طَلَعتْshe rose عَليكَupon you معَwith المساءthe evening صَبَاحاas dawn
طَلَعتْ عَليكَ معَ المساء صَبَاحا
فوَشىso it betrayed بِمِشْيَتِهاof her gait النسيمُthe breeze وَباحاand divulged
فوَشى بِمِشْيَتِها النسيمُ وَباحا
She rose upon you at evening as a dawn,
The morning dawned on you with the evening,
So the breeze betrayed her gait and divulged it.
And the breeze spread its fragrance and sighed.
ماnot فيwithin قِوَىthe powers of الأرواحِthe winds كتمانconcealing الشذىfragrance
ما في قِوَى الأرواحِ كتمان الشذى
أفضحْhow exposed! بِمَنْis one who يَستَكْتمُasks to keep secrets الأَرواحاthe winds
أفضحْ بِمَنْ يَستَكْتمُ الأَرواحا
It is beyond the winds' power to conceal fragrance;
The spirit's strength cannot conceal its scent -
How exposed is one who asks the winds to keep secrets!
It exposes those who try to hide their souls.
هَيْفَاءُa slender beauty لمnot تنهَضshe rose بِخصْرٍwith a waist أهْيَفٍslender
هَيْفَاءُ لم تنهَض بِخصْرٍ أهْيَفٍ
إلاexcept that وَنَتْshe grew weary رِدْفاًin her rump يَنُوءُweighing heavily رَدَاحاbroad and heavy
إلا وَنَتْ رِدْفاً يَنُوءُ رَدَاحا
A slender beauty, she never rises with her slim waist
Heifa rose not with a slender waist
Without faltering beneath a broad and weighty rump.
Except she was a burden hard to carry on the camel's hump.
خَصْراًa waist إذاwhen مَازالslips away عَنْهُfrom it وشاحُهits girdle
خَصْراً إذا مَازال عَنْهُ وشاحُه
ثَبتَتْsettled ذَوائِبُهاher tresses علَيهِupon it وِشَاحاas a girdle
ثَبتَتْ ذَوائِبُها علَيهِ وِشَاحا
A waist: when its girdle slips away,
A waist, if its sash is removed from it,
Her tresses settle upon it as a girdle.
Its braids would cling to it like a sash.
أعْدىtransmitted to شَمائِلهاher ways فَكادَتso she almost رقّةًin delicacy
أعْدى شَمائِلها فَكادَت رقّةً
تَسْريmoves نَسيماًas a breeze بُكْرَةًin the morning ورَوَاحاand in the evening
تَسْري نَسيماً بُكْرَةً ورَوَاحا
It lent its slenderness to her ways, so delicate she nearly
The charm of her features almost, out of softness,
Glides as a breeze, morning and evening.
Flowed like a morning breeze gently wafting.
تَعِسmay he perish المُفَنِّدthe reprover هبّrose up يَلْحىto blame فيover الهَوىlove
تَعِس المُفَنِّد هبّ يَلْحى في الهَوى
ماnot لاحَappeared مِنْof رُشْدٍgood sense لَهُfor him إذْwhen لاحاhe reproached
ما لاحَ مِنْ رُشْدٍ لَهُ إذْ لاحا
Woe to the reprover who rose to blame me for love;
Wretched is the passionate struck by desire -
No glimmer of good sense was his when he reproached.
No sanity appeared for him when passion struck.
يَبْغِيhe seeks لدَيّin me مَعwith العلاقةattachment سَلْوَةًforgetfulness
يَبْغِي لدَيّ مَع العلاقة سَلْوَةً
أَرَأَيتَhave you seen? مَحْظوراًsomething forbidden يُعَدُّis deemed مُبَاحاpermitted
أَرَأَيتَ مَحْظوراً يُعَدُّ مُبَاحا
He seeks forgetfulness in me despite my attachment;
He seeks intimacy from me along with connection,
Have you seen what is forbidden reckoned lawful?
