أغُمْرَ الهوى كم ذا تُقَطّعُني عَذْلا

أغُمْرَ الهوى كم ذا تُقَطّعُني عَذْلا

قتلتُ الهوى علماً أتقتلني جهلا

قتلتُ الهوى علماً أتقتلني جهلا

O novice in love, how long will you cut me down with blame?

O novice in love, how long will you tear me apart with reproach?

I slew love knowingly—will you slay me in ignorance?

I have mastered love through knowledge; will you kill me through ignorance?

أظنّك لم تُفْتَحْ عليك نواظِرٌ

أظنّك لم تُفْتَحْ عليك نواظِرٌ

إذا هي أعْطتْ صبوةً أخذَتْ عقلا

إذا هي أعْطتْ صبوةً أخذَتْ عقلا

I think no eyes have ever opened upon you

I think no eyes have ever opened upon you,

that, when they granted passion, did not take away reason.

eyes that, when they grant infatuation, take away reason.

ولا عَرَضَتْ من بيضِهِنَّ سَوافِرٌ

ولا عَرَضَتْ من بيضِهِنَّ سَوافِرٌ

عليكَ الخدودَ الحُمرَ والأعينَ النُّجلا

عليكَ الخدودَ الحُمرَ والأعينَ النُّجلا

Nor have unveiled faces among those fair women displayed

Nor have any of their fair, unveiled beauties shown

to you their crimson cheeks and wide, dark eyes.

you rosy cheeks and wide eyes.

لم يصبِ منكَ القلبَ مَشْيُ جآذرٍ

لم يصبِ منكَ القلبَ مَشْيُ جآذرٍ

يُنَزِّع فيه التّيهَ أقدامَها نَقْلا

يُنَزِّع فيه التّيهَ أقدامَها نَقْلا

Your heart has never been struck by the gait of gazelles

The gait of young oryxes has not captivated your heart,

whose proud coquetry makes their feet advance step by step.

in which proud grace lifts their feet, step by step.

ولم ترَ سِحْراً كالعيون تَخالُنا

ولم ترَ سِحْراً كالعيون تَخالُنا

بِزَعْمِكَ أحياءً ونحنُ بها قتْلى

بِزَعْمِكَ أحياءً ونحنُ بها قتْلى

Nor have you seen sorcery like eyes that make us seem

And you have seen no magic like those eyes; you suppose us

alive, as you suppose, though by them we are slain.

alive, so you claim, though by them we are slain.

ومن أعجبِ الأشياءِ أنَّ سُيوفَها

ومن أعجبِ الأشياءِ أنَّ سُيوفَها

تَعودُ رِماحاً حَيثُ تَلحَظُ أَو نبلا

تَعودُ رِماحاً حَيثُ تَلحَظُ أَو نبلا

Strangest of all is that their swords

Among the strangest things is that their swords

turn into lances wherever they glance—or arrows.

become spears wherever they glance, or arrows.

خَرَجتُ على حَدِّ القياسِ مَعَ الهوى

خَرَجتُ على حَدِّ القياسِ مَعَ الهوى

فقلْ مَن أمَرّ الكأسَ من بعد ما أحلى

فقلْ مَن أمَرّ الكأسَ من بعد ما أحلى

With love I have departed from the rule of measure;

With love I have broken the bounds of logic;

tell me, who made the cup bitter after it had been sweet?

so tell me: who made the cup bitter after making it sweet?

ولمّا كَتبتُ الحبَّ في القلبِ وارتَقَى

ولمّا كَتبتُ الحبَّ في القلبِ وارتَقَى

إلى الطرْفِ ماءُ الشوقِ أنكَر ما أملى

إلى الطرْفِ ماءُ الشوقِ أنكَر ما أملى

When I inscribed love upon my heart and it rose

When I wrote love in my heart, and there rose

to my eye, longing’s water erased what I had written.

to my eyes the water of longing, it disowned what it had dictated.

