الخَدُّthe cheek وَردُthe rose of الرّبىthe hills والخالُand the mole مِعْطارُrichly fragrant
الخَدُّ وَردُ الرّبى والخالُ مِعْطارُ
وفيand in كِلاboth وجنتَيْهِhis two cheeks الماءُthe water والنارُand the fire
وفي كِلا وجنتَيْهِ الماءُ والنارُ
His cheek is the rose of the hills, and his mole is richly fragrant.
The cheek is a rose garden and the mole a sweet basil,
In both his cheeks are water and fire.
In both are fire and water, the two cheeks.
وَجَفنُهُand his eyelid مُذsince بَداappeared فيin الكَسْرِthe half-closing يَسْحرنيbewitches me
وَجَفنُهُ مُذ بَدا في الكَسْرِ يَسْحرني
فَصَحَّso it became certain عِنديto me أَنَّthat الجفنَthe eyelid سحّارُa sorcerer
فَصَحَّ عِندي أَنَّ الجفنَ سحّارُ
Ever since his eyelid appeared half lowered, it has bewitched me.
Since its lid appeared through the intoxicating wound,
So I knew for certain that the eyelid is a sorcerer.
I believe the eyelid is bewitching.
فَهَلْso, can أفيقُI sober up ولَحْظاهُwhile his two glances السُّقاةُthe cupbearers لَناfor us
فَهَلْ أفيقُ ولَحْظاهُ السُّقاةُ لَنا
وَالكَأسُand the cup مَبسَمُهُhis smiling mouth والثّغرُand the mouth خمّارُa wine-seller
وَالكَأسُ مَبسَمُهُ والثّغرُ خمّارُ
How can I sober up when his two glances are our cupbearers?
Shall I regain consciousness while its glances are watering us
The cup is his smiling mouth, and his lips the wine-seller.
And the cup smiles and the lips pour wine?
ساقٍa cupbearer بَداappeared وكُؤوسُand goblets of الرّاحِthe wine فيin يَدِهِhis hand
ساقٍ بَدا وكُؤوسُ الرّاحِ في يَدِهِ
يَلوحُshine مِنهاfrom them علىupon الأَكوانِall creation أَنوارُlights
يَلوحُ مِنها على الأَكوانِ أَنوارُ
A cupbearer appeared, with goblets of wine in his hand;
A gazelle appeared with cups of comfort in its hands,
From them, lights shine upon all creation.
From which lights shine on the universes.
وَقَدand indeed غَدَتْhave become حَولَهُaround him النُدمانُthe drinking companions دايِرةًcircling
وَقَد غَدَتْ حَولَهُ النُدمانُ دايِرةً
كَأَنَّهُمas though they هالَةa halo بِالبَدرِaround the full moon قَدindeed دارواthey circled
كَأَنَّهُم هالَة بِالبَدرِ قَد داروا
The drinking companions have formed a circle around him,
And around it the boon-companions form a circle,
As though they were a halo circling the full moon.
As if they are a halo around the full moon.
تَرىyou see مَحاسِنَهُhis beauties لِلبَدرِthe full moon كاسِفَةًeclipsing
تَرى مَحاسِنَهُ لِلبَدرِ كاسِفَةً
وَكَمْand how many بِهاby them عَمِيَتْwere blinded فيin الحبِّlove أَبصارُeyes
وَكَمْ بِها عَمِيَتْ في الحبِّ أَبصارُ
You see his beauties eclipsing the full moon,
You see its beauty outshining the moon,
And how many eyes have been blinded by them in love!
And with it many sights in love are blinded.
إِذاwhen بَدَتْappeared غَسَقاًat dusk أنوارُthe lights of غُرَّتهِhis brow
إِذا بَدَتْ غَسَقاً أنوارُ غُرَّتهِ
فكمْthen how many يَغيبُvanish لضوءِbefore the light of الشمسِthe sun أقْمارُmoons
فكمْ يَغيبُ لضوءِ الشمسِ أقْمارُ
When the lights of his brow appear at dusk,
When its charms shine in the darkness,
How many moons vanish before the sunlight!
