أَسيرُ غرامٍ ذائبُ القلبِ معمود

أَسيرُ غرامٍ ذائبُ القلبِ معمود

عَلى قلبهِ جمرُ الصبابةِ موقودُ

عَلى قلبهِ جمرُ الصبابةِ موقودُ

A captive of passion, melting of heart and stricken,

I'm a prisoner of passionate love, my heart consumed,

on his heart the embers of longing are kindled.

On my heart the embers of youth wildly ablaze.

تَمنّع أَن ينقادَ يوماً للائمٍ

تَمنّع أَن ينقادَ يوماً للائمٍ

فَيردعه في الحبِّ لومٌ وتفنيدُ

فَيردعه في الحبِّ لومٌ وتفنيدُ

He refuses ever to submit to a reproacher,

I refused to be led once by the blamer,

and be deterred in love by blame and charges of folly.

To be deterred from love by blame and censure.

أَقولُ لعذّالي دعوا اللومَ واِرفقوا

أَقولُ لعذّالي دعوا اللومَ واِرفقوا

فإنّيَ عن لومِ العواذلِ مصدودُ

فإنّيَ عن لومِ العواذلِ مصدودُ

I tell my reproachers: leave off blame and be gentle,

I say to those who blame me, stop your blaming and be gentle,

for I am closed to the blame of reproachers.

For I am deaf to the blame of censurers.

وَلي مسمع من ساغ لي حبّ علوة

وَلي مسمع من ساغ لي حبّ علوة

عَنِ اللومِ مستكّ الصمايخِ مسدودُ

عَنِ اللومِ مستكّ الصمايخِ مسدودُ

And since love of Alwa grew sweet to me, my hearing

My hearing is attentive to her who allowed me her love,

is deaf in its ear canals, sealed against reproach.

Deaf to blame, though the old men blame persistently.

تَغزّلت فيها والتغزّلُ في الهوى

تَغزّلت فيها والتغزّلُ في الهوى

لباب الهوى بعدَ التعلّق إقليدُ

لباب الهوى بعدَ التعلّق إقليدُ

I sang love verses of her; such verse in passion

I became infatuated with her, and infatuation in passion

is a key to love's gate after attachment takes hold.

Is the key to the door of love after attachment.

غَرامٌ لهُ الأكبادُ تنقدّ لوعةً

غَرامٌ لهُ الأكبادُ تنقدّ لوعةً

وَلَو أنّما الأكبادُ صمٌّ جلاميدُ

وَلَو أنّما الأكبادُ صمٌّ جلاميدُ

A passion for which livers split with burning anguish,

A love whose livers melt in anguish,

even if those livers were solid boulders.

As if the livers were deaf, unresponding boulders.

قطوفُ الخطا خودٌ كأنّ قوامها

قطوفُ الخطا خودٌ كأنّ قوامها

إِذا ما تثنّت في التخطّر أملودُ

إِذا ما تثنّت في التخطّر أملودُ

A tender maiden, slow of step, whose figure seems

The fruits of error are cheeks whose stature

a supple bough when she sways in her graceful walk.

When they flex in a coquettish smile, is pliant.

وَكَم ليلةٍ باتت تبيحُ لنا الجنى

وَكَم ليلةٍ باتت تبيحُ لنا الجنى

وَقَد مالَ منها العطفُ نحوي والجيدُ

وَقَد مالَ منها العطفُ نحوي والجيدُ

And many a night she spent offering us the fruit,

How many nights stayed permitting us the harvest

her side and neck already inclined toward me.

While affection toward me leaned from her, and her neck.

لياليَ غُصني بالشبيبةِ مورقٌ

لياليَ غُصني بالشبيبةِ مورقٌ

وَوصلي معَ البيض الخرايد مودودُ

وَوصلي معَ البيض الخرايد مودودُ

In those nights my bough was leafy with youth,

Nights whose branches leafed out for me in youth,

and my union with fair, untouched maidens was cherished.

My union with the white, effulgent full moons continual.

وَذنبيَ مغفورٌ مع البيضِ إن رنت

وَذنبيَ مغفورٌ مع البيضِ إن رنت

إِلى رَونقي حنّت ليَ الخرّدُ الغيدُ

إِلى رَونقي حنّت ليَ الخرّدُ الغيدُ

And my fault was forgiven among fair women; if they gazed

My sins are forgiven with the white moons if they incline

at my radiance, the supple, untouched maidens yearned for me.

