أمِنْكِ اجْتِيازُ البرْقِ يلتاحُ في الدُّجى

أمِنْكِ اجْتِيازُ البرْقِ يلتاحُ في الدُّجى

تَبَلّجْتِ مِنْ شَرْقِيّهِ فتبلّجَا

تَبَلّجْتِ مِنْ شَرْقِيّهِ فتبلّجَا

Is it from you that lightning passes, flashing in the dark?

From your being the lightning passes gleaming through the gloom

You shone from its eastern side, and so it shone.

You glowed from its Orient so both of you glow

كأنّ به لمّا شَرى منكِ واضحاً

كأنّ به لمّا شَرى منكِ واضحاً

تبسّم ذا ظَلمٍ شنيباً مُفَلَّجا

تبسّم ذا ظَلمٍ شنيباً مُفَلَّجا

As though, when your radiance flared within it,

As if when he bought the clear from you

it smiled with lustrous teeth, cool-white and finely spaced.

The one who is darkness itself smiled, a wide smile

مُطارُ سنىً يُزجي غماماً كأنّما

مُطارُ سنىً يُزجي غماماً كأنّما

يُجاذبُ خَصْراً في وشاحك مُدمجا

يُجاذبُ خَصْراً في وشاحك مُدمجا

A burst of radiance drives clouds, as though

A pouring rain making clouds as if

tugging at a shapely waist enclosed within your sash.

He's embracing a waist in your loose robes

ينوءُ إذا ما ناءَ منك رُكامُه

ينوءُ إذا ما ناءَ منك رُكامُه

برادفَةٍ لا تَستَقِلُّ منَ الوَجَى

برادفَةٍ لا تَستَقِلُّ منَ الوَجَى

It heaves when its piled mass, drawn from you, heaves,

He sways when he sways back from you

under heavy haunches too aching to rise.

With a pleat that cannot stand still from passion

كأنّ يداً شَقّتْ خِلالَ غُيومِهِ

كأنّ يداً شَقّتْ خِلالَ غُيومِهِ

جُيوباً أوِ اجتابَتْ قباءً مُفرَّجا

جُيوباً أوِ اجتابَتْ قباءً مُفرَّجا

As though a hand had torn amid its clouds

As if a hand had cloven through his clouds

neck-openings, or cut out a split-fronted robe.

Slits or parted a closed robe wide

هلمّا نُحيّي الأجرَعَ الفردَ واللّوى

هلمّا نُحيّي الأجرَعَ الفردَ واللّوى

وعُوجا على تلك الرّسومِ وعَرّجَا

وعُوجا على تلك الرّسومِ وعَرّجَا

Come, you two: let us greet the lone sand-flat and the winding dunes;

Hither that we may greet the lone full moon and the bent one

and turn aside to those traces, and pause there.

And the slanting one on those drawings and the stumbling one

مواطىءُ هِنْدٍ في ثَرىً مُتَنَفِّسٍ

مواطىءُ هِنْدٍ في ثَرىً مُتَنَفِّسٍ

تَضَوّعَ مِنْ أردانِها وتأرّجا

تَضَوّعَ مِنْ أردانِها وتأرّجا

Hind's footprints lie in breathing soil,

The dales of India in a breathing soil

made fragrant by her sleeves and sweet with scent.

Are saturated with its perfume and are coloured

مُنَعَّمَةٌ أبْدَتْ أسِيلاً مُنَعَّماً

مُنَعَّمَةٌ أبْدَتْ أسِيلاً مُنَعَّماً

تضرّجَ قبلَ العاشقين وضرّجا

تضرّجَ قبلَ العاشقين وضرّجا

A pampered beauty bared a soft, smooth cheek,

A felicitous one who shows a felicitous crescent

which reddened before her lovers, then stained them crimson.

Dyed red before the lovers and reddened

إذا هَزّ عِطْفَيْها قَوامٌ مُهَفْهَفٌ

إذا هَزّ عِطْفَيْها قَوامٌ مُهَفْهَفٌ

تَداعى كثِيبٌ خَلفَهَا فترَجْرَجا

تَداعى كثِيبٌ خَلفَهَا فترَجْرَجا

When her slender figure sets her flanks swaying,

If she moves her flexuous shape, a trembling slender form

the dune behind her sags and quivers.

A sandhill behind her comes tumbling down

أنافِسُ في عِقْدٍ يُقبّلُ نَحْرَها

أنافِسُ في عِقْدٍ يُقبّلُ نَحْرَها

وأحْسُدُ خَلخالاً عليها ودُمْلُجا

وأحْسُدُ خَلخالاً عليها ودُمْلُجا

I envy a necklace that kisses her throat,

I compete in a necklace that kisses her throat

and I envy an anklet she wears, and an armlet.

