بَرقٌ تَأَلَّقَ في الظَلامِ وَأَومَضا

بَرقٌ تَأَلَّقَ في الظَلامِ وَأَومَضا

فَذَكَرتُ مَبسِمَ ثَغرِها لَمّا أَضا

فَذَكَرتُ مَبسِمَ ثَغرِها لَمّا أَضا

Lightning gleamed in the darkness and flashed,

A lightning flashed in the darkness and flickered,

so when it shone, I recalled the smile of her mouth.

So I remembered the smile of her mouth when it flashed.

وَكَأَنَّهُ لَمّا اِستَطارَ وَميضُهُ

وَكَأَنَّهُ لَمّا اِستَطارَ وَميضُهُ

في حِندِسِ الظَلماءِ سَيفٌ مُنتَضى

في حِندِسِ الظَلماءِ سَيفٌ مُنتَضى

And when its flashing spread, it seemed

It was as if when its light lingered

a drawn sword in the pitch-black night.

In the gloom of the dark, a drawn sword,

يَحمَرُّ أَعلاهُ وَيَنصَعُ وَسطُهُ

يَحمَرُّ أَعلاهُ وَيَنصَعُ وَسطُهُ

فَسَناهُ يَلمَعُ مُذهَباً وَمُفضَّضا

فَسَناهُ يَلمَعُ مُذهَباً وَمُفضَّضا

Its upper part reddens, and its middle shines white,

Red at its upper part, slender at its middle,

so its radiance gleams, gilded and silvered.

Its blade glittering plated and engraved.

بَرقٌ تِهامِيٌّ كَأَنَّ بَرِيقَهُ

بَرقٌ تِهامِيٌّ كَأَنَّ بَرِيقَهُ

لَهَبٌ يَشبُّ إِذا اِستَطارَ وأَومَضا

لَهَبٌ يَشبُّ إِذا اِستَطارَ وأَومَضا

Lightning from Tihamah, its brilliance like

A lightning writhing as if its flashes

a flame flaring up as it spreads and flashes.

Were a flame when it lingered and flickered,

يَبدُو وَيَغمُضُ في الظَلامِ وَمُقلَتي

يَبدُو وَيَغمُضُ في الظَلامِ وَمُقلَتي

مِن ذاكَ يَمنَعُها الجَوى أَن تُغمَضا

مِن ذاكَ يَمنَعُها الجَوى أَن تُغمَضا

It appears and fades in the darkness, while my eye

Appearing and disappearing in the dark while my eyelids,

is kept from closing by love's anguish at that sight.

That ecstasy prevents from closing.

وَلَقَد سَرى وَهناً فَجَدَّد بِالهَوى

وَلَقَد سَرى وَهناً فَجَدَّد بِالهَوى

عَهداً وَهَيَّضَ في الحَشا ما هَيَّضا

عَهداً وَهَيَّضَ في الحَشا ما هَيَّضا

Indeed, it traveled late at night, renewing in love

And indeed it crept gently, renewing with passion

an old bond, and stirring in my breast the grief it stirred.

A pact, and awakening in the night what had been awakened before,

وَأَجَدَّ لي كَلفاً وَبَرحَ صَبابَةٍ

وَأَجَدَّ لي كَلفاً وَبَرحَ صَبابَةٍ

وَأَعادَ مِن شَغَفِ الهَوى ما قَد مَضى

وَأَعادَ مِن شَغَفِ الهَوى ما قَد مَضى

And it renewed my infatuation and the torment of yearning,

And it made me ardent with yearning and ceased to be coy,

and brought back the ardor of love that had passed.

And it revived in me the passion of love that had passed.

رُوحي الفِداءُ لِحائِلٍ عَن عَهدِهِ

رُوحي الفِداءُ لِحائِلٍ عَن عَهدِهِ

عَرَّضتُ بِالشَكوى إِلَيهِ فَأَعرَضا

عَرَّضتُ بِالشَكوى إِلَيهِ فَأَعرَضا

My soul be ransom for one who has forsaken his pledge;

My soul is ransom for one who hindered his pact,

I hinted at my complaint to him, and he turned away.

