سَقى صَوبُ الحَيا دِمَناً

سَقى صَوبُ الحَيا دِمَناً

بِجَرعاءِ اللِوى دُرَسا

بِجَرعاءِ اللِوى دُرَسا

May the rain's downpour water the ruins

The destiny of life watered our blood

effaced on the sandy plain of al-Liwā.

With drafts of torment and misery

وَزادَ مَحَلَّكِ المَأنو

وَزادَ مَحَلَّكِ المَأنو

سَ يا دارَ الهَوى أَنَسا

سَ يا دارَ الهَوى أَنَسا

And may it make your familiar dwelling

And your abode increased, O house of passion

more welcoming, O dwelling of love.

O comfort of loves past

لَئِن دَرَسَت رُبوعُكِ فَال

لَئِن دَرَسَت رُبوعُكِ فَال

هَوى العُذرِيُّ ما دَرَسا

هَوى العُذرِيُّ ما دَرَسا

Though your abodes have faded,

Though your meadows are deserted

chaste ʿUdhrī love has not faded.

My virginal love is not forsaken

بِنَفسي جيرَةٌ لَم يُب

بِنَفسي جيرَةٌ لَم يُب

قِ فيَّ فِراقُهُم نَفَسا

قِ فيَّ فِراقُهُم نَفَسا

My life for those neighbors; their parting

My soul is neighbored by those

left not a breath in me.

Whose parting does not trouble my breath

نَشَدتُ اللَهَ حادِيَهُم

نَشَدتُ اللَهَ حادِيَهُم

فَما أَلوى وَلا حَبَسا

فَما أَلوى وَلا حَبَسا

I adjured their camel-driver by God,

I implored God against their guide

but he neither turned back nor halted.

Neither did I waver nor hesitate

وَسارَ بِهِنَّ في الأَظعا

وَسارَ بِهِنَّ في الأَظعا

نِ حُوّاً كَالدُمى لُعُسا

نِ حُوّاً كَالدُمى لُعُسا

And he bore them away in the caravans:

And he led them into plains

dusky beauties, statue-like, dark of lip.

Like a driven camel herd

تِخالُ هَوادِجاً رُفِعَت

تِخالُ هَوادِجاً رُفِعَت

عَلى ظَبياتِهِم كُنُسا

عَلى ظَبياتِهِم كُنُسا

You would think the howdahs raised

Their litters borne on camels

above their gazelles were leafy lairs.

As if a caravan took rest

وَفي الغادينَ مائِسَةٌ

وَفي الغادينَ مائِسَةٌ

تُعيرُ البانَةَ المَيَسا

تُعيرُ البانَةَ المَيَسا

Among those departing at dawn is a swaying beauty

Among the departing are censuring glances

who lends the bān tree its sway.

Mocking the languid gazelle

تُريكَ الظَبيَةَ الأَدما

تُريكَ الظَبيَةَ الأَدما

لا حَمشاً وَلا خَنَسا

لا حَمشاً وَلا خَنَسا

She shows you a tawny gazelle,

Showing you a fawn without

but neither thin-shanked nor snub-nosed.

Blemish or fault

سِهامُ جُفونِها دونَ ال

سِهامُ جُفونِها دونَ ال

مَراشِفِ تَمنَعُ اللَعَسا

مَراشِفِ تَمنَعُ اللَعَسا

The arrows of her eyelids stand before her

The arrows of their eyes beneath

lips, keeping their dusky redness beyond reach.

The canopies deny all sleep

عَسى الأَيّامُ تَسمَحُ لي

عَسى الأَيّامُ تَسمَحُ لي

بِرَدِّ الظاعِنينَ عَسى

بِرَدِّ الظاعِنينَ عَسى

Perhaps the days will grant me

May time allow me

the travelers' return—perhaps.

To return the slanderers' harms

وَلَيلاتٍ سَرَقنا العَي

وَلَيلاتٍ سَرَقنا العَي

شِ مِن أَوقاتِها خُلَسا

شِ مِن أَوقاتِها خُلَسا

And nights when we stole life's joys

And nights we stole from their time

furtively from their hours—

Surreptitiously and furtively

فَيا لِلَّهِ ما أَشأَر

فَيا لِلَّهِ ما أَشأَر

نَ عِندي مِن جَوىً وَأَسا

نَ عِندي مِن جَوىً وَأَسا

by God, how much they have left

Oh God, how much intimacies and pleasure

in me of burning longing and sorrow!