And I envy a bracelet on it and a pendant

لقد فُزتُ يوم النابضين بنظرةٍ

لقد فُزتُ يوم النابضين بنظرةٍ

فلم تَلْقَ إلاّ بَدْرَ تّمٍ وهَودَجا

فلم تَلْقَ إلاّ بَدْرَ تّمٍ وهَودَجا

On the day of al-Nabidayn, I won a glance,

Indeed I won the day of sweet glances with a look

which found nothing but a perfect full moon and a howdah.

But it met only a full moon that rose and set

وأسْعَدَني مُرْفَضُّ دمعي كأنها

وأسْعَدَني مُرْفَضُّ دمعي كأنها

تَساقَطُ رأدَ اليْومِ دُرّاً مُدَحْرَجا

تَساقَطُ رأدَ اليْومِ دُرّاً مُدَحْرَجا

My streaming tears came to my aid, as though they

And the falling of my tears made me happy as if

were pearls falling and rolling in the early morning.

The pomegranate seeds of this day fell and rolled

ألَذُّ بما تَطْويه فيكِ جَوانحي

ألَذُّ بما تَطْويه فيكِ جَوانحي

وأشجى تَباريحاً وأسْتعْذِب الشَّجا

وأشجى تَباريحاً وأسْتعْذِب الشَّجا

I delight in what my ribs enfold for you,

I enjoy what your wings conceal in you

and grieve in anguish, and find sorrow sweet.

And I find the separation bitter and the night sweet

أجَدِّكَ ما أنْفَكُّ إلاّ مُغَلِّساً

أجَدِّكَ ما أنْفَكُّ إلاّ مُغَلِّساً

يجوز الفَلا أو ساريَ الليل مُدلِجا

يجوز الفَلا أو ساريَ الليل مُدلِجا

In earnest, I am always setting out before dawn,

I always find you slipping away

crossing the wastes, or traveling through the early night.

Wandering at night or traversing it with a torch

ترفّعَ عنّا سِجْفُه فكأنّه

ترفّعَ عنّا سِجْفُه فكأنّه

يُحيّي بيحيَى صبْحَه المتبَلِّجا

يُحيّي بيحيَى صبْحَه المتبَلِّجا

The night's curtain lifts away from us, as though it

His slumber turned from us so it was as if

were greeting its brightening dawn in Yahya.

With John's morning he saluted the shining dawn

ترامَى بنا الأكوارُ في كلّ صَحصَحٍ

ترامَى بنا الأكوارُ في كلّ صَحصَحٍ

تَظَلُّ المهاري عُسَّجاً فيه وُسَّجا

تَظَلُّ المهاري عُسَّجاً فيه وُسَّجا

The camel-saddles fling us onward across every open plain,

The planets danced for us in every sparkling

where the Mahri camels stride all day, necks stretched, at a trot.

The sailor stars bent in it and twined

سَرَينا وفودَ الشّكر من كلّ تلعةٍ

سَرَينا وفودَ الشّكر من كلّ تلعةٍ

إذا ما وَزَعنا الليلَ باسمك أُسرجا

إذا ما وَزَعنا الليلَ باسمك أُسرجا

We traveled by night, envoys of thanks from every ravine;

We walked past troops of thankfulness from every hill

whenever we drove back night with your name, it was lit.

When we whiled away the night with your name radiant

غمَرْتَ ندىً جزْلاً فلا البْرقُ خُلَّباً

غمَرْتَ ندىً جزْلاً فلا البْرقُ خُلَّباً

لديكَ ولا المزْنُ الكنَهْوَرُ زِبرِجا

لديكَ ولا المزْنُ الكنَهْوَرُ زِبرِجا

You flooded us with abundant bounty: no lightning is rainless

You have inundated with abundant dew so neither lightning

with you, nor is the massive raincloud mere show.

Gleamed by you, nor the star Canopus glittered

وما أمَّكَ العَافُونَ إلاّ تعرّفُوا

وما أمَّكَ العَافُونَ إلاّ تعرّفُوا

جنابَكَ مأنُوساً وظِلَّكَ سَجسَجا

جنابَكَ مأنُوساً وظِلَّكَ سَجسَجا

No seekers of bounty ever sought you without finding

And only recognized your clan, familiar

your court welcoming and your shade temperate.

