بعثت إليك بطيفها الآرام

بعثت إليك بطيفها الآرام

ومن الزيارة حسبك الالمام

ومن الزيارة حسبك الالمام

The gazelles sent you their dream-image,

I sent you her gentle spirit,

and a passing visit is enough for you.

And from the visit let that suffice,

واذا الحبيب نأى وراجعك الكرى

واذا الحبيب نأى وراجعك الكرى

فالطيف حسبك والمنى احلام

فالطيف حسبك والمنى احلام

And when the beloved is far away and slumber returns to you,

And if the beloved goes far and sadness returns to you,

the dream-image suffices you, and wishes are dreams.

Then her spirit is enough for you, and wishes are dreams.

اما انا فجفون عيني لم يكن

اما انا فجفون عيني لم يكن

الا القتاد لشخصهن منام

الا القتاد لشخصهن منام

As for me, the eyelids of my eyes have found

As for me, the eyelids of my eyes have never known

no sleeping-place for themselves but thornbushes.

Anything but wakefulness for their likeness in dreams.

وكأن آماقي وتسكاب البكا

وكأن آماقي وتسكاب البكا

طلل محته بمرها الايام

طلل محته بمرها الايام

And my eye-corners and the pouring of tears seem

And my eyelids pouring with tears

a ruined dwelling effaced by the passing days.

Are like continuous rain ruining their kohl.

وكأن ليلى عمر ايام النوى

وكأن ليلى عمر ايام النوى

وكأنما ساعاته اعوام

وكأنما ساعاته اعوام

And my night seems the lifespan of separation's days,

As if Layla's life were the days of intimacy,

and its hours seem years.

And as if her moments were years.

وانا الذي اعتلق الفؤاد وجسمه

وانا الذي اعتلق الفؤاد وجسمه

لنوى الاحبة لاعج وسقام

لنوى الاحبة لاعج وسقام

And I am he whose heart and body are gripped

And I, whose heart and body are devoted

by burning anguish and sickness at separation from loved ones.

To the beloved's intimacy - no failing or sickness.

خصمان كل ان تحكم قاتل

خصمان كل ان تحكم قاتل

ولثل عشتي تخلق الاخصام

ولثل عشتي تخلق الاخصام

Two adversaries, each deadly if it gains control,

Two adversaries, though each claims to love her,

and adversaries are created to shatter my life.

And my life's misfortune stirs up discord.

انا من له في كل ارض انة

انا من له في كل ارض انة

وقصائد مبثوثة وغرام

وقصائد مبثوثة وغرام

I am he who has in every land a groan,

I am someone who in every land has a helper,

and scattered poems, and ardent love.

And scattered poems and passion aplenty;

وله لاشباه المحاسن صبوة

وله لاشباه المحاسن صبوة

ولورد امواه الجمال اوام

ولورد امواه الجمال اوام

And he has a longing for the forms of beauty,

Someone who is inclined by the charms of the fair,

and burning thirst to draw from beauty's waters.

And it's as if my breaths beside them are wine;

أنا من يميل له المخاطب نشوة

أنا من يميل له المخاطب نشوة

وكأن انفاسي لديه مدام

وكأن انفاسي لديه مدام

I am he whose listener sways with rapture,

Someone who excels in praise of them - if their sighs appear,

as though my breaths were wine to him.

It's as though they contain arrows.

ويجيد عنه ان بدت زفراته

ويجيد عنه ان بدت زفراته

فكأنها مما احتوا سهام

فكأنها مما احتوا سهام

And he turns away from him when his sighs appear,

Between me and fate are upheavals

as though, from what they contain, they were arrows.

That don't cease between us or conflict.

بيني وبين الدهر هيجاوات

بيني وبين الدهر هيجاوات

ليست تنقضي ما بيننا وصدام

ليست تنقضي ما بيننا وصدام

Between me and Time there are battles,

However we come together, I see you with my ruin,

unceasing between us, and clashes.

And you see me obsessed and distraught.

