1. تَبدت فَلاح البَدر مِن داخل البَرد

    وَفاهَت فَأَضحى الدر مُنتَشر العقد

    She appeared, and the full moon shone from within the striped cloak.

    And she spoke, so the necklace's pearls lay scattered.

  2. وَمرت كَما مَر النَسيم فَلو رَنا

    إِلَيها صَحيح القَلب ماتَ مِن الوَجد

    And she passed like the breeze; if a man gazed

    At her, though sound of heart, he would die of passion.

  3. وَطارَ بِها ريح الصبا فَتَأودَت

    وَمالَت كَما مالَ القَضيب مِن الرند

    And the east wind carried her, so she swayed,

    And leaned as a slender branch of laurel leans.

  4. وَمن عجبي أن الكَريمة تَنتَمي

    إِلى الترك وَالأَلحاظ تعزى إِلى الهند

    And one wonder to me is that the noble lady belongs

    To the Turks, yet her glances are attributed to India.

  5. رَوى سلطها عَن طَلعة الفَجر غرة

    وَحمرة ذاكَ الخَد عَن حُمرة الوَرد

    Her [unclear word] recounted radiance from dawn's rising,

    And that cheek's redness, from the redness of the rose.

  6. وَحَدثنا ذاكَ الرضاب عَن اللَمى

    وَابريق ذاكَ الجيد عَن بيضة النهد

    And that sweet saliva told us of the lips' dusky hue,

    And the ewer of that neck told of the egg-like breast.

  7. وَلَم أَدرِ قَبل الحُب نَجلاء طفلة

    تَصيد فُؤاد اللَيث وَالأسد الوَرد

    And before love I never knew that a wide-eyed, tender maiden

    Could capture the heart of the lion and the tawny lion.

  8. وَلَما رَأتني في المَدائن فاغراً

    فمي نَحوَها وَالدمع قَد سال عَن خَدي

    And when she saw me in al-Mada'in, opening wide

    My mouth toward her, with tears already streaming from my cheek,

  9. رَمَتني فَما أَخطَت وَمرت فَما انثَنَت

    فَقُلت وَقَلبي ذاب مِن شدة الوَقد

    She shot at me without missing, and passed without turning back.

    So I said, while my heart melted from the fierce burning:

  10. خُذوا بِدَمي مِن ذا الغَزال فَإِنَّه

    رَماني بِسَهمي مقتليه عَلى عَمد

    Avenge my blood on this gazelle, for he

    Deliberately shot me with the twin arrows of his eyes [uncertain reading].

  11. وَلا تَقتلوه إِنَّني أنا عبده

    وَفي مذهَبي لا يقتل الحر بِالعَبد

    And do not kill him: I myself am his slave,

    And in my creed a free man is not killed for a slave.

  12. رَعى اللَه أَياماً تَقضت وَساعة

    لسارقها وَالعَقل ضل عَن الرُشد

    May God cherish days gone by, and an hour

    For the one who stole it, while reason strayed from sound judgment.

  13. وَدون حماها كُل أَصيد باسل

    يَصول بِأَقوام قساورة مرد

    And before her sanctuary stands every proud, valiant warrior,

    Who charges with bands of lions, beardless youths.

  14. أَقول لِمَن تلكَ القِباب مكنياً

    كَذاكر سَلمى وَالضَمير إِلى هند

    I ask, whose are those domes, speaking obliquely,

    Like one who names Salma while his thoughts turn to Hind.

  15. فَقَيل لأَقوام هم الأنف في الوَرى

    وَجمجمة الأَشراف في العز وَالمَجد

    I was told: To a people who are the nose of humankind,

    And the skull of the nobles in honor and glory.

  16. مُلوك مِن الأَتراك صينت رباعهم

    بسمر القنا الخطي وَالصارم الهندي

    Kings of the Turks, whose dwellings were safeguarded

    By dusky spears of al-Khatt and the keen Indian sword.

  17. مِن النفر الشم العَرانين إِن سَطوا

    أَبادوا وَإِن جادوا فَكَالوابل المجدي

    Of the band with lofty noses: if they attack,

    They annihilate; if they give, they are like an enriching downpour.

  18. فَقُلت لَقَد خاطرت يا نَفس بِالحشا

    وَبعت عَلى الأَتراك قَلباً بلا نقد

    So I said: O soul, you have indeed risked your innermost heart,

    And sold a heart to the Turks without payment.

