عَبيتُ بظبي الخِدرِ كيف أُصيدُهُ

عَبيتُ بظبي الخِدرِ كيف أُصيدُهُ

إذا لم يكنْ لي مُقلتاهُ وجيدُهُ

إذا لم يكنْ لي مُقلتاهُ وجيدُهُ

I dallied with a gazelle of the curtained chamber—how could I ensnare her,

I am preoccupied with the gazelle of the secluded chamber—how can I capture him,

when neither her two eyes nor her graceful neck were mine?

when his eyes and neck are not mine?

وأينَ لمثْلي فرْعُهُ وقَوامُهُ

وأينَ لمثْلي فرْعُهُ وقَوامُهُ

ومن أَين لي أَعطافهُ ونُهُودهُ

ومن أَين لي أَعطافهُ ونُهُودهُ

And how could one like me possess her tresses and stature,

Where could one like me find his tresses and his stature,

and whence could I possess her curves and breasts?

and whence could I have his curves and his breasts?

أَلا إنّما صَيدُ القلوبِ لَمن له

أَلا إنّما صَيدُ القلوبِ لَمن له

تُراقُ صقيلاتٍ عليَهْا عُقودُهُ

تُراقُ صقيلاتٍ عليَهْا عُقودُهُ

Indeed, the capture of hearts belongs only to one

Surely the hunting of hearts belongs to one with

whose smooth, gleaming collarbones bear necklaces—

gleaming collarbones over which his necklaces lie,

وأَحورُ مكحُولُ الجُفون غَضيضُها

وأَحورُ مكحُولُ الجُفون غَضيضُها

وأَشَنبُ مَعسُول الرُّضاب برَودُهُ

وأَشَنبُ مَعسُول الرُّضاب برَودُهُ

a dark-eyed beauty, her kohl-lined eyelids demurely lowered,

and dark eyes with kohl-lined, lowered lids,

bright-toothed, with honey-sweet saliva, cool upon the lips.

and white teeth, his cool saliva honey-sweet.

أَيا معشَرَ العُشَّاقِ قد حكم الهوى

أَيا معشَرَ العُشَّاقِ قد حكم الهوى

بأن يملُكَ الأَحرارَ بالحبّ غيدُهُ

بأن يملُكَ الأَحرارَ بالحبّ غيدُهُ

O company of lovers, passion has indeed decreed

O company of lovers, passion has decreed

that graceful maidens rule free men through love.

that its supple beauties shall possess free men through love.

ولي شجَن سَمعي وقَلْبي وناظري

ولي شجَن سَمعي وقَلْبي وناظري

على فتنتَي أنصارُهُ وجنودُهُ

على فتنتَي أنصارُهُ وجنودُهُ

A sorrow besets me: my hearing, heart, and sight

I bear a sorrow; my hearing, my heart, and my gaze

are its allies and soldiers against my infatuation.

are its allies and troops in bewitching me.

تعَّلم منه الهجرَ طيْف خيالهِ

تعَّلم منه الهجرَ طيْف خيالهِ

وطالت مِطالاً بالوُعود وعودُهُ

وطالت مِطالاً بالوُعود وعودُهُ

Even the phantom of his image learned desertion from him,

The phantom of his image learned abandonment from him,

and the evasions of the promised meeting have dragged beyond their appointed times.

and his promises dragged on, putting me off with promises.

إذا جئتُ لاستعطافِهِ متعَرضاً

إذا جئتُ لاستعطافِهِ متعَرضاً

كأَنّي من إعْراضهِ اْستَزيدُهُ

كأَنّي من إعْراضهِ اْستَزيدُهُ

Whenever I come before him, seeking to soften his heart,

When I come seeking his tenderness, putting myself before him,

it is as though I were asking him to increase his aversion.

it is as though I ask him for more of his turning away.

حبيبٌ على هجرانهِ ونفورِهِ

حبيبٌ على هجرانهِ ونفورِهِ

اريد الرّضى منه بأني أُريدُهُ

اريد الرّضى منه بأني أُريدُهُ

He is my beloved despite his desertion and recoil;

He is beloved despite his abandonment and aversion;

I seek his favor simply by desiring him.

I seek his favor because I desire him.

ويمنعُني من وصَلَهُ مَطْلُ وَعْدهِ

ويمنعُني من وصَلَهُ مَطْلُ وَعْدهِ

ويَسهُل مع ذكر الفراقِ صُدودُهُ

ويَسهُل مع ذكر الفراقِ صُدودُهُ

A demand bars me from union with him and excuses him,

His delay in keeping his promise bars me from union with him,

yet at the mention of parting, his aloofness forgets itself.

and his rejection becomes easier when parting is mentioned.

