أدِرْها بينَ مِزْمارٍ وعُودِ

ودونَكَ فاغْتَنِمْ زَمَنَ السّعودِ

Turn it between a flute and a lute,

And seize the time of bliss as long as you are alive,

فبُرْدُ الرّوْضِ مَرْقومُ الحَواشي

وَدرُّ الطّلِّ منْظومُ العُقودِ

For the chill of the garden is embroidered at the margins,

And the light of the crescent is strung as necklaces.

وجُنْحُ اللّيلِ مَطْويُّ النّواحي

وضوْءُ الفَجْرِ منْشورُ البُنودِ

The wing of night has folded horizons,

And the dawn has unfurled contracts.

وخُذْها والبلابِلُ في خِصام

ونجْمُ الصُّبْحِ مُلْتَهِبُ الوَقودِ

Take it while the warblers are in discord,

And the morning star is kindled with firewood.

عَرائِسُ في حُلى الكاساتِ تُجْلى

مورّدَةَ التَّرائِبِ والخُدودِ

Brides in the radiance of goblets adorned,

Clothed in veils and blushing cheeks.

خَطَبْناها وكانَ الأُنْسُ مَهْراً

وألْحانُ القِيانِ منَ الشُّهودِ

We have asked for her hand, and intimacy was the dowry,

And the melodies of the lute were the witnesses.

شُموساً كُلّما غَرَبَتْ ولاحَتْ

على الأفْواهِ تطلُعُ في الخُدودِ

Suns that whenever they set and rise

On mouths they rise on blushing cheeks.

وفاتِنَةِ اللِّحاظِ إذا تثَنّتْ

رأيْتَ الغُصْنَ يمْرَحُ في البُرودِ

The languid-eyed one when she turns,

You see the branch sporting in the meadow.

غَزالَةِ رَبْرَبٍ ومَهاةِ قَفْرٍ

تَعوّدَ طَرْفُها صَيْدَ الأسودِ

A doe-eyed gazelle accustomed to hunting lions,

She enchants him with sickly glances,

فتُمْرِضُها بألحاظٍ مِراضٍ

وتُسْهِرُها بأجفانٍ رُقودِ

And deprives him of sleep with sleepy eyelids.

When the melodies of the instruments speak,

إذا ما اسْتَنْطَقَتْ نَغَم المَثاني

ثَنَيْنا هَزّةً قُضْبَ القُدودِ

We sway like pliant twigs.

I praise the hand of fate for

حمِدُْت يدَ الزّمانِ عليَّ لمّا

نعِمْتُ بها علَى رَغْمِ الحَسودِ

Allowing me to enjoy her despite the envious.

I say to my friend while the breeze blows,

أقولُ لصاحِبي والرّاحُ تَجْري

ووَرْدُ الأُنْسِ مَبْذولُ الوُرودِ

And the rose of intimacy is offered in bouquets.

The branches of euphorbia intoxicated from

وقد ماسَتْ غُصونُ البانِ سُكْراً

منَ الأوْراقِ في خُضْرِ البُرودِ

The leaves in the green meadow.

The hand of the breeze shakes the dangling clusters,

تَهُزُّ يَدُ النّسيمِ الطّلَّ فِيه

فتَحْسِبُها ولائِدَ في مُهودِ

Mistaking them for cradled infants.

And if the clouds propose to them,

وإنْ قامَ الغَمامُ بِها خَطيباً

تَرى الإبْريقَ يُسْرِعُ في السّجودِ

You see the pitcher hurry in prostration.

Gardens among which houris walk,

جِنانٌ بَيْنَهُنّ الحورُ تَمْشي

أحَقّاً هَذِهِ دارُ الخُلودِ

Is this the abode of eternity?

Enjoy, for time guarantees,

تمتّعْ فالزّمانُ لَنا كفِيلٌ

بإيجازِ المؤمَّلِ والوعودِ

The hoped for and the promised.

For time has returned today as a feast,

فقَد عادَ الزّمانُ اليومَ عِيداً

وهَزَّ البِشْرُ أعْطافَ الوجودِ

And humanity has donned the garb of existence.

With the hands of Joseph, Lord of hands,

بأوْبَةِ يوسُفٍ رَبِّ الأيادي

ومُحْيي الدّينِ منْ بَعْدِ الخُمودِ

And reviver of religion after stagnation.

The beauty of the kingdom, innovator of glories,

جَمالِ المُلْكِ مُبْتَدِعِ المَعالي

ثِمالِ الخَلْقِ مُنْتَجَعِ الوقودِ

Apple of creation, kindler of the firewood.

The family of Nasr raised him,

نَمَتْهُ منَ الخَلائِفِ آلِ نَصْرٍ

أولي الغاياتِ منْ بأسِ وَجُودِ

The first in glory, power, and excellence.

Time has bowed to him, so he remains

ودانَ لهُ الزّمانُ فَدامَ فِيهِ

قَريرَ العيْنِ مَنْصورَ الجُنودِ

Delighting the eye, victorious over armies.