1. نجومَ الصِّبا أَيْنَ تِلْكَ النجومُ

    نَسِيمَ الصَّبا أَيْنَ ذَاكَ النَّسيمُ

    O stars of youth, where are those stars?

    O east-wind breeze, where is that breeze?

  2. أَما فِي التَّخَيُّلِ منها ضِياءٌ

    أَما فِي التَّنَشُّقِ منها شَمِيمُ

    Is there no gleam of them in imagination?

    Is there no fragrance of them when I breathe in?

  3. فَيَلْحَقُها من ضلوعي زفيرٌ

    ويُدْرِكُها من دُموعي سَجُومُ

    So a sigh from my ribs pursues them,

    and a torrent of my tears overtakes them.

  4. لقد شَطَّ روضٌ إِلَيْهِ أَحِنُّ

    وغارَتْ مِياهٌ إليها أَهيمُ

    A garden I yearn for has indeed grown distant,

    and waters for which I pine have sunk away.

  5. أَوانِسُ يُصْبِحُ عنها الصَّباحُ

    نواعِمُ يَنْعَمُ منها النَّعيمُ

    Companionable maidens from whom morning dawns,

    delicate maidens from whom bliss takes its sweetness,

  6. كواكِبُ تصغي إِليها السُّعودُ

    كواعِبُ تَصْبُو إِليها الحُلُومُ

    stars toward whom the auspicious stars incline,

    full-breasted maidens for whom sober minds yearn.

  7. ليالِيَ إِذْ لا حبيبٌ يصُدُّ

    وعهديَ إِذ لا عذولٌ يلومُ

    My nights, when no beloved turned away,

    and my days, when no reprover blamed me,

  8. وإِذ لا صباحِي رقيبٌ عَتيدٌ

    ولا ليلُ وصلِي ظلامٌ بهيمُ

    and when my morning was no watcher lying in wait,

    nor the night of my union a pitch-black darkness.

  9. وكيفَ وشمْسُ الضُّحى لي أَليفٌ

    وأَنَّى وبدرُ الدُّجى لي نديمُ

    How could it be, when the morning sun was my friend,

    and how, when the full moon of darkness was my boon companion?

  10. وخمرِي من الدُّرِّ مِسْكٌ مُذَابٌ

    وروضِي من السِّحْرِ دَلٌّ رخيمُ

    And my wine from pearls was liquid musk,

    and my garden of enchantment was tender coquetry.

  11. وأَوجُهُ أَرضِيَ زُهْرٌ تروقُ

    ومِلْءُ سمائِي نجومٌ رُجُومُ

    And the faces of my earth were radiant and enchanting,

    and my sky was filled with stars that were missiles.

  12. فشيطانُ لهوي مُطاعٌ مُطيعٌ

    وشيطانُ هَمِّي طريدٌ رجيمُ

    So the devil of my revelry was obeyed and obedient,

    and the devil of my cares was driven out and stoned.

  13. غرارةُ عيشٍ أَراها الغُرورُ

    بأَنَّ الزمانَ صديقٌ حميمُ

    A guileless life, which delusion persuaded

    that time was a close friend;

  14. وغمرةُ شكٍّ أتاها اليقِينُ

    بأَنَّ رضيعَ الأَمانِي فطيمُ

    and a flood of doubt to which certainty came

    that the nursling of hopes is weaned;

  15. وغصنُ شبابٍ علاهُ المشيبُ

    كغضِّ رياضٍ علاها الهشيمُ

    and a branch of youth overspread with gray hair,

    like the fresh growth of gardens covered in dry stalks.

  16. فيا عَجَباً لصروفِ الزمانِ

    شهوداً لَنَا وَهْيَ فينا خُصومُ

    What a wonder are the vicissitudes of time,

    witnesses for us, though against us they are adversaries!

  17. وكيف قضى حُكْمُ هَذَا القضاءِ

    عليَّ لدهرِيَ وَهْوَ الظَّلُومُ

    And how has the ruling of this judgment decided

    against me in favor of my time, though it is the oppressor?

