تحملوا من رياض الحسن أفنانا

تحملوا من رياض الحسن أفنانا

فأرسلت أدمع العشَّاق غدرانا

فأرسلت أدمع العشَّاق غدرانا

They carried away boughs from the gardens of beauty,

They endured the blossoms of beauty’s gardens,

so the lovers' tears poured forth in pools.

So the tears of lovers were sent in perfidy.

وهيَّجوا يوم سلعٍ من بلابلنا

وهيَّجوا يوم سلعٍ من بلابلنا

لما أمالوا من الأعطاف أغصانا

لما أمالوا من الأعطاف أغصانا

And on the day at Salʿ they stirred our anguish,

And they stirred on a day of reunions among our nightingales

when they bent the boughs of their bodies.

When they inclined the branches of bosoms.

عربٌ جلوا بظباهم من خدودهم

عربٌ جلوا بظباهم من خدودهم

شقائقاً ومن الأبدانِ نعمانا

شقائقاً ومن الأبدانِ نعمانا

Arabs who, through their gazelles, revealed from their cheeks

Bedouins halted with their gazelles from their cheeks,

anemones, and from their bodies, Naʿmān.

Narcissi and from bodies, bliss.

حلّو الفلا وعطت أجيادهم ورنوا

حلّو الفلا وعطت أجيادهم ورنوا

حتَّى أقاموا مع الغزلان غزلانا

حتَّى أقاموا مع الغزلان غزلانا

They dwelt in the wilderness, stretched their necks, and gazed,

They unpacked their bags, and their steeds neighed,

until they dwelt as gazelles among the gazelles.

Until they established, with the deer, a union.

واسْتوطنوا عقدات الرمل واحْتملوا

واسْتوطنوا عقدات الرمل واحْتملوا

بين المآزر من يبرين كثبانا

بين المآزر من يبرين كثبانا

And they settled amid clustered sands and carried

I had not known before meeting them

within their waist-wraps dunes from Yabrīn.

That I thought eyelids to be from swords.

ما كنت قبل تلافي من جفونهمُ

ما كنت قبل تلافي من جفونهمُ

أظنُّ أن من الأسياف أجفانا

أظنُّ أن من الأسياف أجفانا

Before their eyelids brought my ruin, I had never

Nor had I imagined the meaning of magic through them

thought that eyelids could be counted among swords.

Until the hair's plait turned into a snake.

ولا تخيلت معنى السحر عندهمُ

ولا تخيلت معنى السحر عندهمُ

حتَّى تقلَّب حبل الشعر ثعبانا

حتَّى تقلَّب حبل الشعر ثعبانا

Nor had I imagined the meaning of their sorcery,

They related the night told what its wine embraced

until the rope of their hair turned into a serpent.

Until they elucidated and lo the horizons became clear.

قالوا حكى الليل ما ضمته خمرهمُ

قالوا حكى الليل ما ضمته خمرهمُ

حتَّى نضوا فإذا بالفرقِ قد بانا

حتَّى نضوا فإذا بالفرقِ قد بانا

They said night mirrored what their veils concealed,

Whence does night possess intoxicated temples

until they cast them off—and lo, the parting appeared.

Which make souls swoon yet revive them at times?

من أين لليل أصداغٌ معقربة

من أين لليل أصداغٌ معقربة

تردِي النفوس وتحييهنَّ أحيانا

تردِي النفوس وتحييهنَّ أحيانا

How could night have scorpion-curled temple-locks

And whence does the full moon have awakening glances

that slay souls and sometimes bring them back to life?

Which set fires in people's passions?

وأينَ للبدرِ ألحاظٌ مفترة

وأينَ للبدرِ ألحاظٌ مفترة

يضرمنَ في مهجاتِ الناس نيرانا

يضرمنَ في مهجاتِ الناس نيرانا

And how could the full moon have languid glances

We were and had a livelihood but there followed us

that kindle fires in people's hearts?

Yearning so oh would that we never were nor existed!

كنَّا وكانَ لنا عيشٌ وأعقبنا

كنَّا وكانَ لنا عيشٌ وأعقبنا

شجوٌ فيا ليت لا كنَّا ولا كانا

شجوٌ فيا ليت لا كنَّا ولا كانا

We lived, and life was ours; then there came to us

O settlers of the valley, do not blame your changes

sorrow—if only neither we nor that life had ever been!

For here are my tears that have taken on hues.

