مُذْ سَلَّ في العشَّاق سيفَ الناظرِ

مُذْ سَلَّ في العشَّاق سيفَ الناظرِ

وسطا كما يسطو بماضٍ باتر

وسطا كما يسطو بماضٍ باتر

Since he drew the sword of his gaze against lovers,

Since the sword of the onlooker has raged among the lovers,

and attacked as one attacks with a keen, cleaving blade,

Raging aimlessly like a worn out old man.

جرح الفؤاد بصارمٍ من لحظه

جرح الفؤاد بصارمٍ من لحظه

رشأ يصول بلحظ خشف فاتر

رشأ يصول بلحظ خشف فاتر

he wounded the heart with the keen blade of his glance—

It has wounded my heart with a sharp glance,

a fawn who attacks with a young gazelle's languid gaze.

Gushing out violently with a languid look.

ما كنتُ أعلم أنْ أرى صرف الردى

ما كنتُ أعلم أنْ أرى صرف الردى

من أعيُنٍ تحكي عيون جآذر

من أعيُنٍ تحكي عيون جآذر

I never knew I would behold the ravages of death

I did not know I would see the turns of fate,

from eyes resembling the eyes of wild-ox calves.

From eyes that tell of piercing eyes.

ويلاه من لك العيون فإنَّها

ويلاه من لك العيون فإنَّها

فتكت بنا فتك الهزبر الثائر

فتكت بنا فتك الهزبر الثائر

Alas for me at your eyes, for they

Woe to you, oh eyes! For you have

have savaged us like a raging lion.

Destroyed us with the destruction of a raging lion.

تبدو العيون النجل في حركاتها

تبدو العيون النجل في حركاتها

في زيّ مسحور وسيما ساهر

في زيّ مسحور وسيما ساهر

The wide eyes, in their movements, appear

The eyes appear charming in their movements,

in a bewitched one's guise, with a sleepless one's mien.

Dressed in the garb of an enchanting, sleepless beauty.

قَمَر إذا نظر العذول جماله

قَمَر إذا نظر العذول جماله

أضحى عذولي بالصبابة عاذري

أضحى عذولي بالصبابة عاذري

A moon: when the reprover sees his beauty,

The moon, when the virgins look upon his beauty,

my reprover comes to excuse me for my ardent love.

Becomes virginal, excused for his shyness.

يجفو ويوصل في الهوى لمشوقه

يجفو ويوصل في الهوى لمشوقه

والصدّ من شيم الغزال النافر

والصدّ من شيم الغزال النافر

He shuns and grants love's union to his yearning lover,

He socializes and connects with his beloved in love,

and shunning is among the ways of the fleeing gazelle.

While being coy is the trait of a fleeing gazelle.

أمسى يعاطيني مدامة ريقه

أمسى يعاطيني مدامة ريقه

والنجم يلحظنا بطرق ساهر

والنجم يلحظنا بطرق ساهر

At evening he offered me the wine of his saliva,

He spends the evening conversing with me,

while the star watched us like one keeping vigil.

While the stars gaze at us, staying up all night.

ما زلتُ ألثِمه وأرشفُ ثغره

ما زلتُ ألثِمه وأرشفُ ثغره

حتَّى بلغت به مناء الخاطر

حتَّى بلغت به مناء الخاطر

I kept kissing him and sipping at his lips,

I continued to seduce him and sip his saliva,

until, through him, I attained my heart's desire.

Until I took him to the height of my desire.

لله أيَّام الوصال فإنَّها

لله أيَّام الوصال فإنَّها

مرَّت ولكن في جناحي طائر

مرَّت ولكن في جناحي طائر

How wondrous the days of union, for they

Blessed are the days of union, for they

passed—but upon a bird's two wings.

Have passed, but on the wings of a bird.

وإذا ذكرت لبانة قضَّيتها

وإذا ذكرت لبانة قضَّيتها

ولعت مدامع أعيني بمحاجري

ولعت مدامع أعيني بمحاجري

And whenever I recall a desire I fulfilled,

And if I remember the evenings I spent with him,

the tears of my eyes cling to my eye sockets.

