أريقُكِ أَم صَهباءَ في الكَأسِ إِسفِنطُ

أريقُكِ أَم صَهباءَ في الكَأسِ إِسفِنطُ

وَثَغرُكِ أَم دُرٌّ تَضَمَّنَهُ السِّمطُ

وَثَغرُكِ أَم دُرٌّ تَضَمَّنَهُ السِّمطُ

Is it your saliva, or tawny, spiced wine in the cup?

Is your cheek aurora in the cup or sphalerite?

And is it your mouth, or pearls enclosed by a necklace?

Is your lip a pearl that sprouts enclosed in acorns?

وَلَفظُكِ هَذا أَم جُمانٌ مُبَدَّدٌ

وَلَفظُكِ هَذا أَم جُمانٌ مُبَدَّدٌ

وَلَيسَ لَهُ إِلّا بِأَسماعِنا لَقطُ

وَلَيسَ لَهُ إِلّا بِأَسماعِنا لَقطُ

And is this your speech, or scattered pearls,

Is this your voice, or scattered pearls,

which can be gathered only by our ears?

With no existence but in our hearing gathered?

وَقَدُّكِ أَم غُصنٌ عَلى الدِّعصِ مائِلٌ

وَقَدُّكِ أَم غُصنٌ عَلى الدِّعصِ مائِلٌ

تَحارُ لَهُ لا بَل تَغارُ القَنا الخَطُّ

تَحارُ لَهُ لا بَل تَغارُ القَنا الخَطُّ

And is it your figure, or a branch leaning over a sand dune,

Is your stature a branch inclined on a twisting rod

before which Khatt lances marvel—no, rather, grow jealous?

That the straight rod envies, nay burns with jealousy?

لَقَد ضَمَّ مِنكِ المِرطُ فِتنَةَ عاشِقٍ

لَقَد ضَمَّ مِنكِ المِرطُ فِتنَةَ عاشِقٍ

فَيا لِأُصَيحابي لِما ضَمَّهُ المِرطُ

فَيا لِأُصَيحابي لِما ضَمَّهُ المِرطُ

Indeed, your mantle enfolds in you a lover's temptation;

The turban has enclosed from you a lover’s passion,

O my dear companions, how wondrous what the mantle encloses!

Oh, what that turban has enclosed!

تَكَنَّفَني شَوقٌ إِلَيكِ يَزيدُهُ

تَكَنَّفَني شَوقٌ إِلَيكِ يَزيدُهُ

عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ قُربُ دارِكِ وَالشَحطُ

عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ قُربُ دارِكِ وَالشَحطُ

Longing for you has surrounded me; it is increased

Yearning for you wraps me, increased

in every circumstance by your home's nearness and remoteness.

By your home’s nearness, and its courtyard’s expanse.

لأَرهَفتِ وُدّي حينَ قَلَّمتِ رَأسَهُ

لأَرهَفتِ وُدّي حينَ قَلَّمتِ رَأسَهُ

كَما أَرهَفَ الأَقلامَ وَالشَمعَ القَطُّ

كَما أَرهَفَ الأَقلامَ وَالشَمعَ القَطُّ

You surely sharpened my love when you trimmed its tip,

I was gentle in my love when you adorned its head,

just as trimming sharpens pens and candles.

As pens and candles are gentled by the cat.

لَبِستُ الهَوى مِنكُم قَشيباً لِباسُهُ

لَبِستُ الهَوى مِنكُم قَشيباً لِباسُهُ

صَبِيّاً إِلى أَن لاحَ في المَفرِقِ الوَخطُ

صَبِيّاً إِلى أَن لاحَ في المَفرِقِ الوَخطُ

I donned love for you, its garment fresh,

I have worn love for you since my youth habitually

as a boy, until gray flecks appeared at my hair's parting.

A child, till white hairs shone in my parting.

وَجارِيَةٍ باتَت تُعاطي مُدامَةً

وَجارِيَةٍ باتَت تُعاطي مُدامَةً

نَدامى أَرَتهُم جيدَ جارِيَةٍ تَعطو

نَدامى أَرَتهُم جيدَ جارِيَةٍ تَعطو

And many a maiden spent the night passing aged wine

A maiden spent the night sipping wine

to drinking companions, showing them a maiden's neck as she reached out.

