باتَ يَجلوها عَلى نَد

باتَ يَجلوها عَلى نَد

مانِها وَاللَيلُ داجي

مانِها وَاللَيلُ داجي

He spent the night unveiling her before her drinking

He started reciting it to the tunes of his songs, and the night was pitch dark,

companion, while the night was dark—

A gentle breeze stirred branches, with a glance that allured,

رَشَأٌ حَرَّكَ أَشجا

رَشَأٌ حَرَّكَ أَشجا

ني بِطَرفٍ مِنهُ ساجي

ني بِطَرفٍ مِنهُ ساجي

a fawn who stirred my sorrows

And a sweet smelling aroma, a honeyed drink,

with his languid gaze,

It stood, adorned with wreaths of roses and crowns,

وَبِثَعرٍ طَيِّبِ النَف

وَبِثَعرٍ طَيِّبِ النَف

حَةِ مَعسولِ المُجاجِ

حَةِ مَعسولِ المُجاجِ

and with a mouth of sweet

Amongst a branch that sways, and a rod that bends,

breath and honeyed saliva.

Before the voices of the flutes, and the chirping of poultry,

قامَ مَعصوباً بِإِكلي

قامَ مَعصوباً بِإِكلي

لٍ مِنَ الوَردِ وَتاجِ

لٍ مِنَ الوَردِ وَتاجِ

He stood with his head bound in

When the red camels approached, gleaming in glassware,

a garland of roses and a crown,

And he saw in the house, lanterns like lamps,

بَينَ غُصنٍ ذي اِهتِزازٍ

بَينَ غُصنٍ ذي اِهتِزازٍ

وَقَضيبٍ ذي اِرتِجاجِ

وَقَضيبٍ ذي اِرتِجاجِ

between a branch that swayed

He thought it was a flame, so he protected it with care,

and a shoot that quivered,

Oh gazelle, I have no remedy for my love in my hands,

قَبلَ أَصواتِ النَواقي

قَبلَ أَصواتِ النَواقي

سِ وَتَغريدِ الدَجاجِ

سِ وَتَغريدِ الدَجاجِ

before the sounds of

I don’t see my heart cured of love for you while I live,

bells and the crowing of cocks,

If we get a house after getting close and mixing,

حينَ وافانا بِها حَم

حينَ وافانا بِها حَم

راءَ تَزهو في الزُجاجِ

راءَ تَزهو في الزُجاجِ

when he brought her to us,

Nights tend to gently change into stingers,

red and radiant in the glass.

How much false hope makes my heart ache,

وَرَأى في البيتِ مِن لَأ

وَرَأى في البيتِ مِن لَأ

لَائِها مِثلَ السِراجِ

لَائِها مِثلَ السِراجِ

And in the room he saw, from her

And to how much despair am I circling around,

radiance, something like a lamp;

How often does my temperament meet vile morals,

ظَنَّها شُعلَةَ نارٍ

ظَنَّها شُعلَةَ نارٍ

فَعَلاها بِمَزاجِ

فَعَلاها بِمَزاجِ

he took her for a flame of fire,

Riding despite injustice and stubbornness,

so he poured water over her.

His days wore betrayal’s clothes, the cheater,

يا غَزالاً ما لِدائي

يا غَزالاً ما لِدائي

في يَدَيهِ مِن عِلاجِ

في يَدَيهِ مِن عِلاجِ

O gazelle, for my sickness there is

He didn’t know I seek the companion of religion’s glory,

no remedy in his hands.

The leader of conquest over the warring Arabs,

ما أَرى قَلبِيَ مِن حُب

ما أَرى قَلبِيَ مِن حُب

بِكَ ما عِشتُ بِناجي

بِكَ ما عِشتُ بِناجي

I do not see my heart escaping

Spreader of justice over the poor and needy,

your love as long as I live.

Balanced on the day of gifts, a lion on the day of battle,

إِن نَأَت دارٌ لَنا بَع

إِن نَأَت دارٌ لَنا بَع

دَ اِقتِرابٍ وَاِمتِزاجِ

دَ اِقتِرابٍ وَاِمتِزاجِ

If our dwelling has grown distant

In the name of the most high, apparent over all banners,

after closeness and mingling,

Oh rider, beware of dangers and clashes,

فَاللَيالي شَأنُها تَب

فَاللَيالي شَأنُها تَب

دُلُ عَذباً بِأُجاجِ

دُلُ عَذباً بِأُجاجِ

for the nights are wont

Crossing piles of dead bodies, between travel and fatigue,

to exchange sweet water for brine.