My tears flowed down my cheeks.

وليالياً بالأَبرقين تصرَّمت

وليالياً بالأَبرقين تصرَّمت

كانَ الحبيب منادمي ومسامري

كانَ الحبيب منادمي ومسامري

And nights at al-Abraqayn slipped away,

And nights adorned with lightning, I was

when the beloved was my drinking companion and companion in night-talk.

Accompanied by my beloved, conversing with me.

إنْ غاب من أهوى وعزّ لقاؤه

إنْ غاب من أهوى وعزّ لقاؤه

فالقلب لم يبرح بوجد حاضر

فالقلب لم يبرح بوجد حاضر

If the one I love is absent and meeting him is hard,

If the one I love is absent and meeting him is difficult,

my heart still holds an ever-present yearning.

My heart does not cease to ache in his love.

لي حسرة ممَّن أوَدُّ ولوعة

لي حسرة ممَّن أوَدُّ ولوعة

وقدت لواعج نارها بضمائري

وقدت لواعج نارها بضمائري

I have heartache from the one I love, and burning anguish;

I have regret for the one I adore and yearning

the searing flames of its fire have blazed within my heart.

That has ignited the burning embers within me.

لم يبقَ لي أملٌ أرجِّي نيله

لم يبقَ لي أملٌ أرجِّي نيله

إلاَّ نوال يمين عبد القادر

إلاَّ نوال يمين عبد القادر

No hope remains for me whose fulfillment I await,

I have no hope left that I aspire to attain

except the bounty of Abd al-Qadir's right hand.

Except the favor of the hand of Abdul Qadir.

لو لم يكنْ بحر النوال لما غدا

لو لم يكنْ بحر النوال لما غدا

يهب المؤمّل من ندًى وجواهر

يهب المؤمّل من ندًى وجواهر

Were he not a sea of bounty, he would not come to

If the sea of favor did not exist, it would not

bestow largesse and jewels upon the hopeful.

Bring the hopeful the dew and jewels.

وترى الركائب حاملات في الورى

وترى الركائب حاملات في الورى

أخبار حسن حديثه المتواتر

أخبار حسن حديثه المتواتر

And you see the riding camels bearing among humankind

And you see the ships carrying across the world

tidings of his fair renown, passed from mouth to mouth.

The news of the excellence of his enduring words.

ذو همَّة وعزائم بين الملا

ذو همَّة وعزائم بين الملا

أغْنَتْهُ عن حمل الحسم الشاطر

أغْنَتْهُ عن حمل الحسم الشاطر

He has high resolve and firm purposes among the people,

He is ambitious and determined among men,

which have spared him carrying a cleaving blade.

His determination made him needless of a judging arbiter.

أحيا حديث الفضل بعد مماته

أحيا حديث الفضل بعد مماته

وجمال ذياك الزَّمان الغابر

وجمال ذياك الزَّمان الغابر

He revived the story of excellence after its death,

He revived the discourse of grace after its death

and the beauty of that bygone age.

And the beauty of that bygone time.

والتارك العافي بجنَّة فضله

والتارك العافي بجنَّة فضله

ترك المعادي في لحود مقابر

ترك المعادي في لحود مقابر

And he who leaves the petitioner in his bounty's paradise

He who enjoys his Paradise of grace

has left the foe in the burial niches of graves.

Has left the enemy in the pits of graves.

ودليل شيمته صفاء جنانه

ودليل شيمته صفاء جنانه

والشيء باطنه يرى من ظاهر

والشيء باطنه يرى من ظاهر

And the proof of his character is the purity of his heart,

The proof of his noble traits is the serenity of his soul,

and a thing's inner nature is seen from its outward appearance.

For the essence of a thing is seen from its appearance.

