اليوم أنجزَ ماطلُ الآمالِ

اليوم أنجزَ ماطلُ الآمالِ

فأتتك طائعةً من الإقبالِ

فأتتك طائعةً من الإقبالِ

Today the delayer of hopes has kept his promise;

Today my prolonged hopes have been fulfilled

so they came willingly to you through fortune's favor,

As good fortune came to me willingly

بمُنىً وفين له وهنَّ غوادرٌ

بمُنىً وفين له وهنَّ غوادرٌ

ولقِحن قربكَ بعد طولِ حِيالِ

ولقِحن قربكَ بعد طولِ حِيالِ

with wishes that kept faith with him, though they are treacherous,

With wishes, and for it there was tenderness, while hardships have departed

and grew fertile near you after long barrenness.

And your proximity has been achieved after long separation

قطعَ المنَى يستام ذاك بنفسه

قطعَ المنَى يستام ذاك بنفسه

مسترخِصا والدهرُ فيه يغالي

مسترخِصا والدهرُ فيه يغالي

He put an end to wishing, bidding his own life for that,

One who desires must strive for it himself

deeming it cheap, though time priced it dearly.

Seeking it persistently, while time exaggerates it

فأتى يدوس الهولَ نحوك شوقُه

فأتى يدوس الهولَ نحوك شوقُه

والشوقُ مشَّاءٌ على الأهوالِ

والشوقُ مشَّاءٌ على الأهوالِ

So his longing came toward you, trampling terror;

So his longing came trampling over fears toward you

and longing walks tirelessly over terrors.

And longing is an igniter of fears

يلقي الخطوبَ بمثلها من همة

يلقي الخطوبَ بمثلها من همة

قطعت جبالاً في ابتغاء جبالِ

قطعت جبالاً في ابتغاء جبالِ

He confronts calamities with resolve to match them,

It casts challenges according to its determination

a resolve that crossed mountains in search of mountains.

It crossed mountains seeking mountains

في ظلّ وحدته وإنّ رفاقَه

في ظلّ وحدته وإنّ رفاقَه

كُثْرٌ ولكن قِلّة الأشكالِ

كُثْرٌ ولكن قِلّة الأشكالِ

In the shadow of his solitude, although his companions

In the shadows of its solitude, though its companions are many

are many, yet his equals are few.

But few are proper

فرداً فليس يرد صوب صوبه

فرداً فليس يرد صوب صوبه

إلا مصدقه اختيار الغالي

إلا مصدقه اختيار الغالي

Alone: none heads toward his destination

So individually, none turn to face it

save one that confirms his choice of the precious one:

Except those who choose what is most valuable

ملءُ الإهاب عليمةٌ بطلابها

ملءُ الإهاب عليمةٌ بطلابها

خفَّتْ ليومِ تحمّل الأثقالِ

خفَّتْ ليومِ تحمّل الأثقالِ

full-bodied, well versed in her quest,

The briskness of resolve is a sign of its seekers

she grew light for the day of bearing heavy loads.

Lightened for the day of bearing burdens

سيّارةٌ فكأنها طيّارةٌ

سيّارةٌ فكأنها طيّارةٌ

بشِمال فارسها عنانُ شَمالِ

بشِمال فارسها عنانُ شَمالِ

A tireless traveler, as though she were a flyer;

A steadfast runner, as though it could fly

in her rider's left hand is the rein of a north wind.

With its rider's left hand holding the reigns steadily

تجتابُ أربَعُها الوهادَ وطرفُها

تجتابُ أربَعُها الوهادَ وطرفُها

بالراسياتِ موكَّلُ الإشغالِ

بالراسياتِ موكَّلُ الإشغالِ

Her four feet traverse the hollows, while her gaze

It roams the valleys and its edge

is charged with attending to the rooted mountains.

Is assigned to settled affairs

في الأرض تشخصُ للسماء كأنها

في الأرض تشخصُ للسماء كأنها

عرفَتْ ذَراك من السِّماك العالي

عرفَتْ ذَراك من السِّماك العالي

On earth she gazes heavenward, as though

It rises from the earth to the sky, as though

she had learned of your heights from lofty al-Simak.

