سلْask بالغَميمat al-Ghamim معاهِداًfamiliar haunts لمْnot أنسَهاI forgot them
سلْ بالغَميم معاهِداً لمْ أنسَها
أتعيدُwill ... restore? أيامُdays التّواصُلِunion أُنْسَهاtheir intimacy
أتعيدُ أيامُ التّواصُلِ أُنْسَها
Ask the haunts at al-Ghamim that I have not forgotten:
Send my greetings, though I have not forgotten them, to those days of being in touch which restored its intimacy.
Will the days of union restore their intimacy?
She showed you her affection through her cloak, and presented to you her pillow and quilt.
أبدَتْthey revealed لديْكَbefore you منof المَعاطِفِcurving limbs مُلْدَهاtheir supple forms
أبدَتْ لديْكَ من المَعاطِفِ مُلْدَها
أهْدَتْthey offered إليكَto you منof المَراشِفِthe lips لُعْسَهاtheir dusky redness
أهْدَتْ إليكَ من المَراشِفِ لُعْسَها
They revealed to you the suppleness of curving limbs,
My covenant with her and our time together takes care of the hopes’ lost fortunes, bringing its sun closer.
they offered you the dusky hue of lips.
The eyes of events slept while we were at leisure, and the course of fate had forgot us.
عهْديmy recollection بهاof them وزمانُناand our time مُتكفِّلٌpledged
عهْدي بها وزمانُنا مُتكفِّلٌ
بِشوارِدِfor the straying ones of الآمالِhopes يُدنيbrings near شُمْسَهاtheir untamed ones
بِشوارِدِ الآمالِ يُدني شُمْسَها
I recall them, when our time pledged itself
Our passions longed intensely for her, though the beauty of patience does not strip off its dress.
to straying hopes, bringing their untamed ones near.
The phantom did not excite her, rather misfortunes and imagination just touched her.
نامتْslept عُيونُthe eyes of الحادثاتِmisfortunes ونحْنُand we فيin
نامتْ عُيونُ الحادثاتِ ونحْنُ في
دَعَةٍease وصرْفُand the turns of الدّهْرِtime عنّاof us قَدْhad سَهاbeen heedless
دَعَةٍ وصرْفُ الدّهْرِ عنّا قَدْ سَها
The eyes of misfortunes slept, while we were in
Our hearts, were it not for preoccupation with wishes, the procrastination would have allowed its neglect.
ease, and the turns of time had forgotten us.
And our souls, were it not for the Caliph Yusuf, would have felt despair in what it contemplates.
باتَتْspent the night جوانِحُناour hearts إليْهاtoward them نُزَّعاًyearning
باتَتْ جوانِحُنا إليْها نُزَّعاً
لاnot منْof جميلِgracious الصّبْرِpatience تنزِعُthey strip off لُبْسَهاtheir clothing
لا منْ جميلِ الصّبْرِ تنزِعُ لُبْسَها
Our hearts spent the night yearning toward them,
To God belongs a precedent for her, Yusuf the patron of caliphs did not forget her.
without shedding their robe of gracious patience.
So how often have I visited him with hoopoes conveying the flowers of the garden in their feathers.
لمnot يُشْجِهاgrieved them الطّيْفُthe dream-phantom المُلمُّvisiting وإنّماbut rather
لم يُشْجِها الطّيْفُ المُلمُّ وإنّما
زارvisited الخبالُmadness معwith الخَيالthe vision فمسّهاand touched them
زار الخبالُ مع الخَيال فمسّها
The visiting dream-phantom did not grieve them; rather,
A king whose prayers and demeanor are as a sun removing the veil from sights.
madness visited with the vision and touched them.
Resolution, determination and willpower in pious generosity, his palm has established its five pillars.
فقلوبُناso our hearts لوْلاwere it not for التعلّلُtaking solace بالمُنىin wishes
فقلوبُنا لوْلا التعلّلُ بالمُنى
لأحَلّهاwould surely have lodged them طولُthe length of التسوُّفِdelay رَمْسَهاtheir grave
لأحَلّها طولُ التسوُّفِ رَمْسَها
So our hearts, were it not for solace in wishes,
The caliphate, when it appointed him as its patron, gifted him legitimately and naturally its own self.
would have been laid in their grave by prolonged delay.
It curbed the enemies, so their flock did not panic, and warded off disasters, so its sun did not darken.
