جَيْشُ المَلَاحَةِ مَقْرُونٌ بهِ الظَّفَرُ

جَيْشُ المَلَاحَةِ مَقْرُونٌ بهِ الظَّفَرُ

كَذاكَ قَالتْ لَنا الأَحْدَاقُ والطُّرَرُ

كَذاكَ قَالتْ لَنا الأَحْدَاقُ والطُّرَرُ

Victory is bound to beauty's army.

The army of glory is accompanied by victory

So the pupils and forelocks have told us.

Thus the eyes and the knights have told us

فَاذْهَبْ إِذَا أَراكَ الحُسْنُ بَارِقَةً

فَاذْهَبْ إِذَا أَراكَ الحُسْنُ بَارِقَةً

فَإِنَّ دَمْعَكَ إِنْ تَسْتَسقها المَطَرُ

فَإِنَّ دَمْعَكَ إِنْ تَسْتَسقها المَطَرُ

So go, when beauty shows you a flash of lightning;

So go, if beauty appears radiant to you

for your tears, if you ask it for rain, are the rain.

For your tears, if the rain were to ask for them

وَنَادِ ظَبْيَ النَّقَا إِنْ عَنَّ مُلْتَفِتاً

وَنَادِ ظَبْيَ النَّقَا إِنْ عَنَّ مُلْتَفِتاً

يَا نُزْهَةَ العَيْنِ لَوْلَا الدَّمْعُ والسَّهَرُ

يَا نُزْهَةَ العَيْنِ لَوْلَا الدَّمْعُ والسَّهَرُ

And call to the dune's gazelle, should he appear, turning:

And call the gazelle of the sand dunes if it turns away heedlessly

O delight of the eye—were it not for tears and sleeplessness!

O delight of the eye, if not for tears and vigilance

إِنّي أَبُثُّكَ مِنْ شَرْحِ الهَوَى طُرَفاً

إِنّي أَبُثُّكَ مِنْ شَرْحِ الهَوَى طُرَفاً

فَبَعْضُ أَيْسَره عِنْدِي لَهُ سِيَرُ

فَبَعْضُ أَيْسَره عِنْدِي لَهُ سِيَرُ

I confide to you choice tales from an account of love;

I confide to you some of the agony of passion

for some of its simplest matters have chronicles in my keeping.

For me, part of its easiness is extremely difficult

سَهْلٌ وُقُوعُ الفَتَى لكِنْ تَخَلُّصُهُ

سَهْلٌ وُقُوعُ الفَتَى لكِنْ تَخَلُّصُهُ

صَعْبُ المَرامِ بَطِيءٌ سَيْرُهُ عَسِرُ

صَعْبُ المَرامِ بَطِيءٌ سَيْرُهُ عَسِرُ

A young man's fall is easy, but his escape

It is easy for the youth to fall, but his deliverance

is hard to attain, slow in its course, arduous.

Is hard to attain, its journey arduous

حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَفُزْ بِالصَّبْرِ حَامِلُهُ

حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يَفُزْ بِالصَّبْرِ حَامِلُهُ

رَامَ السُّلوَّ وَقَدْ لا يُسْعِدُ القَدَرُ

رَامَ السُّلوَّ وَقَدْ لا يُسْعِدُ القَدَرُ

Until, when its bearer finds no victory through patience,

Until, when the one carrying it does not succeed through patience

he seeks forgetfulness, though fate may offer no help.

He seeks solace, though fate may not bless

فإِنْ يَفُتْهُ يَمُتْ وَجْداً وإِنْ ظَفَرَتْ

فإِنْ يَفُتْهُ يَمُتْ وَجْداً وإِنْ ظَفَرَتْ

بِهِ يَداهُ تَبقَّى عِنْدَهُ أَثَرُ

بِهِ يَداهُ تَبقَّى عِنْدَهُ أَثَرُ

If it eludes him, he dies of longing; and if he gains

If he misses it, he dies of anguish, and if

it with his two hands, a trace remains with him.

His hands attain it, its traces remain with him

إِنّي وَإِنْ كُنْتُ أَنْهَى النَّاسَ عَنْ كَلَفٍ

إِنّي وَإِنْ كُنْتُ أَنْهَى النَّاسَ عَنْ كَلَفٍ

فإِنَّ لِي في الهَوَى شَأْناً لَهُ خَبَرُ

فإِنَّ لِي في الهَوَى شَأْناً لَهُ خَبَرُ

Indeed, though I warn people against infatuation,

Though I discourage people from burdening themselves

I have my own affair in love, and it has a tale.

