وَمُمَيَّلِ العِطفَينِ أَغيَد
غَضِّ الصِبى بَضِّ المُجَرَّد
With the graceful bending of his two sides he sways
The youth sways gracefully, stripped bare
كَالحِقفِ أَهيَلَ وَالقَضي
بِ مُهَفهَفاً وَالظَبيِ أَجيَد
Like the howdah, oh how it sways! And the brave one charges
Swaying smoothly, and the gazelle, so graceful
نادَمتُهُ وَالبَدرُ مُح
تَجِبٌ وَطَرفُ النَجمِ أَرمَد
I conversed with him while the full moon rose
Bashfully, and the eyelash of a star blinked slowly
بِمُدامَةٍ صِرفٍ كَأَن
نَ بِكَأسِها ناراً تَوَقَّد
With a passing waiter, as though
her cup set ablaze a kindled fire
وَكَأَنَّما الساقي بِها
يَختالُ في ثَوبٍ مُعَمَّد
As if the cupbearer was swaggering about
In a richly embroidered gown
بِأَبي غَزالٌ ما خَضَع
تُ لِحُبِّهِ إِلّا تَمَرَّد
By my father! What gazelle has bowed
To his love except the one who kicked back?
جَذلانُ مِن مَرَحِ الشَبا
بِ يَنامُ عَن لَيلي وَأَسهَد
An impetuous youth who plays with youth
Sleeps through my night and wakes at dawn
ظَبيٌ سَقاني خَمرَ عَي
نَيهِ فَأَسكَرَني وَعَربَد
A gazelle whose eyes intoxicated me and made me babble
Oh you whose glance is a bared sword
يا مَن لَهُ مِن لَحظِهِ
سَيفٌ عَلى قَلبي مُجَرَّد
Piercing my heart!
If you wish to shed my blood, you have triumphed
إِن كُنتَ سَفكَ دَمي تُري
دُ فَقَد ظَفِرتَ بِهِ تَأَيَّد
in obtaining your desire
Or if the path of connection has grown distant
أَو كانَ قَد بَعُدَت طَري
قُ الوَصلِ فَالهِجرانُ أَبعَد
Then estrangement is more remote
Have mercy on these tender, sleepy eyes
عَطفاً عَلى العَينِ القَري
حَةِ فيكَ وَالجَفنِ المُسَهَّد
And upon this heavily lidded eyelid
And I shall spend my long night, and the scattered
عوفيتَ مِن لَيلي الطَوي
لِ وَنَومِ أَجفاني المُشَرَّد
Slumber of my eyes, in your presence
Oh you who binds my heart! In the morning I shall wake
وَهُناكَ أَن أُمسي فَأُص
بِحَ يا خَلِيَّ القَلبِ مُكمَد
and that fair-faced one, so verdant of cheek and rosy of complexion,
With the sweetest lips, cooler than
وَأَما وَذاكَ العارِضِ ال
مُخضَرِّ وَالخَدِّ المُوَرَّد
Drinking water for the thirsty and more refreshing,
Smiles from them when he laughs, wearing
وَالثَغرِ أَعذَبَ مِن زُلا
لِ الماءِ لِلظامي وَأَبرَد
The adornments he has put on
And an old love which, whenever
يَفتَرُّ مِنهُ إِذا تَبَس
سَمَ ضاحِكاً عَمّا تَقَلَّد
Time passes, is made new again
I denied him while my body in him grows slender
وَقَديمِ حُبٍّ كُلَّما
قَدُمَ الزَمانُ بِهِ تَجَدَّد
And the tears bear witness
And the staff of separation; whenever
أَنكَرتُهُ وَنُحولُ جِس
مي فيهِ وَالعبَراتُ تَشهَد
Youth inclines towards it, we grow affectionate
And the languor of eyelids which aimed
وَقَضيبِ بانٍ كُلَّما
مالَ الشَبابُ بِهِ نَأَوَّد
its arrows at my heart and struck true
Verily the ever-flowing serpent slithers
وَفُتورِ أَجفانٍ رَمى
بِسِهامِها قَلبي فَأَقصَد
Out of your generosity, Oh Muhammad
Oh you in whom is gathered such
إِنَّ الحَيا المِدرارَ يَخ
جَلُ مِن عَطائِكَ يا مُحَمَّد
bounty of creation unparalleled!
