لَمْ يَشْفِ طيفُكَ لما زارني أَلَمَا

لَمْ يَشْفِ طيفُكَ لما زارني أَلَمَا

وإِنما زادَني إِلْمَامُهُ لمَمَا

وإِنما زادَني إِلْمَامُهُ لمَمَا

Your phantom, when it visited me, healed no pain.

Your phantom did not cure my pain when it visited,

Its passing visit only deepened my madness.

Rather, its arrival increased my suffering and sorrow.

سَرَى إِلَيَّ وطَرْفُ الليلِ مَرْكَبُهُ

سَرَى إِلَيَّ وطَرْفُ الليلِ مَرْكَبُهُ

والبَدْرُ إِنْ رَكِبَ الظلماءَ ما ظَلَما

والبَدْرُ إِنْ رَكِبَ الظلماءَ ما ظَلَما

It traveled by night to me, with night's edge as its mount;

It came to me while the night was still dark,

the full moon does no wrong when it rides the darkness.

Like the moon rising amidst the gloom without illuminating it.

ولم يزل يَدَّعي زُوراً زيارَتَه

ولم يزل يَدَّعي زُوراً زيارَتَه

حتى تَمَلَّكَ مِنِّي الحِلْمَ والحُلُما

حتى تَمَلَّكَ مِنِّي الحِلْمَ والحُلُما

It kept falsely claiming its visit,

It kept falsely claiming it came to visit me

until it possessed both my reason and my dream.

Until it took away my patience and forbearance from me.

نادَمْتُه فَسَقَاني كأْسَ مُرْتشَفٍ

نادَمْتُه فَسَقَاني كأْسَ مُرْتشَفٍ

يُفنِي النديمُ عليها كَفَّهُ نَدَما

يُفنِي النديمُ عليها كَفَّهُ نَدَما

I drank with it, and it gave me a cup of a draught

I reproached it, so it made me drink a cup of sorrow,

that makes a drinking companion wear his hand away in remorse over it,

That made the reveler wipe his palms in regret.

حتى إِذا شابَ فَوْدُ الليلِ وانْعَطَفتْ

حتى إِذا شابَ فَوْدُ الليلِ وانْعَطَفتْ

قناتُه وتدانَى خَطْوُهُ هَرَما

قناتُه وتدانَى خَطْوُهُ هَرَما

until, when night's temple grayed and bent

Until when the night grew old and its stars began to fade,

was its spear-shaft, and its steps shortened with age,

And its steps grew slow due to old age,

وقمتُ أَعثُرُ والأَشواقُ تَنْهَضُ بِي

وقمتُ أَعثُرُ والأَشواقُ تَنْهَضُ بِي

فما تقدَّمْتُ من سُكْرِي به قُدُما

فما تقدَّمْتُ من سُكْرِي به قُدُما

I rose stumbling, while longings lifted me,

I got up stumbling as passions roused me,

yet, drunk with it, I did not advance a pace.

But I could not walk forward due to my drunkenness.

قال السلامُ على مَنْ لو مَرَرْتُ به

قال السلامُ على مَنْ لو مَرَرْتُ به

أَهْدَي السَّلاَم له يَقْظَانَ ما سَلِمَا

أَهْدَي السَّلاَم له يَقْظَانَ ما سَلِمَا

It said, 'Peace upon one who, were I to pass him

I bid farewell to the one whom if I passed by

offering peace while he was awake, would not remain unharmed.'

And greeted, would return the greeting wide awake.

واهْتَزَّ كالغُصُنِ المنآدِ فانْتَثَرَتْ

واهْتَزَّ كالغُصُنِ المنآدِ فانْتَثَرَتْ

مدامِعِي حَوْلَهُ العُنَّابَ والعَنَمَا

مدامِعِي حَوْلَهُ العُنَّابَ والعَنَمَا

It swayed like a bending branch, scattering

He trembled like a branch called upon, and my tears

my tears around it—jujubes and red ‘anam fruit.

