طرقتshe came by night خَيالاًas a phantom بَعدafter طولthe length of صدودهاher aversion
طرقت خَيالاً بَعد طول صدودها
وفرتand fled إِلَيكَto you السِجنَthe prison لَيلَةَthe night of عيدِهاher feast
وفرت إِلَيكَ السِجنَ لَيلَةَ عيدِها
She came by night as a phantom after her long aversion,
After a long absence, my imagination knocked on your door
And fled to you in prison on the night of her feast.
On the night of celebration, my heart escaped to your prison
أَنّىhow اهتَدَتdid she find her way لاneither التيهal-Tih منشؤهاher birthplace وَلاnor
أَنّى اهتَدَت لا التيه منشؤها وَلا
سفحthe slope المُقَطَّمِof al-Muqattam مِنamong مَجرِّthe trailing places of بُرودِهاher mantles
سفح المُقَطَّمِ مِن مَجرِّ بُرودِها
How did she find her way? Al-Tih was not her birthplace, nor
How did it find its way, when its origin was lost
Had she trailed her mantles along the slope of al-Muqattam.
And the rugged slopes were cold because of the cutting wind?
فيon لَيلَةa night لَيلاءpitch-dark أَلزمobliged فضلهاits excellence
في لَيلَة لَيلاء أَلزم فضلها
بيضthe white اللَياليnights أَنto تدينpay homage لِسودِهاto their black ones
بيض اللَيالي أَن تدين لِسودِها
On a pitch-dark night whose excellence obliged
On a dark night, it confined its generosity
The white nights to pay homage to their black ones.
To make the white nights indebted to the black ones
حَقُthe due of اللَياليthe nights البيضthe white قسمa share of سوادِهاits darkness
حَقُ اللَيالي البيض قسم سوادِها
خالاًa beauty spot وَخالاًand a beauty spot زينةan adornment لُخدودِهاfor their cheeks
خالاً وَخالاً زينة لُخدودِها
The white nights deserve a share of its darkness,
The white nights have the right to divide their blackness
Beauty spot by beauty spot, to adorn their cheeks.
As beauty marks on their cheeks, mole by mole
أَسرَتshe traveled by night إِلَيهِto him مِنfrom وَراءِbeyond تِهامَةٍTihamah
أَسرَت إِلَيهِ مِن وَراءِ تِهامَةٍ
وَجَفاهُand shunned him دانيthe nearby one الدارin dwelling غَيرnot بَعيدِهاthe one far from it
وَجَفاهُ داني الدار غَير بَعيدِها
She traveled by night to him from beyond Tihamah,
It crept slowly from behind a screen
Though the near-dweller shunned him, not the distant one.
Your house being near, though not very near
فأَتَتهso she came to him ماnot ارتاحَتshe took delight لِحُسنِin the beauty of ظِبائِهاits gazelles
فأَتَته ما ارتاحَت لِحُسنِ ظِبائِها
وَهناًlate at night ولاnor ارتاعَتwas she frightened لِزأرby the roar of أُسودِهاits lions
وَهناً ولا ارتاعَت لِزأر أُسودِها
She came to him, taking no delight in its gazelles’ beauty,
So it came to you, not feeling comfortable with its beauty
Late at night, nor frightened by its lions’ roar.
Nor fearing the screams of its lions
مُستَوطِناًdwelling دارthe House of البنودBanners وَقلبهand his heart
مُستَوطِناً دار البنود وَقلبه
للرعبwith terror يَخفِقfluttered مِثلَlike خَفقthe flutter of بنودِهاits banners
للرعب يَخفِق مِثلَ خَفق بنودِها
He dwelt in Dar al-Bunud, his heart
Living in the Abode of Separation, with a heart
Fluttering with terror like the flutter of its banners.
Fluttering with fear like the fluttering flags
دارa house تحطُّsets down بِهاthere المنونDeath شِباكِهاits nets
دار تحطُّ بِها المنون شِباكِها
فَتَروحthen departs وَالمهجاتand souls جلmost of صيودِهاits catch
فَتَروح وَالمهجات جل صيودِها
A house where Death sets its nets,
A house in which the pangs of death spread their nets
Then departs, souls making up most of its catch.
