مَن لِصَبّ لَم يَنَل أَرَبا
مُستهام رقَّ وَاِنتَحَبا
He who seeks beauty's affection unreturned
Will weep and moan in anguished distress.
مُستهلّ الدَمع ساكبه
ما شَكا بُؤساً وَلا وَصَبا
With eyes that rain tears he pours out his sorrow,
Not to complain of misery or torment.
ذو غَرام سامَهُ شَجَنا
مُشفِقاً مِن بَرحِهِ رَهبا
Passion so consumed him, deep yearning filled him -
Fearing the loss of his loved one, anxiously.
وَهَوى الآرام غالبه
وَهوَ لا يُصغي لِمَن عَتبا
While comfort slumbers, beyond his reach,
Deaf to rebuke, he burns in fervent love.
وَاللَواحي حمّلته عَنا
لاعجٌ مِن وَجدِهِ اِلتَهَبا
Suffering burdened him with fiery embers,
From the flames of passion set ablaze within.
لَم يَزَل دَوماً يُصاحبه
مُصعداً أَنفاسَهُ لَهبا
Always following him, his sighing breath
Like kindling, fueling love's growing fire.
وَيح قَلبي ظَلّ مُرتهنا
أتقاوى وَالهَوى غَلَبا
Alas my heart! Still enthralled is it,
Though passion conquered it and rules supreme.
وَالظبا تيهاً تُعاقبه
وَعَيائي داؤُهُ صَعبا
With confusion punishing, testing his will,
And my pride worsening his dire condition.
وَغَزال هزّ قَدّ قَنا
ذو جَمال زيّن النقبا
A gazelle, whose slender form sways gracefully,
With beauty adorning his elegant neck.
فتنَ الأَلبابَ حاجبُه
وَبلبّي طالَما لَعِبا
His alluring eyelashes stir hearts to madness,
And my reason is helpless, captured by him.
بِأَبي مِنهُ بَديع سَنا
لا نَأى عَنّي وَلا غَربا
By his exquisite charm and youthful splendor,
Neither distant from me nor far removed.
قَمر تَزهو مَواكبُه
لَو رَآه البَدر لاِحتَجَبا
A moon who glows with brilliant light around him -
Were the full moon to see him, it would hide in shame.
خَدّه الوَرديّ طابَ جَنى
وَسُقي ماء الحَيا أَدَبا
His rosy cheeks, the bloom of the rose in bounty,
Given to drink the water of vitality.
جَلّ عَن رَيب يُقاربه
فَغَدا حالي بِهِ عَجَبا
Far above any doubt or misgiving,
My state because of him is filled with wonder.
صُنت عَمَّن لامَني أُذنا
كَم حَسودٍ ناصح خلبا
Guarded have I been, closing off my hearing
From the advice of envious, jealous whisperers.
رَيثما أَنّي أُجانبه
مَسمَعي عَن نُصحه اِجتَنَبا
Until I abandon and shun their counsel,
Deaf I remain to their warning and rebuke.
وَمدام الثَغر كَأس هَنا
هات يا مَن مِنهُ قَد شَربا
Take it - you who from his drink found bliss before.
Is it a fitting match? Can you perceive
أتُرى نِدّاً يُناسبه
سكراً أرشفت أَم ضَربا
Whether drunk deeply or just briefly sipped?
Beyond what I had hoped and dreamed of attaining,
غَير ما أَمّلت فيهِ مُنى
مِن جدى آلاء من وَهَبا
From my striving, gifts of favor bestowed.
The giver of glory, honor's guarantor
وَأمين المَجد واهبه
ذو المَعالي سَيّد النجبا
Is the eminent lord of all nobility.
Whose praise when recited in his presence
مَن إِذا أَتلو لَديهِ ثَنا
مَدحهُ يَتلو الثَنا كتبا
Is recorded in writing, line after line.
I recited my eulogy of his virtues -
رَتّلت مَدحي مَناقبهُ
مَن رأى تَرتيله اِعتَجَبا
All who heard my recital voiced astonishment.
My delight - though undeserved the bounty gained
أَريحيّ كَم حَبا مِننا
غَير مَغبون بِما اِكتَسَبا
From clouds of generosity, rains he poured forth.
Not deeming his unstinting munificence a burden,
مِن ندى جادَت سَحائبُه
لَم يسمه بَذلهُ كربا
While others viewed it as mighty and grand.
Every splendid attribute he came to possess
كُلّ مَعنى حازَهُ حسنا
حين عَمّا دونَهُ رَغبا
When he aspired beyond what others craved.
As his status became exalted with acclaim,
عِندما باهَت مَراتبهُ
طاوَلَت عَلياؤُهُ الشُهُبا
His venerable beard turned white with age.
He is the rain of righteousness if we are thirsty,
فَهوَ غَيث البرِّ إِن هَتنا
وَهوَ لَيث الغاب إِن وَثَبا
The forest lion if aggressors pounce to attack.
Brandishing his sword, terror grips his foes -
لَمَعت بَطشاً قَواضبه
لِترى مِنهُ العِدا رُعبا
To make them see might and courage from him.
He rose never betraying reliance on God,
لا اِنبَرى يَلقى هنا وَمنى
لَم يَزَل بِاللَه مُحتسبا
Seeking only what earns divine reward.
Victorious in all affairs he undertakes,
ظافِراً فيما يُراقبه
غَير مَعصيّ بِما طَلَبا
Never disobeying what the Lord decreed.
