ضَرَبوا بمُنْعرَجِ اللواءِ سرادِقا

ضَرَبوا بمُنْعرَجِ اللواءِ سرادِقا

فسقاهم جَفْني سحاباً وادِقا

فسقاهم جَفْني سحاباً وادِقا

They pitched a pavilion at the bend of al-Liwāʾ,

They pitched tents with spear standards,

so my eyelid watered them, a cloud pouring rain.

So I quenched them with pouring clouds.

لم أدعُ مُدْ نَزلوا العُذَيْبَ وبارِقا

لم أدعُ مُدْ نَزلوا العُذَيْبَ وبارِقا

إلاّ سَقَى اللهُ العُذَيبَ وبارِقا

إلاّ سَقَى اللهُ العُذَيبَ وبارِقا

Since they alighted at al-ʿUdhayb and Bāriq, I have never prayed

I did not let them settle in Al-Udhayb expecting rain,

except: “May God water al-ʿUdhayb and Bāriq!”

Except that Allah quenched Al-Udhayb with rain.

بَخلوا على عَيني بحُسنِ لقائهم

بَخلوا على عَيني بحُسنِ لقائهم

فظلتُ للنظرِ الخَفيِّ مُسارِقا

فظلتُ للنظرِ الخَفيِّ مُسارِقا

They begrudged my eye the beauty of meeting them,

They were stingy in letting me see their beauty,

so I kept stealing furtive glances.

So I remained sleepless, longing for a hidden glimpse.

إحدى النّوائبِ في الصّبابةِ أنّني

إحدى النّوائبِ في الصّبابةِ أنّني

كنتُ الأمينَ فصرتُ فيها سارِقا

كنتُ الأمينَ فصرتُ فيها سارِقا

One of the calamities of passion is that I

One of the calamities of youth is that

was the trusted one, then became a thief within it.

I was trusted but in it I became a thief.

ولكَمْ خدودٍ في الخدورِ نواضرٍ

ولكَمْ خدودٍ في الخدورِ نواضرٍ

لنواظرِ الحَدَقاتِ لُحْنَ حَدائقا

لنواظرِ الحَدَقاتِ لُحْنَ حَدائقا

And how many fresh cheeks in secluded chambers

And for how many cheeks in the abodes, radiant,

appeared as gardens to the gazing eyes!

The glances were delighted with the melody of gardens.

ما زالتِ العَبَراتُ يمطرُ نَوْؤُها

ما زالتِ العَبَراتُ يمطرُ نَوْؤُها

حتى زَرعنَ على الخُدودِ شَقائقا

حتى زَرعنَ على الخُدودِ شَقائقا

The tears' rain-star never ceased to rain,

The tears did not cease raining

until they planted anemones upon the cheeks.

Until they planted anemones on the cheeks.

أينَ الفُؤادُ وكانَ عبدَ وِدادِهم

أينَ الفُؤادُ وكانَ عبدَ وِدادِهم

هلْ نلتُمُ يا قومِ عَبداً آبقا

هلْ نلتُمُ يا قومِ عَبداً آبقا

Where is the heart, once a slave to their affection?

Where is the heart that was a slave of their love?

Have you found, O my people, a runaway slave?

Did you get, O people, a runaway slave?

كم قلتُ إذ طلعتْ شموسُ وجوههم

كم قلتُ إذ طلعتْ شموسُ وجوههم

سُبحانَ مَنْ جَعلَ الجيُوبَ مَشارِقا

سُبحانَ مَنْ جَعلَ الجيُوبَ مَشارِقا

How often I said, when the suns of their faces rose:

How often when their sun-like faces rose,

“Glory to Him who made collars into places of sunrise!”

I exclaimed, “Glory to Him who made breasts horizons!”

وأزجِّ قوسِ الحاجبينِ وجدْتُهُ

وأزجِّ قوسِ الحاجبينِ وجدْتُهُ

يَرمي بسهمِ الشفرِ نَحوي اشِقا

يَرمي بسهمِ الشفرِ نَحوي اشِقا

And one whose fine brows formed a bow I found

And the frowning of the eyebrows, I found it

shooting the arrow of his eyelid straight at me.

