أدارَ على النّدمان كأسَ عقارِهِ

أدارَ على النّدمان كأسَ عقارِهِ

وحَيَّى بوَرْدِ الخَدِّ من جُلّنارِهِ

وحَيَّى بوَرْدِ الخَدِّ من جُلّنارِهِ

He passed a cup of his wine among the boon companions,

He turned the cup of his potion upon the two lovesick ones,

And greeted them with his cheek's rose, a pomegranate blossom.

And greeted with the rose on his cheek from his rosary.

وفي طرفه للسكر ما في يمينه

وفي طرفه للسكر ما في يمينه

فكلتاهما من خمرِهِ واختماره

فكلتاهما من خمرِهِ واختماره

In his gaze is as much to intoxicate as in his right hand,

And in his glance is as much sweetness as in his right hand,

For both partake of his wine and its ferment.

Both of them are from his wine and his trial.

وماسَ فمالَ البان إذ ذاكَ غَيْرَةً

وماسَ فمالَ البان إذ ذاكَ غَيْرَةً

عليه وأزرى فيه عند ازوراره

عليه وأزرى فيه عند ازوراره

He swayed, and the ban tree bent then, jealous

And the radiant full moon leaned down with jealousy

Of him, disparaging him as it turned aside.

Over him, and blamed him as he sat next to his breast.

على أنَّه من روضة الحسن جنَّةً

على أنَّه من روضة الحسن جنَّةً

ولكنَّه ما حفَّها بالمكاره

ولكنَّه ما حفَّها بالمكاره

Though he is a paradise from the garden of beauty,

That he is of the garden of beauty a paradise,

He has not, however, surrounded it with hardships.

But he did not protect it with fortitude.

وقد نسجت أيدي الرَّبيع ملابساً

وقد نسجت أيدي الرَّبيع ملابساً

مُفَوَّقةً من ورده وبهاره

مُفَوَّقةً من ورده وبهاره

The hands of spring have woven garments,

The hands of spring had woven clothes,

Variegated with its roses and its yellow flowers.

Embroidered with its roses and blossoms.

وسالَ لجين الماء فوقَ زمرّد

وسالَ لجين الماء فوقَ زمرّد

يحلّيه من نوّاره بنضاره

يحلّيه من نوّاره بنضاره

The silver of water flowed over emerald,

And the silver water flowed over emerald,

Adorning it with the gold of its blossoms.

Beautifying it with its brightness and youth.

وأَصبَحَ مخضرًّا من النَّبت شارب

وأَصبَحَ مخضرًّا من النَّبت شارب

يروق ويزهو بهجة باصفراره

يروق ويزهو بهجة باصفراره

And a mustache of plants has grown green,

And it became green with vegetation drinking,

Pleasing the eye and glowing splendidly in its yellow hue.

Pleasing and blooming with the beauty of its paleness.

وقد رَقَصَتْ تلك الغصون تطرّباً

وقد رَقَصَتْ تلك الغصون تطرّباً

لبُلْبُلِه الشَّادي وصوت هزاره

لبُلْبُلِه الشَّادي وصوت هزاره

Those branches danced in musical delight

And those branches danced in rapture,

To its singing bulbul and its nightingale's voice.

To its singing nightingale and sound of joking.

تألَّفَ ذاك الشكل بين اختلافه

تألَّفَ ذاك الشكل بين اختلافه

وأبْدَعَ في إحسانه وابتكاره

وأبْدَعَ في إحسانه وابتكاره

That arrangement found harmony amid its diversity,

That figure was composed with its differences,

And excelled in its beauty and originality.

And excelled in its benevolence and invention.

فهذا يَسُرُّ الناظرين اصفراره

فهذا يَسُرُّ الناظرين اصفراره

وهذا زها مخضرُّه باحمراره

وهذا زها مخضرُّه باحمراره

This one's yellowness delights the onlookers,

So this pleases the viewers with its yellowness,

And this one's green glows with its redness.

And this one shone green with its redness.

وكم راح يغنيني عن الزهر أغيدٌ

وكم راح يغنيني عن الزهر أغيدٌ

بنرجس عينيه وآس عذاره

بنرجس عينيه وآس عذاره

How often a supple youth has spared me the need for flowers,

And how much a cooing ring-dove sang to me

With the narcissi of his eyes and the myrtle of his cheek-down.

With the narcissus of its eyes and myrtle of its excuse.