Making revelers regret a maiden’s grace in her gift.

هِيَ البَدرُ تَجلو شَمسَ راحٍ بِكَأسِها

هِيَ البَدرُ تَجلو شَمسَ راحٍ بِكَأسِها

وَفي أُذنِها نَجمُ الثُرَيّا لَها قُرطُ

وَفي أُذنِها نَجمُ الثُرَيّا لَها قُرطُ

She is the full moon, displaying wine's sun in her cup;

She is the full moon outshining in its chalice

and in her ear the Pleiades' star serves as her earring.

The resting sun, and Pleiades gleam in her ear.

غَدَت تَجتَني حَبَّ القُلوبِ بِحُبِّها

غَدَت تَجتَني حَبَّ القُلوبِ بِحُبِّها

فَإِن شَرَطَت وَصلاً فَلَن يوجَدَ الشَرطُ

فَإِن شَرَطَت وَصلاً فَلَن يوجَدَ الشَرطُ

She set out to harvest the seeds of hearts through love of her;

She became plucking at hearts with her love,

and if she sets a condition for union, it can never be met.

So if she stipulated affection, the condition could not be met.

فَعاداتُها أَن تَلزَمَ القِسطَ في الهَوى

فَعاداتُها أَن تَلزَمَ القِسطَ في الهَوى

وَعاداتُ نورِ الدينِ في العالَمِ القِسطُ

وَعاداتُ نورِ الدينِ في العالَمِ القِسطُ

For her habit is to cleave to injustice in love,

Her ways are to keep justice in passion,

while Nur al-Din's habit in the world is justice.

And the ways of Nur Ad-Din in the world are justice.

بِهِ طارَ عَنّا الخَوفُ وَالأَمنُ واقِعٌ

بِهِ طارَ عَنّا الخَوفُ وَالأَمنُ واقِعٌ

وَخَيَّمَ رَكبُ الخِصبِ وَاِرتَفَعَ القَحطُ

وَخَيَّمَ رَكبُ الخِصبِ وَاِرتَفَعَ القَحطُ

Through him fear has flown from us, while safety has alighted;

Through him fear departed and safety came,

and the caravan of plenty has camped, while drought has lifted.

And prosperity’s band arrived, and drought was lifted.

يُقابِضُ أَرواحَ العِدا باسِطَ النَدى

يُقابِضُ أَرواحَ العِدا باسِطَ النَدى

فَلِلَهِ مِنهُ ذَلِكَ القَبضُ وَالبَسطُ

فَلِلَهِ مِنهُ ذَلِكَ القَبضُ وَالبَسطُ

He seizes his enemies' souls while lavishing bounty;

He closes in spirits his enemies’ hopes, open-handed in bounty,

by God, how wondrous such taking and giving from him!

So for that seizing and releasing, praise be to God from him.

إِلى المَلِكِ المَيمونِ طائِرُهُ اِنبَرَت

إِلى المَلِكِ المَيمونِ طائِرُهُ اِنبَرَت

مَطايا رَجاءَ الخَيرِ راتِكَةً تَمطو

مَطايا رَجاءَ الخَيرِ راتِكَةً تَمطو

Toward the king whose omen is auspicious have set out

Toward the auspicious king his birds took wing,

mounts in hope of bounty, trotting and striding onward.

Galloping steeds of hope for goodness trotting.

إِلى المَلكِ مِن أَقلامِهِ وَرِماحِهِ

إِلى المَلكِ مِن أَقلامِهِ وَرِماحِهِ

بِيُمناهُ أَبدى فَخرَهُ الخَطُّ وَالخَطُّ

بِيُمناهُ أَبدى فَخرَهُ الخَطُّ وَالخَطُّ

Toward the king, through whose pens and spears

To the king from his pens and his spears

in his right hand, writing and Khatt lances display their pride.

His dexterous line has eternally proclaimed its pride, and line.

فَمِن ضَربِهِ طولاً وَعَرضاً بِسَيفِهِ

فَمِن ضَربِهِ طولاً وَعَرضاً بِسَيفِهِ

يُرى القَدُّ في صَرعى أَعاديهِ وَالقطُّ

يُرى القَدُّ في صَرعى أَعاديهِ وَالقطُّ

Thus, from his sword strokes, lengthwise and crosswise,

So from his striking lengthwise and crosswise with his sword

lengthwise cleaving and crosswise severing appear among his fallen foes.