How many moons disappear before the light of the sun?
وَإِنand if تَبَدَّىhe appears كَغُصنِlike a branch of البانِthe bān tree مُنعَطِفاًbending
وَإِن تَبَدَّى كَغُصنِ البانِ مُنعَطِفاً
تَفَتّكَتْgrew reckless with love فيهِfor him شُبّانٌyoung men وَأَبْكارُand maidens
تَفَتّكَتْ فيهِ شُبّانٌ وَأَبْكارُ
And if he appears bending like a bān-tree branch,
If it shows like a bending myrtle branch,
Young men and maidens grow reckless with love for him.
Upon it the youths and virgins swoon.
عَشِقتُهI loved him وهوَwhile he طِفلٌa child كالهِلالِlike the crescent moon لهُhe has
عَشِقتُه وهوَ طِفلٌ كالهِلالِ لهُ
منَof البَهاءِsplendor بشَرقِat the sunrise of الحُسنِbeauty إسفارُradiance
منَ البَهاءِ بشَرقِ الحُسنِ إسفارُ
I loved him while he was a child, like a crescent moon, possessing
I loved it while still a crescent-shaped child,
A dawning splendor at beauty's sunrise.
The dawn of beauty shone from its rise.
فيهِfor him خَلَعْتُI cast off عِذاريmy bridle وانتصَبْتُand stood forth لهُfor him
فيهِ خَلَعْتُ عِذاري وانتصَبْتُ لهُ
بِمدْحَةٍwith praise لَمnot تَسَعْهاcould contain it اليَومَtoday أَسفارُvolumes
بِمدْحَةٍ لَم تَسَعْها اليَومَ أَسفارُ
For him I cast off my bridle and stood forth
For it I shed my virginity and stood praising it
With praise that volumes today could not contain.
With a panegyric no books can contain today.
حَيثُwhere اللِّحاظُthe glances بِسَيفِwith the sword of الغَمزِa wink فاتكَةٌdeadly
حَيثُ اللِّحاظُ بِسَيفِ الغَمزِ فاتكَةٌ
لَهاfor them العَقارِبُthe scorpions مِنfrom صُدغَيهِhis two temples أَنصارُallies
لَها العَقارِبُ مِن صُدغَيهِ أَنصارُ
Where glances kill with the sword of a wink,
Where the glances strike with the sword of the wink,
The scorpions from his temples are their allies.
For them, from its cheeks, the scorpions are helpers.
حَيثُwhere القَوامُthe figure بِلينِwith the softness of المَيلِthe sway يَطعَنُنيpierces me
حَيثُ القَوامُ بِلينِ المَيلِ يَطعَنُني
وَكَمْand how many تَناهَتْended لَدىat ذاthis المَيلِsway أَعْمارُlives
وَكَمْ تَناهَتْ لَدى ذا المَيلِ أَعْمارُ
Where his figure pierces me with its gentle sway,
Where the figure with the bending sways pierces me,
And how many lives have ended at this sway!
And before that bend how many lives ended!
حَيثُwhere المُدامَةُthe wine بَينَbetween الدُرِّthe pearls جاريَةٌflowing
حَيثُ المُدامَةُ بَينَ الدُرِّ جاريَةٌ
لَهاfor it اللِّسانُthe tongue بِكَأسِin the cup of الثّغرِthe mouth عصّارُa wine-presser
لَها اللِّسانُ بِكَأسِ الثّغرِ عصّارُ
Where wine flows between the pearls,
Where wine flows amidst pearls,
His tongue is its wine-presser in the cup of his mouth.
For it the tongue is a squeezer in the cup of the lips.
