه الحِسَانِ
The times' villainy grew so ugly
He gifted it some of his good traits
