1. إِن رُحتَ تَسأَلُ عَن خِلالي

    في الحُبِّ جِسمي كَالخِلالِ

    If you go asking about my traits,

    in love my body is like a toothpick.

  2. وَالعَقلُ زالَ مِن المِطا

    لِ بِوَعدِ مَحبوبي المُطالِ

    And reason has fled through delay

    over my beloved's long-deferred promise.

  3. وَالصَحبُ غرّوني فَيا

    لِلَّهِ مِن صَحبٍ كآلِ

    And my companions deceived me—oh,

    God, what mirage-like companions!

  4. وَممنّعٍ يُعطي زَكا

    ةَ المالِ لا حقَّ الجمالِ

    And an unapproachable one who pays the alms

    on wealth, but not beauty's due.

  5. يَهوى فُراقي فَهوَ لا

    ينفكُّ يَسمَحُ بِالنَوالِ

    He loves to part from me; he never

    ceases to bestow gifts.

  6. وَنواهُ لَم أَسطِعهُ بع

    د الذوقِ من ثمرِ الوِصالِ

    And I could not bear his parting after

    tasting the fruit of union.

  7. بِسَنائِهِ وَاللَحظِ يز

    ري بِالغَزالَةِ وَالغَزالِ

    With his radiance and glance he puts to shame

    the sun and the gazelle.

  8. سلبَ النُهى وَأَحالَني

    بِالوَصلِ مِنهُ عَلى المحالِ

    He stole my reason and referred me,

    for union with him, to the impossible.

  9. بِالقَولِ ضَنَّ فمهجتي

    مِنهُ تَذوبُ عَلى المَقالِ

    He begrudged speech, so my heart

    melts because of him upon the frying pans.

  10. وَإِذا هَمَمتُ بِتَركِهِ

    لتحجّب منه بَدا لي

    And whenever I think of leaving him

    because he veils himself, he appears to me.

  11. وَالصَبرُ مَيتٌ لَم يَمر

    رَ بِخاطرٍ منّي وَبالِ

    And patience is dead; it has not crossed

    my thoughts or my mind.

  12. وَلَقَد رنا لي لَحظُهُ

    فَفُتِنتُ بِالسِحرِ الحَلالِ

    And indeed, his glance lingered on me,

    and I was enchanted by lawful magic.

  13. وَلَقَد بَدا لي ثَغرُهُ

    فَاِشتقتُ للعذبِ الزُلالِ

    And indeed, his mouth appeared to me,

    and I longed for sweet, limpid water.

  14. وَمخدّراتٍ هُنَّ بال

    عقلِ الممنَّعِ في عقالِ

    And veiled maidens are, within

    the guarded mind, held in bonds.

  15. فَمَتى أَفوزُ بِمنيتي

    وَأَضُمُّ رَبّاتِ الحجالِ

    When shall I gain my heart's desire

    and embrace the ladies of curtained chambers?

  16. عِشقي الَّذي لا يَنتَهي

    كَالفَضلِ مِن بَدرِ الكَمالِ

    My love, which never ends,

    is like the bounty of Badr, perfection's full moon.

  17. مولىً تَحَلّى بالعلو

    مِ فَحالُهُ في المَجدِ حالي

    A lord who adorned himself with learning—

    so his station in glory is resplendent.

  18. ملأ العفاةَ عوارفاً

    فالسائلُ اِستَغنى بِمالِ

    He filled supplicants with favors,

    so the petitioner grew rich with money.

  19. وَجَلا صَداي وشعره

    فَغَدا عَلى الحالينِ جالي

    And he and his verse polished away my rust;

    so in both ways he became my polisher.

  20. وَعلومُهُ كالشمسِ ل

    كن قَد تنزَّهَ عَن زَوالِ

    And his learning is like the sun—yet

    it is free from decline.

  21. وَكَلامُهُ حِلوٌ فَيا

    لِلَّهِ مِن سحرٍ حَلالِ

    And his speech is sweet—oh,

    God, what lawful magic!

  22. وَكِتابةٌ وَبراعَةٌ

    تَسمو وَتَعلو عَن مِثالِ

    And his writing and mastery

    soar and rise beyond compare.

  23. ملأَ المَسامعَ وَالمجا

    مِعَ في جدى أَو في جِدالِ

    He filled the ears and assemblies

    with bounty or debate.

  24. مِن آل مَخزوم الكِرا

    م السائدينَ أولي المَعالي

    From the noble house of Makhzum,

    the foremost men, possessors of lofty honors.

  25. يا مَن غَلا في وَصفِهِ

    ثمنُ الفَضائِلِ فيهِ غالي

    O you who go to extremes in praising him,

    the worth of virtues in him is high.

  26. سامي الذرى فاِسمِع مَدي

    حي فيه يا فطناً وَعالي

    Lofty of summit—hear my praise

    of him, O discerning and exalted one.

  27. مَولاي بدرَ الدينِ دع

    وة مادِح فيكم موالي

    My lord Badr al-Din, accept the prayer

    of a praiser devoted to you.

  28. وَلَهُ مقدّمةُ المحب

    بَةِ وَهوَ للأمداحِ تالِ

    And he has a prelude of love,

    and he recites praises.

  29. فَاِسلَم وصم وَاِفطر واِه

    دِ القاصدينَ مِن الضَلالِ

    So remain safe, fast, break your fast, and guide

    the seekers away from error.