For the hypocrite’s talk in his chest, what suffering,

وَيحَ قَلبي كَم أُرَجّي

وَيحَ قَلبي كَم أُرَجّي

مِنهُ ما لَيسَ بِراجي

مِنهُ ما لَيسَ بِراجي

Alas for my heart! How often I hope

He sees no shelter for the dew, sought by the pilgrim,

from him for what is beyond hope.

Don’t be straitened by worries, every worry shall pass,

وَإِلى كَم أَنا لِليَأ

وَإِلى كَم أَنا لِليَأ

سِ مُدارٍ وَمُداجي

سِ مُدارٍ وَمُداجي

And how long shall I placate

Settle in Abi Al Fadl’s quarter, the best place to settle,

despair and dissemble before it?

And avoid his sweet springs, the bitter paths,

كَم يُلاقي خُلُقي السَم

كَم يُلاقي خُلُقي السَم

حَ بِأَخلاقٍ سِماجِ

حَ بِأَخلاقٍ سِماجِ

How often he meets my generous nature

Oh generous one, his generosity has no shortcoming,

with repellent manners,

Calm settled in your time, after turmoil,

راكِباً في الضيمِ لي ظَه

راكِباً في الضيمِ لي ظَه

رَ عِنادٍ وَلِجاجِ

رَ عِنادٍ وَلِجاجِ

riding, as he wrongs me, the back

You purified the channel of kingship, after crookedness,

of stubbornness and obstinate strife.

With noble acts, and edges of glass,

لَبِسَت أَيّامُهُ بِال

لَبِسَت أَيّامُهُ بِال

غَدرِ أَثوابَ الدَياجي

غَدرِ أَثوابَ الدَياجي

His days have donned, through

So it became by your view, like a fortress built with reinforced concrete,

treachery, the robes of darkest nights.

You cured an era, that was without remedy,

ما دَرَت أَنّي إِلى الصا

ما دَرَت أَنّي إِلى الصا

حِبِ مَجدِ الدينِ لاجي

حِبِ مَجدِ الدينِ لاجي

They did not know that I seek refuge with

That used to complain before your management, of ill temper,

the Sahib Majd al-Din,

And the mother of generosity became perfected, after deficiency,

قائِدِ الغُلبِ المَغاوي

قائِدِ الغُلبِ المَغاوي

رِ عَلى العُربِ النَواجي

رِ عَلى العُربِ النَواجي

leader of the mighty, valiant

So she is today, while she was barren, now fruitful,

warriors on swift Arabian steeds;

Live days of celebration, in delight and elation,

ناشِرِ العَدلِ عَلى فَق

ناشِرِ العَدلِ عَلى فَق

رٍ إِلَيهِ وَاِحتِياجِ

رٍ إِلَيهِ وَاِحتِياجِ

spreading justice amid

And remain what the dawn heralded, with smiles and elation,

want of it and need for it;

And make the intentions of your enemies, objectives of the confused.

مُزنَةٍ يَومَ العَطاءِ

مُزنَةٍ يَومَ العَطاءِ

أَسَدٍ يَومِ الهِياجِ

أَسَدٍ يَومِ الهِياجِ

a rain cloud on the day of giving,

a lion on the day of battle;

باسِمٍ بَينَ العَوالي

باسِمٍ بَينَ العَوالي

مُسفِرٍ تَحتَ العَجاجِ

مُسفِرٍ تَحتَ العَجاجِ

smiling among the tall spears,

bright-faced beneath the battle dust.

أَيُّها الراكِبُ أَخطا

أَيُّها الراكِبُ أَخطا

رَ مَوامٍ وَفِجاجِ

رَ مَوامٍ وَفِجاجِ

O you who ride the dangers

of deserts and mountain passes,

مُنضِياً كَومَ المَطايا

مُنضِياً كَومَ المَطايا

بَينَ سَيرٍ وَاِدِّلاجِ

بَينَ سَيرٍ وَاِدِّلاجِ

wearing out the high-humped mounts

with travel and journeys through the night:

لِأَحاديثِ المُنا في

لِأَحاديثِ المُنا في

صَدرِهِ أَيُّ اِعتِلاجِ

صَدرِهِ أَيُّ اِعتِلاجِ

the talk of hopes within

his breast—what a turmoil!

