اعاني من بعادك ما اعاني

فهل بعد التنائي من تداني

I suffer all I suffer from separation from you.

Then, after separation, is there any drawing near?

وليس يغيب شخصك عن ضميري

على بعد المنازل والمغاني

Nor does your image leave my mind,

Despite the distance of homes and abodes.

ولكن لا يبل غليل شوقي

إليك سوى مشاهدة العيان

But nothing slakes the burning thirst of my longing

For you except seeing you with my own eyes.

ابيت مؤرقا ولي اشتياق

يكل بوصفه قلم البيان

I pass the night sleepless, filled with longing;

The pen of eloquence falters in describing it.

واذكر سالفا من عهد أنس

بلغنا فيه غايات الأماني

And I recall a bygone time of companionship,

In which we attained the utmost of our wishes.

وكنا منه في عيش رغيد

ترف به ازاهير الجنان

And through it we enjoyed a life of ease,

In which the blossoms of the gardens fluttered.

فعوداً يا ليالي الوصل عوداً

إلى صب بأسر الشوق عاني

So return, O nights of union, return,

To a lovesick one held captive in longing's bonds.

إذا ذكر الحسين يكاد شوقا

يطير من الطفوف إلى المشان

When he recalls al-Husayn, in longing he almost

Flies from al-Tufuf to al-Mashan.

اغر يشف عن خلق جميل

يماثله بأخلاق حسان

A radiant man, revealing a beautiful form,

Which he matches with virtues equally fair.

تجلى في سماء المجد بدراً

فأشرق من سناه النيران

He shone forth as a full moon in the sky of glory,

So from his radiance shone the sun and moon.

له الشرف الاصيل وبيت مجد

بفرق النجم مضروب المباني

His are deep-rooted honor and a house of glory,

Its structures raised upon the crown of the stars.

له القدح المعلى في المعالي

وفضل السبق في يوم الرهان

His is the highest winning arrow in noble achievements,

And the honor of first place on the day of the wagered race.

فريد الفضل ينظم في علاه

فريد الحمد تنظيم الجمان

Peerless in excellence, for his eminence are strung

Rare gems of praise, as pearls are strung.

به ابتهج الزمان وحاز فخرا

وحق بمثله فخر الزمان

In him Time rejoiced and gained glory,

And Time's pride in one like him is justified.

اتاني يا بديع النظم شعر

حوت الفاظه غرر المعاني

A poem reached me, O wondrous maker of verse,

Whose words contained the choicest meanings.

وقد ضمنته سحرا حلالا

يهيم بحسنه الحسن بن هاني

And you have imbued it with lawful magic;

Al-Hasan ibn Hani is enraptured by its beauty.

فاجهدت المجاري والمباري

على ما نلت من عفو العنان

Thus you exhausted emulator and rival,

Though you attained it with the reins left slack.

بقيت مخولا بنعيم عيش

انيق بالمسرة والتهاني

May you remain endowed with the bliss of a life

Made lovely by joy and felicitations.