إن دام هجركِ واستمرا

إن دام هجركِ واستمرا

ألفيتِ حلو العيش مرا

ألفيتِ حلو العيش مرا

If your estrangement lasts and continues,

If your estrangement persists and endures

you will find life's sweetness bitter.

I will get used to the bitter life

يا سلم منّي بالوصا

يا سلم منّي بالوصا

ل فما ينسوك أن أُسرّا

ل فما ينسوك أن أُسرّا

O Salm, grant me union—

O messenger send my greetings

for what displeases you in my rejoicing?

So they do not forget I am captive

أضعفَت عن حمل الهوى

أضعفَت عن حمل الهوى

جسمي ضنى وضعفت خصرا

جسمي ضنى وضعفت خصرا

You weakened, beyond bearing love,

My body has become too weak to bear love

my body with wasting, while your waist grew slender.

My waist has thinned and weakened

ما لحت في سر الدجى

ما لحت في سر الدجى

للبدر إلا واستَسَرا

للبدر إلا واستَسَرا

Never did you appear in the heart of darkness

I did not smile in the darkness of night

before the full moon without its hiding itself.

Except to the full moon I confided

أودعت أثناء الجوا

أودعت أثناء الجوا

نحِ ساعة التوديع جمرا

نحِ ساعة التوديع جمرا

You lodged within my ribs,

In the thickets of the valley I deposited

at the hour of parting, embers.

At the farewell hour burning embers

وبمهجتي سمراء تح

وبمهجتي سمراء تح

مبها رماح الخطَّمرا

مبها رماح الخطَّمرا

My lifeblood be ransom for a tawny maiden:

With my dark cheeks upon which

the spears of al-Khatt [unclear verb] through her.

Spearheads of oppression left their marks

نظرت بعيني مُغزِلٍ

نظرت بعيني مُغزِلٍ

وترنَّحت كالغصنِ نضرا

وترنَّحت كالغصنِ نضرا

She gazed with the eyes of a mother gazelle,

I looked with my deep, languishing eyes

and swayed like a fresh, green bough.

And sighed like a tender branch

وأبي الهوى لولا وشا

وأبي الهوى لولا وشا

ة ينظرون إلى شزوا

ة ينظرون إلى شزوا

And by love's father, were it not for slanderers

If not for people watching

who look at me askance,

I would have revealed a rosy wine

لوشفت خمرة ربقة

لوشفت خمرة ربقة

من لؤلؤ سموه ثغرا

من لؤلؤ سموه ثغرا

I would have sipped the wine of saliva

Whose pearl they named a mouth

from pearls they called a mouth,

I became dizzy from the intoxication of youth

وهصرت قد هزة

وهصرت قد هزة

سكر الصبا فثملت سكرا

سكر الصبا فثملت سكرا

and clasped a figure swayed

So I drank until I was drunk

by youth's intoxication, becoming drunk myself.

I am heading to the barren desert

إني وما حجت إليه

إني وما حجت إليه

أقاصدون الشعث غبرا

أقاصدون الشعث غبرا

Indeed I—by that to which pilgrimage was made

Seeking you though it scorched me

by disheveled, dust-covered seekers—

Smitten by love of you, and the adornment

مغرى بحبك والوزي

مغرى بحبك والوزي

ر يحبه للجود أغرى

ر يحبه للجود أغرى

am enamored of you; the minister

Of generosity - he loves it and is lured

is still more enamored of generosity.

A king who sees in his hand

ملك يرى في دسته

ملك يرى في دسته

طودا وضرغاما وبحرا

طودا وضرغاما وبحرا

A king who, on his throne, is seen

Riches, servants, ships and seas

as a mountain, a lion, and a sea,

Except the scent of his potpourri

غير ان مشبوح الذرا

غير ان مشبوح الذرا

ع مشيعا يقظا أغرا

ع مشيعا يقظا أغرا

save that he is broad of arm,

Wakes him while others sleep

valiant, vigilant, and radiant.

The most generous people called me

أندى الورى ناد وأز

أندى الورى ناد وأز

كاهم ثرى واد وأثرا

كاهم ثرى واد وأثرا

Most generous of men in his gathering, and purest

And I hastened to surpass in glory

in his valley's soil and in his legacy;

Bestowing freely when I give

وأعز جار منهم

وأعز جار منهم

وإلى استباق المجد أجرى

وإلى استباق المجد أجرى

their mightiest protector,

Interceding, veiling flaws and covering

and swiftest in the race to glory.

Changing hardship into ease

يعطي إذا أعطى الندى

يعطي إذا أعطى الندى

شفعا ويغشى الروع وترا

شفعا ويغشى الروع وترا

When he bestows bounty, he gives

With what his right hand contains

twofold, and faces terror alone.