ونفوسُناand our souls لولاwere it not for الخليفَةُthe caliph يوسُفٌYusuf
ونفوسُنا لولا الخليفَةُ يوسُفٌ
لاسْتَشعَرَتْwould have felt فيماin what تؤمِّلُthey hope for يأسَهاtheir despair
لاسْتَشعَرَتْ فيما تؤمِّلُ يأسَها
And our souls, were it not for the caliph Yusuf,
My lord, is there among the two noble sanctuaries a patron like Yusuf to ennoble its Egypt or its Jerusalem?
would have felt despair in what they hoped for.
If you approached the kingdoms, neither Chosroes of Persia nor Caesar of Rome would eclipse its glory.
للهto God, in admiration سابقةٌa past merit لهاtheirs أنِسَتْthey found solace بِهاin it
لله سابقةٌ لها أنِسَتْ بِها
مَوْلَىlord of الخلائِفِthe caliphs يوسُفٌYusuf لمْnot يَنْسَهاhe has forgotten it
مَوْلَى الخلائِفِ يوسُفٌ لمْ يَنْسَها
How wondrous, by God, their past merit, in which they found solace!
Which of the caliphs had a state whose deficiencies you did not remedy, or a noble status you did not honor?
Yusuf, lord of the caliphs, has not forgotten it.
While your kingdom in Tunisia is gifted to you, making its present day glorious, forgetting its past.
فلكَمْand how many جَلوْتُI unveiled لديْهِbefore him غُرَّradiant فرائِدٍpeerless gems
فلكَمْ جَلوْتُ لديْهِ غُرَّ فرائِدٍ
ضمّنتُI enclosed أزهارَthe flowers of الحديقَةِthe garden طِرسَهاtheir parchment
ضمّنتُ أزهارَ الحديقَةِ طِرسَها
And how many radiant, peerless gems I have unveiled before him,
It is a Hafsid state which through you has realized its hopes, in what it aspired to and guessed.
whose parchment I filled with the garden's flowers.
You erected pillars of justice and beautiful loyalty which formed its foundation.
ملكٌa king صلاةُprayer صِلاتِهhis gifts وخِلالُهُand his virtues
ملكٌ صلاةُ صِلاتِه وخِلالُهُ
شمسٌa sun تُزيلُremoves عنfrom النّواظِرِthe eyes لَبْسَهاtheir confusion
شمسٌ تُزيلُ عن النّواظِرِ لَبْسَها
A king: his gifts' prayer and his virtues
Were it not for its horses being pedigreed to the violent winds, their breed would not have matched its origin.
are a sun that clears the eyes of their confusion.
Prancing coquettishly with pride in their swiftness, like the repentant circling their goblets.
حزْمٌprudence وإقْدامٌand daring وعزْمٌand determination فيin تُقىًpiety
حزْمٌ وإقْدامٌ وعزْمٌ في تُقىً
فيin جودthe bounty of كَفٍّa hand قدْhas أقامَتْobserved خمْسَهاits five prayers
في جود كَفٍّ قدْ أقامَتْ خمْسَها
Prudence, daring, and determination in piety,
To carry the presence of the patron of the faith, whom God has ennobled with the jewels of holiness.
in the bounty of a hand that has observed its five prayers.
Beauty has clothed it in its raiment, which no hands could dare touch.
إنّindeed الخِلافَةthe caliphate إذْwhen رأتْهُit saw him وليَّهاits guardian
إنّ الخِلافَة إذْ رأتْهُ وليَّها
وهبَتْit gave لهُto him شرْعاًby law وطبْعاًand by nature نفسَهاitself
وهبَتْ لهُ شرْعاً وطبْعاً نفسَها
Indeed, when the caliphate saw him as its guardian,
Whenever the Romans sense its raids, their kings are almost stripped of their wits.
it gave itself to him by law and by nature.
You have lineage to the valiant Khazraj, flaunt it over their Ghassan or Ghassanids.
كفّhe restrained العُداةَthe enemies فلمْso they did not تُروّعْfrighten سِرْبَهاits flock
كفّ العُداةَ فلمْ تُروّعْ سِرْبَها
وكَفىand he warded off الخُطوبَcalamities فلمْso they did not تُكوّرْfold up شمْسَهاits sun
وكَفى الخُطوبَ فلمْ تُكوّرْ شمْسَها
He held the enemies back, so they did not frighten its flock,
And to you belongs her whose beauty is graced by modesty, wrapping her head with a turban.
and warded off calamities, so they did not fold up its sun.
She came to you, not deterred by obstacles barring her way, nor by prices making her doubt their worth.
