عذَرَ العذولُ فراحَ فيكَ مُساعدا

عذَرَ العذولُ فراحَ فيكَ مُساعدا

وغَدا الهَوى لهَوى المَشوقِ مُعاهِدا

وغَدا الهَوى لهَوى المَشوقِ مُعاهِدا

The reproacher excused me and became my ally in loving you;

Excuses have departed, so passion came to help you,

and passion became pledged to the yearning lover's passion,

And love became pledged to the longing of the lover,

لَمَّا رأي للبَينِ وَجْداً طارفاً

لَمَّا رأي للبَينِ وَجْداً طارفاً

منه وللهِجرانِ وَجْداً تالِدا

منه وللهِجرانِ وَجْداً تالِدا

when he saw a newfound anguish at parting

When he saw the separation had cheerful delight,

in him, and a longstanding anguish at estrangement;

And the estrangement had lasting agony,

وهوىً يُرَدِّدُ في مَحاجرِ مُغرَمٍ

وهوىً يُرَدِّدُ في مَحاجرِ مُغرَمٍ

دمعاً يكونُ على التَّلدُّدِ شاهِدا

دمعاً يكونُ على التَّلدُّدِ شاهِدا

and a passion that keeps bringing to a lover's eye sockets

And passion that echoes in the cheeks of the enamored,

tears that bear witness to his restless looking about.

A tear that remains witness to misery,

ما ضَرَّ وَسْنَى المُقلَتَينِ لو أنَّها

ما ضَرَّ وَسْنَى المُقلَتَينِ لو أنَّها

رَدَّتْ على الصَّبِّ الرُّقادَ الشَّارِدا

رَدَّتْ على الصَّبِّ الرُّقادَ الشَّارِدا

What harm would it do the drowsy-eyed woman if she

What harm if the two lovely ones, had they

restored to the lovelorn man his fugitive sleep?

Repelled from the sleeper the scattered slumber,

سفَرَتْ له فأَرتْهُ بَدراً طالعاً

سفَرَتْ له فأَرتْهُ بَدراً طالعاً

وتَمايَلَتْ فأَرتْهُ غُصناً مائدا

وتَمايَلَتْ فأَرتْهُ غُصناً مائدا

She unveiled for him, showing him a rising full moon;

They journeyed to him so they showed him a rising moon,

and she swayed, showing him a swaying branch.

And swayed so they showed him a bending branch,

وتبسَّمتْ فجلَتْ له عن واضحٍ

وتبسَّمتْ فجلَتْ له عن واضحٍ

متألِّقٍ يَجلو الظَّلامَ الرَّاكِدا

متألِّقٍ يَجلو الظَّلامَ الرَّاكِدا

And she smiled, baring for him bright teeth,

And smiled so they unveiled to him a clear bright one,

gleaming, dispelling the stagnant darkness.

Luminous dispelling the stagnant darkness,

حتى إذا وَقَفَتْ لتَوديعِ النَّوى

حتى إذا وَقَفَتْ لتَوديعِ النَّوى

في مَوقِفٍ يُدني الجَوى المُتباعِدا

في مَوقِفٍ يُدني الجَوى المُتباعِدا

Until, when she stood to bid farewell at parting,

Until when they stopped for the farewell of the beloved,

in a place where heartache brings the distant near,

In a stand that brings the distant loved one closer,

نثرَتْ رياحَ الشَّوق في وَجَناتِها

نثرَتْ رياحَ الشَّوق في وَجَناتِها

من نَرْجِس فوقَ الخُدودِ فَرائِدا

من نَرْجِس فوقَ الخُدودِ فَرائِدا

the winds of longing scattered upon her cheeks

The winds of longing scattered in their gardens,

precious pearls from the narcissi above those cheeks.

Narcissus atop the cheeks overflowing,

لحظَتْ ربيعَ ربيعِنا آمالُنا

لحظَتْ ربيعَ ربيعِنا آمالُنا

فغدَتْ ركائبُنا إليه قَواصِدا

فغدَتْ ركائبُنا إليه قَواصِدا

Our hopes glimpsed the spring of our spring,

They looked at the spring of our spring, our hopes,

so our riding camels set out, bound for him,

So our purposes toward it became intent,

يَحمِلْنَ للحَسَنِ بنِ عبد اللهِ في

يَحمِلْنَ للحَسَنِ بنِ عبد اللهِ في

حُرِّ الحديثِ مآثراً ومحامِدا

حُرِّ الحديثِ مآثراً ومحامِدا

bearing for al-Hasan ibn Abd Allah, in

Bearing for Al-Hasan ibn Abdullah, in

the choicest speech, glorious deeds and praises.