I have treasured and kept

وَدَيرٍ قَد حَلَلتُ بِهِ

وَدَيرٍ قَد حَلَلتُ بِهِ

وَرَبُّ الدَيرِ قَد نَعَسا

وَرَبُّ الدَيرِ قَد نَعَسا

And a monastery where I lodged,

In a monastery I lodged

its keeper having grown drowsy:

While its monk was asleep

فَقامَ إِلَيَّ مِن سِنَةِ ال

فَقامَ إِلَيَّ مِن سِنَةِ ال

كَرى عَجلانَ مُقتَبِسا

كَرى عَجلانَ مُقتَبِسا

then he rose to meet me from a doze,

And from the inebriation of old age

hastening to fetch a flame.

One came to me holding a lantern

كَأَنَّ بِهِ وَقَد عَقَلَ

كَأَنَّ بِهِ وَقَد عَقَلَ

الشَرابُ لِسانَهُ خَرَسا

الشَرابُ لِسانَهُ خَرَسا

He seemed struck mute, for

As if the wine had bound

wine had fettered his tongue.

His tongue into silence

وَجاءَ بِها كَأَنَّ الشَم

وَجاءَ بِها كَأَنَّ الشَم

سَ في كاساتِها غَلَسا

سَ في كاساتِها غَلَسا

And he brought it, as though the sun

And he brought cups as though

shone in its cups in the predawn dark.

The sun was immersed in their wine

فَلا ما كَستُهُ وَزناً

فَلا ما كَستُهُ وَزناً

وَلا هُوَ كائِلاً بَخسا

وَلا هُوَ كائِلاً بَخسا

So I did not haggle with him over the weight,

I weighed not their worth

nor did he give short measure.

Nor did he diminish the price

عُقاراً مِثلَ ما شَعشَع

عُقاراً مِثلَ ما شَعشَع

تَ في جُنحِ الدُجى قَبَسا

تَ في جُنحِ الدُجى قَبَسا

Wine, as though you had kindled

A potion like the scintillating

a flame beneath the wing of darkness.

Sparks in the wing of night

لَها أَرَجٌ كَما اِستَقبَل

لَها أَرَجٌ كَما اِستَقبَل

تَ مِن رَوضِ الحِمى نَفَسا

تَ مِن رَوضِ الحِمى نَفَسا

Its fragrance was as though you inhaled

Bearing the scent as though it came

a breath from the meadows of the preserve.

From the meadow's breath

كَأَنَّ ذَكِيَّ نَفحَتِها

كَأَنَّ ذَكِيَّ نَفحَتِها

خَلائِقُ سَيِّدِ الرُؤَسا

خَلائِقُ سَيِّدِ الرُؤَسا

As though the sweetness of its scent

As if the soul of his draughts

were the virtues of the lord of chiefs,

Were the best of humanity

جَلالِ الدينِ وَالموفي

جَلالِ الدينِ وَالموفي

لِآمِلِهِ بِما اِلتَمَسا

لِآمِلِهِ بِما اِلتَمَسا

Jalāl al-Dīn, who fulfills

The majesty of religion and the faithful

for whoever hopes in him whatever he seeks.

To his hopeful with what he sought

إِذا غَرَسَت يَداهُ نَداً

إِذا غَرَسَت يَداهُ نَداً

سَقى بِالبِشرِ ما غَرَسا

سَقى بِالبِشرِ ما غَرَسا

When his hands plant generosity,

If he plants his hand in moisture

he waters his planting with good cheer.

He waters with good tidings what was planted

وَلَو لَمَسَت يَداهُ صَفاً

وَلَو لَمَسَت يَداهُ صَفاً

لَأَعشَبَ مِنهُ ما لَمَسا

لَأَعشَبَ مِنهُ ما لَمَسا

Even if his hands touched bare rock,

If his hand touches barrenness

the part they touched would sprout with grass.

He makes it grow where he touched

تَكَفَّلَ حينَ يَبسِمُ بِال

تَكَفَّلَ حينَ يَبسِمُ بِال

غِنى وَالمَوتِ إِن عَبَسا

غِنى وَالمَوتِ إِن عَبَسا

When he smiles, he guarantees

He guaranteed, whenever he smiles, bounty

wealth—and death when he frowns.

And death when he frowned

وَأُقسِمُ أَنَّهُ ما خا

وَأُقسِمُ أَنَّهُ ما خا

بَ راجيهِ وَما أَيَسا

بَ راجيهِ وَما أَيَسا

I swear that whoever hopes in him

And I swear he never disappointed

has never been disappointed or fallen into despair.

A hopeful nor despaired one

وَلا عَشَرَ المُؤَمِّلُ جو

وَلا عَشَرَ المُؤَمِّلُ جو

دَ كَفَّيهِ وَلا تَعِسا

دَ كَفَّيهِ وَلا تَعِسا

No petitioner has taken even a tenth of the bounty

The expectant never suffered

of his hands, or come to grief.

The tightfistedness of his palms or misery

أَعادَ زَمانُهُ المَعرو

أَعادَ زَمانُهُ المَعرو

فَ غَضّاً بَعدَما يَبِسا

فَ غَضّاً بَعدَما يَبِسا

His age has made kindness

His time made the noble traits

fresh again after it had dried up.