وَبي كُلُّ غَيداءِ القَوامِ كأنّما

وَبي كُلُّ غَيداءِ القَوامِ كأنّما

يُطَاولُ منها قدُّها شَعَراً جَثْلا

يُطَاولُ منها قدُّها شَعَراً جَثْلا

Many a slender-waisted beauty possesses me, as though

I am enamored of every supple-figured woman, as though

her stature vied in height with her luxuriant hair.

her stature rivaled her luxuriant hair in length.

لَها بَلَهٌ بِالحبِّ تَحسَبُ جِدّهُ

لَها بَلَهٌ بِالحبِّ تَحسَبُ جِدّهُ

إِذا هَزَّ أَعطافي بِنَشوَتِهِ هَزلا

إِذا هَزَّ أَعطافي بِنَشوَتِهِ هَزلا

Her lovesick folly takes love’s earnestness for jest

She is innocent of love, mistaking its earnestness—

when its intoxication shakes my limbs in play.

when it shakes my frame with its intoxication—for jest.

إذا غرَستْ في مسمعِ الصّبِّ موْعِداً

إذا غرَستْ في مسمعِ الصّبِّ موْعِداً

جَنى بِيَدِ التسويفِ مِن غَرْسِها مَطْلا

جَنى بِيَدِ التسويفِ مِن غَرْسِها مَطْلا

When she plants a promise in the lover’s ear,

When she plants a promise in the lover's ear,

the hand of procrastination reaps delay from what she planted.

he reaps delay from her planting with procrastination's hand.

وإن هي زارَتْ خلتَها مستعيرةً

وإن هي زارَتْ خلتَها مستعيرةً

لَها مِن خَطيبِ الحفلِ جَلسَتَه العَجْلى

لَها مِن خَطيبِ الحفلِ جَلسَتَه العَجْلى

If she visits, you would think she had borrowed

And if she visits, you would think she had borrowed

from a public orator the haste with which he sits and leaves.

for herself, from the gathering's orator, his brief sitting.

أَرى البيضَ مِثلَ البيضِ تَقطعُ وَصْلَ مَن

أَرى البيضَ مِثلَ البيضِ تَقطعُ وَصْلَ مَن

يُقَطِّعُ في كفَّيهِ مِن غَيرِه وَصلا

يُقَطِّعُ في كفَّيهِ مِن غَيرِه وَصلا

I see fair women, like bright blades, severing the bond of one

I see fair women, like bright swords, severing the bond of one

who, sword in hand, cuts another’s joints.

who cuts others' joints with those swords in his hands.

فَلا تَأمَنَنْ مِنهنَّ إن كنتَ حازماً

فَلا تَأمَنَنْ مِنهنَّ إن كنتَ حازماً

ولا من هواها المرءَ خبلاً ولا ختلا

ولا من هواها المرءَ خبلاً ولا ختلا

Never trust them, if you are prudent,

So, if you are prudent, never feel safe from them,

nor trust their lover to escape madness or deceit.

or from her love of a man—from madness or deceit.

وساقٍ على ساقٍ يُصرِّفُ بيننا

وساقٍ على ساقٍ يُصرِّفُ بيننا

بكأسٍ نَظَمْنا للسرور بها شَملا

بكأسٍ نَظَمْنا للسرور بها شَملا

A cupbearer, shin crossed over shin, moves among us,

And a cupbearer, on his feet, circulates among us

bearing a cup around which our scattered joy becomes whole.

with a cup through which we gathered our company for joy.

كلؤلؤةٍ بيضاءَ في الكفِّ أقبلتْ

كلؤلؤةٍ بيضاءَ في الكفِّ أقبلتْ

بياقوتةٍ حمراءَ مظهرةً حَمْلا

بياقوتةٍ حمراءَ مظهرةً حَمْلا

Like a white pearl in the palm, he approached,

Like a white pearl in the hand, it approached

openly bearing a ruby-red burden.

with a red ruby, displaying its pregnancy.

كأنّ وُثُوبَ السُّكْرِ فيها مُساورٌ

كأنّ وُثُوبَ السُّكْرِ فيها مُساورٌ

يدبّبُ منه في مفاصلها نملا

يدبّبُ منه في مفاصلها نملا

It was as though intoxication’s leap within it were bracelets,

As though the pounce of intoxication within it were an assailant,

while numbness crept from it through the joints like ants.

sending ants from itself creeping through its joints.

