يُريكَ قوامَها الغصنُ الرطيبُ

يُريكَ قوامَها الغصنُ الرطيبُ

ولحظَ جفونِها الرشأُ الربيبُ

ولحظَ جفونِها الرشأُ الربيبُ

The supple bough shows you her figure,

The supple branch shows you her slender shape,

And the hand-reared fawn the glance of her eyelids.

And the gentle morning breeze reveals her eyelids.

غَداةَ بَدا لها خدٌّ أسيلٌ

غَداةَ بَدا لها خدٌّ أسيلٌ

يُنَمنِمُ وشيَه كفٌّ خَضيبُ

يُنَمنِمُ وشيَه كفٌّ خَضيبُ

One morning, a smooth cheek of hers appeared,

One morning appeared a moist cheek for her,

A henna-dyed hand embellishing its brocade.

Caressed by a ruddy palm, gently stroking.

وأدناها من الصبِّ التنائي

وأدناها من الصبِّ التنائي

كذاكَ الشمسُ يُدنيها الغروبُ

كذاكَ الشمسُ يُدنيها الغروبُ

And separation brought her nearer to the lovesick lover;

And the twilight brought her closer to passion’s heat—

So sunset brings the sun nearer.

Thus does sunset draw the sun nearer.

فمن خدٍّ تخدِّدُه دموعٌ

فمن خدٍّ تخدِّدُه دموعٌ

ومن قلبٍ يُقلِّبُهُ حبيبُ

ومن قلبٍ يُقلِّبُهُ حبيبُ

Ah, a cheek that tears furrow,

So one whose cheeks are reddened by tears,

And a heart a beloved turns about,

And whose heart is stirred by a lover,

بظبيٍ في الخيامِ له مُرادٌ

بظبيٍ في الخيامِ له مُرادٌ

وبدرٍ في الخدورِ له مَغيبُ

وبدرٍ في الخدورِ له مَغيبُ

For a gazelle with a roaming-place among the tents,

Seeks a gazelle in tents, fulfilling desire,

And a full moon with a setting-place in secluded chambers!

And a full moon in chambers, setting.

فكم بَعُدَ الرقيبُ فأسعفَتْني

فكم بَعُدَ الرقيبُ فأسعفَتْني

صروفُ الدهرِ إذ بَعُدَ الرقيبُ

صروفُ الدهرِ إذ بَعُدَ الرقيبُ

How often the watcher was far away, and I was aided

How remote was the spy! Fortune granted me success

By the turns of time, when the watcher was far away,

When the guardian was far away.

بصبحٍ من محاسِنِه تجلَّى

بصبحٍ من محاسِنِه تجلَّى

وليلٍ من ذوائِبه يذوبُ

وليلٍ من ذوائِبه يذوبُ

With a dawn shining forth from his beauty,

Dawn appeared in its beauty,

And a night melting from his tresses.

And night melted in its passions.

رويدَك أيُّها القلبُ المُعَّنى

رويدَك أيُّها القلبُ المُعَّنى

وقَصركَ أيُّها الدمعُ السّكوبُ

وقَصركَ أيُّها الدمعُ السّكوبُ

Take your time, O tormented heart,

Restrain yourself, O troubled heart,

And restrain yourself, O freely flowing tears.

And limit yourself, O overflowing tears.

تناءى الجودُ حتى ليس يدنو

تناءى الجودُ حتى ليس يدنو

وغابَ البِشرُ حتى ما يَؤوبُ

وغابَ البِشرُ حتى ما يَؤوبُ

Generosity has withdrawn so far it no longer draws near,

Generosity has withdrawn such that none come near,

And good cheer has vanished and does not return.

And mortals have departed such that none return.

وأُخِّرَ حاذقٌ في الشِّعرِ طِبٌّ

وأُخِّرَ حاذقٌ في الشِّعرِ طِبٌّ

وقُدِّمَ سارقٌ فيه مُرِيبُ

وقُدِّمَ سارقٌ فيه مُرِيبُ

A skilled master of poetry has been held back,

An eloquent poet was held back though worthy,

And a suspect plagiarist has been put ahead.

And an unscrupulous thief put forward, corrupting.