Fell around him, violets and anemones.

ورُحْتُ أَعبدُ منه دُمْيَةً فَرَضَتْ

ورُحْتُ أَعبدُ منه دُمْيَةً فَرَضَتْ

تقريبَ قَلْبِي في دِينِ الغرامَ دَمَا

تقريبَ قَلْبِي في دِينِ الغرامَ دَمَا

And I began to worship in it an idol that ordained

I went on worshipping an idol that commanded

the offering of my heart as blood in love's religion.

My heart’s devotion to the religion of passion.

وَجْدُ طَلَبْتُ له كَتْماً فأَردَفَنِي

وَجْدُ طَلَبْتُ له كَتْماً فأَردَفَنِي

شَيْباً ثَنَانِيَ أَيضاً أَطلُبُ الكَتمَا

شَيْباً ثَنَانِيَ أَيضاً أَطلُبُ الكَتمَا

A passion I sought to conceal instead burdened me

Whenever I sought concealment, worries

with gray hair, making me seek katam dye as well.

Followed with gray hair, and I sought concealment again.

ولِمَّةٌ مُذْ هَفَتْ منها مُلِمَّتُهُ

ولِمَّةٌ مُذْ هَفَتْ منها مُلِمَّتُهُ

عادَتْ رماداً وكانِتْ قَبْلَهُ فَحَما

عادَتْ رماداً وكانِتْ قَبْلَهُ فَحَما

And a head of hair, since its affliction wafted from it,

An aspirations that faded when it disappeared

turned to ash, though before that it had been coal.

Returned to ashes, though it had been an ember.

وقد تَلَفَّتُ أَثناءَ الشبابِ فَمَا

وقد تَلَفَّتُ أَثناءَ الشبابِ فَمَا

رأَيتُ إِلا هموماً حُوِّلَتْ هِمَمَا

رأَيتُ إِلا هموماً حُوِّلَتْ هِمَمَا

I looked back through the course of youth, but

During my youth I suffered, so I did not see

saw only cares transformed into ambitions.

Except sorrows that had been wishes.

فَالسَّيْرَ حتى تَقُولَ العِيسُ من خمر

فَالسَّيْرَ حتى تَقُولَ العِيسُ من خمر

صِرْنَا رُسُوماً وكُنَّا أَيْنُقاً رُسُما

صِرْنَا رُسُوماً وكُنَّا أَيْنُقاً رُسُما

On with the journey, until the pale camels say in their stupor:

Drink until the raven says because of wine’s traces,

'We have become mere traces; we were once swift-striding she-camels.'

“We have become habits though we were graceful birds.”

من كُلِّ منهومَةِ ما غَرثَتْ

من كُلِّ منهومَةِ ما غَرثَتْ

إِلاَّ الْتَقَمْتَ عليها المَهْيَعَ اللَّقَما

إِلاَّ الْتَقَمْتَ عليها المَهْيَعَ اللَّقَما

Each a ravenous she-camel that never hungered

You have swallowed every mouthful

without your swallowing, astride her, the broad, clear road.

Of worries except the delicious morsel.

في عُصْبَةٍ كلَّما شامَتْ صوارمَهُمُ

في عُصْبَةٍ كلَّما شامَتْ صوارمَهُمُ

يَدُ الحفيظةِ في جِنْحِ الدُّجَى انْصَرَما

يَدُ الحفيظةِ في جِنْحِ الدُّجَى انْصَرَما

Among a band whose sharp swords, whenever drawn

Among a group whose swords, whenever unsheathed

by the hand of zeal beneath night's wing, split the darkness.

By the guarding hand in the darkness of night, were lethal.

