متى يملكُ الحِلْمُ الدنوّ على البُعْدِ

متى يملكُ الحِلْمُ الدنوّ على البُعْدِ

ويمضي حسامُ المُلكِ في غاربِ الصّدِّ

ويمضي حسامُ المُلكِ في غاربِ الصّدِّ

When will forbearance give nearness sway over distance,

When will forebearance subdue the far distances,

and sovereignty's sword cut through rejection's withers?

And the sword of kingdom march through the darkness of estrangement?

فأرعى رياضَ الفضلِ مطلولة الندى

فأرعى رياضَ الفضلِ مطلولة الندى

وأُسْقى رياضَ العِلمِ واضحةَ المدِ

وأُسْقى رياضَ العِلمِ واضحةَ المدِ

So I may graze the meadows of bounty, moistened with dew,

Then I will tend the meadows of virtue covered in dew,

and be given drink from knowledge's gardens, clear in their flow;

And irrigate the meadows of knowledge radiant and clear.

وألحظُ خلاً لا يُخِلُّ بودِّه

وألحظُ خلاً لا يُخِلُّ بودِّه

ولا يرتضي إلا الثبوتَ على العَهْدِ

ولا يرتضي إلا الثبوتَ على العَهْدِ

and behold a friend who never fails in his affection,

And I will observe a barren land that does not fail its affection,

and accepts nothing but steadfastness to the pledge;

And accepts nothing but steadfastness to the covenant.

وأشهدُ من أفكاره نارَ فِطْنةٍ

وأشهدُ من أفكاره نارَ فِطْنةٍ

تصَعَّدُ من أنفاسِه عبقَ النَّدِ

تصَعَّدُ من أنفاسِه عبقَ النَّدِ

and witness a fire of discernment spring from his thoughts,

And I will witness from his thoughts a fire of wisdom

sending up from his breaths the fragrance of incense.

That rises from his breath, the aroma of dew.

فيا عَرْفَ ريحٍ عاجَ من جانب اللِّوى

فيا عَرْفَ ريحٍ عاجَ من جانب اللِّوى

يجرُّ على الأزهارِ ضافيةَ البُرْدِ

يجرُّ على الأزهارِ ضافيةَ البُرْدِ

So, O breeze's fragrance, turning from the side of al-Liwa,

O gentle breeze that blew from the side of twisting,

trailing an ample cloak over the blossoms,

Dragging aroma over flowers, bringing the cold.

غدا راشفاً ريقَ الأقاحي معانقاً

غدا راشفاً ريقَ الأقاحي معانقاً

مَدودَ غصونٍ لاثماً وجنةَ الورْدِ

مَدودَ غصونٍ لاثماً وجنةَ الورْدِ

it went forth at dawn, sipping the daisies' saliva, embracing

Tomorrow it will be gentle, kissing the lips of meadows,

the outstretched branches, kissing the rose's cheek.

Embracing outstretched branches, touching the cheeks of roses.

تلذّذْ بمصر فهيَ ربعُ أحبّتي

تلذّذْ بمصر فهيَ ربعُ أحبّتي

وخبِّرْ فتاها عن غرامي وعن وجدي

وخبِّرْ فتاها عن غرامي وعن وجدي

Take delight in Egypt, for it is my loved ones' abode,

Revel in Egypt, for it is the abode of my loved ones,

and tell her young man of my passion and my yearning.

And inform its youth about my passion and my torment.

وقلْ عاد ذاك الجوّ بعدَك مُظْلما

وقلْ عاد ذاك الجوّ بعدَك مُظْلما

فلُحْ طالعاً تجلوهُ يا قمرَ السّعْدِ

فلُحْ طالعاً تجلوهُ يا قمرَ السّعْدِ

And say: That sky has grown dark again since your departure;

And say that after you the weather turned gloomy,

so shine forth, rising to brighten it, O moon of good fortune.

So rise, a star, to illuminate it, O moon of good fortune.

إذا لم تكن هندٌ بنجدٍ مقيمةً

إذا لم تكن هندٌ بنجدٍ مقيمةً

فلا هطلَتْ عينُ الغوادي على نجْدِ

فلا هطلَتْ عينُ الغوادي على نجْدِ

If Hind is not dwelling in Najd,

If you are not Hind in Najd residing,

then may the eye of the morning clouds shed no rain upon Najd.

Then the eyes of yearners did not rain upon Najd.

أما وحديثٌ كالمُدامِ رشفْتُه

أما وحديثٌ كالمُدامِ رشفْتُه

فغادرَ قلبي لا يُعيدُ ولا يُبدي

فغادرَ قلبي لا يُعيدُ ولا يُبدي

Indeed, by a conversation like wine that I sipped,

As for the talk that was like wine I have sipped it,

which left my heart unable to repeat or utter a word;

So it left my heart unable to repeat or relay.

ودُرُّ قريضٍ رُمْتُ إذ ذاكَ شأوَهُ

ودُرُّ قريضٍ رُمْتُ إذ ذاكَ شأوَهُ

فقصَّرَ عنهُ ساعدي ونَبا كدّي

فقصَّرَ عنهُ ساعدي ونَبا كدّي

and by pearls of poetry whose reach I sought at that time,

And a poem I threw when its glory peaked,

yet my forearm fell short of it, and my striving failed;

So my arm fell short of it and my struggle passed its peak.

وما لك في سمعي وطرفي وخاطري

وما لك في سمعي وطرفي وخاطري

من الصيتِ والمرأى المعظَّم والودِّ

من الصيتِ والمرأى المعظَّم والودِّ

and by what you hold in my hearing, my sight, and my mind

You have no trace in my hearing, sight or thoughts

of renown, a revered presence, and affection;

Of fame, regard or affection.

وما انهلّ من مجرى دموعيَ من دمٍ

وما انهلّ من مجرى دموعيَ من دمٍ

وأُضْرمَ في مَحْنى ضلوعي من وَقْدِ

وأُضْرمَ في مَحْنى ضلوعي من وَقْدِ

and by the blood that poured from the channel of my tears,

No blood dripped from my tearducts,

and the fire kindled in the hollow of my ribs,

No fire was lit in my ribs from passion.

وقوّضَ عن قلبي من الصبرِ بعدَكم

وقوّضَ عن قلبي من الصبرِ بعدَكم

وخيّم في طرْفي عليكُمْ من السُهْدِ

وخيّم في طرْفي عليكُمْ من السُهْدِ

and the patience that decamped from my heart after your departure,

And after you were gone, patience collapsed in my heart,

and the sleeplessness that pitched camp in my eye on your account—

And for you, languor shrouded my eyes.

فحبُكَ أوفى في فؤادي من المُنى

فحبُكَ أوفى في فؤادي من المُنى

وذكرُك أحلى في لساني من الشّهْدِ

وذكرُك أحلى في لساني من الشّهْدِ

love for you fills my heart more fully than wishes,

For your love remains most faithful in my heart,

and remembrance of you is sweeter on my tongue than honey.

And your memory is sweeter than honey on my tongue.