تَرَكْنا لها من جَوْرِها ما يُسيئُنَا

تَرَكْنا لها من جَوْرِها ما يُسيئُنَا

فمن مَزْجِهَا بالماءِ قارنَتِ العدلا

فمن مَزْجِهَا بالماءِ قارنَتِ العدلا

In our injustice to it, we left it what displeased us;

We forgave it the harm its tyranny had done us;

whoever mixes it with water observes justice.

for, mixed with water, it allied itself with justice.

وعذراءَ كانت وردةً قبل مزجها

وعذراءَ كانت وردةً قبل مزجها

ومن بعده عَنّتْ لِمُبصرها شعلا

ومن بعده عَنّتْ لِمُبصرها شعلا

A virgin, rosy before she was mixed,

And a virgin wine was a rose before being mixed,

afterward appeared to the beholder as flames.

and afterward appeared as flames to its beholder.

إذا واجهتْ كاساتُها الليلَ خلتَها

إذا واجهتْ كاساتُها الليلَ خلتَها

تهتّكُ من ظلمائه حُجُباً كُحْلا

تهتّكُ من ظلمائه حُجُباً كُحْلا

When her cups confronted the night, you would think

When its cups confronted the night, you would think them

they tore black veils from its darkness.

tearing kohl-black veils from its darkness.

وتحسبُها تجلو علينا عرائسا

وتحسبُها تجلو علينا عرائسا

وشاربُها يفتضّ منهُنَّ ما يُجلى

وشاربُها يفتضّ منهُنَّ ما يُجلى

You would think she unveiled brides before us,

And you would think it unveiling brides before us,

and whoever drank her disclosed whatever could be revealed.

its drinker deflowering whichever of them is unveiled.

وجدنا نَعَمْ في الناس يُهجرُ قوْلُها

وجدنا نَعَمْ في الناس يُهجرُ قوْلُها

كأنّ على الأفواهِ من لفظها ثِقْلا

كأنّ على الأفواهِ من لفظها ثِقْلا

We found among humankind a bliss whose name they shunned,

We found that among people the word 'yes' is left unsaid,

as though its very word lay heavy upon their mouths.

as though its utterance lay heavy on their mouths.

ولمّا اجتَواها كُلُّ حَيٍّ تَعَلَّقتْ

ولمّا اجتَواها كُلُّ حَيٍّ تَعَلَّقتْ

بلفظ ابن عبّادٍ فكان لها أهلا

بلفظ ابن عبّادٍ فكان لها أهلا

Yet when every living soul gathered its fruit, it clung

When every living soul found it distasteful, it clung

to the name of Ibn ʿAbbād, for he was worthy of it.

to Ibn Abbad's speech, and he proved worthy of it.

جَوادٌ بما فَوقَ الغنى لَكَ والمُنى

جَوادٌ بما فَوقَ الغنى لَكَ والمُنى

فَهِمَّتُكَ العُلْيا لِهِمَّتِه سُفلى

فَهِمَّتُكَ العُلْيا لِهِمَّتِه سُفلى

He is generous beyond wealth itself; even aspirations

Generous with what exceeds your riches and your wishes,

at their loftiest are low beside his ambition.

so your highest aspiration is low beside his.

تَرى الناسَ يَستَصحونَ مِن جودِ كَفِّهِ

تَرى الناسَ يَستَصحونَ مِن جودِ كَفِّهِ

إذا الوبلُ منه انهلّ واتّبعَ الوبلا

إذا الوبلُ منه انهلّ واتّبعَ الوبلا

You see people carrying away the bounty of his hand

You see people praying for clear skies amid his hand's bounty,

whenever its rain pours down, shower following shower.

when rain pours from him, one downpour following another.