Then souls depart as most of its pillars collapse
فَتَعَثَّرَتthen she stumbled بِعُرىon the loops of الأَداهِمِthe iron fetters فالتَقىand met
فَتَعَثَّرَت بِعُرى الأَداهِمِ فالتَقى
جرسانtwo sounds جرسthe chime of حَليِّهاher jewelry وَحَديدِهاand their iron
جرسان جرس حَليِّها وَحَديدِها
She stumbled on the loops of the fetters, and there met
It stumbled on the ropes of the steeds, so
Two sounds: her jewels’ chime and the clang of the fetters’ iron.
The bells of its anklets met the irons on its legs
قيدa shackle وَسلسلةand a chain وَأَدهَمand a black iron fetter مصمتsolid
قيد وَسلسلة وَأَدهَم مصمت
محنthe trials of الكرامthe noble عَظيمَةُgreat كقصودِهاlike their aspirations
محن الكرام عَظيمَةُ كقصودِها
A shackle, a chain, and a solid black fetter—
Shackles and chains and a silent, patient dark horse
The trials of the noble are as great as their aspirations.
Great tribulations are its necklaces, like its purposes
وَقِلادَةٌand a collar فيaround جيدِهِhis neck إِنif حُرِّكَتit is moved
وَقِلادَةٌ في جيدِهِ إِن حُرِّكَت
تَهتَزُّtrembles مِنهاfrom it الأَرضَthe earth فيat تَمييدِهاits swaying
تَهتَزُّ مِنها الأَرضَ في تَمييدِها
And a collar around his neck that, if moved,
And it has a necklace, which if moved
Makes the earth tremble with its swaying.
Would shake the earth, though gently held
وَتأوَّهَتand she groaned عَنwith زَفرةa sigh لَوif صادَفَتit had struck
وَتأوَّهَت عَن زَفرة لَو صادَفَت
حَجَراًa stone جَرىit would have flowed ماءas water لِفَرطِfrom the intensity of وقودِهاits burning
حَجَراً جَرى ماء لِفَرطِ وقودِها
She groaned a sigh that, had it struck
It sighed with a sigh that could, if it met
A stone, that stone would have flowed as water from its fierce heat.
A stone, make water flow from the intensity of its flame
وَأَصابand touched دُرُّthe pearls of الدَمعِtears لؤلؤthe pearls of ثَغرِهاher mouth
وَأَصاب دُرُّ الدَمعِ لؤلؤ ثَغرِها
ثُمَّthen استَفاضَoverflowed فَبَلَّand soaked دُرَّthe pearls of عُقودِهاher necklaces
ثُمَّ استَفاضَ فَبَلَّ دُرَّ عُقودِها
Her tear-pearls touched the pearls of her mouth,
And the pearls of its tears wet its lips
Then overflowed and soaked the pearls of her necklaces.
Then overflowed to soak the pearls of its necklaces
فَعَفَفتُso I remained chaste ثَمَّthere وَلَوand had هَمَمتI intended بِضَمِّهاto embrace her
فَعَفَفتُ ثَمَّ وَلَو هَمَمت بِضَمِّها
منعتI would have been prevented مِنfrom استقصائِهِcompleting it fully بنهودِهاby her breasts
منعت مِن استقصائِهِ بنهودِها
I remained chaste there; had I sought to embrace her,
So I restrained myself, though I had wished to embrace it
Her breasts would have prevented me from embracing her fully.
Its coyness prevented me from taking such liberties
ماnot ضَجَّcried out مِنat تلفthe loss of الحَياةlife ضَجيعهاher bedfellow
ما ضَجَّ مِن تلف الحَياة ضَجيعها
لَكِنbut الاحsignaled وَضَجَّand cried out مِنat تَنكيدِهاits torment
لَكِن الاح وَضَجَّ مِن تَنكيدِها
Her bedfellow cried out not at the loss of life,
There was no uproar from the death of its companion
But signaled his distress and cried out at its torment.
