أظن الصبا جابت إليك المسالكا

أظن الصبا جابت إليك المسالكا

فإني أرى عرفاً بها منك صائكا

فإني أرى عرفاً بها منك صائكا

I think the east wind has traversed the paths toward you,

I think youth has opened the paths to you,

for I sense in it a fragrance of you, lingering.

For I see a familiar scent of you rising.

سرت فأسرت للحشا برء دائه

سرت فأسرت للحشا برء دائه

وحيت فأحيت من أهيلك هالكا

وحيت فأحيت من أهيلك هالكا

It traveled by night, bringing the heart a cure for its ailment,

It wandered so it relieved the night of its illness,

and greeted, reviving one of your dear folk who was perishing.

And came to life, reviving your perishing loved ones.

أيا دار بثن بالعواصم لا عدت

أيا دار بثن بالعواصم لا عدت

ثراك بواكي السحب أو يمسى ضاحكا

ثراك بواكي السحب أو يمسى ضاحكا

O abode of Buthn in al-ʿAwāṣim, may there never pass beyond

O abode whose height competes with capitals,

your soil the weeping clouds, until it smiles at dusk.

Your soil moistened by clouds' tears or laughing at dusk.

فآها على دهر بظلك عشته

فآها على دهر بظلك عشته

هنيئاً وأيام تقضت هالكا

هنيئاً وأيام تقضت هالكا

Ah, for a time I lived beneath your shade,

Alas! For a time whose shade I lived,

in bliss—and for days now gone, as I waste away.

Congratulations, and days spent perishing.

بحورٍ حسانٍ قد تقابلن بيننا

بحورٍ حسانٍ قد تقابلن بيننا

على سرر مرفوعة وأرائكا

على سرر مرفوعة وأرائكا

with lovely houris who faced one another among us,

Seas of beauty had faced between us,

on raised couches and canopied beds.

On raised couches and carpets.

وظللن منا بالصوارم والقنا

وظللن منا بالصوارم والقنا

وغادرن خدراً زغفنا والترابكا

وغادرن خدراً زغفنا والترابكا

They were sheltered by us with swords and spears,

And we were shaded by swords and spears,

and made our coats of mail a bower, with [an unclear item].

Having left intoxication, we clung and wrestled.

مريضات أجفان العيون فواتك

مريضات أجفان العيون فواتك

وأقتلها ما كن مرضى فواتكا

وأقتلها ما كن مرضى فواتكا

Languid-lidded, yet deadly,

Sick were the eyelids of eyes that lost you,

and deadliest of all when languid and deadly.

And I kill it for it was not sick of losing you.

أدرن علينا أكؤساً ولواحظاً

أدرن علينا أكؤساً ولواحظاً

ذواهل للعقل الصحيح دواهكا

ذواهل للعقل الصحيح دواهكا

They passed cups and glances around us,

They passed around cups and glimpses,

bewildering and grinding down even a sound mind.

Serving reason's sound mind their remedies.

ومسن بأعطافٍ كأعطاف بانة

ومسن بأعطافٍ كأعطاف بانة

تقل إذا ماست مع اللين عاتكا

تقل إذا ماست مع اللين عاتكا

and swayed with bodies like the bends of a bān tree,

And they touched with shoulders like the shoulders of a young gazelle,

which, when it sways, bears fierceness alongside softness.

That would bend when touched gently.

يهيجن للأقداح من راح ناسياً

يهيجن للأقداح من راح ناسياً

لراحٍ وللأحداق من كان ناسكا

لراحٍ وللأحداق من كان ناسكا

They stir longing for cups in one who has grown forgetful

They rouse for cups one who forgot ease,

of wine, and for eyes in one who had been an ascetic.

And for cheeks, one who was devout.

وقد قابلتنا أوجه السحب بالحيا

وقد قابلتنا أوجه السحب بالحيا

ومدت لنا أيدي الربيع درانكا

ومدت لنا أيدي الربيع درانكا

And the faces of the clouds had met us with life-giving rain,

Bright faces of clouds had met us,

and spring's hands spread carpets for us.