كبعضِ الصيَّدِ يُرزَقُ منه مُخطٍ

كبعضِ الصيَّدِ يُرزَقُ منه مُخطٍ

ويُحرَمُ خيرَه الرامي المصيبُ

ويُحرَمُ خيرَه الرامي المصيبُ

As with some game, a poor shot gets a share,

Some game is apportioned to the errant hunter

While the marksman who hits is denied its bounty.

While the true marksman is deprived of the best.

سأُغرِبُ في الثناءِ على ابنِ فهدٍ

سأُغرِبُ في الثناءِ على ابنِ فهدٍ

فما هو في الورى إلا غريبُ

فما هو في الورى إلا غريبُ

I shall offer extraordinary praise of Ibn Fahd,

I will be unique in praising Ibn Fahd—

For he is extraordinary among humankind.

For in the world he is truly unique.

تألَّقَ والخطوبُ لها ظَلامٌ

تألَّقَ والخطوبُ لها ظَلامٌ

فأسفرَ والظَّلامُ له قُطوبُ

فأسفرَ والظَّلامُ له قُطوبُ

He shone while calamities had their darkness,

He shone though gloom surrounded him,

Then beamed while darkness wore a frown.

He brightened and darkness was his blanket.

وقد قَرِحَتْ على الجُودِ المآقي

وقد قَرِحَتْ على الجُودِ المآقي

وقد شُقَّتْ على الشِّعْرِ الجُيوبُ

وقد شُقَّتْ على الشِّعْرِ الجُيوبُ

While the eyes' corners had grown sore mourning generosity,

Burdens have wounded generosity,

And collars had been torn in mourning for poetry.

And straits have torn poetry.

حُلِيٌّ من حِلَى الآدابِ يُغْني

حُلِيٌّ من حِلَى الآدابِ يُغْني

بحِليَتهِ وشيمَتهِ الأديبُ

بحِليَتهِ وشيمَتهِ الأديبُ

An ornament among the ornaments of letters, enriching

He of Mecca’s virtues enriches us

The man of letters with his adornment and character.

With his fairness and the scholar’s ways.

إذا شيمَتْ بوارقُه استهلَّت

إذا شيمَتْ بوارقُه استهلَّت

سماءٌ من مواهبِه تصوَّبُ

سماءٌ من مواهبِه تصوَّبُ

When his lightning flashes are sighted, rain begins

When his lightning flashed, a heaven

To pour from a sky of his gifts.

Of his gifts opened and took aim.

سَمَتْ بأبي الفوارس في المعالي

سَمَتْ بأبي الفوارس في المعالي

ضرائبُ ما له فيها ضريبُ

ضرائبُ ما له فيها ضريبُ

Abu al-Fawaris was raised to lofty honors

He rivals Abu al-Fawaris in grandeur;

By qualities in which he has no peer.

None can rival what he has achieved.

فَمِنْ حَزمٍ تَدينُ له الليالي

فَمِنْ حَزمٍ تَدينُ له الليالي

وَمِنْ رأيٍ تَدِينُ به الغُيوبُ

وَمِنْ رأيٍ تَدِينُ به الغُيوبُ

A resolve to which the nights submit,

Through his wisdom nights submit to him,

And judgment to which the unseen yields.

And through his reason grim fates bow down.

وزادَ الأَزْدَ مأثَرةً فأمسَى

وزادَ الأَزْدَ مأثَرةً فأمسَى

لها من كلِّ مكرُمَةٍ نَصيبُ

لها من كلِّ مكرُمَةٍ نَصيبُ

He added distinction to al-Azd, so now

He brought more glory to the Azd

They have a share in every noble honor.

And from each honor gained a share.

مَنحْتَ وليَّكَ النِّعَمَ اللواتي

مَنحْتَ وليَّكَ النِّعَمَ اللواتي

كفَتْه كلَّ نائبةٍ تنوبُ

كفَتْه كلَّ نائبةٍ تنوبُ

You bestowed on your loyal friend the favors that

You granted your loyal one blessings—

Shielded him from every calamity that befalls.

Each hardship they relieved and drove away.

وبُيِّنَ رَحْبُ صدرِكَ من خلالٍ

وبُيِّنَ رَحْبُ صدرِكَ من خلالٍ

يَضيقُ بوسْعِها الصَّدرُ الرَّحيبُ

يَضيقُ بوسْعِها الصَّدرُ الرَّحيبُ

And your breast's breadth was revealed by qualities

The breadth of your chest showed clear

Whose vastness even a spacious breast cannot contain.