عَصَيْتُ عذولي في هواه ولائمي

عَصَيْتُ عذولي في هواه ولائمي

وما زلتُ في طوع الهوى واختياره

وما زلتُ في طوع الهوى واختياره

I defied my reproacher and my blamer in loving him,

I disobeyed my lover in his love, and reproached my blamer,

And have always obeyed love and its choices.

And I still obey desire and choice.

أطال بطول القدّ في الحبِّ حَسرتي

أطال بطول القدّ في الحبِّ حَسرتي

وحيَّرني في خصره واختصاره

وحيَّرني في خصره واختصاره

By his tall stature he prolonged my sorrow in love,

He prolonged with his tall stature my sorrow in love,

And bewildered me with his waist and its slenderness.

And confused me with his waist and shortness.

ولله مخضرّ العذار عشقته

ولله مخضرّ العذار عشقته

وحمر المنايا السُّود عند اخضراره

وحمر المنايا السُّود عند اخضراره

How wondrous the one with green cheek-down whom I loved,

By God, I loved the green-eyed gazelle,

And crimson, black deaths attend his greening.

And the red sighs of death during its greenery.

أُجادلُ عُذَّالي على السخط والرضا

أُجادلُ عُذَّالي على السخط والرضا

وإنِّي لراضٍ بالهوى غير كاره

وإنِّي لراضٍ بالهوى غير كاره

I debate my reproachers over displeasure and contentment,

I argue with my darling about anger and pleasure,

And I am truly content with love, not averse.

Yet I am pleased with love and not hating.

يقولُ الهوى العذريّ في مثل حبِّه

يقولُ الهوى العذريّ في مثل حبِّه

إذا لم تُطِقْ هجر الحبيب فداره

إذا لم تُطِقْ هجر الحبيب فداره

'Udhri love says of a love like his:

Passionate love said regarding its likes of love,

If you cannot bear parting from the beloved, humor him.

If you cannot bear the beloved's separation, then visit him.

وليلٍ كيومِ النَّقْع أسْوَدَ فاحمٍ

وليلٍ كيومِ النَّقْع أسْوَدَ فاحمٍ

نَخُوض بكاسات الطّلا في غماره

نَخُوض بكاسات الطّلا في غماره

And a night, black as a day of battle-dust, coal-dark:

A night as black as tar engulfed us,

We wade through its depths with cups of wine.

We waded with cups of wine into its darkness.

أَغَرْنا على اللَّذَّات ما ذكرت لنا

أَغَرْنا على اللَّذَّات ما ذكرت لنا

وأَبْعَدَ كلٌّ عندها في مغاره

وأَبْعَدَ كلٌّ عندها في مغاره

We raided pleasures whenever they were mentioned to us,

We were tempted by pleasures we were reminded of,

And each ventured far in his foray for them.

And each one wandered far in his cave.

وقد زارَ من أهوى على غير موعدٍ

وقد زارَ من أهوى على غير موعدٍ

فيا قُربَ منآه وبعد مزاره

فيا قُربَ منآه وبعد مزاره

The one I love visited without an appointment:

And my beloved visited unexpectedly,

How near his remoteness, how far his visits!

So how near was his arrival and far his departure!

فآنسني في وَصْله بعد هجره

فآنسني في وَصْله بعد هجره

وقد آلف المشتاق بعد نفاره

وقد آلف المشتاق بعد نفاره

He comforted me with union after his estrangement,

He made me intimate in his union after his abandonment,

And befriended the yearning lover after his aversion.

And the ardent lover makes peace after dispute.

وما زال حتَّى صوَّب النَّجم وانطوى

وما زال حتَّى صوَّب النَّجم وانطوى

رداءُ ظلام اللَّيل بعد انتشاره

رداءُ ظلام اللَّيل بعد انتشاره

He stayed until the star sank and was folded away

He did not stop until he aimed the stars and the

The robe of night's darkness, after its spreading.

Cloak of the night's darkness folded after spreading.

ولاحتْ أسارير الصَّباح وبشَرَتْ

ولاحتْ أسارير الصَّباح وبشَرَتْ

بأنَّ الدُّجى قد حانَ حين بواره

بأنَّ الدُّجى قد حانَ حين بواره

Morning's bright features appeared and announced

The lanterns of dawn emerged and gave glad tidings

That darkness's hour of ruin had arrived.

That the darkness had come time for its annihilation.

ولم يبقَ من أبناء حام بقيَّة

ولم يبقَ من أبناء حام بقيَّة

فما شقَّ عن حامٍ ولا عن غباره

فما شقَّ عن حامٍ ولا عن غباره

Not a remnant of the sons of Ham remained,

And none of Ham's descendants remained,

So it revealed neither Ham nor his dust.

