عادَني مِنْ هَوى الأَحِبَّةِ عيدُ

فلِبَاسي فيه غَرامٌ جَديد

The season of love has returned in this feast,

So my attire is imbued with new passion.

ونحرتُ الجفونَ مِن بَعدِ أَنْ أَش

عرْتُ قَلْبي بأَنَّ صَبْري بَعيدُ

I've sacrificed my eyelids after feeling

My heart convinced my patience is far.

كلَفٌ عَادَ بعد شيبٍ وَليداً

وكذا البدْرُ بَعْد شيبٍ وَلِيدُ

Burden returned after white hair as a child,

And so is the full moon after white hair.

فغرامِي بالبدرِ كالبدرِ لَكِنْ

ينقُصُ البدْرُ والغَرامُ يَزِيدُ

My passion for the full moon is like the full moon, but

The full moon wanes while passion grows.

لا تُهوِّن مِنَ الغَرامِ شَديداُ

إِنَّ بأْسَ الغَرَامِ بَأْسٌ شَدِيد

Do not underestimate intense love,

For the might of passion is severe.

خَفْقُ قلبٍ قَرْعُ الهُمومِ لِقَلْبي

مثلَ مَا يَقْرعُ الحديدَ الحديدُ

The throbbing of a heart, sorrows pounding a heart,

Are like iron pounding iron.

طَالَ قَتْلِي بسيفِ لَحظٍ كَحيلٍ

لَيْتَ لو أَنَّه إِليَّ حَدِيدُ

The slaying of me by a deadly glance,

I wish it were iron striking me.

ما أَرَى غَيرَ نَظْرَةٍ طَرْفَاها

طرْفٌ مُوعِدٌ وطَرْفٌ وعيدُ

I see nothing but a glance, one side a tryst

And the other side a threat.

أَيُّها الكاسِرُ الغمودَ وما يعـ

ـلَم أَنَّ الأجْفَانَ مِنْهُ الْغُمود

O you who broke resolve - unaware

That eyelids thereby are broken!

أَنتَ أَجْرُ الشَّهِيدِ حُسْناً فكُنْ

أَجْرِي فإِنِّي بِنَاظِرَيْكَ شَهِيدُ

You are reward of a martyr in beauty,

So be my reward for by your looks I'm martyred.

قد عَجِبْنَا وقوسُ جَفْنِك مكسو

رٌ إِذَا جَاءَ مِنْه سَهْمٌ سَدِيدُ

We were amazed though your eyelid's bow is bent,

Whenever an arrow came from it, straight and true.

بِأَبِي مَنْ أَبَى مُرادِي كمثل الدَّ

هر عِنْدِي يُريدُ مَا لاَ أُرِيدُ

By my father, who refused my desire,

To me is like time, wanting what I don't want.

صدَّ عِطْفاً وصَادَ طَرْفاً فما ينـ

ـفَكُّ هَذا يَصُدُّ أَوْ ذا يصيدُ

It warded off kindness and blocked a glance,

This one wards while the other lies in wait.

كيفَ خُلِّدتُ في جَهنَّم ذا الصدِّ

وَذَنْبِي في عِشْقِه التَّوْحِيدُ

How am I condemned to hell by such faith

When my only sin is loving Him truly?

قَطَّعُونِي عليه لَوماً وتعنيـ

ـفاً وقالُوا تَعودُ قلت أَعُود

They blamed and rebuked me about him,

And said, "Will you return?" I said "I shall return."

مَنْ يكنْ شوقُه زُروداً فَشَوقِي

زَرَدٌ فِي عِذارِه لا زُرُودُ

One whose longing is diminished - while mine

For your rejection is lasting, not transitory.

نُسخَةُ الْحُسنِ فَوْقَ خدَّيْه أَبْهى

منظراً مِنْ تَبِييضِها التَّسْويدُ

The copy of beauty above his cheeks

Is lovelier than its darkening by kohl.

في الوَرى مثلُهُ كَثيرٌ ولكِنْ

كَلَفِي أَبْلَهٌ وعِشْقي بَلِيدُ

In the world many are like him, but

My love is confused while their love is clear.

قد رعيتُ الخدودَ وهْي رياضٌ

ورأَيتُ الرِّياضَ وهْي خُدودُ

I tended cheeks while they were gardens,

And saw gardens while they were cheeks.

