ومقرطق الأطراف إلا أنه

عكن الموسط ناعم اطرافا

And one whose limbs are tunic-clad, though he is

fleshy-folded about the middle, soft of limb.

يمشي بمستنِّ الوشاح مخففا

خصراً له ومثقِّلا اردافا

He walks, slender beneath his sash,

light at the waist and heavy in the haunches.

متكسرا في مشيه عن مخطف

حدق اللحاظ قواتلا اسيافا

Swaying languidly in his walk from a slender waist,

the pupils of his glancing eyes are deadly swords.

لي بين ملتفّ الجعود وصدغه

جنَّات عدنٍ ازلفت الفافا

For me, between his tangled curls and his temple,

are gardens of Eden, brought near in intertwined groves.

ومهفهف الاعطاف يامن قد رأى

قمر السماء مهفهفا اعطافا

And one of slender flanks—O you who have seen

heaven's moon slender of flank!

ما هبَّ ريعان النسيم بجعده

الا نشقت العنبر المستافا

Never did the fresh breeze blow through his curls

but I inhaled the fragrance of ambergris.

سئم المى لم يرعَ في عجرافه

ولوى يرود على اللوى عجرافا

Weary and dusky-lipped, he takes no heed in his haughtiness;

he turns aside, roaming proudly over the winding dunes.

متجفِّلا عن كل انسيٍّ به

رشأ يروم برامةٍ ألّافا

Shying away from every human there,

a young gazelle seeks companions at Ramah.

وضعيف رجع الطرف مقتدرٍ به

كسر الجفون قوادرا وضعافا

Languid in the turn of his eye, yet mighty through it,

the lowering of his eyelids breaks the strong and the weak.

راشت سهام لحاظه اهدابه

ولقد جعلن قلوبنا اهدافا

His lashes fletched the arrows of his glances,

and indeed they made our hearts their targets.

الف القطيعة والجفا حتى اذا

وصل الاحبَّة خلته يتجافى

He grew so used to estrangement and coldness that, when

he joined his loved ones, I thought him drawing away.

يسقيك اري النحل منه وتارة

يسقيك بالكاس الدهاق ذعافا

He gives you the bees' honey to drink from him, and sometimes

gives you deadly poison in a brimming cup.

لم ادرِ من ابريقه ام ريقه

ام من لواحظه شربت سلافا

I did not know whether from his ewer or his saliva,

or from his glances, I drank choice wine.

تعتاد جفنك غفوة اة كلما

نفحته ريح غضةٌ يتعافى

Drowsiness visits your eyelid—[ah?]—whenever

a fresh breeze brushes it, it revives.

ما ضرَّني وانا المعذبُ مهجةً

لو فيك اتلف مهجتي اتلافا

What harm would it do me, tormented as I am at heart,

if I utterly spent my life's blood for you?

ولقد تركت لك المخيَّف من منى

ونزلت فيك من العنا اخيافا

For you I have left the Khayf encampment at Mina,

and for you have camped on the slopes of anguish.

يا ساقيَ الاقداح قم وفِّ الطلا

فالسعد بالافراح قبلك وافى

O cupbearer, rise and pour the wine in full;

good fortune has arrived before you with rejoicing.

واشرب على عرس الاغر محمد

من خسرواني الشراب سلافا

And drink to the wedding of radiant Muhammad

the purest of Khosrow-style wine.

هو لؤلؤ وسواه اصداف له

من ذا يقيس بلؤلؤ اصدافا

He is a pearl; all others are his shells.

Who would compare shells with a pearl?

قد رقَّ في مثل الزجاج طبيعة

شفَّت ترقرق جوهراً شفَّافا

His nature has grown delicate, like glass;

it has grown clear, shimmering as a translucent jewel.

اعيت نعوت صفاته وصَّافهُ

يا متعباً بصفاته الوُصَّافا

Descriptions of his qualities have baffled his describer;

O you whose qualities exhaust those who describe you!

وهَّاب ما ملكت يداه جميعه

حتى يعود المسرف المتلافا

A lavish giver of all that his hands possess,

till he becomes a prodigal spendthrift.

قد حلَّ في المجد المؤثل عاقداً

فيه بناصية العلى اعرافا

He has settled in deep-rooted glory, tying

manes there to the forelock of eminence.

الناحر البدن الكرائم بدّناً

اذ ينحر المتكرمون عجافا

He slaughters choice camels, well-fattened,

while the would-be generous slaughter lean ones.

كم قلت للغر المغذ لربعه

الوى يزج له المطي خفافا

How often I have told the guileless man hurrying to his abode,

a bold man urging fleet riding-camels toward him:

ان جئت بالوخدان ساحة ممطر

فاحبس لتسقي العارض الرّجافا

If at a swift trot you reach a rain-giver's court,

then halt, to give the trembling raincloud drink.

تلقاه اما جازراً او عاقراً

او ناحراً او قارياً اضيافا

You find him either butchering or hamstringing,

or slaughtering camels, or hosting guests,

او مضرماً نار القرى لنزيله

او مطعماً بقدوره المعتافا

or kindling the fire of hospitality for his visitor,

or feeding from his pots the fastidious eater.

النازل العليا لها متكشِّفاً

والراكب المجلي لها كشَّافا

He dwells in the highest rank, unshielded in its cause,

and rides the winning steed for it, scattering foes.

وطويل سالفة السنان مدرَّب

الوى يروي اللهذم الرّعافا

And a seasoned warrior with a long-necked spear,

intrepid, slaking his keen, blood-spouting spear.

قد انبت العام المحيل بسيبه

ان صرّح العام المحيل جفافا

He has made the barren year bloom through his bounty,

even if the barren year openly declares drought.

غاض الندى الربعي قم فتلافه

فلأنت من فيه الندى يُتلافى

The springtime dew has dwindled; rise and replenish it,

for you are the one in whom bounty is restored.

من معشر قد اتحف الباري بهم

حتى انبروا لعباده الطافا

From a people whom the Creator bestowed as a gift,

who came forth as blessings for His servants.

يقرون بالمشتى كرائم سرحهم

لا يعصبون للقحة اخلافا

They feast guests in winter on their herds' choicest beasts,

never binding the milk-camel's teats.

المرفدين وفودهم آلاءهم

والمرغمين من العدى آنافا

They grant their favors to the delegations visiting them,

and rub their enemies' noses in the dust.

عفَّت معاقد ازرهم فلحقَّ لو

ملئت مطارفهم تقىً وعفافا

Their waistcloth-knots are chaste; it would be fitting if

their bordered cloaks were filled with piety and chastity.

لا عيب فيهم غير أن أكفهم

لذوي الحوائج اسرفت اسرافا

They have no flaw except that their hands

are lavish beyond measure toward those in need.

ضربوا القباب على الطريق وشرَّعوا

للطارق الضيف الملم طرافا

They pitched domed tents beside the road and opened

a leather tent for the passing guest who comes by night.

فعلى الضيوف تقارعوا ما بينهم

وعلى السيوف تعاقدوا احلافا

So they vied among themselves for the guests,

and upon their swords they pledged their alliances.

ما بين مشتمل بفضل نجاده

اوهى نجاد حسامه الأكتافا

Among them, one wrapped in his baldric's spare length,

whose sword-belt has worn down his shoulders;

ومدرَّبين اسنَّة يزينة

ردوا بهن الجحفل الزحَّافا

and men trained with [Yazani?] spearheads,

who drove back with them the advancing host.

يكفوك ان اعطوك فوق كفاية

والناس يعطون القليل كفافا

When they give you, they provide more than enough,

while others give a little, barely sufficient.