The heat of talk, achievements and praises,

بِدَعٌ إذا نظمَ الثَّناءُ عقودَها

بِدَعٌ إذا نظمَ الثَّناءُ عقودَها

كانت لأعناقِ الملوكِ قَلائِدا

كانت لأعناقِ الملوكِ قَلائِدا

Marvels whose strands, when praise strings them,

Superfluous, when the necklace of praise is threaded,

become necklaces for the necks of kings.

It becomes necklaces for the necks of kings,

قُلْ للأميرِ أبي محمدٍ الذي

قُلْ للأميرِ أبي محمدٍ الذي

أضحَى له المجدُ المؤثَّلُ حامِدا

أضحَى له المجدُ المؤثَّلُ حامِدا

Say to the emir, Abu Muhammad, whom

Tell the prince Abu Muhammad, who

long-established glory itself has come to praise:

Glory emblazoned became praising him,

أمَّا الوفودُ فإنَّهم قد عايَنوا

أمَّا الوفودُ فإنَّهم قد عايَنوا

قَبْلَ الربيعِ بكَ الربيعَ الوافِدا

قَبْلَ الربيعِ بكَ الربيعَ الوافِدا

As for the delegations, they have already beheld

As for the delegations, they had seen before spring,

before springtime, in you, the arriving spring.

The arriving spring coming to you,

يَغشَون من شرقِ البلادِ وغَربِها

يَغشَون من شرقِ البلادِ وغَربِها

بالموصِلِ الزَّهراء أروعَ ماجِدا

بالموصِلِ الزَّهراء أروعَ ماجِدا

They visit, from the land's east and west,

From east and west of the countries they come,

an imposing, noble man in radiant Mosul.

To the shining Mosul, the most glorious conquest,

خشَعَتْ له إنْ بانَ عنها صادراً

خشَعَتْ له إنْ بانَ عنها صادراً

وتبسَّمَتْ لما أتاها وَارِدا

وتبسَّمَتْ لما أتاها وَارِدا

She grows subdued before him if he departs from her,

It was humbled before him if he decided to depart,

and smiles when he comes to her as a visitor.

And it smiled when he came visiting,

فكأنما حَلَّ الرَّبيعُ ربوعَها

فكأنما حَلَّ الرَّبيعُ ربوعَها

فكسا السُّهولةَ والحُزونَ مَجاسِدا

فكسا السُّهولةَ والحُزونَ مَجاسِدا

As though spring had settled in her quarters,

So it is as if spring spread its meadows,

and clothed her plains and rugged ground in saffron-dyed robes.

Covering the plateaus and the saddened ruins,

أجرَتْ يداه بها النَّدى فكأنما

أجرَتْ يداه بها النَّدى فكأنما

أجرى بساحتِها الفُراتَ البَارِدا

أجرى بساحتِها الفُراتَ البَارِدا

His hands made bounty flow within her, as though

His hands guided by its dew, as though

he had made the cool Euphrates flow through her grounds.

The cool Euphrates streamed in its plain,

مَلِكٌ إذا ما كانَ بادئَ نِعْمةٍ

مَلِكٌ إذا ما كانَ بادئَ نِعْمةٍ

ألفيْتَه عَجِلاً إليها عائِدا

ألفيْتَه عَجِلاً إليها عائِدا

A king who, whenever he begins a favor,

A king, when he initiates a blessing,

you find swiftly returning to it.

You find him quick to return to it,

مُتفرِّدٌ من رأيِه بعزَائمٍ

مُتفرِّدٌ من رأيِه بعزَائمٍ

لو أنهنَّ طَلَعْنَ كنَّ فَراقِدا

لو أنهنَّ طَلَعْنَ كنَّ فَراقِدا

Peerless in the firm resolves born of his judgment,

Singular in his opinion with resolves,

which, were they to rise, would be Farqad stars;

That if they appeared, were dormant,

وخَلائقٍ كالرَّوضِ في رأدِ الضُّحى

وخَلائقٍ كالرَّوضِ في رأدِ الضُّحى

تُدني إليه أقاصياً وأباعِدا

تُدني إليه أقاصياً وأباعِدا

and in qualities like a garden in the early forenoon,

And manners that please the beholders, and speech

bringing the far-off and distant close to him.

