بدر مجد هل أم بدر سما

أشرقت منه تهاني الأنفس

Has a full moon of glory risen, or a full moon of heaven?

From it shone the rejoicings of souls.

أم ضيا نجم من الشهب سما

في ربي العلياء شهب الأطلس

Or is it the radiance of a star that rose among the meteors,

In heaven's uplands, among the bright stars of the outer celestial sphere?

كلل البشر أزاهير الثغور

بندى الأفراح وازداد الهنا

Joy crowned the blossoms of smiling mouths

With the dew of rejoicing, and happiness increased.

وقد افترت من المجد الثغور

عندما اشرق مصباح السنا

And mouths broke into smiles at the glory

When the lamp of radiance shone.

وتبدت من صبا نشر الزهور

في رياض العز أرواح المنى

And from the zephyr carrying flowers' fragrance emerged,

In honor's gardens, the spirits of wishes.

غنت الأطيار لما بسما

طالع البشرى بثغر العس

The birds sang when there smiled

The rising herald of glad tidings at the drinking bowl's lip.

وعلى كاس الصفا قد نظما

حبب الآمال فاطرب واحتس

And upon the cup of serenity it strung

Hope's pearl-like bubbles; so rejoice and sip.

يا نديمي قم بنا نحو الرياض

نغتنم طيب أويقات النجاح

O my drinking companion, rise with us toward the gardens;

Let us seize the sweetness of brief moments of success.

فغدير الانس باللذات فاض

وتبدى كوكب الصبح ولاح

For the pool of fellowship overflowed with delights,

And the morning star appeared and shone.

وشدا القمري على دوح الغياض

يا ندامى الا من حيوا باصطباح

And the turtledove sang upon the trees of the groves:

O drinking companions, come—who will greet the morning with a draught?

وانضوا صبح الحميا نجما

من سنا مشرق صافي الأكؤس

And unveil the dawn of strong wine as a star,

From the radiant brilliance of clear goblets.

وبافق الراح أبدت انجما

من ضيا بهجتها الضؤ كسي

And in wine's horizon it revealed stars,

Their light clothed in the radiance of its splendor.

خمرة اضحى لها البدر مدير

بين ندمان التصابي والطرب

A wine whose cupbearer became the full moon,

Among companions of youthful dalliance and delight.

فاطرح الاوهام يا خير سمير

واقتبس من حانها نور الحبيب

So cast off misgivings, O finest evening companion,

And take from its tavern the beloved's light.

واجلوا كاسا من يد الظبي الغرير

واطرح عنك علاقات الكرب

And bring forth a gleaming cup from the innocent gazelle's hand,

And cast off the bonds of anguish.

تحظ بالنشأة بين الندما

كلما هبت رياح القدس

You will be blessed with renewal among the drinking companions

Whenever the winds of holiness blow.

وامزج الاقداح من خمر لمى

ذلك الساقي بمسك النفس

And blend the goblets with the wine of the dusky lips

Of that cupbearer, and with the musk of his breath.

برزت تجلى على عرش الفرح

بنت كرم فأرتنا العجب

There appeared, unveiled upon joy's throne,

The daughter of the vine, showing us marvels.

سبكت بالدن اكسير الفرح

فلذا شاهدت فيه اللهب

She was cast in the wine jar as joy's elixir;

And so you saw the flame within it.

من رمى فوق قناطير الترح

درهما منه راءه ذهب

Whoever cast upon hundredweights of sorrow

A dirham of it saw that sorrow turn to gold.

قدس الاشراف جاما عندما

ظهرت مثل شعاع القبس

The nobles hallowed a goblet when

She appeared like a ray of flame.

وعلى الصحب أفاضت حكما

لم ينلها أحد بالهوس

And upon her companions she poured wisdom

That no one attained through frenzy.

بزغت من برج دن بهج

كعروس في يدي خمارها

She rose from the tower of a joyous wine jar,

Like a bride in the hands of her vintner.

وصبا القلب بطيب الأرج

حينما فاح شذا عطارها

And the heart grew enamored of the sweet fragrance

When her perfumer's scent wafted forth.

وردها يشفي غليل المهج

لارتشاف الشهد من أقمارها

Her draught quenches the thirst of souls

To sip honey from her moons.

فز بها من كف ساق علما

يانع الأغصان حسن الميس

Win her from the hand of a distinguished cupbearer,

With flourishing branches and a graceful sway.

منح الصب غراما حينما

صب يسقي بالجواري الكنس

He granted the lover passion when

He poured, serving wine with the coursing, retreating stars.

