ما في وُقوفِكَ ساعَةً مِن باسِ

ما في وُقوفِكَ ساعَةً مِن باسِ

نَقضي ذِمامَ الأَربُعِ الأَدراسِ

نَقضي ذِمامَ الأَربُعِ الأَدراسِ

There is no harm in your stopping for an hour;

In your standing not an instant with weariness

Let us discharge our debt to the effaced encampments.

We fulfill the reins of the four friends

فَلَعَلَّ عَينَكَ أَن تُعينَ بِمائِها

فَلَعَلَّ عَينَكَ أَن تُعينَ بِمائِها

وَالدَمعُ مِنهُ خاذِلٌ وَمُواسِ

وَالدَمعُ مِنهُ خاذِلٌ وَمُواسِ

So perhaps your eye may lend aid with its water,

Perhaps your eye will aid with its water

And among tears, some fail and some console.

While tears from it are failing and scarce

لا يُسعِدُ المُشتاقَ وَسنانُ الهَوى

لا يُسعِدُ المُشتاقَ وَسنانُ الهَوى

يَبِسُ المَدامِعِ بارِدُ الأَنفاسِ

يَبِسُ المَدامِعِ بارِدُ الأَنفاسِ

One whose passion slumbers cannot comfort the yearning lover,

The new moon gladdens not the longing one

Dry-eyed and cold of breath.

The cool breaths wither the tears

إِنَّ المَنازِلَ ساوَرَتها فُرقَةٌ

إِنَّ المَنازِلَ ساوَرَتها فُرقَةٌ

أَخلَت مِنَ الآرامِ كُلَّ كِناسِ

أَخلَت مِنَ الآرامِ كُلَّ كِناسِ

Indeed, separation has assailed the dwellings,

The dwellings had been parted by separation

Emptying every covert of its white gazelles—

That emptied every settlement of tranquility

مِن كُلِّ ضاحِكَةِ التَرائِبِ أُرهِفَت

مِن كُلِّ ضاحِكَةِ التَرائِبِ أُرهِفَت

إِرهافَ خوطِ البانَةِ المَيّاسِ

إِرهافَ خوطِ البانَةِ المَيّاسِ

Of every maiden whose bosom smiles, made slender

From every smiling damsel I was startled

Like the swaying shoot of a ban tree.

Like the startling of the maker’s outstretched hand

بَدرٌ أَطاعَت فيكَ بادِرَةَ النَوى

بَدرٌ أَطاعَت فيكَ بادِرَةَ النَوى

وَلَعاً وَشَمسٌ أولِعَت بِشِماسِ

وَلَعاً وَشَمسٌ أولِعَت بِشِماسِ

A full moon who heeded the sudden urge to leave you,

A full moon obeyed in you the gesture of purpose

Out of passion; a sun enamored of defiance.

Passionately and a sun ignited with flames

بِكرٌ إِذا اِبتَسَمَت أَراكَ وَميضُها

بِكرٌ إِذا اِبتَسَمَت أَراكَ وَميضُها

نَورَ الأَقاحي في ثَرىً ميعاسِ

نَورَ الأَقاحي في ثَرىً ميعاسِ

A virgin whose gleam, when she smiles, shows you

The early dawn when she smiles seeing you

Daisy blossoms in soft earth.

The light of her brightness in dusty soil

وَإِذا مَشَت تَرَكَت بِصَدرِكَ ضِعفَ ما

وَإِذا مَشَت تَرَكَت بِصَدرِكَ ضِعفَ ما

بِحُلِيِّها مِن كَثرَةِ الوَسواسِ

بِحُلِيِّها مِن كَثرَةِ الوَسواسِ

And when she walks, she leaves in your breast twice

And when she walks she leaves upon your chest some

The profusion of murmurs in her ornaments.