حَيثُwhere المَحاسِنُthe beauties خَطّتْinscribed فَوقَupon وجنَتِهِhis cheek
حَيثُ المَحاسِنُ خَطّتْ فَوقَ وجنَتِهِ
لامَthe letter lām of العِذارِthe cheek-down الّتيwhich فيهاat it الوَرىmankind حارواthey were bewildered
لامَ العِذارِ الّتي فيها الوَرى حاروا
Where beauty has traced upon his cheek
Where the charms marked above its cheek
The lām of his cheek-down, which has bewildered mankind.
The softness of chastity that dazzled all people.
لِلّهto God belongs درُّthe excellence of جَبينٍa brow كالهِلالِlike the crescent moon بَداappeared
لِلّه درُّ جَبينٍ كالهِلالِ بَدا
فلمso did not يَلُحْappear معهُbeside it للبَدْرِof the full moon إظْهارُappearance
فلم يَلُحْ معهُ للبَدْرِ إظْهارُ
How splendid the brow that appeared like a crescent moon!
Praise be to the brow like a crescent that appeared,
So the full moon could make no appearance beside it.
The full moon cannot shine with it.
وَشامَةٍand a beauty spot مِنْfrom شَذاهاits fragrance الطّيبُperfume مُكتَسِبٌacquiring
وَشامَةٍ مِنْ شَذاها الطّيبُ مُكتَسِبٌ
لِأَنَّbecause فيon خَدّهِhis cheek وَرْداًa rose لهاfor it جارُa neighbor
لِأَنَّ في خَدّهِ وَرْداً لها جارُ
And a beauty spot from whose fragrance perfume draws its scent,
And to the mole whose sweet fragrance is gained
For a rose on his cheek is its neighbor.
Because a rose for it on the cheek settled.
كَأَنَّهاas though it were مِنamong مُلوكِthe kings of الزّنْجِthe Zanj جالِسَةseated
كَأَنَّها مِن مُلوكِ الزّنْجِ جالِسَة
مِنfrom فوقِabove كُرسيِّthe throne of خدٍّa cheek للبَهاfor splendor دارُan abode
مِن فوقِ كُرسيِّ خدٍّ للبَها دارُ
As though it were one of the Zanj kings, seated
It is as if it were a king of the Zanj sitting
Upon the throne of a cheek, an abode of splendor.
Atop the throne of a cheek too splendid to house it.
مِنهاfrom it يَفوحُwafts عَبيراًas perfume عِطرُthe scent of نَفحَتِهاits fragrant breath
مِنها يَفوحُ عَبيراً عِطرُ نَفحَتِها
كَماjust as لَقَدindeed فاحَwafted مِنfrom ذاthis النَّدبِnoble man أَعطارُperfumes
كَما لَقَد فاحَ مِن ذا النَّدبِ أَعطارُ
From it, its fragrant breath wafts as perfume,
From it wafts a scent, the breeze of its exhalation,
Just as perfumes have wafted from this noble man.
As the perfume spread from that line.
نَدبٌa noble man عَلاrose لِسماءِto the sky of العزِّglory مرتَفِعاًascending
نَدبٌ عَلا لِسماءِ العزِّ مرتَفِعاً
وَفيand in ثُريّاthe Pleiades of العُلىeminence حَفَّتْهُsurrounded him أَنوارُlights
وَفي ثُريّا العُلى حَفَّتْهُ أَنوارُ
A noble man who rose high into the sky of glory,
A line risen to the sky of honor,
And lights have encircled him in the Pleiades of eminence.
And in the highest heaven the stars revolved around it.
شَهمٌa gallant لَقَدindeed رَكِبَmounted المَعروفَbeneficence سابقةًa winning mare
شَهمٌ لَقَد رَكِبَ المَعروفَ سابقةً
لَهاfor it المَكارِمُnoble deeds وَقتَat the time of السّبْقِracing مِضمارُa racecourse
لَها المَكارِمُ وَقتَ السّبْقِ مِضمارُ
A gallant who mounted beneficence as his winning mare,
It is audacious, mounting virtues in advance,
For which noble deeds are the course at racing time.