It has recognized your lofty character

تلقَى غزالتها بجيدِ غزالةٍ

تلقَى غزالتها بجيدِ غزالةٍ

وهلالَها من غُرّةٍ بهلالِ

وهلالَها من غُرّةٍ بهلالِ

She faces its sun with a gazelle's neck,

It meets its gazelles with the neck of a gazelle

and its crescent with the crescent of her forehead blaze.

And its crescent from the first crescent

فسعى قِبالك جدُّه لا حاله

فسعى قِبالك جدُّه لا حاله

عفو النفوس ولا اجتهاد المالِ

عفو النفوس ولا اجتهاد المالِ

So his zeal, not his means, hastened toward you:

So your grandfather hastened toward you, his state unhindered,

the soul's free offering, not wealth's exertion.

By bounty of souls, not by wealth

فلتُرغم الأيّامَ زورةُ عاشقٍ

فلتُرغم الأيّامَ زورةُ عاشقٍ

هجرَ الكثيرَ وزار غيرَ التالي

هجرَ الكثيرَ وزار غيرَ التالي

Let a lover's visit humble the days:

May the days be forced by a lover's fraud

he forsook the many and visited one who follows no other.

Who abandoned much and visited the select few

ولقد يكون من المحال بلوغُها

ولقد يكون من المحال بلوغُها

لولا تصرُّمُ دولةِ الإمحالِ

لولا تصرُّمُ دولةِ الإمحالِ

Achieving this visit would indeed have been impossible

And reaching you might have been impossible

had the reign of barrenness not come to an end.

Had the state of the impossible not intervened

ولتيأس الآمالُ منّي بعدها

ولتيأس الآمالُ منّي بعدها

رؤياك كانت منتهى آمالي

رؤياك كانت منتهى آمالي

And let hopes give up on me after it:

And after you, hopes despair in me

seeing you was the utmost of my hopes.

For seeing you was the height of my hopes

حولٌ شفَى حالي التي أشفَتْ وقد

حولٌ شفَى حالي التي أشفَتْ وقد

تتقلّب الأحوالُ بالأحوالِ

تتقلّب الأحوالُ بالأحوالِ

A year healed my condition, once on the brink; indeed,

A state that healed my state, though

conditions alter with the turning years.

States change constantly

أنا من جذَبتَ بضَبعِه فسقيتَه

أنا من جذَبتَ بضَبعِه فسقيتَه

في البحر وهو مخادَعٌ بالآلِ

في البحر وهو مخادَعٌ بالآلِ

I am the one you pulled by the upper arm and gave drink

I am one whose throat you have pulled, and given to drink

in the sea, while mirage was deceiving him.

In the sea, while I was playing with tools

وخطبتَه فحظيتَ من أفكاره

وخطبتَه فحظيتَ من أفكاره

بغرائبٍ نشزت على البُذّالِ

بغرائبٍ نشزت على البُذّالِ

And you wooed him, winning from his thoughts

And from his thoughts you have attained

rare beauties that held themselves above lavish spenders.

Wonders that dazzled the negligent

صينت زمانا في الخدور فعُنِّستْ

صينت زمانا في الخدور فعُنِّستْ

وجمالها حيٌّ بحظٍّ بالي

وجمالها حيٌّ بحظٍّ بالي

They were guarded long in curtained chambers and grew old unwed,

I protected her beauty for a time, so it was defiled

their beauty still alive, their fortune worn out.

Yet her beauty is alive with declining fortune

كم غادةٍ منها رضيتُ لمهرها

كم غادةٍ منها رضيتُ لمهرها

منك القبولَ فشيد بالإفضالِ

منك القبولَ فشيد بالإفضالِ

How many a lovely maiden among them, for whose dowry I accepted

How many charming ones have I accepted their bride price

your acceptance alone—then bounty heightened it.