هِزَبرُ الوغى بالسيفِ والرمح مقدمٌ

هِزَبرُ الوغى بالسيفِ والرمح مقدمٌ

له الضربةُ الفرغاءُ وَالطعنةُ النجلا

له الضربةُ الفرغاءُ وَالطعنةُ النجلا

A lion of battle, advancing with sword and spear;

A lion of battle, bold with sword and spear,

his is the sweeping blow and the mighty thrust.

his is the broad-cutting blow and the gaping thrust.

تنوءُ به غِرّاً حفيظةُ عَزْمِهِ

تنوءُ به غِرّاً حفيظةُ عَزْمِهِ

وترجَحُ أسبابُ الأناةِ بِهِ كَهلا

وترجَحُ أسبابُ الأناةِ بِهِ كَهلا

The ardent burden of his proud resolve weighs upon him,

The fierce zeal of his resolve bears him up in youth,

yet mature forbearance tips the balance more heavily.

and the reasons for deliberation carry weight with him in maturity.

وحربٍ أذيقتْ في بنيها ببأسِه

وحربٍ أذيقتْ في بنيها ببأسِه

مرارةَ كأسِ الثكل لا عَدِمتْ ثكلا

مرارةَ كأسِ الثكل لا عَدِمتْ ثكلا

Many a war was made to taste, among its own sons, through his might,

And many a war has been made, through his might and in its sons,

the bitter cup of bereavement—may it never lack bereavement.

to taste bereavement's bitter cup—may it never lack bereavement!

وَكانَتْ عيونُ الماءِ زُرْقاً فَأَصبَحتْ

وَكانَتْ عيونُ الماءِ زُرْقاً فَأَصبَحتْ

بما مازَجَتْهُ من دمائهمُ شُهْلا

بما مازَجَتْهُ من دمائهمُ شُهْلا

The eyes of the springs were blue, but they became hazel

The springs of water were blue, but turned

from the blood he mingled with their waters.

tawny from the blood of theirs that mingled with them.

وما ولدتْ سودُ المنايا وَحُمْرُهَا

وما ولدتْ سودُ المنايا وَحُمْرُهَا

عَلى الكرهِ حَتَّى كانَ صارِمُكَ الفحلا

عَلى الكرهِ حَتَّى كانَ صارِمُكَ الفحلا

Neither black death nor red death gave birth

Neither black deaths nor red ones gave birth

unwillingly until your sword became the sire.

against their will until your keen sword became the sire.

أقائدَها قبَّ الأياطلِ لم تَدَعْ

أقائدَها قبَّ الأياطلِ لم تَدَعْ

له عند أعداءٍ إغارتُها ذَحْلا

له عند أعداءٍ إغارتُها ذَحْلا

Lean steeds ridden by champions led it; their raid left

O leader of lean-flanked steeds, their raids have left

no blood-debt among his enemies unavenged.

him no blood-debt unavenged among his enemies.

حمَيتَ حِمى الإِسلام إذ ذدتَ دونه

حمَيتَ حِمى الإِسلام إذ ذدتَ دونه

هِزَبراً ورشَّحْتَ الرشيدَ له شِبلا

هِزَبراً ورشَّحْتَ الرشيدَ له شِبلا

You guarded the sanctuary of Islam when you defended it,

You guarded Islam's sanctuary, defending it

a lion, and readied al-Rashid as its lion cub.

as a lion, and groomed al-Rashid as a cub for it.

لَئِن قلتُ فيه صحّ تأليفُ سُؤدَدٍ

لَئِن قلتُ فيه صحّ تأليفُ سُؤدَدٍ

فبارعُ نَقْلٍ من شمائِلِك استملى

فبارعُ نَقْلٍ من شمائِلِك استملى

If what I compose about him is rightly called glory,

If I say that in him nobility has been well composed,

I am only a copyist taking dictation from his virtues.

then he took down a masterly copy of your qualities.

أَلا حبَّذا العيدُ الَّذي عكفت به

أَلا حبَّذا العيدُ الَّذي عكفت به

على كفّك الأمواهُ تُمْطُرها قُبلا

على كفّك الأمواهُ تُمْطُرها قُبلا

How welcome the feast day upon which

Ah, how lovely the feast day when there lingered

mouths thronged around your hand, raining kisses upon it.

over your hand the waters, raining kisses upon it!

