شفائي شراب الريق من شادن رشا

اذا أَسقمت قَلبي الخَرائد وَالحَشا

My cure is a draught of saliva from a young gazelle-fawn,

when the fair maidens sicken my heart and vitals.

شعارى بحرب الغيد شعري وَمقولي

اذا ما أَمير الخط في الخد جيشا

My battle cry in war with the graceful beauties is my verse and speech,

when the prince of facial down musters an army on the cheek.

شفاف الفؤآد الصبّ حلو وَلَم يَزَل

هواهم بأطراف الضلوع معرّشا

The lovesick heart's burning is sweet, and still

their love makes its bower along the edges of the ribs.

شباكاً من الأَهداب مدّوا فأَصبَحوا

يصيدون قَلباً بالغَرام تحرّشا

They spread nets of eyelashes and began

to catch a heart that had courted passion.

شفاهاً تباديني الشفاه بمصها

وَذاتي لها دون الزلال تعطشا

Mouth to mouth, lips meet me as I suck them,

and my very being thirsts for them, not for clear water.

شكوت فَلَم يلووا وَقلت فَما صغوا

وَمالوا الى من زوّر العذل اَووشى

I complained, but they paid no heed; I spoke, but they did not listen.

And they inclined toward whoever fabricated reproaches or carried tales.

شمولا يعاطون الشجى أَم شمائلا

بِها القَلب من دون السلاف قد اِنتَشى

Is it wine they offer the sorrowful lover, or charms

on which the heart has grown drunk without the finest wine?

شكرت جفاهم فاِسترابوا تشكرى

وأَبديت أَعذارى فَقالوا مبرقشا

I thanked them for their coldness, and they doubted my gratitude.

And I offered my excuses; they called me an embroiderer of lies.

شقيت بهم حَتّى رثت لي حواسدي

ورقّ لِحالي بالقَطيعَة من مشى

I suffered because of them until even my enviers pitied me,

and whoever had worked for estrangement softened at my plight.

شخصت بِقَلبي لا بِشخص اليهم

وَذا حال صبّ من رَقيب قد اختَشى

I journeyed to them with my heart, not in person,

and such is the plight of a lover afraid of a watcher.

شَميماً لنا أَهدى النَسيم لأَنه

لطرّة تلك الغيد أَمسى مشوّشا

The breeze brought us fragrance as a gift, for

it had spent the evening ruffling those graceful beauties' forelocks.

شجيت فَلَم يَرنو العذول لحالَتي

وأَين السهى مِمَّن غدا اليوم أَعمشا

I grieved, but the reproacher did not look upon my plight;

and how could Suha be seen by one grown bleary-eyed today?

شريت وصال الغيد بالروح وَالقوى

فَباعوا المعنى الوصل بيعاً منجشاً

I bought union with the graceful beauties at the price of my soul and strength,

so they sold the tormented lover union at a price inflated by sham bidding.

شددت رحالي قاطِعاً حبل وصلتي

من الغر أَسرى في الصباح وَفي العشا

I tightened my saddles, severing the cord of my bond;

away from the radiant beauties, I journey morning and evening.

شغفت بحث العيس في البيداذ بها

أَنال وصول الشهم من ذكره فشا

I grew enamored of urging the pale camels through the deserts, for on them

I gain access to the noble man whose renown has spread:

شَقيق المَعالي أَحمَد الفضل من غدا

به أَدهم الظلمآء في الحرب أَبرشا

brother to lofty honors, Ahmad of bounty, through whom

the black steed of darkness grew dappled in battle.

شعوب أَعاديه يرومون فرصة

وأَني لهم يوم الهياج تناوشا

He is his enemies' doom; they seek an opening,

but how could they reach him on the day of battle?

شتات العدا دوماً منوط بكفه

فَكَ صيرت داراً من الخصم موحشا

The scattering of foes is ever entrusted to his hand;

so many a dwelling has it left desolate of foes!

شهىّ حلا مدح الأَمير لناظم

يزيل به عَن عين فكرته الغشا

Praise of the prince is delectable, sweet to a poet,

who with it lifts the veil from his mind's eye.

شهدنا انتعاش الكون في فيض جوده

فَلا زالَ للأَكوان بالجود منعشا

We witnessed the universe's revival in the flood of his bounty;

so may he never cease reviving the worlds through generosity.

شَهير لدى الهيجآء صوت زَئيره

يريع به سمعاً من الخصم أَطرَشا

Renowned amid battle is the sound of his roar,

with which he startles even the enemy's deaf ear.

شَريف نداه سابق لسؤآلنا

مدى العمران يأب الوصال وان يشا

Noble is he; his bounty precedes our asking,

as long as the world endures; he refuses union, even if he desires it.

شجاع رقى أَوج الفخار فَلَم يَزَل

له من ذرا العليآء موطى وَمفرشا

Brave, he climbed glory's summit, and still

he has a foothold and a bed among the peaks of eminence.

شعور له بالشعر وَالمجد مذ نشا

فَلا تذكروا بالفضل عمروا وأَخفشا

He has had a feeling for poetry and glory since his youth;

so do not mention Amr and Akhfash for their excellence.

شبيه ابن سابور بأَوضاع عدله

وَلكنه في روضة الدين قَد نشا

He resembles the son of Sabur in his just ordinances,

but he has grown up in the garden of faith.

شَديد القوى يَحكي الهزبر بكرّه

فَلا بدع أَن يردى العداة وَيبطشا

Mighty in strength, he resembles a lion in his charge,

so it is no wonder he slays his foes and strikes with might.

شهودى نظمى أَنَّني ملك بذله

وَشاهد هاتيك المدائح ما اِرتشا

My verse bears witness that his generosity owns me,

and the witness to those praises has accepted no bribe.

شَفيق ولكن في الوغى لَيسَ مشفقاً

اذا ما جبان القوم من ظله اِختشَى

Compassionate, but in battle he is not fearful,

when the band's coward takes fright at his own shadow.

شهوراً بقى في العزّ ما ذرّ شارِق

وَما أَسدل اللَه الظَلام وأَغطشا

May he remain in glory month after month, as long as the sun rises,

and as long as God draws down darkness and darkens the night.