The open space, when its gates are entered,
يا مَن تَجَمَّعَ فيهِ مِن
كَرَمِ الخَلائِقِ ما تَبَدَّد
is as wide as the outstretched plain
The flowing sleeves replaces
رَحبُ الفِناءِ إِذا حَلَل
تَ بِبابِهِ رَحبُ المُقَلَّد
Limbs in generosity and habitual giving
Ever ready resolves for
غَمرُ الرِداءِ مُقابِلُ ال
أَعراقِ في كَرَمٍ وَسُؤدَد
good works and persistent asking
Easy of access, he fulfills his
مُستَيقِظُ العَزَماتِ لِل
مَعروفِ وَالسُؤالُ هُجَّد
promises and exceeds when he threatens
He paved a path smoother than butter
سَهلُ الحِجابِ يَفي بِمَو
عودٍ وَيُخلِفُ إِن تَوَعَّد
by his virtuous character
Above the columns he built
سَنَّ النَدى فَطَريقُهُ
لِعُفاتِهِ سَهلٌ مُعَبَّد
higher than old Ctesiphon’s towering walls
And his advancing glory sufficed him
أَعلى دَعائِمَ ما اِبتَنا
هُ قَديمَةً كِسرى وَشَيَّد
against all who came before and will come after
A lion, dark of the thickets, they
وَكَفاهُ طارِقُ مَجدِهِ
عَن سالِفٍ مِنهُ وَمُتلَد
quake from his awe and tremble
As if he were a holy apparition
أَسَدٌ أُسودُ الغابِ تَر
جِفُ مِن مَهابَتِهِ وَتَرعَد
when he lays down his head to rest
Of a people whose eminent tribe
وَكَأَنَّ قُدساً ماثِلاً
في الدِستِ مِنهُ إِذا تَوَسَّد
spreads out their extended house
A people whose remarkable feats
مِن مَعشَرٍ جَمَعَ العَلا
ءَ طِرافُ بَيتِهِمُ المُمَدَّد
are numbered amongst the brilliant stars, never to be counted
They drew the pipes of munificence
قَومٌ مَآثِرُهُم تُعَد
دُ الزاهِراتُ وَلا تُعَدَّد
and doubled the ongoing charity
They met wars with every
سَحَبوا أَنابيبَ القَنا
وَمُضاعَفَ النَسجِ المُسَرَّد
gallant, unarmored belly bared
With faces whitened on the day of battle
وَلَقوا الحُروبَ بِكُلِّ مُش
تَرِفٍ أَقَبِّ البَطنِ أَجرَد
while their enemies’ faces darkened
Oh you who seeks righteousness, you have
مُبيَضَّةً يَومَ الهِيا
جِ وُجوهُهُم وَالنَقعُ أَسوَد
prepared your mounts and struggled
Crossing the watering places and battlefields
يا طالِبَ المَعروفِ قَد
أَنضى رَكائِبَهُ وَأَجهَد
from all sides, moving group after group
Do I seek any refuge or sanctuary
يَطوي المَناهِلِ وَالمَجا
هِلَ فَدفَداً مِن بَعدِ فَدفَد
other than the Beni Mozaffar?
You have strayed! For benevolence,
أَتَرومُ غَيرَ بَني المُظَف
فَرِ مَلجَأً وَحِمىً وَمَقصَد
beside them, there is no intended target
Urge your swift steed to the sanctuary
أُضلِلتَ فَالإِحسانُ عِن
دَ سِواهُمُ ما لَيسَ يُقصَد
of the sweet faced, graceful king
And when you disdain livelihood
عُج بِالمَطِيِّ عَلى حِمى
مَلِكٍ أَغَرِّ الوَجهِ أَصيَد
then glory in the glory of religion and be praised
He who puts out the burning war
وَمَتى ذَمَمتَ مَعيشَةً
فَأَنِخ بِمَجدِ الدينِ تَحمَد
whose raging fires have been kindled
In a plight like the writhing ocean
المُخمِدِ الحَربَ العَوا
نَ وَنارُ جاحِمِها تَوَقَّد
he charged against its battalions and frothed
The doves took shelter in him and so
في مَأزِقٍ كَالبَحرِ ما
جَ عَلى كَتائِبِهِ وَأَزبَد
shone in his quarters and rumbled
With thrusts of the spear and strokes of the sword
كَلَحَ الحِمامُ بِهِ فَأَب
رَقَ في نَواحيهِ وَأَرعَد
the white blades bow down in submission
The venerable leader attacked
طَعناً وَضَرباً فَالأَسِن
نَةُ رُكَّعٌ وَالبيضُ سُجَّد
when his opinion turned to attack, his sword still sheathed
Oh you who has oft-repeated favors
يَغزى الكَمِيُّ إِذا اِنتَحا
هُ بِرَأيِهِ وَالسَيفُ مُغمَد
and persistent, doubling generosity
A hand like a pouring raincloud
يا مَن لَهُ مِنَنٌ مُكَر
رَرَةٌ وَإِحسانٌ مُرَدَّد
of munificence, no, more generous and habitual in charity
Nothing like one who gave till
وَيَدٌ كَمُنهَلِّ الغَما
مِ الجودِ بَل أَندى وَأَجوَد
he became poor, who watered till he sweated
His beseecher never attained near him
وَمَواهِبٌ كَالغَيثِ با
دِئَةٌ عَوارِفُها وَعُوَّد
and his asker was never provisioned
It is as if his inquirers appeal
لا كَالَّذي أَعطى فَكَد
دَرَ رِفدَهُ وَسَقى فَصَرَّد
to the twistings of Mount Tayma’s slopes
None who boast among his people
راجيهِ لَم يَظفَر لَدَي
هِ وَمُبتَغيهِ لَم يُزَوَّد
on the days of pride, and none glorified
Can he seek to attain the sublime aspirations
فَكَأَنَّ سائِلَهُ يُخا
طِبُ مِن لَوى تَيماءَ مَعهَد
of the outstanding precedents while he sits?