Being your acceptance, and built with charity

وجميلةٍ ذلَّت فحينَ رضيتَها

وجميلةٍ ذلَّت فحينَ رضيتَها

عادت تشوب جمالَها بدلالِ

عادت تشوب جمالَها بدلالِ

And many a beauty was humbled; once you approved her,

And a beautiful one humbled, so when you accepted her

she again mingled her beauty with coyness.

She returned to add coquetry to her beauty

كَرَمٌ يفيض على وصول رسائلي

كَرَمٌ يفيض على وصول رسائلي

نِعماً فكيف يكون يومَ وصالي

نِعماً فكيف يكون يومَ وصالي

Generosity pours out, at my letters' arrival,

Bounty overflows at the arrival of my messages

blessings—what will it be on the day of my reunion with you?

Favors, so how will my day of union be?

والبحرُ ينضح للبعيد وكلّما از

والبحرُ ينضح للبعيد وكلّما از

داد الدنوُّ ازدادَ فضلَ بِلالِ

داد الدنوُّ ازدادَ فضلَ بِلالِ

The sea sprinkles even the distant, and whenever

And the sea gushes for the distant one, and whenever

nearness increases, its bounty of moisture increases.

TheRelationship grew closer, Bilal's favor increased

ولئن رأيتك بالصفاتِ وبالذي

ولئن رأيتك بالصفاتِ وبالذي

أوليتني وبصالح الأعمالِ

أوليتني وبصالح الأعمالِ

And though I have seen you through your qualities and through what

And if I saw you with traits, and with what

you bestowed on me, and through your good deeds,

You granted me, and righteous deeds

فالنفسُ عند المعجزات بأن تَرى

فالنفسُ عند المعجزات بأن تَرى

أحرَى وإن سكنتْ إلى النُّقَّالِ

أحرَى وإن سكنتْ إلى النُّقَّالِ

yet, before such wonders, that the soul should see

Then the soul, when seeing wonders, is more

is more fitting, though it trusts those who report them.

Deserving, even if it settles for little

لولا حظوظٌ في ذَراك سمينةٌ

لولا حظوظٌ في ذَراك سمينةٌ

ما جئت ملتحفاً بجسمِ هُزالِ

ما جئت ملتحفاً بجسمِ هُزالِ

Were there not fat fortunes in your shelter,

Were it not for abundant fortunes in your company

I would not have come wrapped in an emaciated body.

I would not have come adorned with an emaciated body

ولتُهتُ في وادي الجليدِ فكيف بي

ولتُهتُ في وادي الجليدِ فكيف بي

ما خضت لولا أنّه لمعالي

ما خضت لولا أنّه لمعالي

And I would have wandered lost in the valley of ice; how could I

And I would wander in the valley of ice, so how could I have crossed

have plunged through what I did, had it not been for lofty aims?

Had it not been for your noble character

وأُرِي غنيّ القوم أني فوقه

وأُرِي غنيّ القوم أني فوقه

مع خَلَّتي أن صنتُ عنه سؤالي

مع خَلَّتي أن صنتُ عنه سؤالي

I show the wealthy man among the people that I stand above him,

And I show the rich that I am above him

despite my poverty, by withholding my requests from him.

Despite my deficiency, because I refrained from asking him

وأبيتُ مقتنعاً بفضلة ما معي

وأبيتُ مقتنعاً بفضلة ما معي

علماً بشغل الحظّ بالجُهّال

علماً بشغل الحظّ بالجُهّال

I pass the night content with the remnant of what I possess,

And I remained content with the favor of what I possess

knowing that fortune is occupied with fools.

Knowing fortune preoccupies the ignorant

متزمّلاً بالصونِ أرقع دائباً

متزمّلاً بالصونِ أرقع دائباً

بالصبر من أثوابه الأسمالِ

بالصبر من أثوابه الأسمالِ

Wrapped in dignity, I ceaselessly mend

Covering myself in protection, patching constantly

with patience the tatters of its garments,

With patience from its rough garments

حتى وددت لوَ انَّ حُسنَ تصبُّري

حتى وددت لوَ انَّ حُسنَ تصبُّري

في نائِبات الدهر أعدى حالي

في نائِبات الدهر أعدى حالي

until I wished that the beauty of my steadfastness

Until I wished that the beauty of my patience

amid time's calamities would spread to my condition.