مهما التقاني من نواك تحجفل

مهما التقاني من نواك تحجفل

عاينته ببقاك وهو لهام

عاينته ببقاك وهو لهام

Whenever a massed host of separation from you confronts me,

Ask the morning breeze - if the morning breeze touched your hand -

I confront it with your enduring presence, though it is a vast host.

Did my loving eyes sleep through your disdain?

فسل الصبا ان صافحتك يد الصبا

فسل الصبا ان صافحتك يد الصبا

هل عين عشقي مع جفاك تنام

هل عين عشقي مع جفاك تنام

So ask the east wind, if the east wind's hand clasps yours:

O you, if you don't know passion,

Does the eye of my love sleep amid your coldness?

Don't disparage it, for passion holds firm.

يا هذه ان أنت لم تدر الهوى

يا هذه ان أنت لم تدر الهوى

لا تحجديه فللهوى استحكام

لا تحجديه فللهوى استحكام

O you, if you do not know love,

And your father - I'd be content with you

do not deny it: love has a firm hold.

And sincerely make my speech from your disdain.

وابيك كنت احد منك لواحظا

وابيك كنت احد منك لواحظا

وبكل قلب من جفاي كلام

وبكل قلب من جفاي كلام

By your father, my glances were keener than yours,

Magic is only in my eloquence

and every heart bore wounds from my coldness.

And beauty only concluded by my signet ring.

والسحر الا في لساني منطق

والسحر الا في لساني منطق

والحسن الا في يدي ختام

والحسن الا في يدي ختام

And magic spoke only upon my tongue,

Safe from illusions overtaking it

and beauty's seal was only in my hand.

Lest they extend a hand to its sanctity.

لدن القوام مصونة اعطافه

لدن القوام مصونة اعطافه

عن ان تمد يدا لها الاوهام

عن ان تمد يدا لها الاوهام

Supple of stature, with his flanks kept safe

Abstaining, not drawing near its tryst,

from imaginings stretching a hand toward them,

Nor does its imagination reach it.

متمنعا لا الموعد يدني وصله

متمنعا لا الموعد يدني وصله

يوما ولا لخياله إلمام

يوما ولا لخياله إلمام

withholding himself: no promised meeting brings union with him near

Until sickness crept into my gaze,

on any day, nor does his dream-image make a passing visit.

And indeed its injustice meets darkness.

حتى خلقت السقم في بنظرة

حتى خلقت السقم في بنظرة

ولقد يلاقي ظلمه الظلام

ولقد يلاقي ظلمه الظلام

Until you created sickness in me with a glance,

Its cures multiplied - with a glance,

and darkness itself encounters its cruelty.

It formed a watcher, and in calling, blame.

وتنوعت ادواؤه فبطرفه

وتنوعت ادواؤه فبطرفه

شكل الرقيب وفي الصياح ملام

شكل الرقيب وفي الصياح ملام

His maladies have varied: in his glance

A thousand avoidance in your love - so draw near it -

is the watcher's likeness, and in cries, reproach.

For people after you, fortune and peace.

الف التجنب في هواك فقربه

الف التجنب في هواك فقربه

للناس بعدك حظوة وسلام

للناس بعدك حظوة وسلام

He grew accustomed to avoidance in loving you; thus his nearness

And I have met from fate and its people

to people, after you, is favor and peace.

What tribes cannot withstand with their pledge.

ولقد لقيت من الزمان واهله

ولقد لقيت من الزمان واهله

ما لا تقوم بحبله الاقوام

ما لا تقوم بحبله الاقوام

And I have suffered from Time and its people

Do you not see me shunned or have not seen -

what whole peoples could not bear.

Is there anyone among them I'd hope for conciliation?

او ما تريني معرضا او لم ترى

او ما تريني معرضا او لم ترى

هل فيهم من يرتجى فيسام

هل فيهم من يرتجى فيسام

Do you not see me turning away, or have you not seen

Except the prince Abu Nud and glory Othman -

whether any among them offers hope and may be petitioned,

The resolute, complete man of perfection;

الا الأمير ابو الندى والمجد عثمان

الا الأمير ابو الندى والمجد عثمان

الهمام الاصبد التمتام

الهمام الاصبد التمتام

except the emir Uthman, father of generosity and glory,

The fierce fighter, by whom idols are smashed

the valiant, majestic, great lord [epithets uncertain]?

