غِناءُ حَمَامٍ في معاطِفِ بانِ

غِناءُ حَمَامٍ في معاطِفِ بانِ

إِلى مَذْهَبِ الحُبِّ القديمِ ثَنَانِي

إِلى مَذْهَبِ الحُبِّ القديمِ ثَنَانِي

The song of doves in the bending boughs of bān trees

The cooing of doves in the folds of the branches

Turned me back to the old path of love.

Has inclined me to the old way of love once more;

تَغنَّى فأَعطافُ الغصونِ رَوَاقِصٌ

تَغنَّى فأَعطافُ الغصونِ رَوَاقِصٌ

وأَحداقُ أَزهارِ الرِّياضِ رواني

وأَحداقُ أَزهارِ الرِّياضِ رواني

They sang, and the bending limbs of the branches danced,

It sang, and the boughs swayed graceful movements,

And the eyes of the garden blossoms gazed.

While the meadows' blossoms glanced at me and smiled.

فَذَكَّرَنِي شَرْخَ الشَّبابِ فمَدْمعِي

فَذَكَّرَنِي شَرْخَ الشَّبابِ فمَدْمعِي

سَفوحٌ وقَلْبِي دائِمُ الخَفَقَانِ

سَفوحٌ وقَلْبِي دائِمُ الخَفَقَانِ

It reminded me of youth's prime, so my eye

It reminded me of my youth's dawn, so I wept,

Streams with tears, and my heart beats ceaselessly.

My breast ever throbbing, my tears raining down.

ولمَّا دعَا داعِي النَّوى حَمِّلُوا غَدًا

ولمَّا دعَا داعِي النَّوى حَمِّلُوا غَدًا

رفعتُ بصَوْتِي لاتَ حينَ أَوانِ

رفعتُ بصَوْتِي لاتَ حينَ أَوانِ

And when the herald of departure called, “Load up tomorrow!”

When the guide called "Load up, we leave on the morrow!"

I raised my voice—but it was no fitting time.

I raised up my voice when the time came round,

وقلتُ لحادِيهِمْ ودَمْعِي كَاَنَّهُ

وقلتُ لحادِيهِمْ ودَمْعِي كَاَنَّهُ

على صَفْحَتَيْ خَدِّي نَثيرُ جُمَانِ

على صَفْحَتَيْ خَدِّي نَثيرُ جُمَانِ

And I said to their camel driver, my tears seeming

And said to their driver, my tears like the drops

Scattered pearls upon both my cheeks:

That streamed down my cheek's surface ceaselessly,

أَمِلْ أَيُّها الحادِي عِنانَ مَطِيِّهمْ

أَمِلْ أَيُّها الحادِي عِنانَ مَطِيِّهمْ

فقد مَيَّلوا نحوَ الغرامِ عِناني

فقد مَيَّلوا نحوَ الغرامِ عِناني

“Turn, O camel driver, the reins of their mounts,

"Rein in the camels, driver, they're leaning away

For they have turned my reins toward passion.

To the love that has captured and bound them in reins!"

وقُلْ قد سقاهُ البَيْنُ كَأْساً مَريرةً

وقُلْ قد سقاهُ البَيْنُ كَأْساً مَريرةً

فَقَدْ والذي يُدْنِي المَزَارَ سَقَانِي

فَقَدْ والذي يُدْنِي المَزَارَ سَقَانِي

And say, ‘Separation has made him drink a bitter cup’—

"Say the parting has mixed him a cup full of woe,

For, by Him who brings the meeting-place near, it has made me drink.

By the Guide of the Shrine, it has poisoned me!

وسَلْ ظَبْيةَ الخِدْرِ المُمَنَّعِ عَلَّها

وسَلْ ظَبْيةَ الخِدْرِ المُمَنَّعِ عَلَّها

تَطَلَّعُ من أَحْدَاجِها فَتَرانِي

تَطَلَّعُ من أَحْدَاجِها فَتَرانِي

And ask the gazelle of the well-guarded chamber; perhaps she

Ask the roe in the meadow, if she might but glance

Will peer out from her howdahs and see me.”

From the fringe of her lids, then she'll see me again!"

فوا حزَنا حتَّى متى أَنا ذاكِرٌ

فوا حزَنا حتَّى متى أَنا ذاكِرٌ

لِفَرْطِ غَرَامِي مَنْ نَأَى وَجَفَاني

لِفَرْطِ غَرَامِي مَنْ نَأَى وَجَفَاني

Oh, my sorrow! How long shall I keep remembering,

Alas for my sorrow! How long must I dwell

In the excess of my passion, one who went far away and spurned me?