واعتنقْتُ الخدودَ وهْي غُصونٌ

وهَصَرْتُ الغُصُونَ وهْي قُدودُ

I embraced cheeks while they were branches,

And smelled branches while they were forearms.

ورأَيتُ الفُؤَادَ يَطْربُ مِمَّا

يُضحِكُ الوَصْلَ حينَ يَبْكِي الصُّدود

I saw the heart flutter from what

Brings joy to union when separation weeps.

ولَعَمْري فإِنَّ عُمري كَفَوْدِي

فيه بيضٌ من اللَّيالِي وسُودُ

By my life - and my life is like my love:

In it white nights and black nights.

فادِّكَارِي عهدَ الحبيبِ هُبوطٌ

ومَديحي عبدَ الرَّحيمِ صُعودُ

So remember the covenant of the beloved - decline,

While my praise of the Merciful One - ascent.

لي مِنْ رَاحتَيْه جَنَّةُ مَأْوَى

ولَه بالثَّناءِ مِنِّي خُلُودُ

From his rest I have a paradise for dwelling,

And for him my praise is eternity.

أَنا عبدٌ وخِدْمتي مَدْحُ مولىً

نَجَحَ القَصْدُ عِنْدَه والقَصِيدُ

I'm a slave whose duty is praising the Master;

My purpose succeeded, and so the ode.

هُو قَاضٍ لاَ بَلْ أَمِيرٌ بأَنْ

أَضْحَتْ لَدَيهِ مِن الْمَعَالِي جُنُودُ

He's a judge, or rather prince, for through him

Glories stand like soldiers before him.

وفَقِيهُ النَّوالِ يُلْقِي عَطَايَا

ه عَلَى الْخَلْقِ والغَمامُ الْمُعِيدُ

The jurist of bounty grants gifts to mankind,

While the clouds repeat and repeat their rain.

كَيْفَ قَاسُوا نَدى يَديْهِ بِمَرّ الرّ

يح جَرْياً ولِلرِّيَاحِ رُكُودُ

How they compared the softness of his hand to bitter wind -

Though winds are still, and harsh to the touch!

أَوْ سَعوا جُودَه مَلاماً

وتَفْنيداً فَضَاعَ الملامُ والتَّفْنِيدُ

Or they thought his generosity fault and flaw,

So blame and flaw were lost.

ردَّدُوا عَزْلَهم فَردَّ عَلَيْهم

كُلُّ شيءٍ مردَّدٌ مَرْدُود

They called for his removal - but everything

Called for, called and recalled, is returned.

إِخوةٌ قطُّ لَمْ يَذوقوا فِراقاً

هُو وَالْبَأْسُ والتُّقى والجُودُ

Brothers whose thread was never severed -

He, might, piety and munificence.

فإِذَا جَادَ فالعبيدُ مَوالٍ

وإِذا صَال فالموَالي عَبيدُ

When he gives freely, slaves become masters;

When he prays, masters become slaves.

وإِذا لاَح فالرُّءُوسُ رُكوعٌ

وإِذَا قَالَ فَالْقُلوبُ سُجُود

When he appears, heads bow down;

When he speaks, hearts prostrate.

هيبةٌ تملأُ القلوبَ فَقَلبُ الـ

ـدَّهرِ مِنه مُروَّعٌ رِعْدِيدُ

Awe filling hearts - so hearts of time

From him are frightened like rumbling thunder.

ويميناً لَوْ عَرْبد الدَّهْر سُكْراً

لأُقيمَتْ مِنْهَا عَلَيْه الحُدُودُ

He could discipline time if it got drunk;

Limits would be placed upon it.

قصدَ المجدَ سَاعِياً سَاهِراً فيه

وأَسْرَى والخلْقُ عَنْهُ رُقُودُ

He sought glory staying up late for it;

While creation from it slumbered.

وإِذا ما ادَّعَى حِيازَةَ مَجْدٍ

فالبَرَايَا بِما يَقُولُ شُهودُ

If he claimed ownership of glory,

Witnesses would verify his claim.

شهِدَ الكامِلون بالفضلِ للفا

ضِل أَوْ كَادَ يَشْهَدُ الْمَوْلُودُ

The perfect bore witness to his superiority -

Even newborns almost testified to this!

يا مُجَارِيه قَدْ جَهِدْتَ فَأَقْصِر

طَالَمَا خَابَ طَالِبٌ مَجْهودُ

O you who vie with him - you have striven hard,

Long has the hopeful been disappointed.