Have you seen a prohibited affair counted as lawful?
باللّهِby God كَيْفَhow يفيقhe sobers up مِنfrom سَكرَاتِهhis drunken spells
باللّهِ كَيْفَ يفيق مِن سَكرَاتِه
مَنْone who نَادمcaroused with الأحْدَاقthe eyes والأقْدَاحاand the goblets
مَنْ نَادم الأحْدَاق والأقْدَاحا
By God, how can he sober up from his drunken spells,
By God, how can one sober up from his intoxication,
One who has caroused with eyes and goblets?
Who carouses with gazelles and wine cups?
ماnot ضَرّharmed قَاتِلَةthe female slayer of النُفوسِsouls بِدَلّهاwith her coquetry
ما ضَرّ قَاتِلَة النُفوسِ بِدَلّها
أَلاthat she not تُقلدَbe girded with منfrom سِواهother than it سِلاحاa weapon
أَلا تُقلدَ من سِواه سِلاحا
It does not harm her who slays souls with her coquetry
What harm in her killer glances instead
To be girded with no weapon other than that.
Of donning other weapons than hers?
لَمnever تُرسِلshe looses الطّرفthe glance المعلّمtrained صَيدُهاher prey
لَم تُرسِل الطّرف المعلّم صَيدُها
إلاexcept that استَباحَit made prey of الأصْيَدthe proud one الجَحْجاحاthe mighty chieftain
إلا استَباحَ الأصْيَد الجَحْجاحا
She never looses the glance trained to hunt her prey
She did not unleash her learned eyelash except
Without making prey of the proud, mighty chieftain.
She permitted havoc on gentle prey.
بِأَبيwith my father as ransom التيher who نَهَدَتْadvanced لِحَرْبِيَto fight me ناهِداًfull-breasted
بِأَبي التي نَهَدَتْ لِحَرْبِيَ ناهِداً
فيin السِّلْمpeace تَعْتَقِلُshe wields الثديthe breasts رِماحاas spears
في السِّلْم تَعْتَقِلُ الثدي رِماحا
May my father ransom her who advanced to fight me, full-breasted,
By her who budded breasts for my battle,
In peace, wielding her breasts as spears.
Waging war at peace imprisoning them like spears.
تُفاحَتانِtwo apples بِخُوطِon a shoot of بَانٍa ban tree بَانَتاboth appeared
تُفاحَتانِ بِخُوطِ بَانٍ بَانَتا
ماnot البانُthe ban tree مِماamong what يُثْمرُproduces التُّفاحاapples
ما البانُ مِما يُثْمرُ التُّفاحا
Two apples appeared upon a ban-tree shoot;
Two apple-like breasts with erect tips
Yet the ban tree is not one that bears apples.
That do not resemble what produces apples.
أَلِفَgrew accustomed to التأوُّدَswaying عِطْفُهاher flank فَتَخالُهso you imagine it
أَلِفَ التأوُّدَ عِطْفُها فَتَخالُه
غُصْناًa bough وإنْand even though لَمْnot يَأْلَفِit knows الأدْواحاgreat trees
غُصْناً وإنْ لَمْ يَأْلَفِ الأدْواحا
Her flank is accustomed to swaying, so you would think it
Her affection adapted him like a branch
A bough, though it has never known great trees.
Even if he does not adapt to settlements.
وَكأنّماand as though سُقِيَwas given to drink النَّعيمbliss سُلافَةًpure wine
وَكأنّما سُقِيَ النَّعيم سُلافَةً
فاهتَزَّso it swayed مِنْfrom طَربٍdelight لهاin it وارْتاحاand rejoiced
فاهتَزَّ مِنْ طَربٍ لها وارْتاحا
And as though it had been given bliss as pure wine,
As if good life was sipped in sips,
It swayed with delight in it and rejoiced.
So it trembled from rapture for it and relaxed.