  18. فنحنُ ديونُ النَّوى كلَّ يومٍ

    عَلَى حكمِهِ يقتضينا الغريمُ

    So we are debts owed to separation; every day,

    at its command, the creditor demands us.

  19. وتلك المعاهِدُ منا رُسوماً

    عفاها الذَّميلُ بنا والرَّسِيمُ

    And those familiar haunts, now traces left behind us,

    our ambling and swift trotting have effaced them,

  20. بِسَيْرٍ يقولُ الصَّفا الصُّمُّ منه

    أَما للحوادِثِ قلبٌ رحيمُ

    in a journey of which the unyielding rocks say:

    Have calamities no merciful heart?

  21. أَما يُستقالُ الزمانُ الكئودُ

    أَما يُسْتَكَفُّ العذابُ الأَليمُ

    Can arduous time not be asked to relent?

    Can grievous torment not be held back

  22. عن الأَوْجُهِ المُتَوالِي عليها

    ليالٍ وأَيَّامُ جَهْدٍ حُسُومُ

    from the faces over which come, one after another,

    nights and days of relentless hardship?

  23. جسومٌ تطيرُ بِهِنَّ القلوبُ

    بأَجنحةٍ ريشُهُنَّ الهمومُ

    Bodies that hearts bear aloft

    on wings whose feathers are cares,

  24. بكلِّ هجيرٍ لَوِ النَّارُ تَصْلى

    جحيماً لأَصبَحَ وَهْوَ الجحيمُ

    through every scorching noon—if fire itself were to suffer

    a hell, that noon would indeed be Hell.

  25. كَأَنَّ رواحِلَنَا فِي ضحاهُ

    صوادي سَمَامٍ حداها السَّمُومُ

    As though our riding camels in its forenoon

    were thirsty swifts driven by the scorching wind.

  26. وَفِي كلِّ ليلٍ تَغَشَّى دُجاهُ

    فنامَ ولكِنَّه لا يُنيمُ

    And through every night that wrapped itself in darkness

    and slept, yet would not let us sleep,

  27. كَأَنَّا وَقَدْ سَدَّ بابَيْهِ عنَّا

    وهامَ بِنا الذعرُ هامٌ وبومُ

    as though, once it had shut both its gates against us

    and terror had driven us wandering, we were screech-owls and owls.

  28. وَفِي كلِّ بحرٍ كَمَا قيلَ خَلْقٌ

    صغيرٌ يُهاوِيهِ خلقٌ عظيمُ

    And on every sea, as the saying goes, a creature,

    small, tossed about by a mighty creation.

  29. كَأَنَّا عَلَيْهِ نجومُ الثُّرَيَّا

    تسيرُ وَقَدْ أَفردَتْها النُّجومُ

    As though upon it we were the stars of the Pleiades,

    journeying while the other stars had left them alone.

  30. نِجاءٌ تَمَنَّى ثِمارَ النجاةِ

    ومن دونِهِنَّ رجاءٌ عَقِيمُ

    A swift flight that longed for the fruits of deliverance,

    and short of them lay a barren hope.

  31. فذاك مدى صبرِ حُرٍّ يُضامُ

    وذاك مدى صرفِ دهرٍ يَضِيمُ

    Such is the limit of a free man's patience under oppression,

    and such the extent of the turns of an oppressive age.

  32. وكم أَعْقَبَ الظَّمْءَ حِسْيٌ جَمُومٌ

    وكم عاقَبَ الجِدبَ ريٌّ جَميمُ

    And how often a replenishing spring has followed thirst,

    and how often abundant watering has succeeded drought!

  33. وكيفَ يؤمِّلُ مولىً كريمٌ

    ويخشَى من الدَّهْرِ خَطْبٌ ذَمِيمُ

    And how can one hope in a generous patron,

    yet fear a wretched calamity from time?

  34. وَفِي اسمِ المظفَّرِ فألُ الحياةِ

    ليحيا الغريبُ بِهِ والمقيمُ

    And in the name al-Muzaffar lies the omen of life,

    that stranger and resident alike may live through him.