Neither for Ham nor for his dust.

يدير علينا كأسَ راح رويَّة

يدير علينا كأسَ راح رويَّة

تجرِّدُ من يُروى بها من وقاره

تجرِّدُ من يُروى بها من وقاره

He passes among us a cup of thirst-quenching wine,

He turns to us a cup of pure drink,

Which strips whoever drinks his fill of it of his dignity.

That undresses whom it saturates from his dignity.

تخبرنا عن نار كسرى لعهده

تخبرنا عن نار كسرى لعهده

وقد بَرَزَتْ في طوقه وسواره

وقد بَرَزَتْ في طوقه وسواره

It tells us of Khusrau's fire in his day,

It tells us of the fire of Kisra and his broken promise,

Appearing in his neck-ring and his bracelet.

Which appeared on his necklace and bracelet.

فما نزلت والهمّ يوماً بمنزلٍ

فما نزلت والهمّ يوماً بمنزلٍ

وما أقْبَلَتْ إلاَّ لأجل فراره

وما أقْبَلَتْ إلاَّ لأجل فراره

It and sorrow never lodged together for a single day,

It did not alight while worries lodged for a day,

And it came only to make sorrow flee.

Nor did it approach except to flee.

وقلنا له هاتِ الصَّبوح فكلُّنا

وقلنا له هاتِ الصَّبوح فكلُّنا

يُريدُ شفاءً بالطّلا من خماره

يُريدُ شفاءً بالطّلا من خماره

We told him, 'Bring the morning draught, for all of us

And we told him, bring us the wine, for we all

Seek a cure in wine for our hangovers.'

Want by the wine a cure from our intoxication.

ونحن بروض رقَّ فيه نسيمه

ونحن بروض رقَّ فيه نسيمه

وجرَّ على الأَنفاس فضل إزاره

وجرَّ على الأَنفاس فضل إزاره

We were in a garden where its breeze grew gentle

We are in a garden soft with its breeze,

And trailed its robe's hem over our breaths.

That drags on the breaths the edge of its cloak.

وأهدت إلى الأَرواح أرواحها الصبا

وأهدت إلى الأَرواح أرواحها الصبا

أريج خزاماه وطيب عراره

أريج خزاماه وطيب عراره

The east breeze gave souls its fragrant breaths:

And the morning breezes gave to souls their souls,

The scent of its lavender and the sweetness of its 'arar blooms.

The aroma of its basin and scent of its pollen.

وأنعمُ عيشٍ ما حَظِيتُ برغده

وأنعمُ عيشٍ ما حَظِيتُ برغده

وكنتُ لعبد الله ضيفاً بداره

وكنتُ لعبد الله ضيفاً بداره

And the most delightful life was the ease I enjoyed

I enjoyed a life whose comfort I never attained,

When I was 'Abd Allah's guest in his home.

And I was for Abdullah a guest in his abode.

أَمِنتُ طروق الهمِّ من كلِّ وجهةٍ

أَمِنتُ طروق الهمِّ من كلِّ وجهةٍ

إذا كنتُ يوماً نازلاً في جواره

إذا كنتُ يوماً نازلاً في جواره

I feared no nightly visit from sorrow, from any direction,

I felt secured from worries from every side,

Whenever I stayed in his neighborhood.

When once I lodged in his neighborhood.

أقرُّ به عيناً وأَشرح خاطراً

أقرُّ به عيناً وأَشرح خاطراً

وأشرك شكر الروض وبل قطاره

وأشرك شكر الروض وبل قطاره

Through him I delight my eye and ease my mind,

I delighted my eye and relieved my heart,

And share the garden's gratitude for his rain's downpour.

And shared gratitude for the garden and its greenery.

فمن فضله أنِّي أبوء بفضله

فمن فضله أنِّي أبوء بفضله

وأَفخر ما بين الورى بافتخاره

وأَفخر ما بين الورى بافتخاره

It is of his bounty that I acknowledge his bounty,

It is by his grace that I confess his grace,

And take pride among mankind in his pride.

And I pride between people this pride.

ولا خير فيمن لا يؤمَّل نفعه

ولا خير فيمن لا يؤمَّل نفعه

ولا يتَّقى من بأسه وضراره

ولا يتَّقى من بأسه وضراره

There is no good in one whose benefit is not hoped for,

No good in one whose benefit is not hoped for,

And whose might and harm are not feared.

And whose harm and spite is not feared.

