ظمِئْتُ ومُنْهَلُّ المَدامِعِ مَنْهلي

ظمِئْتُ ومُنْهَلُّ المَدامِعِ مَنْهلي

ولا حَوْم لِي إِلّا عَلى ورْدِ حَوْمَلِ

ولا حَوْم لِي إِلّا عَلى ورْدِ حَوْمَلِ

I thirst, and the downpour of tears is my drinking-place.

Thirsty am I, and my tears are my watering place,

I thirsted, yet the pouring of my tears is my watering hole,

Nor do I hover except over the waters of Ḥawmal,

I have no resting place but on the mount of Howmal.

And I have no place to circle save over the waters of Hawmal,

على سَلْسَلٍ من ذِي غُروبٍ وإِن غَدَتْ

على سَلْسَلٍ من ذِي غُروبٍ وإِن غَدَتْ

رِمالُ الفَيافي كالروَاءِ المُسلسَلِ

رِمالُ الفَيافي كالروَاءِ المُسلسَلِ

Over sweet water from a mouth with keen-edged teeth, even if

On a bracelet of dripping dishevelment, though now

Seeking cool water from the beloved's serrated teeth, even if

The desert sands become like abundant, flowing water.

The plaits of your hair are like links in a chain.

The desert sands appear as shimmering, flowing streams.

فيا نُعْمُ وافاكِ النَّعِيمُ فأنعمِي

فيا نُعْمُ وافاكِ النَّعِيمُ فأنعمِي

ويا جُمْلُ وَالاكِ الجمَالُ فَأَجْمِلِي

ويا جُمْلُ وَالاكِ الجمَالُ فَأَجْمِلِي

So, O Nuʿm, bliss has come to you—be generous;

O, the bliss of your fellowship, bounty bestow,

O Nu'm, bliss has come to you, so live in grace,

And O Juml, beauty has befriended you—be gracious.

O, the beauty of your form, with grace endow.

And O Juml, beauty has allied with you, so act beautifully.

حَلفتُ لربّاتِ الخُدورِ بما جَنَى

حَلفتُ لربّاتِ الخُدورِ بما جَنَى

فَمُ الصبِّ من وَرْدِ الخُدودِ المُقَبَّلِ

فَمُ الصبِّ من وَرْدِ الخُدودِ المُقَبَّلِ

I swore to the ladies of curtained chambers by what was plucked

I swore to the virgins with coquettish glances,

I swore to the ladies of the secluded chambers by the harvest

By the lovesick lover's mouth from the kissed roses of their cheeks,

By the wine of their mouths and cheeks they allow me to kiss.

That the lover's mouth has gathered from cheeks ripe for kissing,

وما صامَ من خَصْرٍ لهنّ مُخَفَّفٍ

وما صامَ من خَصْرٍ لهنّ مُخَفَّفٍ

وأفَطرَ من رِدْفٍ لهنّ مُثقّلِ

وأفَطرَ من رِدْفٍ لهنّ مُثقّلِ

And by their slender waists that fasted,

By those belts on their supple waists that they fasten,

And by their waists that 'fasted' to become so slender,

And their weighty haunches that broke the fast,

By the swelling breasts beneath their broidered chemise.

And by their hips that 'broke the fast' to become so heavy,

وما وَرَّدَتْ مِن أدمُعِي بمُورَّدٍ

وما وَرَّدَتْ مِن أدمُعِي بمُورَّدٍ

وما خَلخلتْ مِن أضلُعي بمُخَلْخلِ

وما خَلخلتْ مِن أضلُعي بمُخَلْخلِ

And by my tears she reddened with a rosy cheek,

By the tears that my eyes for their beauty did rain,

And by the roses my tears have bloomed upon my cheeks,

And by my ribs she shook with an ankleted leg,

By the sighs from my breast that breathlessly came.

And by the trembling they caused within my ribs, like the shaking of an anklet,

وما شاقَنِي مِن شقّ جيبٍ ومَدْمَع

وما شاقَنِي مِن شقّ جيبٍ ومَدْمَع

أسيلٍ على خَدٍّ أسيلٍ بمأسَلِ

أسيلٍ على خَدٍّ أسيلٍ بمأسَلِ

And by what stirred my longing—a rent collar and a tear

By the hearts that were cleft by the wounds of love's pain,

And by what stirred my yearning: the tearing of a collar and a tear

Streaming over a smooth cheek at Maʾsal:

By the tears down my cheeks that fast flowing they came.

Streaming smoothly down a smooth cheek along the path of sorrow,

لأنتنَّ أشفَى للسليمِ من الرُّقَى

لأنتنَّ أشفَى للسليمِ من الرُّقَى

وأطيبُ للظمآنِ من كلِّ سَلْسَلِ

وأطيبُ للظمآنِ من كلِّ سَلْسَلِ

You women are indeed more healing to the snake-bitten than incantations,

For ye are more sweet than all cures to the sick

Truly, you are more healing to the snake-bitten lover than any spell,

And sweeter to the thirsty than any clear, sweet water.

And better than streams of clear water that swell.

And sweeter to the parched soul than the coolest spring water.

وإِنْ يَكُ دَهْرِي ضَمَّنِي ثمّ ضامني

وإِنْ يَكُ دَهْرِي ضَمَّنِي ثمّ ضامني

فإِنَّ عَلِيَّاً خيرُ مَوْلىً ومْوئلِ

فإِنَّ عَلِيَّاً خيرُ مَوْلىً ومْوئلِ

And if my fortune embraced me, then wronged me,

Though fate shows me grief and causes me pain

And if my fate has constrained me and then oppressed me,

Then surely ʿAlī is the best patron and refuge.

Yet Ali's the best guardian friend I know well.

Then surely Ali is the best of patrons and the finest sanctuary,

هُمامٌ إذا ما هَمَّ بالأمرِ فاِمتَطَى

هُمامٌ إذا ما هَمَّ بالأمرِ فاِمتَطَى

عزيمَتَه ناءَتْ بِرَضْوَى ويَذبُلِ

عزيمَتَه ناءَتْ بِرَضْوَى ويَذبُلِ

A valiant man—whenever he sets his mind on a task and mounts

When Hameem prepares for some difficult task,

A gallant hero who, when he resolves upon a deed, mounts

His resolve, it weighs down Raḍwā and Yadhbul.

His courage will bring him contentment and peace.

A determination that would weigh down the mountains of Radwa and Yadhbul.