For it glories and racetracks are wide.
بَحرٌa sea تَراهُyou see it بِمَوجِwith waves of الفَضْلِbounty مُلتَطِماًsurging
بَحرٌ تَراهُ بِمَوجِ الفَضْلِ مُلتَطِماً
وَغَيثُand the rain of راحتِهِhis palm بِالجودِwith generosity مِسْطارُnew wine
وَغَيثُ راحتِهِ بِالجودِ مِسْطارُ
A sea you see surging with waves of bounty,
A sea you see surging with waves of generosity,
And his palm's rain is the new wine of generosity.
And the rain of its comfort pours forth.
بَدرٌa full moon بِمَنزِلَةِin the mansion of الأفضالِbenefactions مطلَعُهُits rising-place
بَدرٌ بِمَنزِلَةِ الأفضالِ مطلَعُهُ
لَهُfor him بُروجُthe constellations of العُلىeminence وَالعِزِّand glory تَختارُchoose
لَهُ بُروجُ العُلى وَالعِزِّ تَختارُ
A full moon whose rising-place is the mansion of beneficence,
A full moon whose rise is in the position of virtues,
Which the constellations of eminence and glory choose for him.
For it the celestial constellations are picked.
هوَhe الهُمامُthe noble hero الَّذيwho فيهin him الزّمانُthe age صَفاgrew clear
هوَ الهُمامُ الَّذي فيه الزّمانُ صَفا
فَماso no اِعْتَراهُbefell it بُعَيدَshortly after الصّفوِclarity إِكْدارُclouding
فَما اِعْتَراهُ بُعَيدَ الصّفوِ إِكْدارُ
He is the noble hero in whom the age grew clear,
It is the resolute one, in whom the times are untainted,
And no clouding befell it soon after that clarity.
No remote disgrace has touched it.
هوَhe الإِمامُthe imam الَّذيwho جَلّتْwere exalted مَناقِبُهُhis virtues
هوَ الإِمامُ الَّذي جَلّتْ مَناقِبُهُ
وَضاقَand fell short عَنْof جَمعِهاgathering them كُتبٌbooks وَأَسْفارُand volumes
وَضاقَ عَنْ جَمعِها كُتبٌ وَأَسْفارُ
He is the imam whose virtues are exalted,
It is the imam whose merits are proclaimed,
And books and volumes cannot encompass them all.
And books and pages fall short of collecting them.
هوَhe الكَريمُthe generous one الَّذيwho قَدindeed صارَhas become حاتَمهُhis Ḥātim
هوَ الكَريمُ الَّذي قَد صارَ حاتَمهُ
نَسْياًforgotten فلَيسَso there is no لهof him ذاthis الآنَpresent moment إذْكارُremembrance
نَسْياً فلَيسَ له ذا الآنَ إذْكارُ
He is the generous one whose Ḥātim has become
It is the generous one who has made Hatim
Forgotten, with no remembrance of him at this moment.
Forgettable, no longer remembered today.
هوَhe الَّذيwho صارَhas come بِالإِحْسانِthrough kindness يَملِكُناto own us
هوَ الَّذي صارَ بِالإِحْسانِ يَملِكُنا
وكَمand how many لهُto him أعْبُدٌslaves دانَتْsubmitted وأحْرارُand free men
وكَم لهُ أعْبُدٌ دانَتْ وأحْرارُ
He is the one who has come to own us through kindness,
It is he who by his benevolence has made us his subjects,
And how many slaves and free men have bowed to him!
And how many slaves and freemen have surrendered to him!
لاno عَيْبَfault فيهِin him سِوىexcept اِستِقلالِهِhis deeming small مِنَحاًgifts
لا عَيْبَ فيهِ سِوى اِستِقلالِهِ مِنَحاً
منْfrom كَفُّهhis palm وَصْفُهاdescribing them لاno شكّdoubt إكْثارُcopiousness
منْ كَفُّه وَصْفُها لا شكّ إكْثارُ
He has no fault except underrating the gifts
His only fault is his lavish independence,
From his palm, whose description is undoubtedly copious.
