لَقَد طالَ في رَسمِ الدِيارِ بُكائي

لَقَد طالَ في رَسمِ الدِيارِ بُكائي

وَقَدطالَ تَردادي بِها وَعَنائي

وَقَدطالَ تَردادي بِها وَعَنائي

Long indeed have I wept over the traces of the dwellings,

Long has my weeping lingered in the abodes,

Long have I wept upon the traces of the dwellings, and long have I paced there in suffering and strain.

And long have been my repeated visits there and my suffering.

And long has my circling them and my distress continued.

As though I were stalking elusive quarry in the ruins, glimpsing it now before me, and now behind.

كَأَنّي مُريغٌ في الدِيارِ طَريدَةً

كَأَنّي مُريغٌ في الدِيارِ طَريدَةً

أَراها أَمامي مَرَّةً وَوَرائي

أَراها أَمامي مَرَّةً وَوَرائي

As though I were pursuing quarry among the dwellings,

It is as if I am a wild cow in the dwellings, hounded,

And when despair became plain, I turned my mount away from the abode, and resignation took hold of my mind.

I see it now before me, now behind me.

I see them before and behind me.

To a tavern where the watchdogs do not growl at me, nor do they look askance at my long remaining.

فَلَمّا بَدا لي اليَأسُ عَدَّيتُ ناقَتي

فَلَمّا بَدا لي اليَأسُ عَدَّيتُ ناقَتي

عَنِ الدارِ وَاستَولى عَلَيَّ عَزائي

عَنِ الدارِ وَاستَولى عَلَيَّ عَزائي

Then, when despair became clear to me, I turned my she-camel

So when despair overcame me, I turned my she-camel

If the golden wine has ravaged my inheritance, then neither my dignity nor my shame could offer shielding.

Away from the dwelling, and resignation took hold of me,

Away from the abode, and my grief took hold of me.

I did not depart until it had claimed all my hand possessed, down to my very mantle and my sandal-binding.

إِلى بَيتِ حانٍ لا تَهُرُّ كِلابُهُ

إِلى بَيتِ حانٍ لا تَهُرُّ كِلابُهُ

عَلَيَّ وَلايُنكِرنَ طُولَ ثَوائي

عَلَيَّ وَلايُنكِرنَ طُولَ ثَوائي

Toward a wine-seller's house, whose dogs do not growl

To a tavern where dogs do not bark at me

And I drank from a cup shining like the lamp of heaven, sealed with a kiss or a promise of a meeting.

At me, nor object to my long stay.

Nor disapprove my long stay.

The days have passed over it until it seems like light cascading from the fissures of the sky.

فَإِن تَكُنِ الصَهباءُ أَودَت بِتالِدي

فَإِن تَكُنِ الصَهباءُ أَودَت بِتالِدي

فَلَم توقِني أُكرومَتي وَحَيائي

فَلَم توقِني أُكرومَتي وَحَيائي

For if the tawny wine has swept away my inherited wealth,

And if the gray-haired lady has wished for my absence,

You see its radiance beaming from the vessel's face, casting light upon you though you veil it with a covering.

Then my generosity and modesty have not spared me.

She did not forbid my misdeeds and my shame.

Blessed be He who governs all affairs with His knowledge, and who has favored Harun above all Caliphs.

فَما رِمتُهُ حَتّى أَتى دونَ ماحَوَت

فَما رِمتُهُ حَتّى أَتى دونَ ماحَوَت

يَمينِيَ حَتّى رَيطَتي وَحِذائي

يَمينِيَ حَتّى رَيطَتي وَحِذائي

So I did not leave him until he had consumed all that

I did not aim at him until he came within

We live in prosperity so long as we embrace piety, and so long as the Father of the Trustworthy rules our world.

My right hand held—even my cloak and shoes.

My right hand’s reach, grasping my shoes and socks.

An Imam who fears God, as though he expects to behold His countenance morning and evening.

وَكَأسٍ كَمِصباحِ السَماءِ شَرِبتُها

وَكَأسٍ كَمِصباحِ السَماءِ شَرِبتُها

عَلى قُبلَةٍ أَو مَوعِدٍ بِلِقاءِ

عَلى قُبلَةٍ أَو مَوعِدٍ بِلِقاءِ

And a cup like the lamp of the sky I drank,

And a cup like a lamp in the sky I drank,

Proud of bearing, long of reach; so tall, it seems the baldric of his sword is hung from a battle-standard.

In exchange for a kiss, or a promise of a meeting.

After a kiss or tryst.

أَتَت دونَها الأَيّامُ حَتّى كَأَنَّها

أَتَت دونَها الأَيّامُ حَتّى كَأَنَّها

تَساقُطُ نورٍ مِن فُتوقِ سَماءِ

تَساقُطُ نورٍ مِن فُتوقِ سَماءِ

The days have passed over it, until it seems

The days came after it as if

A shower of light from rifts in the sky.

Drops of light were falling from the sky’s openings.

تَرى ضَوءَها مِن ظاهِرِ الكَأسِ ساطِعاً

تَرى ضَوءَها مِن ظاهِرِ الكَأسِ ساطِعاً

عَلَيكَ وَإِن غَطَّيتَها بِغِطاءِ

عَلَيكَ وَإِن غَطَّيتَها بِغِطاءِ

You see its light shining from the cup's outer surface

You see its light shining from outside the cup

Upon you, even if you put a cover over it.

Even if you cover it with a lid.

تَبارَكَ مَن ساسَ الأُمورَ بِعِلمِهِ

تَبارَكَ مَن ساسَ الأُمورَ بِعِلمِهِ

وَفَضَّلَ هاروناً عَلى الخُلَفاءِ

وَفَضَّلَ هاروناً عَلى الخُلَفاءِ

Blessed is He who governs affairs with His knowledge,

Blessed is He who manages affairs with His knowledge

And has favored Harun above the caliphs.

And favored Harun over the caliphs.

نَعيشُ بِخَيرٍ ما انطَوَينا عَلى التُقى

نَعيشُ بِخَيرٍ ما انطَوَينا عَلى التُقى

وَما ساسَ دُنيانا أَبو الأُمَناءِ

وَما ساسَ دُنيانا أَبو الأُمَناءِ

We live in well-being so long as we embrace piety,

We live well as long as we are clothed in piety

And while the Father of the Trustworthy governs our world.

And as long as the Trustworthy One rules over our world.

إِمامٌ يَخافُ اللَهَ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

إِمامٌ يَخافُ اللَهَ حَتّى كَأَنَّهُ

يُؤَمَّلُ رُؤياهُ صَباحَ مَساءِ

يُؤَمَّلُ رُؤياهُ صَباحَ مَساءِ

An imam who fears God so deeply that it is as though

A leader who fears God until it seems

A vision of Him were hoped for morning and evening.

He awaits seeing Him in the morning or evening.

أَشَمُّ طُوالُ الساعِدَينِ كَأَنَّما

أَشَمُّ طُوالُ الساعِدَينِ كَأَنَّما

يُناطُ نِجاداً سَيفِهِ بِلِواءِ

يُناطُ نِجاداً سَيفِهِ بِلِواءِ

Aquiline-nosed, with long forearms, as though

I smell the musk of the two forearms as if

His sword's two straps were hung from a standard.

Perfume were rubbed on his sword along with the banner.