His doctrines have gone astray by a command
لا ماجِدٌ في قَومِهِ
يَومَ الفِخارِ وَلا مُمَجَّد
that blackens whoever it blackens
Take them to yourself as chaste thoughts
أَيَرومُ إِدراكَ المُطَه
هَمَةِ السَوابِقِ وَهوَ مُقعَد
like unsullied maidens, plump of hip
Like water, save that they
ضَلَّت مَذاهِبُهُ لِأَم
رٍ ما يُسَوَّدُ مَن يُسَوَّد
have a hardness from the strength of expressions, solidified
They vie with the bounty of your palm, thus
خُذها إِلَيكَ عَقائِلاً
مِثلَ العَذارى البيضِ نُهَّد
are they scattered throughout the horizons
Circulate, and I have chained them
كَالماءِ إِلّا أَنَّها
مِن قُوَّةِ الأَلفاظِ جَلمَد
So wonder at the circulated, fettered!
And speak praise to the enunciation
أَمسَت تُباري جودَ كَف
فِكَ فَهيَ في الآفاقِ شُرَّد
of a masterful speaker, pleasing absent or present
He praised you so do not persist
تَسري وَقَد قَيَّدتُها
فَاعجَب مِنَ الساري المُقَيَّد
in praise nor increase and exceed
He strung the necklace of eulogy
وَأَصِخ لِمَدحِ مُفَوَّهٍ
تَرضى بِهِ غَيباً وَمَشهَد
that rivals scattered pearls
If he said ‘Excellent!’ in statement
أَثنى عَلَيكَ فَلا تَجَم
مَلَ في الثَناءِ وَلا تَزَيَّد
of your noble deeds and was generous
Clinging to the firm pact
نَظَمَ المَديحَ قَلائِداً
تُزري عَلى الدُرِّ المُنَضَّد
generated from your reins
The events of time have intended it
إِن قالَ أَحسَنَ في المَقا
لِ عَلى مَعاليكُم وَجَوَّد
with their doubt, as the free are intended
And the caprice of fate cast him
مُتَمَسِكٌ بِوَثيقِ عَه
دٍ مِن ذِمامِكُمُ مُوَلَّد
aside from tenderness, to be harvested by fate
So the sweet is bitter, the immaculate
قَصَدَتهُ أَحداثُ الزَما
نِ بِرَيبِها وَالحُرُّ يُقصَد
becomes turbid, and life grows more wretched
And he can indeed be seen enduring
وَرَماهُ صَرفُ الدَهرِ عَن
وَتَرٍ مُمَرِّ الفَتلِ مُحصَد
when disasters afflict him, showing resilience
And sometimes the sword parts
فَالحُلوُ مُرٌّ وَالصَفا
مُتَكَدِّرٌ وَالعَيشُ أَنكَد
with its scabbard and the belt cracks
Far from you! Do not cut off from him
وَلَقَد يُرى ثَبتاً إِذا
نابَتهُ نائِبَةٌ تَجَلَّد
the kind acts he was accustomed to!
So uncover for him the forearm of bounty
وَالسَيفُ أَحياناً يَكَل
لُ غَرارُهُ وَالزِندُ يَصلَد
as was customary before
And gain through him the enduring praise
حاشاكَ تَقطَعُ عَنهُ مِن
أَلطافِ بِرِّكَ ما تَعَوَّد
that remains while wealth runs out
Congratulations on the Feast of Fast-Breaking
فَاِحسِر لَهُ عَن ساعِدِ ال
نُعمى كَما قَد كانَ يَعهَد
delighted by it, greet it delighted!
You have not ceased to wear the gilded robes
وَاِحرِز بِهِ الحَمدَ الَّذي
يَبقى فَإِنَّ المالَ يَنفَد
of glory, renewable garb
You remained while the doves sang
وَتَهَنَّ عيدَ الفِطرِ مُغ
تَبِطاً بِهِ وَتَهَنَّ وَاِسعَد
atop the litter and warbled joyfully
The youth’s soul adorned itself
لا زِلتَ تَلبَسُ مِن ثِيا
بِ المَجدِ مَلبَسَها المُجَدَّد
with the garden’s mysteries and hesitated happily
وَبَقيتَ ما غَنّى الحَما
مُ عَلى أَراكَتِهِ وَغَرَّد
وَوَشى بِأَسرارِ الرِيا
ضِ مِنَ الصِبى نَفسٌ مُرَدَّد
Partial English translation: 151 of 156 Arabic lines translated.