قمرٌ بات بَيْن سَحْري ونَحْرِي

قمرٌ بات بَيْن سَحْري ونَحْرِي

وخُيولُ الدموع باللثمِ تجْري

وخُيولُ الدموع باللثمِ تجْري

A moon spent the night between my breast and my throat,

A moon spent the night between my magic and slaughter,

And the steeds of tears run amid kisses.

And the steeds of tears flowed with a veil.

فلكَم فرَّقَتْ دُموعِيَ ما بَيْـ

فلكَم فرَّقَتْ دُموعِيَ ما بَيْـ

ـنَ ثَغْرِه ومَا بَيْن ثَغْري

ـنَ ثَغْرِه ومَا بَيْن ثَغْري

How often my tears have forced apart

So how many times did my tears separate

His lips and mine.

What was between his mouth and what was between my mouth.

جَزعي في الدُّنوِّ من خوفِ بُعدٍ

جَزعي في الدُّنوِّ من خوفِ بُعدٍ

وبكائِي في الوصْلِ من خَوْفِ هَجْرِ

وبكائِي في الوصْلِ من خَوْفِ هَجْرِ

My distress in closeness comes from fear of distance,

My anguish in life is from the fear of distance,

And my weeping in union from fear of abandonment.

And my crying during union is from the fear of abandonment.

فلعمرُ الحبيبِ إِنَّ حبيبَ النَّفْسِ

فلعمرُ الحبيبِ إِنَّ حبيبَ النَّفْسِ

أَشْهى للنَّفْسِ مِنْ أُمِّ عَمْرِو

أَشْهى للنَّفْسِ مِنْ أُمِّ عَمْرِو

By the beloved's life, surely the soul's beloved

By the life of the beloved, the beloved of the soul

Is more desirable to the soul than Umm Amr.

Is more delicious to the soul than Umm Amr.

وفَدى مَنزلاً على النيل فَرْداً

وفَدى مَنزلاً على النيل فَرْداً

كُلُّ ربعٍ لآلِ ميّةَ قَفْرِ

كُلُّ ربعٍ لآلِ ميّةَ قَفْرِ

And may a single dwelling on the Nile be ransomed

And he ransomed an estate on the Nile alone,

By every desolate camp of Mayya's kin.

Each quarter for the family of Mayyah is empty.

كَلَفِي قَطُّ لَمْ يُسافِر ومَا خَفَّ

كَلَفِي قَطُّ لَمْ يُسافِر ومَا خَفَّ

رِكَابُ الغَرامِ إِلا لمصرِ

رِكَابُ الغَرامِ إِلا لمصرِ

My infatuation has never journeyed, nor have

Never has an elder cat traveled, and the riding animals

Love's riding camels hastened except to Egypt.

Of passion did not embark except to Egypt.

ومُنى النَّفْسِ عندي ظبيٌ غريرٌ

ومُنى النَّفْسِ عندي ظبيٌ غريرٌ

عادَ بدْراً وما حَوى سِنَّ بَدْر

عادَ بدْراً وما حَوى سِنَّ بَدْر

And the soul's desire, to me, is a guileless gazelle,

And the desire of my soul is to me a charming gazelle

Who became a full moon without reaching a full moon's age.

Who returned as a full moon though he lacked the teeth of a full moon.

ما سَمِعْنا بالبدرِ يَكْملُ في عشرٍ

ما سَمِعْنا بالبدرِ يَكْملُ في عشرٍ

ولم تَأْتِ أَربعٌ بَعْدَ عَشْر

ولم تَأْتِ أَربعٌ بَعْدَ عَشْر

We have never heard of the full moon becoming complete at ten,

We have not heard of the full moon completing in ten days,

With four not yet having followed ten.

Nor have four come after ten.

إِنني مُمْلِقٌ من الصَّبرِ عَنْه

إِنني مُمْلِقٌ من الصَّبرِ عَنْه

وفُؤادي من الصَّبابَة مُثْرى

وفُؤادي من الصَّبابَة مُثْرى

I am destitute of patience to be without him,

I am slipping in patience from him,

And my heart is made rich by ardent longing.

And my heart is plucked from youthfulness.

ولَئِن صدَّ رُبَّ ليلةِ وَصْلٍ

ولَئِن صدَّ رُبَّ ليلةِ وَصْلٍ

رَجَعت من سَناهُ ليلةَ بَدْرِ

رَجَعت من سَناهُ ليلةَ بَدْرِ

Even if he turns away, many a night of union

And if the Lord of the night of union prevented me,

Has become, through his radiance, a night of the full moon.