I complained to him but he turned away.

وَلِساخِطٍ يُرضِيهِ قَتلي في الهَوى

وَلِساخِطٍ يُرضِيهِ قَتلي في الهَوى

فَأَمُوتُ بَينَ السُخطِ مِنهُ وَالرِضا

فَأَمُوتُ بَينَ السُخطِ مِنهُ وَالرِضا

And for an angry one whom my death in love would please,

And for one angry whom my death in passion would please,

so I die between his displeasure and his pleasure.

So I die between his anger and pleasure.

نَزَلَ الغَضا فَحَشا الحَشا بِفِراقِهِ

نَزَلَ الغَضا فَحَشا الحَشا بِفِراقِهِ

ناراً تَشِبُّ إِذا اِنطَفَت نارُ الغَضا

ناراً تَشِبُّ إِذا اِنطَفَت نارُ الغَضا

He settled at al-Ghada, and with his parting filled my breast

Sadness descended so the night flamed with his absence,

with a fire that flares when the ghada-wood fire dies.

A fire kindling when the fire of sadness is revived.

وَلَئِن تَعَرَّضَ بِالسُلُوِّ فَإِنَّني

وَلَئِن تَعَرَّضَ بِالسُلُوِّ فَإِنَّني

أَصبَحتُ بِالمَلِكِ الهُمامِ مُعَوَّضا

أَصبَحتُ بِالمَلِكِ الهُمامِ مُعَوَّضا

And even if he hints at forgetting love, I

And if he is rude, I am replaced

have found recompense in the magnanimous king.

With the noble king, compensated.

وَمُفوِّضاً أَمري إِلَيهِ وَلَم يَخِب

وَمُفوِّضاً أَمري إِلَيهِ وَلَم يَخِب

مَن باتَ في أَمرٍ إِلَيهِ مُفَوِّضا

مَن باتَ في أَمرٍ إِلَيهِ مُفَوِّضا

And I entrust my affairs to him; none is disappointed

I entrust my matter to Him and one who spends the night

who spends the night entrusting a matter to him.

Entrusting his matter to Him is not disappointed.

عَونُ الضَعيفِ إِذا اِستَعانَ بِفَضلِهِ

عَونُ الضَعيفِ إِذا اِستَعانَ بِفَضلِهِ

وَغِنى الفقيرِ إِذا أَقَلَّ وَأَنفَضا

وَغِنى الفقيرِ إِذا أَقَلَّ وَأَنفَضا

The weak man's aid when he seeks help from his bounty,

The aid of the weak when he seeks His bounty

and the poor man's wealth when he has little and is destitute.

And the riches of the poor when he lessens and shakes off.

سُئِلَ العَطاءَ فَلا بمَطلٍ يُجتَدى

سُئِلَ العَطاءَ فَلا بمَطلٍ يُجتَدى

مِنهُ المَقالُ وَلا بِوَعدٍ يُقتَضى

مِنهُ المَقالُ وَلا بِوَعدٍ يُقتَضى

When asked for bounty, no delaying words are obtained

Asked to grant, neither is the word drawn out,

from him, nor promises that must be pressed for fulfillment.

Nor the promise fulfilled from Him.

مَلِكٌ برَحبَةٍ مالِكٍ ذُو هِمَّةٍ

مَلِكٌ برَحبَةٍ مالِكٍ ذُو هِمَّةٍ

رَحُبَت فَضاقَ لِوُسعِها رَحبُ الفَضا

رَحُبَت فَضاقَ لِوُسعِها رَحبُ الفَضا

A king in Rahbat Malik, whose ambition

A king of vast domain, ruler mighty of purpose,

has grown so vast that the breadth of space is too narrow for it.

His vastness narrowed for its breadth the breadth of space.