Shooting the arrows of eyelashes at me slantingly.

والحسنُ أخرسُ ناطقٌ بكمالِهِ

والحسنُ أخرسُ ناطقٌ بكمالِهِ

في وجههِ أَفديهِ أخرَس ناطِقا

في وجههِ أَفديهِ أخرَس ناطِقا

And beauty is mute, yet eloquent in its perfection

Beauty is a silent speaker in its perfection

in his face—I'd ransom him, mute yet eloquent!

On its beloved face, a mute speaker.

خصرٌ يقولُ العاشقونَ لحُبِّهِ

خصرٌ يقولُ العاشقونَ لحُبِّهِ

يا لَيتَنا كُنا عليهِ مَناطقا

يا لَيتَنا كُنا عليهِ مَناطقا

A waist of which the lovers, for love of it, say:

A waist that makes lovers say,

“Ah, if only we were belts around it!”

“Oh, if only we were belts upon it!”

سقياً لليلٍ ما تُذُوكرَ عَهْدُهُ

سقياً لليلٍ ما تُذُوكرَ عَهْدُهُ

إلا شققتُ من القَميصِ بنَائقا

إلا شققتُ من القَميصِ بنَائقا

May rain bless that night: it is never recalled

An entertainer on a night whose memory is not recalled

without my tearing the panels of my shirt.

Except I tore my shirt into strips.

لمّا بَدا الكفُّ الخَضيبُ رأيتَني

لمّا بَدا الكفُّ الخَضيبُ رأيتَني

جَذْلانَ للعَنمِ الخَصيبِ مُرافِقا

جَذْلانَ للعَنمِ الخَصيبِ مُرافِقا

When the henna-dyed hand appeared, you saw me

When the bloody palm appeared I saw myself

jubilant, keeping company with the lush ʿanam shrub.

Accompanying the bloody spear point submissively.

عانقتُ بدراً دونَهُ بدرُ الدُّجى

عانقتُ بدراً دونَهُ بدرُ الدُّجى

أَرأيتَ للدرِ المُنيرِ مُعانقا

أَرأيتَ للدرِ المُنيرِ مُعانقا

I embraced a full moon surpassing the full moon of night.

I embraced a full moon whose light the moon of night envied,

Have you seen anyone embracing a radiant pearl?

Did you see a bright full moon embracing?

ولثمتُ مَبسمَهُ اللذيذَ وراقَني

ولثمتُ مَبسمَهُ اللذيذَ وراقَني

رَشْفُ الرُّضابِ فذقتُ رِيقاً رائِقا

رَشْفُ الرُّضابِ فذقتُ رِيقاً رائِقا

I kissed his sweet smiling mouth, and delighted in

And I kissed his sweet smile that delighted me,

sipping his mouth's moisture; so I tasted saliva pure and clear.

Tasting clear sweet wine.

لم يلتمس ماءَ الحياةِ بجَهْدِهِ

لم يلتمس ماءَ الحياةِ بجَهْدِهِ

لو كانَ ذُو القَرنينِ منهُ ذائقا

لو كانَ ذُو القَرنينِ منهُ ذائقا

He would not have sought the water of life with such toil

He would not seek the water of life with effort

had Dhū al-Qarnayn tasted any of it.

Even if he were Dhul Qarnayn tasting it.

حتّى استْبَاحَ سَنا الصباحِ حمى الدجى

حتّى استْبَاحَ سَنا الصباحِ حمى الدجى

وابْتَزَّ منهُ الضّوءُ جُنْحاً غاسِقا

وابْتَزَّ منهُ الضّوءُ جُنْحاً غاسِقا

Until morning's radiance overran the sanctuary of darkness,

Until the beauty of dawn ravaged the sanctuary of night

and light snatched away its dark wing.

And the light wrested a wing from it forcefully.