ومنذُ رأيتُ اليُمن طوعَ يَمينه

ومنذُ رأيتُ اليُمن طوعَ يَمينه

وَجَدْتُ يَساري حاصلاً في يساره

وَجَدْتُ يَساري حاصلاً في يساره

Since I saw good fortune obeying his right hand,

Ever since I saw Yemen submissive to his right hand,

I found my prosperity held in his left.

I found my left fortunate through his left hand.

وقيَّدني منه رقيقُ جميله

وقيَّدني منه رقيقُ جميله

فَلَسْتَ تراني مطلقاً من إساره

فَلَسْتَ تراني مطلقاً من إساره

The tenderness of his kindness bound me,

The softness of his beautiful one tied me,

So you do not see me released from his bonds.

So you do not see me ever released from his bond.

أبَرَّتْ به في الأَنجبين ذخيرة

أبَرَّتْ به في الأَنجبين ذخيرة

وحسبُك ما كانَ الغنى بادِّخاره

وحسبُك ما كانَ الغنى بادِّخاره

A treasure has, through him, excelled among the noblest,

It loaded the responsible stars with its provisions,

And the wealth in treasuring him is enough for you.

It suffices you what wealth was in its storage.

أُنزِّه طرفي في محاسن وجهه

أُنزِّه طرفي في محاسن وجهه

وإنْ غابَ عنِّي لم أزلْ بانتظاره

وإنْ غابَ عنِّي لم أزلْ بانتظاره

I let my gaze delight in the beauties of his face,

I engage my gaze in the beauty of his face,

And if he is absent, I keep awaiting him.

And if he is absent from me I do not stop awaiting him.

وإنِّي لأهواهُ على القرب والنوى

وإنِّي لأهواهُ على القرب والنوى

وأطربُ في أَخباره وادِّكاره

وأطربُ في أَخباره وادِّكاره

I love him in nearness and in distance,

I love him for being near and intending,

And delight in news of him and in remembering him.

And I rejoice in his news and remembering him.

جَنَيْتُ به غرس المودَّة يانعاً

جَنَيْتُ به غرس المودَّة يانعاً

وكلّ جميل يجتنى من ثماره

وكلّ جميل يجتنى من ثماره

Through him I harvested the ripe planting of affection,

I attained by him the planted love, flourishing,

And every good thing is gathered from its fruits.

And all beautiful things harvested from its fruits.

سريع إلى الفعل الجميل مبادر

سريع إلى الفعل الجميل مبادر

إلى الخير في إقباله وبداره

إلى الخير في إقباله وبداره

Swift to do the beautiful deed, hastening

Quick to good deed taking initiative,

Toward goodness in his approach and eagerness.

To goodness whether he comes or goes.

رعى الله من يرعى من الخلّ عهده

رعى الله من يرعى من الخلّ عهده

وأَدَّى له ما ينبغي لذماره

وأَدَّى له ما ينبغي لذماره

May God guard whoever keeps his friend's covenant,

May God protect whoever observes his promise to the friends,

And renders him what is due to his honor.

And fulfils for him what befits his measure.

إذا دارَ في زهر العُلى فلك العُلى

إذا دارَ في زهر العُلى فلك العُلى

فآل زهير الصّيد قطب مداره

فآل زهير الصّيد قطب مداره

When glory's sphere turns among glory's stars,

When he turns in the blossom of glory, the cycle of glory revolves,

The proud house of Zuhayr is the axis of its orbit.

So the chieftains of prey are the axis of its cycle.

صناديدُ يشتارون من ضَرب العُلى

صناديدُ يشتارون من ضَرب العُلى

وشوك القنا الخطيّ دون اشتياره

وشوك القنا الخطيّ دون اشتياره

Champions who gather the white honey of glory,

The elite they choose from hitting the glory,

With the thorns of Khatti lances barring its harvest.

And the thorns of the spear are inferior to its selection.

لقد عرف المعروف من قبلها بهم

لقد عرف المعروف من قبلها بهم

وشيد بفضل الله عالي مناره

وشيد بفضل الله عالي مناره

Indeed, beneficence was known through them before it,

Good turn was known through them in the past,

And by God's grace its lofty beacon was raised.

And the high minaret of its virtue was built by God's grace.

وهل تجحد الحسَّاد آيةَ مجدهم

وهل تجحد الحسَّاد آيةَ مجدهم

وقد طَلَعت في الكونِ شمس نهاره

وقد طَلَعت في الكونِ شمس نهاره

Can the envious deny the sign of their glory,

Can the envious deny the sign of their glory,

When the sun of its day has risen throughout creation?