I have in passion an affair that has knowledge of it

وَنَاظِراً بِتُّ في تَسْهِيدِهِ قَلقاً

وَنَاظِراً بِتُّ في تَسْهِيدِهِ قَلقاً

أَلُومُهُ ثُمَّ أَسْتَحْيي فَأَعْتَذِرُ

أَلُومُهُ ثُمَّ أَسْتَحْيي فَأَعْتَذِرُ

And an eye I spent the night restlessly keeping awake—

I look at the cheeks in their adornment anxious

I blame it, then feel ashamed and apologize.

I blame them, then become shy and apologize

يا حَبَّذَا مَعْهَدٌ لِلْحُسْنِ ما دَرَسَتْ

يا حَبَّذَا مَعْهَدٌ لِلْحُسْنِ ما دَرَسَتْ

رُسُومُهُ وَسَقَاهُ الدِّلُّ والخَفَرُ

رُسُومُهُ وَسَقَاهُ الدِّلُّ والخَفَرُ

How lovely an abode of beauty! Unfaded remain

O would that there was a place for beauty not worn down

its traces; coquetry and modesty have watered it.

By its customs, watered by the shadows and moonlight

يَرُوقُ لِلْحُسْنِ حَتَّى تُجْتَلَى غُرَرٌ

يَرُوقُ لِلْحُسْنِ حَتَّى تُجْتَلَى غُرَرٌ

بِسُوقِهِ وهُوَ لَوْ يَدْرِي بِهَا غَرَرُ

بِسُوقِهِ وهُوَ لَوْ يَدْرِي بِهَا غَرَرُ

It charms with beauty, until choice treasures are unveiled

Beauty is pleasing until hidden dangers are uncovered

in its market—yet it is peril, if only he knew of them.

In its features, though if it knew of them, it would be wary

سَاقَتْهُ نَحْوَ أباطِيلِ المُنَى صُوَرٌ

سَاقَتْهُ نَحْوَ أباطِيلِ المُنَى صُوَرٌ

مِنْ حُسْنِهَا تُلِيَتْ في حُبِّهِ سُوَرُ

مِنْ حُسْنِهَا تُلِيَتْ في حُبِّهِ سُوَرُ

Images led him toward the vain illusions of desire;

It has led him to the unrealities of wishes, images

for their beauty, suras were recited in love for him.

Of its beauty which when adorned with its love are secure

لاَ ذَنْبَ لِلعَيْنِ بَلْ لِلْقَلْبِ مَا خُلِقَتْ

لاَ ذَنْبَ لِلعَيْنِ بَلْ لِلْقَلْبِ مَا خُلِقَتْ

إلّا لِيُدْرِكَ مَا يُبْدِي لَهُ البَصَرُ

إلّا لِيُدْرِكَ مَا يُبْدِي لَهُ البَصَرُ

No blame rests on the eye, but on the heart; the eye was created

The eye is not to blame, but rather the heart created

only for the heart to grasp what sight reveals to it.

Only to realize what sight shows it

فَالقَدُّ فَالجِيدُ فالخَدُّ المُوَّردُ فَال

فَالقَدُّ فَالجِيدُ فالخَدُّ المُوَّردُ فَال

أَصْدَاغُ فالثَّغْرُ فالأَجْفَاُن فَالحَوَرُ

أَصْدَاغُ فالثَّغْرُ فالأَجْفَاُن فَالحَوَرُ

The stature, then the neck, then the rosy cheek, then the

So the stature, the neck, the blushed cheek, the

temple-locks, then the mouth, then the eyelids, then the eyes' deep black and bright white—

Sides of the mouth, the lips, the eyelids, the eyes

مَنازِلٌ ما سَرَتْ في حَيِّها مُهَجٌ

مَنازِلٌ ما سَرَتْ في حَيِّها مُهَجٌ

إِلَّا وأَوْقَفَها في حُبِّهِ الفِكَرُ

إِلَّا وأَوْقَفَها في حُبِّهِ الفِكَرُ

are dwellings: no souls pass by night through their quarter

Are stages, none of which a passion has moved through

without thoughts halting them in love for him.

