سفرت بِوَجه نير براق

سفرت بِوَجه نير براق

فَسرت مَحاسنها عَلى الآفاق

فَسرت مَحاسنها عَلى الآفاق

She unveiled herself with a radiant, gleaming face;

With a radiant, glowing face she traveled,

So her charms spread across the horizons.

Spreading her beauty over the horizons.

وَعلت عَلى شَرف الجَمال وَإنها

وَعلت عَلى شَرف الجَمال وَإنها

وَلعت بفت مَرائر العُشاق

وَلعت بفت مَرائر العُشاق

And she rose to beauty's heights; indeed, she

She rose to the pinnacle of perfection, and she

Delighted in breaking the resolve of lovers.

Kindled the passions of all the lovers.

حرست محاسنها الجُفون لأَنَّها

حرست محاسنها الجُفون لأَنَّها

سَحرت بسحر حل في الآماقِ

سَحرت بسحر حل في الآماقِ

The eyelids guarded her charms, because she

Her charms were guarded by her eyelids, for

Bewitched with a spell dwelling in the corners of the eyes.

She had enchanted with a spell piercing the depths.

وَقرت بِقُرآن الجَمال تَنزها

وَقرت بِقُرآن الجَمال تَنزها

وَرقت مَراتبه عَلى الإطلاق

وَرقت مَراتبه عَلى الإطلاق

She grew dignified through beauty's Qur'an, in purity,

She recited the Koran of beauty virtuously,

And ascended its ranks without limit.

And its verses flowed smoothly and openly.

رقت لَيالي وَصلها فلأجل ذا

رقت لَيالي وَصلها فلأجل ذا

قَرت عُيون المغرم المُشتاق

قَرت عُيون المغرم المُشتاق

The nights of union with her grew tender; and for this

Her nights of union were gentle, so for that

The longing lover's eyes found comfort.

The eyes of the impassioned lover were serene.

راحَت إِلي إِلى الصَباح وَمُقلَتي

راحَت إِلي إِلى الصَباح وَمُقلَتي

حارَت بِذاك الجيد وَالأحداق

حارَت بِذاك الجيد وَالأحداق

She came to me until morning, and my eye

She came to me at dawn while my eyes

Was bewildered by that neck and those pupils.

Were confused by that neck and those glances.

منت علي وَادمعي لفراقها

منت علي وَادمعي لفراقها

نمت بِسَيل مغدق مهراق

نمت بِسَيل مغدق مهراق

She favored me, while my tears at parting from her

I slept, shedding tears for her absence,

Swelled into a copious, outpoured torrent.

While I slumbered in a flood, copious and pouring.

حسن تشكل صورة بشرية

حسن تشكل صورة بشرية

سُبحان ذاكَ الباري الخَلاق

سُبحان ذاكَ الباري الخَلاق

Beauty took on a human form:

What a lovely human form took shape!

Glory be to that Maker, the Creator!

Glory to that Creator, the Maker!

وَلَقَد شربت مدامة قَد عتقت

وَلَقَد شربت مدامة قَد عتقت

مِن رائِعات في الجَمال عتاق

مِن رائِعات في الجَمال عتاق

And indeed I drank a wine that had aged,

And I had drunk a wine aged

From among those wondrous in beauty, long-aged.

To perfection in beauty and purity.

هِي راحة للشاربين وَنزهة

هِي راحة للشاربين وَنزهة

للناظِرين وَطلسم للراقي

للناظِرين وَطلسم للراقي

It is repose for drinkers and a delight

It is a delight for the drinkers, a pleasure

For those who gaze, and a talisman for the spell-reciter.

For the beholders, a spell for the infatuated.

خمر سقانيها النَديم عَلى الصبا

خمر سقانيها النَديم عَلى الصبا

وَلَقَد صَبرت فهاتها يا ساقي

وَلَقَد صَبرت فهاتها يا ساقي

Wine my boon companion gave me to drink in youth;

The cupbearer had poured me this wine at dawn,

And indeed I have waited; so bring it, O cupbearer.

And I was patient - bring it here, cupbearer!

ياقوتة شجت بِماء فَالتَوى

ياقوتة شجت بِماء فَالتَوى

في جيدها طَوق مِن الأَطواق

في جيدها طَوق مِن الأَطواق

A ruby diluted with water; then there coiled

A ruby that was formed in the water

Around her neck a necklace, one among necklaces.

And coiled itself in necklaces around her neck.

وَرقى عَلى الراووق در حبابها

وَرقى عَلى الراووق در حبابها

فانظر قِيام الدر في الدرياق

فانظر قِيام الدر في الدرياق

And the pearls of her bubbles rose upon the wine-strainer;

And it surpassed the wine even in its bubbles,

So behold the pearls rising in the antidote.

So behold the superiority of jewels in necklaces.

قُم وَاسقنيها فالزَمان موافق

قُم وَاسقنيها فالزَمان موافق

وزمانه في قبضة العشاق

وزمانه في قبضة العشاق

Rise and give me wine to drink, for the time is favorable,

Arise and serve it to me, for the time is propitious

And its season lies in the grasp of lovers.

And its hour is in the hands of the lovers.