شِيَمٌ له نتلو بحسنِ ثنائها

شِيَمٌ له نتلو بحسنِ ثنائها

كتبت محاسنها بكلِّ دفاتر

كتبت محاسنها بكلِّ دفاتر

He has virtues whose fair praise we recite;

He has traits that we recite in praising him,

their beauties are inscribed in every record.

I have written their virtues in every book.

يعفو عن الجاني ويغفر ذنبه

يعفو عن الجاني ويغفر ذنبه

والعفو أحسنُ ما أتى من قادر

والعفو أحسنُ ما أتى من قادر

He pardons the offender and forgives his sin,

He pardons the sinner and forgives his sin,

and pardon is the finest deed of one with power.

And pardoning is the best act of the Able.

لم ألقَ بين الناس أكرمَ ماجد

لم ألقَ بين الناس أكرمَ ماجد

لوفوده ولضدّه من قاهر

لوفوده ولضدّه من قاهر

Among people I have met no more generous nobleman

I have not seen among people a more generous hero,

to his visitors, nor a greater vanquisher of his foe.

In his hospitality and in defeating the wicked.

بالرأي آصفُ ما يحاول رأيه

بالرأي آصفُ ما يحاول رأيه

يقف الذكيّ لديه وقفة حائر

يقف الذكيّ لديه وقفة حائر

In counsel he is Asif; at what his mind attempts,

With wisdom, I describe what his wisdom attempts,

the clever man stands before him, bewildered.

The wise man stands perplexed before him.

هيهات أن يأتي الزَّمان بمثله

هيهات أن يأتي الزَّمان بمثله

نتجت به أُمُّ الزَّمان العاقر

نتجت به أُمُّ الزَّمان العاقر

Far be it that time should bring forth his like:

Alas, time will never bring his equal,

the barren mother of time gave birth to him.

He was born to the barren mother of time.

يأتي من الدُّنيا بكلِّ بديعةٍ

يأتي من الدُّنيا بكلِّ بديعةٍ

ومن الفضائل في عجيب باكر

ومن الفضائل في عجيب باكر

He brings every marvel that the world contains,

He comes to the world with every wonder,

and, among virtues, wonders fresh and new.

And with every noble virtue in amazing youth.

في وجهه آيات كلّ فضيلة

في وجهه آيات كلّ فضيلة

يلقى العفاة ترحباً ببشائر

يلقى العفاة ترحباً ببشائر

In his face are the signs of every virtue;

In his face are signs of every merit,

he meets petitioners with welcome and glad tidings.

He meets the chaste with gladdening tidings.

إنَّ الحياة لوفده بيمينه

إنَّ الحياة لوفده بيمينه

وبسيفه قتل العدوّ الفاجر

وبسيفه قتل العدوّ الفاجر

Indeed, life for his visitors is in his right hand,

Life itself is his guest with offerings in his right hand,

and by his sword the wicked enemy is slain.

And with his sword he killed the treacherous enemy.

ذو همَّة وشجاعة يوم الوغى

ذو همَّة وشجاعة يوم الوغى

في الحرب يسطو كالعقاب الكاسر

في الحرب يسطو كالعقاب الكاسر

He has high resolve and courage on the day of battle;

A man of ambition and courage in times of strife,

in war he strikes like a rending eagle.

In war, he rages like a crushing eagle.

من عصبة جمعوا الشجاعة والندى

من عصبة جمعوا الشجاعة والندى

نالوا المعالي كابراً عن كابر

نالوا المعالي كابراً عن كابر

He is of a band who combined courage and generosity,

They, who collected courage and glory,

and attained high honors, great man after great man.

Attained the heights towering over others.

وإذا أتيت لبابه في حاجةٍ

وإذا أتيت لبابه في حاجةٍ

أغناك في بذلك العطاء الوافر

أغناك في بذلك العطاء الوافر

And when you come to his door in need,

And if you come to his door in need,

abundant bounty enriches you in your striving.

He enriches you with abundant generosity.