And your shadow, murky

ولم تُرَ يوْماً غيرَ عاقِدِ حُبوةٍ

ولم تُرَ يوْماً غيرَ عاقِدِ حُبوةٍ

لتدبيرِ مُلْكٍ أو كمِيّاً مُدَجَّجَا

لتدبيرِ مُلْكٍ أو كمِيّاً مُدَجَّجَا

You were never seen save seated, knees drawn within your wrap,

And never saw but those who string vows

planning a kingdom's affairs, or as a fully armored warrior.

To govern a realm or a courier fully armed

وكنْتَ إذا ثارَتْ عَجاجَةُ قَسْطَلٍ

وكنْتَ إذا ثارَتْ عَجاجَةُ قَسْطَلٍ

فجَلّلَتِ الأفقَ البَهيمَ يَرَندَجا

فجَلّلَتِ الأفقَ البَهيمَ يَرَندَجا

Whenever a swirling cloud of battle-dust rose

And if the insolence of Sauromatian erupted

and draped the dark horizon in black leather,

Covering the ignorant horizon raging

تخلّلْتَها في المَعرَكِ الضَّنكِ مُقدِماً

تخلّلْتَها في المَعرَكِ الضَّنكِ مُقدِماً

وخُضْتَ غِمارَ الموت فيها مُلجِّجا

وخُضْتَ غِمارَ الموت فيها مُلجِّجا

you cut through it, advancing in the hard-pressed fray,

You pierced it in grueling battle attacking

and plunged into death's surging depths there, venturing deep.

And plunged into the thick of death, churning

فلم ترَ إلاّ بارقاً متألّقاً

فلم ترَ إلاّ بارقاً متألّقاً

تخَلّلَهَا أو كَوكَباً مَتأجّجا

تخَلّلَهَا أو كَوكَباً مَتأجّجا

Only a glittering lightning-flash could be seen,

So it saw but a flashing lightning bolt

piercing it, or a blazing star.

Piercing it or a blazing planet

فداؤك نفسي ماجِداً ذا حفيظَةٍ

فداؤك نفسي ماجِداً ذا حفيظَةٍ

يُدير رَحى العَليا على قُطُبِ الحِجى

يُدير رَحى العَليا على قُطُبِ الحِجى

My soul be your ransom, noble and zealous for honor,

My soul is ransom for a glorious magnanimous one

who turns the millstone of high glory on wisdom's axle,

Who turns the millstone of highness on the pole of phantasma

وسيّدَ ساداتٍ إذا ما رأيتَه

وسيّدَ ساداتٍ إذا ما رأيتَه

عَرَفْتَ يمَانيّ النّجار متوَّجا

عَرَفْتَ يمَانيّ النّجار متوَّجا

and master of masters: whenever you behold him,

And master of masters - when you see him

you recognize a crowned man of Yemeni lineage.

You recognize the Yemeni carpenter, crowned

تألّقَ في أوضاحِهِ وحُجُولِهِ

تألّقَ في أوضاحِهِ وحُجُولِهِ

فلم تَرَ عيني منظراً كان أبهَجا

فلم تَرَ عيني منظراً كان أبهَجا

He gleamed in his silver ornaments and anklets;

He shone in his gatherings and retinues

my eye has never seen a more delightful sight.

My eyes never saw a view more dazzling

لقد نَبّهَ الآدابَ بعدَ خُمُولِها

لقد نَبّهَ الآدابَ بعدَ خُمُولِها

وجَدّدَ منها عافِي الرّسمِ مَنهَجا

وجَدّدَ منها عافِي الرّسمِ مَنهَجا

He awakened letters from their obscurity,

He awakened manners after their dormancy

and renewed their path whose traces had faded.

And renewed the pure practice, outlining a method

له شِيمَةٌ كالأرْيِ صَفْوٌ سِجالُها

له شِيمَةٌ كالأرْيِ صَفْوٌ سِجالُها

وما السَّمُّ إلاّ أن يُقانَى ويُمزَجا

وما السَّمُّ إلاّ أن يُقانَى ويُمزَجا

His nature is like honey, pure in the draughts it pours;

His nature has probity - his contest is unadulterated

and poison is only a matter of blending and mixing.

And poison is but to be tasted and mixed

ألا لا يَرُعْه بأسُ يومِ كريهةٍ

ألا لا يَرُعْه بأسُ يومِ كريهةٍ

فلن يَذعَرَ اللّيثُ الهِزَبْرُ مُهَجهِجا

فلن يَذعَرَ اللّيثُ الهِزَبْرُ مُهَجهِجا

Let the fury of a day of battle never alarm him:

Lo, the calamity of an awful day does not frighten him

for a mighty lion will never fear one shouting to scare it.