Always benefitting the listeners with insights,

يستنصرون على الزمانِ إذا اعتدى

يستنصرون على الزمانِ إذا اعتدى

من لا يزالُ على الزَّمانِ مُساعِدا

من لا يزالُ على الزَّمانِ مُساعِدا

They seek help against Time when it assails them,

And if events became turbulent, his right hand alerted

from one who is forever their ally against Time.

A dormant sword for them,

جَذلانُ ليسَ على المكارمِ صابِراً

جَذلانُ ليسَ على المكارمِ صابِراً

يَقظانُ ليسَ عن الكريهةِ حَائِدا

يَقظانُ ليسَ عن الكريهةِ حَائِدا

Joyful, unable to wait to perform noble deeds,

It runs and is steadfast during tribulations, so you do not see

vigilant, never turning aside from battle.

In fate except bowing or prostrating,

خُلُقٌ يَسُرُّ النَّاظرينَ ومَنطِقٌ

خُلُقٌ يَسُرُّ النَّاظرينَ ومَنطِقٌ

أبداً يُفيدُ السَّامعين فَوائِدا

أبداً يُفيدُ السَّامعين فَوائِدا

A character that delights onlookers, and speech

And a hand that returns water in its inkwells generously,

that always imparts benefits to those who listen.

And clothes fate in shining light,

وإذا تنبهت الحوادث نبهت

وإذا تنبهت الحوادث نبهت

يمنى يديه لها حساما راقدا

يمنى يديه لها حساما راقدا

And when calamities awaken, there is roused

If he is clothed, you adorn the world with him, for you have

by his right hand, against them, a sleeping sword.

Become for the world a blazing flame,

يجري ويثبت في الفصول فما ترى

يجري ويثبت في الفصول فما ترى

في الطرس إلا راكعا أو ساجدا

في الطرس إلا راكعا أو ساجدا

It runs and holds steady through the sections; you see it

And you spread the hopes of the destitute with it, so they

on the parchment only bowing or prostrating.

Thanked your generosity, sources and streams,

ويَدٌ تُعيدُ الماء في أقلامِها

ويَدٌ تُعيدُ الماء في أقلامِها

جُوداً وتكسو الطِّرْسَ نُوراً حَاشِدا

جُوداً وتكسو الطِّرْسَ نُوراً حَاشِدا

And a hand that restores water to its pens

And you wore your glory with the swords and spears,

out of generosity, and clothes the parchment in abundant light.

And the star is not seen but rising,

إن أُلبِسَتْ تُزْهى بك الدُّنيا فقد

إن أُلبِسَتْ تُزْهى بك الدُّنيا فقد

أصبحْتَ للدُّنيا شِهاباً واقِدا

أصبحْتَ للدُّنيا شِهاباً واقِدا

If robed, the world glories in you, for

You attained what you sought tranquilly,

you have become a blazing meteor for the world.

So you surpassed those who strive to reach your glory,

وبسطْتَ آمالَ العُفاةِ بها فقد

وبسطْتَ آمالَ العُفاةِ بها فقد

حَمدُوا نَداكَ مَصادِراً ومَوارِدا

حَمدُوا نَداكَ مَصادِراً ومَوارِدا

And you have broadened the petitioners' hopes within it, for

And you became a pillar in tribulations so as to overcome,

they have praised your bounty at departure and arrival.

And a hand for them in generosity and aid,

ولَبِسْتَ مجدَكَ بالصَّوارمِ والقَنا

ولَبِسْتَ مجدَكَ بالصَّوارمِ والقَنا

والنَّجمُ ليسَ يراهُ إلا صاعِدا

والنَّجمُ ليسَ يراهُ إلا صاعِدا

And you have donned your glory with swords and spears,

and the star sees it only while ascending.

أدركْتَ ما حاولتَ منه وادِعاً

أدركْتَ ما حاولتَ منه وادِعاً

فَعَلَوْتَ مَنْ يَرجُو لَحاقَكَ جَاهِدا

فَعَلَوْتَ مَنْ يَرجُو لَحاقَكَ جَاهِدا

You attained what you sought of it at ease,

so you rose above whoever strives in hopes of catching you.

وغدوْتَ رُكناً في الخطوبِ لتَغلبٍ

وغدوْتَ رُكناً في الخطوبِ لتَغلبٍ

ويَداً لها في المكرُماتِ وساعدا

ويَداً لها في المكرُماتِ وساعدا

And you became a pillar for Taghlib in calamities,

and her hand and forearm in noble deeds.