جاءَhe came يثنيbends عطفهhis waist الميدُswaying
جاءَ يثني عطفه الميدُ
خوطa tender shoot بانٍof a bān tree زانهadorned him الغيدُsupple grace
خوط بانٍ زانه الغيدُ
He came, his sway bending his waist,
The floppy-armed moon came bending,
A bān-tree shoot graced with suppleness.
Drawing lines - a gazelle marked by fate.
باسماًsmiling والدرand pearls مبسمهُhis smiling mouth
باسماً والدر مبسمهُ
وحبابand bubbles الراحof wine والبردُand hailstones
وحباب الراح والبردُ
Smiling—his mouth is pearls,
With a smile, and pearls just budding,
And wine-bubbles and hailstones.
And folds of ease and coolness.
ساحرbewitching الأجفانthe eyelids ليسnot يرىis seen
ساحر الأجفان ليس يرى
خالياًfree منfrom سحرهاtheir enchantment أحدُanyone
خالياً من سحرها أحدُ
Bewitching are his eyelids; never is seen
Sorcerer of eyelids who sees not
Anyone free of their enchantment.
A single one lacking his magic.
أودعlodged الصهباwine بمرشفهupon his lips
أودع الصهبا بمرشفه
وظباand blades ألحاظهof his glances الرصدُlying in wait
وظبا ألحاظه الرصدُ
Wine was lodged upon his lips,
He lodged the Pleiades in his mantle
And the blades of his glances lie in ambush.
And Taurus eyed his watching-place.
اطعلتunclear spelling; perhaps 'brought forth' منfrom فوقabove وجنتهhis cheek
اطعلت من فوق وجنته
مثلماthe like of what فيin مهجتيmy heart's core أجدُI feel
مثلما في مهجتي أجدُ
[It brought forth] upon his cheek
He rose up high over his garden
The like of what I feel in my heart's core.
As I feel him do in my heart.
قمرٌa moon فيin القلبthe heart منزلهhis dwelling
قمرٌ في القلب منزله
وغزالٌand a gazelle برجهhis zodiac sign الأسدُLeo, the Lion
وغزالٌ برجه الأسدُ
A moon whose dwelling is in the heart,
A moon residing in the heart -
And a gazelle whose zodiac sign is Leo.
Leo his mansion, fate's decree.
نارthe fire of خديهhis two cheeks علىupon كبديmy liver
نار خديه على كبدي
لمdid not تزلcease يومon the day of النوىseparation تقدُblaze
لم تزل يوم النوى تقدُ
The fire of his cheeks upon my liver
Fires of his cheeks against my liver -
Never ceased to blaze on the day of parting.
Never ceased, since the days of pining.
لاdo not تسلهquestion him أنthat أراقhe shed دميmy blood
لا تسله أن أراق دمي
ليسthere is no فيin شرعthe law of الهوىlove قودُblood-retribution
ليس في شرع الهوى قودُ
Do not call him to account for shedding my blood;
Don't blame him if he sheds my blood,
There is no blood-retribution in love's law.
No ransoming exists in Love's creed.
ليتهif only he بالوعدwith a promise يرحمنيwould pity me
ليته بالوعد يرحمني
لاdo not تلمهُblame him لوif بهwith it يعدhe promises
لا تلمهُ لو به يعد
If only he would pity me with a promise;
Would that he'd pity me with his promise,
Do not blame him if he makes it.
Don't blame him if he makes vows.
مذsince تجلىhe appeared فيin محاسنهhis charms
مذ تجلى في محاسنه
خاصمتquarreled with طرفيmy eye بهover him الكبدُthe liver
خاصمت طرفي به الكبدُ
Since he appeared in all his charms,
Since his beauty appeared,
My liver has quarreled with my eye over him.
My liver quarreled with my eyes about him.
قدindeed روىhas told عنهof him الجمالbeauty كماjust as
قد روى عنه الجمال كما
قدindeed روىhas told عنof اسعدAsʿad الرشدُsound judgment
قد روى عن اسعد الرشدُ
Beauty has told of him, just as
Indeed he relates grace,
Sound judgment has told of Asʿad.
