حَمائم الرَوض ما هَذي التَغاريدُ

حَمائم الرَوض ما هَذي التَغاريدُ

عَن باعث هِيَ أَم لي مِنكَ تَقليدُ

عَن باعث هِيَ أَم لي مِنكَ تَقليدُ

O doves of the garden, what are these songs?

The doves of the garden, what is this twittering -

Do they spring from some impulse, or are you imitating me?

Is it from an awakener, or your imitation of me?

نوحي وَنوحك جَنح اللَيل مُتَفق

نوحي وَنوحك جَنح اللَيل مُتَفق

وَالمُشغلات لَنا وَرد وَتَوريد

وَالمُشغلات لَنا وَرد وَتَوريد

My lament and yours accord in the darkness of night;

Our sighs and your sighs, the wings of night concur.

And our preoccupations are roses and rosy hues.

And for us the preoccupations are roses and myrtles.

إِن كانَ يُقنعك صَوت الصَغير فَلي

إِن كانَ يُقنعك صَوت الصَغير فَلي

قَلب يُعللهُ في الحُب تَفنيدُ

قَلب يُعللهُ في الحُب تَفنيدُ

If the little one's voice satisfies you, I have

If the voice of the little one satisfies you,

a heart soothed in love by reproach.

Then my heart has an excuse in love's rebuttal.

تَعجبت نار قَلبي مِن تجلده

تَعجبت نار قَلبي مِن تجلده

وَمِن جُفوني شَكا دَمع وَتَسهيدُ

وَمِن جُفوني شَكا دَمع وَتَسهيدُ

My heart's fire marveled at its endurance;

The fire of my heart was astonished at its composure

And tears and sleeplessness complained of my eyelids.

And from my eyelids a tear complained and whimpered.

وَالحُزن باقٍ عَلى ما كُنت أَعهدهُ

وَالحُزن باقٍ عَلى ما كُنت أَعهدهُ

وَإِن تَكرر عيد بُعدَهُ عيدُ

وَإِن تَكرر عيد بُعدَهُ عيدُ

And sorrow remains as I have known it,

And sorrow remains as I was accustomed to it,

though festival after festival returns.

Even if recurring Eid after its absence is Eid.

جَريح بيض الظِبا تَرجا سَلامَتهُ

جَريح بيض الظِبا تَرجا سَلامَتهُ

إِلّا الَّذي جَرَحتهُ الأَعيُن السودِ

إِلّا الَّذي جَرَحتهُ الأَعيُن السودِ

There is hope of recovery for one wounded by white blades—

The gazelle, hopeful for his wound's recovery,

except for the one whom black eyes have wounded.

Except for he who was wounded by the black eyes.

لي بِالظَعائن نَهاب العُقول رَشاً

لي بِالظَعائن نَهاب العُقول رَشاً

قَوامُهُ بانة وَالقَلب جَلمودُ

قَوامُهُ بانة وَالقَلب جَلمودُ

Among the women in litters I have a gazelle-fawn who plunders minds;

I have, for the censurers, a sprinkling of minds' terror -

His figure is a bān tree, his heart a boulder.

His standing is clear, and the heart stoic.

لَو مَرَت الريح تَروي عَن ذَوائِبِهِ

لَو مَرَت الريح تَروي عَن ذَوائِبِهِ

لَم يَبقَ مِن عَهد عادَ ثَمَّ مَلحود

لَم يَبقَ مِن عَهد عادَ ثَمَّ مَلحود

If the wind passed, telling of his tresses,

If the wind passed, narrating his locks,

not one buried from the age of ʿĀd would remain there.

Nothing would remain of a past, then forgotten pact.

لَكنها مَنَعتها عَن مَواطئهِ

لَكنها مَنَعتها عَن مَواطئهِ

مَهابة تَتحاماها الصَناديدُ

مَهابة تَتحاماها الصَناديدُ

But it was kept away from the places he treads

But it prohibited it from his resting places -

by an awe that mighty warriors shun.

Fearing the streamers the sentinels cast down.

مِن البَشانِقَة الغُر الذينَ لَهُم

مِن البَشانِقَة الغُر الذينَ لَهُم

لِواء حُسن عَلى الأَقمار مَعقودُ

لِواء حُسن عَلى الأَقمار مَعقودُ

He is among the radiant Bosniaks, for whom

Of the heroes the distinguished ones, who have

the banner of beauty is raised above the moons.

A banner of beauty raised over the moons.

نَحنُ المُسيئون إِن جاروا وَإِن عَدلوا

نَحنُ المُسيئون إِن جاروا وَإِن عَدلوا

وَما يَرون حَميداً فَهُوَ مَحمودُ

وَما يَرون حَميداً فَهُوَ مَحمودُ

We are the wrongdoers, whether they act unjustly or justly;

We are the wrong-doers, whether they be unjust or fair,

And whatever they deem praiseworthy is praised.

And they do not see praised but what is extolled.

وَالذُل أَشرَف عزّ في مَحبتهم

وَالذُل أَشرَف عزّ في مَحبتهم

وَشَريُ هَجرِهم أريٌ أَو قَنديدُ

وَشَريُ هَجرِهم أريٌ أَو قَنديدُ

And abasement is the noblest honor in loving them;

And humiliation is nobler than honor in their love,

And the colocynth of their estrangement is honey or wine.

And the evil of their estrangement is a flock of sheep or goats.

لا تَصحبنَ غَير حَر أَن ظَفرت بِهِ

لا تَصحبنَ غَير حَر أَن ظَفرت بِهِ

وَما سِواهُ إِذا جَرَبت تَنكيدُ

وَما سِواهُ إِذا جَرَبت تَنكيدُ

Keep company with none but a noble man, if you find one;

Do not accompany any but the free if you gain them,

And all others, when you test them, bring vexation.

And what is other, if you try, is vexation.