Ruin is seen among the corpses of his enemies, and cross.

هُوَ الأَسَدُ الدامي الأَظافِرِ في الوَغى

هُوَ الأَسَدُ الدامي الأَظافِرِ في الوَغى

تَقَهقَرُ عَن كَرّاتِهِ الأُسُدُ الضُّبطُ

تَقَهقَرُ عَن كَرّاتِهِ الأُسُدُ الضُّبطُ

He is the lion with bloodied claws in battle;

He is the bloody-clawed lion in battle’s fury,

lions strong in both forepaws retreat before his charges.

Before his charging, other lions retreat.

هُوَ الدَهرُ يُرجى كُلَّ وَقتٍ وَيُتَّقى

هُوَ الدَهرُ يُرجى كُلَّ وَقتٍ وَيُتَّقى

هُوَ البَحرُ جوداً ما يُوافى لَهُ شَطُّ

هُوَ البَحرُ جوداً ما يُوافى لَهُ شَطُّ

He is Time, hoped for at every hour and feared;

He is time, hoped for in every moment, and feared,

he is the sea in generosity, whose shore is never reached.

He is the sea, none can match his abounding coasts.

تُقَبِّلُ أَفواهُ السَلاطينِ بُسطَهُ

تُقَبِّلُ أَفواهُ السَلاطينِ بُسطَهُ

فَتَفنى مِنَ التَقبيلِ لا غَيرِهِ البُسطُ

فَتَفنى مِنَ التَقبيلِ لا غَيرِهِ البُسطُ

The mouths of sultans kiss his carpets,

The lips of sultans kiss his open hand,

and the carpets wear away from kissing, and nothing else.

From that kissing, none thrives but his open hand.

وَسَل عَنهُ عُبّادَ الصَليبِ وَخَيلُهُ

وَسَل عَنهُ عُبّادَ الصَليبِ وَخَيلُهُ

سَواهِمُ مِن تَحتِ العَجاج لَها نَحطُ

سَواهِمُ مِن تَحتِ العَجاج لَها نَحطُ

Ask the worshippers of the Cross about him, while his horses

And ask his worshipers of the cross and their horses

are gaunt beneath the dust cloud, snorting heavily.

Beneath armor their skins for them are pierced.

حَكَوا بَلَهَ الضَّأنِ المُمَزِّقِ شَملَها

حَكَوا بَلَهَ الضَّأنِ المُمَزِّقِ شَملَها

سَراحينُ مِن فُرسانِهِ في العَضا مُعطُ

سَراحينُ مِن فُرسانِهِ في العَضا مُعطُ

They showed the witlessness of sheep, whose flock was torn apart

They told of rending the flock of sheep asunder,

by wolves from among his horsemen, bare-furred amid thorn trees.

Scattered by his knights in the battle’s fray.

فَما عَطَفَتهُم عِندَ ذَلِكَ رَحمَةٌ

فَما عَطَفَتهُم عِندَ ذَلِكَ رَحمَةٌ

وَلا رَحِمٌ لَمّا اِستُبيحوا لَها أَطُّ

وَلا رَحِمٌ لَمّا اِستُبيحوا لَها أَطُّ

No mercy softened them at that moment,

So when that occurred, they had no shred of mercy,

nor kinship crying out when they were given over to slaughter.

Nor compassion when the flock was ravaged by them.

فَمِنهُم قَتيلٌ أَو أَسيرٌ وَمِنهُمُ

فَمِنهُم قَتيلٌ أَو أَسيرٌ وَمِنهُمُ

جَريحٌ وَمُستَولٍ عَلى جَنبِهِ العَطُّ

جَريحٌ وَمُستَولٍ عَلى جَنبِهِ العَطُّ

Among them are the slain or captives, and among them

Among them are the slain, the imprisoned,

the wounded, and those whose flanks are ravaged by gashes.

The wounded cleaving to their sides in pain.