Except the sighs from the misery of their separation
بَثَّhe spread الفَضائِلvirtues خلفهbehind him وَأَمامهand before him
بَثَّ الفَضائِل خلفه وَأَمامه
فَفَناءso the extinction of مُهجَتِهِhis soul كَمِثلِis like خُلودِهاits immortality
فَفَناء مُهجَتِهِ كَمِثلِ خُلودِها
He spread virtues behind him and before him,
It left virtues behind and ahead of it
So his soul’s extinction is like its immortality.
So its death was like its immortality
كالشَمسِlike the sun تُوَدِعdeposits فيin الكَواكِبthe stars نورهاits light
كالشَمسِ تُوَدِع في الكَواكِب نورها
فَتَنوبso they stand in للسارينfor night travelers عَنin place of مَفقودِهاits missing light
فَتَنوب للسارين عَن مَفقودِها
Like the sun, which deposits its light in the stars,
Like the sun when it deposits its light in the planets
And they serve night travelers in place of its absent light.
Acting for those who benefit from its absence
مَحنٌtrials قَدhave احتَشَدَتmassed وَقَلبٌand a heart واثِقٌtrusting
مَحنٌ قَد احتَشَدَت وَقَلبٌ واثِقٌ
باللَهِin God وَالزَيديُّand al-Zaydi فيin تَبديدِهاscattering them
باللَهِ وَالزَيديُّ في تَبديدِها
Trials have massed, yet a heart trusts
There were many tribulations, but a confident heart
In God and al-Zaydi to scatter them:
In God, and the Zaidi in overcoming them
بِفُؤادin the heart of أُسرَتِهاits family ودرَّةand the pearl of تاجِهاits crown
بِفُؤاد أُسرَتِها ودرَّة تاجِها
وَسوادand the dark pupil of ناظِرهاits eye وَبيتand the finest verse of قَصيدهاits ode
وَسواد ناظِرها وَبيت قَصيدها
In the heart of its family, the pearl of its crown,
With the heart of its love, the crown jewel
The dark pupil of its eye, the finest verse of its ode;
The blackness of its glance, and the house of its ode
بِأَغَرَّin a radiant man يَحسِدُهُenvy him أَفاضِلthe finest of عَصرِهِhis age
بِأَغَرَّ يَحسِدُهُ أَفاضِل عَصرِهِ
قدرthe worth of الفَضيلةvirtue مِثلَis like قدرthe worth of حُسودِهاits envier
قدر الفَضيلة مِثلَ قدر حُسودِها
In a radiant man whom the finest of his age envy—
The most jealous are envious of its excellence
Virtue’s worth matches the worth of its envier.
Yet excellence is as worthy as those who envy it
حاشاfar be it from منone whom اعتَمَدتrelies عَليهِon him دولَةa state
حاشا من اعتَمَدت عَليهِ دولَة
مِنfrom أَنto يَضيقَbe hard-pressed بِفَكِّto free بَعضِsome of عَبيدِهاits servants
مِن أَن يَضيقَ بِفَكِّ بَعضِ عَبيدِها
Far be it from one on whom a state relies
It would not accept doing a small deed
To be unable to free some of its servants.
Until completing it to the utmost degree
واللَهُand God أَكرَمwas generous حينَwhen أَنزَلَHe lodged حاجَتيmy need
واللَهُ أَكرَم حينَ أَنزَلَ حاجَتي
بمسودِwith one who eclipses الكُرَماءِthe generous دونَrather than مسودِهاtheir chief
بمسودِ الكُرَماءِ دونَ مسودِها
God was generous when He lodged my need
The sincere man’s prayer is the prayer itself
With one who eclipses the generous, not merely their chief.
Complete with bowing down and prostrating
وَلَرُبَّand many a مصطنعbestower يَداًof a favor تقليدهhis hanging about the neck
وَلَرُبَّ مصطنع يَداً تقليده
صدرthe blade of الحُسامِthe keen sword أَخفis lighter مِنthan تَقليدِهاwearing it about the neck
صدر الحُسامِ أَخف مِن تَقليدِها
Many a giver of a favor—his hanging
By God, had it guaranteed the eyelids of my eyes its protection
A keen sword’s blade about your neck is lighter than wearing his favor.