موْلايَmy lord هلْis there? فيin الخافقيْنِthe two horizons كَيوسُفlike Yusuf
موْلايَ هلْ في الخافقيْنِ كَيوسُف
مَولَىًa lord يُشرِّفُennobles مِصْرَهاits Egypt أوor قُدْسَهاits Jerusalem
مَولَىً يُشرِّفُ مِصْرَها أو قُدْسَها
My lord, is there in the world's two horizons, like Yusuf,
Time did not silence the tongues of my ingenuity, until favors made fair amends for their muteness.
a lord who ennobles its Egypt or its Jerusalem?
When my beliefs bent over in praise of you, it humbly bent and broke their severity.
لوif لُحْتَyou had appeared للأمْلاكِto the kings قِدْماًof old لمnot يَسُدْruled
لو لُحْتَ للأمْلاكِ قِدْماً لم يَسُدْ
كِسْرَىKisra وقيصَرُand Caesar رومَهاits Romans أوor فُرْسَهاits Persians
كِسْرَى وقيصَرُ رومَها أو فُرْسَها
Had you appeared to the kings of old, neither
All my intentions, here I am hoping for their fulfillment, if fate wills their contrary.
Kisra nor Caesar would have ruled its Romans or Persians.
I am the plant of your favors which have spread, and from the flowers of praises to you, reap their harvest.
أيّwhich الخلائِفِof the caliphs دولةًin dominion ماnot فُقْتَهاyou surpassed it
أيّ الخلائِفِ دولةً ما فُقْتَها
أوor أيُّwhich أشرفِnoblest حُلّةٍrobe لمْnot تُكْسَهاyou were clothed in it
أو أيُّ أشرفِ حُلّةٍ لمْ تُكْسَها
Which caliph's reign have you not surpassed,
or what robe of highest honor have you not been clothed in?
هذاthis ومُلْكُكَand your sovereignty فيin هديّةِthe gift from تونُسٍTunis
هذا ومُلْكُكَ في هديّةِ تونُسٍ
لكَfor you يومُهاits today فيin العِزِّglory يُنسيmakes one forget أمْسَهاits yesterday
لكَ يومُها في العِزِّ يُنسي أمْسَها
And now, your sovereignty in the gift from Tunis:
its glorious today makes you forget its yesterday.
هيit دولةٌa dynasty حفْصيّةٌHafsid بكthrough you حقّقَتْhas fulfilled
هي دولةٌ حفْصيّةٌ بك حقّقَتْ
مَظنونَهاits expectations فيماin what رَجَتْهُit hoped for it وحَدْسَهاand its conjecture
مَظنونَها فيما رَجَتْهُ وحَدْسَها
It is a Hafsid dynasty that, through you, has fulfilled
its expectations and its conjecture concerning what it hoped for.
شادَتْit raised مَعالِمَlandmarks قدhad أقمتَyou established علىupon الرِّضىgoodwill
شادَتْ مَعالِمَ قد أقمتَ على الرِّضى
وعلىand upon المُوالاتِallegiance الجَميلةِgracious أُسَّهاtheir foundation
وعلى المُوالاتِ الجَميلةِ أُسَّها
It raised landmarks for which you had laid, on goodwill
and on gracious allegiance, the foundation.
لولاwere it not for انتسابُthe pedigree of خيولِهاits horses نُسِبَتْthey would be ascribed إلىto
لولا انتسابُ خيولِها نُسِبَتْ إلى
هوجِthe raging ones of الرّياحِthe winds ولمْand not تخالِفْthey would differ from جِنْسَهاtheir kind
هوجِ الرّياحِ ولمْ تخالِفْ جِنْسَها
Were it not for its horses' pedigrees, they would be ascribed to
the raging winds, and would not differ from their kind.
تحتالُthey prance زَهْواًproudly فيin أعنّةِthe reins of سيْرِهاtheir movement
تحتالُ زَهْواً في أعنّةِ سيْرِها
مثْلlike النّدامَىdrinking companions قدhave أدارتthey passed around كأسَهاtheir cup
مثْل النّدامَى قد أدارت كأسَها
They prance proudly in their reins as they go,
like drinking companions who have passed their cup around,
لتحُلّto alight at حَضرةَthe court of ناصِرNasir, defender الدّينal-Din, the faith الذيwho
لتحُلّ حَضرةَ ناصِر الدّين الذي
بِحُلَىwith the adornments of عُلاهُhis eminence اللهُGod شرّفَhonored قُدْسَهاits sanctity
بِحُلَى عُلاهُ اللهُ شرّفَ قُدْسَها
to alight at the court of Nasir al-Din, with whose
ornaments of eminence God has honored its sanctity.