Without pausing in its love and reflection

وَأَهْيَفَ كُلُّ قَلْبٍ في مَحَبَّتِهِ

وَأَهْيَفَ كُلُّ قَلْبٍ في مَحَبَّتِهِ

عَانٍ وكُلُّ دَمٍ في حُبِّهِ هَدَرُ

عَانٍ وكُلُّ دَمٍ في حُبِّهِ هَدَرُ

And a slender-waisted one: every heart that loves him

And every heart has fallen in love with it

is captive, and all blood shed for his love goes unavenged.

Yearning, and every tear for its love flows

أَفْكَرْتُ مُذْ غَابَ عَنِّي وَجْهُهُ سَهَرِي

أَفْكَرْتُ مُذْ غَابَ عَنِّي وَجْهُهُ سَهَرِي

حَيْثُ الكَرَى مُذْ تَغيبُ الشَّمْسُ يُنْتَظَرُ

حَيْثُ الكَرَى مُذْ تَغيبُ الشَّمْسُ يُنْتَظَرُ

Since his face vanished from me, I have pondered my sleeplessness,

Since his face disappeared from me I have thought in my vigil

when slumber is expected as soon as the sun sets.

Where al-Kara is, since the sun disappears it is expected

سَهْلُ العَرِيكَةِ مِثْلُ البَدْرِ في عُمرٍ

سَهْلُ العَرِيكَةِ مِثْلُ البَدْرِ في عُمرٍ

فَمَا أَلمَّ بِهِ كِبْرٌ وَلاَ كِبَرُ

فَمَا أَلمَّ بِهِ كِبْرٌ وَلاَ كِبَرُ

He is mild of temper, like the full moon in age;

Sahlu al-Arīkah is like the full moon in lifetime

neither arrogance nor old age has touched him.

So neither old age nor senility has afflicted it

لَوْلَا النُّهَى وظُنون الكاشِحين بِنا

لَوْلَا النُّهَى وظُنون الكاشِحين بِنا

لَكَانَ وِرْدُ الهَوَى مَا عَنْهُ لِي صَدَرُ

لَكَانَ وِرْدُ الهَوَى مَا عَنْهُ لِي صَدَرُ

Were it not for reason and the ill-wishers' suspicions of us,

If not for the prohibition and the suspecting gazes of critics

I would visit love's watering-place and never depart.

The visitation of love would be unceasing for me

لَيْسَ السِّيَادَةُ في سُودِ العُيونِ وَلَا

لَيْسَ السِّيَادَةُ في سُودِ العُيونِ وَلَا

بِالخَمْرِ يَرْفَعُ عَنْ وَجْهِ النُّهَى الخُمُرُ

بِالخَمْرِ يَرْفَعُ عَنْ وَجْهِ النُّهَى الخُمُرُ

Preeminence does not lie in black eyes, nor

Glory lies not in black eyes, nor does

does wine lift the veils from reason's face.

Wine lift the veil of prohibition from the face

يَا ساقِي الشَّرْب عطِّلْها فَقَدْ جُلِيَتْ

يَا ساقِي الشَّرْب عطِّلْها فَقَدْ جُلِيَتْ

بِغَيْرِ ذاتِ الحبابِ النَّفْسُ والفِكَرُ

بِغَيْرِ ذاتِ الحبابِ النَّفْسُ والفِكَرُ

O cupbearer to the drinkers, set it aside: already brightened

O cupbearer, cease it, for without the beloved's

without the bubbling wine are the soul and thoughts.

Cheek, the soul and thoughts are revealed

وَيا ظِباءَ الحِمَى لَا السَّرْبُ يُطْمِعُنِي

وَيا ظِباءَ الحِمَى لَا السَّرْبُ يُطْمِعُنِي

مِنْهُ السَّرابُ وَلَا مِنْ جِيرة الحَوَرُ

مِنْهُ السَّرابُ وَلَا مِنْ جِيرة الحَوَرُ

And O gazelles of the preserve, I am not enticed toward the herd

And O roe deer of the sanctuary, neither mirage

by its mirage, nor toward neighbors by their eyes' striking contrast.