وانهض فقد رفع الزمان عموده

وانهض فقد رفع الزمان عموده

وَرقى الهزار منبر الأَوراق

وَرقى الهزار منبر الأَوراق

And arise, for time has raised its pillar,

Arise, for time has raised its pillars,

And the nightingale has climbed the pulpit of leaves.

And the thousands have mounted the pulpits of leaves.

وَالطل يَقطر ماؤه فكَأنه

وَالطل يَقطر ماؤه فكَأنه

كف ابن عيسى حالة الإِنفاق

كف ابن عيسى حالة الإِنفاق

And the dew's water drips, as though it were

Dew drips its water as if it were

The palm of Ibn Isa when he gives.

The hand of Jesus in generosity.

مَولاي عَبد اللَه ذي الجود الَّذي

مَولاي عَبد اللَه ذي الجود الَّذي

مدت إِلَيهِ سائر الأَعناق

مدت إِلَيهِ سائر الأَعناق

My lord Abd Allah, possessor of bounty, toward whom

My lord Abdallah, so generous

All necks are stretched.

That all necks are outstretched toward him,

غيث أَغاث المؤمنين سَحابه

غيث أَغاث المؤمنين سَحابه

وَسَقيطه قَد فاقَ في الآفاق

وَسَقيطه قَد فاقَ في الآفاق

A rain whose clouds have brought relief to the believers;

A cloud that brought rain to revive the faithful,

And its falling drops have excelled across the horizons.

And whose pouring was abundant in the horizon,

بَحر مِن الجَدوى إِذا لاقيته

بَحر مِن الجَدوى إِذا لاقيته

لاقاكَ بالألطاف وَالارفاق

لاقاكَ بالألطاف وَالارفاق

A sea of bounty: if you meet him,

A sea of generosity - if you meet with him,

He meets you with kindness and assistance.

You meet with kindnesses and favors,

وَإِذا أَقَمت بِداره قامَت بِكَ ال

وَإِذا أَقَمت بِداره قامَت بِكَ ال

أَفراح مِن نور وَمِن إِشراق

أَفراح مِن نور وَمِن إِشراق

And if you stay in his house, within you arise the

And if you stay in his house, then happiness

Joys of light and radiance.

Rises over you from light and radiance.

هُوَ منهل للطارقين وَمَورد

هُوَ منهل للطارقين وَمَورد

للوافدين وَرَحمة للباقي

للوافدين وَرَحمة للباقي

He is a spring for night-visitors, a watering-place

He is a spring for the thirsty, a watering place

For those who arrive, and a mercy for whoever remains.

For the newcomer, and mercy for all creatures.

نشرت عَلى الأَضياف مِن ألطافه

نشرت عَلى الأَضياف مِن ألطافه

تحف النَوال وَكل بر راقي

تحف النَوال وَكل بر راقي

Before the guests are spread, through his kindness,

The gifts of his hospitality spread

Gifts of bounty and every lofty act of goodness.

Precious gifts and every sublime boon.

مِن مَعشر لا يَكرهون نَزيلهم

مِن مَعشر لا يَكرهون نَزيلهم

مُذ حَل فيهم خشية الإملاق

مُذ حَل فيهم خشية الإملاق

From a people who do not resent their guest,

A band who dislike no guest of theirs

Once he lodges among them, out of fear of poverty.

Since reverence for duty lodged in them.

أَنواء جود يَرفعون بيوتهم

أَنواء جود يَرفعون بيوتهم

للضيف عَن عَمد لَها ورواق

للضيف عَن عَمد لَها ورواق

Rain-bearing stars of bounty, they raise their houses

Generous, they raise their houses

For the guest, beyond their pillars and canopy.

For the guest, with pillars and porch.

لا يَسألون عَن السواد إِذا أَتى

لا يَسألون عَن السواد إِذا أَتى

وَالغَير مِنهُ بِغاية الإشفاق

وَالغَير مِنهُ بِغاية الإشفاق

They do not ask about the dark figure when it comes,

They ask no questions about anyone who comes,

While others are in the utmost dread of it.

And show the utmost compassion for the stranger.

يا سَيداً مِن سادة يَمنية

يا سَيداً مِن سادة يَمنية

لَم يَعرفوا الزورا وَباب الطلق

لَم يَعرفوا الزورا وَباب الطلق

O lord from among the lords of Yemen,

O lord of the lords of Yemen,

Who knew neither al-Zawra nor the gate of al-Talq.

Who know no falsehood or divorce,

مِن حمير الأقيال من هام العلى

مِن حمير الأقيال من هام العلى

وَالمَجد وَالإعطاء وَالإنفاق

وَالمَجد وَالإعطاء وَالإنفاق

Of Himyar's princes, among the summits of eminence,

Of the deep-thinking judges, the high-minded,

And glory, and giving, and spending.

The generous, the open-handed,

فلك الوراثة كابِراً عَن كابر

فلك الوراثة كابِراً عَن كابر

وَلَكَ الدَوام مِن الإِله الباقي

وَلَكَ الدَوام مِن الإِله الباقي

So yours is the inheritance, handed down from noble to noble;

For you is the inheritance, generation after generation,

And may you have lasting life from God, the Everlasting.

And yours is the eternity from the Eternal God.