They would not have been lined with the good lining
وَأَراهُand I see him لاnot يَرضىis content بِفعلِwith doing صَنيعَةٍa kindness
وَأَراهُ لا يَرضى بِفعلِ صَنيعَةٍ
حَتّىuntil يُتابِعهاhe follows it up كَفاءmatching حُدودِهاits bounds
حَتّى يُتابِعها كَفاء حُدودِها
I see he is not content with doing one kindness
And my upper eyelids would have been lined over my cowardice
Until he follows it up to the full measure of its bounds.
With a lining above, and below with my cheeks
صِلَةُaid to اللَهيفِthe distressed هيَis الصَلاةُprayer بِعَينِهاitself
صِلَةُ اللَهيفِ هيَ الصَلاةُ بِعَينِها
وَتَمامِهاand its completion بِركوعهاwith its bowing وَسُجودِهاand its prostration
وَتَمامِها بِركوعها وَسُجودِها
Helping the distressed is prayer itself,
I would have chained my soul with loyalty and its straits
Complete with its bowing and prostration.
Loyalty is the tightest of all chains
واللَهِby God لَوif ضمنwere assured الرُقادِsleep حَميتهI would keep it from
واللَهِ لَو ضمن الرُقادِ حَميته
عينيmy eye فَماso not اكتحلتwould it be anointed بطيبwith the sweetness of هجودهاits slumber
عيني فَما اكتحلت بطيب هجودها
By God, even were sleep assured, I would deny it
And I would have met its blessings in the best manner
To my eye, so it would not be anointed with sweet slumber.
As blessings are met when they first come
ونظمتand I would stitch أَجفانيmy eyelids العلىthe upper ones لجبنهاto their foreheads
ونظمت أَجفاني العلى لجبنها
نظماًwith stitches وأَسفلهاand their lower ones إِذاًthen بِخدودِهاto their cheeks
نظماً وأَسفلها إِذاً بِخدودِها
And stitch my upper eyelids to my brows,
I took the high road of benefitting and begetting
With stitches, and the lower ones then to my cheeks.
Thus I helped a gentle branch in its formation
وَصفدتand I fettered نَفسيmy soul بِالوَفاءwith loyalty وَضيقِهِand its constraint
وَصفدت نَفسي بِالوَفاء وَضيقِهِ
إِنَّindeed الوَفاءloyalty لمنis surely among أَشَدِّthe strongest of قيودِهاits fetters
إِنَّ الوَفاء لمن أَشَدِّ قيودِها
I fettered my soul with loyalty and its constraint;
Great deeds are like dye - their origins
Indeed, loyalty is among its strongest fetters.
Quickly fade if they are not renewed
وَلَقيتُand I met نِعمَتِهِhis favor بِأَحسَنwith the finest خُلَةٍtrait
وَلَقيتُ نِعمَتِهِ بِأَحسَن خُلَةٍ
تَلقىis welcomed بِهاwith it النعماءa blessing عِندat ورودِهاits arrival
تَلقى بِها النعماء عِند ورودِها
I met his favor with the finest virtue
The soul of the noble is like a gilded robe
With which blessings are welcomed when they arrive.
When it frays, it is embroidered with cheek moles
حزتyou gained العَلاءَeminence إِفادَةby acquisition وَولادةand by birth
حزت العَلاءَ إِفادَة وَولادة
فأعنتso you reinforced طارِفَthe newly acquired رتبةrank بتليدِهاwith its inherited counterpart
فأعنت طارِفَ رتبة بتليدِها
You gained eminence by achievement and by birth,
And if its branches are considered in light of their roots
Reinforcing newly acquired rank with its inherited counterpart.