Flourish after their death

وَأَحيا مِن رُسومِ مَعا

وَأَحيا مِن رُسومِ مَعا

لِمَ الإيمانِ ما طَمَسا

لِمَ الإيمانِ ما طَمَسا

And revived the effaced traces

And revived what symbols faded

of the landmarks of faith.

Of the tenets of faith

وَقورٌ يَومَ جِلسَتِهِ

وَقورٌ يَومَ جِلسَتِهِ

إِذا هَفَتِ الحُلومُ رَسا

إِذا هَفَتِ الحُلومُ رَسا

Dignified when seated,

Solemn is he when beasts settle

he stands firm when judgments falter.

And crawl humbly

وَتَلقاهُ غَداةَ الرَو

وَتَلقاهُ غَداةَ الرَو

عِ في الهَبَواتِ مُنغَمِسا

عِ في الهَبَواتِ مُنغَمِسا

And you find him on the morning of terror,

And you meet him in the morn

immersed in clouds of dust.

Immersed in thoughts and contemplation

فَليثُ شَرىً إِذا أَسرى

فَليثُ شَرىً إِذا أَسرى

وَطَودُ خِمىً إِذا جَلَسا

وَطَودُ خِمىً إِذا جَلَسا

A lion of Sharā when he travels by night,

A lion stalking prey

and a mountain of Khimā when he sits.

And a towering minaret when settled

إِذا جادَت أَنامِلُهُ

إِذا جادَت أَنامِلُهُ

حَسِبتَ الغَيثَ مُنبَجِسا

حَسِبتَ الغَيثَ مُنبَجِسا

When his fingers bestow,

When his fingers give generously

you would think the rain was gushing forth.

You'd think the rain was pouring

فَإِن مَحَضَ الرِجالُ الرَأ

فَإِن مَحَضَ الرِجالُ الرَأ

يَ أَعياهُم وَقَد خَرِسا

يَ أَعياهُم وَقَد خَرِسا

And if men offer their purest counsel,

For the men of opinion wearied them

he confounds them, though he remains silent.

And they fell silent

يُبَخِّلُ جودُهُ صَوبَ ال

يُبَخِّلُ جودُهُ صَوبَ ال

حَيا الساري إِذا رَجَسا

حَيا الساري إِذا رَجَسا

His generosity makes the downpour

The flowing of his munificence spares

of night-passing rain seem miserly when it thunders.

The protected path if it became sullied

وَيُنسي المَكرَ خيفَتُهُ

وَيُنسي المَكرَ خيفَتُهُ

ذِئابَ الرَدهَةِ الطُلُسا

ذِئابَ الرَدهَةِ الطُلُسا

Dread of him makes cunning forgotten

And his cunning makes him forget

by the dusky wolves of the hollow.

The wolves of wickedness and villains

وَيَحسُنُ في قَضِيَّتِهِ

وَيَحسُنُ في قَضِيَّتِهِ

إِذا صَرَفَ الزَمانُ أَسا

إِذا صَرَفَ الزَمانُ أَسا

He is gracious in his judgment;

He renders fairly his judgment

when fortune turns adverse, he heals.

When fate alternates

ضَحوكاً في النَدِيِّ وَفي ال

ضَحوكاً في النَدِيِّ وَفي ال

وَغى مُتَنَمِّراً شَرِسا

وَغى مُتَنَمِّراً شَرِسا

Laughing in the assembly, and in

Laughing in amity, and in battle

battle, leopard-like and fierce.

Baring fangs and ferocious

بَلا مِنهُ الخَليفَةُ في ال

بَلا مِنهُ الخَليفَةُ في ال

أُمورِ مُدَرَّباً مِرَسا

أُمورِ مُدَرَّباً مِرَسا

The caliph tested him and found, in

Thus the Caliph benefits from him

affairs, a trained and seasoned man.

In matters well-trained and proficient

فَما اِختَلَطَ الصَوابُ عَلى

فَما اِختَلَطَ الصَوابُ عَلى

بَديهَتِهِ وَلا اِلتَبَسا

بَديهَتِهِ وَلا اِلتَبَسا

So the right course never confused

Never did right mix with

his ready wit, nor became obscure.

His discernment or confuse him

جَوادٌ ما جَرى رِزقي

جَوادٌ ما جَرى رِزقي

عَلى كَفَّيهِ ما اِحتَبَسا

عَلى كَفَّيهِ ما اِحتَبَسا

A generous man: whenever my provision flowed

A stalwart whose sustenance

through his hands, it was never held back.

Did not tarry from his palms or cease

وَلَمّا أَن حَلَلتُ بِهِ

وَلَمّا أَن حَلَلتُ بِهِ

وَيَومي دامِسٌ شَمِسا

وَيَومي دامِسٌ شَمِسا

And when I lodged with him,

For when I sought his company

my gloomy day turned sunny.