بسط اليدين على الأنام تكرُّماً

بسط اليدين على الأنام تكرُّماً

ونوالها مثل السحاب الماطر

ونوالها مثل السحاب الماطر

He spreads both hands over humankind in generosity,

He extends his hands to people generously,

and its bounty is like a rain-bearing cloud.

And his giving is like pouring rain.

صَدَرَ المؤمّل عن موارد بحره

صَدَرَ المؤمّل عن موارد بحره

يروي أحاديثَ العطا عن جابر

يروي أحاديثَ العطا عن جابر

The hopeful petitioner has left the watering places of his sea,

It relates the conversations of generosity

relating accounts of bounty from Jabir.

To the hopeful from an endless spring.

متقمِّصٌ بالمكرمات مؤزَّرٌ

متقمِّصٌ بالمكرمات مؤزَّرٌ

من ريّه في عزَّةٍ ومفاخر

من ريّه في عزَّةٍ ومفاخر

Clothed in noble favors, girded

Dressed in generosity, girded with honor,

by the draught that quenched him, in dignity and glory.

With might and pride from his Lord.

قَسَماً ببارق مرهف في كفِّه

قَسَماً ببارق مرهف في كفِّه

حين النزال وبحره المتكاثر

حين النزال وبحره المتكاثر

I swear by the gleaming, keen blade in his palm

I swear by the polished sword in his grip,

in battle, and by his ever-swelling sea:

In times of battle, and by his overflowing sea.

لم ألقَ بين الناس قطّ مماثلاً

لم ألقَ بين الناس قطّ مماثلاً

لجنابه العالي ولا بمناظر

لجنابه العالي ولا بمناظر

I have never met among people a match

I have never seen his equal among men

for his exalted person, nor any rival.

In his exalted rank and stature.

غوث الصريح إذا دُعي لملمَّةٍ

غوث الصريح إذا دُعي لملمَّةٍ

في كشفه الأَخطار أيّ مبادر

في كشفه الأَخطار أيّ مبادر

Succor to the forthright when summoned in calamity—

The helper of the outspoken when called to confront

in dispelling dangers, what a swift responder!

Dangers, the quickest to take initiative.

كم وارد نهر النضار ببابه

كم وارد نهر النضار ببابه

من فضله السَّامي ومن من صادر

من فضله السَّامي ومن من صادر

How many come to the river of gold at his door

How many visitors has the river of vigor at his door,

from his lofty bounty, and how many depart!

From his sublime grace and source.

يا أيُّها المولى الَّذي أفضاله

يا أيُّها المولى الَّذي أفضاله

في عاتقي وثناؤه في ضامري

في عاتقي وثناؤه في ضامري

O lord whose benefactions

O Master, whose favors are around my neck,

are upon my shoulder, and whose praise is in my heart,

And whose praise is upon my flesh.

خذها إليك قصيدة من أخرسٍ

خذها إليك قصيدة من أخرسٍ

بثناك ينطق في لسان شاكر

بثناك ينطق في لسان شاكر

receive this poem from Akhras, the mute,

Take this poem from a mute man,

who voices your praise in the tongue of one grateful.

Who, praising you, is given an eloquent tongue.

هُنِّيتَ بالعيد الجديد ولم تزل

هُنِّيتَ بالعيد الجديد ولم تزل

سعد الكرام ورغم أنفِ الفاجر

سعد الكرام ورغم أنفِ الفاجر

May you be gladdened by the new Eid, and ever remain

You were congratulated on the new feast, and you still

good fortune to the noble, and dust upon the wicked one's nose.

Are the happiness of the generous, despite the wicked.

لا زلت مسعود الجناب مؤيَّداً

لا زلت مسعود الجناب مؤيَّداً

وعِداك في ذلٍّ وحالٍ بائر

وعِداك في ذلٍّ وحالٍ بائر

May your person ever be fortunate and upheld,

You remain prosperous, supported,

and may your enemies be in humiliation and ruin.

Your appointed time is in humility and prominence.