On the love that has shunned me and left me in pain?

أَلا ليت شِعري هل شجا من أُحِبُّهُ

أَلا ليت شِعري هل شجا من أُحِبُّهُ

من البينِ ما قد شَفَّنِي وشجاني

من البينِ ما قد شَفَّنِي وشجاني

Ah, would that I knew: has the one I love been grieved

Would that I knew if the one that I love

By the parting that has worn me thin and grieved me?

Has been pierced by this parting, as I have been pierced!

وهل ذاكِرِي من لا تزالُ لذكرِهِ

وهل ذاكِرِي من لا تزالُ لذكرِهِ

عَلوقٌ بقلبي دائماً ولِساني

عَلوقٌ بقلبي دائماً ولِساني

And am I remembered by the one whose remembrance

Does he think of me still? In my heart he abides,

Clings always to my heart and tongue?

My tongue cannot help but speak of his name!

ومن عجَب أَنْ عِشْتُ بَعْدَ فِراقِهِ

ومن عجَب أَنْ عِشْتُ بَعْدَ فِراقِهِ

وما كنتُ جَلْدَ القَلْبِ لِلْحَدَثانِ

وما كنتُ جَلْدَ القَلْبِ لِلْحَدَثانِ

And it is a wonder that I have lived after his departure,

A marvel I'm living, now he is no more,

Though I was not stout-hearted against time's calamities.

For I never was steel, to withstand all these blows!

يُمَثِّلُهُ فَرْطُ الغرامِ لناظِرِي

يُمَثِّلُهُ فَرْطُ الغرامِ لناظِرِي

وإِنْ نَزَحَتْ دارٌ بكُلِّ مكانِ

وإِنْ نَزَحَتْ دارٌ بكُلِّ مكانِ

Passion's excess conjures him before my eyes

My passion portrays him to those who look on,

Everywhere, though his dwelling has grown distant.

Though our dwellings are far-spread in every clime.

قِفِي يا أُمَيْمَ اليومَ أَشْكُو لكِ الذي

قِفِي يا أُمَيْمَ اليومَ أَشْكُو لكِ الذي

بُلِيتُ به من دونِ أَهْلِ زماني

بُلِيتُ به من دونِ أَهْلِ زماني

Stay, O Umaym; today I complain to you of what

Pause here today, O soft breeze, and receive

I alone among the people of my time have been afflicted with.

The tale of my woes from those not of my time!

تَحَمَّلَتِ الأَيامُ فَيَّ فآهُ مِنْ

تَحَمَّلَتِ الأَيامُ فَيَّ فآهُ مِنْ

تَسَهُّدِ طَرْفي واخْتِفَاقِ جَنَاني

تَسَهُّدِ طَرْفي واخْتِفَاقِ جَنَاني

The days have borne down on me—ah, the

The days have rolled by, and I sigh o'er my fate,

Sleeplessness of my eye and the fluttering of my heart!

My glances are languid, my soul is in chains.