Toward my flourishing, warbled to me by the twittering birds.

وَماءُ الشبابِ الغضِّ يَجري كأنّما

وَماءُ الشبابِ الغضِّ يَجري كأنّما

ذَوائبُ شعري في القذالِ عناقيدُ

ذَوائبُ شعري في القذالِ عناقيدُ

And the water of tender youth flowed, as though

The fresh water of youth flows as though

the tresses of my hair at the nape were grape clusters.

My tresses in braids were its meandering streams.

فَتِلكم حالٌ تقضّت ولم يكن

فَتِلكم حالٌ تقضّت ولم يكن

ليورقَ لي من بعد ذا كلّه عودُ

ليورقَ لي من بعد ذا كلّه عودُ

So that state has passed away, and no

That was a state that has passed, nor will

bough would grow leaves for me after all that.

Any freshness for me after all that return or be renewed.

وَأَضحى نوالي زلّةً وخطيئةً

وَأَضحى نوالي زلّةً وخطيئةً

معَ البيضِ والمودود في ذاك مرهودُ

معَ البيضِ والمودود في ذاك مرهودُ

And my favors became a lapse and a sin

Now my intimacy is considered a stumble and sin

with fair women; the once-beloved was now rebuffed.

Along with the white and effulgent; in that I am forbidden.

أَلا إنّما الدنيا سرورٌ ومحنةٌ

أَلا إنّما الدنيا سرورٌ ومحنةٌ

وَطاردها فيما يحاول مطرودُ

وَطاردها فيما يحاول مطرودُ

Lo, this world is only joy and tribulation,

Behold, the world is but joy and tribulation,

and he who chases it is chased away from what he seeks.

And the one pursued in it is ever expelled.

وَما موردٌ عَن ورده خفّ وارد

وَما موردٌ عَن ورده خفّ وارد

من الخلقِ إلّا وهو من بعد مورودُ

من الخلقِ إلّا وهو من بعد مورودُ

There is no watering place from which a drinker departs,

No pilgrim to a meadow leaves it untroubled,

among mankind, but it is visited again afterward.

Of people, without being after driven away.

وعمرُ الفَتى حبلٌ ضعيفٌ وإنّه

وعمرُ الفَتى حبلٌ ضعيفٌ وإنّه

عَلى خطرٍ مِن حادث الدهر ممدودُ

عَلى خطرٍ مِن حادث الدهر ممدودُ

A man's lifetime is a frail cord, and it

A young man's life is a flimsy rope, and he

is stretched out, imperiled by the calamities of time.

Is stretched out in danger of the blows of fate.

قَضى اللّه أَنّ الملكَ في الأرضِ للفتى

قَضى اللّه أَنّ الملكَ في الأرضِ للفتى

أَبي العربِ القرم اِبن سلطان معقودُ

أَبي العربِ القرم اِبن سلطان معقودُ

God decreed that sovereignty on earth, for the hero

God has ordained that the possession of earth belongs to the young man,

Abu al-Arab, the noble chief, Ibn Sultan, be secured.

The intrepid Arab, son of the Sultan, power conferred on him.

فتىً نطقهُ في الحكمِ نصٌّ وملكهُ

فتىً نطقهُ في الحكمِ نصٌّ وملكهُ

لأمّته لطفٌ وأمنٌ وتسديدُ

لأمّته لطفٌ وأمنٌ وتسديدُ

A hero whose words in judgment are authoritative, and whose rule

A young man whose speech in judgment is precedent, his kingdom

is kindness, security, and right guidance for his people.

For his nation, kindness, security, and good guidance.

فَمَذهبهُ في ملكهِ العدلُ والتُقى

فَمَذهبهُ في ملكهِ العدلُ والتُقى

وملّتهُ في الأمةِ البأسُ والجودُ

وملّتهُ في الأمةِ البأسُ والجودُ

His way of ruling is justice and piety,

His way in his kingdom is justice and piety,

and his creed among the people is valor and generosity.

His nation under him valorous and generous.

