يقول علي وهو ابن سودون راح

يقول علي وهو ابن سودون راح

فؤادي مشمولاً بنشوة وراح

فؤادي مشمولاً بنشوة وراح

Ali ibn Sudun says: Gone is

Ali, who is Ibn Sudun, says: off went

my heart, enveloped in ecstasy and wine.

My heart, enveloped in rapture and wine.

وليست هي الصهباء كلا وإنما

وليست هي الصهباء كلا وإنما

سلاف رضاب ريّق رداح

سلاف رضاب ريّق رداح

It was not ruddy wine—certainly not—but only

And it is not the tawny wine—no, it is only

the choicest vintage of a full-figured beauty’s fresh saliva.

The choice wine of a full-figured woman's sweet saliva.

يجاذب مغناطيس أحداقها الحشا

يجاذب مغناطيس أحداقها الحشا

أجاب وإلا أحدقت بصفاح

أجاب وإلا أحدقت بصفاح

The magnetism of her eyes tugs at the heart;

The magnet of her pupils tugs at my heart;

it yielded—or else she would have ringed it with sword-blades.

It yielded—or else she would encircle it with sword blades.

وأغرت به قسيّ الحواجب فانثني

وأغرت به قسيّ الحواجب فانثني

ومن نبلها قد أثخنته جراح

ومن نبلها قد أثخنته جراح

She unleashed upon it the bows of her eyebrows, and it bent;

And she set the bows of her eyebrows against it, so it bent,

wounds from her arrows left it grievously stricken.

And wounds from her arrows had grievously stricken it.

تصول بسيف الهجر في السخط والرضى

تصول بسيف الهجر في السخط والرضى

وتزعم أن قتل المحب مباح

وتزعم أن قتل المحب مباح

She charges with estrangement’s sword, whether angered or pleased,

She assails with the sword of estrangement, in anger and contentment,

and claims that slaying the lover is lawful.

And claims that killing the lover is lawful.

أقول وقد أبدت بشعر جبينها

أقول وقد أبدت بشعر جبينها

أيجمَع في وقت دُجا وصباح

أيجمَع في وقت دُجا وصباح

I say, when amid her hair she bared her brow:

I say, as she reveals her brow amid her hair:

Can night and morning be joined in a single moment?

Can night's darkness and morning be joined at one time?

تميل دلالاً ميل غصن قد انثنى

تميل دلالاً ميل غصن قد انثنى

به عبثت بين الرياض رياح

به عبثت بين الرياض رياح

She sways coquettishly, like the swaying of a bough bent low,

She sways coyly, like a branch that has bent,

with which winds have toyed among the gardens.

With which winds have toyed among the gardens.

جداول ماء الحسن تسقيه بالهنا

جداول ماء الحسن تسقيه بالهنا

عليه لشحرور الغرام صياح

عليه لشحرور الغرام صياح

Rivulets of beauty’s water nourish it with delight;

Streams of beauty's water irrigate it with delight;

upon it love’s blackbird sings aloud.

Upon it, the blackbird of passion cries.

تميس وترنو كالغصون وكالظبي

تميس وترنو كالغصون وكالظبي

وتسبي بهذا الصبّ دون سلاح

وتسبي بهذا الصبّ دون سلاح

She sashays and gazes like boughs and gazelles,

She sways like branches and gazes like a gazelle,

and thus captivates this lovesick man without a weapon.

And thus takes the lovesick lover captive, without a weapon.

وكاد هواها بي يدوم فساده

وكاد هواها بي يدوم فساده

فرمت بمدحي للنبي صلاح

فرمت بمدحي للنبي صلاح

My passion for her nearly let its ruin endure in me,

And the harm of loving her nearly persisted in me,

so I aimed, through praise of the Prophet, at rectitude.

So I sought righteousness through my praise of the Prophet.

هو الحامد المحمود وهو محمد

هو الحامد المحمود وهو محمد

هو السيد المأمول منه نجاح

هو السيد المأمول منه نجاح

He is the Praiser, the Praised, and he is Muhammad;

He is the one who praises, the praised one, and he is Muhammad;

he is the master from whom success is hoped.

He is the master from whom success is hoped for.

هو المصطفى الداعي إلى اللَه بالهدى

هو المصطفى الداعي إلى اللَه بالهدى

وليس لنا عمّا يروم براح

وليس لنا عمّا يروم براح

He is the Chosen One, calling to God with guidance,

He is the Chosen One, calling to God with guidance,

and from what he intends there is no turning away for us.

And we cannot depart from what he seeks.

قد أرسله الرحمن للناس رحمة

قد أرسله الرحمن للناس رحمة

فلاح به للعالمين فلاح

فلاح به للعالمين فلاح

The All-Merciful sent him as a mercy to humankind,

The All-Merciful has sent him as a mercy to humankind,

and through him salvation dawned for all the worlds.

So through him, salvation shone forth for all the worlds.

له الرعب في الأعداء يسري أمامه

له الرعب في الأعداء يسري أمامه

مسيرة شهر قُل بغير جناح

مسيرة شهر قُل بغير جناح

Terror of him courses ahead of him among his enemies,

The dread he inspires travels among his enemies ahead of him,

a month’s journey—say: without wings.

A month's journey—say it without blame.

ومع قدره تلقاه يعفو لأنه

ومع قدره تلقاه يعفو لأنه

كريم ومن شأن الكرام سماح

كريم ومن شأن الكرام سماح

Despite his exalted rank, you find him pardoning, for he is

And despite his stature, you find him forgiving, for he is

noble, and gracious pardon is the hallmark of the noble.

Generous, and generosity is the way of the noble.

هو الغوث في الأخرى إذا اشتد بالورى

هو الغوث في الأخرى إذا اشتد بالورى

لهول يرى بين الأنام نواح

لهول يرى بين الأنام نواح

He is the succor in the Hereafter, when creation is hard-pressed

He is succor in the hereafter, when anguish grips mortals,

by a terror amid which wailing is heard among humankind;

And wailing is witnessed among humankind from terror,

إذا انتصب الميزان وانكشف الغطا

إذا انتصب الميزان وانكشف الغطا

وعمّتهم البلوى بكل نَواحخ

وعمّتهم البلوى بكل نَواحخ

when the Scale is raised and the veil is stripped away,

When the Balance is set up and the veil is lifted,

and affliction engulfs them from every side;

And affliction engulfs them on every side,

وقد سعّرت ثَمّ الجحيم وأزلفت

وقد سعّرت ثَمّ الجحيم وأزلفت

جِنان شذاها بالبشارة فاح

جِنان شذاها بالبشارة فاح

when Hell has then been kindled, and drawn near are

And Hell is kindled there, and brought near are

gardens whose fragrance wafts with glad tidings.

Gardens whose fragrance wafts with glad tidings.

وهذا مقال لابن سودون يرتجي

وهذا مقال لابن سودون يرتجي

بجاه رسول اللَه نيل رباح

بجاه رسول اللَه نيل رباح

This is a poem by Ibn Sudun, who hopes

And these are words of Ibn Sudun, who hopes

by the honored station of God’s Messenger to attain success.

Through the standing of God's Messenger, to reap gain.

عليه صلاة الله في كل ساعة

عليه صلاة الله في كل ساعة

سلام له عند الغدوّ ورواح

سلام له عند الغدوّ ورواح

May God’s blessings rest upon him at every hour,

Upon him be God's blessing at every hour,

and peace be his morning and evening.

Peace be upon him in the morning and evening.