And hands of springtime stretched their vines.

تباعدن عني لا قلى وملالة

تباعدن عني لا قلى وملالة

ولكنها الأيام توجب ذلكا

ولكنها الأيام توجب ذلكا

They drew away from me, not from hatred or weariness,

They kept away from me without boredom or being fed-up,

but it is the days that demand this.

But days make that necessary.

فهن اللواتي ما أرتنا مطالباً

فهن اللواتي ما أرتنا مطالباً

من الدهر إلا أعقبتها مهالكا

من الدهر إلا أعقبتها مهالكا

For those days never showed us things we sought

For they are those we did not see seeking

from time without following them with ruin.

From fate anything but followed by perishing.

معودة أن تسترد عطاءها

معودة أن تسترد عطاءها

فمن كان منها آخذا كان تاركا

فمن كان منها آخذا كان تاركا

Accustomed to reclaiming their gifts,

She is accustomed to regain her gifts,

so whoever took from them became one who must relinquish.

So whoever takes from her will leave.

لها زهر غض نضير لناظر

لها زهر غض نضير لناظر

وان لمسته راحة كان شائكا

وان لمسته راحة كان شائكا

Their bloom is tender and fresh to the beholder,

For her is flower whose green is matched before the onlooker,

but if a palm touches it, it proves thorny.

And if a hand touched it, it was thorny.

لقد قبحت في عنفوان شبابها

لقد قبحت في عنفوان شبابها

فهل نترجاها لتحسن فاركا

فهل نترجاها لتحسن فاركا

They were ugly even in the prime of their youth;

She really was ugly in the prime of her youth,

so can we hope they grow fair as a wife who spurns her husband?

Can we expect her to improve, having become old?

ولكنني أعلقت منها مآربي

ولكنني أعلقت منها مآربي

أميرا على نهج الحقيقة سالكا

أميرا على نهج الحقيقة سالكا

But I have attached what I seek from them

But I held my hopes in her,

to a prince who walks the path of truth.

A prince on the path of truth proceeding.

وملكته رقى فملكني العلا

وملكته رقى فملكني العلا

فأصبحت مملوكا لديه ومالكا

فأصبحت مملوكا لديه ومالكا

And I made him master of my bondage, and he made me master of the heights,

And he possessed a high spirit, so he possessed me,

so I became both his slave and a master.

And I became owned by him, and owner.

وحيد الندى والبأس والندب من غدا

وحيد الندى والبأس والندب من غدا

يرى الشرك في عليائه أن يشاركا

يرى الشرك في عليائه أن يشاركا

Peerless in bounty and valor, the gallant man who has come

Unique in bounty and courage, and for people calling

to deem any sharing of his eminence an act of idolatry.

He sees partnership in his supremacy as something to abhor.

رحيب الفنا للمعتفين ولم يزل

رحيب الفنا للمعتفين ولم يزل

بيوم الوغى للمعتدين ملاحكا

بيوم الوغى للمعتدين ملاحكا

His courtyard is spacious for those seeking gifts, and he has always

Of vast grace for refugees, he has not ceased

clashed with aggressors on the day of battle.

To be piercing on the day of turmoil for transgressors.

فيا دهر مذ الجأتني لفنائه

فيا دهر مذ الجأتني لفنائه

أمنت مع الأيام بؤسي وبأسكا

أمنت مع الأيام بؤسي وبأسكا

O Time, since you drove me to his courtyard,

For the high goals and supreme ones he aspires,

I have been safe amid the days from my misery and your violence.

When others aspired the heights and became haughty.

وصدقت ظني فيه عند رجائه

وصدقت ظني فيه عند رجائه

وأكثر ما تلقى الظنون أوافكا

وأكثر ما تلقى الظنون أوافكا

and you confirmed my expectation of him when I put my hope in him,

For their endeavor is but to the lances and spears,

though most often one finds expectations false.

