نَأَتكَ سُلَيمى فَالهَوى مُتَشاجِرٌ

نَأَتكَ سُلَيمى فَالهَوى مُتَشاجِرٌ

وَفي نَأيها لِلقَلبِ داءٌ مُخامِرُ

وَفي نَأيها لِلقَلبِ داءٌ مُخامِرُ

Sulayma has gone far from you, and passion is tangled.

You came to me, O Sulayma, and love is at odds,

And in her absence the heart suffers a pervading sickness.

In your absence, an ailment lingers in my heart.

نَأَتكَ وهام القَلبُ نَأياً بِذِكرِها

نَأَتكَ وهام القَلبُ نَأياً بِذِكرِها

ولجّ كَما لَجَّ الخَليعُ المُقامِرُ

ولجّ كَما لَجَّ الخَليعُ المُقامِرُ

She has gone far from you, and the heart wanders afar in remembrance of her,

You came, and my heart wandered in remembrance of you,

And persists, as a dissolute gambler persists,

Plunged recklessly like a shameless gambler.

بواضحة الأَقرابِ خَفّاقَةِ الحَشى

بواضحة الأَقرابِ خَفّاقَةِ الحَشى

برهرَهة لا يَجتَويها المُعاشِرُ

برهرَهة لا يَجتَويها المُعاشِرُ

For a woman fair of flank and slender of waist,

With a supple, fluttering bosom,

A soft-skinned young woman whom her companion never wearies of.

A thrilling one, no companion can endure.

إِذا عَدَّدَ الناسُ المَكارِمَ وَالعُلا

إِذا عَدَّدَ الناسُ المَكارِمَ وَالعُلا

فَلا يَفخَرَن يَوماً عَلى الغَمرِ فاخِرُ

فَلا يَفخَرَن يَوماً عَلى الغَمرِ فاخِرُ

When people count noble deeds and lofty honors,

When people count their virtues and glories,

Then let no boaster ever claim superiority over al-Ghamr.

No boaster should ever pride himself.

تَراهُم خشوعاً حينَ يَبدو مَهابَةً

تَراهُم خشوعاً حينَ يَبدو مَهابَةً

كَما خَشَعَت يَوماً لِكِسرى الأَساوِرُ

كَما خَشَعَت يَوماً لِكِسرى الأَساوِرُ

You see them humbled with awe when he appears,

I see them humbled when awe appears,

As once the Persian horsemen bowed before Kisra.

As wrists were humbled before Chosroes' bracelets.

أغَرّ بِطاحِيٌّ كَأَنَّ جَبينَهُ

أغَرّ بِطاحِيٌّ كَأَنَّ جَبينَهُ

إِذا ما بَدا بَدرٌ إِذا لاحَ باهِرُ

إِذا ما بَدا بَدرٌ إِذا لاحَ باهِرُ

A radiant man of al-Bitah, as though his brow,

A radiant-browed Bahili, as though his forehead,

When it appears, were a full moon, dazzling as it shines.

When the full moon appeared beaming bright.

وَقى عِرضَهُ بِالمالِ فَالمالُ جُنَّةٌ

وَقى عِرضَهُ بِالمالِ فَالمالُ جُنَّةٌ

لَهُ وَأَهانَ المالَ وَالعِرضُ وافِرُ

لَهُ وَأَهانَ المالَ وَالعِرضُ وافِرُ

He protected his honor with wealth, for wealth is a shield

He protected his honor with wealth, so wealth is a shield,

For him; he held wealth cheap, while his honor stayed undiminished.

Yet he disgraced wealth while honor excelled.

وَفي سَيبه لِلمُجتَدينَ عِمارَةٌ

وَفي سَيبه لِلمُجتَدينَ عِمارَةٌ

وَفي سَيفِهِ لِلدّينِ عِزٌّ وَناصِرُ

وَفي سَيفِهِ لِلدّينِ عِزٌّ وَناصِرُ

And in his bounty is prosperity for those seeking gifts,

In his sword lies glory and defense of the faith,

And in his sword are might and a defender for the faith.

In his captives, life for the devout.

نَماهُ إلى فَرعَي لُؤَيِّ بنِ غالِبٍ

نَماهُ إلى فَرعَي لُؤَيِّ بنِ غالِبٍ

أَبوهُ أَبو العاصي وَحَربٌ وَعامِرُ

أَبوهُ أَبو العاصي وَحَربٌ وَعامِرُ

His lineage reaches the two branches of Lu'ayy son of Ghalib,

He traces back to the lines of Lu'ay bin Ghalib,

Through his forefather Abu al-Asi, and Harb, and Amir.

His father, Harb, a protector and builder.

وَخَمسَةُ آباءٍ لَهُ قَد تَتابَعوا

وَخَمسَةُ آباءٍ لَهُ قَد تَتابَعوا

خَلائِفُ عَدلٍ مُلكُهُم مُتَواتِرُ

خَلائِفُ عَدلٍ مُلكُهُم مُتَواتِرُ

And five forefathers of his succeeded one another:

Five forefathers succeeded in order,

Just caliphs, their rule continuing in succession.

Rulers whose reign was successive and just.

بهاليلُ سَبّاقونَ في كُلِّ غايَةٍ

بهاليلُ سَبّاقونَ في كُلِّ غايَةٍ

إِذا اِستَبَقَت في المَكرُماتِ المَعاشِرُ

إِذا اِستَبَقَت في المَكرُماتِ المَعاشِرُ

Noble lords, first to every goal,

Pioneers racing ahead of all quests,

When clans race one another in noble deeds.

When the virtuous compete and vie.

هُمُ خَيرُ مَن بَين الحجونِ إِلى الصَّفا

هُمُ خَيرُ مَن بَين الحجونِ إِلى الصَّفا

إِلى حَيثُ أَفضَت بِالبِطاحِ الحَزاوِرُ

إِلى حَيثُ أَفضَت بِالبِطاحِ الحَزاوِرُ

They are the best of those from al-Hajun to al-Safa,

They are the best of those between Hajoun and Saffa,

To where the hillocks open out onto al-Bitah.

To where the valleys spill into Biṭāḥ.

وَهُم جَمَعوا هَذا الأَنامَ عَلى الهدى

وَهُم جَمَعوا هَذا الأَنامَ عَلى الهدى

وَقَد فرقَت بَينَ الأَنامِ البَصائِرُ

وَقَد فرقَت بَينَ الأَنامِ البَصائِرُ

And they united these people in right guidance,

They gathered the people to guidance,

Though convictions had divided humankind.

While perversities parted the people.