عاطَيْتُهُمْ غَيْرَ بنتِ الكَرْمِ من سَمَرٍ

عاطَيْتُهُمْ غَيْرَ بنتِ الكَرْمِ من سَمَرٍ

على تعاطيهِ رحنا نذكر الكَرَما

على تعاطيهِ رحنا نذكر الكَرَما

I shared with them—not the vine's daughter—but night-talk,

I gave them nothing for entertainment but the daughter of generosity,

and as we exchanged it, we began to speak of generosity.

As we recalled generosity over our entertainment.

فكلما قِيلَ نجمُ الدينِ قَد وَضَحَتْ

فكلما قِيلَ نجمُ الدينِ قَد وَضَحَتْ

أَنوارُه فَمَحَوْنَ الظُّلْمَ والظُّلَما

أَنوارُه فَمَحَوْنَ الظُّلْمَ والظُّلَما

Whenever it was said, 'Najm al-Din—resplendent are

Whenever it was said: “The star of the faith has shone,”

his lights, which have erased injustice and darkness,'

And its lights erased the darkness and gloom,

قلنا وعاد إِلى شَرْخ الشبابِ به

قلنا وعاد إِلى شَرْخ الشبابِ به

جودٌ مضى هَرِمٌ عنه وقد هَرِما

جودٌ مضى هَرِمٌ عنه وقد هَرِما

we said, 'Through him, to the prime of youth returned

We would say: “Generosity has returned to the bloom of youth through him,

generosity, which Harim left behind, grown old.'

As old age left him though he had grown old.”

مَلْكٌ تَحرَّمت الدنيا بسطوتِهِ

مَلْكٌ تَحرَّمت الدنيا بسطوتِهِ

فردَّها وهي حِلٌّ والنَّدَى حَرَما

فردَّها وهي حِلٌّ والنَّدَى حَرَما

A king: the world sought sanctuary in his might;

A king whose authority made the world forbidden,

he made it, once unhallowed, and bounty a sanctuary.

Yet he allowed it, though it had been forbidden like a sanctuary.

هو الغَمامُ الذي ما حَلَّ في بَلَدٍ

هو الغَمامُ الذي ما حَلَّ في بَلَدٍ

إِلاَّ أَفاضَ دماءً منه أو دِيَمَا

إِلاَّ أَفاضَ دماءً منه أو دِيَمَا

He is the cloud that never settles over a land

He is the rain cloud that never settled on a land

without pouring forth blood or steady rains.

Except it poured blood from it or torrents.

وَهْوَ الحسامُ الذي قالت مضارِبُه

وَهْوَ الحسامُ الذي قالت مضارِبُه

خيرُ الحسامَيْنِ في الأدواءِ مَنْ حَسَما

خيرُ الحسامَيْنِ في الأدواءِ مَنْ حَسَما

He is the cutting sword whose striking edges said:

He is the sword that battlefields said:

'Of two swords, the best against ailments is the one that cuts them off.'

“The best of two swords in time of distress is the decisive one.”

يطيع سامٌ وحامٌ ما يشير له

يطيع سامٌ وحامٌ ما يشير له

ولم يطع قَطُّ إِلاَّ من سَمَا وحَمَى

ولم يطع قَطُّ إِلاَّ من سَمَا وحَمَى

Shem and Ham obey whatever he directs,

Obeyed by mighty and lowly, none disobeyed him

yet he has never obeyed any but one exalted and protective.

Except the lofty and protected.

ذو الحَزْمِ شَدَّ على عِطءفَيْهِ لأْمَتَهُ

ذو الحَزْمِ شَدَّ على عِطءفَيْهِ لأْمَتَهُ

في سَلْمِهِ وعلى أفراسِهِ الحُزُما

في سَلْمِهِ وعلى أفراسِهِ الحُزُما

A man of resolve, he strapped his armor about his sides

The prudent one restrained his nation during peace

in peacetime, and tightened the girths upon his steeds.

And with his steeds during trials.