  35. يُبَشِّرُنا بسناهُ الصباحُ

    وتخبرُنا عن نداهُ الغيومُ

    Morning brings us glad tidings of his radiance,

    and clouds tell us of his bounty.

  36. ففي كل بحرٍ لنا مِنْكَ شِبْهٌ

    وَفِي كلِّ فجرٍ لَنَا فيك خِيمُ

    So in every sea we find a likeness of you,

    and in every dawn we find your nature.

  37. ومرعاكَ فِي كل أرضٍ نرودُ

    وسقياكَ فِي كلِّ برقٍ نَشِيمُ

    Your pasture is in every land we scout,

    and your watering in every lightning flash we scan.

  38. وفي كلِّ نادٍ مُنادٍ إِلَيْكَ

    هَلُمَّ إِلَى حَيْثُ يُغْنى العديمُ

    And in every gathering a caller beckons toward you:

    Come where the destitute are enriched,

  39. هَلُمَّ إِلَى حَيْثُ تُنْسى الرَّزايا

    هَلُمَّ إِلَى حَيْثُ تُؤْسى الكُلُومُ

    come where calamities are forgotten,

    come where wounds are healed,

  40. هَلُمَّ إِلَى حيثُ يُؤْوى الغريبُ

    هَلُمَّ إِلَى حَيْثُ يُحْمى الحريمُ

    come where the stranger finds shelter,

    come where the household is protected.

  41. هَلُمَّ لِعِزِّ حِمىً لا يُرامُ

    يَسُحُّ عَلَيْهِ حَياً لا يَرِيمُ

    Come to the might of a sanctuary none can assail,

    on which pours rain that never departs.

  42. عُلاً أَعْرَقَتْ فِيكَ من عَهْدِ عادٍ

    يدينُ الكريم بِهَا واللئيمُ

    Lofty honors rooted in you since the age of ʿAd,

    to which noble and base alike submit.

  43. عهودُ مكارِمَ لا عهدُها

    ذميمٌ ولا الدَّهْرُ فِيهَا مُليمُ

    Traditions of noble deeds, whose legacy is not

    blameworthy, nor is time at fault in them.

  44. أَجَدَّ مناقِبَهُنَّ اللَّبِيسُ

    وأَحدثَ آثارَهُنَّ القديمُ

    What is worn has renewed their glorious deeds,

    and what is ancient has made their traces new.

  45. تُنيرُ بِهِنَّ القبورُ الدُّثورُ

    وتَعْبَقُ منها العِظامُ الرَّميمُ

    Through them the crumbling graves shine,

    and from them the decayed bones breathe fragrance.

  46. وتُثْمِرُ من طَعْمِهِنَّ الغصونُ

    وتُغدِقُ فِي سَقْيِهِنَّ الأَرُومُ

    The boughs bear fruit from their flavor,

    and the roots give lavishly in watering them.

  47. ويُوصِي بِهِنَّ مليكاً مليكٌ

    ويُودِعُهُنَّ كريماً كريمُ

    One king commends them to another king,

    and one noble man entrusts them to another.

  48. فعمَّ الخلائِقَ منها خُصُوصٌ

    كفاها وخَصَّكَ منها العُمومُ

    So a portion of them encompassed all creatures,

    sufficing them, while their entirety was yours alone.

  49. وجاءَتْكَ بَيْنَ ظُباةِ السيوفِ

    تصولُ القيولُ بِهَا والقُرومُ

    And they came to you between the edges of swords,

    with kings and chieftains charging on their behalf.

  50. وَفِي كل برٍّ وَفِي كلِّ بحرٍ

    صِراطٌ إِلَيْكَ لَهَا مستقيمُ

    And on every land and in every sea

    they have a straight path to you.

  51. وأَنت بميراثِهِنَّ المحيطُ

    لأَنكَ فِيهَا الوسيطُ الصَّميمُ

    And you encompass their inheritance,

    for among them you are the noblest and purest.