ويا حبّذا دارٌ يدُ اللَّه مَسّحَتْ

ويا حبّذا دارٌ يدُ اللَّه مَسّحَتْ

عليها بتجديدِ البقاءِ فما تبلى

عليها بتجديدِ البقاءِ فما تبلى

And how welcome a palace anointed by the hand of God,

And how lovely a palace that God's hand has caressed,

with ever-renewed endurance, so that it never decays.

renewing its endurance, so that it never decays.

مُقَدَّسَةٌ لو أنّ موسى كليمَهُ

مُقَدَّسَةٌ لو أنّ موسى كليمَهُ

مَشَى قَدَماً في أرضها خَلَعَ النعلا

مَشَى قَدَماً في أرضها خَلَعَ النعلا

So sanctified that, had Moses been addressed within it,

Sacred: were Moses, the one God spoke with,

he would have entered its grounds and removed his sandals.

to set a foot upon its ground, he would remove his sandals.

وما هيَ إِلّا خطةُ الملِكِ الّذي

وما هيَ إِلّا خطةُ الملِكِ الّذي

يَحُطُّ لَدَيهِ كلُّ ذي أملٍ رَحْلا

يَحُطُّ لَدَيهِ كلُّ ذي أملٍ رَحْلا

It is nothing but the precinct of sovereignty, where

It is none other than the domain of the king

every hopeful seeker sets down his traveling gear.

before whom everyone with a hope sets down his baggage.

إذا فتحت أبوابُها خلتَ أنَّها

إذا فتحت أبوابُها خلتَ أنَّها

تقولُ بترحيبٍ لداخلها أَهلا

تقولُ بترحيبٍ لداخلها أَهلا

When its doors open, you would think they

When its doors open, you would think that it

say to every entrant, Welcome!

says in greeting to whoever enters, 'Welcome!'

وقَد نَقَلَتْ صُنّاعُها مِن صِفاتِهِ

وقَد نَقَلَتْ صُنّاعُها مِن صِفاتِهِ

إِلَيها أَفانيناً فَأَحسنَتِ النقلا

إِلَيها أَفانيناً فَأَحسنَتِ النقلا

Its workmanship has transferred into it, from its attributes,

And its craftsmen have transferred from his qualities

varied wonders—and reproduced them beautifully.

to it diverse forms, making the transfer beautifully:

فَمِن صَدرِهِ رَحباً وَمِن وَجهِهِ سَناً

فَمِن صَدرِهِ رَحباً وَمِن وَجهِهِ سَناً

وَمِن صِيتِهِ فَرعاً وَمِن حِلمِه أَصلا

وَمِن صِيتِهِ فَرعاً وَمِن حِلمِه أَصلا

From its breast comes spaciousness; from its face, radiance;

from his breast, spaciousness; from his face, radiance;

from its renown, the branch; from its forbearance, the root.

from his renown, height; from his forbearance, a foundation.

وأَعلتْ بها في رُتبَةِ الملك نادياً

وأَعلتْ بها في رُتبَةِ الملك نادياً

وقلَّ لَهُ فَوْقَ السماكين أن يُعْلى

وقلَّ لَهُ فَوْقَ السماكين أن يُعْلى

Through it, sovereignty has raised a lofty assembly;

And in it they raised a gathering hall to royal rank;

tell it to rise above the two Simāks.

even above the two Simak stars would be too low for it.

نسيتُ به إيوانَ كسرى لأنّه

نسيتُ به إيوانَ كسرى لأنّه

أراني له مَوْلى من الفضلِ لا مثلا

أراني له مَوْلى من الفضلِ لا مثلا

Within it I forgot Kisra’s Iwan, for it

There I forgot Kisra's iwan, because it

showed me a lord whose excellence has no peer.

showed itself to me as that hall's master in excellence, not its equal.