وذو الرّياحِ التي إِن أَعْصَفَتْ قَصَفَتْ

وذو الرّياحِ التي إِن أَعْصَفَتْ قَصَفَتْ

عيدانَ نَجْدٍ وجدَّت بعدها الرَّتَما

عيدانَ نَجْدٍ وجدَّت بعدها الرَّتَما

And master of winds that, when they blow fiercely, break

The owner of winds that if they raged, they would uproot

the boughs of Najd and then cut down the broom shrubs.

The pegs of Al-Najd, and then even straw mats would be useless.

كأَنما الدَّهْرُ أَفْشَيْنٌ نَخِرُّ لَهُ

كأَنما الدَّهْرُ أَفْشَيْنٌ نَخِرُّ لَهُ

وقد أَقامَ عليه سَيْفَهُ صَنَمَا

وقد أَقامَ عليه سَيْفَهُ صَنَمَا

As though Time were Afshin, before whom we fall prostrate,

As if fate is an effigy we deflate,

and he has set his sword above it as an idol.

And he has placed his sword on it like an idol.

إِنْ قال آل مَصَالٍ منه من يَمَنٍ

إِنْ قال آل مَصَالٍ منه من يَمَنٍ

قال الأَغالِبُ من مُرٍّ ولا سِيَما

قال الأَغالِبُ من مُرٍّ ولا سِيَما

If the house of Masal says, 'His roots are in Yemen,'

If the family of Masal said: “From it we have a supporter,”

the Aghalibs say, 'From Murr, most especially.'

The conqueror said: “From Murr, and that is unquestionable.”

أَمْلَى على العُرْبِ من تدبيرِهِ سِيَراً

أَمْلَى على العُرْبِ من تدبيرِهِ سِيَراً

في مِضْرَ هزَّتْ على فُسْطَاطِها الْعَجَمَا

في مِضْرَ هزَّتْ على فُسْطَاطِها الْعَجَمَا

He dictated to the Arabs, from his governance, courses of conduct

He dictated to the Arabs through his planning ways

in Egypt, stirring the non-Arabs at its encampment.

That made the non-Arabs tremble over their towers.

فالآنَ أَضْبَحَتِ الآباءُ واحِدَةً

فالآنَ أَضْبَحَتِ الآباءُ واحِدَةً

والشَّمْلُ مجتمعاً والشَّعْبُ مُلْتَئِما

والشَّمْلُ مجتمعاً والشَّعْبُ مُلْتَئِما

Now the forefathers have become one,

Now the forefathers have become united

the company united, the rift healed.

With the community brought together and the people reconciled.

رَأْيٌ له بَذَلَ الإِقْليمُ طاعَتَه

رَأْيٌ له بَذَلَ الإِقْليمُ طاعَتَه

فلو يشاءُ كفاه السَّيْفَ والقلما

فلو يشاءُ كفاه السَّيْفَ والقلما

His judgment won the province's obedience;

His view made the region submit to him,

if he wished, it would spare him sword and pen.

If he wished, his sword and pen would have sufficed.

حَسْبُ البُحَيْرَةِ أَنَّ اللَّه صَيَّرها

حَسْبُ البُحَيْرَةِ أَنَّ اللَّه صَيَّرها

بحراً به زاخِرَ الأَمواجِ ملتطما

بحراً به زاخِرَ الأَمواجِ ملتطما

Enough for al-Buhayra: God has made it

It is enough for the lake that Allah made it

through him a sea, brimming with crashing waves.

A sea, foaming with the swelling waves through him.

كم خاضَ ضَحْضَاحَها من غارقٍ فَنَجَا

كم خاضَ ضَحْضَاحَها من غارقٍ فَنَجَا

حتى أَفاضَ عليها سَيْبَهُ العَرما

حتى أَفاضَ عليها سَيْبَهُ العَرما

How many a drowning man waded its shallows and escaped,

How many who sank in it crossed it safely

until he poured his torrent of bounty over it.

Until its captor poured his bucket over it.

