ثَنَت لِوداعهِ الأعطاف يُسرا

ثَنَت لِوداعهِ الأعطاف يُسرا

فَكانَ هناكَ منها العسرُ يُسرا

فَكانَ هناكَ منها العسرُ يُسرا

At bidding him farewell, she bent her supple sides to the left,

Yusra bent her form to bid him farewell,

and there, with her, hardship turned to ease.

and there, through her, hardship became ease.

وَأَقلقَها جوى الفرقا فَفاضَت

وَأَقلقَها جوى الفرقا فَفاضَت

مَدامِعُها عَلى الخدّينِ قَطرا

مَدامِعُها عَلى الخدّينِ قَطرا

The anguish of separation troubled her, and out poured

The anguish of parting troubled her, and there flowed

her tears upon both cheeks, drop after drop.

her tears, drop by drop, upon both cheeks.

فَكانَ الدرُّ مبسمها وعقد ال

فَكانَ الدرُّ مبسمها وعقد ال

جمان وَدمعُها درّاً ودرّا

جمان وَدمعُها درّاً ودرّا

Pearls were her smiling teeth and her necklace of

Her smiling mouth was pearl, and her necklace of

pearls; her flowing tears, too, were pearls.

pearls and her tears were pearl upon pearl.

تَشابهن الثلاثة غير هذا

تَشابهن الثلاثة غير هذا

بدا نظماً وذاكً يلوحُ نثرا

بدا نظماً وذاكً يلوحُ نثرا

The three resembled one another, except that one

The three resembled one another, except that this

appeared strung, while another gleamed scattered.

appeared strung, while that gleamed scattered.

ظَللنا في اِعتباقٍ واِستِلامٍ

ظَللنا في اِعتباقٍ واِستِلامٍ

تجدّد من قديمِ العهدِ ذِكرا

تجدّد من قديمِ العهدِ ذِكرا

We remained embracing and exchanging kisses,

We remained in embraces and caresses,

reviving the memory of an ancient bond.

renewing remembrance of our old bond.

فَلَو أبصرتَنا أبصرتَ منّا

فَلَو أبصرتَنا أبصرتَ منّا

هلالاً في الوداعِ يضمُّ بَدرا

هلالاً في الوداعِ يضمُّ بَدرا

Had you seen us, you would have seen in us

Had you seen us, you would have seen in us

a crescent at farewell embracing a full moon:

a crescent at farewell embracing a full moon.

فَتاة تُخجلُ الأغصانَ قدّاً

فَتاة تُخجلُ الأغصانَ قدّاً

وَتُخجل أقحوانَ الروضِ كشرا

وَتُخجل أقحوانَ الروضِ كشرا

a maiden whose figure puts the branches to shame,

A maiden whose figure puts the branches to shame,

and whose smile shames the meadow’s daisies.

and whose smile shames the garden's daisies.

إِذا أسررت فيها بعض وجدي

إِذا أسررت فيها بعض وجدي

جَرى دَمعي فَكان السرّ جَهرا

جَرى دَمعي فَكان السرّ جَهرا

Whenever I concealed some of my longing for her,

Whenever I concealed some of my longing for her,

my tears ran, making the secret public.

my tears flowed, making the secret public.

غَزالٌ يَرتعي الأحشاء لا من

غَزالٌ يَرتعي الأحشاء لا من

مفازاتِ الفلا شيحاً وسِدرا

مفازاتِ الفلا شيحاً وسِدرا

A gazelle grazing upon the innermost heart—not upon

A gazelle grazing on my heart's depths, not on

the wilderness’s wormwood and lote trees—

wormwood and lote trees from the desert wastes.

وَشمس ما لَها أَبداً مدارٌ

وَشمس ما لَها أَبداً مدارٌ

فَتنزلُ منه إِكليلاً وغفرا

فَتنزلُ منه إِكليلاً وغفرا

and a sun that never has an orbit,

And a sun that never has an orbit

before which al-Iklīl and al-Ghafr sink low.

from which to descend into Iklil and Ghafr.