عاطنيها يا ابن ودي قرقفا

ينسخ الليل ضيا نبراسها

Pass me that strong wine, O son of my affection;

Its lamp's radiance effaces the night.

قهوة من ذاقها نال الشفا

وتغنى من صبا أنفاسها

A wine that grants healing to whoever tastes it,

And makes him sing at the zephyr of its breath.

انست قلب نديم قد صفا

مذ تجلت وانجلت في كاسها

It cheered the heart of a companion grown serene,

Since it revealed itself and shone clear in its cup.

قم لدى مشهدها واغتنما

نفحة العرف بجنح الغلس

Rise in its presence and seize

A waft of fragrance in the wing of predawn darkness.

وادر خمر شهود عصما

نيله عن كل فكر دنس

And circulate the wine of witnessing, which has shielded

Its attainment from every impure thought.

وبروحي خير ساق عدلا

فرشفنا من ثناياه الزلال

My soul be ransom for the finest cupbearer, who dealt fairly;

And we sipped clear water from his front teeth.

ناشدتنا مقلتاه غزلا

يخطف الالباب بالسحر الحلال

His two eyes recited to us a love lyric

That steals minds with lawful magic.

خلته لما تثنى ميلا

خوط بان فوقه لاح الهلال

When he bent and swayed, I thought him

A ban-tree shoot above which the crescent shone.

ضمن الياقوت والدر فما

ضمهُ أبهى عذار سندسي

Ruby and pearls were enclosed within a mouth

Embraced by the loveliest silken cheek-down.

هتكت وجنتهُ الورد كما

فتكت مقلتهُ بالنرجس

His cheek put the rose to shame, just as

His eye laid the narcissus low.

رشأٌ سار بداجي شعرهِ

يستضي من طلعة الوجه الجميل

A young gazelle walked in the darkness of his hair,

Taking light from the radiance of his beautiful face.

أسكرتنا من حميا ثغرهِ

شفة تعطي رحيقاً سلسبيل

We were intoxicated by the heady wine of his mouth:

A lip giving sweet-flowing nectar.

أصبحت أهل الهوى في أسره

مذ نضا سيفاً من الجفن الكحيل

The people of love came into his captivity

Since he drew a sword from his kohl-dark eyelid.

وعلى العشاق لما حكما

صال فيهم بالعيون النعس

And when he ruled over the lovers,

He assailed them with languid eyes.

أخذ المهجة والقلب حمى

مقسماً في غيرهم لم يكنسِ

He seized the soul and guarded the heart,

Swearing he had never sought shelter among others.

يا رعى اللَه ثنياتٍ زهت

بسنا برق محيّاهُ المنير

Oh, may God preserve the mountain passes that shone

With the brilliance of his radiant face's lightning.

هيجتني ريحها لما سرت

من صحارى ذلك المرج النضير

Their breeze stirred me when it blew

From the deserts of that verdant meadow.

جادها المولى بسحبٍ قد همت

كأيادي الماجد المولى البشير

The Lord watered them with clouds that poured,

Like the gifts of the noble lord Bashir,

من بهامي البذل أحيى الكرما

وأمات الفقر والظلم المسي

Who with torrents of generosity revived munificence

And slew poverty and harmful injustice.

وأعاد الشعر حيّاً بعد ما

كان قبلاً كالهشيم اليبس

And brought poetry back to life after it

Had once been like dry, crumbled stalks.

خير شهمٍ ساد في همتهِ

وعلا حزماً على أوج العلى

The finest noble soul, supreme in his resolve,

Who rose by firmness to the pinnacle of eminence.

بشهاب السعد من غرّتهِ

زال ليل الخطيب عنا وانجلى

With fortune's meteor from his brow,

The orator's night departed from us and cleared.

أصبح الأنعام في روضتهِ

بين عدلٍ ونوالٍ جدولا

Beneficence became, in his garden,

A stream between justice and bounty.

وبنى للمجد عزّاً محكماً

ثابت التأسيس لم يندرسِ

And he built for glory a firmly secured honor,

With foundations firm, never effaced.

واكتسى بدر كمال رقما

بثنا فضلٍ وحلمٍ أنفس

And the full moon of perfection donned embroidery

With praise of excellence and most precious forbearance.

أسدٌ تخشاه آساد الشرى

إن بدا في كفه السيف اليمان

A lion whom the lions of al-Shara fear

If the Yemeni sword appears in his hand.

وإذا هز كعوبا اسمرا

وشح الأرض بثوب الأرجوان

And when he brandishes a dark, jointed spear,

He clothes the earth in a robe of crimson.