وَنائلهُ للوفدِ فيضُ غمامةٍ

وَنائلهُ للوفدِ فيضُ غمامةٍ

وَضَربته في جبهةِ الكبش أخدودُ

وَضَربته في جبهةِ الكبش أخدودُ

And his bounty to delegations is a raincloud's downpour,

Bestower of torrents of bounty on embassies,

and his blow on the ram's forehead cuts a furrow.

His blow on the brow of the ram is a deep cleft.

يورّثه المجدَ المؤثّل يعربٌ

يورّثه المجدَ المؤثّل يعربٌ

وَيرفعهُ في مشمخرّ العلا هودُ

وَيرفعهُ في مشمخرّ العلا هودُ

Ya'rub bequeaths deep-rooted glory to him,

He will bequeath everlasting glory to the eloquent Arab,

and Hud lifts him among the towering heights of eminence.

And raise him to the towering heights of loftiness.

ويمنهُ في الإحسانِ بيتُ ابن مالكٍ

ويمنهُ في الإحسانِ بيتُ ابن مالكٍ

وَنصر بن زهران وغوث وأخلودُ

وَنصر بن زهران وغوث وأخلودُ

And the house of Ibn Malik blesses him in beneficence,

His right hand in benefaction is the house of the son of Malik,

and Nasr ibn Zahran, and Ghawth, and Akhlud.

And Nasr ibn Zuhran, succor and eternity.

فَيا طالباً شكلاً ففرّ واِرعوي

فَيا طالباً شكلاً ففرّ واِرعوي

فَما شكلهُ في جملةِ الخلق موجودُ

فَما شكلهُ في جملةِ الخلق موجودُ

So, seeker of his equal, flee and desist,

So O you who seek a likeness, flee far,

for his equal is not found among all creation.

For his likeness among all people is nonexistent.

إِليك ابن سلطانٍ أَتتك هديةٌ

إِليك ابن سلطانٍ أَتتك هديةٌ

لِمَجدك تاجٌ لم يزايله تخليدُ

لِمَجدك تاجٌ لم يزايله تخليدُ

To you, Ibn Sultan, a gift has come:

To you, son of the Sultan, has come a gift

a crown for your glory, from which immortal remembrance never parts.

For your glory, a crown no cessation will erase.

وَهنّيتَ بِالملكِ الجديدِ وبالّذي

وَهنّيتَ بِالملكِ الجديدِ وبالّذي

أَتاكَ مزيداً والزيادة تجديدُ

أَتاكَ مزيداً والزيادة تجديدُ

And congratulations on your new kingship, and on what

You rejoiced in the new kingdom and in him

has come to you as an increase; increase is renewal.

Who brought you increase, and increase is renewal.

وَلا عجباً أَن زدتَ ملكاً على الألى

وَلا عجباً أَن زدتَ ملكاً على الألى

تقضّوا منَ الآباء والملك تمهيدُ

تقضّوا منَ الآباء والملك تمهيدُ

Nor is it strange that you surpassed in kingship those

No wonder you added a kingdom to the lofty ones

forefathers who have passed away; kingship lays foundations.

Bequeathed by the fathers, the kingdom prepared.

فَإنّ سليمانَ بن داودَ قد حوى

فَإنّ سليمانَ بن داودَ قد حوى

منَ الملكِ ما لم يحو قبل داودُ

منَ الملكِ ما لم يحو قبل داودُ

For Solomon son of David acquired

For Solomon son of David contained

dominion that David had not acquired before him.

Of the kingdom what David before him did not contain.

وَعِش طاهرَ العرض المصونِ محسّداً

وَعِش طاهرَ العرض المصونِ محسّداً

فَكلّ اِمرئٍ ندب على الفضل محسودُ

فَكلّ اِمرئٍ ندب على الفضل محسودُ

And live with your guarded honor unstained, much envied,

Live of spotless virtue, secure from envy,

for every gallant man is envied for his excellence.

For every person regrets the superior virtue of another.

فَمن يحتوي عقر اِبن زيدة ملكه

فَمن يحتوي عقر اِبن زيدة ملكه

وَقلعة قصرٍ فهوَ لا شكّ مسعودُ

وَقلعة قصرٍ فهوَ لا شكّ مسعودُ

For he whose realm encompasses the estate of Ibn Zayda

He who can encompass the citadel of the kingdom of ibn Zaydah

and a palace's citadel is, without doubt, fortunate.

And the fortress of his palace, is no doubt fortunate.