فَإِن بَكَرَ العافونَ أَغناهُمُ الرِّضى

فَإِن بَكَرَ العافونَ أَغناهُمُ الرِّضى

فَمِن بَأسِهِ العادونَ أَفناهُمُ السُخطُ

فَمِن بَأسِهِ العادونَ أَفناهُمُ السُخطُ

If seekers of bounty come early, his favor enriches them;

If he raided the protected tribes, rewarding them pleased him,

but through his might, wrath annihilates the aggressors.

But the hostile tribes, his might destroyed them in anger.

إِلى بابِ مَولانا اِزدَهَتنِيَ رَغبَةٌ

إِلى بابِ مَولانا اِزدَهَتنِيَ رَغبَةٌ

وَما كانَ دونَ البابِ عَن قاصِدٍ لَطُّ

وَما كانَ دونَ البابِ عَن قاصِدٍ لَطُّ

Desire has swept me to our lord's gate,

Desire drew me to my lord’s door,

and no barrier before the gate has kept a seeker out.

And none but seekers gathered before that door.

فَلَيسَ لِرَهطِ الفَضلِ إِلّا ظِلالُهُ

فَلَيسَ لِرَهطِ الفَضلِ إِلّا ظِلالُهُ

إِذا ما اِشتَكى مِن وَعرَةِ العَسرَةِ الرَّهطُ

إِذا ما اِشتَكى مِن وَعرَةِ العَسرَةِ الرَّهطُ

For people of merit have no shelter but his shade

The elite have only his shade when hardship’s path narrows,

when their company complains of hardship's rugged terrain.

As the kinsmen saw, beset by scarcity’s misery.

وَراجٍ سِوى أَبناءِ أَيّوبَ في الوَرى

وَراجٍ سِوى أَبناءِ أَيّوبَ في الوَرى

كَعَشواءَ في جُنحِ الظَّلامِ لَها خَبطُ

كَعَشواءَ في جُنحِ الظَّلامِ لَها خَبطُ

And one who hopes in any but Ayyub's sons among mankind

None prosper but Job’s people in the land,

is like a night-blind she-camel blundering under cover of darkness,

Like bats in darkness’ wings, lost.

كَتارِكِ كِلتا جَنَّتَيهِ وَلَم يَكُن

كَتارِكِ كِلتا جَنَّتَيهِ وَلَم يَكُن

لَهُ بَعدُ إِلّا الأَثلُ وَالأُكُلُ الخَمطُ

لَهُ بَعدُ إِلّا الأَثلُ وَالأُكُلُ الخَمطُ

like one who abandons both his gardens, with nothing remaining

Like one who abandoned both his gardens, and had

to him afterward but tamarisk and bitter fruit.

Nothing left but misery’s bread to gnaw.

وَهَل في مُلوكِ الأَرضِ مِثلُ أَبيهُمُ

وَهَل في مُلوكِ الأَرضِ مِثلُ أَبيهُمُ

يُرى أَبَداً أَو كانَ مِثلٌ لَهُ قَطُّ

يُرى أَبَداً أَو كانَ مِثلٌ لَهُ قَطُّ

And is anyone like their father among the kings of earth

Among the kings of earth, who is like their forebear,

ever seen—or has he ever had an equal?

Was any his equal seen, ever?

قَبيلٌ هُمُ الأَسباطُ لِلمُلكِ كُلَّما

قَبيلٌ هُمُ الأَسباطُ لِلمُلكِ كُلَّما

مَضى مِنهُمُ سِبطٌ تَقَيَّلَهُ سِبطُ

مَضى مِنهُمُ سِبطٌ تَقَيَّلَهُ سِبطُ

They are a clan, the scions of kingship; whenever

A tribe, pillars for the kingdom whenever

one scion of theirs passes, another follows in his footsteps.

A pillar among them passed on, a pillar replaced him.

يَكادُ نَداهُم يُغرِقُ الأَرضَ طَلُّهُ

يَكادُ نَداهُم يُغرِقُ الأَرضَ طَلُّهُ

وَيُحرِقُها مِن زَندِ بَأسِهِمُ سِقطُ

وَيُحرِقُها مِن زَندِ بَأسِهِمُ سِقطُ

The dew of their bounty almost drowns the earth,

Their glory almost drowns the land in its flooding,

and a spark from the fire-stick of their might burns it.

And their fierce warring burns it with sparks falling.