ورأيتُ هاماتِ الظَّلامِ كأنّها

ورأيتُ هاماتِ الظَّلامِ كأنّها

قد شِبنَ من هَول الصَّباحِ مَفارِقا

قد شِبنَ من هَول الصَّباحِ مَفارِقا

And I saw the heads of darkness, as though

I saw the darkness' tresses as though

their partings had turned gray from terror of the morning.

Terrified by the horror of dawn, departing.

أيقنتُ أنَّ الدهرَ يسلبُ ما كسا

أيقنتُ أنَّ الدهرَ يسلبُ ما كسا

ظلماً ويظهرُ للسُّرورِ عَوائقا

ظلماً ويظهرُ للسُّرورِ عَوائقا

I knew that Time strips off what it has clothed us in,

I knew that fate robs unjustly what it clothed

unjustly, and raises obstacles to joy.

And shows happiness obstacles.

أَمِنَ الفَساد أذى الكسادِ فلن ترى

أَمِنَ الفَساد أذى الكسادِ فلن ترى

إلا نفاقاً في البريّةِ نافِقا

إلا نفاقاً في البريّةِ نافِقا

Corruption is safe from a slack market's harm; you will see

Safe from the harm of loss, you will not see

nothing but hypocrisy selling briskly among mankind.

Except hypocrisy flourishing in the wilderness.

يا نفسُ جُوبي القَفرَ واجْتابي الدُّجى

يا نفسُ جُوبي القَفرَ واجْتابي الدُّجى

وَهَبي أحاديثَ النُّفوسِ مَخارِقا

وَهَبي أحاديثَ النُّفوسِ مَخارِقا

O soul, traverse the wilderness and cross the darkness,

O self, traverse the desert and cross the gloom

and deem the whisperings of souls mere fabrications.

And inspire the whispers of souls to leave.

فلسوفَ تُسفِرُ سفرةٌ عن طائلٍ

فلسوفَ تُسفِرُ سفرةٌ عن طائلٍ

ويُوافقُ الأملُ القَضاءَ السابِقا

ويُوافقُ الأملُ القَضاءَ السابِقا

For a journey shall surely yield something worthwhile,

For soon a journey will reveal its rewards

and hope will accord with the decree ordained before.

And hopes will meet what was foreordained.

ما لينُ مالينٍ إذا أنا لم أجدْ

ما لينُ مالينٍ إذا أنا لم أجدْ

عيشاً غضيضاً في ذَرَاهُ مُوافقا

عيشاً غضيضاً في ذَرَاهُ مُوافقا

What good is Mālīn's ease if I cannot find

What are millions to me if I do not find

a pleasant, congenial life within its shelter?

A frugal living matching it?

لولا التمسُّكُ بالإمامِ وحبلِهِ

لولا التمسُّكُ بالإمامِ وحبلِهِ

لغَدَوتُ في حَلْقِ المنيّةِ زالِقا

لغَدَوتُ في حَلْقِ المنيّةِ زالِقا

Were it not for clinging to the Imam and his rope,

Were it not for clinging to the Imam and his rope

I would have slipped into Death's throat.

I would slide into the throat of death.

فارقتُ حضرتَهُ وعدتُ مُراجعاً

فارقتُ حضرتَهُ وعدتُ مُراجعاً

لمّا بلوتُ من اللثامِ خَلائقا

لمّا بلوتُ من اللثامِ خَلائقا

I left his presence, then turned back to him,

I left his presence and returned frequently

when I had tested the dispositions of the ignoble.

When I tested the morals of the veil.

كيفَ التخلُّفُ عن جوادٍ أَجتلى

كيفَ التخلُّفُ عن جوادٍ أَجتلى

في كلِّ عضوٍ من نَداهُ شائقا

في كلِّ عضوٍ من نَداهُ شائقا

How could I stay away from a generous man, when I behold

How to lag behind a steed who fully displayed

in every limb something alluring from his bounty?

In every limb, to his companion, yearning?