كَبِرْتُ وفارَقْتُ الصِّبا غيرَ أَننَّي

كَبِرْتُ وفارَقْتُ الصِّبا غيرَ أَننَّي

على كِبَري صَبُّ الفؤآدِ عميدُهُ

على كِبَري صَبُّ الفؤآدِ عميدُهُ

I have grown old and parted from youth; nevertheless,

I have grown old and left youth behind, yet

despite my age, my heart remains lovesick and stricken.

despite my age, I remain ardent and stricken at heart.

أَحِنّ ويَعتاد الفؤادَ ارتياحُه

أَحِنّ ويَعتاد الفؤادَ ارتياحُه

يذوبُ من دمعِ عيني جَمودُهُ

يذوبُ من دمعِ عيني جَمودُهُ

I yearn, and the heart's rapture returns;

I yearn, and its eager joy returns to my heart;

its hardness melts away in the tears of my eyes.

its hardness melts with the tears of my eye.

بنفسي محلاّتِ الحمَى وقطينَهُ

بنفسي محلاّتِ الحمَى وقطينَهُ

ويا حبّذا شرخُ الصِّبا وعهودُهُ

ويا حبّذا شرخُ الصِّبا وعهودُهُ

With my life I would ransom the dwellings of the protected encampment and its people;

My life for the dwellings of the protected land and its people!

how beloved are the prime of youth and its days!

And how dear are the prime of youth and its days!

أَجيرتَنا ما كانَ أحسَنَ عيشَنا

أَجيرتَنا ما كانَ أحسَنَ عيشَنا

وأطيبَهُ والدَّهرُ غضٌّ جديدُهُ

وأطيبَهُ والدَّهرُ غضٌّ جديدُهُ

O neighbor of ours, how fair our life once was,

O our neighbors, how lovely our life was,

how sweet, when Time itself was tender and new—

and how sweet, when time was still tender and new!

إذا المتَرفُ المَغْرورُ من صبْغَة الصبا

إذا المتَرفُ المَغْرورُ من صبْغَة الصبا

حُلاه ومن نسج الشباب برُودُهُ

حُلاه ومن نسج الشباب برُودُهُ

when the pampered youth, beguiled by youth's hue,

When the pampered, deluded one had, from youth's dye,

was adorned by it and wore robes woven of youth.

his adornments, and from youth's weaving his mantles.

توَلتَّ غَضاراتُ الشبّاب وعيشُه

توَلتَّ غَضاراتُ الشبّاب وعيشُه

وهيهاتَ لي معدُومُهُ وبعيدُهُ

وهيهاتَ لي معدُومُهُ وبعيدُهُ

The freshness and life of youth have departed;

The lush delights of youth and its life have passed,

far beyond my reach are what is lost and far away.

and far beyond my reach are its vanished and distant joys.

أَلا إنما نحنُ المساكينُ همنُّا

أَلا إنما نحنُ المساكينُ همنُّا

أَذى نتَّقيه أو غنىً نستفيدُهُ

أَذى نتَّقيه أو غنىً نستفيدُهُ

Indeed, we wretches have no concern except

Surely we are only wretched folk, our concern

some harm we may ward off or wealth we may gain.

a hurt we guard against, or wealth we acquire.

وما القلبُ إلاَّ مترَفٌ من مُراده

وما القلبُ إلاَّ مترَفٌ من مُراده

وُرُود الهوى إن لم يجد من يذُودُهُ

وُرُود الهوى إن لم يجد من يذُودُهُ

The heart is merely spoiled by attaining its desire,

The heart is only a pampered creature; among its desires

and passion goes seeking when it finds no one to seek.

is to drink of love, if it finds no one to drive it away.

صدقتُمْ لقد كان المنى طيبُ عيشْنا

صدقتُمْ لقد كان المنى طيبُ عيشْنا

لو أَنَّ الفتى في العيش باقٍ خلُودُهُ

لو أَنَّ الفتى في العيش باقٍ خلُودُهُ

You spoke truly: hopes were the sweetness of our life—

You spoke truly: our life's sweetness would be all we wished for,

if only a young man's immortality in life could endure.

if a young man could remain forever in life.

يسركمُ أّنا إلى ُلعب الصِّبا

يسركمُ أّنا إلى ُلعب الصِّبا

نعود ولكن الصبِّا من ُيعيدُهُ

نعود ولكن الصبِّا من ُيعيدُهُ

Would it delight you if we returned

It pleases you that to the play of youth

to the play of youth? We would—but who can restore youth?

we return—but who can bring youth back?

وقالوا فمَا أَغراكَ بالشّعر مادحاً

وقالوا فمَا أَغراكَ بالشّعر مادحاً

فقلت لهُم احسان ُذهلٍ وجودُهُ

فقلت لهُم احسان ُذهلٍ وجودُهُ

They asked, “What enticed you to poetry as a panegyrist?”