وعد الدَّهرُ أَن يجودَ على الـ

ـخَلْقِ وَلَكِنْ بمثْله لاَ يَجُودُ

Time promised to be generous to mankind -

But none can match his generosity!

رَشَدٌ مَعْ أَمَانةٍ قالَ مِنْها الـ

ـنَّاسُ عَادَ المأَمُونُ عَاشَ الرَّشِيدُ

Righteousness and trust - it is said of them:

Al-Ma'mun returned, times of Ar-Rashid revived!

ومبيدُ الحقودِ عَفْواً وصَفْحاً

رُبَّما شَانَت الكِرَامَ الحُقودُ

Erasure of envy and hatred comes through

Forgiveness and pardon - oft from the envious!

أَيها الفاضِلُ الَّذِي حَازَ فَضْلاً

عزَّ فِيه التَّعديدُ والتَّحدِيدُ

O excellent one who gained merit - over which

Counting and limiting have no sway!

كَمْ إِلى كَمْ أَشْكُو إِليكَ حَسوداً

وزَمَانِي عَليْكَ فَهْو الحَسُود

How much to how much shall I complain of envy,

While my time upon you is envious?

إِنَّ رُكْبِي بِنَابِ دَهْرِيَ مَهْدُو

دٌ وشِلوي بِظُفْره مَقْدُودُ

My ship in my fickle fortune is wrecked,

While my competitor by its success is led.

لم يَزَلْ فيه لِي وَلاَ خَيْرَ فيه

سَقَمٌ طَارِفٌ وَهَمٌّ تَلِيد

In it I have no good, and no good in it -

Continual sickness and consuming anxiety.

صرتُ لمَّا أَعرضْتَ عنِّي مَعدو

ماً وإِن قِيل إِنَّنِي مَوْجُود

I grew destitute when you ignored me,

Though it's said that I'm prosperous.

صَدِيَت في ذُرَاكَ مِنِّي نَفْسٌ

وذَوَى فِي ثَراكَ مِنِّيَ عُودُ

You were cold toward me in your hoard,

While in your wealth I was turned away.

وتولَّى الإِقطاعَ غيرَ حَميد

وأَتانِي وهْو العَزِيزُ الْحَمِيدُ

Another took over grants - no praiseworthy one,

And you came to me, Generous and Gracious!

والذي أَبْتَغِيه شَيءٌ زَهِيدٌ

إِنَّما يَطْلُبُ الزَّهِيدَ الزَّهيدُ

What I seek is a trifling thing -

The ascetic asks little from the ascetic.

كمْ أُنَاسٍ نالوا النَّعيمَ فَلا منّ

عليهِمْ فيه ولاَ تَنْكِيدُ

Many attained bliss yet had no protector,

Nor there any helper to fend off pain.

وهُمْ بالشَّقَاءِ أَوْلَى وَلكِنْ

كيفَ يَشْقَى مَنْ جَدُّه مَسعُود

More deserving of woe are they, but how

Can one who is fortunate writhe in misery?

كم تمنيت أَن أَكونَ لَئِيماً

لا كريماً فلِلِّئَامِ جُدُودُ

How I wished to be base, not noble,

For the base are aided, aided!

ضاق صْدري وَضَاعَ صَبْريَ لَمَّا

حرج الدّهرُ بي وضَاقَ الوْجُودُ

My breast tightened and my patience failed

When time was straitened for me and space constricted.

ولَعَمْرِي لو طَالَعَتْنِي بإِسعا

دٍ أَيادِيك طَالَعَتْني السُّعُودُ

By my life! Were your hands to bring me fortune,

Good fortune itself would greet me.

فامْتِناناً عليَّ إِنِّي فَقِيرٌ

والْتِفَاتاً إِليَّ إِنِّي فَقِيدُ

So graciously, I am needy;

Turn to me, I am captive.

وتهنَّ العيدَ الجديدَ سَعيداً

فهْو عيدٌ وأَنْتَ لِلْعِيد عِيدُ

And may your renewed feast be joyous,

For it's a feast and you for feasts are best.

وإِذَا أَسعَد الزَّمانَ بلقيا

كَ فإِنِّي كَما يُقالُ السَّعِيد

When you bring joy to time by meeting me,

I become, as is said, fortunate.