Of her adornments’ burdens and preoccupations

قالَت وَقَد حُمَّ الفِراقُ فَكَأسُهُ

قالَت وَقَد حُمَّ الفِراقُ فَكَأسُهُ

قَد خولِطَ الساقي بِها وَالحاسي

قَد خولِطَ الساقي بِها وَالحاسي

She said, when parting was decreed—its cup

She said, and farewell had been mixed so its cup

Already having maddened cupbearer and drinker—

Was blended by the pourer and the taster

لا تَنسَيَن تِلكَ العُهودَ فَإِنَّما

لا تَنسَيَن تِلكَ العُهودَ فَإِنَّما

سُمّيتَ إِنساناً لِأَنَّكَ ناسي

سُمّيتَ إِنساناً لِأَنَّكَ ناسي

“Never forget those pledges, for it is only

Do not forget those covenants, for it was

Because you forget that you were named insan, ‘human.’”

You were named human for you are forgetful

إِنَّ الَّذي خَلَقَ الخَلائِقَ قاتَها

إِنَّ الَّذي خَلَقَ الخَلائِقَ قاتَها

أَقواتَها لِتَصَرُّفِ الأَحراسِ

أَقواتَها لِتَصَرُّفِ الأَحراسِ

Indeed, He who created all creatures furnished them

The One who created creatures made

Their sustenance through the changing ages.

Their livelihoods for the変management of the watchful

فَالأَرضُ مَعروفُ السَماءِ قِرىً لَها

فَالأَرضُ مَعروفُ السَماءِ قِرىً لَها

وَبَنو الرَجاءِ لَهُم بَنو العَبّاسِ

وَبَنو الرَجاءِ لَهُم بَنو العَبّاسِ

So the earth has heaven's bounty for its fare,

The earth is the sky’s known abode

And the sons of hope have the sons of al-Abbas.

And the Abbasids are the sons of hope

القَومُ ظِلُّ اللَهِ أَسكَنَ دينَهُ

القَومُ ظِلُّ اللَهِ أَسكَنَ دينَهُ

فيهِم وَهُم جَبَلُ المُلوكِ الراسي

فيهِم وَهُم جَبَلُ المُلوكِ الراسي

These men are God's shade; He housed His religion

The people are God’s shade; He settled His religion

In them, and they are the firmly rooted mountain of kings.

In them, and they are the enduring mountain

في كُلِّ جَوهَرَةٍ فِرِندٌ مُشرِقٌ

في كُلِّ جَوهَرَةٍ فِرِندٌ مُشرِقٌ

وَهُمُ الفِرِندُ لِهَؤُلاءِ الناسِ

وَهُمُ الفِرِندُ لِهَؤُلاءِ الناسِ

In every gem there is a radiant lustre,

In every brilliant jewel is a shining facet

And they are the lustre of these people.

And they are the facet for these people

هَدَأَت عَلى تَأميلِ أَحمَدَ هِمَّتي

هَدَأَت عَلى تَأميلِ أَحمَدَ هِمَّتي

وَأَطافَ تَقليدي بِهِ وَقِياسي

وَأَطافَ تَقليدي بِهِ وَقِياسي

My ambition found rest in placing hope in Ahmad,

My aspiration calmed in extolling Ahmed

And my trust and reasoning alike revolved around him,

And my following him and measuring myself to him

بِالمُجتَبى وَالمُصطَفى وَالمُستَرى

بِالمُجتَبى وَالمُصطَفى وَالمُستَرى

لِلحَمدِ وَالحالي بِهِ وَالكاسي

لِلحَمدِ وَالحالي بِهِ وَالكاسي

The elect, the chosen, the one selected

With the Chosen One, the Selected, the Concealed

For praise, adorned with it and clothed in it.

For praise, wearing him, and being his associate

وَالحَمدُ بُردُ جَمالٍ اِختالَت بِهِ

وَالحَمدُ بُردُ جَمالٍ اِختالَت بِهِ

غُرَرُ الفَعالِ وَلَيسَ بُردَ لِباسِ

غُرَرُ الفَعالِ وَلَيسَ بُردَ لِباسِ

And praise is a mantle of beauty in which

And praise is the coolness of beauty he was adorned with

The finest deeds strut; it is no mantle of clothing.