هول من عن معهد الحق جرى

وملاذ للذي يبغي الأمان

A terror to whoever strays from truth's precinct,

And a refuge for whoever seeks safety.

علم الأيام ترعى الذمما

فاتت مثل ليالي العرس

He taught the days to honor pledges,

And they came like wedding nights.

وعلى السحب افاض النعما

فهمت في سيلها المنبجس

And upon the clouds he poured blessings,

So they poured in their gushing flood.

سيد حاز المعالي والهمم

فتسامى العصر فيه وافتخر

A lord who attained high honors and great resolves;

Through him the age rose high and took pride.

من رأى تلك المعالي والشيم

قال هذا ملك بين البشر

Whoever saw those high honors and traits

Said, 'This is an angel among mankind.'

طوّق العلياء عقدا من حكم

فغدت تزهو بهاتيك الدرر

He encircled eminence with a necklace of wisdom,

So she gloried in those pearls.

ماجد ان جاد خلت الديما

بيد فيها غناء البئس

A noble man whose giving makes you imagine rainclouds

In a hand that holds relief from misery.

أو ترأى للأعادي حلما

قرّحت أجفانها بالنعس

Or, if he appears to his foes in a dream,

He makes their eyelids sore with drowsiness.

شيد العز بانجال السعود

خير أشبال كرام المنتشى

He raised honor through sons of good fortune,

The finest lion cubs, noble in their upbringing.

كل شبل منهم يلقى الأسود

قاسم الأعدا إذا الحرب نشا

Each cub among them confronts lions:

Qasim, cleaver of foes when war arises;

وخليل الجود ميمون الوجود

بأمين الفضل حدث ما تشا

And Khalil, friend of generosity, auspicious in his being.

Of Amin's excellence, speak as you will.

إن تفز بالربع تنظر كرما

كبدور في صدور المجلس

If you reach the abode, you will see noble men

Like full moons at the head of the gathering.

وبمحمود التهاني رنما

بلبل الأفراح عش وافترس

And for Mahmoud, congratulations were warbled

By joy's nightingale: live, and seize your prey!

يا لمولود سعيد المولد

مخبر بالمهد عن جد سعيد

Oh, what a newborn of auspicious birth,

Foretelling in the cradle a happy fortune!

أضحت الأقمار فيه تهتدي

وله قد جعلت عقدا فريد

The moons now find their guidance in him,

And for him have been made a peerless necklace.

نادت الجوزاء بالروض الندي

ليتني كنت له مهدا نضيد

Al-Jawza called out in the dewy garden:

Would that I were his well-arrayed cradle!

أخصبت تلك الروابي همها

واتعزت بالأمير المؤنس

Those hills grew fertile when he sought them,

And gained honor through the comforting prince.

وتهنت حين القى القدما

ووفت خير الدعا بالهجس

And rejoiced when he set down his foot,

And offered their finest prayers in whispered thought.

قمر في بيت سعد طلعا

فاستنار الكون من باهي الشهاب

A moon rose in the house of good fortune,

And the universe shone with its splendid meteor.

بسم النصر له مذ لمعا

من خليل المجد ذي القدر المهاب

Victory smiled upon him when he shone,

From Khalil of glory, possessing awe-inspiring rank.

اخذ العليا سريرا رصعا

بلالي در حمد مستطاب

He took the heights as a throne, inlaying it

With pearl-jewels of delightful praise.

جاء محمود خصال فنما

حائزا بالله حسن الحرس

Mahmoud came, praiseworthy in his traits, and grew,

Enjoying, through God, excellent protection.

وكساه الله ثوبا معلما

ثوب حفظ فهو ابهى ملبس

And God clothed him in an embroidered robe,

A robe of protection, the fairest garment.

يا أميرا ساد في أحكامه

تتهنى بحفيد أشرفا

O prince who reigns supreme in his judgments,

May you rejoice in a grandson most noble.

دم وزد فيه وفي أعمامه

وأبيه وبنيهم رونقا

Live on, and grow—in him and in his uncles,

His father, and their sons—in splendor.

جادكم ذو اللطف في أنعامه

بدوام الأمن مع طول البقا

May the Gracious One lavish His favors upon you

With lasting safety and a long life.

وتراهم خير أجداد وما

أنجبوه بثناء مكتسي

And may you see them as the finest grandfathers, and what

They have begotten clothed in praise.

زادك الله حبورا كلما

لاح بدر في دياجي الحندس

May God increase your joy whenever

A full moon shines in the darkness of the pitch-black night.