راضَتtamed محاسِنُهاher beauties الجَموحَthe unruly one علىto الهَوىlove
راضَت محاسِنُها الجَموحَ على الهَوى
فانْساقَso he was led حتّىuntil ماnot أطاقَhe could manage جِماحاbolting
فانْساقَ حتّى ما أطاقَ جِماحا
Her beauties tamed the unruly one to love,
Her perfections tamed passion for love,
So he was led along, until he could no longer bolt.
So it flowed until it could not flap its wings.
كمْhow many a بارقٍlightning flash بَيْنَbetween العُذَيبal-Udhayb وبارقٍand Bariq
كمْ بارقٍ بَيْنَ العُذَيب وبارقٍ
يبْدوappears لَزنْدِfor the firestick of صَبَابَتيmy longing قدّاحاa spark-striker
يبْدو لَزنْدِ صَبَابَتي قدّاحا
How many a lightning flash between al-Udhayb and Bariq
How many flashes between lightning and lightning
Appears to kindle the firestick of my longing!
Appear to my polished Sababah like flint stones.
هَجَعslept الخَليُّthe carefree one بِهِthere وبِتُّand I spent the night مقلِّباًturning
هَجَع الخَليُّ بِهِ وبِتُّ مقلِّباً
طَرْفاًa gaze إلىtoward إيماضِهِits flashes طَمّاحاstraining upward
طَرْفاً إلى إيماضِهِ طَمّاحا
The carefree one slept there, while I spent the night turning
The wrinkled Khali passed the night with her,
My gaze, straining toward its flashes,
Turning his eyes to its winking covetously.
كَلِفاًenamored بأيّامٍof days سَلَفْنthat passed خِلالَهاamid them
كَلِفاً بأيّامٍ سَلَفْن خِلالَها
خَلَّفْنَthey left behind ذِكْرَthe memory of عُهُودِهاtheir bonds نَفّاحاfragrant
خَلَّفْنَ ذِكْرَ عُهُودِها نَفّاحا
Enamored of days that had passed in those lands,
Burdened by days gone by,
They left the memory of their bonds breathing fragrance.
Whose memory we left wailing.
إنّيindeed I لأجنَحُdo incline للأوانِسِtoward maidens كالدُّمىlike figurines
إنّي لأجنَحُ للأوانِسِ كالدُّمى
سَلِسَeasy العِنانof rein ولاand not أخَافُI fear جُناحاsin
سَلِسَ العِنان ولا أخَافُ جُناحا
I do incline to maidens, lovely as figurines,
I flap to the beauties like a headless body,
Easy of rein, and I fear no sin.
With slackened reins fearing no collision.
وأقومُand I rise فيin النّاديthe assembly أُحَدِّثI speak بالنّدىof generosity
وأقومُ في النّادي أُحَدِّث بالنّدى
سَكِراًintoxicated يُضَمِّخُperfumes richly طِيبُهits fragrance الأَمداحاthe praises
سَكِراً يُضَمِّخُ طِيبُه الأَمداحا
And I rise in the assembly to speak of generosity,
And I stand in the club conversing with dew,
Intoxicated, as its fragrance perfumes my praises.
Intoxicated my praise stains it.
لاnot يُنْفِدُexhausts الأَرباحَthe gains آمِلُa hopeful seeker of دَولَةٍa dynasty
لا يُنْفِدُ الأَرباحَ آمِلُ دَولَةٍ
حَفْصِيَّةٍHafsid رَأَتِit deemed السّماحَgenerosity رباحاprofit
حَفْصِيَّةٍ رَأَتِ السّماحَ رباحا
No seeker of a dynasty's favor can exhaust its rewards—
Ever hopeful the profits will not run out,
A Hafsid dynasty that counts generosity as gain.
Of a bounteous Hafsiyya who saw generosity lucrative.