It will know its smoke is from its own firewood
إِنَّindeed المآثِرَglorious deeds كالخِضابِare like dye نصولهاtheir fading
إِنَّ المآثِرَ كالخِضابِ نصولها
عَجِلٌis swift إِذاif لَمnot تَسعَyou strive فيin تَجديدِهاrenewing them
عَجِلٌ إِذا لَم تَسعَ في تَجديدِها
Glorious deeds are like dye: their fading
The beauty of things is in their composition
Is swift if you do not strive to renew them.
The ring around a dove's neck is part of its nature
نَفسthe soul of الشَريفthe noble كَحُلَّةِis like a robe موشيةbrocaded
نَفس الشَريف كَحُلَّةِ موشية
فَإِذاthen when تَناهَتit reaches perfection طُرِّزَتit is embroidered بِجدودِهاwith its forebears
فَإِذا تَناهَت طُرِّزَت بِجدودِها
A noble soul is like a brocaded robe;
And human virtues follow one's origin
When perfected, it is embroidered with its forebears.
The sharpness of swords follows the iron from which they were made
وَإِذاand when اعتَبَرَتyou examine فروعهhis branches بأصولِهِby his roots
وَإِذا اعتَبَرَت فروعه بأصولِهِ
أَيقَنَتyou are certain أَنَّthat دُخانِهِhis smoke مِنis from عودِهاtheir wood
أَيقَنَت أَنَّ دُخانِهِ مِن عودِها
When you judge his branches by his roots,
The lowest of its sons, from a dormant birth
You know his smoke comes from their wood.
Begets naught but cubs, and no lions
وَمَحاسِنand the beauties of الأَشياءthings فيare in تَركيبهاtheir composition
وَمَحاسِن الأَشياء في تَركيبها
طوقthe collar of الحَمامَةِthe dove خِلقَةٌis innate فيon جيدِهاits neck
طوق الحَمامَةِ خِلقَةٌ في جيدِها
The beauties of things lie in their composition;
A group, if they become prideful and you ransom them
A dove’s collar is natural to its neck.
They seek refuge in their unpolished state
وَفَضائِلand the virtues of الإِنسانa person تَتبَعfollow أَصلِهِhis origin
وَفَضائِل الإِنسان تَتبَع أَصلِهِ
قطعthe cutting power of الصَوارِمِkeen swords تابعdepends لحديدِهاon their iron
قطع الصَوارِمِ تابع لحديدِها
A person’s virtues follow his origin;
Nonsense words, like extra letters with no meaning
The cutting power of keen swords depends on their iron.
Or an unnecessary alif found in a word already complete
أَدنىthe least of بَنيهاits sons مِنfrom ولادةthe birth of خامِلٍan obscure man
أَدنى بَنيها مِن ولادة خامِلٍ
لاnot ينسلbeget الأَشبالthe cubs غَيرother than أُسودِهاits lions
لا ينسل الأَشبال غَير أُسودِها
Could its least son be born to an obscure man?
I swore to uphold what your ancestors established of greatness
None but its lions beget its cubs.
Glory to He who initiates and repeats it through you
تَفديكَmay ransom you طائِفةa band إِذاwhen ماemphatic particle فوخرتis challenged in boasting
تَفديكَ طائِفة إِذا ما فوخرت
فَزَعَتtakes refuge إِلىin أَجداثِهاits graves وَلحودِهاand its burial niches
فَزَعَت إِلى أَجداثِها وَلحودِها
May a band be your ransom that, when challenged in boasting,
O son of the Prophet's clan, you whose call
Takes refuge in its graves and burial niches.
Arranged its arguments in witness chains
لَغوempty talk كَحَرفlike a letter زيدَadded لاno مَعنىmeaning لَهُfor it
لَغو كَحَرف زيدَ لا مَعنى لَهُ
أَوor واوُthe letter wāw عَمروٍin ‘Amr فقدهاits absence كَوجودِهاis like its presence
أَو واوُ عَمروٍ فقدها كَوجودِها
Empty talk, like an added letter with no meaning,
They point to you, so you sufficed instead of others
Or the wāw in ‘Amr: absent or present, it is the same.