كَأَنَّ سُلَيمانَ بنَ داودَ لم تُبِحْ

كَأَنَّ سُلَيمانَ بنَ داودَ لم تُبِحْ

مخافتُه للجنّ في شَيْده مَهْلا

مخافتُه للجنّ في شَيْده مَهْلا

As though Solomon, son of David, had granted

As though Solomon son of David had not,

the jinn no respite from his awe while they built it.

through the fear he inspired, allowed the jinn any respite in building it.

كأنّ عيونَ السحر نافذةٌ له

كأنّ عيونَ السحر نافذةٌ له

على كلّ بانٍ غايةً منه أو فضلا

على كلّ بانٍ غايةً منه أو فضلا

As though his sorcerous eyes could penetrate

As though magic's eyes could reach, on its behalf,

each builder’s utmost skill and every excellence.

beyond every builder's utmost aim or excellence.

فجاء مكانَ القول نبعثُ وَصْفَهُ

فجاء مكانَ القول نبعثُ وَصْفَهُ

رقيقاً وأذنُ الدهر تَسمَعُهُ جذلى

رقيقاً وأذنُ الدهر تَسمَعُهُ جذلى

It arose beyond the reach of human description,

Thus it became a place for verse; we send forth its description,

delicate in form, while the ear of Time hears its grandeur.

delicate, while time's ear hears it joyfully.

تجوزُ له الأمواهُ بركةَ جدولٍ

تجوزُ له الأمواهُ بركةَ جدولٍ

تخالُ الصَّبا منه مُشطِّبةً نصلا

تخالُ الصَّبا منه مُشطِّبةً نصلا

Waters traverse it through the basin of a stream;

For it, waters traverse a channel's basin;

you would think its dawn-like gleam a silvered blade.

you would think the east wind was grooving a blade from it.

إذا اتّخَذَتْها الشمسُ مرآةَ وجْهِها

إذا اتّخَذَتْها الشمسُ مرآةَ وجْهِها

أحالت عليها من مداوسِها صَقْلا

أحالت عليها من مداوسِها صَقْلا

When the sun takes it as the mirror of her face,

When the sun makes it a mirror for her face,

she polishes its surface through her circling course.

she turns her burnishing tools upon it, giving it a polish.

تَرى الشمسَ فيه ليقةً تَستَمِدُّها

تَرى الشمسَ فيه ليقةً تَستَمِدُّها

أكفٌّ أقامتْ من تصاويرها شكلا

أكفٌّ أقامتْ من تصاويرها شكلا

You see the sun within it as pigment drawn up

You see the sun in it as ink-soaked wool, drawn upon

by hands that fashioned its images into shapes.

by hands that have fashioned a form from her images.

لها حركاتٌ أودِعَتْ في سُكونِها

لها حركاتٌ أودِعَتْ في سُكونِها

فما تَبِعَتْ في نقلهنّ يدٌ رِجلا

فما تَبِعَتْ في نقلهنّ يدٌ رِجلا

They possess movements entrusted to their stillness,

They have movements lodged within their stillness,

though no human hand imparts that motion to them.

yet in the transfer of those motions no hand follows a foot.

وقَد تُوِّجَ البهوُ البهيُّ بِقُبَّةٍ

وقَد تُوِّجَ البهوُ البهيُّ بِقُبَّةٍ

فقلْ في عروسٍ في جلابيبها تُجلى

فقلْ في عروسٍ في جلابيبها تُجلى

The radiant hall has been crowned with a dome:

The splendid hall has been crowned with a dome;

call it a bride unveiled within her robes.

speak, then, of a bride unveiled in her robes.

تجمعتِ الأضدادُ فيها مصانعاً

تجمعتِ الأضدادُ فيها مصانعاً

ولم أرَ خَلْقاً قبلها جَمَعَ الشّمْلا

ولم أرَ خَلْقاً قبلها جَمَعَ الشّمْلا

Contraries have gathered there, harmoniously fashioned;

Opposites have gathered within it in crafted structures,

never before have I seen a created thing unite the scattered whole.

and I have seen no creation before it that brought them all together.