  19. أَتَرجو الثُرَيا يا سهيل وَلَم تَزل

    تَروم الشفا وَالبرء مِن شفة الأسد

    Do you hope for al-Thurayya, O Suhayl, while you still

    Seek healing and recovery from the lion's lip?

  20. فَقالَت صه ما لي أَراك أَخا العُلى

    قَدحت وَما أوريت يا بارد الزند

    She said: Hush! Why do I see you, a brother of greatness,

    Having struck sparks yet lit no fire, O cold fire-stick?

  21. وأَنتَ يَماني الأُصول وَيانع ال

    فُروع وَزاكي الأُم وَالأَب وَالجد

    And you are Yemeni in your roots, flourishing in the

    Branches, with mother, father, and grandfather of pure stock.

  22. وَأَنت إِذا داعي الأَكارم قَد دَعا

    دعيت بِماضي الحَد وَالعلم الفَرد

    And you, when the summoner of noble men has called,

    Are named the keen-edged blade and the peerless standard.

  23. وَإِنَّك مَأمون البَوايق أَبلج

    وَإنَّك بَين السمط وَاسطة العقد

    And you are trusted to do no harm, bright of brow,

    And amid the strand you are the necklace's central jewel.

  24. وَما فيك غَير الفقر عيب وَإِنما

    يُعاب الفَتى لُؤماً وَلَو كان ذا جد

    You have no fault but poverty; it is only

    For baseness that a young man is blamed, even if he is wealthy.

  25. وَلا شَك أن المال عاد وَرائح

    وَان فخار المال مِن شيمة الوَغد

    And there is no doubt that wealth returns and departs,

    And boasting of wealth is a trait of the base.

  26. فَقُم وَادع للأَمر الخَطير أَخا العُلى

    وَلذ بِكَريم الأَصل مِن سالف العَهد

    So rise, and for this grave affair call upon a brother of greatness,

    And seek refuge with one whose lineage has long been noble:

  27. فَتى جاد بِالأَموال وَهيَ غَزيرة

    وَبَث النَدى وَالعرف في القُرب وَالبُعد

    A young man who gave generously of abundant wealth,

    And spread generosity and kindness near and far.

  28. كَريم مَتى أَمدحه أَمدحه وَالوَرى

    مَعي وَإِذا ما لمته لمته وَحدي

    A generous man: whenever I praise him, I praise him with all mankind

    Beside me; whenever I blame him, I blame him alone.

  29. أَتانا على شَوق إِلَيهِ وَجاءَنا

    عَلى قدر من غَير شَرط وَلا وَعد

    He came to us while we longed for him, and reached us

    By destiny, without stipulation or promise.

  30. بَشيراً بِمَولانا بَشيراً وَانَّها

    بَشائر لِلأَرواح أَحلى مِن القند

    Bearing glad tidings of our lord Bashir; and indeed these are

    Glad tidings sweeter to souls than sugar candy.

  31. فَيا مَرحَباً بِاللَيث جاء مسربلاً

    وَيا مرحباً بِالسَيف سل عَن الغَمد

    So welcome to the lion, who has come robed,

    And welcome to the sword drawn from its scabbard,

  32. وَيا مَرحباً بالبَدرِ غَير مبرقع

    وَيا مرحباً بالغَيثِ والجودِ والرفد

    And welcome to the unveiled full moon,

    And welcome to the rain, to generosity and gifts.

  33. وَيا مَرحباً بِالجود وَالسؤدد الَّذي

    أَناف بِهِ حَقاً عَلى كُل ذي مجد

    And welcome to the generosity and nobility by which

    He truly towered above every man of glory.

  34. فَخُذها فَقَد جاءَتكَ بكراً فَريدة

    رَقت منبر الأَفراح في طالع السعد

    So take her: she has come to you virgin and peerless,

    She ascended the pulpit of joys beneath good fortune's rising star.

  35. أَنتَ بِأَحاديث الصبابة تَشتَكي

    فَقَد تَنفع الشَكوى إِلى كُل ذي ود

    You complain through tales of ardent love;

    For complaint may help when offered to any loving heart.

  36. أَلا فارث لي في محنَتي يا ابن يوسف

    فَقَد ذُبت مِن فرط الصَبابة وَالوَجد

    Ah, then pity me in my ordeal, O son of Yusuf,

    For I have melted from excessive longing and passion.