With God, and the pigeons flock to none but him.

الخائض النقع الذي من دونه

الخائض النقع الذي من دونه

يدني الحمام لغيره الاحجام

يدني الحمام لغيره الاحجام

Who plunges into battle-dust, even short of which

A hero - if war stirs its flames,

shrinking back brings death close to others.

The sparks of scowls, he is among them a firebrand.

بطل اذا ما الحرب خاض قناعها

بطل اذا ما الحرب خاض قناعها

شرر العوابس فهو فيه ضرام

شرر العوابس فهو فيه ضرام

A hero: when the veil of war is pierced

He leaves the ostrich, and the gathering of the tribe cannot be mended,

by sparks of the grim-faced, he is a blaze within it.

And with the pigeons, the tribe cannot be completed.

يذر الخميس ولا التئام الشمله

يذر الخميس ولا التئام الشمله

ومع الحمام الشمل لا يلتام

ومع الحمام الشمل لا يلتام

He leaves the army with no rejoining of its ranks,

You see enemies out of awe like nightmares

and with death, the scattered company cannot reunite.

Engulfing them in his likeness in their dreams.

وترى العداة من المهابة جحفلا

وترى العداة من المهابة جحفلا

تغشاهم في مثله الاحلام

تغشاهم في مثله الاحلام

And you see the enemies, awestruck, as a massed host,

A lion - when enemies see his sharp sword,

whom dreams overwhelm in such a plight.

Their hearts, before their bodies, are rubble.

اسد اذا نظر العداة حسامه

اسد اذا نظر العداة حسامه

فقلوبهم قبل الجسوم حطام

فقلوبهم قبل الجسوم حطام

A lion: when the enemies behold his sword,

He is like the true religion, strengthened

their hearts are shattered before their bodies.

By God, while the idols are crushed by him.

فكأنه الدين القويم مؤيداً

فكأنه الدين القويم مؤيداً

باللّه وانحطمت به الاصنام

باللّه وانحطمت به الاصنام

He seems the upright faith, strengthened

A sword Time has shaken from its sheath,

by God, with idols shattered through him.

And beside him people are bits of straw.

سيف تقلده الزمان مهندا

سيف تقلده الزمان مهندا

والناس خلق ما عداه كهام

والناس خلق ما عداه كهام

A sword that Time has girded on, an Indian blade,

Good birth is from his good deeds,

while all other people are worn-out, blunt blades.

And from his views, inspiration.

الطيب الميلاد من افعاله الحسنى

الطيب الميلاد من افعاله الحسنى

ومن آرائه الالهام

ومن آرائه الالهام

Noble-born: from his beautiful deeds

He and virtues are ever present, and the garden -

and from his counsels comes inspiration.

Mankind's eye is toward him in slumber.

هو والفضائل ديمة وحديقة

هو والفضائل ديمة وحديقة

والناس عين نحوه ونيام

والناس عين نحوه ونيام

He and the virtues are steady rain and a garden,

Wisdom is the garden his being illuminates,

and people are all eyes toward him, though asleep.

While others are thorns and thickets.

والحلم روض خلقه نواره

والحلم روض خلقه نواره

والآخرون والرمث والقلام

والآخرون والرمث والقلام

Forbearance is a meadow; his character is its blossom,

Generosity is an ocean, and he is its pearl;

and the others are saltbush and saltwort.

Glory is a home, and he is its pillar.

والجود بحر وهو در بتيمه

والجود بحر وهو در بتيمه

والمجد بيت وهو فيه قوام

والمجد بيت وهو فيه قوام

Generosity is a sea, and he is its peerless pearl,

O origin of roses, and he is a cloud,

and glory is a house, and he is its mainstay.

And the origins of envy, and he is a sword.

يا مصدر الوراد وهو غمامة

يا مصدر الوراد وهو غمامة

ومصادر الحساد وهو حسام

ومصادر الحساد وهو حسام

O sender of water-seekers away satisfied, being a rain-cloud,

Meeting your time with valor like charity,

and despoiler of the envious, being a sword.