يا ساكني السفح لا ألجى تلونكم

يا ساكني السفح لا ألجى تلونكم

فهذه أدمعي قد حلن ألوانا

فهذه أدمعي قد حلن ألوانا

O dwellers of the slope, I do not reproach your fickleness [uncertain reading];

I seek God's forgiveness - has loyalty and dew left

for these tears of mine have changed their colors.

And in people is the perfection of our faith, our master?

أستغفر الله لم يذهب وفاً وندى

أستغفر الله لم يذهب وفاً وندى

وفي الأنام كمال الدِّين مولانا

وفي الأنام كمال الدِّين مولانا

I ask God's forgiveness: fidelity and bounty have not vanished,

Filling the eye with good tidings and the palms with radiance

while our lord Kamāl al-Dīn is among mankind.

And the heart with love and hearing with elocution.

المالئ العين بشراً والأكف لهى

المالئ العين بشراً والأكف لهى

والقلب أبّهة والسمع تبيانا

والقلب أبّهة والسمع تبيانا

He fills the eye with cheer, and palms with gifts,

And the bestower of money measuring by his plenty

the heart with majesty, and the ear with lucid speech.

And the conveyor of eulogies taking rhythms.

والمانح المال مكيالاً لكثرته

والمانح المال مكيالاً لكثرته

والمستمدّ من الأمداح أوزانا

والمستمدّ من الأمداح أوزانا

And he grants wealth by the measure, so abundant is it,

He surpassed the generous in extending to their time

and draws his weights from the meters of praise.

So he was a mark while the people were signs.

فاق الكريم على تقديم عصرهُم

فاق الكريم على تقديم عصرهُم

فكانَ بسملةً والقوم عنوانا

فكانَ بسملةً والقوم عنوانا

He surpassed the generous, despite their age's precedence;

And he excelled over the excellence of forefathers who passed away

so he was the opening 'In God's name,' and the others a heading.

So he was the opening while the people were the Qur’an.

وزاد فضلاً على فضلِ الجدود مضوا

وزاد فضلاً على فضلِ الجدود مضوا

فكان فاتحةً والقوم قرآنا

فكان فاتحةً والقوم قرآنا

And his merit exceeded the merit of departed forebears,

If the people of glory imagined his ambition

so he was al-Fātiḥa, and the others the Qur'an.

They bowed to its glory blind and sighted.

إذا تمثل أهل المجد همته

إذا تمثل أهل المجد همته

خرُّوا لعزَّتها صمًّا وعميانا

خرُّوا لعزَّتها صمًّا وعميانا

When men of glory contemplate his aspiration,

It honored ambitions whose resolves matured

they fall before its might, deaf and blind.

So he left what they transmitted about Ma'n of Shiban.

أكرم بها همم شبت عزائمها

أكرم بها همم شبت عزائمها

فخلّ ما نقلوا عن معن شيبانا

فخلّ ما نقلوا عن معن شيبانا

How noble those aspirations, whose resolves blaze!

He protected the sanctuary with armies from his fine steeds

So leave aside what they recounted of Maʿn of Shaybān.

When the pens wrote less than little.

صان الحمى بجيوشٍ من مهارقه

صان الحمى بجيوشٍ من مهارقه

لما أقلَّ من الأقلام خرصانا

لما أقلَّ من الأقلام خرصانا

He guarded the domain with armies of his scrolls,

And he ascended ranks of nobles with a station

when he raised spears fashioned from pens.

Which, when thirsty, meets pouring rainclouds.

وزاد في رتب العلياء منزلةً

وزاد في رتب العلياء منزلةً

تلقى إذا عطشت للسحب أشطانا

تلقى إذا عطشت للسحب أشطانا

And he added to the ranks of glory a station

That one who increased elucidation from his early days

that, when thirsty, casts well-ropes to the clouds.

When the children took fright for the structure.

ذاك الذي زاد من تبيان أوَّله

ذاك الذي زاد من تبيان أوَّله

إذا تخيَّفت الأبناء بنيانا

إذا تخيَّفت الأبناء بنيانا

He is the one who added to the clear account of his forebear,

It is as though his right hand's rest and fingers

when sons were whittling away the edifice.

Were a sea sending gulfs to the perfectly healthy.

كأنَّ راحته الحسنى وأنمله

كأنَّ راحته الحسنى وأنمله

بحرٌ يمدُّ إلى العافين خلجانا

بحرٌ يمدُّ إلى العافين خلجانا

As though his gracious palm and fingertips

O you whom I aim for riding the stars of fortune

were a sea stretching channels toward seekers of bounty.

While people do not ride to you ostrich-mounted.

