مِثلُ القَضيبِ عَلى اعتِدالِ

مِثلُ القَضيبِ عَلى اعتِدالِ

في الحُسنِ غَيَّر حُسنَ حالي

في الحُسنِ غَيَّر حُسنَ حالي

Like a slender bough, standing straight,

Like an upright spear in beauty, he changed my state of beauty.

in beauty, he changed my happy state.

I'm accustomed to love the resolute one who sheds men's blood.

إِنِّي لَمُعتادٌ هَوَى المُع

إِنِّي لَمُعتادٌ هَوَى المُع

تادِ سَفكَ دَم الرِّجالِ

تادِ سَفكَ دَم الرِّجالِ

I am indeed accustomed to loving one accustomed

And if I complained, I wouldn't want along with the complaint, even if it elegized me,

to shedding men's blood.

Out of fear for my health and body from fading away in his love.

وَإِذا شَكَوتُ فَما أَوَد

وَإِذا شَكَوتُ فَما أَوَد

دُ معَ الشَّكيَّة لو رَثى لي

دُ معَ الشَّكيَّة لو رَثى لي

And when I complain, I do not wish

So they are my two pleasures that hasten to my union

for him to pity me as I complain,

And keep me from trysts that would be marred by delays.

خَوفاً عَلى سُقمي وَجِسمي

خَوفاً عَلى سُقمي وَجِسمي

في هَواهُ منَ الزَّوالِ

في هَواهُ منَ الزَّوالِ

fearing for my sickness and my body

They have no words, and know nothing but the act,

lest they vanish in my love for him.

As if they had taken a pledge of loyalty from my father the sublime.

فَهُما أَليفايَ اللَّذا

فَهُما أَليفايَ اللَّذا

نِ يُسارِعانِ إِلَى وِصالِي

نِ يُسارِعانِ إِلَى وِصالِي

For they are my two companions, who

Alas, between them and his loyalty is a far reach.

hasten to unite with me,

The bosom friends night and day, and both of them,

وَينزِّهانِي عَن مَوا

وَينزِّهانِي عَن مَوا

عيدٍ تُكَدَّرُ بِالمِطالِ

عيدٍ تُكَدَّرُ بِالمِطالِ

and spare me promises

Whatever is between command and compliance.

marred by delay.

His manners were gentle and tender, so they are like clear water,

لا قَولَ عِندَهُما ولَي

لا قَولَ عِندَهُما ولَي

سا يَعرِفانِ سِوى الفِعالِ

سا يَعرِفانِ سِوى الفِعالِ

No talk comes from them, and they do not

And his qualities the ode slowed under their weight and length.

know anything but deeds,

Of the people of Haydarah, who were accustomed to gift giving,

حتَّى كأنَّهُما استَملا

حتَّى كأنَّهُما استَملا

مِن وَفاءِ أَبي المَعالِي

مِن وَفاءِ أَبي المَعالِي

so much so, it is as though they took dictation

So their palms have come in the morning to hope for his honors.

from Abu al-Ma'ali's fidelity.

هَيهاتَ بَينَهُما وَبَي

هَيهاتَ بَينَهُما وَبَي

نَ وَفائِه بُعدُ المَنالِ

نَ وَفائِه بُعدُ المَنالِ

How vast the gulf between them and

his fidelity, far beyond their reach!

تربُ النَّدى وحَليفُها

تربُ النَّدى وحَليفُها

أَبَداً عَلى مَرِّ اللَّيالي

أَبَداً عَلى مَرِّ اللَّيالي

Generosity's peer and its ally,

forever, as the nights pass;

وَمَليكُها وَكِلاهُما

وَمَليكُها وَكِلاهُما

ما بَينَ أَمرٍ وَامتِثالِ

ما بَينَ أَمرٍ وَامتِثالِ

and its sovereign; the two of them

stand between command and obedience.

أَخلاقُه عذُبَت وَرَق

أَخلاقُه عذُبَت وَرَق

قَت فَهيَ كَالماءِ الزُّلالِ

قَت فَهيَ كَالماءِ الزُّلالِ

His character grew sweet and gentle,

so it is like pure, clear water.

وَصِفاتُه شَكتِ القَصي

وَصِفاتُه شَكتِ القَصي

دُ لثِقلِها طولَ الكَلالِ

دُ لثِقلِها طولَ الكَلالِ

And as for his qualities, the poems complained

of long exhaustion beneath their weight.

مِن آلِ حَيدَرةِ الذي

مِن آلِ حَيدَرةِ الذي

نَ تَعَوَّدوا بَذلَ النَّوالِ

نَ تَعَوَّدوا بَذلَ النَّوالِ

Of the house of Haydara, who

are accustomed to bestowing bounty,

فَأَكُفُّهُم قَد أَصبَحَت

فَأَكُفُّهُم قَد أَصبَحَت

تَرجُو أَنامِلَها العَزالي

تَرجُو أَنامِلَها العَزالي

so their palms have now become such that

the rain-spouts look to their fingertips in hope.