And they said, “What lured you into poetry of praise?”

I answered, “The Dhuhlite's beneficence and generosity.”

I told them, “Dhuhl's beneficence and generosity.”

إذا كان ذُهلٌ أَفضلَ النّاس كلّهم

إذا كان ذُهلٌ أَفضلَ النّاس كلّهم

فلا عجب إن قلتُ كلٌّ عبيدُهُ

فلا عجب إن قلتُ كلٌّ عبيدُهُ

Since the Dhuhlite is the best of all people,

If Dhuhl is the best of all people,

it is no wonder that I say: my whole being is his servant.

it is no wonder if I say, “All are his slaves.”

تَرى كلّ منسوبٍ إِلى الفضل سيداً

تَرى كلّ منسوبٍ إِلى الفضل سيداً

ولكن ذهلاً بالكّمالِ يسودُهُ

ولكن ذهلاً بالكّمالِ يسودُهُ

You see every man associated with excellence regarded as a lord,

You see everyone credited with merit as a lord,

yet the Dhuhlite, through perfection, surpasses him.

but Dhuhl, through perfection, stands above him.

ولم يدْعُ العلياءَ ذهلٌ وإنّما

ولم يدْعُ العلياءَ ذهلٌ وإنّما

حِسانُ السّجايا والعطايا شُهودُهُ

حِسانُ السّجايا والعطايا شُهودُهُ

The Dhuhlite did not merely claim the heights of glory; rather,

Dhuhl did not claim exalted rank; rather,

his noble qualities and gifts are his witnesses.

his fine qualities and gifts bear witness for him.

أَلا إنّما حسنُ البيان يدّله

أَلا إنّما حسنُ البيان يدّله

على كل فضل والطباعُ تقودُهُ

على كل فضل والطباعُ تقودُهُ

Indeed, the excellence of eloquence directs him

Surely it is eloquence that guides him

toward every virtue, and his innate nature leads him there.

to every virtue, and his natural disposition leads him.

ولم تكُ منهُ ضلّةً أَو تكلفُّاً

ولم تكُ منهُ ضلّةً أَو تكلفُّاً

يُرقّيهِ أَسباب العُلى وصعودُهُ

يُرقّيهِ أَسباب العُلى وصعودُهُ

This was neither a lapse nor an affectation on his part;

Nor was there error or affectation on his part;

the means and ascent of greatness raise him.

the means of high rank and his ascent elevate him.

وألبَسَهُ تاج الملُوكِ اتباعُهُ

وألبَسَهُ تاج الملُوكِ اتباعُهُ

كما سنَّهُ آباؤهُ وجدودُهُ

كما سنَّهُ آباؤهُ وجدودُهُ

His pursuit of it clothed him in the crown of kings,

And his following has clothed him in the crown of kings,

as his fathers and forefathers established it—

just as his fathers and forefathers ordained it.

ملوك اليمَانينَ اَّلذين استجاَبهم

ملوك اليمَانينَ اَّلذين استجاَبهم

من الملك طوعاً سهُلهُ ونُجودُهُ

من الملك طوعاً سهُلهُ ونُجودُهُ

kings of the Yemenites, whom

Kings of the Yemenis, who were obeyed

the realm's lowlands and highlands willingly obeyed.

willingly by the realm's lowlands and uplands.

أَعزاءه منَّاعون حوزةَ مُلْكهِمْ

أَعزاءه منَّاعون حوزةَ مُلْكهِمْ

كما زأُرَتْ وسط العرين أُسودُهُ

كما زأُرَتْ وسط العرين أُسودُهُ

Mighty, staunch defenders of their kingdom's domain,

His mighty ones, staunch guardians of their kingdom's bounds,

like its lions roaring in the heart of the den;

like its lions roaring within the lair.

أَشدّآء ولاَّجونَ كلَّ كريهةٍ

أَشدّآء ولاَّجونَ كلَّ كريهةٍ

إِلى الرَّوْع في يوم يشيب وليدُهُ

إِلى الرَّوْع في يوم يشيب وليدُهُ

fierce men who plunge boldly into every dire ordeal,

Fierce men, plunging into every dread ordeal,

into battle, on a day whose newborn turns gray.

into terror on a day whose infant turns gray.

أُولئك أَنصارُ الّنبيِّ وحزُْبهُ

أُولئك أَنصارُ الّنبيِّ وحزُْبهُ

وزوّارُهُ في مكّةٍ ووفودُهُ

وزوّارُهُ في مكّةٍ ووفودُهُ

Those were the Prophet's supporters and his party,

Those are the Prophet's helpers and his band,

his visitors in Mecca and his delegations.

and his visitors in Mecca and his delegations.