Smiling whenever time frowns

ومبدل عسر العفا

ومبدل عسر العفا

ءِ بما حوت يمناه يسرا

ءِ بما حوت يمناه يسرا

He turns the petitioners' hardship

Becoming happier as days pass

to ease with what his right hand holds.

He keeps opening with his righteousness

طلق المحيا كلما

طلق المحيا كلما

كلح الزمان ازداد بشرا

كلح الزمان ازداد بشرا

Cheerful of face: whenever

And closing gaps with his soundness

time scowls, he grows more cheerful.

May he who sees good as bad perish

مازال يفتح مرتجا

مازال يفتح مرتجا

بسداده ويسد ثغرا

بسداده ويسد ثغرا

He keeps opening what is shut fast

He keeps risking himself for others

with his sound judgment, and closing breaches.

I remain the champion of the faith

يفديك يا مسدى الوا

يفديك يا مسدى الوا

رف من يرى المعروف نكرا

رف من يرى المعروف نكرا

May you be ransomed, O giver of lavish bounty,

Giving victory in my time

by one who regards kindness as evil.

I prepared might against enemies

مازال يبذل للقطوا

مازال يبذل للقطوا

رض عرضه ويصونه وفرا

رض عرضه ويصونه وفرا

He forever gives over to gnawers

On the day of battle, power and vanquish

his honor, while guarding his wealth.

And steeds neighing, deeming treason

لا زلت عون الدين لي

لا زلت عون الدين لي

عونا على دهري ونصرا

عونا على دهري ونصرا

May you, Awn al-Din, ever remain to me

And swords that sever necks

a help against my times, and a source of triumph.

O most generous of all people

أعدتت للأعداء في

أعدتت للأعداء في

يوم الوفى بأسا وقهرا

يوم الوفى بأسا وقهرا

You have prepared for your enemies,

And best of them in trace

on the day of battle, might and subjugation,

It suffices me to see your smile

وسوايقا قبّ الكُلى

وسوايقا قبّ الكُلى

وسوابغا يحسبن غدرا

وسوابغا يحسبن غدرا

and swift steeds, lean of flank,

If the leaves of paper frown

and ample coats of mail, taken for pools.

I released forgiveness unrestrained

يا أكثر الكرماء إِح

يا أكثر الكرماء إِح

سانا وأحسنهنّ أثرا

سانا وأحسنهنّ أثرا

O most beneficent of generous men,

Did anyone ever see freed prisoners?

and finest of them in the mark you leave!

I have become the most generous of all I see

حسبي ببشرك إن دجت

حسبي ببشرك إن دجت

شيم الورق شما وبدرا

شيم الورق شما وبدرا

Your smile suffices me, should darkness veil

Bestowing bounty, and too proud to take

people's natures—a sun and a full moon.

You keep inclining toward one who gave you

أطلقت بالمنّ العفا

أطلقت بالمنّ العفا

ة فمن رأى طلقاء أسرى

ة فمن رأى طلقاء أسرى

You freed the petitioners through your bounty;

Bending tenderly and recoiling

who ever saw freed men captive?

Of every composer scattering verse

أصبحت أكرم من يرى

أصبحت أكرم من يرى

فقرا نعم وأقل كبرا

فقرا نعم وأقل كبرا

You have become the most generous of those who know

In your praise no one surpasses me

poverty—yes—and the least proud.

Time passes but you still remain

لا زلت تولي من عطا

لا زلت تولي من عطا

تك ثنيا وتفنر بكرا

تك ثنيا وتفنر بكرا

May you ever bestow from your gifts

Lasting - your glory never fades

renewed gifts, and [draw forth?] maiden verse

من كل نظم ناثر

من كل نظم ناثر

بالمدح في ناديك درا

بالمدح في ناديك درا

from every versifier scattering

Be blissful in your absence and remain

pearls of praise in your assembly.

Honored by time and destiny

تفني الزمان ولا تزا

تفني الزمان ولا تزا

ل مبقيا لعلاك ذكرا

ل مبقيا لعلاك ذكرا

May you wear time away, never ceasing

And slaughter the aggressive armies

to preserve remembrance of your eminence.

Of the enemy with bloody swords

فاسعد بعيدك وابق في

فاسعد بعيدك وابق في

نعم عليك الدهر تترى

نعم عليك الدهر تترى

So rejoice in your feast-day, and remain amid

blessings that come upon you throughout time, one after another.

وانحر مع القوم الهجا

وانحر مع القوم الهجا

ن من العدو الغمر نحرا

ن من العدو الغمر نحرا

And slaughter, with the people, the white camels

of the foolish enemy—slaughter them.