أشكو فتسرع بالملام فأطرقُ

أشكو فتسرع بالملام فأطرقُ

وأميل للصبر الجميل فتحنقُ

وأميل للصبر الجميل فتحنقُ

I complain; she hastens to reproach, and I lower my head.

I complain, so you hastily blame me, and I fall silent

I turn to gracious patience, and she grows angry.

And I incline towards beautiful patience, so you resent

وتكذِّبُ الطرف المعندمَ بالبكا

وتكذِّبُ الطرف المعندمَ بالبكا

وتصدِّقُ النمام فيما ينطق

وتصدِّقُ النمام فيما ينطق

She disbelieves my eye, reddened by weeping,

And your eyes deny their tears with weeping

yet believes whatever the talebearer says.

And you believe the slanderer in what he utters

أليستمرَّ الحب موضع حيرةٍ

أليستمرَّ الحب موضع حيرةٍ

تبدو لها هذي الخلال وتخلق

تبدو لها هذي الخلال وتخلق

Is it so that love remains a source of bewilderment

Is not love always a source of confusion

that these traits appear in her and are fashioned?

To which these flaws appear and which creates them

من منصفي منها فينصف ضيغماً

من منصفي منها فينصف ضيغماً

فتكت به يعفورةٌ لا تشفق

فتكت به يعفورةٌ لا تشفق

Who will grant me justice against her, and vindicate a lion

Who of my critics will judge fairly

slain by a young gazelle that shows no pity?

So a ferocious beast pounces on him without mercy

في صدرها نهج الملاحة واسعٌ

في صدرها نهج الملاحة واسعٌ

وبثغرها باب السماحة ضيِّق

وبثغرها باب السماحة ضيِّق

In her breast, the path of beauty is wide;

In her chest is a wide path of perfidy

at her lips, the gate of generosity is narrow.

And her mouth is a narrow door of forgiveness

كالروضة الغناء إلّا أنها

كالروضة الغناء إلّا أنها

عصماءُ سائلُ وصلها لا يرزق

عصماءُ سائلُ وصلها لا يرزق

She is like a luxuriant garden, except that she

Like a meadow, she is melodious, except that she

is unapproachable: the seeker of union with her receives nothing.

Is chaste, the requester of her affection goes unrewarded

إني لأعجب كيف أعشق لحظها

إني لأعجب كيف أعشق لحظها

وأنا الذي بنباله أتمزق

وأنا الذي بنباله أتمزق

Truly I marvel at how I love her glance,

I wonder how I adore her glance

while I am torn apart by its arrows.

When I am the one torn by her arrows

وأخال مرشفها المعسَّل بارداً

وأخال مرشفها المعسَّل بارداً

وبرشفةٍ منه أُحَمُّ وأصعق

وبرشفةٍ منه أُحَمُّ وأصعق

I imagine her honeyed lips to be cool,

And I imagine her sweetened saliva is cold

yet a sip from them leaves me feverish and stunned.

And with a sip of it I become inflamed and overwhelmed

وإذا تلاصق خدها وفمي فلا

وإذا تلاصق خدها وفمي فلا

أشكو لظاه وإن نأى أتحرَّق

أشكو لظاه وإن نأى أتحرَّق

When her cheek touches my mouth, I do not

And when her cheek touches my mouth, I have no

complain of its blaze; but if it draws away, I burn.

Complaint, though it scorches me when distant

وأهاب أسباب المنون وبابها

وأهاب أسباب المنون وبابها

ما دمت طوع غرامها لا يغلق

ما دمت طوع غرامها لا يغلق

I dread the ways of death, yet its gate,

I fear the causes of death, yet her door

while I remain in thrall to love of her, never closes.

Remains open, so long as I am obedient to her love

شيمٌ تذوب بها القلوب وتُشتهَى

شيمٌ تذوب بها القلوب وتُشتهَى

كالنار تفتك بالفراش وتعشق

كالنار تفتك بالفراش وتعشق

Traits that melt hearts and are longed for,

She has a nature that melts hearts and is craved

like fire, which slays moths yet is loved.

Like fire that destroys moths and enchants them

من لي بها شمساً تغيب بمهجتي

من لي بها شمساً تغيب بمهجتي

عن ناظري فيفيض إذ لا تشرق

عن ناظري فيفيض إذ لا تشرق

Who will bring me her—a sun that sets within my heart,

If only I had her as a sun that sets in my mind

away from my eye, which overflows when she does not rise?

Vanishing from my sight, overflowing when unseen

ضنَّانة بوصالها ظنّانة

ضنَّانة بوصالها ظنّانة

إلّا بما قال الوشاة وزوَّقوا

إلّا بما قال الوشاة وزوَّقوا

Miserly with her union, she distrusts everything

Stingy with her union, suspicious

except what slanderers say and embellish.