Gems of action, not the coolness of garb

فَرعٌ نَما مِن هاشِمٍ في تُربَةٍ

فَرعٌ نَما مِن هاشِمٍ في تُربَةٍ

كانَ الكَفيءَ لَها مِنَ الأَغراسِ

كانَ الكَفيءَ لَها مِنَ الأَغراسِ

A branch that grew from Hashim in soil

A branch grew from Hashim in soil

For which, among saplings, it was a worthy match.

Whose match from trees would have been fitting

لا تَهجُرُ الأَنواءُ مَنبِتَها وَلا

لا تَهجُرُ الأَنواءُ مَنبِتَها وَلا

قَلبُ الثَرى القاسي عَلَيها قاسي

قَلبُ الثَرى القاسي عَلَيها قاسي

The rain-bearing stars never forsake its growing-place, nor

The minarets do not abandon their terrain

Is the heart of hard earth hard toward it.

Nor does the hard ground act harshly toward it

وَكَأَنَّ بَينَهُما رَضاعَ الثَدي مِن

وَكَأَنَّ بَينَهُما رَضاعَ الثَدي مِن

فَرطِ التَصافي أَو رَضاعَ الكاسِ

فَرطِ التَصافي أَو رَضاعَ الكاسِ

And it is as though the two shared suckling at the breast, from

As if between them is the suckling of a breast from

Their intense mutual affection—or suckling from the cup.

The excess of affinity or the suckling of a cup

نَورُ العَرارَةِ نَورُهُ وَنَسيمُهُ

نَورُ العَرارَةِ نَورُهُ وَنَسيمُهُ

نَشرُ الخُزامى في اِخضِرارِ الآسِ

نَشرُ الخُزامى في اِخضِرارِ الآسِ

Its blossom is the arar blossom, and its breeze

The light of virtuousness is his light and his breeze

The fragrance of lavender amid the greenness of myrtle.

Is the scattering of meadows in verdure

أَبلَيتَ هَذا المَجدَ أَبعَدَ غايَةٍ

أَبلَيتَ هَذا المَجدَ أَبعَدَ غايَةٍ

فيهِ وَأَكرَمَ شيمَةٍ وَنِحاسِ

فيهِ وَأَكرَمَ شيمَةٍ وَنِحاسِ

You have endowed this glory with its furthest reach,

You have worn out this glory to its farthest extent

And its noblest disposition and native mettle:

In it, and most generously its quality and essence

إِقدامَ عَمرٍو في سَماحَةِ حاتِمٍ

إِقدامَ عَمرٍو في سَماحَةِ حاتِمٍ

في حِلمِ أَحنَفَ في ذَكاءِ إِياسِ

في حِلمِ أَحنَفَ في ذَكاءِ إِياسِ

Amr's boldness joined to Hatim's generosity,

The resolve of ‘Amr in Hatem’s magnanimity

To Ahnaf's forbearance and Iyas's intelligence.

In the forbearance of Ahnaf and the intellect of Ayyas

لا تُنكِروا ضَربي لَهُ مِن دونِهِ

لا تُنكِروا ضَربي لَهُ مِن دونِهِ

مَثَلاً شَروداً في النَدى وَالباسِ

مَثَلاً شَروداً في النَدى وَالباسِ

Do not object to my drawing for him, from those beneath him,

Do not deny that I strike for him apart from him

A far-ranging comparison in generosity and valor.

An example wandering in dew and garb

فَاللَهُ قَد ضَرَبَ الأَقَلَّ لِنورِهِ

فَاللَهُ قَد ضَرَبَ الأَقَلَّ لِنورِهِ

مَثَلاً مِنَ المِشكاةِ وَالنِبراسِ

مَثَلاً مِنَ المِشكاةِ وَالنِبراسِ

For God has set forth something lesser for His light

For God has struck the lesser light as an example

As a likeness, drawn from the niche and the lamp.