I will return from its brightness the night of the full moon.

لَم تُرَع لَيْلَتي بفجرِ مُحيا

لَم تُرَع لَيْلَتي بفجرِ مُحيا

هُ ولكِنْ تُراعُ منه بِظُهر

هُ ولكِنْ تُراعُ منه بِظُهر

My night was not startled by the dawn of his face,

My night was not grazed by the dawn of life,

But is startled by the noon he brings.

Rather it is grazed from it at noon.

فشَرِبْنَا مِن المُدامَة شَفْعاً

فشَرِبْنَا مِن المُدامَة شَفْعاً

أَخلصَ القلبَ مِن جَوى كُلِّ وَتْر

أَخلصَ القلبَ مِن جَوى كُلِّ وَتْر

So we drank paired draughts of wine,

So we drank from the wine twice over,

Which freed the heart from every grievance's ache.

Which purified the heart from the burning of every vein.

كنتُ من ريقهِ وعيْنَيْه سكرا

كنتُ من ريقهِ وعيْنَيْه سكرا

ناً فلما شرِبْتُها زَالَ سُكْرِي

ناً فلما شرِبْتُها زَالَ سُكْرِي

I was drunk on his saliva and his eyes;

I was drunk from his saliva and his eyes,

Then, when I drank it, my drunkenness vanished.

So when I drank it, my drunkenness went away.

فتدَاويتُ من خُماري وقد قيل

فتدَاويتُ من خُماري وقد قيل

دَواءُ الخُمار في شُرب خمر

دَواءُ الخُمار في شُرب خمر

So I cured myself of my hangover, for it has been said:

So I got healing from my intoxication, and it was said:

The cure for a hangover lies in drinking wine.

The cure for intoxication is drinking wine.

صنتُ خَمْرَ اللِّحاظِ في كَأْسِ جَفْنٍ

صنتُ خَمْرَ اللِّحاظِ في كَأْسِ جَفْنٍ

فيه كَسْرٌ لقد أَتيت بِسحْر

فيه كَسْرٌ لقد أَتيت بِسحْر

I preserved the wine of glances in an eyelid's cup;

I guarded the wine of union in a cup of an eyelid,

There is a crack in it—truly, I have worked magic.

In it there is breakage; indeed I brought magic.

يا أَميراً على القلوبِ متى تنـ

يا أَميراً على القلوبِ متى تنـ

ـظُر في قِصَّتي وتكْشِفُ أَمْرِي

ـظُر في قِصَّتي وتكْشِفُ أَمْرِي

O prince over hearts, when will you

O commander over hearts, when will you

Look into my story and uncover my plight?

Look into my story and uncover my matter?

لك منِي وصْفِي وذَمِّي وللأَفـ

لك منِي وصْفِي وذَمِّي وللأَفـ

ـضلِ مولَى الأَنامِ مَدْحِي وشُكْري

ـضلِ مولَى الأَنامِ مَدْحِي وشُكْري

To you I offer description and reproach; to al-Afdal,

For you is my description, my blame, and for the most virtuous,

Lord of humankind, my praise and thanks.

My master of mankind, my praise and thanks.

فيك أَنفقتُ بعضَ نَظْمي وإِنِّي

فيك أَنفقتُ بعضَ نَظْمي وإِنِّي

منفِقٌ فيه كلَّ نظمي ونَثْرِي

منفِقٌ فيه كلَّ نظمي ونَثْرِي

On you I spent some of my verse, and I

In you I spent some of my composition, and I

Spend on him all my verse and prose.

Am spending in it all of my prose and poetry.

ملكٌ اسمُه عليٌّ ولكن

ملكٌ اسمُه عليٌّ ولكن

كيدُه في حروبه كيدُ عَمْرِو

كيدُه في حروبه كيدُ عَمْرِو

A king whose name is Ali, yet

A king whose name is Ali, but

His cunning in his wars is the cunning of Amr.

His cunning in his wars is the cunning of Amr.

ليسَ ينفَكُّ بين فتكٍ وفتح

ليسَ ينفَكُّ بين فتكٍ وفتح

حينَ يَخْتَال بينَ نَصْل ونَصْر

حينَ يَخْتَال بينَ نَصْل ونَصْر

He is ever between deadly assault and conquest,

He does not cease between violent killing and conquest

As he strides proudly between blade and victory.

