1. من الصبابة تثني القد نيروزُ

    عند التحية أم دلٌ وتعزيزُ

    Does Nayruz bend her figure from ardent longing

    In greeting—or is it coquetry and proud reserve?

  2. وذائب التبر أم سالفٌ جعدٌ

    وورد وجنتها أم ذاك تطريزٌ

    And is it molten gold, or a curling temple-lock?

    And the rose of her cheek—or is that embroidery?

  3. وثغرها أم يواقيت على دررٍ

    ووجهها أم جبين البدر مبروزُ

    And her mouth—or rubies upon pearls?

    And her face—or the full moon's brow displayed?

  4. وقدها أم ردينيٌّ تميدُ به

    أعطافها أم قضيب البان مهزوزُ

    And her figure—or a Rudayni spear, with which sway

    Her flanks—or a shaken branch of the bān tree?

  5. وسحر بابل مبثوثٌ بمقلتها

    أم صارمٌ سنةٌ غنجٌ وتلويزُ

    And Babylon's magic, diffused through her eye—

    Or a keen blade, drowsiness, coquetry, and eyes narrowed like almonds?

  6. وصورة الحسن ذي أم نقش واسمة

    كأنه في لجين الزند فيروزُ

    And is this beauty's image, or a tattooist's design,

    As though turquoise set in her forearm's silver?

  7. قلبي بوجنتها الحمراء منغمزٌ

    وشاهدي أثرٌ في الخد مغموزٌ

    My heart is pressed into her red cheek;

    And my proof is a mark impressed on the cheek.

  8. ضممتها وفؤادي من محبتها

    بمدية الهجر مكلومٌ ومحزوزٌ

    I embraced her, while my heart, from love of her,

    Lay wounded and gashed by separation's knife.

  9. قالت حرامٌ فدع هذا فقلت لها

    لذاك في شرع أهل الحب تجويزُ

    She said, 'Forbidden—so stop this!' I said to her,

    'That is permitted in the law of lovers.'

  10. أصبحت من ريقها الخمري ومبسمها

    الدري ثمولاً ولا كاسٌ ولا كوزُ

    I have become, from her wine-like saliva and her smile—

    That pearl-bright smile—drunk, with neither cup nor jug.

  11. أفدي التي ذكرها أن مرّ هيّمني

    وسرها في سويدا القلب مرموزُ

    I would ransom her: a passing mention of her drives me mad with love;

    And her secret is encoded in the heart's dark core.

  12. هيفا تحيتها عند اللقا حذراً

    من العواذل ايماءٌ وتغميزُ

    A slender-waisted beauty—her greeting when we meet, for fear

    Of reproaching women, is a gesture and a wink.

  13. إني وغرّتها لا أرعوي أبداً

    وليس يعذلني لومٌ وتحريزُ

    Indeed, by her radiant brow, I shall never desist;

    Nor can blame and cautioning restrain me.

  14. عاهدتها لا أرى عن حبها بدلاً

    وذلك العهد بالأحشاءِ مكنوزُ

    I pledged to her to seek no substitute for love of her;

    And that pledge is treasured in my inward depths.

  15. يعن لي ذكرها من كل ذي ملحٍ

    لأنه في جميع الحسن ملغوزُ

    The thought of her comes to me from every being endowed with charm,

    For it is hidden like a riddle in all beauty.

  16. جاد النسيب بعينيها المراض كما

    جادت بمدح الشهابي الأراجيزُ

    Love verse grew splendid through her languid eyes, just as

    Rajaz poems grew splendid in praise of al-Shihabi.

  17. أعني الأمير الذي ألفاظه دررٌ

    فاضت كما فاض من كفيه ابريزُ

    I mean the prince whose words are pearls;

    They overflowed as pure gold overflowed from his two palms.

  18. رب الفصاحة بل رب السماحة بل

    مولىً بحرز علاه المجد محروزُ

    Lord of eloquence—rather, lord of generosity—rather,

    A patron whose eminence is a stronghold safeguarding glory.

  19. ضاءت بطلعته به الأيام وابتهجت

    فدهرنا كله عيد ونيروزُ

    The days shone at his appearance and rejoiced in him;

    So all our time is festival and Nowruz.

  20. ليثٌ براحته الخطيُّ منتصرُ

    والمال منهتكٌ والحمد معزوزُ

    A lion: in his palm the Khatti spear is victorious,

    And wealth is torn apart, while praise is honored.

  21. حسامه من دم اللبات مرتشف

    ورمحه في ذرى الأحشاء مركوزُ

    His sword sips the blood of throat-hollows,

    And his spear is planted in the heights of the vitals.

  22. بكفه للعدا نارٌ مضرمةٌ

    يوم الهياج وللعافين راموزُ

    In his palm is a blazing fire for enemies

    On battle day, and for bounty-seekers, an ocean.

  23. مقامه الرفع منصوبٌ على شرفٍ

    عن دارة الخفض ممنوعٌ ومحجوزُ

    His station is elevation, set upon honor,

    Barred and fenced off from the sphere of abasement.

  24. صدر العلى مصدر الفعل الجميل له

    من ظاهر الحال تصريفٌ وتمييزُ

    Foremost in eminence, source of noble action—to him belong,

    As his outward state shows, governance and discernment.

  25. مهذب الراي سامي القدر ذو خلقٍ

    عما يشين الخلال الغر مفروزُ

    Refined in judgment, lofty in rank, with a character

    Set apart from all that sullies splendid virtues.

  26. كريم نفسٍ صحيح قوله أبداً

    وقول حاسده المغبون مهموزُ

    Noble of soul, his speech forever sound,

    And his thwarted envier's speech is impugned.

  27. شهمٌ بعدل أبيه الظلم مندرسٌ

    والخير متصلٌ والضير مجزوزُ

    A gallant man: through his father's justice, oppression is effaced,

    And goodness endures, while harm is shorn away.

  28. وهو البشير الذي نادت مواهبه

    فوزوا بنيل الغنى من جوده فوزوا

    And he is Bashir, whose gifts cried out:

    'Triumph in gaining wealth from his bounty—triumph!'

  29. قرمٌ كم الدهر وافاه على حنقٍ

    فرده وهو رامي الصدر محفوزُ

    A mighty chief—how often Time came to him in wrath,

    And he repelled it, chest thrust forward, driven away.

  30. خذها إليك أمين الفضل واردةً

    تهدي ثناءً عليه اجمع الهوزُ

    Receive it as it comes to you, guardian of excellence,

    Offering praise on which the multitude agrees.

  31. هبها القبول ودم بالسعد ما طلعت

    شمسٌ وما دار آذارٌ وتموزُ

    Grant it acceptance, and live in good fortune as long as

    The sun rises, and as long as March and July come round.