هي البدر من سنة البدر أملح

هي البدر من سنة البدر أملح

وغرتها من غرة الصبح أصبح

وغرتها من غرة الصبح أصبح

She is the full moon, lovelier than the full moon's face;

She is the full moon, brighter than the full moon

And her brow is brighter than the brow of dawn.

Her radiance, brighter than the dawn at daybreak

منعمة تسبي العقول بصورة

منعمة تسبي العقول بصورة

إلى مثلها لب الجوانح يجنح

إلى مثلها لب الجوانح يجنح

Delicately nurtured, she captivates minds with a form

A beauty that entrances minds with her image

Toward whose like the heart within the ribs inclines.

To which all hearts incline

كأن الظباء العفر يحكين جيدها

كأن الظباء العفر يحكين جيدها

ومقلتها في حين ترنو وتسنح

ومقلتها في حين ترنو وتسنح

As though the tawny gazelles imitate her neck

As though the white oryx describe her neck

And her eye, whenever she gazes and appears.

And her glances when she turns with a sway

كأن اهتزاز الغصن من فوق ردفها

كأن اهتزاز الغصن من فوق ردفها

قضيب بأعلى رملة يترنح

قضيب بأعلى رملة يترنح

As though the bough swaying above her hips

As if the swaying branch above her smooth cheek

Were a slender branch rocking atop a sand dune.

Is a rod atop a dune that nods gently

تعلمت من حبي لها عزة الهوى

تعلمت من حبي لها عزة الهوى

وقد كنت فيه قبلها أتسمح

وقد كنت فيه قبلها أتسمح

Through my love for her I learned the might of passion,

From my love for her I learned the pride of passion

And before her I had taken it lightly.

Though before her I was submissive and tame

وهيج نار الوجد والشوق قولها

وهيج نار الوجد والشوق قولها

أحتى إلى الجوزاء طرفك يطمح

أحتى إلى الجوزاء طرفك يطمح

And her words kindled the fire of passion and longing:

And her words stirred the fires of love and longing

"Does your gaze aspire even to al-Jawza?"

As though your eyes long for Virgo's stars

فلا جفن إلا ماؤه ثم يسفح

فلا جفن إلا ماؤه ثم يسفح

ولا نار إلا زندها ثم يقدح

ولا نار إلا زندها ثم يقدح

So no eyelid but has its tears poured out there,

So that no eyelid remains dry, and then it pours forth

And no fire but has its fire-stick struck there.

No fire remains, except that her coals rekindle it

وما علمت أني إذا شفني الهوى

وما علمت أني إذا شفني الهوى

إليها بدعوى الصبر لا أتبجح

إليها بدعوى الصبر لا أتبجح

And she did not know that, when I waste away with love

I did not know that when passion healed me

For her, I do not boast of claims to patience;

I cannot pretend patience and call to her

وأن اعترافي بالتأخر حيث لا

وأن اعترافي بالتأخر حيث لا

يقدمني فضل أجل وأرجح

يقدمني فضل أجل وأرجح

And that my admission of falling behind, when no

And that admitting I lag behind where no

Merit advances me, is nobler and weightier.

Merit or virtue can make me proceed

ألم تر فضل الصالح الملك لم يدع

ألم تر فضل الصالح الملك لم يدع

على الأرض من يثني عليه ويمدح

على الأرض من يثني عليه ويمدح

Have you not seen how the excellence of al-Salih, the king, has left

Have you not seen the Virtuous King left no one

No one on earth to extol and praise him?

On earth who equals his praise and eulogy

كأن مساعي جملة الخلق جملة

كأن مساعي جملة الخلق جملة

غدت بمساعيه الحميدة تشرح

غدت بمساعيه الحميدة تشرح

As though the endeavors of all creation were a summary

As though the efforts of all creation together

Now expounded by his praiseworthy endeavors.

Became through his blessed efforts refreshed

تجمع فيه ما تفرق في الورى

تجمع فيه ما تفرق في الورى

على أنه أسنى وأسمى وأسمح

على أنه أسنى وأسمى وأسمح

In him is gathered what is scattered among mankind,

He gathered in himself what was divided in the world

Yet he is more splendid, loftier, and more generous.

For he is the most benevolent, lofty, and sublime

يرجى الندى منه فيغني ويسمح

يرجى الندى منه فيغني ويسمح

ويخشى الردى منه فيعفو ويصفح

ويخشى الردى منه فيعفو ويصفح

Bounty is hoped for from him, and he enriches and gives freely;

From him the dew is hoped for, so he sings gently

And death is feared from him, yet he pardons and forgives.

And the harm is feared from him, so he pardons and forgives

وقافية تجلوه غرائب فضله

وقافية تجلوه غرائب فضله

فتعرب عن فصل الخطاب وتفصح

فتعرب عن فصل الخطاب وتفصح

And a rhyme in which the marvels of his excellence reveal him

And verses that elucidate his wondrous merits

Thus voices decisive speech and speaks plainly.

So they express the essence of discourse and articulate

بديهته تذري بكل روية

بديهته تذري بكل روية

وتبدي عوار المحسنين وتفضح

وتبدي عوار المحسنين وتفضح

His improvisation puts all deliberation to shame,

His natural talent pours from every faculty

And reveals the flaws of the accomplished, laying them bare.

And shows up the pretenders and exposes them

وكم بين فياض البديهة سابق

وكم بين فياض البديهة سابق

وآخر يكدي فكره حين يكدح

وآخر يكدي فكره حين يكدح

And how great the gulf between one whose improvisation overflows, racing ahead,

And how far ahead is the outpouring talent

And another whose thought yields nothing when he labors!

From another who strains his mind when he strives