بهم تمَّ نورُ الله في الحقِّ والُهدى

بهم تمَّ نورُ الله في الحقِّ والُهدى

وكانَ مُرَادَ الُمشركينَ خُمودُهُ

وكانَ مُرَادَ الُمشركينَ خُمودُهُ

Through them God's light attained perfection in truth and guidance,

Through them God's light was made complete in truth and guidance,

while the polytheists desired its extinction.

and the polytheists desired its extinction.

بهم زَمنَ البلوى يُغاثُ لهيفُهُ

بهم زَمنَ البلوى يُغاثُ لهيفُهُ

ويُمنَع جانيهِ ويأوى طريدُهُ

ويُمنَع جانيهِ ويأوى طريدُهُ

Through them, in times of trial, the anguished are rescued;

Through them, in times of trial, the distressed man finds relief,

even the offender is protected, and the fugitive finds shelter.

and the offender is protected, and the fugitive finds shelter.

أَبا حسن يا أوسعَ النّاس جانباً

أَبا حسن يا أوسعَ النّاس جانباً

لمن يرد المعروفَ أومن يَرودُهُ

لمن يرد المعروفَ أومن يَرودُهُ

O Abu Hasan, broadest of all people in protective reach,

O Abu Hasan, most welcoming of all people,

for whoever seeks beneficence—or whomever beneficence itself seeks—

to whoever desires kindness or seeks it out:

أَياديك رزقٌ ليس يمكن كفرهُ

أَياديك رزقٌ ليس يمكن كفرهُ

وفضْلك حقٌّ لا يحلّ جحُودُهُ

وفضْلك حقٌّ لا يحلّ جحُودُهُ

your favors are a bounty whose denial is impossible,

Your favors are sustenance that cannot be denied,

and your excellence is a right it is unlawful to deny.

and your excellence is a truth it is not lawful to disavow.

بقيتم بني نبهان في موكب العلى

بقيتم بني نبهان في موكب العلى

تحُفّ بكم راياُته وبنودُهُ

تحُفّ بكم راياُته وبنودُهُ

May you endure, sons of Nabhan, in glory's procession,

May you endure, sons of Nabhan, in glory's procession,

surrounded by its banners and standards.

with its banners and standards arrayed around you.

وعزَّ ذَراكم آمناً من يحلّه

وعزَّ ذَراكم آمناً من يحلّه

بني عمر أو خاسراً من يكيدُهُ

بني عمر أو خاسراً من يكيدُهُ

May your heights remain mighty: whoever alights there is safe,

And may your refuge be mighty, safe for whoever dwells there,

O sons of ʿUmar—or a loser, whoever plots against them.

sons of Umar, or ruinous to whoever plots against it.

وجانبكم من كل شّرٍ مخوفُه

وجانبكم من كل شّرٍ مخوفُه

وعاوَدَكم من كل خير مزيدُهُ

وعاوَدَكم من كل خير مزيدُهُ

May your domain be spared every dreaded evil,

And may the terrors of every evil stay far from you,

and may your recurring benefactions increase in every good.

and may ever more of every good return to you.

ويهنيكَ حولُ مقبل بسلامةٍ

ويهنيكَ حولُ مقبل بسلامةٍ

وأمنٍ أضاءت في البروج سُعودُهُ

وأمنٍ أضاءت في البروج سُعودُهُ

May a coming year delight you with well-being

And may the coming year gladden you with well-being

and security whose fortunate stars shine among the constellations.

and security, its auspicious stars shining in the zodiac.

وبوركَ من شهر يسرُّك صومُهُ

وبوركَ من شهر يسرُّك صومُهُ

وإفطاره في كل عام وعيدُهُ

وإفطاره في كل عام وعيدُهُ

Blessed be the month whose fasting brings you joy,

And blessed be the month whose fasting gladdens you,

as do its breaking of the fast and its feast each year.

and its breaking of the fast and its festival, year after year.

وعاشَ بنوك الأكرمونَ فإنهم

وعاشَ بنوك الأكرمونَ فإنهم

بجدواك ساداتُ الزمانِ وصيدُهُ

بجدواك ساداتُ الزمانِ وصيدُهُ

May your noble sons live, for through your bounty they are

And may your most noble sons live long, for they

the lords and choicest men of the age.

through your bounty are the age's masters and proud lords.

ودونكَ من دُرّ المعاني قصيدةً

ودونكَ من دُرّ المعاني قصيدةً

مُحّبرةً كالعقدِ لاحَ فريدُهُ

مُحّبرةً كالعقدِ لاحَ فريدُهُ

Here before you is a poem fashioned from pearls of meaning,

And here for you is a poem of the pearls of meaning,

embellished like a necklace whose peerless jewel gleams.

finely adorned, like a necklace whose peerless pearl gleams.