So the old lion will not shudder, terrified

نَحى المغربَ الأقصى بسَطْوةِ بأسِهِ

نَحى المغربَ الأقصى بسَطْوةِ بأسِهِ

فغادَرَه رَهْواً وقد كان مُرتَجا

فغادَرَه رَهْواً وقد كان مُرتَجا

He advanced on the far Maghrib with his forceful valor,

He reached the Far West with his domination

and left it tranquil, though it had been in tumult.

So he left it empty and it had been populated

مُطِلاٍّ على الأعداءِ يُنهِجُ بينها

مُطِلاٍّ على الأعداءِ يُنهِجُ بينها

بسُمْرِ العوالي والقواضِبِ مَنهَجا

بسُمْرِ العوالي والقواضِبِ مَنهَجا

Looming over his enemies, he opens among them

Looking down on enemies, striking among them

a path with brown-shafted spears and cleaving swords.

With the blond swords and the brown spears

ليالي حُروبٍ شِدْتَ فيها لجعْفَرٍ

ليالي حُروبٍ شِدْتَ فيها لجعْفَرٍ

مَآثِرَ لم يُخْلِفْنَه فيك ما رجا

مَآثِرَ لم يُخْلِفْنَه فيك ما رجا

Nights of war in which you raised up for Ja'far

Nights of wars in which you brought Jafar

deeds of glory that never belied his hopes of you.

Exploits which hope did not fail to bring about in you

وكمْ بِتَّ يقظانَ الجفونِ مُسهَّداً

وكمْ بِتَّ يقظانَ الجفونِ مُسهَّداً

تُريهِ شُموسَ الرأيِ في غَسَقِ الدُّجى

تُريهِ شُموسَ الرأيِ في غَسَقِ الدُّجى

How often you passed the night, wakeful-eyed and sleepless,

And how much the eyelids stayed up seeing

showing him suns of counsel in the deep gloom of night.

The suns of perception in the gloom of night

فلاحَظَ عَضْباً عن يمينكَ مُرْهَفاً

فلاحَظَ عَضْباً عن يمينكَ مُرْهَفاً

وطِرْفاً جَواداً عن يسارك مُسْرَجا

وطِرْفاً جَواداً عن يسارك مُسْرَجا

He beheld a keen sword, finely honed, at your right,

So he noticed a sharp rage on your right

and a fleet, noble steed, saddled, at your left.

And a generous eye on your left, saddled

وكم لكَ من يوْمٍ بها جِدِّ مُعلَمٍ

وكم لكَ من يوْمٍ بها جِدِّ مُعلَمٍ

يُصَلّي الأعادي جَمرَه المُتَوَهِّجا

يُصَلّي الأعادي جَمرَه المُتَوَهِّجا

How many a truly distinguished day you had there,

And how many a day with it is fiercely fateful

whose glowing coals scorched your enemies.

In which the enemies pray before its blazing ember

تَقومُ به بينَ السّماطَينِ خاطِباً

تَقومُ به بينَ السّماطَينِ خاطِباً

إذا يومَ فَخْرٍ ذو البيانِ تَلجْلَجا

إذا يومَ فَخْرٍ ذو البيانِ تَلجْلَجا

You stand on such a day, speaking between the two ranks,

You stand between the ranks speaking

when, on a day of boasting, the eloquent man stammers.

When the day of pride and eloquence splutters

أيا زكريّاءَ الأغَرّ أهِبْ بَها

أيا زكريّاءَ الأغَرّ أهِبْ بَها

وقائعَ ألهَجْنَ القريضَ فألهِجا

وقائعَ ألهَجْنَ القريضَ فألهِجا

O illustrious Zakariyya, call them forth:

O Zakariyya of wonderful verse inspire therein

battles that set poetry speaking, and it spoke on.

Events to enchant verse, so inspire

لِتَهْنِئْكَ أمثالُ القوافي سوائراً

لِتَهْنِئْكَ أمثالُ القوافي سوائراً

وكُنْتَ حرِيّاً أن تُسَرّ وتُبْهَجا

وكُنْتَ حرِيّاً أن تُسَرّ وتُبْهَجا

May the likes of these far-traveling rhymes give you joy;

That rhymes congratulate you without end

and you have been worthy of gladness and delight.

And you would be embarrassed to delight and rejoice

فَدُمْ للشّبابِ المُرجَحِنّ وعَصْرِهِ

فَدُمْ للشّبابِ المُرجَحِنّ وعَصْرِهِ

تُؤمَّلُ فينا للخُطوب وتُرتَجَى

تُؤمَّلُ فينا للخُطوب وتُرتَجَى

So live on for full-flowering youth and its season,

So go on hoping for youth and its prime

looked to and relied upon among us in calamity.

In us are expected tidings and desires sought