وربّة ليلةٍ طرقت هجوعاً

وربّة ليلةٍ طرقت هجوعاً

فَكانت قبلَ وقتِ الفجرِ فَجرا

فَكانت قبلَ وقتِ الفجرِ فَجرا

Many a night I visited her while she slept,

And many a night she visited while I slept,

and before the hour of dawn, she became a dawn.

and she was dawn before dawn's appointed hour.

فَقمتُ أضمّها حتّى إذا مجت

فَقمتُ أضمّها حتّى إذا مجت

خلواتنا صدراً وصَدرا

خلواتنا صدراً وصَدرا

I rose and held her close, until

I rose to embrace her, until there poured forth

our secluded meetings brought us breast to breast.

from our seclusion one breast and another.

إِذا قبّلت والوجناتُ حمرا

إِذا قبّلت والوجناتُ حمرا

تغشّاها الحياءُ فصرنَ صفرا

تغشّاها الحياءُ فصرنَ صفرا

Whenever I kissed her while her cheeks were red,

When I kissed her, her cheeks red,

bashfulness covered them, and they turned pale.

bashfulness veiled her, and they turned pale yellow.

تُدير عليَّ مِن يدها وفيها

تُدير عليَّ مِن يدها وفيها

عَلى تَصريفها جمراً وخمرا

عَلى تَصريفها جمراً وخمرا

She passed me a cup from her hand—and within it,

She passes me, from her hand and her mouth,

as she turned it, were both fire and wine.

as she dispenses them, embers and wine.

لَياليَ لا تزالُ رياض لهوي

لَياليَ لا تزالُ رياض لهوي

بَهيجاتٍ حواشيهنّ خضرا

بَهيجاتٍ حواشيهنّ خضرا

Nights that never ceased to be gardens of my pleasure,

Nights when the gardens of my pleasure were ever

radiant, with all their borders green;

delightful, their borders green.

وَريحُ شَبيبتي تجري رخاءً

وَريحُ شَبيبتي تجري رخاءً

وأَنجمُ صَبوتي يَعلون زهرا

وأَنجمُ صَبوتي يَعلون زهرا

the breeze of my youth blew softly,

And the breeze of my youth blew gently,

and the stars of my passion rose in bloom.

and the stars of my youthful passion rose radiant.

عَرفتُ حوادثَ الأيّام حتّى

عَرفتُ حوادثَ الأيّام حتّى

قتلتُ خطوبَها عزماً وَصبرا

قتلتُ خطوبَها عزماً وَصبرا

I came to know the assaults of the days, until

I came to know the misfortunes of the days until

I slew their calamities with resolve and patience.

I slew their calamities with resolve and patience.

إِذا ما خلتُ حادثةً تقضّت

إِذا ما خلتُ حادثةً تقضّت

أتَت مِن بعدها أُخرى وأُخرى

أتَت مِن بعدها أُخرى وأُخرى

Whenever I thought one misfortune had passed,

Whenever I thought one misfortune had ended,

another followed it, and still another.

another came after it, and another.

وحلّ نشا وأفكاري إلى أن

وحلّ نشا وأفكاري إلى أن

رَأيتُ خفيَّ ما في الغيب فكرا

رَأيتُ خفيَّ ما في الغيب فكرا

The roaming of my thoughts continued until

And [unclear wording] and my thoughts, until

through reflection, I saw what lies hidden in the unseen.

I saw through thought what was hidden in the unseen.

بَلوتُ الدهرَ حتّى لو بعلمي

بَلوتُ الدهرَ حتّى لو بعلمي

لكنتُ شفيته علماً وخُبرا

لكنتُ شفيته علماً وخُبرا

I tested Time so thoroughly that, with my knowledge,

I tested Time until, if [it could be healed] by my knowledge,

I could have cured it through understanding and experience.

I would have healed it with knowledge and experience.