In the adversities of fate had improved my condition

ولمثل غرّتك الكريمة أن يُرى

ولمثل غرّتك الكريمة أن يُرى

حَمْلُ امرىء ما ليس بالحَمّالِ

حَمْلُ امرىء ما ليس بالحَمّالِ

For such a noble brow as yours, one may see

And for your noble delusion to be seen

burdens borne by a man who is no habitual bearer.

Bearing my concerns though not a porter

فأُقِرَّ جنب وهو غير ممهَّدٍ

فأُقِرَّ جنب وهو غير ممهَّدٍ

وأسيغَ شُربٌ وهو غير زلالِ

وأسيغَ شُربٌ وهو غير زلالِ

So a flank found rest, though it had no smooth bedding,

So I settle on my side though not prepared

and a draught went down easily, though it was not clear and sweet.

And I drink a drink though not pure

شكت الوزارة ذلّ منتحلِ اسمِها

شكت الوزارة ذلّ منتحلِ اسمِها

لفظاً وما الأسماء كالأفعالِ

لفظاً وما الأسماء كالأفعالِ

The vizierate complained of the abasement of one usurping its name

The ministry complained of the humiliation of one claiming its name

in words alone; names are not like deeds.

In words though names are not like deeds

لما تحلَّى الدّسْتُ أصبحَ عاطلاً

لما تحلَّى الدّسْتُ أصبحَ عاطلاً

منه ودستك في التعطُّل حالي

منه ودستك في التعطُّل حالي

When the seat of office was adorned, it became bare

When the hand adorned itself it became inactive

because of him; your seat, even vacant, is adorned.

From it, while your hand makes my state active

ركب الخطار مجرّباً لا عارفاً

ركب الخطار مجرّباً لا عارفاً

يا قربَ رِكبتهِ من الأوحالِ

يا قربَ رِكبتهِ من الأوحالِ

He rode into peril, experimenting rather than knowing;

He rode dangers unexperienced, not knowledgeable

how close his ride is to the quagmires!

Oh how close his riding came to the marshes

وخلا فحدَّثَ باعتلاقك نفسَه

وخلا فحدَّثَ باعتلاقك نفسَه

لمّا جريتَ وقد يُسِرُّ الخالي

لمّا جريتَ وقد يُسِرُّ الخالي

Alone, he told himself he might catch hold of you

And he imagined your intimacy in himself

when you ran—and one alone may whisper secretly.

When you flowed and the emptiness was pleased

فاعطف لها أو فاتخذ بدلاً بها الز

فاعطف لها أو فاتخذ بدلاً بها الز

وراء حُبَّ لها من الأبدالِ

وراء حُبَّ لها من الأبدالِ

So turn kindly toward her, or take in her stead al-

So turn to it or take another in its place

Zawra—how excellent she is among substitutes!

Beyond love for it from the alternatives

ولقد تحنّ إذا ذُكرتَ عراصُها

ولقد تحنّ إذا ذُكرتَ عراصُها

شوقَ المُعرَّةِ بُشِّرتْ بالطالي

شوقَ المُعرَّةِ بُشِّرتْ بالطالي

Her courtyards indeed yearn when you are mentioned,

And it surely grieves when you are mentioned, the longing

with a mangy she-camel's longing when promised the tar-dauber.

Of an outcast who was given good news of a meeting

تصبو إليك وأهلُها ورسولُهم

تصبو إليك وأهلُها ورسولُهم

شِعري وقد بَلَّغتُ في الإِرسالِ

شِعري وقد بَلَّغتُ في الإِرسالِ

She yearns for you, as do her people, and their messenger

They yearn to you, its people and their messenger

is my poetry; I have fully conveyed the message.

My poetry, which I have delivered well in sending

ولقد تكون وإن نأيتَ أباً لهم

ولقد تكون وإن نأيتَ أباً لهم

بَرًّا بفاقتهم وأمَّ عيالِ

بَرًّا بفاقتهم وأمَّ عيالِ

You may indeed, though far away, be a father to them,

And you may be, even if distant, a father to them

kind to their need, and a mother to dependents.