هَذيthese are مَواهِبُهاits gifts تُفاضُare poured forth علىupon الوَرىhumankind
هَذي مَواهِبُها تُفاضُ على الوَرى
كالغَيْثِlike rain طَبَّقblanketed أجْبُلاًmountains وَبِطاحاand broad valleys
كالغَيْثِ طَبَّق أجْبُلاً وَبِطاحا
Here are its gifts, poured out upon humankind
These are her gifts overflowing upon people
Like rain that blankets mountains and broad valleys.
Like heavy rains covering a hill and plain.
وإِذاand when صُراحُthe pure essence of المَدْحِpraise لاقَىmeets رَبّهاits lord
وإِذا صُراحُ المَدْحِ لاقَى رَبّها
لاقىit meets لُبَاباًa choice essence فيamong المُلوكِkings صُراحاpure
لاقى لُبَاباً في المُلوكِ صُراحا
And when pure praise encounters its lord,
And if the tongue of praise meets its Lord,
It meets a pure, choice essence among kings.
It meets a sea in the kings, boundless.
قَسَماًI swear بِيَحيىby Yahya المُرْتَضىal-Murtada لَقَدِindeed انْتَضىhe unsheathed
قَسَماً بِيَحيى المُرْتَضى لَقَدِ انْتَضى
مِنْfrom بَأْسهِhis might مِثْلَlike الصِّفاحِbroad stone slabs صِفاحاsword-blades
مِنْ بَأْسهِ مِثْلَ الصِّفاحِ صِفاحا
I swear by Yahya al-Murtada: he has indeed unsheathed
I swear by the chosen Yahya, indeed he gained
From his might sword-blades like slabs of rock.
Victory by his might like hilltops levelled.
وقَضىand decreed علىfor العافيthe supplicant مُقيدthe fetter of جُودِهِhis bounty
وقَضى على العافي مُقيد جُودِهِ
ألاthat he not يُسَرّحَbe released عَنْfrom ذَراهُhis shelter سَراحاa release
ألا يُسَرّحَ عَنْ ذَراهُ سَراحا
And the fetter of his bounty decreed for the supplicant
And he decreed the brimful his generosity constrained
That he never be released from his shelter.
That it not set free those in his grip.
ماhow أوْضَحَclear البُرهانَthe proof إنَّindeed لهhis are العُلىthe heights of honor
ما أوْضَحَ البُرهانَ إنَّ له العُلى
عادِيةage-old والسُّؤدَدand lordship الوَضّاحاradiant
عادِية والسُّؤدَد الوَضّاحا
How clear the proof: his are the heights of honor,
How clear the proof! Indeed he has the ascendance,
Age-old, and resplendent sovereignty!
Vanquishing foes and misguidance with illumination.
حاطَprotected الهُدىright guidance بجِلادِهِwith his combat وجِهادِهِand his striving
حاطَ الهُدى بجِلادِهِ وجِهادِهِ
فَكَباso it fell لِمِعْطَسِهِonto its nose الضّلالerror وَطاحاand collapsed
فَكَبا لِمِعْطَسِهِ الضّلال وَطاحا
He guarded right guidance with his combat and his striving,
He enclosed guidance with his skin and strife,
So error fell upon its nose and collapsed.
So misguidance stumbled and fell down.
لاnot تأْتَليfall short الأقْدارُthe fates تُولِيgranting قَدْرَهُhis eminence
لا تأْتَلي الأقْدارُ تُولِي قَدْرَهُ
فَتْحاًvictory إِذاwhen ماever (emphasis) حاوَلَhe sought اسْتِفْتَاحاseeking victory
فَتْحاً إِذا ما حاوَلَ اسْتِفْتَاحا
The fates spare no effort to grant his eminence
Fates do not waver but give him victory
Victory whenever he seeks victory.
When he attempts to conquer and open.
وَلهُand his are الجِيادُthe noble steeds بدتappeared ظِباءًas gazelles فيin الوَغَىbattle
وَلهُ الجِيادُ بدت ظِباءً في الوَغَى
وعَدَتْand they raced لِتَقْتلِعَto uproot العُدَاةthe enemies رِياحاlike winds
وعَدَتْ لِتَقْتلِعَ العُدَاة رِياحا
And his are steeds that appeared as gazelles in battle,
And he has steeds that seemed like zebras in battle
And raced like winds to uproot the foes.