يا من ركبت نجوم السعد أقصده

يا من ركبت نجوم السعد أقصده

وما ركبت إليه الناس بُعرانا

وما ركبت إليه الناس بُعرانا

O you whom I seek, riding the stars of good fortune,

Thanks for your blessings. If the speech of a clod

and people rode no camels to reach him.

Thanked, the valley's slopes and leaves would bow.

شكراً لنعماك إن وفى حديث ثرى

شكراً لنعماك إن وفى حديث ثرى

شكر الرياض سفوح الودق هتانا

شكر الرياض سفوح الودق هتانا

Thanks for your favors—if the speech of earth can equal

I asked the dew of your palm to rain favor

the gardens' gratitude for rain poured down in torrents.

And I did not ask the dew of your palm for a flood.

إنِّي سألت ندى كفيك ريَّ صداً

إنِّي سألت ندى كفيك ريَّ صداً

وما سألت ندى كفيك طوفانا

وما سألت ندى كفيك طوفانا

I asked the dew of your palms to slake a thirst,

So restrain your gifts from me, for I am a man

and did not ask the dew of your palms for a flood.

Who fears oppression upon myself and aggression.

فاحْبس هباتك عني إنني رجلٌ

فاحْبس هباتك عني إنني رجلٌ

أخاف بغياً على نفسي وعدوانا

أخاف بغياً على نفسي وعدوانا

So withhold your gifts from me; I am a man

And close your havens though they offer their gardens

who fears oppression and aggression against himself.

For my contentment is gardens and beatitude.

واغلق لهاك وإن زفت حدائقها

واغلق لهاك وإن زفت حدائقها

فحسبيَ الودّ جنَّات ورضوانا

فحسبيَ الودّ جنَّات ورضوانا

And lock away your gifts, though their gardens are led forth as brides;

I floated my poetry over all poetry

for love suffices me as gardens and favor.

Until I made for my poetry through you a collection.

أمَّرت شعري على الأشعار قاطبةً

أمَّرت شعري على الأشعار قاطبةً

حتى اتخذت لشعري فيك ديوانا

حتى اتخذت لشعري فيك ديوانا

I made my poetry ruler over all other verse,

And my words became dear and I did not intend by its visitor

until I established a register of my verse in your praise.

Except the precious one and did not expend it freely.

وعزّ قولي ولم أقصد بوافده

وعزّ قولي ولم أقصد بوافده

إلاَّ العزيز ولم أبذله مجَّانا

إلاَّ العزيز ولم أبذله مجَّانا

And my verse grew precious; with its emissary I sought

My enviers may be many and I bequeathed them

none but the mighty one, nor did I give it away for nothing.

Hypocrisy in speech within your assembly and woes.

وقد تكثر حسَّادِي وأورثهم

وقد تكثر حسَّادِي وأورثهم

نفاق لفظيَ في نادِيك أحزانا

نفاق لفظيَ في نادِيك أحزانا

And my enviers have multiplied; they have inherited

So have mercy on my enemies for I pitied them

sorrows from my words' ready currency in your assembly.

From what I see from them in Damascus, perplexed.

فارْحم عداتي فإني قد رحمتهمُ

فارْحم عداتي فإني قد رحمتهمُ

مما أرى منهمُ في الشامِ حرَّانا

مما أرى منهمُ في الشامِ حرَّانا

So pity my enemies, for I have already pitied them,

It laments ordeal though my mind does not heed it

at what I see of them in al-Shām, burning with anguish.

By God, nothing but the most wretched heart despairs.

تشكو العناء وما تعنو له فكري

تشكو العناء وما تعنو له فكري

فلا لحى الله إلاَّ قلب أشقانا

فلا لحى الله إلاَّ قلب أشقانا

My thoughts complain of toil, yet do not yield to it;

Forever humiliate the malicious whom worries

so may God blame only the heart of the most wretched among us.

Have stilled and who ascend in the world gloriously.

ودُمْ مدى الدهر تخزي شائناً ركدت

ودُمْ مدى الدهر تخزي شائناً ركدت

به الهموم وتعلو في الورى شانا

به الهموم وتعلو في الورى شانا

And live on for all time, disgracing a detractor whose

I never feared in praise a sin I would commit

cares have stagnated, while you rise in honor among mankind.

For in praising you is redemption and forgiveness.

ما خفتُ في المدحِ من ذنبٍ أقارفه

ما خفتُ في المدحِ من ذنبٍ أقارفه

فإنَّ في مدحِك المقبول غفرانا

فإنَّ في مدحِك المقبول غفرانا

I feared no sin I might commit in praise,

for accepted praise of you contains forgiveness.