لا يَرَى مَثوَى نَدىً يَح

لا يَرَى مَثوَى نَدىً يَح

تَلُّهُ طالِبُ حاجِ

تَلُّهُ طالِبُ حاجِ

He sees no abode of bounty

where a seeker in need may lodge.

لا تَضِق بِالهَمِّ ذَرعاً

لا تَضِق بِالهَمِّ ذَرعاً

كُلُّ هَمٍّ لِاِنفِراجِ

كُلُّ هَمٍّ لِاِنفِراجِ

Do not let care overwhelm you;

every care is bound for relief.

عُج عَلى رَبعِ أَبي الفَض

عُج عَلى رَبعِ أَبي الفَض

لِ تَعُج خَيرَ مَعاجِ

لِ تَعُج خَيرَ مَعاجِ

Turn aside to the dwelling of Abu

al-Fadl: you will take the best of detours.

وَاِغنَ مِن مَورِدِهِ العَذ

وَاِغنَ مِن مَورِدِهِ العَذ

بِ عَنِ الطَرقِ الأُجاجِ

بِ عَنِ الطَرقِ الأُجاجِ

And let his sweet spring suffice you

instead of brackish, stagnant water.

يا جَواداً ما عَلى جو

يا جَواداً ما عَلى جو

دِ يَديهِ مِن رَتاجِ

دِ يَديهِ مِن رَتاجِ

O generous one, no door bars

the bounty of his hands.

سَكَنَت في دَهرِكَ الدَه

سَكَنَت في دَهرِكَ الدَه

ماءُ مِن بَعدِ اِنزِعاجِ

ماءُ مِن بَعدِ اِنزِعاجِ

The populace grew calm in your time,

after unrest.

أَنتَ ثَقَّفتَ قَناةَ ال

أَنتَ ثَقَّفتَ قَناةَ ال

مُلكِ مِن بَعدِ اِعوِجاجِ

مُلكِ مِن بَعدِ اِعوِجاجِ

You straightened the spear-shaft of

kingship after its crookedness,

بِصُدورِ المَشرَفِيّا

بِصُدورِ المَشرَفِيّا

تِ وَأَطرافِ الزِجاجِ

تِ وَأَطرافِ الزِجاجِ

with the points of Mashrafi

swords and the spikes of spear-butts.

فَهوَ مِن رَأيِكَ كَالمُق

فَهوَ مِن رَأيِكَ كَالمُق

لَةِ صينَت بِالحِجاجِ

لَةِ صينَت بِالحِجاجِ

So, through your counsel, it is like an eye

protected by its socket.

أَنتَ داوَيتَ زَماناً

أَنتَ داوَيتَ زَماناً

كانَ مَعدومَ العِلاجِ

كانَ مَعدومَ العِلاجِ

You healed an age

for which no remedy existed.

كانَ يَشكو قَبلَ تَدبي

كانَ يَشكو قَبلَ تَدبي

رِكَ مِن سوءِ المِزاجِ

رِكَ مِن سوءِ المِزاجِ

It complained, before your

governance, of an ailing constitution.

وَأَتَمَّت بِكَ أُمُّ ال

وَأَتَمَّت بِكَ أُمُّ ال

جودِ مِن بَعدِ الخِداجِ

جودِ مِن بَعدِ الخِداجِ

And through you the mother of

bounty bore at full term, after premature births.

فَهِيَ اليَومَ وَكانَت

فَهِيَ اليَومَ وَكانَت

عاقِراً ذاتُ نِتاجِ

عاقِراً ذاتُ نِتاجِ

So today, though she had been

barren, she has offspring.

فَاِلقَ أَيّامَ التَهاني

فَاِلقَ أَيّامَ التَهاني

بِسُرورٍ وَاِبتِهاجِ

بِسُرورٍ وَاِبتِهاجِ

So greet the days of congratulations

with joy and delight,

وَاِبقَ ما آذَنَ صُبحٌ

وَاِبقَ ما آذَنَ صُبحٌ

بِاِبتِسامِ وَاِبتِهاجِ

بِاِبتِسامِ وَاِبتِهاجِ

and live on as long as dawn heralds

smiles and rejoicing,

وَغَدَت أَعراضُ أَعدا

وَغَدَت أَعراضُ أَعدا

ئِكَ أَغراضَ الأَهاجي

ئِكَ أَغراضَ الأَهاجي

and your enemies' reputations become

targets for lampoons.