Nor an echo from the neighbor charms me

وَيَا غُصُونَ النَّقا لا أَصْلُكُنَّ هُوَ ال

وَيَا غُصُونَ النَّقا لا أَصْلُكُنَّ هُوَ ال

ظِّلُّ الظَّلِيلُ ولا الحُلْوُ الجَنَى الثَّمَرُ

ظِّلُّ الظَّلِيلُ ولا الحُلْوُ الجَنَى الثَّمَرُ

And O branches of the dune, your root is not the

O branches of the sand dunes, he is not

deep, sheltering shade, nor is the fruit sweet to gather.

The shade of shade, nor the sweetness of fruit

وَيا دِيارَ الحِمَى شُطِّي أَوِ اقْتَربي

وَيا دِيارَ الحِمَى شُطِّي أَوِ اقْتَربي

إنْ شاءَ جَادَكِ أَوْ لا جَادَكِ المَطَرُ

إنْ شاءَ جَادَكِ أَوْ لا جَادَكِ المَطَرُ

And O dwellings of the preserve, be distant or draw near;

And O land of the sanctuary, come closer or farther

let the rain drench you, if it wishes—or not.

If your rain cloud wills, or does not spill its rain

لِي هِمَّةٌ في العُلى لا طالَ لي عُمْرٌ

لِي هِمَّةٌ في العُلى لا طالَ لي عُمْرٌ

إنْ كانَ في سَاعِدي عَنْ نَيْلِها قِصَرُ

إنْ كانَ في سَاعِدي عَنْ نَيْلِها قِصَرُ

I aspire to the heights—may my life not be long

I have ambition for the heights, no length of life is long

if my arm is too short to reach them.

If my arm falls short of attaining it

وَلَيْس تَضْمَرُ لِي خَيْلٌ وَلَا إِبِلٌ

وَلَيْس تَضْمَرُ لِي خَيْلٌ وَلَا إِبِلٌ

ما تُضْمِر المُعْزَماتِ البيضُ والسُّمُرُ

ما تُضْمِر المُعْزَماتِ البيضُ والسُّمُرُ

Nor do horses or camels grow lean for me

I have no horses or camels harboring

as white swords and brown spears make weighty undertakings slight.

What white and brown steeds harbor of determination

قالوا الشَّبيبةُ عَنْ دَعْواهُ تَزْجُرُهُ

قالوا الشَّبيبةُ عَنْ دَعْواهُ تَزْجُرُهُ

لَقَدْ صَدقْتُمْ وَلكِنْ لَيْس يَزْدَجِرُ

لَقَدْ صَدقْتُمْ وَلكِنْ لَيْس يَزْدَجِرُ

They said, 'His youth deters him from his claim.'

They said: Youthfulness will deter him from his claim

You have spoken truly, yet he is not deterred.

You spoke truthfully, but it will not deter me

إِنَّ الّذي لَمْ يَزلْ في عَزْمِهِ كِبَرٌ

إِنَّ الّذي لَمْ يَزلْ في عَزْمِهِ كِبَرٌ

ما ضَرَّهُ إِنْ يَكُنْ في سنِّهِ صِغَرُ

ما ضَرَّهُ إِنْ يَكُنْ في سنِّهِ صِغَرُ

Surely one whose resolve has always held greatness

For he in whom determination has always been greatness

is not harmed if he is young in years.

Is not harmed if his age be small

لِي بالأَميرِ أَدامَ اللَّهُ رِفْعَتَهُ

لِي بالأَميرِ أَدامَ اللَّهُ رِفْعَتَهُ

عِزٌّ مُنيفٌ بِهِ أَسْطُو وأَقْتَدِرُ

عِزٌّ مُنيفٌ بِهِ أَسْطُو وأَقْتَدِرُ

Through the emir—may God preserve his exalted rank—I have

Through the Prince, may God perpetuate his glory, I have

lofty honor, by which I strike and wield power.

Honor enabling me, through which I gain power

وَإِنَّكَ ابْنُ جَلا لكنْ عُرِفْتَ فَلَا

وَإِنَّكَ ابْنُ جَلا لكنْ عُرِفْتَ فَلَا

تُلْقِ العَمَامَة أَنَّى يُجْهَلُ القَمَرُ

تُلْقِ العَمَامَة أَنَّى يُجْهَلُ القَمَرُ

And you are indeed Ibn Jala, yet already known, so do not

You are the son of nobility, but you were recognized thus disguise not

cast off your turban—how could the moon go unrecognized?

The turban however the moon may be unknown