As brocade and the belt are joined.

وافيت عصرك والشجاعة كالندى

وافيت عصرك والشجاعة كالندى

وهما كديباج القريض وسام

وهما كديباج القريض وسام

You came to your age with courage equal to generosity,

You have negated all past times,

and both, like poetry's brocade, are a mark of honor.

And done what the eyelids cannot do.

فاعدت من ازمان كل ما مضى

فاعدت من ازمان كل ما مضى

وفعلت ما لا يفعل الصمصام

وفعلت ما لا يفعل الصمصام

Thus you restored from former ages all that had passed,

You have sent clouds of your help, flashing lightning,

and did what the keen sword cannot do.

So may those in Damascus redeem you when they resort to you,

وبعثت سحب نداك يخفق برقه

وبعثت سحب نداك يخفق برقه

ففداك من بالشام لما شاموا

ففداك من بالشام لما شاموا

And you sent the clouds of your bounty, its lightning flashing,

Seeking to gain from a glance of yours,

so may those in al-Sham ransom you when they watch its lightning.

One that would heal the sick among us.

واتوك يستشفون منك بنظرة

واتوك يستشفون منك بنظرة

تشفى بها من مثلنا الاسقام

تشفى بها من مثلنا الاسقام

They came to you seeking healing from you through a glance

The greatest union of manhood and munificence

by which the illnesses of people like us are cured.

In a youth, whom days have extended to us!

فاشد ما التقت المروءة والندى

فاشد ما التقت المروءة والندى

بفتى ومدتنا به الايام

بفتى ومدتنا به الايام

How firmly chivalry and generosity have united

So we ask God that you remain for us, and that

in a young man whom the days have granted us!

Your life may ransom our years.

فاللّه نسأل ان تدوم لنا وان

فاللّه نسأل ان تدوم لنا وان

تفديك من اعمارنا الاعوام

تفديك من اعمارنا الاعوام

We ask God that you remain with us, and that

And may your son - O man of resolution - persist

years from our lives be given to ransom you.

In bowing until it is said: Son of the resolute man!

ويديم نجلك يا همام بسجده

ويديم نجلك يا همام بسجده

حتى يقال ابن الهمام همام

حتى يقال ابن الهمام همام

And may He preserve your son, O noble one, through his prostration,

My master, O you of the two lights - a plea

so that people say: 'The valiant one's son is valiant.'

Of one whose hopes have ended in sorrows:

مولاي ذا النورين دعوة نازح

مولاي ذا النورين دعوة نازح

آماله بعد النقا آلام

آماله بعد النقا آلام

My lord, possessor of the two lights: an exile's plea,

A heart whose journeying doesn't cease,

whose hopes, beyond al-Naqa, are pains.

And in drawing near, the vertebrae ache.

قلب الركاب لغربة لا تنقضي

قلب الركاب لغربة لا تنقضي

ومع التقرب يقلق الضرغام

ومع التقرب يقلق الضرغام

He turned his riding-camels toward an exile without end,

It left him knowing people in solitude

and even in drawing near, the lion grows uneasy.

Except for his religion, Islam.

تركته معرفة الورى في وحدة

تركته معرفة الورى في وحدة

الرهبان لولا ديته الاسلام

الرهبان لولا ديته الاسلام

His knowledge of humankind left him in the solitude

And my complaint seeks no other door than yours,

of monks, were Islam not his religion.

For eyes are for heads a dwelling.

وأبي بعتب غير بابك قصده

وأبي بعتب غير بابك قصده

ان العيون لها الرؤوس مقام

ان العيون لها الرؤوس مقام

And he refused to seek any threshold but your gate:

Without your merit, who would guarantee

for eyes have heads as their proper station.

Poets' protection or regard for their belongings?

من غير فضلك ضامن لرعاية

من غير فضلك ضامن لرعاية

الشعراء او لمتاعها مستام

الشعراء او لمتاعها مستام

Who, apart from your grace, guarantees care

Spare me and others, for poems are permitted

for poets, or bids for their wares?

To none but you - to all others prohibited.