With my gloomy day sunny

وَذَلَّلتُ الزَمانَ بِهِ

وَذَلَّلتُ الزَمانَ بِهِ

فَأَصحَبَ بَعدَ أَن شَمَسا

فَأَصحَبَ بَعدَ أَن شَمَسا

And through him I tamed time,

I tamed time through him

which grew docile after being unruly.

And after sunrise he accompanied

فَطالَ مَدى البَقاءِ لَهُ

فَطالَ مَدى البَقاءِ لَهُ

تَمَتَّعَ فيهِ ما لَبِسا

تَمَتَّعَ فيهِ ما لَبِسا

May his span of life be long;

Thus his survival was prolonged

may he enjoy within it all that he has donned.

As he enjoyed what he wore

تَرِقُّ غُصونُ دَولَتِهِ

تَرِقُّ غُصونُ دَولَتِهِ

إِذا عودُ الزَمانِ عَسا

إِذا عودُ الزَمانِ عَسا

The branches of his fortune grow tender

The branches of his rule thrive

when time's trunk grows hard.

When the time's peg is firm

يَرى في كُلِّ يَومٍ لِل

يَرى في كُلِّ يَومٍ لِل

هَناءِ بِرَبعِهِ عُرُسا

هَناءِ بِرَبعِهِ عُرُسا

Each day he sees

Every day he sees in his comfort

happiness holding a wedding in his abode.

A quarter of celebration

يُغاديهِ السُرورُ كَما

يُغاديهِ السُرورُ كَما

يُراوِحُهُ صَباحَ مَسا

يُراوِحُهُ صَباحَ مَسا

Joy visits him each morning, as

Felicity alternates him

it returns at evening—morning and evening.

Like the morning breeze refreshes him

عَلَيكَ اِبنَ البُخارِيِّ ال

عَلَيكَ اِبنَ البُخارِيِّ ال

جَوادَ الماجِدَ النَدِسا

جَوادَ الماجِدَ النَدِسا

For you, Ibn al-Bukhārī,

Upon you, son of Bukhari

the generous, illustrious, discerning man,

The generous, glorious, and chaste

جَلَوتُ البِكرَ طالَ ثَوا

جَلَوتُ البِكرَ طالَ ثَوا

ؤُها في خِدرِها عَنَسا

ؤُها في خِدرِها عَنَسا

I unveiled a virgin whose long seclusion

A barren she-camel whose resting

in her chamber had left her a spinster.

In her enclosure was prolonged

حَصانُ الحَبيبِ ما جُلِيَت

حَصانُ الحَبيبِ ما جُلِيَت

عَلى الخُطّابِ وَالجُلَسا

عَلى الخُطّابِ وَالجُلَسا

The beloved's chaste maiden, never unveiled

The steed of the Beloved that was not revealed

before suitors or companions.

To the Rightly Guided Caliphs and the settled

حَصانُ الحَبيبِ ما جُلِيَت

حَصانُ الحَبيبِ ما جُلِيَت

بِها شُبثاً وَلا نَجَسا

بِها شُبثاً وَلا نَجَسا

The beloved's chaste maiden, never unveiled—

The steed of the Beloved that was not revealed

with her, neither clinging taint nor impurity [wording unclear].

Defiled or impure

مِنَ الكِلَمِ الَّتي ما عَي

مِنَ الكِلَمِ الَّتي ما عَي

بَ قائِلُها وَلا وُكِسا

بَ قائِلُها وَلا وُكِسا

Of words whose speaker was never

Of words that were not

faulted or slighted.

Flawed by their speaker or wretched

قَوافٍ ما لَبِسنَ بِمَد

قَوافٍ ما لَبِسنَ بِمَد

حِ غَيرِكَ مَلبَساً دَنِسا

حِ غَيرِكَ مَلبَساً دَنِسا

Rhymes that never wore, by praising

Meters that did not dress

another than you, a sullied robe.

Another with over-praised attire

وَلا زاحَمنَ دونَ الرِف

وَلا زاحَمنَ دونَ الرِف

دِ حَجّاباً وَلا حَرَسا

دِ حَجّاباً وَلا حَرَسا

Nor did they jostle, seeking bounty,

Nor competed below the full moon

with doorkeepers or guards.

Veils or guards

نَظَمنَ لَكَ المَديحَ حِلىً

نَظَمنَ لَكَ المَديحَ حِلىً

وَحِكنَ لَكَ الثَناءَ كِسا

وَحِكنَ لَكَ الثَناءَ كِسا

They strung praise into ornaments for you,

They wove for you Eulogies as jewelry

and wove acclaim into robes for you.

And threaded for you Praise as a necklace