When he alternates between blade and victory.

وجْهُه البدْرُ في الحروب ولا تعـ

وجْهُه البدْرُ في الحروب ولا تعـ

ـجَب إِذا كان يومُه يومَ بَدْرِ

ـجَب إِذا كان يومُه يومَ بَدْرِ

His face is the full moon in wars; do not marvel

His face is the full moon in wars, and do not

If his day is a day of Badr.

Be surprised if his day is the day of Badr.

مزجَ الْبَأْسَ بالنَّدى فترى الأَقـ

مزجَ الْبَأْسَ بالنَّدى فترى الأَقـ

ـدارَ تَجْري مِنْه بنفعٍ وضُرِّ

ـدارَ تَجْري مِنْه بنفعٍ وضُرِّ

He mingled might with generosity, so you see

He mixed valor with benevolence, so you see fate

Fates flow from him with benefit and harm.

Flowing from him with benefit and harm.

يومُه في النَّدى لمن يَرْتَجيه

يومُه في النَّدى لمن يَرْتَجيه

عيدُ فطرٍ وفي العِدا عيدُ نحْرِ

عيدُ فطرٍ وفي العِدا عيدُ نحْرِ

His day of generosity, for those who hope in him,

His day for whoever hopes in him

Is the Feast of Fast-Breaking; for foes, the Feast of Sacrifice.

Is a feast of breaking fast, and in fighting is a feast of sacrifice.

أَسرَ المعتفين بالمَنِّ فاعْجب

أَسرَ المعتفين بالمَنِّ فاعْجب

لأَسير ما بينَ مَنٍّ وأَسْرِ

لأَسير ما بينَ مَنٍّ وأَسْرِ

He captured gift-seekers with his favors; marvel

He captured the covered in blessings with grace, so wonder

At a captive caught between favor and captivity.

At a captive between grace and captivity.

فَمُعادِيه موثَقٌ ومُواليهِ

فَمُعادِيه موثَقٌ ومُواليهِ

بقيدين من حَديدِ وَتِبْرِ

بقيدين من حَديدِ وَتِبْرِ

So his enemy is bound, as is his ally,

So his enemies are shackled, and his loyalists

With two fetters, one of iron and one of raw gold.

With two chains of iron and gold.

مُقْبِلُ الملكِ والشَّباب فلا زا

مُقْبِلُ الملكِ والشَّباب فلا زا

لَ مملَّى شبابَ مُلْكٍ وعُمْرِ

لَ مملَّى شبابَ مُلْكٍ وعُمْرِ

Flourishing in kingship and youth, may he never cease

Acceptor of the kingdom and youth, so there is no boredom

To enjoy enduring youth in his reign and his life.

Of a youthful kingdom and life.

سكنَ الملكُ عنده في مَقيلٍ

سكنَ الملكُ عنده في مَقيلٍ

وثَوى الدِّين عندَه في مَقَرِّ

وثَوى الدِّين عندَه في مَقَرِّ

Kingship has settled with him in a noonday resting-place,

The kingdom settled with him for a rest,

And religion has dwelt with him in an abiding home.

And the faith took refuge with him for a home.

فهُو للملك دافعٌ كلَّ خطْب

فهُو للملك دافعٌ كلَّ خطْب

وهْوَ للدِّين جَابرٌ كُلَّ كَسْر

وهْوَ للدِّين جَابرٌ كُلَّ كَسْر

So he wards off every calamity from kingship,

So he is for the kingdom a repeller of every affliction,

And mends every fracture in religion.

And he is for the faith a mender of every fracture.

فتوارَى لملكه كُلُّ مَلْك

فتوارَى لملكه كُلُّ مَلْك

وتَطَاطَا لقدره كُلُّ قدر

وتَطَاطَا لقدره كُلُّ قدر

So every king has withdrawn before his kingship,

Every kingdom vanished to his kingdom,

And every rank has bowed before his rank.

And every power crouched to his power.

وجْهُه أَيْمَن الوُجوهِ عَلى الدِّين

وجْهُه أَيْمَن الوُجوهِ عَلى الدِّين

كَمَا أَنَّ عَصْره خَيرُ عَصْرِ

كَمَا أَنَّ عَصْره خَيرُ عَصْرِ

His face is the most auspicious of faces for religion,

His face is the most auspicious of faces for the faith,

Just as his era is the best of eras.