When the sun of their day has risen in existence?

بهم كلّ مقدام على الرَّوع فاتك

بهم كلّ مقدام على الرَّوع فاتك

بسطوته في جنده واقتداره

بسطوته في جنده واقتداره

Among them is every bold warrior, deadly amid terror,

With them every valiant against fright became courageous,

With his force among his troops and his might.

With his supremacy among his soldiers and capability.

ويفترُّ في وجه المطالب ضاحكاً

ويفترُّ في وجه المطالب ضاحكاً

ولا الأُقحوان الغضّ عند افتراره

ولا الأُقحوان الغضّ عند افتراره

He beams with laughter in the face of requests:

He smiles in the face of demands,

Not even the fresh daisy can rival his smile.

While not even grim warriors in his mockery.

إذا استنصر الصَّمصام أيَّد حزبه

إذا استنصر الصَّمصام أيَّد حزبه

وقام اليماني قائماً بانتصاره

وقام اليماني قائماً بانتصاره

When he calls upon the keen sword, it strengthens his side,

If the alliance sought victory, he supported its party,

And the Yemeni blade rises to secure his victory.

And the Yemeni rose to aid in its triumph.

إذا قيل رمح كانَ حدّ سنانه

إذا قيل رمح كانَ حدّ سنانه

وإنْ قيل عَضبٌ كانَ حدّ غراره

وإنْ قيل عَضبٌ كانَ حدّ غراره

If a spear is named, he is its spearhead's edge,

When it is said spear, the edge of its blade is sharp,

And if a keen sword, he is its blade's edge.

And when it is said canine tooth, the edge of its bitterness is sharp.

وإنْ عُدَّ كُبَّار الأنام فإنَّما

وإنْ عُدَّ كُبَّار الأنام فإنَّما

أصاغرهم معدودةٌ من كباره

أصاغرهم معدودةٌ من كباره

If mankind's great men are counted, then surely

And if the great of people are counted, then

Their lesser men are counted among mankind's greatest.

Their small ones are counted among their great.

هم خيرُ من لا يَبرح الخيرُ فيهم

هم خيرُ من لا يَبرح الخيرُ فيهم

وما كلُّ من ألفَيْتَه من خياره

وما كلُّ من ألفَيْتَه من خياره

They are the best of those in whom goodness never ceases,

They are the best that goodness does not cease in them,

Not everyone you meet is among mankind's best.

And not all whom you befriend are their best.

تَضَوَّعَ مسكيّ الشذا رِدائه

تَضَوَّعَ مسكيّ الشذا رِدائه

بعنصره الزَّاكي وطيب نجاره

بعنصره الزَّاكي وطيب نجاره

His robe diffuses a musky fragrance,

Musk-scented sprigs perfumed his cloak,

From his pure nature and the goodness of his stock.

With its pure substance and scent of blossoms.

فهم أبحرُ الجدوى نقيض ولم تَغِضْ

فهم أبحرُ الجدوى نقيض ولم تَغِضْ

فكم وارد عذب النَّدى من بحاره

فكم وارد عذب النَّدى من بحاره

They are seas of bounty: we draw on them, yet they never ebb;

They are the sea of benefits, pure and undiluted,

How many draw sweet generosity from his seas!

So many a sweet, fresh stream from its seas.

يهون عليه المال إنْ عزَّ أو غلا

يهون عليه المال إنْ عزَّ أو غلا

وينظر أسناه بعين احتقاره

وينظر أسناه بعين احتقاره

Wealth means little to him, however rare or costly,

Wealth is trivial to him if it is valued or rises high,

And he views its most splendid part with contempt.

And he looks at its elevation with scornful eyes.

صفا مثل صفو الرَّاح لَذَّتْ لشارب

صفا مثل صفو الرَّاح لَذَّتْ لشارب

ودارت كما شاءَ الهوى في دياره

ودارت كما شاءَ الهوى في دياره

He is pure as the purest wine, delightful to its drinker,

Clear as the purity of wind's pleasure to the drinker,

Which circles through his dwellings as love desires.

And it circulated as desire wished in its regions.

فلا زالت الأَفراح حشوَ ردائه

فلا زالت الأَفراح حشوَ ردائه

ولا بَرِحَتْ عن بُرده وشعاره

ولا بَرِحَتْ عن بُرده وشعاره

May joys forever fill his robe,

So joys remained stuffed in his cloak,

And never leave his mantle or his inner garment.

And did not depart from his standard and banner.