As As'ad relates righteousness.
ماجدillustrious ذوpossessing الفضلexcellence والدهُhis father
ماجد ذو الفضل والدهُ
إنّindeed سرّthe secret of الوالدthe father الولدُthe son
إنّ سرّ الوالد الولدُ
His father is illustrious, possessed of excellence;
Majid - his noble father And the secret of the father is the son.
Indeed, the son is the father's secret.
Rather, he attained glory and excellent praise,
بلrather سماrose high مجداًin glory وطابand was sweet ثناًin praise
بل سما مجداً وطاب ثناً
ولهُand he has فيin الجودgenerosity نعمexcellent يدُa hand
ولهُ في الجود نعم يدُ
Rather, he rose in glory, and praise of him was sweet,
And his hands are generous in bounty.
And splendid is his hand in generosity.
In intelligence and forbearance - say what you will,
بالذكاof intelligence والحلمand forbearance قلspeak وبماand of whatever
بالذكا والحلم قل وبما
شئتyou wish عنهabout him يصدقproves true السندُthe chain of testimony
شئت عنه يصدق السندُ
Speak of his intelligence and forbearance, and of whatever
Every witness will confirm it.
You wish about him—the chain of testimony proves true.
O how valiant, brother of great resolve,
ياO لهُfor him شهماًnoble-hearted أخاpossessing هممٍlofty aspirations
يا لهُ شهماً أخا هممٍ
كالنجومlike the stars الزهرradiant تتقدُblaze
كالنجوم الزهر تتقدُ
What a noble-hearted man, possessed of aspirations
Like stars, his blossoms kindle.
That blaze like radiant stars!
Good fortune never ceased to accompany him
لمhas not يزلceased والسعدand good fortune يصحبهaccompanies him
لم يزل والسعد يصحبه
باكتسابby earning الحمدpraise يحتمدُseeks acclaim
باكتساب الحمد يحتمدُ
He never ceases, with good fortune at his side,
In gaining praise, excelling in magnanimity.
To seek acclaim by earning praise.
The Arabs bear witness to his eloquence,
اشهدmade witness العربthe Arabs فصاحتهُhis eloquence
اشهد العرب فصاحتهُ
ولهand for him الاتراكthe Turks قدindeed شهدواthey have testified
وله الاتراك قد شهدوا
He made the Arabs witness his eloquence,
And the Turks, they too testified for him.
And the Turks have borne witness for him.
O generous one who revived propriety,
ياO كريماًgenerous one قدindeed ذكىbecame fragrant شيماًin virtues
يا كريماً قد ذكى شيماً
عرفهاtheir fragrance بالوفاءِwith faithfulness متحدunited
عرفها بالوفاءِ متحد
O generous man, whose virtues spread fragrance,
Known for loyalty and unity.
Their fragrance bound to faithfulness,
Take the art of verse praising
خذaccept فتاةthe maiden النظمof verse مادحةًoffering praise
خذ فتاة النظم مادحةً
ولهاand for her الحبlove الوفيfaithful أيدُstrength
ولها الحب الوفي أيدُ
Accept the maiden of verse, singing your praise;
And for it true love hands over.
And faithful love lends her strength.
Truly, fathers only miss
إنماonly الأباthe fathers محبتهمlove for them
إنما الأبا محبتهم
بالبنينthrough the sons الغرّillustrious تفتقدُis sought
بالبنين الغرّ تفتقدُ
Love for fathers is only
Their sons when absent or grown.
Sought through their illustrious sons.
My salute to Suleiman - no moon was eclipsed
دمremain سليماًsafe ماas long as اضاshone قمرٌa moon
دم سليماً ما اضا قمرٌ
وارقand ascend عزاًin honor جادكmay it lavish upon you المددُsupport
وارق عزاً جادك المددُ
Remain safe as long as a moon shines,
Or saddened when your aid appeared.
And rise in honor; may support be lavished upon you.
Partial English translation: 41 of 42 Arabic lines translated.