واكف هذا الناس مثل قلوبهم

واكف هذا الناس مثل قلوبهم

ينحت منها يذبل وشمام

ينحت منها يذبل وشمام

And these people's palms are like their hearts:

Time has departed - so its final dot has come,

Yadhbul and Shamam are hewn from them.

Take pride, for the era is concluded by you.

انعامهم يوم النوال لمدحة

انعامهم يوم النوال لمدحة

لا فض فوك وحسبك الانعام

لا فض فوك وحسبك الانعام

Their gift on the day of giving, for a praise-poem, is:

I came to you, and my hopes were my companions,

'May your mouth not be broken!'—and that generosity must suffice you.

And despair the letter Qaf, and hope ahead.

سيان عندهم فحول الشعر

سيان عندهم فحول الشعر

والمستتنحلوه كلاهما نظام

والمستتنحلوه كلاهما نظام

To them, the stallions of poetry are no different

Explaining: my day I will favor praising you,

from its plagiarists: both are versifiers.

And that my aim in you is perfection.

دعني وغيرك فالقصائد حلها

دعني وغيرك فالقصائد حلها

الا عليك على الجميع حرام

الا عليك على الجميع حرام

Leave me to deal with others: the poems are lawful

I learned that from you I obtain riches

only for you, and forbidden to everyone else.

When I praised you while worries slept.

ذهب الزمان فجئءت نقطة نونه

ذهب الزمان فجئءت نقطة نونه

فافخر فانفك للزمان ختام

فافخر فانفك للزمان ختام

Time departed, and you came as the dot upon its nun;

If you patronize me, you patronize a poet for yourself

so boast, for you are Time's concluding seal.

Whose poetry amazes minds.

ولقد قصدتك والاماني صحبتي

ولقد قصدتك والاماني صحبتي

واليأس قاف والرجاء امام

واليأس قاف والرجاء امام

I sought you with hopes as my companions,

Of rare making, he does not humiliate himself for pleasure,

despair following behind, and hope ahead.

And by his chaste spirit rules unruly souls.

مفرسا اني سارجح حامدا

مفرسا اني سارجح حامدا

يومي وان القصد فيك توام

يومي وان القصد فيك توام

Foreseeing that I would prevail, praising

You will find enemies nil in his eyes, but

my day, and that seeking you is twin-born [unclear phrase].

Only lack of generosity - and it is right for you to destroy.

وعلمت اني منك اجتلب الغنى

وعلمت اني منك اجتلب الغنى

لما مدحتك والهمون نيام

لما مدحتك والهمون نيام

And I knew that from you I would obtain wealth

I am the eye of the knowledge of poetry, renewing its features,

when I praised you while worries slept.

And into it my letter Meem and Lam have entered.

ان تصطنعني تصطنع لك شاعرا

ان تصطنعني تصطنع لك شاعرا

سجدت لمحكم شعره الافهام

سجدت لمحكم شعره الافهام

If you take me under your patronage, you gain a poet for yourself

And it is right for poets to refrain

before whose masterfully wrought poetry intellects have bowed.

From the protectiveness of my poetry's plunge.

صعب الشكية لا يذل للذة

صعب الشكية لا يذل للذة

وبنفسه العصماء ساد عصام

وبنفسه العصماء ساد عصام

Unyielding in temper, he never abases himself for pleasure;

and through his own unassailable spirit, Isam rose to mastery.

تجد الاعادي العدم فيه وإنما

تجد الاعادي العدم فيه وإنما

عدم السخاء وحقك الاعدام

عدم السخاء وحقك الاعدام

Enemies find annihilation in him; yet

lack of generosity, by your honor, is true destitution.

انا عين علم الشعر جدد رسمه

انا عين علم الشعر جدد رسمه

ولجا اليه ميمه واللام

ولجا اليه ميمه واللام

I am the 'ayn—the eye—of poetic knowledge; its outline is renewed,

and its mim and lam have sought refuge in it.

ويحق للشعراء ان يتكفكفوا

ويحق للشعراء ان يتكفكفوا

عن حومة شعري بها المقدام

عن حومة شعري بها المقدام

And poets ought to hold themselves back

from my poetry's battlefield, with its bold champion.