وَكيفَ يُريبهُ منّي اِختبارٌ

وَكيفَ يُريبهُ منّي اِختبارٌ

وَقَد عايشتُهُ مرّاً وحلوا

وَقَد عايشتُهُ مرّاً وحلوا

How, then, could any test of mine perplex it?

And how could my testing give it cause for doubt,

I lived with it in bitterness and sweetness.

when I have lived with it, bitter and sweet?

وَقَد فتّشت أَهليهِ جميعاً

وَقَد فتّشت أَهليهِ جميعاً

وَقَد قلّبتهُم بطناً وظهرا

وَقَد قلّبتهُم بطناً وظهرا

I searched among all its people

I have examined all its people,

and turned them over, belly and back.

and turned them over, belly and back.

إِذا ما العيشُ فاتَكَ فيه يسراً

إِذا ما العيشُ فاتَكَ فيه يسراً

فَلاحظهُ بِطرفِ العين شزرا

فَلاحظهُ بِطرفِ العين شزرا

If ease eludes you in this life,

If ease eludes you in life,

then look at life askance, from the corner of your eye.

then regard it with a sidelong glance.

رَأيت الفقرَ قبل الموت موتاً

رَأيت الفقرَ قبل الموت موتاً

لِصاحبهِ وقبل القبر قبرا

لِصاحبهِ وقبل القبر قبرا

I saw poverty as death before death

I have seen poverty as death before death

for its sufferer, and as a grave before the grave.

for its sufferer, and a grave before the grave.

وَعمرُ المرءِ حبلٌ كلَّ يومٍ

وَعمرُ المرءِ حبلٌ كلَّ يومٍ

تمرّ بهِ تقصّر منهُ شِبرا

تمرّ بهِ تقصّر منهُ شِبرا

A person’s life is a rope from which, each day,

A person's life is a rope: every day

the passing day shortens a span.

you pass through, you shorten it by a handspan.

قَطعت الأرضَ مِن شرقٍ وغربٍ

قَطعت الأرضَ مِن شرقٍ وغربٍ

وَجزت تُخومها برّاً وبحرا

وَجزت تُخومها برّاً وبحرا

I crossed the earth from east to west

I traversed the earth, east and west,

and passed its frontiers by land and sea,

and crossed its borders by land and sea,

إِلى أَن صارَ ساكنها جميعاً

إِلى أَن صارَ ساكنها جميعاً

هناكَ يظنّني كالخضر خضرا

هناكَ يظنّني كالخضر خضرا

until all its inhabitants, there,

until all its inhabitants came

came to think me as evergreen as al-Khidr.

there to think me a Khidr, like al-Khidr.

وَلَم أرَ كالمظفّرِ مِن مليكٍ

وَلَم أرَ كالمظفّرِ مِن مليكٍ

عَلى الدُنيا منَ الأملاكِ طرّا

عَلى الدُنيا منَ الأملاكِ طرّا

Never among kings have I seen one like al-Muzaffar—

And I have seen no king like al-Muzaffar

not among all the kings upon the earth.

in this world, among all kings.

مَليكٌ أعدلُ الأملاكِ ملكاً

مَليكٌ أعدلُ الأملاكِ ملكاً

وَأَندى راحةً وأجلّ قَدرا

وَأَندى راحةً وأجلّ قَدرا

A king, the most just of kings in rule,

A king, the most just of kings in rule,

the most open-handed and the loftiest in rank.

the most generous of palm and greatest in stature.

فَما دار اِبن دارا في علاهُ

فَما دار اِبن دارا في علاهُ

يُطاولهُ ولا كِسرى بن كسرى

يُطاولهُ ولا كِسرى بن كسرى

No Dārā son of Dārā, in his glory,

Not even Dar, son of Dara, in his eminence,

could rival him, nor Khosrow son of Khosrow.

can rival him, nor Kisra, son of Kisra.