جُدنا وَأَفضَلنا بِفَضلِ نَوالِهِ

جُدنا وَأَفضَلنا بِفَضلِ نَوالِهِ

وَدَرى فَأَخلَفَ مِن نَداهُ وَعَوَّضا

وَدَرى فَأَخلَفَ مِن نَداهُ وَعَوَّضا

We gave generously and bestowed favors through his abundant gifts;

He enriched us and preferred us with His bounty

he knew, and from his bounty replenished and compensated us.

And He knew so He compensated for His generosity and replaced.

مُغرىً بِحُبِّ المَكرُماتِ وَمُبغِضٌ

مُغرىً بِحُبِّ المَكرُماتِ وَمُبغِضٌ

مَن باتَ مِنّا لِلكَرامَةِ مُبغِضا

مَن باتَ مِنّا لِلكَرامَةِ مُبغِضا

Devoted to the love of noble deeds, and hating

Enticed with love of gifts and hating

any among us who has come to hate honor.

One who spends the night hating honors.

مُتَحَمِّلٌ ثِقلَ الخُطوبِ إِذا الفَتى

مُتَحَمِّلٌ ثِقلَ الخُطوبِ إِذا الفَتى

أَعياهُ حَملُ النائِباتِ وَأَجهَضا

أَعياهُ حَملُ النائِباتِ وَأَجهَضا

He shoulders the weight of calamities when a young man

Bearing the weight of tribulations when the gallant man

is wearied and overwhelmed by bearing misfortunes.

Is wearied by the bearing of misfortunes and collapses.

وَإِذا تَمَرَّضَتِ اللِئامُ بِنَيلِها

وَإِذا تَمَرَّضَتِ اللِئامُ بِنَيلِها

لَم تَلقَهُ بِنَوالِهِ مُتَمَرِّضا

لَم تَلقَهُ بِنَوالِهِ مُتَمَرِّضا

And when the base feign sickness over their giving,

And when the vile feign illness to attain it,

you do not find him feigning sickness over his bounty.

They do not find it with His bounty feigning illness.

يَهَبُ الجَزِيلَ وَلا يَمُنُّ بِمالِهِ

يَهَبُ الجَزِيلَ وَلا يَمُنُّ بِمالِهِ

إِن مَنَّ مَن أَعطى القَليلَ وَبَرضا

إِن مَنَّ مَن أَعطى القَليلَ وَبَرضا

He gives lavishly and never holds his gifts over others,

He gives generously and does not begrudge His wealth,

even if those who give little and dribble it out do.

Surely he who shows favor giving little begrudges.

غاضَت مَوارِدُ كُلِّ خَلقٍ في النَدى

غاضَت مَوارِدُ كُلِّ خَلقٍ في النَدى

إِلّا نَداهُ فَإِنَّهُ ما غَيَّضا

إِلّا نَداهُ فَإِنَّهُ ما غَيَّضا

The springs of everyone's generosity have run dry,

The springs of all people decrease in bounty

except his bounty, for he has never diminished it.

Except His bounty which does not diminish.

قَطَرَت عَلَيَّ سَحائِبٌ مِن جُودِهِ

قَطَرَت عَلَيَّ سَحائِبٌ مِن جُودِهِ

كَرَماً فَأَخصَب جانِبي وَتَرَوَّضا

كَرَماً فَأَخصَب جانِبي وَتَرَوَّضا

Clouds of his generosity rained upon me

Clouds from His munificence poured upon me

with bounty, so my surroundings grew fertile and became a garden.

Bounty, so my side prospered and flourished.

أَعلى أَبُو العُلوانِ قَدري بَعدَما

أَعلى أَبُو العُلوانِ قَدري بَعدَما

قَد كُنتُ مَهدَودَ البِناءِ مَقَوَّضا

قَد كُنتُ مَهدَودَ البِناءِ مَقَوَّضا

Abu al-Ulwan raised my rank, after

The most high ennobled my worth after

I had been a shattered edifice, pulled down.