Your prominent state made further proof unnecessary
وَأعدتand you renewed ماwhat أَبدَتdisplayed جدودكyour ancestors مِنof عُلىًheights of honor
وَأعدت ما أَبدَت جدودك مِن عُلىً
سُبحانَglory to مُبديهاthe One who manifests them بِكُمthrough you وَمعيدهاand renews them
سُبحانَ مُبديها بِكُم وَمعيدها
You renewed the heights of honor your ancestors displayed;
If the Trustee's sons are like celestial bodies
Glory to Him who manifests them through you and renews them!
Know that you are its auspicious, fortunate star
ياO ابنson of الأثمةthe sinners (probably 'imams' intended) مِنof قُرَيشQuraysh دعوةa claim
يا ابن الأثمة مِن قُرَيش دعوة
نظمتwere strung دَعاويهاits assertions بِسِلكِon the thread of شُهودِهاits witnesses
نظمت دَعاويها بِسِلكِ شُهودِها
O son of the [imams] of Quraysh—a claim
They conveyed their virtues to you as if
Whose assertions are strung on the thread of its witnesses.
Clusters of grapes transferred to their bunches
دَلَّتit points عَلَيكَto you فأجزأتand suffices عَنin place of غَيرِهاothers
دَلَّت عَلَيكَ فأجزأت عَن غَيرِها
يغنيdispenses اشتَهارthe renown of الحالthe condition عَنwith تَحديدهاdefining it
يغني اشتَهار الحال عَن تَحديدها
It points to you and suffices in place of other claims;
Would you neglect a soul that you are its essence
A well-known condition needs no further definition.
Like the part that completes its oneness?
إِنif كانَare أَولادthe children of الوَصيِّthe Appointed Successor كَواكِباًstars
إِن كانَ أَولاد الوَصيِّ كَواكِباً
فاعلَمthen know بِأَنَّكَthat you أَنتَyourself سَعدَthe good fortune of سعودِهاtheir lucky stars
فاعلَم بِأَنَّكَ أَنتَ سَعدَ سعودِها
If the Appointed Successor’s children are stars,
He made you the means to its salvation
Know that you yourself are their Sa‘d al-Su‘ud.
And your father the means to its worship
نَقَلواthey transferred فَضائلهمtheir virtues إِلَيكَto you كَأَنَّهاas though they
نَقَلوا فَضائلهم إِلَيكَ كَأَنَّها
زُرvine (first fragment) جونَةٍvine (second fragment) نُقِلَتtransplanted إِلىinto عَنقودِهاits grape cluster
زُر جونَةٍ نُقِلَت إِلى عَنقودِها
They transferred their virtues to you, as though they were
The days will never unwind after this
A vine transplanted into its own grape cluster.
It suffices me that you are a breeze of its generosity
أَتَضيعwould you let perish نَفساًa soul أَنتَyou مِنof تامورهاits heart’s core
أَتَضيع نَفساً أَنتَ مِن تامورها
وَصَميمِهاand its very essence كالجُزءِlike a part مِنof تَوحيدِهاits belief in God's oneness
وَصَميمِها كالجُزءِ مِن تَوحيدِها
Would you let a soul perish, when you are of its heart’s core
And its very essence, like part of its faith in God’s oneness?
جعلتكit made you واسطةًan intermediary إِلىto مَنجاتِهاits deliverance
جعلتك واسطةً إِلى مَنجاتِها
وَأَباكَand your father واسطةًan intermediary إِلىto معبودِهاthe One it worships
وَأَباكَ واسطةً إِلى معبودِها
It made you an intermediary to its deliverance,
And your father an intermediary to the One it worships.
لاnot أَنحلI impute to الأَيامthe days نَحلاًmeagerness بَعدَafter ذاthis
لا أَنحل الأَيام نَحلاً بَعدَ ذا
حَسبيenough for me بِأَنَّكَthat you نَفحةa breath مِنof جودِهاtheir bounty
حَسبي بِأَنَّكَ نَفحة مِن جودِها
I shall no longer impute meagerness to the days after this;
Enough for me that you are a breath of their bounty.
Partial English translation: 86 of 92 Arabic lines translated.