أضْفىdraped علَيْهاupon them الحُسْنُbeauty حُلّتَهُits robe التيwhich
أضْفى علَيْها الحُسْنُ حُلّتَهُ التي
لمnot تسْتَطِعْwere able أيْديthe hands of التّناوُلreaching لمْسَهاto touch it
لم تسْتَطِعْ أيْدي التّناوُل لمْسَها
Beauty has draped them in its robe, which
outstretched hands could not touch.
فإذاand when أحسَّsense الرومُthe Romans منهاfrom them غارَةًa raid
فإذا أحسَّ الرومُ منها غارَةً
كادَتْnearly مُلوكُهُمُtheir kings تُفارقُlose حِسَّهاtheir senses
كادَتْ مُلوكُهُمُ تُفارقُ حِسَّها
And when the Romans sense a raid from them,
their kings almost lose their senses.
للخَزْرَجيّينَto the Khazrajis الألىthose who لكَfor you نِسبةٌa lineage
للخَزْرَجيّينَ الألى لكَ نِسبةٌ
طاوِلْvie in glory بهاthrough it ذُبْيانَهاits Dhubyan أوor عبْسَهاits Abs
طاوِلْ بها ذُبْيانَها أو عبْسَها
The Khazrajis are those to whom you trace your lineage;
through it, vie in glory with Dhubyan or Abs.
وإليْكَهاand here she is for you عَذْراءَa virgin راقَdelighted جمالُهاher beauty
وإليْكَها عَذْراءَ راقَ جمالُها
بالطّرْسِin parchment قدhas لفّتْshe wrapped حَياءًout of modesty رأسَهاher head
بالطّرْسِ قد لفّتْ حَياءً رأسَها
And here she is for you, a maiden whose beauty delights;
in modesty, she has wrapped her head in parchment.
وافَتْshe arrived فَماand not راعَalarmed الوسائِلَthe entreaties ردُّهاher rejection
وافَتْ فَما راعَ الوسائِلَ ردُّها
كَلاno indeed ولاnor الأثْمانُthe payments تخْشىthey fear بخْسَهاtheir diminution
كَلا ولا الأثْمانُ تخْشى بخْسَها
She has arrived; the entreaties have no fear of her rejection—
no indeed, nor do the payments fear being diminished.
لمْnot تُصْمِتِsilenced الأيامُthe days ألسُنَthe tongues of فِكْرَتيmy thought
لمْ تُصْمِتِ الأيامُ ألسُنَ فِكْرَتي
إلاexcept وأنصَفَتِand did justice to المَواهِبُthe gifts خُرْسَهاtheir muteness
إلا وأنصَفَتِ المَواهِبُ خُرْسَها
The days have never silenced the tongues of my thought
without gifts doing justice to their muteness.
لمّاwhen انثنَتْthey turned تُثْنيthey praise علَيكyou عقائِليmy precious verses
لمّا انثنَتْ تُثْني علَيك عقائِلي
سَحْبانَهاtheir Sahban خجَلاًin shame ثَنَتْهُthey made him bow وقُسَّهاand their Quss
سَحْبانَها خجَلاً ثَنَتْهُ وقُسَّها
When my precious verses turned to praise you,
they made their Sahban and their Quss bow in shame.
كُلُّall المقاصِدِthe aims منكfrom you هاhere أناI أرْتجيhope for
كُلُّ المقاصِدِ منك ها أنا أرْتجي
إسْعافَهاtheir fulfillment إنif رامَsought دهْرٌtime عكْسَهاtheir reversal
إسْعافَها إن رامَ دهْرٌ عكْسَها
All my aims—here I look to you
for their fulfillment, should time seek their reversal.
أناI غرْسُa planting of أنعُمِكَyour favors التيwhich عمّتspread everywhere ومنand from
أنا غرْسُ أنعُمِكَ التي عمّت ومن
زهْرِthe flowers of المدائِحِpraises فيكَof you تجْنيyou reap غَرْسَهاtheir planting
زهْرِ المدائِحِ فيكَ تجْني غَرْسَها
I am a plant of your all-embracing favors, and from
the flowers of praise of you, you reap what they have planted.
Partial English translation: 32 of 64 Arabic lines translated.