And returned to uproot the enemies like gusts of wind.
ماnot أصبَحَتْit dawned as عُرْساًa wedding ترنُّresound قِيانُهاits songstresses
ما أصبَحَتْ عُرْساً ترنُّ قِيانُها
إلاexcept that وأمْسَتْand by evening it became مَأتَماًa mourning assembly ونُواحاand lamentation
إلا وأمْسَتْ مَأتَماً ونُواحا
It never dawned as a wedding, with its songstresses resounding,
Not a single wedding eve hummed with their tireless song
Without becoming by evening a mourning assembly and lamentation.
Except it became a mourning wake in the morning.
أمْضىmore decisive منthan الماضينhis predecessors عزْماًin resolve صادِقاًsincere
أمْضى من الماضين عزْماً صادِقاً
يَسْتقْصرُhe finds wanting المَنْصورَal-Mansur والسفّاحاand al-Saffah
يَسْتقْصرُ المَنْصورَ والسفّاحا
More decisive than his predecessors in sincere resolve,
More resolute than the resolute, truthful in resolve
He finds al-Mansur and al-Saffah wanting.
Seeking vengeance on Mansur and the brutal.
لاno غَرْوَwonder أنthat كَمُلَتbecame complete أدِلّةُthe proofs of فَضْلهhis excellence
لا غَرْوَ أن كَمُلَت أدِلّةُ فَضْله
لمّاwhen بداappeared فَضْلُthe excellence of الكَمالِperfection وَلاحاand shone
لمّا بدا فَضْلُ الكَمالِ وَلاحا
No wonder the proofs of his excellence are complete,
No wonder that the evidence of his superiority became complete
When perfection's excellence has appeared and shone.
When the superiority of perfection appeared and shone.
فالبَدْرُfor the full moon غاضَdiminished بوَجْهِهِbefore his face إِشراقُهits radiance
فالبَدْرُ غاضَ بوَجْهِهِ إِشراقُه
والبَحْرُand the sea آضَbecame لِكَفّهbeside his palm ضَحْضاحاa shallow pool
والبَحْرُ آضَ لِكَفّه ضَحْضاحا
For the full moon's radiance diminished before his face,
So the full moon diminished in its shining face,
And the sea became a shallow pool beside his palm.
And the sea ebbed from his palm's drawing out.
وافىhe came لِماto what نَقَصleft deficient المُلوكُthe kings مُتَمِّماًcompleting
وافى لِما نَقَص المُلوكُ مُتَمِّماً
فاستَعمَلَso he practiced الإصلاحreform والإسْجاحاand clemency
فاستَعمَلَ الإصلاح والإسْجاحا
He came to complete what kings had left deficient,
Perfecting what the kings lacked, completing,
So he practiced reform and clemency.
Employing reform and improvement.
الطولُbounty بَينbetween يَمينِهhis right hand وجَبينهand his brow
الطولُ بَين يَمينِه وجَبينه
ماthat which نَعَّمbrought bliss to الأشْباحthe bodies والأرواحاand the souls
ما نَعَّم الأشْباح والأرواحا
Between his right hand and his brow lies bounty—
The height between his right hand and brow -
That which has brought bliss to bodies and souls.
How excellent the specters and souls!
قدindeed ألْقَحَhe made conceive الحَرْبَthe war العَوانَseasoned فلمso he did not يدَعْleave
قد ألْقَحَ الحَرْبَ العَوانَ فلم يدَعْ
حَيّاًa tribe بأجْوازِin the reaches of الفَلاةthe desert لَقاحاindependent
حَيّاً بأجْوازِ الفَلاة لَقاحا
He has made the seasoned war conceive, leaving no
He impregnated war with helpers and left no
Tribe in the desert's reaches independent.