I had been of crumbled building and decayed.

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي أَعطى الغِنى

يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي أَعطى الغِنى

وَكَسا وَأَنعَمَ وَاستَمالَ وفَوَّضا

وَكَسا وَأَنعَمَ وَاستَمالَ وفَوَّضا

O king who bestowed wealth,

O You, King, who gave wealth and clothed

and clothed, granted favors, won hearts, and delegated authority,

And favored and drew near and entrusted.

إِنّي حَمَلتُ لِشُكرِ ما أَولَيتَني

إِنّي حَمَلتُ لِشُكرِ ما أَولَيتَني

حِملاً ضَعُفتُ بِعِبئِهِ أَن أَنهَضا

حِملاً ضَعُفتُ بِعِبئِهِ أَن أَنهَضا

I have shouldered, in gratitude for what you bestowed on me,

I carry to thank what You have granted me

a burden whose weight has left me too weak to rise.

A burden, weakened by its weight to stand.

أُثني عَلَيكَ بِفَضلِ ما أَعطَيتَني

أُثني عَلَيكَ بِفَضلِ ما أَعطَيتَني

فَأَراهُ أَطولَ مِن ثَنايَ وَأَعرَضا

فَأَراهُ أَطولَ مِن ثَنايَ وَأَعرَضا

I praise you for the abundance of what you gave me,

I praise You for the merit of what You have given me

yet find it longer and broader than my praise.

Yet I see it longer than my praise and broader.

وَأَرى المَديحَ لِكُلِّ خَلقٍ سُنَّةً

وَأَرى المَديحَ لِكُلِّ خَلقٍ سُنَّةً

وَأَرى مَديحَكَ واجِباً مُستَفرَضا

وَأَرى مَديحَكَ واجِباً مُستَفرَضا

And I deem praise of all others a customary observance,

And I see praising all people a tradition

but deem praise of you a binding obligation.

And I see praising You an obligation imposed.

وَأَروضُ مَدحَكَ خالياً فَأُصيبُهُ

وَأَروضُ مَدحَكَ خالياً فَأُصيبُهُ

سَهلاً وَمَدحُ سِواكَ صَعباً رَيِّضا

سَهلاً وَمَدحُ سِواكَ صَعباً رَيِّضا

And I tame your praise in solitude, finding it

And I train praising You empty, so I make it

docile, while praise of others is stubborn and untamed.

Easy, and praising other than You difficult training.

لا دَرَّ دَرِّي بَعدَما أَرضَيتَني

لا دَرَّ دَرِّي بَعدَما أَرضَيتَني

إِن لَم أَصُغ فيكَ القَريضَ المُرتَضى

إِن لَم أَصُغ فيكَ القَريضَ المُرتَضى

May my milk never flow, now that you have pleased me,

No pearl of my pearls after You have pleased me

if I do not fashion worthy verse in your praise.

If I do not recite the pleasing ode.

يَبقى عَلَيكَ إِلى المَعادِ وَيَنقَضي

يَبقى عَلَيكَ إِلى المَعادِ وَيَنقَضي

أَمَدُ الزَمانِ فَلا يَكُونُ لَهُ اِنقِضا

أَمَدُ الزَمانِ فَلا يَكُونُ لَهُ اِنقِضا

It endures in your honor until the Resurrection; an end comes

Your memory remains until the return and

to time's span, but that verse has no end.

The term of time passes so it has no passing.

وَلَقَد صَحِبتُ العَيشَ قَبلَكَ أَسوَداً

وَلَقَد صَحِبتُ العَيشَ قَبلَكَ أَسوَداً

وَصَحِبتُهُ لَمّا صَحِبتُكَ أَبيَضا

وَصَحِبتُهُ لَمّا صَحِبتُكَ أَبيَضا

Indeed, the life I lived before you was black,

And I accompanied life before You miserable

and it was white when I lived in your company.

And accompanied it when I accompanied You white.