فَتىً عمَّ الأصادقَ والأعادي

فَتىً عمَّ الأصادقَ والأعادي

عَلى اِستِحقاقهم نفعاً وضرّا

عَلى اِستِحقاقهم نفعاً وضرّا

A young lord whose reach embraces loyal friends and enemies,

A young man who encompassed friends and foes

granting benefit or harm according to what they merit.

with benefit and harm according to their deserts.

وخطّت فضله أَيدي الأيادي

وخطّت فضله أَيدي الأيادي

فَأصبحَ في جبينِ الأرضِ سَطرا

فَأصبحَ في جبينِ الأرضِ سَطرا

The hands of benefactions inscribed his excellence,

And bounty's hands inscribed his excellence,

until it became a line upon the earth’s brow.

so it became a line upon the earth's brow.

له خلقٌ لنائلهِ يحاكي

له خلقٌ لنائلهِ يحاكي

رِياض الجرنِ إِبهاجاً ونشرا

رِياض الجرنِ إِبهاجاً ونشرا

His character, matching his largesse,

His manner toward those who receive his bounty resembles

is like the gardens of Paradise in joy and fragrance.

the gardens of al-Jurn in delight and fragrance.

بهِ وَبِملكهِ اِفتخرَت عمان

بهِ وَبِملكهِ اِفتخرَت عمان

فعقّب شاؤها شاماً ومصرا

فعقّب شاؤها شاماً ومصرا

Through him and his reign Oman took pride,

Through him and his rule, Oman took pride,

while Syria and Egypt followed behind her eminence.

and its reach left Syria and Egypt behind.

وَطاولتِ السماءَ الأرضُ حتّى

وَطاولتِ السماءَ الأرضُ حتّى

عَلَت بهرامها شرفاً وفخرا

عَلَت بهرامها شرفاً وفخرا

Earth rivaled heaven itself, until

And the earth rivaled the sky until

through its Bahrām it rose in honor and pride.

it surpassed the sky's Bahram in honor and pride.

خضمٌّ للندا لجبٌ وليثٌ

خضمٌّ للندا لجبٌ وليثٌ

يَكونُ عرينهُ بيضاً وسُمرا

يَكونُ عرينهُ بيضاً وسُمرا

A roaring ocean of generosity, and a lion

A roaring ocean of generosity, and a lion

whose lair is white blades and brown spears.

whose lair is white swords and brown spears.

أَلا يا مَن أَحاطَ الملك عدلاً

أَلا يا مَن أَحاطَ الملك عدلاً

وَمن رَضِيت به الأعداءُ قَسرا

وَمن رَضِيت به الأعداءُ قَسرا

O you who have encompassed the realm with justice,

Behold, O you who encompassed the realm with justice,

and whom even enemies have been compelled to accept:

and whom enemies accepted under compulsion,

إِليكَ بنا سَرت عيس الأماني

إِليكَ بنا سَرت عيس الأماني

فَغدواً شهرُها وتروحُ شَهرا

فَغدواً شهرُها وتروحُ شَهرا

toward you the white camels of our hopes have carried us,

to you the pale camels of hope carried us by night,

covering a month’s journey at dawn and another month’s by evening.

their morning course a month, their evening course a month.

تجوبُ بِنا إِلى صلةِ المُنى مِن

تجوبُ بِنا إِلى صلةِ المُنى مِن

مفاوز بأسها سهلاً ووعرا

مفاوز بأسها سهلاً ووعرا

They traverse with us, toward you, the desert of hopes,

They cross with us toward the granting of wishes, through

across wastes, whether their hardship be smooth or rugged.

their perilous wastes, both level and rugged.

وَتحملُ مِن بضائِعها جماناً

وَتحملُ مِن بضائِعها جماناً

تصرّف في النظامِ فصارَ شِعرا

تصرّف في النظامِ فصارَ شِعرا

They carry among their merchandise strings of pearls

And they carry among their wares pearls

which, arranged upon the thread, have become poetry.

which, transformed through stringing, became poetry.