وَمُلتَمَسي رِزقٌ عَلَيَّ يُدِرُّهُ

وَمُلتَمَسي رِزقٌ عَلَيَّ يُدِرُّهُ

لَعَلَّ يُوافي عُقدَتي عِندَهُ نَشطُ

لَعَلَّ يُوافي عُقدَتي عِندَهُ نَشطُ

And what I seek is a stipend he makes flow to me;

And I seek from him a sustenance he will provide,

perhaps my knot will find release with him.

Perhaps fulfilling my need before him while energetic.

فَوَقِّع بِإِعطائي الَّذي أَنا طالِبٌ

فَوَقِّع بِإِعطائي الَّذي أَنا طالِبٌ

إِلى مَعشَرٍ إِن يُنطَ أَمري لَهُم يُنطُوا

إِلى مَعشَرٍ إِن يُنطَ أَمري لَهُم يُنطُوا

So sign an order that I be given what I seek,

So sign to grant me what I request,

addressed to men who, if entrusted with my case, will grant it.

For a company, if my affair is accomplished through them, will accomplish.

وَمَن رامَ مِن بَحرِ المَكارِمِ رَيَّهُ

وَمَن رامَ مِن بَحرِ المَكارِمِ رَيَّهُ

فَما هُوَ فيما رامَهُ مِنهُ مُشتَطُّ

فَما هُوَ فيما رامَهُ مِنهُ مُشتَطُّ

And whoever seeks to quench his thirst from the sea of noble deeds

And he who intends the sea of virtues for his watering place

is not asking too much in what he seeks from it.

Is not impeded, in what he intends, from attaining it.

وَلَم آلُهُ في الدَّهرِ ما عِشتُ داعِياً

وَلَم آلُهُ في الدَّهرِ ما عِشتُ داعِياً

يُؤَمِّنُ حَولي مِن تَلامِذَتي رَهطُ

يُؤَمِّنُ حَولي مِن تَلامِذَتي رَهطُ

And throughout my life I have never failed to pray for him,

I have no protector in life but you, my disciples,

with a band of my pupils around me saying 'Amen.'

Surrounding me in study.

وَمَن ساوَرَ الإِعدامَ لا فَرقَ بَينَهُ

وَمَن ساوَرَ الإِعدامَ لا فَرقَ بَينَهُ

وَبَينَ اِمرِئٍ باتَت تُساوِرُهُ الرُّقطُ

وَبَينَ اِمرِئٍ باتَت تُساوِرُهُ الرُّقطُ

And whoever grapples with destitution is no different

He who chases doom, no difference is there

from a man assailed all night by speckled snakes.

Between him and a man hounded by dogs barking.

عَلِيٌّ لَقَد جَلَّت أَياديكَ كَثرَةً

عَلِيٌّ لَقَد جَلَّت أَياديكَ كَثرَةً

فَقَصَّرَ عَن إِحصائِها الهِندُ وَالقِبطُ

فَقَصَّرَ عَن إِحصائِها الهِندُ وَالقِبطُ

Ali, your favors have indeed grown so great in number

Ali, abundant are the bounties of your hands,

that Indians and Copts fall short of counting them.

The Indus and the Nile fell short counting them.

فَلا ذاقَتِ الدُنيا فِراقَكَ ساعَةً

فَلا ذاقَتِ الدُنيا فِراقَكَ ساعَةً

وَجَدُّكَ فيها صاعِدٌ لَيسَ يَنحَطُّ

وَجَدُّكَ فيها صاعِدٌ لَيسَ يَنحَطُّ

May the world never taste separation from you for an hour,

When the world for an hour did not taste your loss,

with your fortune rising in it, never declining.

You rose in it, never declining.

وَلا زِلتَ تولي أَولِياءَكَ أَنعُماً

وَلا زِلتَ تولي أَولِياءَكَ أَنعُماً

وَتَسطو عَلى الأَعداءِ ما شِئتَ أَن تَسطو

وَتَسطو عَلى الأَعداءِ ما شِئتَ أَن تَسطو

May you never cease bestowing favors on your allies,

You continue to grant your loyal friends blessings,

and assailing your enemies whenever you wish to assail them.

And overwhelm enemies as you wish to overwhelm.