To describe it is, no doubt, excessive.
فَياso, oh لَهُfor him بَطلاًa hero لِلأُسدِof lions مُقتَنِصاًhunting
فَيا لَهُ بَطلاً لِلأُسدِ مُقتَنِصاً
وإنّهُand indeed he أسدٌa lion فيin الحَرْبِbattle كرّارُrepeatedly charging
وإنّهُ أسدٌ في الحَرْبِ كرّارُ
What a hero he is, a hunter of lions!
O lion hunter and lion of war howling,
And indeed he is a lion, charging again and again in battle.
Through him the dew's discourse is corrected
بهِthrough him حديثُthe report of النّدىgenerosity قدindeed صحّproved sound معضلُهُits broken-chain version
بهِ حديثُ النّدى قد صحّ معضلُهُ
وحسَّنَتْهُand made it good بنقْلٍby transmission عنهُfrom him أخْبارُreports
وحسَّنَتْهُ بنقْلٍ عنهُ أخْبارُ
Through him, generosity's broken-chain report has proved sound,
And adorned by reports narrated about him.
And reports transmitted from him have made it good.
Through him the great ones were honored after being debased,
بهِthrough him الأكابِرُthe great عزّتْgained honor بعْدَماafter خفضَتْwere brought low
بهِ الأكابِرُ عزّتْ بعْدَما خفضَتْ
كَماjust as بِهِthrough him عَزَّgained honor أَقطارٌregions وَأَمْصارُand cities
كَما بِهِ عَزَّ أَقطارٌ وَأَمْصارُ
Through him the great gained honor after being brought low,
As through him many lands and cities became glorious.
Just as regions and cities gained honor through him.
Thanks to him there is a system that has become wise,
لِلّهِto God belongs مِنهُfrom him نِظامٌverse قَدindeed غَداhas become حِكَماًmaxims
لِلّهِ مِنهُ نِظامٌ قَد غَدا حِكَماً
يَتيهُwander bewildered منهاfrom them لِذيfor one with الأفْهامِunderstanding أفكارُthoughts
يَتيهُ منها لِذي الأفْهامِ أفكارُ
How splendid his verse, which has become maxims,
Thoughts of the intelligent wander confused by it.
Leaving the thoughts of discerning minds bewildered.
And the pearls of his current eloquence conclude
ودُرُّand the pearls of منطقِهِhis speech الحاليsweet نَتيجَتُهُits outcome
ودُرُّ منطقِهِ الحالي نَتيجَتُهُ
مِنfrom لُؤلُؤِthe pearls of اللّفظِwords مَنثورٌprose وَأَشعارُand poems
مِن لُؤلُؤِ اللّفظِ مَنثورٌ وَأَشعارُ
And the pearls of his sweet speech yield
In prose and poetry strewn about.
Prose and poems fashioned from the pearls of words.
O ultimate lotus tree, O Kaaba of virtue,
ياO سِدْرَةَthe Lote Tree of المُنتهىthe Utmost Boundary ياO كَعبَةَthe Kaaba of الفضَلاthe learned
يا سِدْرَةَ المُنتهى يا كَعبَةَ الفضَلا
ياO رَوضَgarden of عِلمٍknowledge بهin it للفضلِfor excellence أزهارُflowers
يا رَوضَ عِلمٍ به للفضلِ أزهارُ
O Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary, O Kaaba of the learned,
O garden of knowledge in which virtues are flowers.
O garden of knowledge, where excellence has its flowers,
O Ja'far of virtue, who brings Spring to life through him
ياO جعفَرَJaʿfar الفضلِbounty مَنone who يَحْياlives الرّبيعُspring بهthrough him
يا جعفَرَ الفضلِ مَن يَحْيا الرّبيعُ به
ومَنand one who بهin him أُودِعتwere entrusted للمجدِof glory أسرارُsecrets
ومَن به أُودِعت للمجدِ أسرارُ
O Jaʿfar of bounty, through whom spring lives,
And in whom the secrets of glory are stored.