Except for what the slanderers have adorned and fabricated

في قدها الريّان رمحٌ أسمرٌ

في قدها الريّان رمحٌ أسمرٌ

وبلحظها الفتان سيفٌ أزرق

وبلحظها الفتان سيفٌ أزرق

In her full, supple stature is a dusky spear;

In her radiant stature is a brown spear

in her bewitching glance, a blue-steel sword.

And in her bewitching glance a blue sword

وكأن عثمانيِّ بيرق خدِّها

وكأن عثمانيِّ بيرق خدِّها

بدم القلوب مطوَّق ومخلَّق

بدم القلوب مطوَّق ومخلَّق

As though the Ottoman banner of her cheek

As if with the blood of hearts the Ottoman banner on her cheek

were encircled and perfumed with the blood of hearts.

Were embroidered and cut into patches

لم أنس والبيت العتيق مقالها

لم أنس والبيت العتيق مقالها

والعيس تحملها له والسُبَّق

والعيس تحملها له والسُبَّق

I have not forgotten—by the Ancient House—her words,

I have not forgotten her abode or her old speech

as pale camels and fleet steeds carried her to it:

As the knight carries her and the excellent courser

إن ساعد المقدور ينتصف الفتى ال

إن ساعد المقدور ينتصف الفتى ال

مغدور ما أحلى ذويك المنطق

مغدور ما أحلى ذويك المنطق

If fate lends aid, the young man shall win redress—

If destiny assists, the young man is not deprived

the betrayed one. How sweet your kin's speech!

How sweet are your words and logic!

بانت مودِّعةً تقبِّل راحتي

بانت مودِّعةً تقبِّل راحتي

وفمي للثم نعالها يتشوّق

وفمي للثم نعالها يتشوّق

She departed, bidding farewell and kissing my palm,

She bid farewell, kissing my hand

while my mouth yearned to kiss her sandals.

While my mouth longed to kiss her shoes

تسعى ويتبعها الحجيج كأنها

تسعى ويتبعها الحجيج كأنها

علَمُ الأمير إذا اقتفاه الفيلق

علَمُ الأمير إذا اقتفاه الفيلق

She hastens, and the pilgrims follow her, as though she were

She walked away while the pilgrims followed her like

the emir's banner when the legion follows it:

The Emir's banner when the regiments pursue it

الشهم عبد القادر الفطن الفصي

الشهم عبد القادر الفطن الفصي

ح الحاذق اللسِنُ البليغ المفلق

ح الحاذق اللسِنُ البليغ المفلق

The noble-hearted Abd al-Qadir, discerning and eloquent,

Courageous Abdul Qadir, the prudent, the discerning

skilled, silver-tongued, eloquent, brilliant;

The proficient, the eloquent speaker, the convincing

الصادق المتصدق المترفق ال

الصادق المتصدق المترفق ال

متشفق المتدفق المتألق

متشفق المتدفق المتألق

truthful, charitable, gentle,

The truthful, the charitable, the merciful

compassionate, overflowing, radiant;

The compassionate, the generous, the transmitter

المتلف المبقي المبيد المُخلِف ال

المتلف المبقي المبيد المُخلِف ال

مشقي المفيد المسترقُّ المعتق

مشقي المفيد المسترقُّ المعتق

the destroyer, preserver, annihilator, replenisher,

The destroyer, the sustainer, the vanquisher, the successor

the afflicter, benefactor, enslaver, liberator;

The harsh, the beneficial, the concealed, the liberator

العالم العلَم المحيط بكل ما

العالم العلَم المحيط بكل ما

نطق الكتاب به وجاء المنطق

نطق الكتاب به وجاء المنطق

the scholar, the beacon, encompassing all that

The scholar, the flag, encompassing all that

the Book has spoken of and logic has brought forth;

The Book has articulated and logic has expressed

تاج السمو وطوقه ونطاقه

تاج السمو وطوقه ونطاقه

ويمينه وجبينه والمفرق

ويمينه وجبينه والمفرق

the crown of loftiness, its necklace and its girdle,

The crown of highness, its clasp and belt

its right hand, its forehead, and the parting of its hair;

And its oath, forehead, and separation

ومهند الحق الذي يدعو لطا

ومهند الحق الذي يدعو لطا

عته ويمحو الظالمين ويمحق

عته ويمحو الظالمين ويمحق

and truth's Indian-steel sword, which calls for

The support of truth who calls to his obedience

obedience to it, wipes out oppressors, and annihilates them.

And erases the oppressors and crushes them

ملكٌ يتوج بالكمال عبيده

ملكٌ يتوج بالكمال عبيده

وبجوهر الجود الثمين يطوق

وبجوهر الجود الثمين يطوق

A king who crowns his servants with perfection

A king crowned with the perfection of his servants

and adorns their necks with generosity's precious jewel.

And adorned with the precious pearl of generosity

بوجوده شمس المعارف تشرق

بوجوده شمس المعارف تشرق

وبجوده بحر العوارف يدفق

وبجوده بحر العوارف يدفق

Through his existence, the sun of knowledge rises;

With his existence the sun of knowledge rises

through his bounty, the sea of favors gushes.