فما وَجْدُُ ذِي أَسْرٍ بأَرْضٍ قَصِيَّةٍ

فما وَجْدُُ ذِي أَسْرٍ بأَرْضٍ قَصِيَّةٍ

يُبَدَّلُها من أَرْبُعِ ومَغَانِ

يُبَدَّلُها من أَرْبُعِ ومَغَانِ

For neither the anguish of a captive in a distant land,

No captive so far in a desolate land

Given to him in place of homes and haunts,

Would fail to exchange it for plains and lush rain,

تُصَعِّدُ أَنْفاساً حِراراً وتنثَنِي

تُصَعِّدُ أَنْفاساً حِراراً وتنثَنِي

فتُرْسِلُ دَمْعاً دائِمَ الهَمَلانِ

فتُرْسِلُ دَمْعاً دائِمَ الهَمَلانِ

Sending up burning breaths and turning back,

Or kindle hot sighs and bend low in lament,

Then shedding tears in a ceaseless flow,

And weep copious tears in unceasing refrains,

ولا حائماتٍ طالَ بالماءِ عَهْدُها

ولا حائماتٍ طالَ بالماءِ عَهْدُها

إِلى خَصِرٍ عَذْبِ البَرُودِ رَوَاني

إِلى خَصِرٍ عَذْبِ البَرُودِ رَوَاني

Nor that of thirsty, circling creatures long without water,

No she-camels wand'ring in quest of cool water

Gazing toward cool water, sweet in its chill,

Have rested so long by a fresh, verdant stream,

أَقامَتْ عليه ليلةً بَعْدَ ليلةٍ

أَقامَتْ عليه ليلةً بَعْدَ ليلةٍ

مُحَلاَّةً والطَّيْرُ منه دَوَاني

مُحَلاَّةً والطَّيْرُ منه دَوَاني

Remaining beside it night after night,

Spending there night after night in delight,

Kept away, while the birds draw near to it,

While the birds gathered round them in joy it would seem!

بأَعْظَمَ مني فَرْطَ وَجْدٍ وعِلَّةٍ

بأَعْظَمَ مني فَرْطَ وَجْدٍ وعِلَّةٍ

لَمَا شَفَّنِي من طارِقِ الحَدَثانِ

لَمَا شَفَّنِي من طارِقِ الحَدَثانِ

Is greater than mine in longing's intensity and sickness,

With a passion so strong and a sickness so sore

From the visitation of time's calamities that has worn me thin.

It cured me of thinking of passions profane,

لَبَدَّلَ خَوْفِي الحافِظُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ

لَبَدَّلَ خَوْفِي الحافِظُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ

بِرَغْمِ الأَعادِي مُسْرِعاً بِأَمانِ

بِرَغْمِ الأَعادِي مُسْرِعاً بِأَمانِ

Al-Hafiz ibn Muhammad has surely exchanged my fear

Al-Hafiz ibn Muhammad dispelled all my fears

Swiftly for safety, despite the foes.

And rushed to my aid, though my foes were so fain,

تغطيْتُ عن دَهْرِي بِظِلِّ جَنَاحِهِ

تغطيْتُ عن دَهْرِي بِظِلِّ جَنَاحِهِ

فَعَيْنِي تَرَى دَهْرِي ولَيْسَ يرَاني

فَعَيْنِي تَرَى دَهْرِي ولَيْسَ يرَاني

I sheltered from my fate beneath the shade of his wing,

I'm sheltered and safe in the shade of his wing,

So my eye sees my fate, but it does not see me.

I view my existence, but am not seen plain.

إِمامٌ براهُ اللُّه من طِينَةِ العُلاَ

إِمامٌ براهُ اللُّه من طِينَةِ العُلاَ

فَنَافَسَنِي في مَدْحِهِ الثَّقَلانِ

فَنَافَسَنِي في مَدْحِهِ الثَّقَلانِ

An imam whom God fashioned from the clay of eminence,

A leader made perfect by God from the clay

So humankind and jinn vied with me in praising him.

Of Highness - with him all Creation contends!

له قَلَمٌ أَمْضَى من السَّيْفِ مَضْرِبًا

له قَلَمٌ أَمْضَى من السَّيْفِ مَضْرِبًا

به لَمْ يَعِشْ في العِزِّ غَيْرَ مُهانِ

به لَمْ يَعِشْ في العِزِّ غَيْرَ مُهانِ

His pen is keener in its stroke than the sword;

His pen is more piercing than any sword's stroke,

Through it, none has lived in power without being humbled.

None lived with such glory, apart from disdains!

هوَ الرُّمْحُ إِلا أَنَّه مُتَقَسَّمٌ

هوَ الرُّمْحُ إِلا أَنَّه مُتَقَسَّمٌ

ليومِ نَدًى يُرْجى ويَوْمِ طِعانِ

ليومِ نَدًى يُرْجى ويَوْمِ طِعانِ

It is the spear, except that it is apportioned

A lance, but divided for days of lush pastures

Between a day of hoped-for bounty and a day of spear-thrusts.

And days of keen spears thrust with anger and pains!

فسَلْ عَنْهُ أَنَّى شِئْتَ شرْقًا ومَغْرِبًا

فسَلْ عَنْهُ أَنَّى شِئْتَ شرْقًا ومَغْرِبًا

فلا رَجُلانِ الآنَ يَخْتلِفانِ

فلا رَجُلانِ الآنَ يَخْتلِفانِ

So ask about him wherever you wish, eastward or westward:

Ask of him wherever you please, east or west,

For no two men now disagree.

No two men, I swear, will e'er sound the same strains!