And the generous are thus.

أجل أولي العليا ونجل عليها

أجل أولي العليا ونجل عليها

وسيف بني سيفا فلا زال باتكا

وسيف بني سيفا فلا زال باتكا

Most august of the eminent, son of their loftiest,

My patron, he who has distanced himself from the neighbor,

and the sword of the Banu Sayfa—may he never cease to cleave!

And refused glory, while seizing wealth.

هم القوم ان تمسك بهم في ملمة

هم القوم ان تمسك بهم في ملمة

فما زلت للنصر العزيزي ماسكا

فما زلت للنصر العزيزي ماسكا

They are the folk: if you hold fast to them in distress,

He has come to us, the reddish eyelids,

you will always hold fast to ʿAzīzī victory.

Swiftly, for that is his habit in giving.

مع البذل ما اعتادت اكف رجالهم

مع البذل ما اعتادت اكف رجالهم

سوى فك عانٍ أو يزال سوافكا

سوى فك عانٍ أو يزال سوافكا

With all their giving, their men's hands have learned no habit

With him is playful savagery disdaining me to mount,

but freeing a captive or ever shedding blood.

Lest the ground be touched by its hooves.

لهم للمعالي والعوالي تشوف

لهم للمعالي والعوالي تشوف

إذا اشتاق عليا غيرهم والعواتكا

إذا اشتاق عليا غيرهم والعواتكا

They yearn for exalted deeds and lofty spears,

And it aspires to obtain praise and sometimes,

when others yearn for high rank and perfumed beauties.

It carries aloft its shoulder above the lofty and nimble.

فما همهم إلا القواضب والقنا

فما همهم إلا القواضب والقنا

وبذل اللها والأكرمون كذلك

وبذل اللها والأكرمون كذلك

Their sole concern is cutting swords and spears,

Be gentle with it against death, though

and bestowing gifts; such are the noblest.

The fates have become decisions on its face.

أمولاي من امسى عن الجار ذائداً

أمولاي من امسى عن الجار ذائداً

وللمجد مناعاً وللمال هاتكا

وللمجد مناعاً وللمال هاتكا

O my lord, who stands as his neighbor's defender,

And seek the right of glory through effort above it,

guarding glory, yet tearing open his wealth,

For I was not one, my grandfather, to neglect your vengeance.

لقد جاءنا الطرف الأحم اديمه

لقد جاءنا الطرف الأحم اديمه

سريعا وهذي عادة في عطائكا

سريعا وهذي عادة في عطائكا

the steed, jet-black of hide, has indeed reached us

And here are rhymes whose strength combined,

swiftly—and such is your habit in giving.

Is unmatched in their praise of you.

به مرح جذلان يأنف بي السرى

به مرح جذلان يأنف بي السرى

لئلا تمس الأرض منه السنابكا

لئلا تمس الأرض منه السنابكا

He has joyous high spirits, too proud to travel by night with me,

Their meanings have been blocked, and ardor is their prosody,

lest his hooves touch the earth.

And I have become in them a praiser spinning.

ويطمع في نيل السها ولربما

ويطمع في نيل السها ولربما

سما كاهلا فوق السماك وحاركا

سما كاهلا فوق السماك وحاركا

He yearns to reach al-Suhā, and often

One who aspires to understand them falls short,

raises shoulder and withers above al-Simāk.

Even if the most rational mind departs exhausted.

اهش عليه للمنايا وان غدت

اهش عليه للمنايا وان غدت

كوالح فيوجه الكمى حوالكا

كوالح فيوجه الكمى حوالكا

On him I joyfully face death, even when it becomes

And if one babbled in composing like it,

grim and black before the armored warrior's face.

You would think him in his mouth to be babbling nonsense.