Of the niche and the lamp

إِن تَحوِ خَصلَ المَجدِ في أَنفِ الصِبا

إِن تَحوِ خَصلَ المَجدِ في أَنفِ الصِبا

يا اِبنَ الخَليفَةِ يا أَبا العَبّاسِ

يا اِبنَ الخَليفَةِ يا أَبا العَبّاسِ

If you gather glory's virtues at the dawn of youth,

If the traits of glory transform in the breath of youth

O son of the caliph, O Abu al-Abbas,

O son of the Caliph, O Abu al-‘Abbas

فَلَرُبَّ نارٍ مِنكُمُ قَد أُنتِجَت

فَلَرُبَّ نارٍ مِنكُمُ قَد أُنتِجَت

في اللَيلِ مِن قَبَسٍ مِنَ الأَقباسِ

في اللَيلِ مِن قَبَسٍ مِنَ الأَقباسِ

Then many a fire among you has been brought forth

For by you many fires have been kindled

At night from a firebrand among firebrands.

In the night from an ember of the embers

وَلَرُبَّ كِفلٍ في الخُطوبِ تَرَكتَهُ

وَلَرُبَّ كِفلٍ في الخُطوبِ تَرَكتَهُ

لِصِعابِها حِلساً مِنَ الأَحلاسِ

لِصِعابِها حِلساً مِنَ الأَحلاسِ

And many a weakling amid calamities you have left

And many shoulders in calamities you have left

A saddlecloth among saddlecloths for their unruly mounts.

To their difficulties, laughing from the laughters

أَمدَدتَهُ في العُدمِ وَالعُدمُ الجَوى

أَمدَدتَهُ في العُدمِ وَالعُدمُ الجَوى

بِالجودِ وَالجودُ الطَبيبُ الآسي

بِالجودِ وَالجودُ الطَبيبُ الآسي

You aided him in poverty—and poverty is heart-sickness—

You stretched him in non-existence - and non-existence is enlivened

With generosity, and generosity is the healing physician.

By generosity, and generosity is the healing physician

آنَستَهُ بِالدَهرِ حَتّى إِنَّهُ

آنَستَهُ بِالدَهرِ حَتّى إِنَّهُ

لَيَظُنُّهُ عُرساً مِنَ الأَعراسِ

لَيَظُنُّهُ عُرساً مِنَ الأَعراسِ

You made him feel at home with Time, until he

You consoled him with fate until he

Surely thinks it a wedding among weddings.

Thinks it a wedding from the weddings

غَلَبَ السُرورُ عَلى هُمومي بِالَّذي

غَلَبَ السُرورُ عَلى هُمومي بِالَّذي

أَظهَرتَ مِن بِرّي وَمِن إيناسي

أَظهَرتَ مِن بِرّي وَمِن إيناسي

Joy overcame my worries through the

Joy has overcome my worries with what

Kindness and reassurance you showed me.

You have shown of righteousness and intimacy

عَدَلَ المَشيبُ عَلى الشَبابِ وَلَم يَكُن

عَدَلَ المَشيبُ عَلى الشَبابِ وَلَم يَكُن

مِن كَبرَةٍ لَكِنَّهُ مِن ياسِ

مِن كَبرَةٍ لَكِنَّهُ مِن ياسِ

Gray hair encroached on youth, and it was not

Old age ruled over youth but it was not

From old age, but from despair.

From aging, though it was from despair

أَثَرُ المَطالِبِ في الفُؤادِ وَإِنَّما

أَثَرُ المَطالِبِ في الفُؤادِ وَإِنَّما

أَثَرُ السِنينَ وَوَسمُها في الراسِ

أَثَرُ السِنينَ وَوَسمُها في الراسِ

The mark of striving is in the heart; it is only

The effect of aspirations is in the heart; indeed

The mark of years, their brand, that lies upon the head.

Only the effect of years and their marking on the head

فَالآنَ حينَ غَرَستُ في كَرَمِ الثَرى

فَالآنَ حينَ غَرَستُ في كَرَمِ الثَرى

تِلكَ المُنى وَبَنَيتُ فَوقَ أَساسِ

تِلكَ المُنى وَبَنَيتُ فَوقَ أَساسِ

So now is the time when I have planted in generous soil

Now when I have planted in the soil’s vine

Those hopes, and built upon a foundation.

Those wishes and built over a foundation