  52. فإِنْ أَعلَقَتْ بك عِلْقَ الفخارِ

    فأَنتَ الكفيلُ بِهَا والزعيمُ

    So if they have fastened to you the precious treasure of glory,

    then you are their guarantor and champion.

  53. وإِنْ رَضِيَتْكَ لتاجِ البقاءِ

    فأَنتَ الرَّفِيعُ بهِ والعَمِيمُ

    And if they have chosen you for the crown of permanence,

    you are exalted and stately in it.

  54. وسيفُكَ للدينِ رُكْنٌ شديدٌ

    وحظُّكَ فِي الملكِ حظٌّ جسيمُ

    And your sword is a strong pillar of the faith,

    and your share in sovereignty is a mighty share.

  55. وإِنْ يَهْنِكَ اليومَ عيدٌ يَعودُ

    فَيَهْنِ لَنَا مِنْكَ عيدٌ يُقيمُ

    And if a returning feast congratulates you today,

    then may a feast from you that abides bring us joy.

  56. ولما رأَى أنه لا يدومُ

    أَتاكَ يُهَنِّيكَ مُلْكاً يدومُ

    And when it saw that it would not endure,

    it came to congratulate you on a kingdom that endures.

  57. وإِقبالُها دولةً لا تَناهى

    وإِقْدَامُها عِزَّةً لا تَخِيمُ

    And their coming is a dynasty without end,

    and their advance a might that never falters.

  58. ويَهْنِ المصلَّى تجلِّيكَ فِيهِ

    بوجهٍ يُنيرُ وكفٍّ تَغِيمُ

    And may the prayer ground rejoice in your appearing there,

    with a face that shines and a hand that gathers clouds,

  59. وهَدْيٌ تهادى إِلَيْهِ العُيونُ

    ويُزْهى لَهُ زَمْزَمٌ والحَطِيمُ

    and a bearing toward which eyes glide,

    and in which Zamzam and al-Hatim take pride.

  60. لبستَ إِليها من المُلْكِ تاجاً

    يُهِلُّ الهلالُ لهُ والنُّجومُ

    For it you donned a crown of sovereignty,

    which the crescent and the stars acclaim,

  61. عَلَى حُلَلٍ حاكَهُنَّ السناءُ

    وأَردِيَةٍ نسجَتْها الحُلُومُ

    over robes woven by radiance,

    and mantles woven by sober wisdom.

  62. وتحت غَياباتِ غابِ الوَشيجِ

    أُسودٌ إِلَى مُهَجِ الكفرِ هِيمُ

    And beneath the dark depths of the forest of spears

    are lions thirsting for the lifeblood of unbelief.

  63. وللسابغاتِ بحورٌ تمورُ

    وللسابحاتِ سفينٌ يَعُومُ

    And for the full coats of mail are seas that surge,

    and for the swimming steeds are ships afloat.

  64. كَأَنَّ خوافِقَ أَعلامِهِنَّ

    طيورٌ عَلَى الماءِ منها تَحُومُ

    As though the fluttering folds of their banners

    were birds from them, wheeling above the water.

  65. فَفُصِّلَ باسمِكَ فصلُ الخطابِ

    كَمَا قَدْ حباكَ العزيزُ الحكيمُ

    So the decisive word was pronounced in your name,

    as the Almighty, the All-Wise, has favored you.

  66. وأُخْلِص فيكَ جميلُ الدُّعاءِ

    بما لا يُضِيعُ السميعُ العليمُ

    And fine prayers were made sincerely for you,

    such as the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, never lets go to waste.

  67. فلا شاءَ دهرُكَ مَا لا تشاءُ

    ولا رامَ شانِيكَ مَا لا تَرُومُ

    So may your time never will what you do not will,

    nor your hater seek what you do not seek.

  68. فنصرُكَ أَوَّلُ مَا نَسْتَمِدُّ

    وعمرُكَ آخِرُ مَا نستديمُ

    For your victory is the first thing we seek,

    and your life the last thing we ask to endure.