Righteousness, by their destitution, and a mother to dependents

وإذا سقى الغيثُ البلادَ بمسبِلٍ

وإذا سقى الغيثُ البلادَ بمسبِلٍ

غدَقٍ وهتَّانِ الحيا هطَّالِ

غدَقٍ وهتَّانِ الحيا هطَّالِ

And when rain waters the lands with a streaming

And if the rain saturates the country with pouring

copious downpour, with showers falling steadily in torrents,

Flowing, and the downpour of hail

فبدا بدارك ثم عاد فجادها

فبدا بدارك ثم عاد فجادها

جَوْدَ الجفون غداةَ شدِّ رحالي

جَوْدَ الجفون غداةَ شدِّ رحالي

may it begin at your dwelling, then return and drench it,

It first appears through your abode then returns and gives it

as eyelids poured the morning I fastened my saddles.

The rain of eyelids the morning of departure

فاختصّ غزلاناً هناك ووفَّرت

فاختصّ غزلاناً هناك ووفَّرت

منه العزالي قسطَها لغزالي

منه العزالي قسطَها لغزالي

May it favor the gazelles there, and may there be saved

So it singled out gazelles there and spared

by its rain-spouts her share of it for my gazelle.

From it just enough for my gazelle

أفدي بنفسي من يجلّ مكانُه

أفدي بنفسي من يجلّ مكانُه

في النفس أن أفديه بالأموالِ

في النفس أن أفديه بالأموالِ

I ransom with my life one whose place is too exalted

I would sacrifice myself for one whose position

in my soul for me to ransom him with money:

Is glorified in the soul, that I may sacrifice wealth for him

قمراً أخذتُ على السهاد ذمامَه

قمراً أخذتُ على السهاد ذمامَه

إلا توقُّعه طروقَ خيالي

إلا توقُّعه طروقَ خيالي

a moon whose protection I exacted from sleeplessness,

I held the reigns of a moon relaxed on pillows

save when he awaits my phantom's nightly visit.

Unless I anticipated its crescent in my imagination

وكفلتُ عنك له بأكرم أوبةٍ

وكفلتُ عنك له بأكرم أوبةٍ

فسلا عن الإعجال بالإيجال

فسلا عن الإعجال بالإيجال

On your behalf I pledged him the most honorable return,

And I guaranteed good character to you on its behalf

so fear weaned him from urging haste.

So it asked about haste with composure

فاردد عليه كما يُحبُّ حبيبَهُ

فاردد عليه كما يُحبُّ حبيبَهُ

ضخمَ السلامة ناحلَ الأجمال

ضخمَ السلامة ناحلَ الأجمال

So return his beloved to him, as he wishes,

Then return to it as a lover likes his beloved

full in well-being, with his camels lean.

Grand with well-being, beautiful in totality

فالسيف يعلَقُ بالأنامل حدُّه

فالسيف يعلَقُ بالأنامل حدُّه

والعين تأباه بغَير صقالِ

والعين تأباه بغَير صقالِ

For a sword's edge catches upon the fingertips,

For the sword hangs by fingers its sharpness

yet the eye rejects it without polish.

And the eye refuses it without polishing

قد كان يأتيني قصيراً ناحلا ً

قد كان يأتيني قصيراً ناحلا ً

فنهضت أطلب منه حظَّ طوالِ

فنهضت أطلب منه حظَّ طوالِ

It used to reach me short and thin,

It used to come to me short, slender

so I rose to seek from it a share of long ones.

So I got up seeking from it the favor of height

ولقد حلا فسعيتُ حتى حلّ لي

ولقد حلا فسعيتُ حتى حلّ لي

ما كان يحلو طعمُه بحلالِ

ما كان يحلو طعمُه بحلالِ

It was sweet indeed; I strove until it became lawful to me—

And it has beautified, so I strived until

its savor had been sweet, but not lawful.

What tasted good to me became permitted