تناسبت المحاسن يا لبينا

تناسبت المحاسن يا لبينا

فخلنا من بياض يدٍ جبينا

فخلنا من بياض يدٍ جبينا

The beauties harmonized, O Lubayna,

The beauties have corresponded, O beloved of us

So we imagined a brow in the whiteness of a hand.

So we have become free from the whiteness of a hand and a forehead

رنيدة وقتها سمنت بلطف

رنيدة وقتها سمنت بلطف

فما أشهى رنيدا أو سمينا

فما أشهى رنيدا أو سمينا

Runayda, in her time, grew plump with grace;

Her neck was soft at the time, she became plump gently

So how delectable a Runayd, or a plump one!

So what is more delicious: a soft or a plump?

يطالب صدغها والخال قلبي

يطالب صدغها والخال قلبي

كأنَّ عليَّ للحبشان دينا

كأنَّ عليَّ للحبشان دينا

Her temple-lock and mole make demands upon my heart,

My heart asks for her cheek and beauty spot

As though I owed the Abyssinians a debt.

As if I am indebted to the Abyssinians a debt

كما طالبت جودك يا ابن يحيى

كما طالبت جودك يا ابن يحيى

وكم أجدى وكم أسدى إلينا

وكم أجدى وكم أسدى إلينا

Just as I petitioned your bounty, O son of Yahya—

As you have asked for your generosity, O Ibn Yahya

And how much it has helped, how much it has bestowed upon us!

And how much did it benefit and help us

علاء الدِّين دمت لنا ملاذاً

علاء الدِّين دمت لنا ملاذاً

وغوثاً إن أقمنا أو نأينا

وغوثاً إن أقمنا أو نأينا

Ala al-Din, may you remain our refuge,

Ala Al-Din, you have remained a refuge for us

And our succor, whether we stay or go afar.

And a helper if we stay or depart

لبست من السيادة ثوب فضلٍ

لبست من السيادة ثوب فضلٍ

تعوَّد ذيله عطفاً علينا

تعوَّد ذيله عطفاً علينا

You donned a robe of excellence from lordship,

You have worn the garb of supremacy

Its hem has grown accustomed to turning kindly toward us.

Whose train is accustomed to turning to us

ردين يقول ثناً وأجرٌ

ردين يقول ثناً وأجرٌ

ألا حييت عنا يا ردينا

ألا حييت عنا يا ردينا

Rudayn says, ‘Praise and reward.’

Radeen says praise and reward

Hail to you from us, O Rudayn!

Yes, you have revived us, O our Radeen

ظبيٌ تبسم عن درٍّ ومرجان

ظبيٌ تبسم عن درٍّ ومرجان

وكان يكفي على الخدَّين مرجاني

وكان يكفي على الخدَّين مرجاني

A gazelle smiled, revealing pearls and coral;

A gazelle smiled with a pearl and coral

And my coral upon the cheeks would have sufficed.

And the coral on the cheeks would have been enough

آسٌ ووردٌ دعا خدَّام دمعيَ إذ

آسٌ ووردٌ دعا خدَّام دمعيَ إذ

لباهما لؤلؤي قدماً ومرجاني

لباهما لؤلؤي قدماً ومرجاني

Myrtle and roses summoned the attendants of my tears, when

Myrrh and roses called the servants of my tears when

My pearls and coral had long since answered them both.

They kissed the pearls of my feet and my coral

كما دعا جود مولانا الوزير رجا

كما دعا جود مولانا الوزير رجا

لباه ذو فضةٍ تجري وعقيان

لباه ذو فضةٍ تجري وعقيان

Just as hope called upon our lord the vizier's bounty,

As the generosity of our Master the Minister Raja called

A possessor of flowing silver and pure gold answered it.

He kissed the one with flowing silver and twigs

وزير مصر التي قالت وما كذبت

وزير مصر التي قالت وما كذبت

أنت العزيز رفيعاً فوق أجفاني

أنت العزيز رفيعاً فوق أجفاني

The vizier of Egypt, which said—and did not lie—

The Minister of Egypt, who said truthfully

‘You are al-Aziz, exalted above my eyelids.’

You are the dear, lofty above my eyelids

وذو الخصيبين من ذكر ومن قلمٍ

وذو الخصيبين من ذكر ومن قلمٍ

وذو الفخارين من اسمٍ ومن شان

وذو الفخارين من اسمٍ ومن شان

And doubly fertile in renown and in pen,

The owner of prosperous mention and pen

And doubly glorious in name and in standing.

And the owner of pride in name and status

فليهنه العيد إذ هنى بطلعته

فليهنه العيد إذ هنى بطلعته

عيداً وهنى جميع الناس عيدان

عيداً وهنى جميع الناس عيدان

So may the feast gladden him, since with his appearance he gladdened

So Eid has delighted when it delighted with its rising

A feast; and two feasts gladdened all the people.

A feast, and delighted all people two feasts

في رفعةٍ تحسنُ الأعراب أن تره

في رفعةٍ تحسنُ الأعراب أن تره

يرفع له الشأن أو يكسر له الشاني

يرفع له الشأن أو يكسر له الشاني

In an eminence where the Bedouins deem it fitting that you behold him,

In an elevation, where the nomads see it proper

His standing is raised for him, or his detractor broken for him.

To elevate his status or break the status of his detractor