وابِأبي من حَسَّن الظنَّ في

وابِأبي من حَسَّن الظنَّ في

قصدي ومن أسلفني شكرا

قصدي ومن أسلفني شكرا

And may my father be ransom for him who thought well of

By my father I swear, of those who think well of my intention,

my intent, and him who thanked me in advance,

And who loaned me thanks in advance,

ومن دعاني للمهمّ الذي

ومن دعاني للمهمّ الذي

يُسَهِّل المستصعَب الوَعْرا

يُسَهِّل المستصعَب الوَعْرا

and him who summoned me to the weighty matter that

And who invited me to the important task,

makes the difficult and rugged easy.

That makes easy the most difficult ruggedness.

أحسنتَ إِحسانَ المحبّ الذي

أحسنتَ إِحسانَ المحبّ الذي

أخلصَ لي الإسرارَ والجَهرا

أخلصَ لي الإسرارَ والجَهرا

You showed the kindness of a lover who

You have done good, the good of a loving friend,

was sincere toward me in secret and in public.

Who was sincere to me both in secret and openly.

ولا ومَن أسأله راجياً

ولا ومَن أسأله راجياً

منه العُلا والعزَّ والنصرا

منه العُلا والعزَّ والنصرا

And no—by Him whom I ask, hoping

And not, by whom I ask, hoping,

for eminence, glory, and victory from Him—

From him elevation, honor and help.

ما جاءني شِعُرك مَسْتَقياً

ما جاءني شِعُرك مَسْتَقياً

وقدوتي مالكةٌ خمرا

وقدوتي مالكةٌ خمرا

when your verse reached me seeking a drink,

Your poem did not come to me, drawing,

my exemplar possessed no wine

And my model a possessor of wine.

إلا التي استخلصتُها وهْيَ لم

إلا التي استخلصتُها وهْيَ لم

يَبْلُغُ مَدَى العمرِ لها شهرا

يَبْلُغُ مَدَى العمرِ لها شهرا

save what I had selected, and it had not

Except whom I extracted, and she

yet reached a month in age.

Did not reach in her lifetime a month.

فليتني رحتُ بلا مُهْجةٍ

فليتني رحتُ بلا مُهْجةٍ

ولم أقدِّم في الورى عذرا

ولم أقدِّم في الورى عذرا

So would that I had departed without my lifeblood,

I wish I had left without anguish,

and had offered no excuse among humankind;

And I had not presented in creation an excuse.

أوْليتني مُلِّكتُ عمري لكي

أوْليتني مُلِّكتُ عمري لكي

أُعطِيّ منه سائلي الشَطْرا

أُعطِيّ منه سائلي الشَطْرا

or would that I had been given mastery of my lifespan, so that

Or I wish I had owned my lifetime so that

I could give my petitioner half of it.

I would give from it to those who asked me for half.

لكنني أحبوك إذْ لم أجِد

لكنني أحبوك إذْ لم أجِد

من صِرْفها ما جاوز العمرا

من صِرْفها ما جاوز العمرا

But I give you—since I found nothing

But I loved you when I did not find,

among its unmixed wine older than that age—

From spending it, what exceeded a lifetime,

صفراءَ كالوَرْس عقيقيَّة

صفراءَ كالوَرْس عقيقيَّة

صافية عاتقة بِكْرا

صافية عاتقة بِكْرا

a yellow wine like wars dye, carnelian-hued,

Yellow like chrysolite, pure ruby,

clear, mature, a virgin.

Clear complexioned, virgin.

يَزُفُّها نحوك مَنْ يرتضي

يَزُفُّها نحوك مَنْ يرتضي

مثلك كُفْؤاً فارتقب عَشرا

مثلك كُفْؤاً فارتقب عَشرا

She is led to you as a bride by one who deems

He sends her to you, who approves,

one like you a worthy match; so wait ten years.

The like of you equally, so await company.

لا زلتَ يا مالكُ لي سالماً

لا زلتَ يا مالكُ لي سالماً

لعلّ سقمي بك أن يَبْرَا

لعلّ سقمي بك أن يَبْرَا

May you always remain safe for me, O Malik,

You are still to me, O Maliik, wellness,

perhaps through you my sickness may be healed.

Maybe my illness through you will recover.