سلطانُ حسنٍ على الأملاكِ منصور

سلطانُ حسنٍ على الأملاكِ منصور

سلَّ السيوفَ وهنَّ الأعينُ الحور

سلَّ السيوفَ وهنَّ الأعينُ الحور

Beauty's sultan is victorious over kings;

The sultan of beauty reigns over realms, triumphant,

He drew the swords—the eyes of vivid white and black.

The swords unsheathed and the houris' eyes grew tender.

فبايعَ القلبَ عن طوعٍ وما هو في

فبايعَ القلبَ عن طوعٍ وما هو في

تِلكَ الإبانة منهى ومأمور

تِلكَ الإبانة منهى ومأمور

So he accepted the heart's willing allegiance; it was not, in

So my heart pledged allegiance willingly, though it was not

that declaration, forbidden or commanded.

In that moment ordered or forbidden.

وهبَّ منه على نفسي فنعَّمها

وهبَّ منه على نفسي فنعَّمها

روحٌ به الروح محبوّ ومحبور

روحٌ به الروح محبوّ ومحبور

And from him there blew across my soul, delighting it,

And from him was bestowed upon my soul his favor,

a breeze through which the spirit is favored and gladdened.

A spirit with which the soul is loving and enraptured.

ما للفؤاد الذي رَاعَت مَهَابته

ما للفؤاد الذي رَاعَت مَهَابته

عُرباً وعُجماً فكلُّ منه مذعور

عُرباً وعُجماً فكلُّ منه مذعور

What ails the heart whose awe-inspiring presence terrified

What of a heart awe-struck with reverence for him

Arabs and non-Arabs, so everyone is frightened of it?

Arabs and non-Arabs alike, all frightened of him?

أوَجهُهَا القمرُ الوضَّاحُ

أوَجهُهَا القمرُ الوضَّاحُ

أم قِدُّهَا الغصنُ الميادُ ممطور

أم قِدُّهَا الغصنُ الميادُ ممطور

Is her face the radiant moon,

Did the bright full moon shape her face,

or her figure the swaying, rain-drenched bough?

Or the supple myrtle branch shape her perfect stature?

يا أيها القمران استخفيا فلها

يا أيها القمران استخفيا فلها

قَمرٌ إذا لاح يمحي منكما النور

قَمرٌ إذا لاح يمحي منكما النور

O you two moons, hide yourselves, for she has

O you two moons, hide yourselves, for she has

a moon that, when it shines forth, erases the light from you both.

A moon, which when it appears, extinguishes both your lights.

أقسمتُ ما أبصَرَت عيني لها شَبَهاً

أقسمتُ ما أبصَرَت عيني لها شَبَهاً

حقيقةً لا أقولُ الطرفُ مسحور

حقيقةً لا أقولُ الطرفُ مسحور

I swear my eye has seen no equal to her,

I swear by all my eyes have seen, they spied no peer for her

in truth—I do not say that the eye is bewitched.

In truth, not just my eyes bedazzled and bemused.

أرعى النجومَ وما بِي غَيرُ نِسبَتِهَا

أرعى النجومَ وما بِي غَيرُ نِسبَتِهَا

والشيءُ بالشيءِ مَرعِيٌ ومذكور

والشيءُ بالشيءِ مَرعِيٌ ومذكور

I watch the stars, moved only by her kinship with them;

I shepherd the stars - and she alone is my attachment to them -

and one thing is watched and remembered through another.

Things are shepherded to what they are joined and connected with.