وأغربُ ما أبصرتُ بعد مليكها

وأغربُ ما أبصرتُ بعد مليكها

بها مُتْرَعٌ يعدي الشجاعةَ والبذلا

بها مُتْرَعٌ يعدي الشجاعةَ والبذلا

The strangest sight I saw there after its king

And the strangest thing I saw, after its king,

was a brimming figure embodying courage and generosity.

within it was a brimming cup that imparts courage and generosity.

تنادمُ في غنّاءَ غنّتْ حَمَامُها

تنادمُ في غنّاءَ غنّتْ حَمَامُها

فَوارِسَ أغصانٍ ترجّحها حَمْلا

فَوارِسَ أغصانٍ ترجّحها حَمْلا

It keeps company, amid music sung by its cooing doves,

You carouse in a leafy garden whose doves sing,

with horsemen of branches that sway beneath their burden.

with riders on boughs, swaying them beneath their weight.

إذا شَرِبتْ وُدّ المؤيّد صيّرَتْ

إذا شَرِبتْ وُدّ المؤيّد صيّرَتْ

خلائقَهُ راحاً ورؤيتَهُ نُقْلا

خلائقَهُ راحاً ورؤيتَهُ نُقْلا

If it drank al-Muʾayyad’s affection, it would turn

When it drinks al-Muayyad's affection, it turns

his virtues into wine and transmit their fragrance.

his qualities into wine, and the sight of him into accompanying fruit.

كَأَنَّ مها الأَحْداجِ حَلَّتْ سماءَها

كَأَنَّ مها الأَحْداجِ حَلَّتْ سماءَها

وَإِن لَم تَكُن إِلّا حنياته بُزْلا

وَإِن لَم تَكُن إِلّا حنياته بُزْلا

As though camel-litters had alighted in its sky,

As though the oryxes of the howdahs had settled in its sky,

though they were only its arches, like full-grown camels.

though they were only its arches, like full-grown camels.

كَأَنَّ سِهاماً أرْسِلَتْ عن قِسِيِّها

كَأَنَّ سِهاماً أرْسِلَتْ عن قِسِيِّها

فَما عَدِمَتْ عَينُ الحَسودِ بِها سَمْلا

فَما عَدِمَتْ عَينُ الحَسودِ بِها سَمْلا

As though arrows had been loosed from its bows;

As though arrows had been loosed from their bows,

through them the envious eye never escapes blindness.

so the envious eye was not spared their gouging.

وما شئتُ مما لو عُنيتُ بوَصْفِهِ

وما شئتُ مما لو عُنيتُ بوَصْفِهِ

سلكتُ إليه كلّ قافيةٍ سبلا

سلكتُ إليه كلّ قافيةٍ سبلا

Whatever one might desire there—were I to describe it—

And whatever else I might wish—if I undertook to describe it,

every rhyme would find a road leading toward it.

I would follow every rhyme as a pathway to it.

فَتَحسَبُ ما في الأرضِ مِن حَيوانِها

فَتَحسَبُ ما في الأرضِ مِن حَيوانِها

رَقَى شَرَفاً فيه إلى الفلكِ الأعلى

رَقَى شَرَفاً فيه إلى الفلكِ الأعلى

You would think every living thing on earth within it

So you would think the earth's living creatures

had risen in rank to the highest sphere.

had risen there in exaltation to the highest sphere.

ولمّا عَشينَا من توقّد نورها

ولمّا عَشينَا من توقّد نورها

تَخِذْنَا سناهُ من نواظرنا كُحْلا

تَخِذْنَا سناهُ من نواظرنا كُحْلا

When the blaze of its light dazzled our eyes,

And when its blazing light dazzled us,

we made its radiance kohl for our vision.

we took its radiance as kohl for our eyes.

فيا دارُ أغضى الدهرُ عنكِ وأكثرتْ

فيا دارُ أغضى الدهرُ عنكِ وأكثرتْ

أُسودُكِ نَسلاً فيه يَختَتِلُ النّسلا

أُسودُكِ نَسلاً فيه يَختَتِلُ النّسلا

O palace, may Time lower its gaze before you, and may you multiply

O palace, may time turn its gaze away from you, and may

your lions, generation after generation, so long as humankind is circumcised.

your lions produce abundant offspring that stealthily stalk other offspring.