Just as his time is the best of times.

ولَئِنْ شَادَ عَزْمُه كُلَّ عِزٍّ

ولَئِنْ شَادَ عَزْمُه كُلَّ عِزٍّ

فَلَقدْ سَادَ دَهْرُه كُلَّ دَهرِ

فَلَقدْ سَادَ دَهْرُه كُلَّ دَهرِ

And if his resolve has built every glory,

And if his resolve vanquished every valor,

Then his age has surely surpassed every age.

Then his age surely prevailed over every age.

زُيِّنَتْ عنده سماءُ المعالِي

زُيِّنَتْ عنده سماءُ المعالِي

بنجومٍ من المناقِب زُهْرِ

بنجومٍ من المناقِب زُهْرِ

With him, the sky of lofty honors has been adorned

The heavens of sublime qualities were adorned with him

With bright stars of virtues.

With stars of merits blossoming.

وتجلَّت منه ممالِكُه الغُرُّ

وتجلَّت منه ممالِكُه الغُرُّ

ببدرِ النَّادي وليث الْمكَرِّ

ببدرِ النَّادي وليث الْمكَرِّ

And his resplendent realms shine forth through him,

And his magnificent kingdoms were illuminated by him

The full moon of the assembly and the lion of the charge.

With the full moon of glory and the lion of strategy.

هو في الدَّسْتِ جَالِسٌ وعَطايا

هو في الدَّسْتِ جَالِسٌ وعَطايا

هُ إِلى الخَلْقِ والأَقاليم تَسْرِي

هُ إِلى الخَلْقِ والأَقاليم تَسْرِي

He sits on the throne, while his gifts

He sits in power and his gifts

Journey to humankind and the provinces.

To people and lands are flowing.

أَنا مِمَّن سَرت إِليه وجَازَتْ

أَنا مِمَّن سَرت إِليه وجَازَتْ

كلَّ برٍّ وجَاوَزَتْ كلَّ بَحْر

كلَّ برٍّ وجَاوَزَتْ كلَّ بَحْر

I am among those to whom they journeyed, and they crossed

I am one to whom it flowed and crossed

Every land and passed beyond every sea.

Every righteousness and traversed every sea.

طرقَتْني في كُلِّ ليلٍ بصبحٍ

طرقَتْني في كُلِّ ليلٍ بصبحٍ

وأَتَيْتني في كُلِّ عُسْر بيُسرِ

وأَتَيْتني في كُلِّ عُسْر بيُسرِ

They came to me each night with dawn,

It called upon me every night with morning

And in every hardship you came to me with ease.

And came to me in every hardship with ease.

جلَّ مقدارُ ذكرِه لِي عَلَى البُعْدِ

جلَّ مقدارُ ذكرِه لِي عَلَى البُعْدِ

لَقَدْ جَلَّ في البَرِيَّة قَدْري

لَقَدْ جَلَّ في البَرِيَّة قَدْري

Great is the worth of his remembering me despite the distance;

His mention of me despite the distance is sublime;

My standing among humankind has indeed grown great.

My status in the wilderness is certainly sublime.

واقتضَى الأَمرُ منه شِعْري فأَرسلتُ

واقتضَى الأَمرُ منه شِعْري فأَرسلتُ

إِليه بمقتَضَى الأَمرِ شِعْرِي

إِليه بمقتَضَى الأَمرِ شِعْرِي

His command called for my poetry, so I sent

And the matter demanded from him my poetry, so I sent

My poetry to him as the command required.

To him according to the demand my poetry.

كلُّ مدحٍ فيه فإِيَّاكَ أَعْنِي

كلُّ مدحٍ فيه فإِيَّاكَ أَعْنِي

وبأَسماءِ مَنْ مَدحْت أُوَرِّي

وبأَسماءِ مَنْ مَدحْت أُوَرِّي

In every praise within it, you are the one I mean,

Every praise in it, so you I mean,

And with the names of those I have praised I veil my meaning.

And with the names of whom I praised I signal.

أَنتَ أَرْشَدتَني إِليكَ ولكنـ

أَنتَ أَرْشَدتَني إِليكَ ولكنـ

ـكَ حيَّرت في مَديحِكَ فكْري

ـكَ حيَّرت في مَديحِكَ فكْري

You guided me to yourself, but

You guided me to you, but you confused

You bewildered my mind in praising you.

My thinking in praising you.