And with his generosity the sea of mysticism flows

حرٌّ شريفٌ فاضلٌ متكرمٌ

حرٌّ شريفٌ فاضلٌ متكرمٌ

برٌّ عفيفٌ عادلٌ متصدق

برٌّ عفيفٌ عادلٌ متصدق

Freeborn, noble, virtuous, generous,

A free, noble, virtuous, generous man

benevolent, chaste, just, charitable.

Chaste, just, charitable

فصل الخطاب بيانه وسنانه

فصل الخطاب بيانه وسنانه

رد الجواب لسائلٍ يتزندق

رد الجواب لسائلٍ يتزندق

His eloquence is decisive speech; his spearhead

His speech explains, his tooth bites

is the answer to a questioner professing heresy.

His response answers a skeptic blasphemer

لو تحمل البيضاء من قمر الدجى

لو تحمل البيضاء من قمر الدجى

ما خلت يولد مثله أو يخلق

ما خلت يولد مثله أو يخلق

Were the fair one to conceive by the moon of night,

If the crescent could carry some moonlight from the nightly orb

I would not think his like could be born or created.

It would not be devoid and empty, born without creation

شاهد علاه تجد سماءك دونه

شاهد علاه تجد سماءك دونه

فهي الحضيض لديه وهو الجوسق

فهي الحضيض لديه وهو الجوسق

Behold his loftiness: you will find your sky beneath him;

Witness his supremacy, and you will find the sky beneath him

beside him, it is the lowest ground, and he the lofty palace.

As the low ground, while he is the high palace

شهدت له الأعداء فيما شاهدت

شهدت له الأعداء فيما شاهدت

فمن المكذب والعدو مصدَّق

فمن المكذب والعدو مصدَّق

His enemies testified for him about what they witnessed;

Even enemies have testified to what they witnessed

who, then, can deny it, when the enemy is believed?

So their words are credible though they were adversaries

يا أيها السمح المقيم بجلق

يا أيها السمح المقيم بجلق

وندى يديه مُغَرِّبٌ ومشرِّق

وندى يديه مُغَرِّبٌ ومشرِّق

O generous one dwelling in Jilliq,

O you of excellent and lofty character

whose hands' bounty ranges west and east,

Whose hands are life-giving and illuminating

ومن المكارم والصوارم وفده

ومن المكارم والصوارم وفده

لعواجزٍ تشكو وشوسٍ تصلق

لعواجزٍ تشكو وشوسٍ تصلق

and whose envoys are noble deeds and sharp swords,

The best of nobles and warriors are his delegation

to helpless women who lament and fierce men who shout!

To helpless people complaining and arrogant pretenders

كل العفاة أسيرةٌ في جيدها

كل العفاة أسيرةٌ في جيدها

غلُّ العسار وأنت وحدك معتق

غلُّ العسار وأنت وحدك معتق

All seekers of bounty are captive, around their necks

All helpless people are captivated by him

the shackle of hardship; you alone set them free.

While you alone are liberated

والأرض أجمعها لغيرك مغربٌ

والأرض أجمعها لغيرك مغربٌ

أما لديك فكل غرب مشرِق

أما لديك فكل غرب مشرِق

The whole earth is a place of sunset for all but you;

And all the earth in darkness without you

but with you, every west is a place of sunrise.

Yet with you every west is an east

أنت ابن بيت الوحي دمت لشهره

أنت ابن بيت الوحي دمت لشهره

ولكل شهرٍ كوكباً لا يمحق

ولكل شهرٍ كوكباً لا يمحق

You are a son of revelation's house; may you remain for its month

You are from the house of revelation, may you remain for its glory

and for every month a star that is never blotted out.

And for every glorious month an eternal star

بان الصيام مخلفاً لك أجره

بان الصيام مخلفاً لك أجره

وازدارك العيد المجيد المونق

وازدارك العيد المجيد المونق

The fast has departed, leaving you its reward,

The fast left its reward for you

and glorious, delightful Eid has paid you a visit.

And the blessed holiday adorned and scented you

فالبس بياض سناه ما فلق الدجى

فالبس بياض سناه ما فلق الدجى

فلقٌ وما لبس السواد المفلق

فلقٌ وما لبس السواد المفلق

So wear the whiteness of its radiance as long as darkness is cleft

So wear the whiteness of its splendor when dawn splits

by dawn, and as long as the master poet wears black.

With a splitting, not the blackness of splits

واسلم لضرب طلىً وخطبة منبرٍ

واسلم لضرب طلىً وخطبة منبرٍ

وندىً يعمُّ وطيبِ حمدٍ يعبق

وندىً يعمُّ وطيبِ حمدٍ يعبق

And remain safe, to strike necks and preach from the pulpit,

And submit to the striking of a glistening sword and a pulpit's sermon

and for all-embracing bounty and the sweet fragrance of praise.

A lingering fragrance and the aroma of praised praise