بالخيلِ يحملُ من فرسانِها أَسداً

بالخيلِ يحملُ من فرسانِها أَسداً

والأُسْدِ يحملُ من أَرماحِها أَجَمَا

والأُسْدِ يحملُ من أَرماحِها أَجَمَا

With horses he bears a lion among their riders,

He carries on his horses lions from its horsemen

and with lions he bears thickets of their spears.

And on its spears he carries rocks from its lions.

لِلسَّيْفُ في كفِّهِ نارٌ على عَلَمٍ

لِلسَّيْفُ في كفِّهِ نارٌ على عَلَمٍ

إِن كنتَ يوماً سَمِعْتَ النارَ والعلما

إِن كنتَ يوماً سَمِعْتَ النارَ والعلما

Indeed, the sword in his palm is fire upon a mountain,

His sword in his grip has a fire upon a flag -

if ever you have heard of fire and mountain.

If you ever heard of fire and flag then you know.

يَجْلُو البهيمَ ويحمي البَهْمَ سارِحةً

يَجْلُو البهيمَ ويحمي البَهْمَ سارِحةً

ويستجيش لكَشْفِ المُبْهَمِ البُهَما

ويستجيش لكَشْفِ المُبْهَمِ البُهَما

He dispels pitch-darkness and guards lambs at pasture,

It unsheathes the dull blade and protects the confused,

and musters fearless warriors to clear the obscure.

Mobilizing the efforts to dispel the confusion.

والأَرْضُ ما مَرَّ مجتازُ النسيمِ بها

والأَرْضُ ما مَرَّ مجتازُ النسيمِ بها

إِلاَّ تغالَتْ فكادَتْ تُنْبِتُ النَّسَما

إِلاَّ تغالَتْ فكادَتْ تُنْبِتُ النَّسَما

And over the earth no passing breeze ever went

The land - whenever the passing breeze traveled through it -

without its surpassing itself, almost sprouting living souls.

Flourished, almost growing plants from the breeze.

فالحمدُ للِّه سدَّ السيفُ ثُلْمَتَها

فالحمدُ للِّه سدَّ السيفُ ثُلْمَتَها

وعاوَدَ الغِمْدَ محموداً وما انْثَلمَا

وعاوَدَ الغِمْدَ محموداً وما انْثَلمَا

So praise be to God: the sword has closed its breach,

So praise be to Allah, the sword sealed its cracks,

and returned to its sheath, praised and unchipped.

And smoothly returned to the scabbard unharmed.

فَلْيَبْتَسمْ بكَ ثغرٌ قد جعلْتَ له

فَلْيَبْتَسمْ بكَ ثغرٌ قد جعلْتَ له

ثغراً عن الحسن والإِحسان مبتسما

ثغراً عن الحسن والإِحسان مبتسما

Let the frontier smile through you: you have given it

Through you, a cheek smiles which you have made

a mouth smiling to reveal beauty and beneficence.

Smile through beauty and kindness.

يجري النَّهارُ على أَنيابِه شنَباً

يجري النَّهارُ على أَنيابِه شنَباً

ويصبِغُ الليلُ منه في الشِّفاهِ لَمَى

ويصبِغُ الليلُ منه في الشِّفاهِ لَمَى

Day flows over its canine teeth as cool sweetness,

The day flows on its fangs like a moustache

and night paints its lips with a dusky hue.

And the night dyes its lips from it red.

حتى نقولَ وكُنَّا قبلَ معرفةٍ

حتى نقولَ وكُنَّا قبلَ معرفةٍ

سُبْحانَ عَدْلِكَ أَضحى يَنْقُلُ الشِّيَما

سُبْحانَ عَدْلِكَ أَضحى يَنْقُلُ الشِّيَما

until we say—we who had not known before—

Until we say - though before we were ignorant -

'Glory to your justice: it now transforms dispositions!'

“Glory to You! Your justice has made passions seem vile.”