And you in whom the secrets of glory have been entrusted,
O Ahmad, excellent in description and deed.
ياO أحمدَAḥmad الوَصفِin character والفعلِand deed الحَميدpraiseworthy ومَنْand one who
يا أحمدَ الوَصفِ والفعلِ الحَميد ومَنْ
لهُfor him المَحامِدُpraises بينَamong الخَلقِmankind تختارُchoose
لهُ المَحامِدُ بينَ الخَلقِ تختارُ
O Aḥmad, of praiseworthy character and deed, and you
For him praises amongst people are chosen.
Whom praises choose from among mankind,
So take care of your flock, O God of the Throne, joyfully,
فَخُذْso accept رَعاكَmay He protect you إِلَهُthe God of العَرشِthe Throne غانِيةًa beautiful maiden
فَخُذْ رَعاكَ إِلَهُ العَرشِ غانِيةً
فيat حُسنِهاher beauty حارَwere bewildered أَلبابٌminds وَأَنظارُand eyes
في حُسنِها حارَ أَلبابٌ وَأَنظارُ
Then accept, may the God of the Throne protect you, a lovely maiden,
Minds and sights are confused by its beauty.
At whose beauty minds and eyes have stood bewildered.
The listener passionately sways to it in ardour,
بِهاby her يَهيمُwanders lovesick شَجاًwith sorrow فيin الشّدْوِthe singing سامِعُهاher listener
بِها يَهيمُ شَجاً في الشّدْوِ سامِعُها
كَأَنَّماas though هيَshe أَنغامٌmelodies وَأَوتارُand strings
كَأَنَّما هيَ أَنغامٌ وَأَوتارُ
Her listener wanders in lovesick sorrow at her song,
As if it were melodies and strings.
As though she were melodies and strings.
It came to you walking shyly in wonder,
أتَتْكَshe came to you تَمشيwalking عَلىin اِستِحْيائِهاher bashfulness عَجَباًa marvel
أتَتْكَ تَمشي عَلى اِستِحْيائِها عَجَباً
بِكراًa virgin لَهاfor her بِخِباءِin the tent of الفِكرِthought أسْتارُveils
بِكراً لَها بِخِباءِ الفِكرِ أسْتارُ
She came to you walking bashfully, a marvel,
At dawn, with screens of thought covering it.
A virgin with veils within the tent of thought.
Stretch out your palm to it and veil its shame generously,
فَاِبْسُطْso extend لَهاto her الكَفَّthe palm وَاِسْتُرْand conceal عَيْبَهاher fault كَرَماًgenerously
فَاِبْسُطْ لَها الكَفَّ وَاِسْتُرْ عَيْبَها كَرَماً
فَإِنّfor indeed مِثلكُمُone like you للعَيبِof faults ستّارُan unfailing concealer
فَإِنّ مِثلكُمُ للعَيبِ ستّارُ
So extend your palm to her and generously conceal her fault,
For the likes of you are screens for shame.
For one like you ever conceals faults.
And submit to the safety of God however you are sealed,
وَاِسْلَمand be well وَدُمْand remain فيin أَمانِthe protection of اللَّهِGod ماas long as خُتِمَتْwere concluded
وَاِسْلَم وَدُمْ في أَمانِ اللَّهِ ما خُتِمَتْ
بِحُسْنِwith the beauty of صَدْحٍsinging مِنَof التّغريدِwarbling أطْيارُbirds
بِحُسْنِ صَدْحٍ مِنَ التّغريدِ أطْيارُ
Be well, and remain in God's protection, as long as
With the beautiful honesty of birdsong.
Birds bring their warbling to a lovely close.
Partial English translation: 79 of 80 Arabic lines translated.