أَبى الصَبرَ أَنّي لا أَرى البَدرَ طالِعاً

أَبى الصَبرَ أَنّي لا أَرى البَدرَ طالِعاً

وَلا الشَمسَ إِلّا ذَكَّراني بِغالِبِ

وَلا الشَمسَ إِلّا ذَكَّراني بِغالِبِ

I am denied patience, for I never see the full moon rising,

Patience refused that I don't see the full moon rising

nor the sun, without both reminding me of Ghalib.

Nor the sun except reminding me of Ghalib

شَبيهَينِ كانا بِاِبنِ لَيلى وَمَن يَكُن

شَبيهَينِ كانا بِاِبنِ لَيلى وَمَن يَكُن

شَبيهَ اِبنِ لَيلى يَمحُ ضَوءَ الكَواكِبِ

شَبيهَ اِبنِ لَيلى يَمحُ ضَوءَ الكَواكِبِ

Both were like Ibn Layla, and whoever is

They were similar to Layla's son, and whoever is

like Ibn Layla blots out the light of the stars.

Similar to Layla's son outshines the stars

فَتىً كانَ أَهلُ المُلكِ لا يَحجِبونَهُ

فَتىً كانَ أَهلُ المُلكِ لا يَحجِبونَهُ

إِذا فادَ يَوماً بَينَ بابٍ وَحاجِبِ

إِذا فادَ يَوماً بَينَ بابٍ وَحاجِبِ

A young man whom the rulers would never deny admission,

He was a young man whom the kings didn't veil

whenever, on any day, he came between a door and a chamberlain.

When he passed one day between a door and an eyebrow

كَأَنَّ تَميماً لَم تُصِبها مُصيبَةٌ

كَأَنَّ تَميماً لَم تُصِبها مُصيبَةٌ

وَلا حَدَثانٌ قَبلَ يَومِ اِبنِ غالِبِ

وَلا حَدَثانٌ قَبلَ يَومِ اِبنِ غالِبِ

As though no calamity had befallen Tamim,

As if Tameem was not afflicted by any calamity

nor any blow of fate, before the day of Ibn Ghalib.

Nor any misfortune before the day of Ibn Ghalib

وَلَو شَعَرَ الأَجبالُ دَمخٌ وَيَذبُلٌ

وَلَو شَعَرَ الأَجبالُ دَمخٌ وَيَذبُلٌ

لَمالا بِأَعرافِ الذُرى وَالمَناكِبِ

لَمالا بِأَعرافِ الذُرى وَالمَناكِبِ

And had the mountains—Damkh and Yadhbul—felt it,

And if the mountains felt crushed and withered

they would both have bowed their crested summits and shoulders.

They would incline towards the hillsides and shoulders