واطلب حق المجد بالجد فوقه

واطلب حق المجد بالجد فوقه

وما كنت يا جدي بتارك ثاركا

وما كنت يا جدي بتارك ثاركا

and seek glory's rightful due in earnest upon him.

Had I been enabled to do what I hope,

Nor would I ever, O my grandfather, leave your vengeance unclaimed.

I would have composed jewels and pearls scattering about.

وهاك قوافٍ لا قوى في معيها

وهاك قوافٍ لا قوى في معيها

مثان بلا ثان لها عن ثنائكا

مثان بلا ثان لها عن ثنائكا

Here are rhymes with no strength within them [reading uncertain],

But I do not consider them before you a eulogy,

paired verses, with none to turn them from praising you.

Even if the eloquent were silenced.

تسدت معانيها والحم نظمها

تسدت معانيها والحم نظمها

وأصبحت فيها حاكي المدح حائكا

وأصبحت فيها حاكي المدح حائكا

Their meanings furnish the warp, their arrangement the weft,

Rather, my patron, with fasting and devotion

and in them I became praise's narrator and weaver.

They have arrived blessed, and I came blessed.

يقصر عن ادراكها من يرومها

يقصر عن ادراكها من يرومها

وان راح منها راتع الفكر راتكا

وان راح منها راتع الفكر راتكا

Whoever attempts them falls short of attaining them,

So allow them acceptance from you, allow their acceptance,

even if he sets out from them with grazing thought, trotting briskly.

And the foe has blown against them evil winds.

وان فاه في نظم يناظرها به

وان فاه في نظم يناظرها به

توهمته في فيه العهن لائكا

توهمته في فيه العهن لائكا

And if he speaks in verse to rival them,

Remain forever for me fast-flowing with pardon,

you would imagine him chewing dyed wool in his mouth.

That I may pour praise being thankful.

ولو انني مكنت فيما ارومه

ولو انني مكنت فيما ارومه

نظمت اللآلي والدراري الشواؤكا

نظمت اللآلي والدراري الشواؤكا

If I were enabled to achieve what I seek,

And terrify my enemies and dazzle my envious,

I would string pearls and radiant, piercing stars.

And rise gloriously, for you carry honor.

فما ارتضيها بين أيديك مدحة

فما ارتضيها بين أيديك مدحة

وان أفحمت قسا وكعبا ومالكا

وان أفحمت قسا وكعبا ومالكا

Yet I would not deem them worthy as praise before you,

And boast through poetry, son of your father, which

even if they silenced Quss, Kaʿb, and Mālik.

Affirms the shame that I am the son of your father.

ولكنها مولاي بالصوم والتقى

ولكنها مولاي بالصوم والتقى

مباركة جاءت وجئت مباركا

مباركة جاءت وجئت مباركا

But they, my lord, through fasting and piety,

have come blessed, and I too have come blessed.

فهبها قبولا منك هب قبوله

فهبها قبولا منك هب قبوله

وهاب العدا منه الرياح الحواشكا

وهاب العدا منه الرياح الحواشكا

So grant them your acceptance—may his east wind blow—

and may foes fear the fierce winds from him.

ودم ابداً لي سابل العفو سايلا

ودم ابداً لي سابل العفو سايلا

لأصبح عفواً ساكب الحمد سابكا

لأصبح عفواً ساكب الحمد سابكا

And remain forever, for me, pouring bounty in a stream,

so I may freely pour and cast my praise.

وارهب اعدائي وابهر حاسدي

وارهب اعدائي وابهر حاسدي

وانهض عز ما حامل الذكر باركا

وانهض عز ما حامل الذكر باركا

Frighten my enemies and dazzle my envier,

and rise in glory; the bearer of renown does not kneel.

وافخر بالشعر ابن بابك والذي

وافخر بالشعر ابن بابك والذي

يؤكد فخزى انني ابن بابكا

يؤكد فخزى انني ابن بابكا

Rival Ibn Bābak in poetry; what

confirms my pride is that I am a son of your gate.