خفتُ الفَناءَ عليَّ يومَ هجرتُهُ

خفتُ الفَناءَ عليَّ يومَ هجرتُهُ

ونزلتُ صحنَ فِنائيَ المُتَضائقا

ونزلتُ صحنَ فِنائيَ المُتَضائقا

I feared destruction for myself the day I deserted him,

I feared annihilation the day I deserted him

and settled in the middle of my cramped courtyard.

And descended the narrow space of my demise.

فتركتُ أوطاني إليهِ خارجاً

فتركتُ أوطاني إليهِ خارجاً

عَنْها كما قمّصْتَ سَهماً مارقا

عَنْها كما قمّصْتَ سَهماً مارقا

So I left my homelands, setting out toward him,

So I left my homelands going out to him

away from them, like a piercing arrow you have launched.

Fleeing them as you pluck out a shot arrow.

هبةُ الإلهِ أبو محمدٍ الذي

هبةُ الإلهِ أبو محمدٍ الذي

راعى منَ الخُلُقِ الحَميدِ حَقائقا

راعى منَ الخُلُقِ الحَميدِ حَقائقا

Hibat al-Ilāh—God's gift—Abū Muḥammad, who

A gift from God, Abu Muhammad who

upheld the true qualities of praiseworthy character,

Observed the realities of noble character.

أَسدى إلي منَ العَطاءِ جلائلاً

أَسدى إلي منَ العَطاءِ جلائلاً

تذرُ المَعاني في الثّناءِ دَقائقا

تذرُ المَعاني في الثّناءِ دَقائقا

bestowed upon me mighty gifts

He bestowed on me from his gifts abundantly

that leave the meanings of praise mere trifles.

That meanings strew minute details in praise.

تستل همته العلية دائباً

تستل همته العلية دائباً

سيفاً لهامهات الأعادي فالقا

سيفاً لهامهات الأعادي فالقا

His lofty resolve continually draws

His lofty resolve constantly unsheathes

a sword that cleaves the heads of his foes.

A sword for the foreheads of enemies, splitting them.

نعم تشد على العفاة عقودها

نعم تشد على العفاة عقودها

وتُعِدُّ أطواقاً لهم ومَخانِقا

وتُعِدُّ أطواقاً لهم ومَخانِقا

Bounties fasten their necklaces about petitioners,

Yes, it ties contracts on Bedouins’ necks

and prepare collars and chokers for them.

And prepares nooses and stranglers for them.

ما قَولُهُ في خادمٍ كًهلٍ الحجى

ما قَولُهُ في خادمٍ كًهلٍ الحجى

يلفيهِ في عددِ السِّنينَ مُراهقا

يلفيهِ في عددِ السِّنينَ مُراهقا

What does he say of a servant mature in understanding,

What can an old servant say

whom he finds, in the count of years, still an adolescent?

Whom the passing years surround in adolescence?

خلّى أباهُ وقومَه مُتَرحِّلاً

خلّى أباهُ وقومَه مُتَرحِّلاً

عنهم وخلّفَ في الخدورِ عَواتِقا

عنهم وخلّفَ في الخدورِ عَواتِقا

He left his father and his people, journeying

He left his father and people traveling

away from them, and left maidens in secluded chambers,

From them, and left in the abodes, mature women.

وغّدا بخدمتِهِ الشّريفةِ لاحِقاً

وغّدا بخدمتِهِ الشّريفةِ لاحِقاً

لا كانَ قطُّ بمَنْ سِواهُ لاحِقا

لا كانَ قطُّ بمَنْ سِواهُ لاحِقا

and went to join his noble service—

And in the morning, he clung to his noble service

may he never attach himself to anyone but him!

Not having clung to any other before.

هَل يستحقُّ لدى الإمامِ المُرْتَجى

هَل يستحقُّ لدى الإمامِ المُرْتَجى

عزاً يسكنُ منهُ قلباً خافِقا

عزاً يسكنُ منهُ قلباً خافِقا

Does he deserve, from the Imam in whom hope is placed,

Does he deserve, in the view of the hoped-for Imam,

an honor that will still his fluttering heart?

Honor that soothes a pounding heart?