Living soul in the wastelands' breadth to breed.
هَذاhere is العُداthe foe مُتلاقِياmeeting فِئَةthe host of الهُدَىright guidance
هَذا العُدا مُتلاقِيا فِئَة الهُدَى
فَتَقَسّمُواso they divided الأتراحاthe sorrows والأفراحاand the joys
فَتَقَسّمُوا الأتراحا والأفراحا
Here are the foes, meeting the host of right guidance;
So they divided joys and miseries.
So they divided the sorrows and the joys.
If the days had been ambiguous before,
إنْif كانتwere الأيّامthe days بُهْماinarticulate قَبْلَهbefore him
إنْ كانت الأيّام بُهْما قَبْلَه
فَلَشَدّthen how greatly مَاindeed (emphasis) كُسيَتْthey were clothed بِهِthrough him إِفْصاحاin eloquence
فَلَشَدّ مَا كُسيَتْ بِهِ إِفْصاحا
If the days before him were inarticulate,
Then unraveling what covers them more openly.
How richly through him they were clothed in eloquence!
Or composing melodies for incurable illnesses,
أوor لُحْنthey appeared مَرْضَىsick لاno شِفاءَcure لِسُقْمِهاfor their illness
أو لُحْن مَرْضَى لا شِفاءَ لِسُقْمِها
فَالآنso now لماwhen صحَّhe became well رُحْنthey went forth صَحاحاhealthy
فَالآن لما صحَّ رُحْن صَحاحا
Or appeared sick, with no cure for their illness,
Now when the airs are healthy and true.
Now that he is well, they have become healthy.
By His beauty it glows in its splendor
للّهِto God be praise أَضْحَىan Adha feast زَانَهُhe adorned it بِبَهائِهِwith his splendor
للّهِ أَضْحَى زَانَهُ بِبَهائِهِ
كالشّمْسِlike the sun زَانَadorned شُعاعُهاits rays الإصْباحاdaybreak
كالشّمْسِ زَانَ شُعاعُها الإصْباحا
God be praised for an Adha feast he adorned with his splendor,
Like the sun glowing in the dawn.
Like the sun, whose rays adorn daybreak.
A feast fulfilling promises heralding
عِيدٌa feast بإنْجازِwith the fulfillment of الوُعُودِthe promises مُبَشِّرٌheralding
عِيدٌ بإنْجازِ الوُعُودِ مُبَشِّرٌ
مَاnot انْحَازَhe turned aside مِنْهَاfrom them جَانِباًto one side وانْزَاحاand withdrew
مَا انْحَازَ مِنْهَا جَانِباً وانْزَاحا
A feast heralding the fulfillment of promises,
Whatever parts receded from it and withdrew.
He has not stepped aside from them or withdrawn.
Indeed, the prince - and may his days be immortal -
إنَّindeed الأمِيرَthe prince وخُلّدَتand may be everlasting أيّامُهُhis days
إنَّ الأمِيرَ وخُلّدَت أيّامُهُ
وَسعَتْembraced سَعَادَتُهhis good fortune الوجودَexistence صَلاحاwith well-being
وَسعَتْ سَعَادَتُه الوجودَ صَلاحا
Indeed, the prince—may his days endure forever—
His good fortune embraced existence with betterment.
Has good fortune that fills existence with well-being.
The age was made through him entirely spring,
جُعِلَwas made الزمانُtime بِهthrough him رَبيعاًa spring كُلُّهall of it
جُعِلَ الزمانُ بِه رَبيعاً كُلُّه
فَجَعَلْتso I made رَيْحَاناًsweet basil حُلاهits adornments وَرَاحاand wine
فَجَعَلْت رَيْحَاناً حُلاه وَرَاحا
Through him all time has been made a spring,
So it made your meadows a fragrant greenery.
So I have made its adornments sweet basil and wine.
Partial English translation: 85 of 86 Arabic lines translated.