When troubles narrowed the ample bosom.

فلما راقَ ناظِرَةَ الليالي

فلما راقَ ناظِرَةَ الليالي

شبابُ الأُنسِ عاجلَه المَشيبُ

شبابُ الأُنسِ عاجلَه المَشيبُ

But when the nights' watching eye was charmed

When the watcher of nights was pleased

By the youth of companionship, gray hair swiftly overtook it.

The frolics of youth were hastened by old age.

متى يَثني إليه عِنانَ بِشْرٍ

متى يَثني إليه عِنانَ بِشْرٍ

فتَثْني عنه أوجُهَها الخطوبُ

فتَثْني عنه أوجُهَها الخطوبُ

When will he turn the reins of cheer toward him,

When will the reins of mortal man

So that calamities turn their faces away from him?

Turn from him, and troubles cease?

فقد نشرَ الثَّناءَ عليك منه

فقد نشرَ الثَّناءَ عليك منه

خطيبٌ ليس يُشْبِهُه خَطيبُ

خطيبٌ ليس يُشْبِهُه خَطيبُ

For from him your praises have been spread

For you an incomparable orator spread praise,

By an orator whom no other orator can match.

One no other speaker resembles.

فسيَّرَ منه وَشْياً ليسَ يَبْلى

فسيَّرَ منه وَشْياً ليسَ يَبْلى

وأطلعَ منه شَمْساً لا تَغيبُ

وأطلعَ منه شَمْساً لا تَغيبُ

Thus he sent forth from it a brocade that never wears out,

He launched from you an undying fame,

And from it raised a sun that never sets.

And made rise from you a sun that never sets.

وقد غرسَتْ يمينُك منه غَرْساً

وقد غرسَتْ يمينُك منه غَرْساً

فصُنْهُ أن يُلِمَّ به شُحوبُ

فصُنْهُ أن يُلِمَّ به شُحوبُ

And your right hand has already planted him as a sapling;

Your right hand planted in him a shoot—

So protect it lest withering touch it.

Protect it from the blight of meanness!

أَيقرُبُ منك ذو نَسَبٍ بعيدٍ

أَيقرُبُ منك ذو نَسَبٍ بعيدٍ

ويبعُدُ مَنْ له نَسَبٌ قريبُ

ويبعُدُ مَنْ له نَسَبٌ قريبُ

Does one of distant kinship draw close to you,

Is one of distant lineage brought near to you

While one of close kinship stays far away?

While one whose lineage is near is kept far?

ومَدْحٍ فوَّقَتْه لك المعالي

ومَدْحٍ فوَّقَتْه لك المعالي

فجاء كأنه بُردٌ قَشيبُ

فجاء كأنه بُردٌ قَشيبُ

And praise that lofty virtues nocked for you

You have been praised with eulogies

Came like a new, fine cloak.

That exceed you, like excessive chill.

إذا ما صافحَ الأسماعَ يوماً

إذا ما صافحَ الأسماعَ يوماً

تبسَّمَتِ الضَّمائرُ والقلوبُ

تبسَّمَتِ الضَّمائرُ والقلوبُ

When one day it shakes hands with the ears,

When they reach listeners’ ears one day,

Inner selves and hearts smile.

Hearts and souls will smile.

فمن حُسْنِ الصنائعِ فيه حُسْنٌ

فمن حُسْنِ الصنائعِ فيه حُسْنٌ

ومن طيبِ المحامدِ فيه طيبُ

ومن طيبِ المحامدِ فيه طيبُ

So its beauty comes from the beauty of benefactions,

For the odes contain a remarkable beauty,

And its fragrance from the fragrance of praiseworthy deeds.

And the praises, a pleasing fragrance.

وليسَ يَفوحُ زَهرُ الرَّوضٍ حتى

وليسَ يَفوحُ زَهرُ الرَّوضٍ حتى

تفتِّحَهُ شَمالٌ أو حَنوبُ

تفتِّحَهُ شَمالٌ أو حَنوبُ

And the garden's blossoms shed no fragrance until

The meadow’s flowers smell not their scent

A north wind or a south wind opens them.

Until stirred by a south or north wind.